Tail of the Dragon

by Connie Di Marco

  “It’s tough, I know. I guess cops and medical examiners have to somehow develop a facility for disconnecting from the inhumanity of the situation. It isn’t easy.”

  “By the way, I looked for Suzanne today and she wasn’t at the firm.” I took a sip of coffee. “I’m sure you know by now that Suzanne and Jack were having an affair.”

  Adam laughed. “I think it was hardly a secret.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Before I forget, the other reason I stopped by. I have some information on your guy Len Ragno or Lenny Ragno.”

  “Really?”

  “He did time at Chino.”

  “What for?”

  “Drugs … dealing. What else? Here … they faxed me his picture. Have a look.” Adam passed over the sheet of paper. It was a grainy black-and-white mug shot, but there was no mistaking the man in the photo. It was Luca Russoli, Gale’s protégé.

  “Oh no!”

  “What? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  I filled Adam in on Gale and the Fort Mason art show and the argument I’d witnessed between Luca and Nora Layton as I was leaving. “Luca Russoli is really Len Ragno.”

  “But why would he want an art showing under a pseudonym?”

  “Maybe he’s trying to put the past behind him? What’ll I tell Gale?”

  “The truth, if she’s a friend. And Ragno, go straight? I don’t think so. This guy’s been in and out of trouble since he was fifteen.”

  “Gale’s sharp. I don’t think I need to worry about her. But no one needs this, to be lied to. I just hope she hasn’t gotten involved with him any further.”

  “There’s more.” Adam drained the last of his coffee. “You’re gonna love this.”

  I turned back. “What? You’re looking very smug.”

  “I pulled up Ragno’s court record.” Adam’s smile grew wider as he nudged his chair closer to mine.

  “Yeeees? You’re definitely looking pleased with yourself. Tell me!”

  “Well, the court website lists all court hearings and documents filed. It also lists the parties to a suit or criminal charge, and the attorneys who appeared.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Guess who Len Ragno’s public defender was?” I looked at him blankly. Adam waited patiently for my response, and when there was none, he said, “Nora Layton, no less!”

  “Ah, that makes sense. David told me she’d worked as a public defender before joining the firm. Now that’s a big connection. They already knew each other. And she would have known who he really was when she saw him at the art exhibit. So maybe that’s why they were arguing, or maybe there was or still is a drug connection.” I’d really have to tell Gale in person, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. “Adam, something that Rita Walstone said today … It was hard to understand her, but it sounded like Ira had figured something out, something he was going to tell David.”

  “Really! Did she say anything more?”

  “No. Either she didn’t know or she couldn’t remember. Whatever it was, Ira never got to speak to David. I’m worried, Adam. I’m worried about Suzanne as well. She could be in danger.”

  “Worry about yourself first, Julia. You’re way too close to this. Besides, my vote’s with Ms. Layton.”

  “Nora? Why?”

  “She needed money, and David told me she might have been selling information to Deklon Management.”

  “Quite likely. She’s just about thrown her career away, so what does she have to lose? If Jack was threatening her with exposure about illegal drug use, she could have lost the one thing that was keeping her afloat. The firm had asked her to leave, but she still had the ability to practice law. That could all change with a criminal charge. If so, she certainly had a motive to kill Jack, but so did Ira. Jack contributed to the destruction of Ira’s marriage.”

  “From what David’s told me, it doesn’t sound as if Ira cared much about keeping his marriage together. And a lot of people had it in for Harding.”

  “Have you had any luck locating the janitor’s wife? We need to find out who she is and where she is.”

  “Not as yet, but I’ll keep trying. Got a couple of other places I can check. If she’s still in the city. Don’t forget, she got a large settlement. She could have relocated anywhere.”

  “True, but I still hold to my premise that a female is involved.”

  “Because of David’s Moon … something? With all due respect, that’s astrology, not fact.”

  I bristled. “I know. Look, I think it’s a female and possibly an employee, and I could be wrong.”

  “Okay, assuming you’re correct, who do we have? We have Nora at the top of our list, Suzanne, even if you think she’s in danger, and Karen Jansen and Dani Nichols.”

