“Ethel, you have that look on your face.”
Po Po fidgeted a bit in her chair. “You know the skeleton the police found in the building?”
“Of course. It’s all over the news. They call it the Missing Mummy.” Liu caught Po Po’s eye again. “Ethel?”
Po Po took a deep breath and straightened up. “I overheard Leslie Choi discussing it with Abby during dinner.”
“Oh, I remember Leslie. She’s just as determined as Abby, isn’t she?”
“She’s investigating the case and found out Peng built the building. She told Abby and then they both asked me about it.”
Liu drew a deep breath as she placed hand over her chest. “What did you say?”
“I told them I didn’t know anything about that business. I said it was impossible for Peng to have a business I didn’t know about.”
“Did they believe you?”
“I don’t know,” Po Po said, looking at the floor.
“Ethel, did Leslie say anything about identifying the body?”
Po Po looked into her friend’s concerned eyes. “I don’t think they know yet.”
“What if they find out? What will we say?”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Chapter 36
Leslie was hunched over her desk with her head buried in a report when a knock at her office door interrupted her.
“I’m glad you’re still here,” Lee said, entering.
“If you were about to ask if I want to get dinner, well…” She motioned to the two Chinese takeout boxes sitting on her desk. “There’s still some chow mein left if you’re hungry.”
“Thanks, but I already ate. I’m actually here about the case,” he said. His hands were on his hips, pushing his sport coat back.
Leslie leaned back in her chair and brushed a few strands of hair away from her eyes. “What’s up?
“They found another skeleton in the building.”
“You’re kidding me.” Her posture deflated as she let out a slow breath.
“I wish I were, but I just got a call. It’s in the same load-bearing wall but one floor down. The team will do the same thing they did last time: remove that section of the wall and then excavate the remains back at the lab.”
“Do you know if it’s male or female?”
He shook his head. “It’s impossible to make that call until they remove all the concrete.” Lee tapped at his cell phone and showed Leslie a photo that the team had sent him. “Dr. Fang’s already been informed, and he’s on his way to the lab. He might be able to tell us something right away, but from the looks of that photo, it won’t happen until they remove all the concrete.”
Leslie pursed her lips as she took in the news. “Is the media still at the crime scene?
“No, and I told the crew to be discreet when removing the wall.”
“Make sure everyone involved keeps their mouths shut. I don’t want this to get out.”
Lee nodded. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “So do you still believe the mother-in-law?”
“What do you think?” she asked, her tone clearly indicating that the question was rhetorical.
“Shall I make arrangements to bring her in?”
Leslie shook her head. “I can’t do that to Abby. I’ll handle it from here.”
“You sure that’s the way to go?”
“She needs to be a part of it.”
Lee cocked his head. “Okay, you’re the boss.”
He had turned around but stopped after taking a step. “You know,” he said looking back at Leslie, “I can’t help but wonder if this problem with the bodies is contained to one building. Peng had other buildings. Could they also be dumping grounds? I know you’re thinking the same thing.”
Leslie slumped forward and rested her arms on her desk. “I am.”
“How do you want to proceed?”
“Before we can start punching holes in other buildings, we need a bit more reason than what we have. I wish we were closer on identifying that body.”
“I’m still digging into Peng’s past associates. So far, everyone I’ve looked into from Abby’s report are still alive. There are a few more I’m trying to confirm. Let me ask you something. How much of your thinking has Peng responsible for these two bodies.”
“About fifty-fifty,” Leslie said swiftly. “His death happened about ten years after the building was built. If he was responsible, it could be payback, or he could be another victim, or he could not be connected at all and his murder was a coincidence. I mean, his wife did work organized crime.”
“I don’t see it as a coincidence. He built the building fifteen years ago and sold it to Sheila Yang a year later. She said she did no renovating. Dr. Fang confirmed that the age of the concrete around the body was just as old. That pretty much vouches for Sheila. Her DNA wasn’t a match anyhow.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Leslie said.
“I think Peng was involved somehow. To what degree, that’s to be determined, but I think he knew those bodies were in the building, and I’m guessing he also knew who they were. That’s my position.”
Leslie couldn’t disagree with Lee. She had been trying to come at it in a way that didn’t place blame on Peng, but she knew better. Her relationship with Abby had clouded her judgment and the way she handled the case. She couldn’t continue investigating that way.
“Keep doing what you’re doing,” she told Lee. “Also start interviewing Peng’s business associates who are still alive, see if that leads us anywhere. We’re asking different questions than what Abby might have asked.”
Lee nodded as he buried both hands into his pants pockets. “Look, I know this is tough for you with Abby and all, but if all fingers keep pointing to Peng…well, he’s dead. Unless he had a partner, this case will be filed away as unsolved. Sure, it’s not something we hope for or that Abby will want to know, but it’s the best of the worst.”
“I know. I feel bad though. She never solved Peng’s murder. She’s already got a million unanswered questions floating around in her head. Adding ‘husband was a murderer’ to the list doesn’t help.”
