The Chinese Woman: Red Dragons: A Spy Mystery Thriller: Li Mei Spy Action Series (The Chinese Woman: Li Mei Spy Action Series Book 4)

by Brian N. Cox

  Li Mi and the detectives now were quite certain in their own minds that this was an organized crime operation whereby children in their early-teens would be forced to service pedophiles, probably in a foreign country. Poor Wang Li just wasn’t attractive enough to generate enough money for the organization behind this, so she was expendable. Only time would tell, however, if she was the unlucky one…perhaps she was actually the luckiest of all the abducted girls.

  The rest of the day was spent interviewing and re-interviewing potential witnesses.

  ***************************************************************************

  “You know the Golden Python Restaurant, Chen? We met their a few months ago. Meet me there at two o’clock. You can bring Hu with you,” said the voice on Chen’s cellphone.

  “I’ve got a third partner now, a female, can I bring her?” asked Chen.

  “Is she good looking?”

  “Very. Wait until you see her.”

  “Can you vouch for her one-hundred percent?”

  “Yes I can. I’ve known her for over twenty years,” he lied. “She’s not only one of the most trustworthy persons I know, she can keep a secret for sure.”

  “OK, bring her along.”

  Chen knew that if Li Mei hadn’t been a very beautiful woman, Chang Kuai would never have let her come.

  Chen called Li Mei and Detective Hu to the corner of the general office where no one could hear him.

  “I just got a call from Chang Kuai. He wants to meet me, I assume he has some information he wants to pass on. He has agreed to let you come also Li Mei. Chang Kuai is an enforcer with the Red Dragon Triad.”

  “If he is a confidential informant, I am surprised he would let me come not knowing anything about me. He must have a lot of trust in you, Younger Brother.”

  “He has. Let me give you a little background on Chang Kuai,” said Chen.

  “We’ve known each other since elementary school. He was a small kid then and I was a grade ahead of him. Three kids in my grade used to pick on him and beat him regularly. They’d steal his lunch almost every day. One day I saw them beating Chang so I stopped them and kicked their ass. I was a bit of a tough kid. The bullies never bothered him after that. Later, Chang hit a growth spurt and by high school, he was the biggest and toughest kid in school. He bided his time and got each of the bullies separately. They got such a beating that you could hardly recognize them. They were so scared, they never told anyone who had beaten them.”

  “Now he’s a mid-level member of the Red Dragon Triad, without doubt the most powerful and dangerous Triad in Beijing. He doesn’t give me much info about the Red Dragons, but from time to time he passes on some valuable information, usually about the Red Dragon’s competitors.”

  “He owns a small restaurant with gambling in the back room and runs some brothels. He’s never admitted it, but he’s also a key guy in the Red Dragon’s protection rackets.”

  At two o’clock, Chen, Hu and Li Mei entered the Golden Python Restaurant, a small restaurant on a side street in an old district in southwest Beijing. The streets were busy with both foot and vehicle traffic, with many street vendors doing a brisk business. Since it was mid-afternoon, the restaurant had no customers other than a large, nasty looking man with a shaved head sitting in the corner. He waved to Chen but didn’t smile and looked Li Mei up and down as they approached the table.

  “This is Lei Mei, our new partner,” said Chen.

  “Beauty and brains too,” said Chang. “I’m impressed. Very impressed”. This time Chang smiled a little or maybe it was a leer.

  Chang was not one for small talk and got right down to business.

  “I am one-hundred percent loyal to the Red Dragons but something is going on that I don’t like. Someone is setting up a brothel with young kids. I don’t like that….it’s pigshit.”

  Li Mei, Chen and Hu got quite excited to hear this but none let it show in their faces.

  ”Who is doing this?” asked Chen.

  “I hate to see the Red Dragons doing this. I’m no angel but our Society was not created to sell children to perverts. I was told about this by a low level thug named Du Mi Rei. He’s just muscle, too stupid to be running this. I don’t know who the brains is but Du Mi Rei will lead you to him if you put a watch on him.”

  “This is valuable information my old friend,” said Chen. “You’ve seen the news. There have been seven kids kidnapped, that we know of. What is going to happen to them?”

  “I don’t know for sure,” said Chang. “My guess would be they would be taken to America or Europe. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to keep the operation in Beijing.”

  “Have you heard any rumours or do you have any suspicions about who may be the boss?” enquired Li Mei.

  Du Mi Rei’s brother told me the boss might be a guy called Da Fong (Big Fong). I don’t know if that is true. I saw Da Fong once a few years ago at a banquet, but never met him. He is higher up the ladder than me, so I don’t know anything else about him….wouldn’t know how to contact him if I wanted to. If he is the guy behind this, put a bullet in his brain.”

