by Vivien Chien
I made a note that I wanted to talk to Ms. Chang’s housekeeper: the “friend” of Alice’s who supposedly dished out the juicy details. I also made a note to find out if there was any validity to the claim that Donna had a drinking problem. She did seem to be drinking quite a bit at the party, but it was her birthday. I couldn’t base anything off that if I wanted to be fair.
Kikko barked abruptly, startling me and causing me to jump in my seat. I watched as she beelined for the door and sniffed at the door crack. A moment later, there was a light knock at the door.
Who the heck could that be? I shuffled to the door and peeked out the peephole. It was Adam. Even though we had been dating for a few months, I still got butterflies every time I saw him. I opened the door, and his large, muscular frame filled the doorway. He scooped me up with one arm and kissed me as if he’d just come back from war.
As he pulled away to smile at me, I noticed that his reddish-brown hair had been freshly cut. I returned the smile and then nuzzled the side of his neck, inhaling the cologne that he always wore … he smelled of sandalwood and cinnamon.
With his free hand, he closed the door behind him and carried me away from the threshold. He only put me down when Kikko began to whine. “Well, hey there, young lady,” he cooed as he bent down to give Kikko a pat on the head. “Missed me, too, did you?”
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
He stood upright his full six feet two inches and rubbed my shoulders. “I just left the station and thought I’d swing by and see if you wanted to have dinner. Are you busy?” His green eyes drifted over to the dining room table where my notebook was wide open for the world to see.
“No, no, not busy.” I hurried over to the table and shut the notebook.
“Lana … what is that?”
My cheeks flushed. The jig was up. “Nothing.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” He laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling with the gesture.
Not too long ago, we’d agreed that we wouldn’t keep things from each other. And though I’d been open about everything else, I still felt strange admitting my detecting activities to him. I decided to give in. “It’s a notebook I keep … with information in it.”
“What kind of information?”
“Oh, you know, about certain key events that have taken place around here.”
I watched as his jaw muscles clenched. That was usually the symbol of a lecture on its way.
“I was hoping that you wouldn’t get involved in this whole thing with Donna Feng. If you get caught poking your nose around, I can’t help you this time. I don’t have any friends in the Westlake Police Department.”
“Well, I won’t get caught snooping then.” I lifted my chin. “I am getting better at this, you know.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ll go get ready. I’ll just be a minute.” I rushed into my bedroom and sat on my vanity stool to touch up my makeup.
I was pleasantly surprised with his reaction. A few months ago, he would have completely flipped out on me and given me a lecture on how I’m not in law enforcement and therefore should leave the investigating in the capable hands of the professionals. But we’d been through a lot together in the last few months, and I think he finally understood why I could not just let these things go.
I made a pit stop in the bathroom to fix my hair before heading back out into the dining area. I found him intently reading my investigation notebook.
“Okay, I’m ready!” I said, scanning the room for my purse.
“Lana … honey…”
“Hmmm?” I turned my back to him and continued to search.
“You wrote in here that I’m a jerk-face…”
“What?” A nervous giggle escaped. “That must have been the first time we met. You were kind of harsh, you know.”
“A couple pages later you call me an a—”
“Found it!” I grabbed my purse off the couch. “Let’s go. I’m starving.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door before he could read any more of my notebook.
CHAPTER
9
By the time I got back from dinner with Adam, I was so exhausted, I passed out without even taking another passing glance at my notebook. It took every bit of energy I had left just to shower, throw my pajamas on, and stumble into bed.
I slept like the dead—okay, maybe a bad choice of words considering what I was currently investigating—but it was worth it when I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and alert.
Megan was still in bed and I didn’t want to disturb her since I knew she had closed out the bar the night before, so I left a Post-it note on her door telling her to call me as soon as she got up. We needed to talk.
The morning passed as usual. The Mahjong Matrons had acquired the name of Ms. Chang’s housekeeper’s friend: Evie something or other. And I also learned that the housekeeper’s name was Susan Han. I added them to my mental list of people I needed to talk with.
Around eleven thirty, Peter told me that Megan was on the phone, so I slipped into my office to take the call.
“I’m guessing this is about the case?” she asked when I picked up.
I started with Kimmy’s angle on the housekeeper and then continued on with what I’d learned from the Mahjong Matrons. “What do you think?”
“Wait a minute, is Kimmy getting involved? I love you to death, Lana, but I can’t work on this with that girl. I have my limits.”
“No, no, nothing like that. She just wanted to pass it on to me. I already talked to her for Peter because he’s sick of hearing about her theories.”
“Imagine that.”
“Focus.”
“Right, sorry. As much as I don’t care for the girl, I have to say, she has a point. Rosemary has worked for Donna for a long time, and it’s very likely she could know her story, even if by accident. You should ask Donna if that’s a possibility, but yeah, look into her anyway. It can’t hurt. What’s her last name? I’ll do a quick search for her online.”
