Hong Kong

by Luke Richardson

  Leo pushed on, climbing the steep path which followed the track. After a couple of minutes he heard the cables, which ran down the middle of the widely spaced rails, ping and crack. Then a dark shape materialized from the grey and the train shot past again, this time returning passengers back to the city.

  Ahead the path opened out. To the right, the famous view of the city Leo had seen so often should have appeared. But today it was nothing but grey. In front, a few buildings surrounded a small plaza. One was the newly built train station and viewing platform, the other an entrance to a shopping mall.

  Tourists milled about, taking pictures of each other – pointless without the desired backdrop.

  Leo bought a bottle of water and leaned back on a bench, resting his legs. He had hoped the mist would clear while he was walking, but the thick covering of grey remained absolute.

  As though coming out of the mist of his own memory, a thought suddenly occurred to Leo.

  This is where the picture of Mya would have been taken.

  Sitting up straight, he looked left and right.

  Here somewhere.

  Pulling the phone from a pocket, he scrolled through to find it. He’d kept the picture as it was the most recent one of Mya he had. In it, she stood with people he didn’t recognise, the city in the background.

  This is where it was taken though, he thought, looking up from his phone.

  But when? There was no telling. It could have been years ago. Was she still here?

  To Leo, it was as though Mya represented everything that was unknown, everything that couldn’t be discovered or found out. The fact that she had left, or was made to leave with no explanation, was the thing that now haunted him. Not the fact that she was gone, but the fact he didn’t know. The pain of losing her had faded, but the sense of failure for not finding her grew every day.

  Returning from Kathmandu with Allissa, people had assumed that this was a new start for him, that he was finally over Mya. Sometimes he’d let people think that as it was easier. But it wasn’t like that.

  Over the last few months Leo had encouraged Allissa to look for someone, but she never seemed interested. Part of him wanted her to for her own happiness. He knew that she had virtually always been on her own. She’d never really given being with someone a chance. But now she was more settled, it might make her happy to try. Part of him though, wanted her to be with someone because that would give him boundaries. He wouldn’t have to think about her while he was lying alone in the next room. He could give up thinking about how things could be different if they were together. If Allissa was with someone else, it would make things certain and simple. Leo and Allissa were friends. That’s the way he had to think about it. That’s the way it was.

  They been through too much together now to be anything more.

  Looking back at the photo on the screen of the phone, Leo felt guilt grow in his stomach. Why had he never told Allissa about the picture? Never told her how it had been sent by her father with the promise of more information in exchange for Allissa’s location.

  Leo had made the decision instantly. He deleted the message, blocked and deleted Stockwell’s number and would never tell Allissa about it.

  But why hadn’t he said anything at the time? Before it became a big issue?

  When they were away, she seemed so happy. He couldn’t spoil that. Then when they returned to Brighton Allissa had her dad’s trial to deal with. There never seemed to be the time to tell her about the picture. He could never find the right words or the right moment.

  Checking the time on his phone, Leo stood. He should head back. He wanted to get their return flights booked today. Get back as soon as possible in case he was needed at home.

  Turning towards the descending path, Leo heard the people behind him start to mutter. Then as he looked out across the city, he noticed that the view had begun to change. The blue of the morning sky was appearing high up and the mist was sinking across the ocean. Leo held onto the railing in the same place Mya had stood and watched the city climb out of the fog.

  At first it was just blue sky with bright sunlight crowning a thick soup of fog. Then the spires of the tallest buildings began to pierce the grey swirling mass. Within a few minutes, thirty or so buildings looked as though they were floating on a sumptuous cushion of it.

  Leo turned to make his journey down the hill. With the gleaming city came a clear mind – he was going to tell Allissa about the picture.

  Chapter 51

  The windows of Yee’s office, where an hour ago the fog swirled like a dirty rag against the glass, were now clear. The buildings around him gleamed and in the distance the column of sea was becoming visible. It was going to turn out to be a good day.

  Seated at his desk, drinking his coffee, Yee congratulated himself on a successful twenty-four hours. He’d turned what could have been a bad thing into something very good, very good indeed. Although he hadn’t had the time to do what he’d wanted last night, his wife and children had now gone to visit family in Shenzen for a few days. He would have no distractions. He could do whatever he desired. Yee smiled at the thought, clenching his fists with growing excitement.

  Taking another sip of the dark, bitter coffee, Yee smiled to himself. It really had worked out alright. How long it would last, he didn’t know. But right now, things were going his way.

  His phone vibrated on the tabletop, an unrecognised number.

  “Hello,” Yee answered, putting the coffee down.

  “Mr Yee, it’s Allissa, we met yesterday regarding your employee, Jamie Price…”

  Yee grumbled. Then reminding himself Allissa knew things that could damage his business, he forced a friendly tone into his voice.

  “Allissa, how can I help you?”

  “I’d like to know how your conversation went with Isobel – what did she say?”

  “We spoke yesterday, and she no longer works at the company.”

  “How did she take the news? I just want to check that she’s okay. Isobel may have done a bad thing, but I don’t think she’s necessarily a bad person. She could be vulnerable at the moment…” Yee’s mind ran through the events of the past day. She certainly was vulnerable – he liked that.

