Chapter 22
The perfect loving traditional Japanese wife, Sayomi, has a splendid afternoon getting...
*
Late morning, Tuesday, August 7th
The Nakamura residence
Bobby....
A little after eleven o'clock, a grey Lexus and a white BMW 335xi sedan made the long drive from the street and after parking, two ethnic Japanese men and a black woman walked up the wide black volcanic stone steps to the front of the house. By the time they had reached the top, Kaito and I were looking out the wide picture windows.
The woman knocked on the door and then deferentially stepped back behind the two men.
I stood to one side while Kaito opened the door. The people on the porch bowed in respect and one offered his business card to my father-in-law who I now thought of as my father in fact.
"Daisuke Saito, gentlemen... I am the manager for the Bank of America in Honolulu."
"What may I do for you, sir?" asked Kaito, as intrigued as I was.
"We are here on behalf of the Crowell Corporation in Malibu, California and wish to speak with Lieutenant Robert Osborne and Miss Sayomi Nakamura... I apologize, we know that she is now married, but have no other name for her."
Kaito and I looked at each other in a bit of a surprise. "Please, come in."
Our three guests removed their shoes and slipped on blue plastic shoe covers on their feet the woman provided from her business case. As they sat down in the living room, Sayomi's two aunts appeared with tea and strawberry cookies as a pretense to discover what was happening. Setting the tray down, they served tea to the bank people, anxiously looking for any excuse to stay.
While I appreciated the tea ceremony rituals, my impatience with both the bank officials and Sayomi's two aunts was chewing my mind. Sayomi and her mother finally entered the room and the visitors respectfully rose as one.
When everyone was settled again and courtesies exchanged, the bank manager began to speak. "If we may see your identification, please?"
The two aunts had hovered in the kitchen doorway, anxious to hear what was said.
Saito stood waiting while the woman quickly compared the two identification cards with the computer copies that Mary Tybal had sent her from Malibu. Satisfied, she handed them back to Saito who in turn returned them to Sayomi and me.
"Do you wish to be called Miss Nakamura or Mrs. Osborne?"
Sayomi....
That was something I had never thought of. While I had gladly and rapidly changed honorifics for Bob and myself, what my last name was never crossed my mind. I used Osborne with the jeweler but this was a legal matter.
I leaned over and whispered to Bob, "Anata, what shall I do?"
"Kimi," he answered back, "until it's legally changed, go with Nakamura." He kissed my cheek softly, aware that public displays of affection weren't well accepted by traditional Japanese even if we were our own home. "If you please," he said, "let us stay with Nakamura right now."
I could see my two aunts smiling, as if thinking there was still a chance of breaking us up.
"Will we need a lawyer?" Bobby asked.
I could just sense my aunts listening harder.
"Oh, no. I assure you everything is fine and in order. All the legalities have been vetted by our bank's legal firm as well as the Corporation's.
"Miss Nakamura, in appreciation for the courtesy extended to Colonel Maria Paras, the Crowell Corporation wishes to present you with a small gift for your kindness. If you would please sign here, acknowledging receipt."
I really was surprised that a bank manager and two assistants would drive out to present an envelope. After he handed me the envelope and a small box, I read the enclosed letter:
Dear Miss Nakamura,
I wish to personally thank you for your help in our time of need. While I am sure you would have helped anyone as you did, your phone gave us the opportunity to discover what was happening. From both a corporate as well as a most personal heartfelt thanks, please accept this token of our gratitude for you kindness. Everything's been taken care of.
Alessa Jennifer Lane
Executive Assistant
The Crowell Corporation
I looked inside the small box, expecting to see some jade trinket or a similar token. Instead, I saw a pair of keys and a remote. Keys to a Beemer! Oh, totally sweet!
Although I tried to act in a nonchalant manner, as soon as I reached the front door I was off like a rocket, flying down the steps toward the car. Somewhere behind me, the rest followed at a more sedate pace while my two miserable aunts stayed on the veranda forming a very sour look on their faces.
The white BMW opened with a push of the car's remote as I ran my hand over the smooth roof of the car. Sliding in and sitting behind the wheel, I saw another envelope addressed to me laying on the dash. Tearing it open I found a cashier's check for $100,000...
"Bobbi! Bobbi! Look what I've found!"
Bobby....
I ambled over to the car's passenger side and sat inside with her. Her fingers trembling, she gave me the check.
"Oh, my God!" I exclaimed. "That's amazing! That turned out to be one very expensive phone call."
"Wouldn't have happened without your pushing me to act, Bobbi-kun. Oh, thank you, my husband."
A shadow appeared on the driver's side of the car. It was Ms. Holloway crouching down to meet her.
"Miss Nakamura, the Crowell Corporation has already paid the taxes on this money so that you can have the full amount. Here are your tax forms; we've filled them out for you. Please sign here... and here... and here. All taxes, insurance, maintenance and repair bills are guaranteed by the Crowell Corporation, in care of the bank. Here, for your records, is how to contact us. This is my card. Call me anytime.
"Now, Lieutenant, your paperwork will be a little more complicated. Nothing as fancy as a new car, I'm afraid, but I believe you'll be happy, just the same. May we return to the house?"
This time, the bank manager had possession of a square envelope. He offered it to me with both hands and a great smile. Opening the square envelope, I found a plain white card with a handwritten note. I noticed a company logo on the lower right hand corner, embossed with 'The Crowell Corporation.' I read the note.
"Dear Lieutenant Osborne,
Maria and I are eternally grateful for all you have done to help us. If you ever need anything, let us know immediately."
The signature line was covered by a large red flourish of a capital 'A' and a squiggly line following.
The other man, all this time silent in the background, came forward and handed a business envelope to the bank manager who in turn handed it to me.
I noticed two things: first, the man was carrying a Glock and second, the new envelope was the same type as the one given to Sayomi containing her check.
'Could it be another 100 K?' I asked myself. 'That would be so cool and take some of the pressure off me to find something right out of the Marines.'
I passed the envelope to Sayomiko. She carefully opened it, fully expecting, I suppose as I did, to see a check similar to hers. However, she told me later in the tea-house after we had 'discussed' what to do about the money, when she saw the amount of Five Million Dollars printed across the middle of the cashier's check and all those zeroes she was speechless, and after running her fingers over the numbers, for some reason handed it to her father instead of back to me and collapsed on the couch.
"Lieutenant," the woman from the bank said, "please sign at the indicated marks; all Federal and State taxes have been paid, so when you file, remember the original amount is over the stated figure on the check."
I didn't understand why everyone was acting strangely. I mistakenly thought the excitement from the 100 thousand dollar check was still present in the room and that was what everyone was thrilled about. This second check had to be probably the same amount, maybe a little higher.
"Miss Lane and Colonel Paras wanted you to have a full five million."
At the mention of five million dollars, there was a loud smashing sound as the tea service the two women had been holding onto in the doorway fell to the floor and then the two aunts retreated to their shared bedroom and slammed the door.
"Must have been the wind," Kaito said, dryly, looking in the direction of the bedrooms.
"If you wish," Ms. Holloway continued, "we are prepared to help you open accounts with us right now."