by Vivien Chien
“That reviewer guy told me he wants to do a story on me after the contest is over. He’s going to do a whole spread on our menu.” He held up the reviewer’s business card.
“That’s great news,” I told him, sliding my eyes back over to where Penny and Stella were, only Stella was gone, and Penny was standing alone throwing her things haphazardly into a cardboard box.
“Dude … what’s your deal?” Peter asked, following my line of sight. He watched her movements and chuckled to himself. “Is Penny being a sore loser or something?”
“I’m not sure … something is definitely going on with her. She’s been acting so strange lately.”
“Maybe she’s having guy problems or something like that.”
“I should probably check on her later.”
After we packed up and cleaned the work area, Megan and I headed over to the Bamboo Lounge. The lights were off and Penny sat on the customer side of the bar with a highball and a bottle of whiskey.
“Hey … I just thought I’d stop by and see if you were okay.”
She looked up, her eyes drifting past me to Megan.
Megan waved. “Hey, Penny … long time…”
“Hey, girls, if you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone.”
“What happened to your cook?” I asked, ignoring her request.
She sighed. “He bailed on me. After you stopped by earlier, he called again and told me to find another chef. He’s worried that the lounge is going under and he took another job. He didn’t even have the courtesy to give me any notice.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said, inching closer to her.
She looked down at the bottle of Yamazaki whiskey in front of her and unscrewed the cap, pouring a considerable amount into the glass. “Really, I’d like to be alone. Could we talk another time?”
I gave Megan a pointed look, and because we knew each other so well, no words needed to be exchanged. She only nodded in return and exited the restaurant.
Once she was gone, I sat down next to Penny at the bar. “I could use one of those…” I nodded toward the whiskey bottle.
She got up and moved behind the counter, grabbed a glass, and slid it harshly across the bar.
I caught it before it went off the side.
“No offense, but I don’t see what you would need this for … from where I’m standing you seem to have everything going for you.” She came back around and took her seat next to me, passing the bottle of whiskey. “Have what you like … it’s on the house.”
I took the bottle and poured a tiny amount into the glass she’d given me. I wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker and I knew this would go straight to my head. “I’d be a whole lot better if this Norman Pan thing hadn’t happened.”
“It’s looking that way for all of us.”
“Do you think it was one of the other judges?” I asked.
“Huh? One of the other judges?”
“Yeah, you know … like Stella … maybe she did it?” I sipped the whiskey and it warmed my body as it slid down my throat.
She sneered. “At this point … anything is possible. That woman is horrid. Just horrid.”
“What is going on with you two?”
“It’s nothing…” Penny turned her head away from me. “She’s always ruining my life, is all. I’ll never be rid of her.”
“What do you mean? Do you guys know each other personally?”
Penny laughed to herself. “It’s a long story … from a very long time ago.”
“Is she bullying you? Maybe we should take it to Ian and he—”
“No!” she yelled, whipping back around to face me. “We tell Ian nothing. He doesn’t need to get involved. I can take care of Stella myself.”
“But if you lost the contest unfairly…”
“I don’t care. I’m out of the contest and that’s that. It’s done. I have to worry about finding a new head chef … and repairing my business. The last thing I want is to be involved in this stupid contest. It’s ruined everything.”
“I’m—”
“You better go…” She got up from the stool, grabbing her glass and the whiskey bottle. “I’ve got things I should be doing right now.”
“Okay, well, if you need anything, let me know. Don’t forget you have friends here.”
“Yeah … friends … thanks,” she said bitterly. “I’ll see you later.” She disappeared into the back room, and I sat awkwardly staring at my whiskey glass. I downed the rest of it, which gave me a shiver, and left the empty glass on the bar.
When I went back into the plaza, Megan was waiting for me on a nearby bench. “Everything okay?” she asked.
“I don’t think so…”
“Well, what happened in there? Did she tell you anything useful?”
“Maybe? Let’s get out of here and I’ll tell you in the car.”
* * *
On the way home, I filled Megan in on what Penny and I talked about after she left the restaurant. When we arrived at the apartment, we decided to both take Kikko for a walk so I could think and talk it out. I always did my best thinking in one of two forms: walking or showering.
Our complex had a two-lane road that wound through the property and looped back around. We followed the loop around the maze of apartments while we discussed the situation.
“The thing that gets me is why no one will say how they know each other,” Megan said. “What’s the big deal?”
“The only thing that comes to mind is that they didn’t want anyone to know that they knew a judge on the panel.”
“But everyone knows who they are.”
“Yeah, but not on a personal level,” I reminded her. “Personal relationships could cause a conflict of interest … like they did with Norman and Walter. It’s possible they didn’t want to deal with the outcome of that.”
“Okay, true.” Megan sidestepped a fallen branch. “So what do you think it is?”
We stopped so Kikko could sniff a tree trunk.
I shrugged. “From what I’ve seen so far, it seems like Penny is being bullied or she’s trying to protect someone and getting fed up with it. She was already upset about the contest when she arrived this morning. Then Stella talked to her while she was cooking and Penny flew off the handle.”
“But what would that have to do with Joel?”
“Okay, let’s say that Joel is the killer. Penny is either protecting him or he’s making her stay quiet against her will. Either way Penny is hiding something from us.”
“Like what?” Megan asked.
“Like what I was saying the other day … video of him being where he wasn’t supposed to be.”
“Okay, let’s go with that theory. He goes to see her, and then what? Tells her to cover for him?”
“Maybe. Or she really doesn’t have the tape … which should let her off the hook … but…” I paused.
“But?”
