by Anne R. Tan
He seemed surprised and took it with a quick thanks.
The three-block trot was done in complete silence. The last thing she wanted was small talk. She yawned, wondering if her long day had clouded her judgment. Few people would be up for a walk in the fog with a triad boss. Someday her curiosity would get her in trouble.
Sonny held the door open for her when they got to the French restaurant. They found a table in the corner, and he planted himself so Raina couldn’t see what happened behind her. It always made her antsy to fly blind like this. They ordered drinks and left the menus where the host placed them on the table.
He was like a wild hog in the in candlelight, ready to barrel into the dressed-up people if he needed to. The cuffed pants now pulled up to his knees in his seated position, and the nylon jacket gave him tire rolls that normally weren’t there. The other diners pointedly ignored the two of them, which meant they were very much aware of the disturbance in their refined world.
“I want your grandfather’s journal. It contains information I want destroyed,” Sonny said.
“I lost it when you shoved me in front of the train tracks,” Raina snapped.
“It was an accident, and I apologized. I even sent back your purse, which was not even worth the courier fee.”
Raina wondered if this kind of apology would work with her family. Getting insulted on her choice of clothing and accessories was getting old. “We both know that I don’t have the journal. So why am I here?”
“You know that police officer? The guy who picked up the journal?”
“Detective Smith?”
“Yeah, him. He would do anything to get me behind bars. We’ll trade me for the journal.”
Raina gave Sonny a sideways glance. “What did you do to him? Kill his mother?” She sipped on her ice coffee. She was only half joking.
“Nah, nothing that serious.” Sonny picked up his bottle of beer, pausing before he took a swallow. “We killed his fiancée.”
She choked mid-swallow on the coffee, splattering it across the table and onto the triad boss’s face.
Sonny jumped with an agility that surprised her. He blotted at his face with a crumpled napkin. “Hey! Watch it! I’ve killed people for less than this. If I knew you would be so uptight about his fiancée, I wouldn’t have told you.”
Raina grabbed a napkin, using the motion to hide her flash of fear. Idiot. She’d let the walk and atmosphere of the restaurant lull her into forgetting a career criminal sat across from her. “We, as in the Nine Dragons, or we as in you?”
He shrugged, returning to his seat. “Does it matter?”
“Actually, it does.”
Sonny studied her for a fraction of a second. “Life is all about timing. When you walk in on a disagreement between rival gangs?” He shrugged. “So here’s the plan. Tell Smith you want to trade a tip about a business deal for Monday night for your grandfather’s journal. Tell him, Sonny Kwan might personally be there to oversee this shipment coming in through the Port of Oakland.”
“I’m not sure your plan will work. First, how would I get this information? Second, why would Smith believe me and hand over police evidence?”
“I had someone check at the station, and the journal hasn’t been logged. It’s not in his apartment either, so he’s carrying it around. I need to get it back.”
She sat back, mulling over what he’d said. He could afford a rat in the police force, but he didn’t want to send any of his goons to pick up the journal from Smith. It sounded like he also searched Smith’s apartment.
“There’s something in the journal you don’t want your associates to know,” she said. “What is it?”
“None of your business. Your job is to get me back the journal.”
“What’s in it for me? Why should I help you?”
“Your continued health.”
She cocked her head, studying him. Why didn’t he approach anyone else for help? “You don’t want your associates to know Martin Eng almost ate your grandfather in China when he was a child.”
The amusement left his eyes and his voice was grave. “I’ll have to kill you now.”
The blood drained from her face.
Sonny smiled, showing his back teeth like the big bad wolf. The scar on the side of his mouth moved with his smile like a silver worm under the skin. “I’m just kidding.”
Her heart raced, and she had to tell herself to breathe. “Ha-ha. I’m laughing my as—”
“Another drink?” The waitress appeared, her small round tray tucked into her armpits. She held a pen poised over her notebook. “How about an appetizer? Our chèvre truffles are to die for.”
“The truffles sound good.” Sonny glanced at Raina, his eyes twinkling. “You want anything else?”
Raina shook her head. The guy was toying with her. She had to think. Her grandfather saved his, which was the reason Ah Gong cashed in his chip with the Nine Dragons if she were to believe Po Po’s stories. A life-debt was the only thing that made sense. And there was the package of firecrackers he’d left in her purse. If he didn’t believe, then why would he want to ward off evil like an old Chinese farm wife?
She waited until the waitress left and held up seven fingers. “Seven generations. That’s how long your family owes mine for saving your grandfather from the boiling pot.” She forced a smile on her face, hoping it looked as predatory as his. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she said, winking.
Her heart thudded. She felt like naked Barbie. Plastic perfect on the outside without an ounce of substance on the inside.
Sonny turned his head like a vulture over a carcass to study his competitor. He held up his beer in salute. “Touché.”
The knot in her chest loosened, and she breathed again. “I can’t let you destroy the journal before I read it. I’m trying to find out how my grandfather ended up with another family in China.”
“You’ll have plenty of time from when Smith delivers the journal to when I get out on bail.”
