by Anne R. Tan
“I’m sure you’ll be nosing around the resort no matter what I say.” Matthew rubbed his temples. “I should just slap a GPS tracker on your butt and get it over with.”
“My butt is no longer your concern.”
“Your butt is of the upmost concern to me.”
“Will you stop it?”
His eyes twinkled. “Stop what?”
“Why are you playing cat and mouse with me? When I finally accept that you don't want a relationship with me, you’re flirting like you want to start something again. If you care for me at all, you’d stop.”
The smile disappeared from his face. “I’m sorry. This is completely new to me as well. I just haven't quite figured out how to act when I'm around you.”
“What are you trying to say?” She winced internally at the catch in her voice.
He replied slowly, pronouncing each word so there was no mistaking its meaning. “I'm an idiot. The last thing I want to do is to hurt you. And I just realized that if I keep this up, I would. I've already told you I don't think I have what it takes to be the family man you deserve—”
“But how would you know until we really tried?”
He shook his head. “There’s more—”
“Arh, hello?” said a soft feminine voice next to them.
No, no, no! Getting a man to talk about his feelings was even harder than finding the right pair of jeans to flatter her butt. Didn’t this woman notice the “do not disturb” vibe around them? Raina glanced up, barely suppressing the scowl on her face. Fanny. Really? At a time like this?
Fanny’s wide eyes smiled at her from a heart-shaped face framed by black hair with pink highlights. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Raina glanced at Matthew. Of course he’d notice the cute foreign exchange student. She tucked a loose curl back into her boring ponytail. Not that she was jealous.
“Fanny, this is… ah, my friend, Matthew,” Raina said. The bell attached to the front door jingled, a draft of cold air swirled around her legs. She shivered, and just as quickly the draft was gone.
The foreign exchange student dropped her gaze as her cheeks flushed. When she peeked at him from under lowered lashes, her glance had enough flames to light up a Christmas tree.
Raina pressed her lips together. What was she? Fermented seaweed? You didn't poach on another woman’s boyfriend until said woman was out of the picture. Ex. She’d meant to say ex-boyfriend.
“I'm sorry about yesterday. I missed the bus.” Fanny pulled out a chair and sat as if she was preparing for an extended visit. “I was going to ask Joe for a ride, but he… ah, had an emergency.”
Raina forced herself to be gracious. “Don't worry about it.”
As if Fanny’s presence was an indication they were rolling out the welcome mat, Brenda appeared with another iced coffee and set it in front of Raina. “Want to come over for dinner tomorrow night? There’s someone I want you to meet.” She lowered her voice into a stage whisper. “He’s a cutie.”
Raina bit her lip to stop the laughter from spilling out. What a twist. Here was Fanny batting her lashes at Matthew, while Brenda was trying to set her up. And why not? Even before the interruption, Matthew was telling her yet again that he wasn’t emotionally available to her. She had to move on. It was naiveté to believe she could change a man by being a wet bath mat. “Sure.”
“Great,” said Brenda. “Seven o’clock.” At Raina’s nod, she strolled into the kitchen.
Fanny smiled at Raina, as if she were in on a secret. “Oh, you’re in for a treat. Especially if you like them squishy and drooling.” She laughed like a chorus of broken champagne flutes.
Matthew looked relieved. “So I take it he’s not good looking? Maybe a little dull.”
Fanny shrugged her slim shoulders. “He doesn’t say much, and what comes out is not worth talking about.”
Raina shifted in her chair. What if this guy Brenda wanted her to meet was another dud? No, her friend wouldn’t do that to her. Would she? Great, now Matthew and Fanny were buddy-buddy over her supposed blind date.
Matthew’s face was openly curious. “Your English is rather good. I'm surprised you’re here to learn English.”
“Actually, I’m a U.S. citizen. I went to Stanford for my undergrad work.” Fanny paused as if waiting for them to fall off their chairs in surprise. When nothing happened, she continued, “I like America. And since I’m not married, I told my parents I’m here to catch a rich American husband.”