  “Let’s not forget Rita Walstone and Hilary Greene. Or even Sarah Larkin. Any one of them may not be as harmless as they seem.”

  “But they don’t work at the firm.”

  “But they all have connections to the firm and to Jack, in one way or another. I can’t think of any motive that Dani would have. She doesn’t seem interested in anything but her music and the gigs her band is booking.”

  “What about this Karen Jansen?”

  “Dani thinks she’s weird. Doesn’t believe she was ever married even though Karen’s hinted she once was. Plus, she’s pretty upset. Both her bosses are dead. There’s still some work for her but she could be out of a job.”

  Adam pushed back his chair. “Listen, I know you need to get going. I should get back to the office and catch up on some work.”

  Part of me was disappointed he was leaving so soon, another part grateful I wouldn’t have to make any decisions about him for the time being. I followed Adam down the stairs, keeping a bit of distance between us. I didn’t trust myself after last night’s kiss. I opened the front door and Adam turned to me. He reached up and held the back of my neck, his fingers weaving into my hair. Then he leaned down and kissed me again, pulling me closer. I could feel the warmth of his body. “Maybe we really could have dinner some evening?”

  “I’d like that,” I managed to croak. My face felt hot. A real date?

  Adam turned and waved as he reached the street. I closed the door and climbed back up the stairs. There was no doubt in my mind that Adam was more than a little attracted to me, and I in turn, but could I handle it? Wizard was crouched at the top of the stairs, his back to me, signaling his disapproval.

  twenty-seven

  I headed down the hall to my office and hit the button on the answering machine. Three calls. One from a regular client, one from a potential new client referred by Celine, and the last from my grandmother, reminding me about her birthday dinner. Of course I wouldn’t forget. I’d return the client calls tomorrow.

  I flicked on the computer and plugged in Adam’s birth information, generating a new chart. If his time was correct, his Ascendant and Moon were very close to my Sun sign. His Sun conjuncted my Moon. No wonder there was an attraction. I felt like a teenager writing the name of my schoolgirl crush in my notebook. I’d definitely have to study this further, but right now I was running late.

  I rummaged in the hallway closet and found a garnet-colored wool sheath with a matching jacket. I washed and dressed quickly and tucked my grandmother’s present into my purse, a lovely citrine bracelet I’d found at a small shop in North Beach. I called to Wizard but he ignored me. He was curled up in a ball in the little slipper chair in the bedroom. “Okay, be like that. I’ll still feed you.” I dished some food out into a fresh bowl, closed the kitty door, and then hurried down the front stairs to my car. Twenty minutes later I pulled into the parking lot of the Mystic Eye and called Cheryl’s cell.

  She answered right away. “Be out in a sec.”

  True to her word, Cheryl appeared at the back door and waved. I waited while she locked u
p and climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Oh, you’re all dressed up!” she exclaimed. “Is the Asia Inn a dressy place?”

  “No,” I laughed,“not at all. It’s just a funky place in Chinatown over by California Street. It’s neat, though. Very old, with private rooms. This outfit is from ‘Nonni’s Closet.’ That’s what I call my stash of good clothes. I always try to wear one of the outfits she’s given me when we go out.”

  “Well, I love it. You’re sure I’m okay like this?” Cheryl waved a hand over her blouse and skirt.

  “Absolutely. You’re fine. You’ll see. We’re just going to chow down a lot of Chinese food. Kuan’s organized the whole thing. It’ll be fun.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. Gale said she didn’t mind if I closed up a little early tonight. It’s nice to get out. I feel like all I do is work and go home, but now I actually have a home, so I don’t mind.” She glanced over at me. “What’s going on?”

  I hesitated. “What do you mean?”

  “Something’s different. You’re smiling.”

  “What are you talking about? I generally do.”

  “Mmm, my spidey sense tells me something’s going on. Something like a man. Is it that cute cop that helped us this summer? He liked you. I could tell. Are you seeing someone and not telling me or Gale?”

  “No,” I replied hotly, then sighed. “I’m not ‘seeing’ anyone, but there is someone I’ve met. He … well we haven’t actually gone out or anything, but I’m sure we will.”

