Black Karma (29 page)

“Are you referring to me and Jason?”

“I knew you'd understand,” Elizabeth said sweetly.

Bai accepted the rebuke.

“Young love can be a trying experience for everyone involved,” she replied. “I'll ask Dan and Alicia to keep an eye on Jia. I know how she feels; I won't interfere with her romance unless I absolutely have to. Anything else I should know?”

“Alicia's a lovely girl, and smart, but very reserved. When I talk to her about returning to school or her plans for the future, she retreats into her room. I'm not sure what to make of her.”

“Give her time,” Bai said. “She's been abused. Her father was a gang member. She doesn't know what happened to her mother. Her only family was the gang, and they were neither kind nor gentle. I'm happy to say one of her tormenters has moved on.”

“As in, left town?”

“I suspect he's gone a bit farther,” Bai replied while avoiding eye contact.

Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows in silent appraisal but didn't appear shocked by the revelation.

“I'll talk to Alicia,” Bai continued. “I suspect she's still trying to make up her mind whether or not to give this family a chance.”

“We must seem an odd bunch to an outsider,” Elizabeth mused.

“I used to think the same thing. Recently, I've come to realize perhaps we're not the most dysfunctional family in the world. When I think about the Kwans and how badly they treat one another, I'm left feeling grateful for the family I've got. We may not always agree with each other, but we've always loved and protected one another.”

Elizabeth looked chastened. Bai quickly backtracked. “I didn't mean to imply your sister is a bad person.”

“I don't think you need to,” Elizabeth replied sadly. “Jade was single-minded even as a child. Her determination to acquire wealth became an obsession. I thought she would eventually realize there's more to life than money.” She let out a deep sigh. “I guess I was wrong. I think I've been wrong about a lot of things.”

Elizabeth wiped tears from her eyes as she continued. “When you became pregnant with Dan,” she said in a soft voice, “you were little more than a child. I never told you, but I was selfishly pleased when you fought to keep your baby. Dan is as dear to me as you and Jason, but I often wonder if I didn't take advantage of you.”

“What's this all about?” Bai asked, wondering where the conversation was headed.

“You missed college, and parties, and the adventure of living on your own. I robbed you of your youth. I've never told you how sorry I am.”

Bai put her arms around the older woman. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I love my life. I love my daughter. And I love my family. And, if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known my youth had ended.” She paused in thought. “Lee's the same age I am. I wonder if he knows he's no longer young.”

Elizabeth sniffed and spilled tears while gently rapping Bai on the shoulder with her clenched fist. Bai captured the errant hand and held it tightly while drawing Elizabeth closer, holding her as Elizabeth cried while wondering what she'd ever done to deserve so much love.

Chapter 35

Spa day might have been more appropriately labeled torture day. Bai found herself stripped and scrubbed from head to toe as a small army of gloved professionals exfoliated, nourished, and oiled her skin. Hot towels and cold packs got intermittently applied to either shrink or to plump various parts of her anatomy. Tiny fish nibbled on her toes while a woman with delicate hands removed the cuticles from her fingers.

The experience lasted the entire afternoon. By the time they'd finished, it was time for Bai to return to the city. Despite Dan's objections, Lee insisted on accompanying Bai. After his things were loaded into the MINI Cooper for the trip home, the rest of the family gathered to see them off.

Bai drew Alicia aside to speak with her. “I wanted to thank you for looking after Jia.”

“You don't have to thank me,” Alicia replied. “Anyone can see she's damaged goods.”

“I'm sorry I haven't been around more. I'll be back tomorrow, and we can talk.”

Alicia shrugged. “You don't have to worry about me. Life here is good. The Corazons are nice people. Dan and Jia are fun.”

“Is there anything you need? I feel like I've been neglecting you. I hope you understand.”

“You need to worry about yourself,” Alicia advised her in a hushed voice. “Rafe doesn't like to lose. He might come after you when he can't find me.”

