by Anne R. Tan
to get Myling to confess to the crime."
Fat chance of that, Po Po said. She is sly. The only way to get her to confess would be to provoke her.
Raina groaned. I don’t want to poke the bear.
We can always tell Sonny what we suspected, Po Po said. He’ll take care of it.
No! Raina said.
No, Detective Bibb said.
They looked at each other.
Raina didn’t want to be responsible for Sonny throwing Myling into a lake. At least she was on the same page with the detective regarding vigilante justice.
Her grandma shrugged. It was just a suggestion. There’s no need to get your panties in a knot.
It would be hard to get Myling alone to get a confession, Detective Bibb said. She must have her own security team. And once the Lows return to New York City, she’ll be practically untouchable.
Raina stood. We need to get back to the funeral. Let’s table this until the detective comes up with a plan. She couldn’t risk her grandma getting involved in taking down Jerry’s killer.
Detective Bibb held the door open for them. Thank you for your time, ladies. Let’s count on getting in touch tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll check to see if Matthew Louie wants to have lunch. He nodded at them and crossed the street.
Raina and Po Po strolled back to the funeral parlor together. The henchman trailed them by half a block.
How did the errand with Cat go? Raina asked.
Fine. She’ll probably have to take a plane ride to get this special joss paper for the funeral, Po Po said.
Seriously?
I don’t know, Rainy. I gave her some money and told her to have a good life.
Raina slung an arm around her grandma’s shoulders. Po Po, you’re a soft, squishy marshmallow.
Hey, don’t go around telling people that. It’ll ruin my biker chick reputation.
Raina didn’t have the heart to tell her grandma that an eighties biker chick wasn’t a good look for her. She was already sweating enough in this heat under all the leather.
Detective Bibb initially thought Cat was the killer, she said.
Po Po snorted. Did he tell you why?
Actually I think he was trying to bait me into telling him what I know.
It worked, right?
Sure, we’ll go with that.
Her grandma patted Raina’s cheek. Smart girl.
By the time they got to the funeral parlor, Raina needed to use the restroom to freshen up. Her grandma opted to return to the main viewing room. According to her grandma, sweat would keep the punks away from her.
The restroom was tucked at the back of the building in a hallway with frosted glass windows. When Raina pushed open the heavy wood door, she caught a glimpse of Myling before she went into a stall. She heard vomiting noises. Yikes! Must be the morning sickness.
Raina backed out of the restroom and closed the door softly. She pulled out her cell phone and texted her grandma.
The bird has landed. In the restroom. Come record conversation.
She turned on the voice recorder app on her phone and tucked her cell phone back into her purse, leaving the zipper open. It was the best she could do. The only other place she could put her cell phone was in her bra and a lump this size would be questioned.
When Raina heard the click of the lock in the stall, she pushed open the door again. Hi, Myling. I didn’t expect to see you here. She stepped into the restroom, blocking the exit. Oh, right, you and Jerry were lovers once. Of course you would be at his funeral.
18
The Wrong Bait
Myling glanced at Raina’s reflection in the mirror, wiping her mouth with a wet paper towel.
Raina felt a twinge of guilt for bothering her at a time like this, but this could be the only chance she got to get a confession out of Myling. Once she was firmly by her husband’s side, who would dare bother her then? Not unless the person was insane. Heck, Raina might be insane now.
There’s no need to be catty. I don’t care you’re with Sonny, Myling said.
Raina blinked. That was right. Myling wasn’t there when Sonny and his grandfather had their blow-up fight. Now how could Raina use this to her advantage? She pretended to smirk. But you would care if I were with Jerry. Is that why you killed him—you can’t stand he’s with Lily now?
Myling’s eyes narrowed, studying Raina. She threw the paper towel into the trash. Your accusation will piss off my husband. You don’t want Freddie Low for an enemy.
Raina ignored her threats. So he knows you were with Jerry first, then Sonny, and he was the last choice?
She couldn’t believe the fighting words leaving her mouth. There were several dozen people within screaming distance. It wasn’t like Myling could attack her without making a ruckus.
Myling stiffened with anger. How dare you? Like you don’t have a past? She stalked over. Are you going to move or do you plan to knock over a pregnant woman?
Raina sidestepped. Okay, so she was a wimp when it came to confrontation.
Myling marched past, swinging her purse over her shoulder. The bag hit Raina on the chest, but the other woman didn’t seem to notice or care.
Po Po came in half a minute later. What happened? I saw Myling leaving.
Raina rubbed her chest. I wasn’t going to knock over a pregnant woman.
But she could be the killer.
I’m starting to second guess myself. It’s been over a decade since Jerry and Myling were lovers.
That’s not true. Remember the text messages. They seemed pretty recent to me. And Myling visits the Kwan residence regularly, using Kwan Gong as an excuse. Trust your instincts, Rainy, there’s something here. If she’s not the killer, then it’s her husband.
Okay, should we go poke that bear?
I thought you would never ask.