Raina snickered. “There's no rich husband at this table.”
“Maybe American is enough.”
Raina could feel her blood pressure rising. Maybe American was enough. Maybe you need to turn off those bedroom eyes. She gave Matthew a sideways glance, only to find him already studying her with amusement. He knew exactly what Fanny’s comments were doing to her. The jerk.
“So you have dual citizenship? Which parent is from the states?” Matthew asked. His tone was neutral and friendly.
“Neither. My mom was on vacation in Los Angeles when she gave birth to me.”
Raina straightened. This sounded like the guests at the Gold Springs Birth Resort. “You have a U.S. citizenship, but you don’t live here?”
“Yes. I have access to some of the best colleges without having to pay the international fees. I have a U.S. passport, so I can travel everywhere. When I’m here, I work part-time, so I can claim Social Security later. Wealthier families try to have their baby in the U.S.”
“Is this even legal?”
“Birth tourism is a shadow industry in the U.S., but it’s heavily advertised in Asia.” Fanny leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I don’t think your government wants to do anything about this loophole because of the tourist dollars.”
“And you say all your friends are like you?”
Fanny looked at her hands as if trying to appear modest. “Only those that can afford it.”
“Do you want to live here full time?” Matthew asked.
“Not really. Well, maybe with the right man,” Fanny said, giving him another smoldering look. “My family and friends are in China. I just need to escape once in a while.”
“Why here? It’s not like there’s a lot do in Gold Springs,” Raina said.
“Small town U.S.A. I thought it might be charming, but if Bullseye was the best shopping experience Gold Springs has to offer…” Fanny trailed off.
Raina blushed. So Fanny did know better. She should have known a village girl wouldn't have the means to travel to another country because she found her normal life dull. “It's a small town.” She cringed at the sharp tone in her voice.
Matthew threw his crumpled napkin on his plate. “I'll leave you to your girl-talk.” His eyes twinkled at Raina. “Let me know if you find anything at the resort.”
Fanny watched him leave. “They don't make men like that in China.” She glanced at Raina. “Is he single?”
8
LIBEL AND SLANDER
Later that afternoon, Raina kept a lookout for Cecelia while she cleaned the suites with Lucille. When she saw the resort owner heading toward her office, she suggested a break. Lucille readily agreed, trailing a whiff of cigarette smoke in her wake as she jogged toward the Community Room.
Raina trotted after Cecelia without any idea on how to broach the subject of Sui Yuk's baby. She knocked on the opened door. “Hi, Cecelia. How are you holding up?”
Cecelia glanced up from her laptop screen. While her manly features and countenance still conveyed an impression of vigorous health, her eye bags and the set of her mouth told a different story. “I'm fine. Why?”
“Don't you remember what happened last night? You were so agitated, you almost ran me over.”
“Sorry about that. I had a lot of things on my mind.” Cecelia gave a suggestion of a smile, a tight curl at the corners that was more effort than impact. “No harm, no foul, right?”
Raina grimaced, rolling up her sleeve to display the impressive bruise on her elbow. Ceceli
a didn’t have to know she’d darkened it with make-up. “I promise I won't sue.” The resort owner would have to play nice at least for a little while.
Cecelia’s smile turned sickly. “It wasn’t intentional.”
“Of course not. After all, you just came back from identifying Sui Yuk Liang’s things. I would be distracted too if I were in your shoes.”
Cecelia’s eyes darted to the open doorway behind Raina. She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to talk about Ms. Liang. She was a demanding guest, and we were more than happy to see her leave.”
“But she didn’t leave. Lucille and I were supposed to pack up her things yesterday. Why is her stuff still at the resort? Who has custody of her baby?”
Cecelia froze as her fingers curled like talons above the keyboard. “What are you talking about?”
Raina’s eyes widened as a sudden thought hit her. Cecelia must have helped Sui Yuk Liang steal the baby from another woman. It was the only explanation. Sui Yuk wouldn’t have been able to pass BL off as hers without help. But how did she get Cecelia to commit such a crime? Blackmail?