Bai rested her hand on Alicia's shoulder. “You don't have to worry about Rafe. I heard he went up against Hector, and it went badly for both of them. He's gone.”

Bai had sanitized Rafe's demise. She didn't feel the need to burden the girl with the truth.

Alicia brightened at the news. “Maybe now the nightmares will stop. I want to forget the last year like it never happened. With him gone, maybe I can start over.” The girl took a deep breath and continued. “The truth is . . . I don't want to go back to the city.”

Once she started to talk, the words came out in a rush. “I've talked to the Corazons, and they said I could stay with them. Their children are grown. They have room for me, and they said I could stay here if I got your permission. I could go to school here where nobody knows me and work in the orchards with Mr. Corazon. He said he'd teach me.”

Alicia's plans took Bai by surprise. Putting her own feelings aside, she considered what was best for the girl.

“I'll talk to the Corazons, Alicia. If that's what you really want, I'm sure we can make arrangements.”

Bai put her palm on Alicia's cheek and smiled. The girl looked a little embarrassed by the gesture but didn't draw away.

“I don't mean to hurt your feelings,” Alicia said. “I just feel more comfortable here with the Corazons.”

Bai could understand how unfamiliar Alicia might find a home where the inhabitants spoke another language and followed different customs. She'd hoped Alicia would overcome those differences, but those expectations may have been unrealistic and selfish. Alicia had enough problems without Bai's adding to them.

“Don't worry about me,” Bai replied. “If you're happy here, then this is where you belong. Follow your heart, Alicia, but know that I'm here if you need me.”

Alicia smiled and thanked her before stepping back to join Jia and Dan.

Bai walked to the car and stepped into the driver's seat. Already sitting next to her on the passenger side, Lee squirmed restlessly. She started the engine and waved farewell as they spun around the driveway. As they rolled down the long drive, Lee let out a long sigh of relief.

“Are you that happy to be leaving?” she asked.

He turned to look at her with a smile. “Country life isn't for everyone. I yearn for the smell of diesel and the clamor of traffic. I want the fog and drizzle to dampen my spirit. I want sushi delivered to my door. Like a jilted lover, I yearn for my love—the city.”

“You've only been away a couple of days.”

“It seems much longer. I've found that time passes very slowly when you're surrounded by nature. So what happened between you and Howard?” he asked, changing the subject.

“He tried to teach me a lesson I didn't have any interest in learning. Push came to shove, and I put a knife in his hand.”

He chuckled. “I just knew you were having fun without me.”

“I should have listened to Jason. He told me something was wrong with Howard.”

“He also told you that Naugahyde came from naugas. That was when you were nine. He had you running all over the neighborhood collecting money to save the baby naugas.”

She smiled at the memory. “I was pretty gullible at nine. I've grown up since then.”

“You're still gullible,” he replied. “You've just gotten bigger. That's part of your charm.”

“How are you feeling?” she asked in a more serious vein.

He paused before answering. His mood became somber. “I feel like I've been shot in the back.”

She glanced aside to see his grave expression. “This is me you're talking to. I know when something is wrong. What else is going on?”

He seemed reluctant to answer her. His words came out hesitantly. “I feel mortal.” His head tilted back against the headrest, and he closed his eyes. “For the first time in my life, I'm facing the aspect of nonexistence—the world without me. I find the prospect frightening.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

His eyes opened, and he turned to her. “What do you mean?”

“You've been shot, Lee. I think it might help if you talked to someone about it.”

“I'm talking to you,” he said brusquely.

“I mean a professional, someone who specializes in treating traumatic experiences.”

“You mean a shrink.”

“Yes, a psychiatrist.”

“I'll think about it.”

“I'm going to nag you.”

“I know. I'm surprised you've waited this long.”

She glanced at him and smiled. “I'll go with you, if you want. Maybe we can get a discount.”