Raina didn’t want to argue with him. With his contacts, he would be out within hours of his capture. “How did you even know the journal existed? I didn’t even know of its existence until I went to my niece’s birthday party.”
“My grandfather told me about it years ago, but I haven’t been able to track it down. Hudson Rice owes me protection money for his business. He called me when he saw you flashing around a leather book with the longevity symbol.”
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you get rid of the Rice family for this offense years ago?” She swallowed, but the question had to be asked. “Is this why you killed Martin Eng?”
“What kind of monster do you take me for?” He gave her a look as if he was tired of being misunderstood.
Oh, poor baby. She almost rolled her eyes, but it would have been a stupid move.
“Besides, we couldn’t do anything while Martin was under your grandfather’s protection,” Sonny said.
She noticed he didn’t answer her question about the murder. “So what happened to your clothes? You don't strike me as someone who shops at the Salvation Army store. I would think you’re like Sonny Corinthos.”
“Who?”
“Sonny. From General Hospital. The gangster.”
“What kind of gang is General Hospital?”
“Never mind. It's a soap opera.”
He looked at her as if she were nuts. And maybe she was for comparing him to the romanticized gangster on television. How could she not? They shared the same name.
“My organization is going through a restructure at the moment,” Sonny continued. “I wouldn’t want a rumor like this to spread about its founding father. Cultural superstitions have no room in this modern age.” He raised an eyebrow as if questioning her understanding of the situation.
Raina nodded at the implied threat. His recent ascent to the position of Dai Lo probably meant wolves were waiting to pull him down. He couldn’t afford for his enemies to use this information to d
amage his credibility as a ruthless leader. When push came to shove, a life-debt could be conveniently forgotten. “Crystal clear. So how am I supposed to get Smith to believe me again?”
He handed her a note with the Nine Dragons chop stamped on it. “Use your imagination.”
15
Funny Money
Raina woke the next morning to burning bacon and loud banging doors. Without even heading downstairs, she knew her mom made breakfast. She glanced at the display on her cell phone. Six thirty in the morning. Something was up because her mom wasn't a morning person.
She rolled out of bed and headed toward the guest bathroom. As much as she wanted to sleep, there wouldn't be any rest when Mom got a burr in her saddle. When she got out of the shower, someone pounded on the door.
“Breakfast, honey,” Mom called out.
“Okay,” Raina said.
“Breakfast!”
“Okay,” Raina yelled.
“Just making sure you heard me.”
“Okay.”
Fifteen minutes later, Raina sat next to a snoring Po Po at the dining room table. Mom and Hudson bustled back and forth from the kitchen with plates of food. When the couple returned to the kitchen for cups of coffee and tea, she poked her grandma until she woke up.
“Why aren’t we in bed?” Po Po yawned, showing the amalgam fillings in her molars.
“You tell me. Why are they making us breakfast?” Raina whispered. “It’s not even eight yet.”
“I wish they got a big breakfast from Mikey D’s instead. I can’t believe I have to pretend to eat this stuff again. Apparently cooking skills don’t get better with age. The last time your mom made me a meal was when she was sixteen and she passed her driving test.” Her grandma spooned runny eggs onto a plate. “She wanted a car then.”
Mom came in from the kitchen, holding out two steaming cups. “Tea and coffee for my two favorite girls.” She set the cups in front of them.
Raina thanked her mom and stabbed a piece of burnt bacon. What was her mom up to? Plaster would have to stand aside for the layer her mom was slathering on.
Hudson came back into the room and handed Mom a cup of coffee. “How’s the food?” He glanced from Po Po to Raina, his smile eager.
“Great,” Raina mumbled around the bacon in her mouth.
“Wonderful,” Po Po said, sipping the tea.
“Have some more.” He splattered a large heaping of eggs on Raina’s plate. “Eat up.”
Raina pointed at her grandma. “Don’t forget Po Po.”
Her grandma shot her a look. “This grub is just great.” She shoved a spoonful of slimy eggs under a piece of cardboard toast. “To what do we owe this fabulous meal?”
Mom glanced at Hudson and then smiled at Raina. “I told Hudson about your little plan to investigate Uncle Martin's death. We want to help.”
Great. The two of them wanted to play detective. What was next? A tea party? “You're doing a great job now, Mom,” Raina said. “If I need any help, I’ll let you know.”
“He’s my uncle. I need to help. I feel so useless just waiting around,” Hudson said.
“How about you take care of your sister first?” Raina said. “She’s trying to clean up and leave her abusive boyfriend.”
“Raina!” Mom sounded shocked. “There’s no need—”
Hudson held up a hand. “I deserve this. It’s hard to help someone who thinks you’re the enemy. She shouldn’t have hooked up with the wrong man. I can understand why Uncle Martin didn’t want to rely on someone so unpredictable at his age.”
“Family don’t give up on each other,” Raina said, glancing at her mom. If they did, she would have found herself another parent by now. “Besides I’ve hit a brick wall. The suspects either have alibis or no motives.” And she wasn’t ready to share Sonny’s plan with her mom and her boyfriend.
“What about the business rival?” Mom asked.
“She seems prosperous. I don’t think her argument with Martin harmed her at all,” Po Po said. “She has no motive to harm him.”