“There was a crib in her room,” Raina said, “I’m assuming she gave birth at the Women Wellness and Birth Clinic. She doesn’t have any family here, so who is taking care of the baby?”
“Are you an ambulance chaser? Are you that reporter, Eden Small?”
“No. I’m not Eden.”
“Then why are you interested in Sui Yuk’s death?”
“I don’t even know her, if that’s what’s you’re asking. But I’m concerned there’s a helpless baby out there. Do we need to notify the authorities that an orphaned baby might need our help?”
“And just what do you suggest? The police didn’t mention her baby. I’m assuming someone took custody of him.”
“But shouldn’t we let the police or CPS know that the baby’s family is in China? They would just naturally assume his parents are from around here.”
“I would think growing up in the U.S. is preferable to China. There are a lot of advantages to having a U.S. citizenship.”
Was this guilt talking? Or did she seriously think having material things was a substitute for the love of his parents? And did she as good as admit BL belonged to another woman. “But what about his family? Eventually his family would come knocking. Someone out there has to be looking for this child.”
“Not my problem.”
“You’re a mother. Doesn’t this bother you?”
“Nope. Not my child.”
“It would be if the rumors spread about the stillbirths. I heard the baby didn’t even belong to Sui Yuk.” Raina tapped her chin. “I wonder where she got this baby if it’s not hers.”
“Let me assure you, there’s no stillbirth. She had a little blood in her underwear, so her doctor recommended bed rest at a nearby hospital. Like I said, Sui Yuk wasn’t well liked. I’m not surprised at the rumors, but there’s just no truth to it.”
“So she spent a month at Gold Springs General?” Raina asked.
“I can’t divulge confidential information about our guests.” Cecelia glanced at the clock on the wall. “You need to get back to work.”
“I didn’t realize the Gold Country Birth Resort had such a stellar reputation overseas. No wonder you don’t want any rumors to circulate regarding the recent bout of stillbirths here. Sui Yuk wasn’t the only one who ended up with a stillbirth after a stay here.”
Cecelia paled as she shook with anger. “You’re here to clean. Not make libelous comments about my business. Now keep your mouth shut and just go do your job.”
“Actually it would be slander.”
“What?”
Raina hung her head, hoping she looked contrite as she rubbed her elbow. Her questions hit a nerve. The resort owner definitely had something to hide, but it could be as innocent as protecting her business from rumors of stillbirth.
Cecelia took a rattled breath. “Sorry about losing my temper. The holidays are just so difficult for me.” Her voice cracked. “I just don’t need this added stress.”
There was a knock at the doorway. Raina turned to find Matthew and Officer Hopper watching them. How long had they been standing there?
Matthew came into the office. “Cecelia Wagner? I’m Detective Matthew Louie and this is Officer Joanna Hopper.”
The resort owner glanced at Raina. “You should probably get back to work.”
Matthew ignored Raina, but Officer Hopper raised an eyebrow at her passing. Raina left the office, but outside the open doorway, she bent over her shoes, untying both laces.
Cecelia asked, “What can I do for you, Detective?”
“We would like to take a look at Sui Yuk Liang’s room,” Matthew said.
“Do you have a search warrant?” Cecelia asked.
Raina grabbed a shoelace. One bunny ear. Two bunny ears. A loopy loop. Pull, and one shoelace tied.
“No, but I can get one pretty quickly. It’s much easier if you cooperate. It’s not like you have anything to do with Sui Yuk Liang’s death or have anything to hide, right?” Matthew said.
Cecelia gave a nervous laugh. “Of course not, but you can’t just come and search my resort.”
Raina grabbed the other shoelace and made bunny ears again as she tied them together.
“We’re not asking to search your resort,” Officer Hopper said, her voice soft and sweet. “We just want to take a look at Sui Yuk’s room before you pack things up.”
“Oh, alright. But you only get ten minutes. I have to make a call soon.”