  “I have nothing against prostitution,” continued Chang Kuai. “I have five small storefront brothels within a couple of kilometres of my restaurant but all the girls are adults and they are there because they want to be. They are poor migrant women with no education. Working for me, they can not only support themselves comfortably but can send money home to their families. A few of them were being beaten by their husbands, but after a visit to their husbands by me and my associates, the women are no longer being beaten. Kidnapping children and taking them away from their families to screw and give blowjobs to perverts is a whole different game.”

  “Thanks Younger Brother. This has been very helpful. If you hear anything more, please all me,” said Chen.

  As Chen, Hu and Li Mei drove back to the inner city, Chen called his Inspector on a secure line and told him about Du Mi Rei, a member of the Red Dragons, and asked that twenty-four hour surveillance put on him and his close associates. Due to the priority of the case, the Inspector said the surveillance teams would be assigned to this immediately.

  ***************************************************************************

  That evening, Chen received a phone call from Chang Kuai with some further information.

  “You know who this is, I’m on a borrowed phone. I couldn’t find out Da Fong’s real name but I found out that Da Fong owns a bus or maybe more than one. Also, he is from the south somewhere.”

  “Can he speak Cantonese, or does he speak Mandarin with a Cantonese accent?” enquired Chen.

  “No, he’s not from Guangdong. South is all I heard.”

  After the phone call, Chen called Li Mei and Hu with this information, then watched the news on television and went to bed. The abductions were a big story on the news and more than a few people were demanding to know why the culprits hadn’t been caught and the girls returned to their families. Solving crimes when the perpetrator is a dumb idiot isn’t too hard, Chen thought to himself, but when it’s a well thought out operation of the Red Dragon Triad, it isn’t that easy.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  As Li Mei drove to the police office to meet with Detectives Chen and Hu, her mind was very busy, as it had been ever since she received Chen’s phone call the night before.

  It was a long shot, and probably of no help, but worth pursuing.

  “I realize there are hundreds of thousands of ‘Fong’s in the south of China,” Li Mei said when she got to the office, “but let me run this by you.”

  “When I was in Sanya last week, I saw a rather husky, middle-aged man talking to a crooked politician. They appeared to be meeting in secret and didn’t want to be seen together.”

  “The man’s name was Fong Lei, and he is living in Beijing, but is originally from Sanya, in the south,” Li Mei continued. “Moreover, he owns a travel company. He has no criminal record and is unknown to the police, bu
t isn’t that true of the majority of Triads, after all, they are secret societies.”

  “It’s a real longshot,” said Detective Hu, “but definitely worth a follow-up”

  “I agree,” said Chen. “Same surname, came from the south, and a travel company could mean buses. That would be a way to transport the kids out of Beijing without the risk of putting them on an airplane.”

  “I would like to meet with Chang Kuai for a talk,” said Li Mei. “He is your informant so you have the right to approve or disapprove.”

  “I have no problem with that. I’ll phone him and try and set it up Older Sister,” replied Chen, “but be careful. I can trust him but you can’t. He’s a very dangerous man.”

  “I’ll be very careful Younger Brother, please make the call. While I am gone, find out everything you can about Fong Lei and his company. It’s called the Fairwind Travel Company. I’ll send the info and photo to your cellphones.”

  **************************************************************************

  Li Mei found a parking spot about two blocks from Chang Kuai’s restaurant and walked at the same speed as everyone else, scoping out the landscape. She wore a dark green ball cap, her hair in a ponytail, jeans and a dark green overshirt and carried a large handbag on a shoulder strap. The street was typical of the inner city streets off the main thoroughfares with side by side shops open at the front so people walking by could see all the wares for sale. She passed one of Chang’s brothels, also open at the front with mauve side curtains and three young women sitting on a large sofa, two of them talking while the third one was knitting. Besides the slim, middle-age man standing near the women, who was probably the brothel manager, she saw two men about twenty yards apart watching her from the other side of the street. Li Mei was used to men watching her, but she had learned to tell the difference between attraction, lust and an interest not related to the first two reasons.

  She entered the restaurant and Chang immediately signalled for her to follow him up the rear stairs. When Li Mei got to the top landing she saw that Chang’s apartment was very clean and decorated with expensive modern furniture. A very attractive young woman, about twenty-five years of age, dressed in short shorts and a tank top was sitting on the sofa. Without saying a word, Chang signalled her to leave the apartment, which she did immediately going down the same stairs that Chang and Li Mei had come up.

  “Let’s sit at the kitchen table, Li Mei,” said Chang. “I have some tea already made.”

  Li Mei sat down at the table opposite Chang Kuai. She was a little uncomfortable as her back was towards the stairs, but not too concerned as the stairs squeaked. It would be unlikely that anyone could approach from her rear without being heard. Besides, she could see the reflection in the glass cupboard window behind Chang Kuai.

  “So what do you want to talk to me about?” said Chang.

  “I want to show you a photo. Please tell me if this is Da Fong,” Li Mei said as she showed Chang Kuai the photo of Fong Lei on her cellphone.