“Are you sure? Some people look like they are doing well on the outside, but are secretly broke,” Hudson said.
“You can always ask her yourself. She’ll be over later this morning to do something about Weeping May,” Po Po said.
Hudson blinked, but was too polite to ask about the ghost haunting their house.
Mom was under no compunction. “How come you didn’t hire Hudson to take care of it? A stranger will not be as invested as family to remove this presence. He’s practically family.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Hudson patted mom’s hand. “We shouldn’t encourage nepotism.”
“Our family defined nepotism.” Mom stood. “I guess we know where we stand in this family. Come on, Hudson, we have stuff to do.” She sailed out of the dining room. Hudson gave Raina and Po Po an apologetic look and followed her.
The hall closet opened and closed. There was the clatter of putting on shoes, the swish of gathering jackets and scarves, and finally the click of the front door closing.
As the silence seeped through the house, Raina released the breath she’d been holding.
“I thought they would never leave,” Po Po said. “This sounds horrible, and you know I love your mother, but sometimes it’s hard to be around her.”
“I thought mothers are supposed to always want to spend time with their children,” Raina said.
“Not always.”
Raina pressed her lips into a thin line. Was there something wrong with her personality? She couldn’t seem to get along with either her mom or her sister.
Po Po squeezed her hands as if she’d read her mind. “It’s not you. It’s them.”
She smiled, feeling better. “This is what my ex-boyfriends always say right before they break up with me.”
“Speaking of date, how did it go last night? You came home late.” Her grandma wiggled her eyebrows. “Did you guys get hot and heavy?”
“Po Po!”
“Oh, come on. We’re both adults. It’s not like I get to have a hot and heavy date. My dates are a success when their dentures stay in place during the goodnight kiss.”
Raina covered her ears with her hands. “La-la-la. I don't need to hear this stuff. Please save it for your BFF.” What could she do to erase the vision of her grandma getting hot and heavy in a make-out session? Did Po Po say these things to shock her or did she really do them? “Sonny Kwan was waiting for me when I got home.”
Po Po rubbed her hands together. “This is going to be juicy. I can feel it in my bones. Give me all the details.”
“Aren’t you worried about my safety? I got abducted by a triad boss.”
Her grandma’s gaze traveled the length of her. “You seem fine. I have no doubts you can take him on.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence even though I don’t agree with you.” She told her grandma Sonny's plan for getting the journal back from the police. “How much can I trust a person like Sonny? I need to take this chance; otherwise, I have nothing to bargain with Smith.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Even if Smith says no, I’d be perfectly safe. The SFPD wouldn’t harm me.”
“It’s not him I’m worried about—it’s Sonny. When does he plan to get the journal back from you? He has killed before; how do we know he wouldn’t do it again? An old family debt is the only thing protecting you.”
“I don’t have any choice.” Raina gave her grandma a sideways glance. “Unless, we stop searching for Ah Gong’s secret family? There’s no one alive who could tell us what happened.”
Po Po averted her gaze. She probably came to the same conclusion. “There’s Sonny’s grandfather.”
“And you think it would be any less dangerous to find a retired Dai Lo hiding from his enemies?” Raina shook her head. “No, I have to partner with Sonny.”
* * *
Raina helped carry the uneaten food back into the kitchen. Her eyes widened at the u
nwashed pots and pans in the double sink. Dribbles of congealing eggs and bacon grease decorated the island and countertops. “It looks as if they used every pan in the house.”
Po Po sighed, rolling up her sleeves. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”
“I can take care of this,” Raina said.
“No, no. We need you to contact Smith. Joley Mok will be here in an hour, and I don’t want her to see this mess.”
Win came in, took one look at the sink, and said, “I’m having a Pop-tart.” While the pastry warmed in the toaster, he wiped the island. “We should ban Mom from the kitchen.”
“How was the drive to Napa? No problems with Brandi checking in at the rehab center?” Po Po asked.
“It was fine.” He grabbed his breakfast and left for the matinee with his girlfriend. So much for morning conversation.
Raina strolled out to the living room, dialing Smith’s cell phone number. As the phone rang, she peered out the window and didn’t see any car sitting outside watching the house.
Both Sonny and Smith had put the ball in her court. At this point there was no reason to watch what she did. And boy, did she want to play…except she had no idea if she was even in the right court.
After several rings, she got Smith’s voicemail. She left him a brief message she wanted to meet later in the afternoon to discuss his earlier proposition to team up on the investigation. As she hung up, a Mini Cooper parked half a block away. A large man stepped out, unfurling until he reached his full height beside the clown car. She watched Joley and Ralf grab the tools of their trade and head toward the house.
It triggered a stray comment from her conversation with Mrs. Keane. She had mentioned a woman leaving Martin's townhouse in a Mini Cooper right before his death. Was it possible that Joley Mok visited Martin the night of his murder?
Raina greeted them and sent them on to the kitchen. She would let them work their magic on Weeping May, and then when they were relaxed, spring the question on them to gauge their reactions. Easy peasy.
“Wong Po Po, can you tell us more about Weeping May?” Joley asked.