“Chan, I think. Yeah, that sounds right, Rosemary Chan.”
“Okay, and what else, are we going to look into all of these people from Donna’s list? Because that’s a lot.”
“I wish I knew these people better, or who was still at the party at what times. If any of these people left early, then they don’t necessarily matter, though I guess someone could have sneaked back in…”
“Did Donna specify anything on her list?”
I told her about the starred names. “Everything is listed in my notebook. It’s in the usual hiding spot. That’s about all the help she gave me.”
“I feel like I need to severely catch up with everything. Closing every night this week has not been working out for me.”
“I know. Do you know if they’re getting close to replacing Robin? This process is taking forever.”
“There are two people they’re considering. One guy, he’s pretty cute and I think he’d do well … and then some girl who I’m not too excited about. I don’t think she’ll last.”
“Well, hopefully they hire someone new soon because I really need your help on this.”
“I’ll do what I can. I don’t have to go in until six, so I can check these people out online and I’ll make notes for you to look at when you get home.”
“Thanks, I’ll probably miss you again. I’m supposed to get together with Rina for drinks after work, but I really want to talk with Penny—after all, she was there that night, too.”
“You think maybe she saw something at the party?”
“It’s possible, but I haven’t gotten a chance to really talk to her. She was quick to leave the party without saying anything to anyone. I’m sure she doesn’t want to get herself involved.”
“Well, I’m sure the cops have questioned her already. So if she does know anything of use, she would have passed it along to them at least.”
“True. Okay, well, it’s just about noon, I’d better get back out there before
Nancy has my head on a platter for leaving her alone during lunch rush.”
We said our goodbyes and I went back to my duties as the other Lana.
* * *
A few hours after lunch, Ian walked in. Though he looked well put together in his expensive Italian suit and French burnished leather shoes, I could tell by the expression on his face that he was frazzled and not feeling as assured as someone might first assume. As I assessed his demeanor, I considered how odd it was that he was just stopping by the restaurant now. I had expected to see him first thing on Monday morning, ranting and raving, as was his usual style.
I was in the middle of wiping down a recently vacated table, so I set down my rag and sanitizing cleanser before going to greet him at the hostess station.
He evaluated the dining area with an air of importance. His eyes fell on me, and his expression softened a tad as he tried to read my face. Everyone who knew me at all knew that’s where my emotions could be clearly read. “Lana, I’d like to speak with you in private, if you have the time.”
“Sure.” I signaled to Nancy that I would be in the back.
Ian followed behind me as I led him into the kitchen. Peter turned to acknowledge us but didn’t bother saying anything. He raised an eyebrow at me and gave Ian a curt nod as we passed through.
Peter, like most of Asia Village, and Adam, knew that Ian had the hots for me. At times it made things uncomfortable for me because the feelings were not mutual, but mostly I tried to act like it wasn’t happening. Ian was indeed an attractive man, but something about him had always put me off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was a vibe that came off him that told me to stay away.
Despite the fact that I was now with Adam, Ian continued from time to time to insert himself into my life more than necessary. And though it annoyed Adam to no end, he was not intimidated by it and knew that I’d never act on any of Ian’s attempts to win me over.
Once we were in my office and the door was shut, Ian relaxed.
He unbuttoned his suit jacket as he sat down. “I’m sure you must have wondered where I was yesterday.”
I sat down in my swivel chair and folded my hands in front of me on the desk. “Actually, I did.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You did?”
“Yes, in a professional capacity.”
He slouched in his seat. “Oh.”
“You wanted to talk about something?”
“Well, yesterday, I spent a majority of the day doing damage control.”
“Because of the murder?” I asked.
“Why else, Lana?”
“Well, what’s happening? It’s not like I’m in the loop on this one.”
“Things are not looking good for Donna. And this plaza is too closely associated with the Feng name. It’s going to cause problems. A reporter actually suggested that the murder of this Alice woman and Thomas Feng’s death is some sort of conspiracy.”
“What?”
“They think there is some type of connection between the two murders. One of the more popular theories is that Thomas was having an affair with this woman before he died and that Donna found out about it. This then prompted her to strategically plant this woman in her house as an employee in order to kill her. Another more sensational theory is that this woman was working in connection with Charles An as his contact to the outside world and trying to ruin what remains of the Feng estate.”
Goose bumps ran up and down my arms. Charles An had been the man responsible for Thomas Feng’s death and was currently serving life in prison. He had also held me at gunpoint. I didn’t like to think about him. “Are you being serious? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all day. That sounds like a plot from a crime show. These people need to tone down their imaginations.”