  “Chang studied the photo intently for about ten seconds and then said, “Yes, that is Da Fong. He had long hair when I met him, but it is definitely him. I am impressed. How did you learn his identity?”

  “Brilliant detective work,” said Li Mei with a laugh. “Now what do you know about this bus or buses? Have you ever seen them? If so, what colour? Any writing on the side?”

  “No, I have not seen them. I learned that he has more than one bus. Maybe he owns a bus company? No, wait, one of my friends saw one of the buses and it said “Tour” something on the side of the bus in both English and Chinese.”

  “Do you know where he lives, or at least what part of Beijing?” said Li Mei.

  “No, I don’t know. If I did, I would have told you,” said Chang.

  Just one last thing, Chang Kuai,” said Li Mei, “What cut will Cai Tianshan get from this child brothel business?”

  “Usually twenty percent. How do you know about Cai Tianshan? I didn’t know the police knew about him; I have never even told Chen.”

  “Oh, that’s common knowledge in the Organized Crime Division. I’m surprised Chen has never discussed this with you. Anything else you can tell me?”

  “No, I don’t know anything else,” said Chang Kuai, and then after a pause he continued, “You know why I agreed to meet you don’t you?” he added.

  “I am sure your intentions are honorable,” said Li Mei with a laugh, knowing they were anything but honourable.

  “You and I are going to go into my bedroom and fuck our brains out,” said the Red Dragon.

  “I don’t think so,” said Li Mei, looking not at all worried.

  Chang’s face began to look quite sinister. “There is no way you can stop me Little Sister,”

  He said as he began to get up from his chair.

  “Actually there is,” said Li Mei and she brought out the Chinese Type 67 pistol with a built in noise suppressor she had been holding under the table and pointed it at Chang Kuai’s chest.”

  “Wait; calm down. Since when do police use silencers on their weapons?” said Chang looking quite surprised to see the gun pointed at him.

  “It’s unauthorized, but I thought it would be handy if I had to shoot you,” replied Li Mei. “I wouldn’t want your people downstairs to come running up the stairs after hearing a gunshot.”

  “We both know that if you raped me, you would have to kill me,” continued Li Mei. “You can’t rape a female police officer and expect to escape the consequences. You would probably never make it to court.”

  “Well I am again impressed. My friend, Chen, got himself a smart streetwise partner,” said Chang Kuai. “No hard feelings Young Sister.”

  “No problem Chang Kuai. I am sure we can help each other in the future. By the way, I saw several people watching me as I approached. Make sure they don’t try to hinder my return to my car. I don’t want to accidentally kill anyone,” said Li Mei with a slight smile.

  Chang Kuai showed a big smile for the first time and then broke into laughter. “Go Younger Sister…no problem.”

  As Li Mei walked towards her car, she felt very good about the meeting. Neither the police nor State Security knew who the leader of the Red Dragons was, although Cai Tianshan was one of four or five they suspected was the Dragonhead. Now Chang Kuai had confirmed it and Li Mei smiled to herself as she walked feeling good that she had been able to manipulate Chang into confirming Cai Tianshan was the Red Dragon leader.

  **************************************************************************

  Back at the police office, Li Mei met with Detectives Chen and Hu.

  “Did you have any problems with Chang Kuai?” enquired Detective Chen.

  “No, we had a productive conversation,” replied Li Mei.

  “Well I’m relieved to see you have returned safely,” continued Chen. “Don’t tell me he didn’t try to get you into his bed.”

  “Oh, of course he tried, but we came to an understanding.”

  “Tell us about your productive conversation,” said Detective Hu.

  “He identified Da Fong as being Fong Lei. Doesn’t seem to know anything more about him. Although he didn’t see Fong’s bus or buses, a friend that did see the bus says it had the word “Tour” on the side in both Chinese and English.”

  “That ties in with what we learned,” said Chen. “Fong Lei has a fleet of five buses. His company provides domestic tours and also tours to Vietnam and Thailand. They sometimes fly out of Beijing on a chartered plane, but here is the interesting part. He runs a seafood tour to Wei Hai on the coast and then down to Xing Dao. As you know, Xing Dao has several airports.”

  “So there is the logical way to get the girls out of Beijing and fly them out of the country,” said Li Mei.

  “Also,” interjected Hu, “there was a photo of one of his buses on his website and it has tinted windows, ideal for taking the girls on a road trip with no worry about them being seen.”

  “
One of our concerns is the number of girls,” said Chen. “You can’t run a big brothel expecting big profits with only seven girls.”

  “That has bothered me too,” said Li Mei. “We should look farther afield to see if there have been other abductions.”

  “We’re already doing that,” said Chen. “I’ve assigned a few other teams to look for similar abductions within a few hundred kilometres of Beijing. We should know later today.”

  “Oh by the way,” said Lei Mei with a smile, “I forgot to mention that Chang confirmed that Cai Tianshan is the leader of the Red Dragons and he will get a twenty percent cut of profits from the child brothel.”