“I’ll need Sui Yuk’s registration information and any emergency contact information she gave you,” Matthew said. “I’m assuming you have a standard package of forms for your guests to fill out. Was her baby born at Gold Springs General? I’d need a copy of the birth certificate and his mother’s travel papers.”
Cecelia’s voice became strained. “Do I need a lawyer after all? You seem to be asking for more than my cooperation.”
“This is just standard procedure,” he said. “I’m collecting what information I can before the FBI gets here. This case could make international news and we’re trying to get the baby home ASAP. I’m sure you wouldn’t want this kind of news to be associated with your business.”
“You have ten minutes in her room, but I’m calling my lawyer after this.” A chair scraped against the floor. “I need to protect myself and my business.”
Raina jogged around the corner as they left the office. Matthew turned around just as they were about to disappear from view and wagged his index finger as if he knew Raina had been listening in the entire time. Oh boy. She was in for it now.
* * *
Raina pulled out her cellphone and texted Lucille to ask if she was done with her break. A couple seconds later, Lucille replied she needed ten more minutes. This was exactly the response Raina was hoping for.
Police here. If I’m not in one of the suites, I’m answering questions.
Raina casually swerved her head to make sure there wasn’t anyone around. She slipped back into the office and closed the door. Her phone dinged again—a text message from Lucille.
Waiting until u get back. not working w/o u.
Why was she not surprised?
She stuffed the phone back into her pocket, while her other hand reached for the tall filing cabinet next to Cecelia's desk. Locked. She tried the other drawers on the desk, but they too were locked. Just great.
Raina glanced at the closed door, straining her ears to detect any sound. No footsteps. Another five minutes. She opened the closet, expecting boxes and a jacket or purse, and stifled a gasp of surprise.
A tall, slender Chinese woman in her thirties hid behind a purple parka. Her eyes showed more white than brown as breaths came out in noisy puffs. Her hands clutched the thin gold chain around her neck.
Raina took a deep breath to steady herself. The woman looked more like a mouse than a predator. “Who are you? And what are you doing in Cecelia’s closet?”
>
Footsteps approached the office. Someone was coming. The mouse woman squeezed her eyes shut, mumbling a prayer in Chinese.
Raina’s eyes flicked to the window. No time to wrestle it open. Can’t hide under the desk. She jumped inside the closet and closed the door. Trapped. She wanted to join the mouse woman in her prayers.
The door opened and a chair squeaked. Rose perfume seeped in from the gaps around the door. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to guess that Cecelia returned to her office.
Raina’s eyes itched. She hated it when perfume used real ingredients instead of the fake stuff. Her fingers shook when she pulled out her cellphone from her pocket. It squirted out of her hand like a slick bar of soap. She reached for it, but it danced on her fingers and bounced off. Time slowed, and her heart stopped beating.
The phone flipped through the air and landed on the mouse woman’s chest. She slapped both hands to her chest and held onto the phone. She blinked as if surprised at her own dexterity. Without a word, she held it out.
Raina’s heart resumed its normal tempo. Mouthing “thank you,” she reached for the phone. She turned off the ringer and texted Po Po.
Help! Trapped inside Cecelia’s office closet. call to say you have message for Hopper.
The mouse woman continued to mouth prayers.
“Be quiet,” Raina whispered in Chinese.
The mouse woman sank silently to the floor. It didn’t look like Raina would get any help from her.
The phone in the office rang, and Raina held her breath.
“Hello, Gold Country Birth Resort,” Cecelia said. The chair squeaked again. “Yes, Officer Hopper is still here.”
Silence.
“How do I know whether or not her phone is working?”
Silence.
“Don’t you have a radio you can use?”
Cecelia sighed. “Oh, alright. Hold on.” The chair squeaked and footsteps grew fainter as she left the room.
Raina pumped her fist in the air. She took a deep breath and cracked the door. No sound in the office. Swinging the door open, she grabbed her companion’s arm and hustled them outside. When they left the building, the Chinese woman tried to shake off Raina’s hand.