  “She was fine,” he said. “She was a little… shocked and then she left. Took all her stuff – I’m not sure where.”

  The line went quiet. Yee sipped the coffee; it had gone cold.

  “I’d like to speak to her,” Allissa said. “I want her number please.”

  “Why?” Yee asked.

  “I don’t like loose ends with our cases, and I don’t like the idea that this vulnerable young lady has no one to turn to in this city. I’d like to speak to her and check that she’s alright. Can I remind you that we’ve done you a sizable favour coming to you first with this? It still wouldn’t be too late for us to get some media interest in the story, particularly when people start asking why Jamie has been released.”

  Yee brooded over the answer, but he knew he didn’t really have an option. Or did he…?

  “Fine, I’ll give it to you now,” he said, the grin forming again.

  Removing the phone from his ear, he scrolled through his contact list. Finding Jiao’s number, he dictated it to Allissa. Jiao was with Isobel, and he could tell her exactly what to say.

  “Thanks,” Allissa said when she had confirmed each digit. Yee mumbled a goodbye and disconnected the call.

  Yee didn’t like being threatened. He wanted to be in control.

  He needed to do something that would make the nosy detectives give up and go home. Then he could do whatever he wanted with Isobel. But, they couldn’t think it was him doing it. If they thought he was trying to make them leave they’d become more persistent.

  Leaning back on his chair, Yee examined the painting. He needed to restore order, order in which he was in control. Ruffling his fingers through the sides of his hair, Yee considered his options. He could get his way, he just had to be clever about it. Somet
hing to scare them off. Something to make them lose interest without realising it was him.

  Sitting forward again he picked up his phone and called Jiao.

  The idea was simple, but executed right, it might work.

  Chapter 52

  It takes a lot to make good coffee. It’s not as easy as many people think. First the beans need to be good quality – you’d notice straight away if they weren’t. They need to be kept at the right temperature and ground just before serving. The machines that steam and hiss must be cleaned and serviced regularly, and the milk (if used) must be cold and fresh. Only when these three elements are brought together will the coffee produced be rich, flavoursome, and just what Allissa needed as she walked through the door of the Serendipity Café.

  She’d woken an hour earlier in a tangle of hair, fragmented memories and the insipid smell of alcohol. Leo wasn’t there; she remembered him leaving some hours before, saying something mad about going for a walk.

  Last night had been fun – Allissa and Leo had not been out together in a long time. They worked hard, and although it was enjoyable, they needed time off too.

  Sitting at a table in the corner of the small café, Allissa thought about how things had worked out. She’d never planned anything in her life, and there had been patches of true chaos, but in the last few months she’d felt more settled than she had in a long time.

  When Leo asked if she’d like to come and stay with him in Brighton for a while, Allissa wasn’t sure. She’d become used to travelling, to moving on, to not staying still for long. She had tried to make something of a home in Kathmandu, but when her father ruined that, she hadn’t immediately felt like trying again. But in Pokhara, spending the days enjoying the crystal lakes and the nights in city’s bars and restaurants, Allissa relaxed into Leo’s company.

  Arriving in Brighton she had, genuinely, only intended to stay for a few weeks. But Leo’s company was good, the business picked up and before she knew it, months had passed.

  Allissa wasn’t sure if she’d expected something to happen between them, but when it didn’t, she was neither surprised nor upset. She knew the story of Mya. Leo had explained on the day they’d met. Allissa knew that part of him was still holding out for her and she wasn’t going to get in the way of that.

  They had become close though. Closer than she’d been with anyone in a long time.

  Being honest with herself, Allissa probably didn’t even know what it was like to be with anyone anyway. There had been a succession of boyfriends when she was younger, but there had been no real connections. Then, after finding out the truth about her dad, boyfriends and romance didn’t really seem very important. She just wanted to go where she liked and do what made her happy without having to worry about someone else coming too.

  Spending time with Leo was different though. They got on well. But not in that way.

  Then when she’d been in Brighton a few weeks, for the second time in her life, everything changed. The prosecution of her dad. He had been charged with a series of offenses including organising the murder of her mother in Kenya. The walls had closed in as she was asked to testify.

  Allissa had to decide whether to stand up for her mother against her father or refuse to testify against her father and feel like she was dishonouring her mother. It was a bleak choice.

  After many sleepless nights of indecision, Allissa decided that if she told the story – told the truth, her truth – then it was up to the court whether or not to find him guilty. She would have done her bit.

  Leo held her hand that day as they left the court. She hadn’t been touched like that in a long time. Tears streaked her face as they sat outside in the cold afternoon. Leo said nothing, he didn’t need to. He held her tight against his shoulder until her sobbing subsided and then they made the journey home together.

  They were just friends, she was sure of it. Things were great the way they were. They’d both been through so much that simple was better.

  That’s what Allissa told herself, her mind roaming in the corner of the café.

  “Do you know what you want?” A voice punctured her daydream. “What can I get you?” A waitress stood over her, a small pad and pen in hand.

