Only in Paradise

John Gage once again tried to find a comfortable spot in the crowded plane. Flying coach with long legs was never fun, but on a paramedic's salary he didn't have a choice. He glanced up at the drawn curtains of first class. Yes one of these days he would ride up there.

"Excuse me," his seat mate looked at him so he stood up to let her in. The window seat is what he wanted but again his travel agent wasn't fast enough so he would get what he could get.

Hawaii. He was finally going to Hawaii, land of aloha and wahini's. The poor suckers at the station wouldn't believe it when he told them where he was going for vacation.

"Hawaii? Really John," Stanley seemed skeptical. "Alone."

"Yeah," Gage snorted, "but not for long."

"You really think your charm is going to work on those Hawaiian chicks," Chet laughed.

"Yeah why not?" John started washing dishes.

"Besides Johnny going to do some hiking aren't you Junior?" Roy put down the paper.

"Yeah, hiking, parasailing, scuba diving. Hawaii is a nature's paradise and I plan on taking full advantage of it," the dark haired paramedic finished the dishes and headed out to the back.

"He's one lucky guy," Marco lamented.

So here he was flying the friendly skies to the land of Aloha. Sitting back in his seat, again his seat mate got up to use the rest room. Standing up he watched as the curtain in first class opened up and he saw a couple arguing. He was transfixed until the curtain closed and he waited while his seatmate sat down again.

After his plane landed, Johnny stood up and stretched his aching legs. Walking out of the arrival terminal he followed the signs to find baggage claim. To his surprise he had to walk about a quarter mile outside. Once outside he could tell he was no longer in LA, exotic smells and sounds overloaded his ears and nose. He could smell plumeria, tuberose and a dozen others, and then he heard the birds. Their chirping and warbling was nothing like back home. Once getting his luggage he found his hotel shuttle and climbed aboard. His vacation was looking good so far.

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Arriving at his hotel, he was greeted with bright, aromatic lei. He checked in, still a bit weary from his five hour flight. Signing the registry, he received his room key, grabbed his luggage and headed up to his room. A cool breeze was blowing in the open air lobby and the highly scented air made him dizzy. Taking the elevator up to his 11th floor room, the elevator music was playing "Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho. Once the elevator stopped at his floor, he was whistling "Tiny Bubbles" as he walked the hall to his room. The carpet in the hotel had bright, brilliant flowers and his white tennis shoes almost blinded him against the bright carpet.

Opening the door, Johnny looked in his room, the drapes were open to show a clear ocean view of Waikiki; yes it was good to be John Gage. He barely had dropped his suitcase on the floor when a woman screaming interrupted his first time in paradise. His paramedic instincts on automatic, opening the door into the hallway, standing still he rushed to where he heard the woman screaming and knocked on the door. The screaming seemed to get louder and he was the only one in the all.

"Ma'am are you all right?" Gage knocked harder. "Ma'am?" He found the door opened to his touch and proceeded cautiously. He found her lying on the floor, her blood spreading on the gold fibers and then he felt pain as he went down hard.

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"Huh, what?" John felt himself being jerked up. He was staring into the face a very serious sandy haired colored man who screamed cop. He felt a bump on his head and opened his mouth in surprise.

"Hello," the cop looked at him. "Are you in the habit of killing women?" He said coolly.

The paramedic looked down at the woman he was trying to help and found the hotel room suddenly crawling with men with cameras and notebooks.

"Hey you got it all wrong, mister..." Johnny tried to explain to the stone cold face.

"Dan Williams, detective," Williams said distinctly.

"Detective, you don't understand," Gage tried to move his hands only to find them manacled behind his back. "I heard her screaming and I came to help, k. The next thing I know I wake up to find you guys."

Williams crossed his arms, "You expect me to believe that mister."

"John Gage, I'm a paramedic/firefighter with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, detective. I save lives I don't take them and…" Johnny was silenced.

"Ben read him his rights and take him downtown. I'll tell Steve," Williams jerked his finger towards the door.

"You're making a big mistake," John wailed as the other policeman led him out of the room. "Listen you're making a big mistake. Hey, I just got here; you know and hey, stop jerking me so much."

With as much dignity as he could muster, the mute policeman pushed him into the elevator as "Little Grass Shack" played as the elevator went to the lobby. Johnny walked proudly through the crowded lobby knowing he was innocent of whatever the cops thought he did. Gage was then pushed in the back of the sedan and watched the sights as he was driven to the main jail.

"Look man. You're making a mistake, a big mistake," Johnny pleaded to the silent Hawaiian cop.