Read Online Ocean: The Awakening by Brian Herbert, Jan Herbert - Free Book Online
Authors: Brian Herbert, Jan Herbert
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in the hotel lobby now, filling their plump bellies with food from the sumptuous luau buffet that his grandfather put on three times a week. Now Jeff was using the solo flying privileges granted to him by the old man, which supposedly relaxed him and allowed him to wind down, an escape from the rigors of dealing with demanding passengers—but he really had other reasons. He took these private flights at least once a week.
As soon as possible he wanted to get away from this job that had become an anchor holding him down. If only his grandfather would die and pass the ranch and other businesses on to him and Alicia in his will. Jeff had no interest in continuing to operate those enterprises, so he intended to sell his share and do whatever he pleased with his life afterward. There were other things he wanted to do, bigger fortunes to be had.
Though he still had drug-dealer connections in California, Jeff had no plans to return there and get involved in the west-coast narcotics trade. Whatever he did, it would be here in the Hawaiian Islands. The beauty amazed him each morning when he awoke and looked out the window, or went outside. He liked the native Hawaiians, too, and there were more beautiful women here than he’d ever seen anywhere else, even on California’s surfing beaches. Yes, he would remain in this tropical paradise, maybe continuing in the drug business and maybe not.
While biding his time, waiting for his grandfather to pass on, he’d been using a connection with the biggest drug lord in the Hawaiian Islands, Pauly Tahina, who purchased supplies from the U.S. mainland and the Philippines, and assumed the risks of long-range transport and customs inspections. Here in the Hawaiian Islands illegal pot-growing operations existed, but were run mostly by backcountry hippies for their own consumption, and for passing on to their circle of friends. Neither Jeff nor Pauly wanted to consort with such unprofessional people, considering them unreliable and untrustworthy.
Extra careful, Jeff had his own distribution network of discreet native Hawaiians who sold drugs to tourists on Loa’kai. He was making a lot of money on the side, but he needed to, because of his lavish lifestyle. Whenever possible, he went to the more developed side of the island and enjoyed the night life, taking women out for expensive dinners and the best wine, and to the most exclusive clubs. Secretly, he owned a large oceanfront condominium there and a $600,000 Ferrari, and he was making payments on them out of his drug earnings. With Pauly’s permission, he’d put the condo and sports car in the drug lord’s name, because Jeff didn’t want his grandfather to know he had a significant source of outside income—and if it ever got back to the old man that he was seen in the car or the condo, he could just say a friend was loaning them to him.
The condominium had a spectacular view of the water and of two volcanoes on the Big Island (Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea), across the straight from Loa’kai. This month, a wealthy friend of Pauly’s was staying in the place, and he had access to the Ferrari as well, so Pauly was making the payments during that time, and giving Jeff a bonus. Jeff didn’t particularly like the arrangement, but when Pauly asked for a “favor” (as he did this time) it was more in the nature of a demand. He was not the sort of person to argue with, and Jeff didn’t make a practice of it.
Another concern: Jeff was not especially good at managing his money, and he had received a personal loan of $750,000 from Pauly—who was gradually getting his loan paid back out of the deals they continued to do together. He was also refusing to loan Jeff any more until it was all paid back.
As much income as Jeff made, he never seemed to have enough. But one day all such concerns would be gone, when his grandfather was out of the way. The old man was filthy rich, and Jeff could only imagine what his balance sheet must look like.
He
As soon as possible he wanted to get away from this job that had become an anchor holding him down. If only his grandfather would die and pass the ranch and other businesses on to him and Alicia in his will. Jeff had no interest in continuing to operate those enterprises, so he intended to sell his share and do whatever he pleased with his life afterward. There were other things he wanted to do, bigger fortunes to be had.
Though he still had drug-dealer connections in California, Jeff had no plans to return there and get involved in the west-coast narcotics trade. Whatever he did, it would be here in the Hawaiian Islands. The beauty amazed him each morning when he awoke and looked out the window, or went outside. He liked the native Hawaiians, too, and there were more beautiful women here than he’d ever seen anywhere else, even on California’s surfing beaches. Yes, he would remain in this tropical paradise, maybe continuing in the drug business and maybe not.
While biding his time, waiting for his grandfather to pass on, he’d been using a connection with the biggest drug lord in the Hawaiian Islands, Pauly Tahina, who purchased supplies from the U.S. mainland and the Philippines, and assumed the risks of long-range transport and customs inspections. Here in the Hawaiian Islands illegal pot-growing operations existed, but were run mostly by backcountry hippies for their own consumption, and for passing on to their circle of friends. Neither Jeff nor Pauly wanted to consort with such unprofessional people, considering them unreliable and untrustworthy.
Extra careful, Jeff had his own distribution network of discreet native Hawaiians who sold drugs to tourists on Loa’kai. He was making a lot of money on the side, but he needed to, because of his lavish lifestyle. Whenever possible, he went to the more developed side of the island and enjoyed the night life, taking women out for expensive dinners and the best wine, and to the most exclusive clubs. Secretly, he owned a large oceanfront condominium there and a $600,000 Ferrari, and he was making payments on them out of his drug earnings. With Pauly’s permission, he’d put the condo and sports car in the drug lord’s name, because Jeff didn’t want his grandfather to know he had a significant source of outside income—and if it ever got back to the old man that he was seen in the car or the condo, he could just say a friend was loaning them to him.
The condominium had a spectacular view of the water and of two volcanoes on the Big Island (Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea), across the straight from Loa’kai. This month, a wealthy friend of Pauly’s was staying in the place, and he had access to the Ferrari as well, so Pauly was making the payments during that time, and giving Jeff a bonus. Jeff didn’t particularly like the arrangement, but when Pauly asked for a “favor” (as he did this time) it was more in the nature of a demand. He was not the sort of person to argue with, and Jeff didn’t make a practice of it.
Another concern: Jeff was not especially good at managing his money, and he had received a personal loan of $750,000 from Pauly—who was gradually getting his loan paid back out of the deals they continued to do together. He was also refusing to loan Jeff any more until it was all paid back.
As much income as Jeff made, he never seemed to have enough. But one day all such concerns would be gone, when his grandfather was out of the way. The old man was filthy rich, and Jeff could only imagine what his balance sheet must look like.
He
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