Chapter 37
It was nearly ten p.m. when Leslie knocked on my hotel room door. The kids were already asleep in Po Po’s suite; Ryan had decided to sleep in there to keep his sister company. I’d left the door between the two rooms open just a crack.
“Shhh,” I said, pressing my forefinger against my lips as Leslie came in.
She nodded and placed her purse on the dresser. “You look like you’re ready for bed,” she said, her face apologetic.
I had two bed lamps turned on, so the lighting was minimal, and I wore only a T-shirt and a pair of panties. “It’s no big deal,” I said in a soft voice. “I’m just watching TV.” I aimed the remote at the television set and muted the already low sound.
“If it wasn’t important, you know I would have waited until morning.”
I waved her off her comment. “I don’t think we’ll wake them if we talk in here, but I rather not chance it,” I said, then slid open the door to the balcony. “Once Lucy wakes, she’s up,”
Leslie walked softly behind me. “That’s fine. It’s warm out tonight. Is Po Po asleep too?”
“She’s with her friend Liu. You remember her, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“They haven’t seen each other since we moved from Hong Kong so she wanted to spend a couple of days with her.”
“Can’t blame her.”
We each took a seat. I drew my legs up and crossed them under me, pulling my shirt over my knees. “So what’s this important news?” I made quote marks and smiled.
“I don’t know how to say this, but I know you need to hear it from me, in person.”
“Is this about the skeleton, or is it about Peng’s signature on the contract?
“Both. We found another body, Abby.”
Leslie might as well have socked me in the gut because that was what I felt after h
earing those words. I’d had a pretty good idea the news wouldn’t be good, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear that.
“Tell me you’re kidding.”
“I wish I were. I said the same thing to Lee.”
“So now you think Peng killed two people?”
“I didn’t say that, Abby.”
“But it’s what you’re thinking. I know I would be,” I said, my voice louder now. I knew she felt badly and wasn’t thrilled about finding another body, but I couldn’t contain the anger rising inside me.
“I’m telling you what I know.”
“Come on, Leslie. There could be a million ways those bodies found their way into that building. A Triad gang dumped it at night, or they were already mixed inside a cement truck and poured right in.”
“You’re absolutely right. There are other ways for those bodies to end up there, but we can’t ignore the obvious. You yourself taught me to investigate every lead, and right now Peng has the biggest bullseye on his back. I’m sorry.”
“But how can you pin all of this on Peng? He can’t defend himself and you can’t charge a person with a crime if they’re dead.”
“I know it doesn’t make any sense, but the Peng angle might lead us to an answer. Finding another body…well, it just complicates things. We still haven’t finished searching the building, and then there’s—” Leslie stopped herself.
“There’s what? No, wait. Let me guess. You’re wondering if there are bodies in any of the other buildings that Peng had built. You think he became a developer so he could get rid of bodies?” My voice was rising again, and I couldn’t seem to contain it.
“Abby, please.”
I didn’t respond but instead stared off into the bay, trying to temper my emotions. Leslie was a good friend. She didn’t have to come here and tell me this in person; she did it because we’re friends. She had handled the situation in the most delicate way possible. Still, I was completely blindsided. Having another body certainly didn’t take the spotlight off of Peng. The man I knew was kind and generous and did his best to make others happy. He didn’t build office buildings to hide dead bodies in the walls. I didn’t want my memory of him to be tarnished, but more than that, I didn’t want to ruin the kids’ memories of their dad.
I washed a hand over my face and then pulled my hair back and twisted it into a bun. “I’m sorry,” I said, letting out a long breath. “I’m acting like a total bitch.”
“No, you’re acting the way any sane person would act. I’d act this way.”
“I just want a rational explanation for all of this.”
Leslie leaned forward and threw her arms around me. That helped. A lot.
After a few moments, I pulled back. “Why is this happening? I came to Hong Kong for a family vacation. The next thing I know, I’m discovering that Ryan and Lucy have grandparents who want nothing to do with them and that my late husband and his mother helped cover that up. I thought that was pretty bad. Turns out, that was the tame news. Now my dead husband is the prime suspect in a double murder that he covered up by hiding two bodies in a building he built fifteen years ago.”
“Abby, don’t start using a broad brush to paint a gloomy picture. I know I must sound ridiculous saying that, but—”
“I know what you’re saying. I’m thinking worst-case scenario, but you have to admit, it’s hard not to.”
“I’m right there with you. That’s why I’m here.”
“Thank you.”
Leslie gave my left arm a gentle squeeze. “You know I love you like a sister, right?”
“Yeah…”
“And you should also know that what I’m about to suggest next is unavoidable and that I in no way actually meant to draw you into my investigation. But—”
“I already know what you’re going to say. You want to question Po Po again.”
“Yes. We…well I didn’t really question her the way I normally would have questioned someone. And if I’m being honest here, I’m not so sure she told us everything she knows. I think you know this too.”