They left the restroom and headed toward the main viewing room, keeping an eye out for Freddie Low. As long as they didn’t leave the premises, Raina felt relatively safe in engaging the Lows. With Nine Dragons members crawling on top of each other, the Lows couldn’t touch her. And if they ended up having nothing to do with the murder, she would apologize later.
A quick peek inside the main viewing room showed Myling speaking furiously to Sonny. Raina quickly ducked back outside before they saw her. If they were talking about her, she didn’t want to know about it. They found Freddie out back in the rear parking lot, making a phone call. They waited inside the building for him to finish his conversation.
This time, follow my lead, Po Po whispered.
I think you should let me do it, Raina whispered back.
You had your chance with Myling. My turn now.
Before Raina could say anything else, Freddie ended his phone call and spotted the two of them loitering in the doorway. He nodded at them and waited for them to move out of his way.
Mr. Low, I forgot to congratulate you. We just found out Myling is expecting, Po Po said, standing in the middle of the doorway.
The only way Freddie could get back into the building would be to knock over a little granny. Smooth move.
Thank you, Po Po, Freddie said. We have been trying for a while.
Are you sure the baby is yours though? Po Po asked, and she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. I’ve heard Jerry and Myling were mighty friendly together.
Freddie reared back like her grandma had socked him. Maybe she did. His face turned ashen. Who told you this lie? I will kill him.
Raina shivered at the menace in his voice. She grabbed her grandma’s arm and dragged her back. That’s what everyone in the Nine Dragons is saying. It’s common knowledge they were lovers until the two of you got married.
Freddie pulled out a gun, turned around, and slammed the gun against a garbage can lid repeatedly. He screamed a few words she couldn’t repeat.
Raina jumped in front of Po Po and walked them backward into the building, keeping her eyes on Freddie the entire time. She pulled the hair stick out of her purse, ho
lding it in front of her like a knife.
When the lid was nothing more than a deformed shape, he put the gun back into his holster. He straightened his gray suit and took a deep breath.
Raina and her grandma were inside the building by this time, but still within sight distance. A bead of sweat ran down the small of her back.
Sorry, Freddie called out. I have anger management issues. I’m working on it.
Raina acknowledged him with a nod but continued to walk backward until he was out of sight. She dragged her grandma back into the main viewing room.
They collapsed into the back row of chairs. Raina’s trembling legs couldn’t have supported her any further. Her heart pounded against her chest.
She was so stupid. What was she thinking? Did she think she could get a confession when the police couldn’t touch the Lows? All she had on her was a hair stick and pepper spray.
* * *
Are you okay? Po Po asked, breaking into Raina’s thoughts.
Raina glanced over at Po Po. Her grandma seemed perfectly at ease. I’m still trying to keep from pooping my pants. How come you’re so calm?
If you’d lived as long as I have, uh—Po Po gave Raina a sideways glance—fifty-five years, you’ve pretty much seen everything.
Raina ignored her grandma’s comment on her age. She lost or gained years as it suited her. Apparently today she was the same age as Raina’s mother. You’re right. We’re safe enough in this crowd. We’ll get Sonny to talk this evening, and by tomorrow we’ll be on our way home.
Po Po patted Raina’s knees. Eyes on the prize, girl. We’ll do what we can to help the police, but we’re here to find the truth about my husband’s—her grandma’s voice cracked, and she cleared her throat—other family.
Raina hugged her grandma. That’s right.
I’m hungry. Where’s that funeral director? He was supposed to have a room set aside for the spread, Po Po said, getting up. I’m going to look for the food. Her grandma left the room.
Raina probably should go back to her post and hand out joss sticks, but as her grandma said, that was low-level work. Her talents lay elsewhere. Although, poking the bear didn’t seem to be one of them.
Freddie came into the viewing room and made a beeline toward Myling, who was sitting with her face in her hands in a chair right next to the official mourners.
That Raina hadn’t noticed Myling until now was unsettling. She must be more rattled by Freddie’s anger management issue than she let on to her grandma.
Freddie said something to his wife, and she shook her head. He grabbed his wife’s arm and hauled her up.
Sonny glanced over at the couple, but he didn’t interfere. However, several Nine Dragons members frowned at Freddie. At least no one fingered their guns.
Myling had grown up as a de facto princess in the organization, and even though she was married, it didn’t mean she was without her supporters. Too bad she couldn’t bring an alliance to a marriage, or she could have married Jerry.
The Lows left without a shoot-out, and everything resumed. The professional mourners kept mourning, and the Buddhist monk kept chanting. People came and went. Most of them wouldn’t stay for the vigil.
Raina’s cell phone dinged, and she checked her text message. She wouldn’t be able to add marketing to her resume after all. The Chinese Opera Company fired her for missing too many days of work. At least she didn’t have to return to the dreary office.
Fifteen minutes later, Po Po returned to the main viewing room. The catering truck is on its way. It will be another ten minutes. Someone called in sick and they’re scrambling.
Raina’s stomach growled. Why didn’t she grab a pastry with the coffee earlier? That’s good to know.
She glanced at the display on her cell phone. It was already one o’clock. A few more hours and she could return to the mansion with the Kwan family, leaving the pallbearers to watch for Jerry’s spirit.