  “I knew it! I knew it!” Cheryl crowed. “That’s wonderful. I’d love for you to meet someone!”

  “Well, we’ll see. We’ll see how things go.”

  “Don’t be so damn negative!”

  “I’m not being negative. Not at all. It’s just … complicated.” I hit the brakes before pulling out of the alley onto Broadway. “Something’s happened.” I filled Cheryl in about Maggie’s visit and the couple who’d discovered the photo of Michael’s accident.

  Cheryl was silent for a moment. “I’m so sorry, Julia.” She reached across and squeezed my hand. “It’s terrible. It’s like you’re dragging ghosts behind you.”

  I nodded. “Let’s not talk about it anymore tonight. And please don’t say anything in front of my grandmother. It’s her birthday. I don’t want to bring anyone down.” I smiled at Cheryl, just to let her know I was okay. “The trick will be finding a parking space on Grant. But we’ll give it a try.” It took three passes up and down Grant Avenue, across California, and back again before I spotted someone pulling out of a metered spot.

  “Watch out, Julia,” Cheryl said. “That guy’s gonna try to grab it.” A large sedan was idling a car length away on the same side of the street.

  “Not a chance. It’s car wars.” I squeaked into the vacant spot before the driver in the other car realized he couldn’t reverse in time to block me. His rear lights blinked off, and, angry, he revved his engine and took off down Grant Avenue. I turned to Cheryl and smiled. “Let’s get inside. I’m starving.”

  “Me too.”

  Kuan and Gloria were at the bar. Gloria was sitting on a stool, sipping wine, and Kuan held a sparkling water in his hand. He came over to greet us. Tonight he wore his formal outfit of all black: black slacks and a black collarless shirt buttoned to the neckline. “Cheryl, very nice to meet you. So glad you could join us.”

  “Thanks for inviting me. I’ve never been here before.” Cheryl looked around, admiring the retro ambience. The restaurant had first opened in the 1930s and the owner had never wanted to update or remodel the place. The original hexagonal black-and-white tiles covered the entire floor space. The walls were a deep red with dark wood wainscoting. Lanterns hung from the ceiling and heavy drapes hid the private rooms from view.

  “I think you’ll like the food.” Kuan turned to me. “Why don’t we get to our table. Gloria’s friends should be here any minute.”

  “Sounds good.” I approached the bar and gave my grandmother a hug and a kiss on her cheek. “Happy birthday, Nonni.” She was wearing a gold-colored long-sleeved sheath with a soft wool shawl. “You look very elegant.”

  Her eyes twinkled. “Hi darling, ti amo. Thanks for coming and thanks for bringing Cheryl too. So nice to see your friends.”

  “Gale was sorry she couldn’t be here. She had something else going on tonight.”

  “Next time.” Gloria slid off the barstool and took my arm as we walked toward our room. Kuan held the curtain back for us to enter. “Angela and Dolores will be here any minute. They just called. They’re still looking for a parking spot.”

  We took our seats and I fished the small present out of my purse. “Go ahead and open it.”

  “Oh, you shouldn’t have!” Gloria exclaimed. She smiled broadly. “Can I open it now?”

  “Of course.”

  My grandmother untied the ribbon and tore the paper away like a little kid. She opened the velvet box and gasped. “Oh, it’s gorgeous,” she said. “What is it? Is it … citrine?”

  “You guessed it. Do you like it?”

  “Oh, yes,” she breathed. “I really do. Where did you ever find this?”

  “Indira’s in North Beach. I thought you’d love it.” I reached over. “It goes well with your outfit too. Here, hold up your hand and I’ll clasp it for you.”

  Gloria leaned across the table to show Cheryl. “What do you think?”

  Cheryl touched the bracelet delicately. “It’s beautiful. Very different.”

  Kuan turned as he heard voices and lifted the curtain again. I recognized two women from my grandmother’s church. One was Angela, the other Dolores, but for some reason I always mixed up their names. We all said hello and as they took their seats, a dark-haired man in his forties followed the two women in. Uh oh, I thought. What’s this? I shot my grandmother a look, but she raised her eyebrows as if to innocently indicate she had no idea another person was joining us. Yeah, right!