The thought seemed to please him. He returned her smile.

They made it across the Golden Gate and home without any delays in traffic. Pleading fatigue, Lee went directly to his apartment. She suspected he needed time alone after spending several days surrounded by teenage girls.

After a light dinner, Bai followed his example and went to bed early. She awakened to find Lee sitting in a chair next to her bed.

“What are you doing here? What time is it?” she asked groggily.

“It's around ten o'clock.”

“In the morning?”

“No. At night.”

“I just got to sleep. Why did you wake me?”

“I was bored and decided to investigate the whereabouts of my phone, the one I'd dropped into Wen Liu's trunk. I'd expected to find it in Daly City under lock and key in the police tow yard where her car, by all rights, should be. Imagine my surprise when the map showed my phone had taken a detour to the Berkeley Hills.”

Suddenly interested, she sat up in bed. “You're saying her car didn't get impounded?”

“That would appear to be the case. If I had to take a guess, I'd say someone took the car before the police could tow it away.”

“Someone like Daniel Chen?”

“If I were to guess,” he said while leaning back to admire his newly manicured nails.

“Why don't you make us some coffee?”

“The coffee is already made.”

She got out of bed to walk to the closet, while Lee got up and retreated to the kitchen. Donning a red silk robe with intertwined dragons embroidered in gold on both front and back, she joined Lee at the kitchen counter where he sat sipping coffee. A steaming pot and an empty cup rested on the counter next to him.

As she poured coffee, she asked, “Have you made any more progress on deciphering the files on Wen Liu's phone?”

He looked at her and frowned.

“Not really. The files I've already managed to access don't have the same level of encryption. There's a strong possibility each file has its own key, which would mean my having to unlock one file at a time—a very long and tedious process. I suspect most of the information stored on her phone is also time-sensitive. Secrets tend to have a short shelf life.”

“Then don't bother trying to access the files,” she said. “Give me back the phone. It might be of more value to someone else.”

“You're thinking of Chen?” Lee asked.

“Yes. The phone has little value to us. Perhaps we can trade it for something else.”

“What?”

“Information. I'm hoping with the right incentive Chen will tell me what he knows of Wen Liu's murder, the tan man, and how all of it relates to the drug heist in the SOMA.”

“If you're going after Chen, I'm going with you.”

“No, you're not!” she stated. “You're barely able to walk. I'm sorry, but you'd only get in the way.”

“You can't go alone. Chen may be a killer.”

“I'm not Chen's enemy. He has no reason to harm me. He told me himself he owes me one.”

Lee didn't look convinced. “I still don't like it.”

“Trust me,” she said with a note of determination. “I can do this on my own.”

Chapter 36

Bai drove her MINI Cooper to Berkeley and parked the car in the same set-aside where Lee had parked his Cadillac on their previous visit. She wanted to approach the house from the rear and look around before making her presence known.

Also, parking her car on the street below the house would make the vehicle less conspicuous. It seemed likely the police would periodically monitor the house for signs of occupation. Chen was still considered a person of interest in a cop killing, not to mention the little matter of two bodies having been found in his office.

She crossed the street quickly and made her way up the dark winding path while trying to make as little noise as possible. Night sounds surrounded her. Frogs croaked and crickets chirped a springtime serenade. Light mist fogged the trees to keep the atmosphere chilly. The branches and leaves she brushed aside left a moist trail on the sleeves of her leather jacket.

She stopped at the edge of the glade nearest the garage to survey the dark house. No car was in sight. The place appeared deserted. She stood motionless and silent while considering her options. Now that she'd arrived, she didn't feel nearly as confident as she'd professed to Lee.

As she looked at the dark and forbidding house, it occurred to her that one of her options was to turn around and go home. She could forget she'd ever laid eyes on Daniel Chen, forget her compulsion to find out why Wen Liu was murdered, and give up finding the money or drugs from the heist in the Mission District. Her confidence wavered.