“That’s what I assured them,” Ian replied. “Of course, the most logical is that Donna has been under severe stress since the murder of her husband and simply lost her mind, leading her to take it out on the help.”
I leaned forward, trying to read the expression on his face. “Is that what you truly believe?”
He teetered his head back and forth as if weighing his answer carefully. The fact that he had to think about it at all was not a good sign. “I will admit, I’ve seen Donna in a better state of mind. In recent weeks, she has completely stepped back from any responsibilities that have to do with the plaza. She won’t return half my calls. And the ones she does return, well, she acts as if she has no idea what I’m talking about.”
“She’s just under a lot of stress,” I said, becoming a little defensive. “She is so occupied with keeping herself busy that she hasn’t fully dealt with what happened. She hasn’t really given herself enough time to grieve.” And it was true. Donna was running all over town bending over backward for several charities and associations. I suspected the reason why she was steering clear of the plaza had something to do with how much her husband had loved it. It was probably a painful memory for her.
“Well, it’s going to put this place in danger. People are starting to think some type of gang is involved. And frankly, Lana, that is the last thing we need around here.”
I gasped. “Why would they think that?” Never mind that it was a possibility; Ian didn’t have to know that. No one knew that … except me, Donna, and two people who were already dead: Thomas and Alice.
“You know how people start rumors. The Fengs have a lot of money, there are secrets in the family, seemingly shady dealings…”
I drummed my fingers on the desktop, absorbing everything that Ian had told me. This seemed to be spreading faster than I thought it would. Probably due to the fact that her husband had been murdered just a few months ago. “So why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because I know you, Lana. And I know that you’re most likely already involved with this on your own accord, if Donna hasn’t asked you yet.”
I didn’t confirm his statement.
“I’m here to tell you that you need to work this fast. Before it gets ugly.”
We stared at each other, and I don’t know if it’s because we didn’t want to face facts about what Donna could be capable of in her current mental state, or because what else was there to really say? This wasn’t a good situation any way you spun it.
I didn’t have any more time to think about it because Nancy knocked on my office door. “Excuse me, Lana, but someone is here to see you.”
“Who is it? Can you tell them to come back?”
“I don’t think so. He really wants to speak with you.”
I groaned. Looking at Ian, I said, “I’ll be right back.”
Nancy had already returned to the dining area, so I didn’t get another chance to ask who was waiting for me.
I stepped out into the dining room and scanned the area. At the hostess station stood a man a little over six feet tall with his back facing me. His dirty-blond hair was styled in a messy tousle. As he turned slightly to look at something, I studied his profile: square jaw, high cheekbones, full lips posed in a casual smirk.
My stomach clenched as he turned fully in my direction and I stared back at his pale-blue eyes. It was the man who shall not be named. The man who broke my heart in a thousand tiny pieces and sent me on a shopping spree that made even MasterCard cringe. It was Warren Matthews, ex-jerk-face extraordinaire.
His smirk turned into a smile, and I swallowed the lump that began to form in my throat. Collecting my nerves as best I could, I returned the smile with a shaky lip quiver and walked with a straightened back through the dining room up to the front.
He was dressed in a navy-blue suit and plain white dress shirt. His tie consisted of diagonal stripes in varying shades of blue.
“Hi,” he said casually, as if we’d just spoken the day before. In reality, it had been over a year since we’d said two words to each other.
“Hi,” I returned, my voice barely above a whisper. “What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood an
d thought I’d stop by and see how you were.”
“I’m doing really well,” I said. I could hear the defensiveness in my own voice, and I tried desperately to mean what I was saying. I was doing really well. I wasn’t lying. Things had never been better. Well, minus the recent murder, of course. So why did I sound like I was faking it?
“I was hoping we could grab a drink. There were some things I wanted to talk to you about.” He stuck his hands into his pant pockets and gave me a shrug. “Maybe catch up?”
I relaxed my shoulders, took a deep breath. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
His head drooped, and he bit on his lower lip. “Look, I know you probably don’t want to see me … or talk to me for that matter. But I’d really like to sit down with you and explain, if that’s possible.”
Another deep breath. “There’s nothing to explain. Really. I’m over it.”
“Over what?” a voice asked from behind me.
It was Ian. I guess he got bored of waiting in my office.
“Nothing,” I replied.
Warren cleared his throat. He acknowledged Ian and stuck out a hand. “Hi, I’m Warren.”
Ian regarded my posture, scrutinized Warren with a condescending once-over, and didn’t return the gesture. “Pleasure.”
Warren shrugged and let his hand fall. “Yeah, sure.” He turned back to me. “Just think about it, okay? Maybe we can talk tomorrow or something. I clearly caught you off guard.”
“You think?”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, well, I’ll give you time to think.”
I didn’t respond.