  “Julia, so nice to see you again,” Dolores said, or was it Angela. “This is my nephew, Gianni. Gianni Scaramelli.” Gianni waggled his head a little as he gave me a smarmy smile. At least he had the good grace to hold the chairs out for his aunt and her friend. “Sorry we’re a little late. We had such a hard time finding a parking space and then just as Gianni was about to back into one, some obnoxious person in a little car snuck in behind us.”

  Cheryl’s eyebrows went up. She hazarded a questioning look at me.

  “That’s terrible,” I replied. “People can be so rude.” Cheryl’s face pinched as she tried not to laugh. I introduced Cheryl all around. It was obvious Gianni had been pressed into service to chauffeur his aunt and her friend, but he didn’t seem to be in much pain as he leaned forward to get a better view of Cheryl’s cleavage.

  I decided to play along and be polite. I was about to ask Gianni what kind of work he did, but Angela jumped into the breach. “Gianni’s a certified public accountant, you know.” The remark was directed at me. “He has an office in North Beach, just up the street. So, if you ever need help with your taxes …” She turned to her nephew. “Gianni, give the ladies your card. You brought your business cards tonight, didn’t you?”

  He reached into his breast pocket and retrieved two cards, handing one to me and the other to Cheryl. He still hadn’t spoken. Cheryl studied the card for a moment. “Oh, I knew you looked familiar. I’ve seen the sign above your office.” She turned to me. “You must have seen him around too, Julia.”

  Kuan gave a signal and a waiter bustled in carrying a huge round tray. I leaned close to Cheryl and whispered, “Sex offenders website, wasn’t it?” Cheryl kicked me under the table.

  The waiter scurried around our table, delivering the first course, a melt-in-your-mouth beef dish. This was followed by shrimp with glasses of Chinese ginger liqueur. Cheryl had already polished off one glass and was working on her
second. Next came platters of rice, pots of tea, and more covered dishes of pork, beef, and vegetables. The food was non-stop. Cheryl was happily chatting to Dolores across the table, and Gianni, seated next to Cheryl, was hoping to catch Cheryl’s attention.

  When the fourth course was cleared away, Angela, who could barely contain herself, said, “So, Julia. Do you have a boyfriend now?”

  I almost gagged on my bite of shrimp. Before I could reply, Cheryl laughed loudly. “She does now.” I shot her a withering glare.

  Gloria said, “Really, dear? Who are you seeing?”

  I managed to down my mouthful of food and shook my head. “No one. Cheryl’s mistaken.” I kicked her again. I felt my grandmother’s gaze as she squeezed my hand under the table. I was going to be questioned about this.

  Without warning, the lights dimmed and two waiters entered, carrying a birthday cake sizzling with little sparklers. Gloria gasped. “Oh, no, you didn’t!”

  Kuan chuckled as the waiters placed a single candle in the middle of the cake and began to sing “Happy Birthday” off key. We all joined in. Then we heard drums and a trumpet and cymbals as the lights dimmed even more.

  “What’s that?” Cheryl asked. The curtain parted and a huge dragon’s head appeared between the drapes. I gasped involuntarily.

  Cheryl leaned over. “Are you okay?”

  I nodded and took a deep breath. “Sorry, just frightened me for a second.” My dreams of the menacing monster and its swishing tail came flooding back. The dragon’s head was followed by a train of scaly cloth supported by men whose black-clad legs and feet were visible under the body of the dragon. Three musicians followed the dragon as it danced around our table, the dragon’s head moving up and down and sideways, serenaded by clashing cymbals, drums, and trumpet bursts. The noise was deafening in our small room. Gloria held her hands to her ears, but she was laughing. The dim lighting, the sparklers, and the clanging and banging of the instruments sent shivers up my spine. The dragon represents celebration, but still, there was something sinister in the eyes and fangs of the huge papier-mâché head. The men made three passes around our table and finally exited, the dragon’s head last as the men danced backward.