“I do. We handled her…maybe too much. I’ll also put a call in to my supervisor to see if there’s some way the Bureau might be able lend some help on identifying those bodies. If Po Po does know more than what’s she already told us, identifying those bodies will be key here. It can answer a lot of questions that Peng, unfortunately, can’t. I can’t promise there’s anything my office can do, but we have excellent resources. It’s worth a try.”
Leslie nodded. “By the way, where exactly is Po Po staying?”
“Liu lives in the Sham Shui Po district.” I peered into the room and at the clock on the nightstand. “They’re probably both asleep. How about we head over there first thing in the morning?”
Chapter 38
Leslie and I agreed that she would meet me back at the hotel at eight the following morning and head over to Liu’s apartment. I would have no choice but to take Ryan and Lucy. I just hoped this hot mess didn’t get any worse than it already was.
As soon as Leslie left, I checked the time. San Francisco was sixteen hours behind, making it seven in the morning there. I picked up my cell phone and dialed Reilly’s number at the office. It rang longer than usual, and I began to think he might not have arrived yet. Just as I was about to hang up and try his cell, he picked up.
“Reilly speaking.”
He sounded a little out of breath. “Hi, it’s Abby. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, I heard the phone ringing from down the hall, and something inside me compelled me to run to my office to answer it. Why are you calling, Abby? You’re supposed to be on vacation.”
I brought Reilly up to speed as quickly and concisely as possible. He listened quietly save for a few verbal acknowledgements.
“Man, Abby. I don’t even know where to start. It all sounds a little far fetched.”
“I wish that was the case.”
“Well, first off, I’m terribly sorry to hear this. I know investigating your husband’s murder took a lot out of you. This must—Wait, are you okay? Do you need to take some time away? I mean, on top of your current plans?”
“I’m okay. I appreciate your concern, but really what I need is help identifying this body.”
“Look, Abby. I’m not one to sugarcoat things. We don’t have jurisdiction over there. You know this. There’s no way I can officially commit manpower to the Hong Kong Police unless they formally reach out for our help. And even then it would be a hard sell because there are no Americans involved. At least it doesn’t seem like it.”
“I thought there might be some way to involve the Bureau since you were able to obtain clearance for me to assist the Royal Thai Police for a previous investigation.”
“That situation was different. It was our investigation to begin with. We informed them that their citizens were in danger and offered our help.”
“I see.” Well, there goes that.
“I’m sorry, Abby. I know this isn’t the answer you wanted, but there’s a protocol I have to follow. I don’t see any justifiable reason to be involved.”
“It was worth asking.”
“It always is. But I want to be sure you’re clear on this. I won’t hear later that you went behind my back and asked your friends in forensics to do you a favor, will I? If I were to hear of such a thing, it would certainly be grounds for insubordination. Understand that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, so we’re clear about me not hearing anymore of this?”
“We are. Crystal clear. You won’t hear a word about it.”
And he wouldn’t need to because Reilly had just given me instructions on exactly what to do and how to keep it quiet so he would have complete deniability. When we hung up, I immediately made a call to another agent I could trust, Tracy House. She had mentioned to me in the past that she had a close relationship with the forensics team.
“Abby, how’s Hong Kong?” she said, her voice upbeat.
“Oh my God, Abby. This is…I don’t even know what to say.”
“I’m fine. Everyone here is fine.”
“Do Ryan and Lucy—”
“They have no idea what’s going on,” I said. “But Tracy, I do need your help with identifying the remains.” Abby filled her in on her phone call with Reilly.
“Yes, of course. I have a good relationship with an agent in forensics. I’m positive he would be willing to unofficially help. And he will keep it to himself. I can’t promise he’ll identify the body, but he can at least start by having a conversation with the medical examiner and see what sort of assistance he can offer. At a minimum, we can run the DNA through the CODIS database and see if we get a hit.”
“Thank you. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
Chapter 39
The following morning, Lucy woke me up at six, which wasn’t too bad. I had my alarm set to go off at quarter after, and then I intended to hit the snooze button twice for another twenty minutes. It didn’t take long after opening my eyes for me to remember last night’s conversation with Leslie. No way after those thoughts popped back into my head could I return to dreamland.
Ryan kept closing his eyes, even after I yanked the covers off of him and then pulled the black-out curtains wide open.
“Lucy, change out of your pajamas and brush your teeth.”
I turned back to Ryan. He had fallen asleep again. I stuck my finger in my mouth, got it nice and wet, and then twisted it into his ear.
“Arrgghh, Abby,” he moaned, swatting my hand away.
“I warned you.”
“No you didn’t. You said, ‘Don’t make me ask you to get up one more time.’ You didn’t say anything about giving me a wet willy.”
“Live and learn, my son. Live and learn.”
Ryan had no idea how easy he had it with me. He wouldn’t survive a day with my father, the tall Irishman who believed in waking up early and putting in a full day’s work. When he wanted me to get out of bed, he’d ask once. I learned early on that the man never asked twice for anything. “When words fail, physicality succeeds.” That was his philosophy. I didn’t agree with it, but I learned to live with it. As a result, I grew up extremely efficient.
Kowloon Bay (Abby Kane FBI Thriller Book 3) Page 12