  “Ah, yeah, flat white please,” Allissa said, closing the menu she had laid in front of her but not even glanced at.

  “Sure, I’ll sort that for you now,” the waitress said with a smile.

  Something about her surprised Allissa, her English accent to start with.

  Allissa watched her crossing the empty café. She was pretty, tall, slender, large wide eyes and a broad smile that lit her face with warmth. Strange, Allissa thought, dismissing it as her phone vibrated.

  It was a message from Leo: Hey. On my way back now, see you in a bit. x

  Allissa dismissed the message as the coffee machine began to hiss and steam industriously. Allissa watched the girl operate it. She did look sort of familiar, but Allissa just couldn’t place her.

  Maybe they’d seen her out the previous night, or she looked like a famous person.

  Bloody hangover déjà vu, Allissa thought picking up her phone again. If she wanted to talk to Isobel, she should do it before Leo came back.

  Allissa knew what it was like to be afraid with no one to turn to. So, despite Leo’s assertion that the job was finished, Allissa knew she had to at least check that Isobel was alright. She dialled the number Yee had given her as the waitress brought the coffee. She smiled in thanks.

  “Hello?”

  “Is that Isobel?”

  “Yes, who’s this?”

  Allissa explained who she was and how she and Leo had been paid by Jamie to prove his innocence. Isobel seemed to be listening intently.

  “I just wanted to check that you’re okay, whatever you’ve done, I’m sure you had your reasons. I couldn’t just leave you.”

  Allissa paused expecting a torrent of abuse. None came.

  “Can you meet me?” Isobel said.

  “Yeah, of course,” Allissa said, in surprise. “Where?”

  “There’s a restaurant on Cameron Road. The Golden Lotus,” Isobel said without seeming to think about it. “Come at two.”

  Chapter 53

  The metro from Hong Kong Island back to Kowloon hummed as it accelerated out of the station. In contrast to the morning’s crossing, the train was almost empty. Sitting down, Leo felt his phone vibrate. Strange. He was used to London’s underground system which no phone signals could permeate. Pulling it from his pocket he saw Allissa’s name flashing on the screen. Looking left and right, as though observing a private miracle, he answered.

  “Hey, I’m on the metro coming back from The Peak – how you feeling?” Leo didn’t even need to raise his voice against the electric murmur of the train.

  “Yeah getting there, coffee is helping,” Allissa said. “Isobel just called, she wants to meet us. Just to explain stuff, I think.”

  Leo felt his frustration build. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

  “I thought we agreed last night that we would just call to check she’s okay. Not meet her for lunch.”

  “I know, I called her, and she suggested it. I’m worried about her.”

  Leo didn’t reply as the metro began to slow.

  “I know you didn’t want to get involved,” Allissa said, “but she’s alone and she’s vulnerable.”

  “Okay, where?” Leo said. He knew Allissa wouldn’t give up; it would be better to just go and get it done.

  Leo’s journey from the metro station was quick in the dwindling lunchtime crowd.

  Although shoppers, tourists and salesmen still meandered and hassled across the wide pavements, Leo avoided them decisively. A few minutes later, he waited where Allissa had told him – on the corner of Nathan Road and Cameron Road. He was early.

  As a procession of taxis queued to turn, Leo shivered, his body cooling after the day’s exertion. The sky was a thick blue in the now-bright afternoon.

  From the wid
e, sun-lit pavement of Nathan Road, Cameron Road looked dark. It was thin and lay in the constant shadow of the looming buildings either side.

  Squinting down the dismal street, trying to make out The Golden Lotus where Isobel had asked to meet, Leo was reminded of the restaurant they’d visited in Kathmandu. That wasn’t a visit he or Allissa would want to relive, or ever forget. It may have been the memory, or his cooling body temperature, but Leo felt himself shudder.

  After five minutes, Allissa arrived from the other direction. Seeing her emerge from the crowd, Leo found himself smiling. As she smiled back, he remembered he was supposed to be irritated with the whole situation.

  “All Isobel said was that she wanted to meet us here?” Leo said by way of greeting.

  “Pretty much, yeah.”

  “Sounds a bit strange to me.”

  “I imagine she just wants someone to talk to – to get things straight. She sounded really timid on the phone.”

  Leo rubbed a hand across his chin and hummed doubtfully.

  “Look, it’s not going to make any difference. We will go now, see what she has to say, check she’s alright and then we will be done. Then this afternoon we will go and get our flights home booked.”

  Leo felt himself warming at the suggestion as he followed Allissa into the shadows of Cameron Road.

  “How are you feeling anyway?” He asked.

  Allissa exhaled. “Better than I was an hour ago. Last night was fun though.”

  “Yes, it was,” Leo agreed.

  Cameron Road became increasingly gloomy the further they walked. Above, only a slither of sky was visible between the dirty shadows of the buildings. It seemed that the road only existed to serve the goods entrances to the shops either side.

  “Is that it?” Leo said, pointing to a bunch of discoloured letters above what looked like a disused restaurant on the right-hand side. Some of the letters were covered in grime and others were missing entirely.