What happened with the Lows? Po Po asked. They passed me on the way out when I was still on the phone with the caterers.
Not much. He grabbed her and got some dirty looks.
I think that’s the last we’ll see of them. If they were smart, they would hightail it back to New York City.
What about their Italian mob problem?
They’ll have to figure something out, Sonny said from behind them. The Nine Dragons are not getting involved.
Raina glanced back. How much of their conversation had he overheard? And if the Lows were heading back to New York City, how would they be brought to justice for Jerry’s death? One or both of them were responsible. She still believed it was Myling, but she had no proof other than what her gut told her.
If she told Sonny what she suspected, he could prevent them from leaving town. But she was afraid of his methods, and she didn’t want to start a war between the two triads. There was always collateral damage when rival gangs shoot ‘em up. Maybe she should call Detective Bibb to fill him in.
The gears are turning in your head. Should I be worried? Sonny said.
But I thought you owed them a favor, Raina said.
Sunny shrugged. If it's within my personal power I'll grant it, but war with a rival organization isn't something I would take on without the Elders’ support.
I need to make a phone call, Raina said, getting up. She stepped outside into the hallway and out back so she could have some privacy. She didn’t want any of the Nine Dragons members to eavesdrop on her conversation with the police.
The catering van pulled into the back parking lot. The Nine Dragons member posted at the driveway must have waved it through. Raina scrolled through the recent call list on her phone for Detective Bibb’s number.
She could sense someone approaching and she automatically sidestepped so the person could get into the building without having to maneuver around her with a tray of food. A sharp pain flared from the base of her neck until it engulfed her entire body. Then it was lights out.
19
Taking a Drive
When Raina became aware of her surroundings again, she was in a fetal position. Her body swayed to a lulling motion, making it easy to keep her eyes closed and drift off again. She fought for consciousness. If she fell asleep now, she might never wake again.
She opened her eyes, but couldn’t see anything. Coarse fabric brushed against her face. Duct tape bound her hands behind her back. Tape also covered her mouth. Her heart pounded with fear and her breaths came out in sharp puffs. An image of a coffin rose in her mind.
Raina’s first instinct was to scream, but she suppressed it and forced herself to take deep calming breaths, drawing in whiffs of stale onions and earth. She wasn’t dead yet, and if she panicked she wouldn’t have a chance. She stuffed the fear into the far corner of her mind and focused on how to get out of her situation.
As long as her captor believed Raina was unconscious, she still had an advantage. The swaying motion stopped suddenly, and she skidded until she hit something hard. It knocked the wind out of her, but she bit her lower lip to stay quiet. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. This wasn’t the time to break down.
The fabric shifted, and a gap appeared. She was lying on the floor of a vehicle, and judging by the smell and size, probably the catering van. But why would the driver kidnap her? Did he work for the Lows? Through the gap, she could see the back of the driver’s head.
Idiot! muttered someone. The driver glanced back. Myling!
Raina’s eyes slammed shut. Two Mississippi’s later, she opened them to see Myling had returned her attention to the road. Raina strained her ears but couldn’t tell if Freddie was with her.
Her fingers patted the area behind her, looking for something to cut the duct tape. Something pricked her hands, and she instinctively jerked back from the sharp object. She cautiously reached for the object, touching its length. A steak knife. Hallelujah! It must have shifted over when Myling slammed on the brakes.
Raina sawed
at the duct tape. When she nicked her arm by accident, she jumped again. She glanced up, but Myling was busy with one eye on the road and the other on her cell phone. Was she texting? It would be ironic if they got into a car accident. But with Raina’s luck and without a seatbelt, she would probably end up thrown through a window and onto the side of the road.
Myling pulled off the road. She slowed down, but the car bounced even more like they were on an uneven dirt path. Branches scraped against the windows. Yep, they were off-road somewhere. Myling’s cell phone rang, but she ignored it.
Raina knew once Myling stopped the van, she would have one chance to make an escape. Sweat drenched her back. The musty blanket or sack Myling had thrown over her didn’t help. Her moist hands made it difficult to grip the steak knife properly. She nicked herself again but kept sawing at the duct tape. She would probably die from blood loss before she got the darn thing off.
The knife clinked against something, and Raina held her breath. Myling didn’t even glance over. The van thumped along the road, making enough noise to drown out everything else.
The knife tapped the metal again. Of course! Her grandma’s bracelet with the GPS tracker. Raina just had to stay alive long enough for her grandma to locate her. Easy peasy.
One last tug with the steak knife and her hands were free. She didn’t dare to remove the duct tape from her mouth. There was no way she could stop herself from screaming. She tucked the knife into her waistband behind her back. Keeping an eye on Myling, Raina patted the area around her, looking for another weapon. Her hands encountered leather, and she pulled it closer for a look. It was her purse.
She unzipped it and pulled out her cell phone. She tapped the recorder app and tucked the phone into her back pocket. Even if it didn’t record a confession, it would provide some information about her last moments if need be. Everything in her phone was backed up to the cloud, and her grandma had her password.