“But I just thought of something … Stella suspects something and said she overheard things she shouldn’t have. So what if that something she wasn’t supposed to hear was between Joel and Penny? Then she confronts Penny only to be told there isn’t actually a tape, but she doesn’t believe it and is trying to bully her into coming clean.”
“Again … it’s a stretch.” Megan said, her voice laced with doubt.
“Well, it’s all speculation. For all we know, we have it all wrong and Walter Shen and Ray worked together to get rid of Norman Pan for some reason still unknown to us.”
Megan grabbed my arm, her eyes widening. “Do you think that’s an actual possibility? That almost makes more sense than the other scenario.”
Kikko, content with her sniffing of the tree trunk, tugged us farther down the walk. Her next target was a flowering bush that was starting to bud.
“Anything is possible. And I don’t think that Opal’s suspicion is totally unfounded. There’s something funny about the way Walter was acting the other day for sure. And it is possible that he wanted to teach Norman a lesson.”
“So what do we do now?”
“Tomorrow is the last day of the contest and Stella will be heading back to Chicago on Sunday if all goes well. I only have a few more chances left to talk with her. I know she’s staying at the Ramada. Maybe I’ll try and see her before the contest.”
“Do you know if she ever talked with Trudeau about the fortune cookie?”
“I’m not sure. Adam hasn’t mentioned anything to me. Not that he would … but … I’m hoping she did. When I go and talk with her I’ll encourage her to talk to him if she hasn’t already.”
“Good. Because if she really does know who the killer is … she’s walking around with a target on her back.”
CHAPTER
17
The third round of the contest wasn’t scheduled to start until noon, but I got up extra early so I would have time to head over to the Ramada and talk with Stella. I figured it would be easier to talk with her alone if I went to see her at the hotel. My only hope was that she wouldn’t mind me stopping by unannounced. I thought about calling the hotel to make sure she was there, but I didn’t want to give her the opportunity to avoid me. Especially if she had changed her mind about talking to Adam … then she might not want to speak to me.
When I arrived, there were a few cop cars and an ambulance outside the entrance. A few stragglers hung out in the parking lot, smoking cigars and pointing toward the commotion.
I parked the car and headed over to the group of smokers. “Excuse me, do you know what’s going on here?”
A tall man with a shaved head and reddish-brown beard turned to face me. “Some chick bit it or something. We were standing out here smoking when the cops showed up so we don’t know much. No one has come out yet.”
“Are they letting people into the hotel?” I asked.
He adjusted his glasses. “As far as I know … doesn’t hurt to try.”
I thanked him and made my way up the walkway to the entrance. Before I could enter, Adam barreled out of the doors.
“Out of the way!” Adam barked. “Police business.” He did a double take when he realized it was me.
“Do you talk that rudely to everyone?” I asked him, a little put off.
“Lana … what are you doing here?”
“I came to talk with Stella before the contest,” I told him. “What are you doing here?”
He inhaled deeply, and scooped an arm around my shoulders, directing me down the path away from the entrance. The smokers looked on as Adam veered me away.
“Adam…”
“There isn’t going to be a contest today, Lana.”
“What? Why not?”
He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and sighed. “There’s no easy way to tell you this, but Stella was found murdered in her hotel room this morning.”
As he said it, I heard the rumbling of wheels on cement. When I peeked around him to see what was making the noise, I found it to be a gurney. Strapped to it was a body bag, and inside that body bag was Stella Chung.
* * *
“This can’t be happening!” Ian yelled, slamming his fists on his desk.
After I’d left the hotel, I called Megan to let her know what happened and that she didn’t need to come to the plaza. She agreed to wait for me at home and I rushed to Asia Village to fill Ian in on the news. The contest was set to start in two hours and setup had already begun on the stage.
“That’s what you’re upset about? May I remind you that I was actually at the hotel and saw the body bag being brought out to the ambulance? Another person is dead, Ian. Be a little more sensitive!”
He took a deep breath. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Please … sit.” He gestured to the couch, and I plopped down, my head in my hands. “What do we know at this point? It was absolutely murder?”
I nodded. “Adam said there were definite signs of a struggle. She was strangled … just like Norman Pan. There was a broken lamp with traces of blood on the cord … he thinks may be that was the murder weapon because it would match the bruises on her neck.”
“Oh my—” He covered his mouth.
“This can’t be a coincidence, Ian…”
“Let’s not discuss that right now. Would you like some tea?” His voice was gentle and came out as a whisper.
“More like a shot of whiskey,” I said.
“I can have that arranged. Penny is just next door.”
Oh my God, Penny! I thought. My brain filled with a whirlwind of thoughts. “We have to cancel the contest … we can worry about me later.”
“Yes, of course, I’ll see to it that the other judges know. Would you mind letting the contestants and stage workers know?”
I complied and stopped by the stage arena to talk with the workers. I relayed the message as swiftly as possible so I could get back to the restaurant. I wanted to let Peter know first and then I would make calls to both Walter Shen and Stanley Gao. The toughest part of all that would be telling Peter. I knew that part of him would be disappointed. He had been so excited when we’d left the contest the day before and he was confident that he would win again today.
When I arrived, Nancy was at the podium, and Vanessa was wiping down tables. I gave a quick smile to Nancy before heading straight back into the kitchen. I wanted to tell Peter before anyone else. Then I would make an announcement to the rest of the employees.
Oh, no … my parents. I would have to tell my parents. The idea of it created a rock in the pit of my stomach.
I pushed that thought to the back of my mind as I entered the kitchen and saw Peter and Lou packing up boxes for Peter to take with him to the workstation in the plaza.
“Peter…” I said. Ugh, even my voice gave away my emotions.
Lou turned around first, his smile bright as a fluorescent bulb. “Hey there, boss!” Within a few seconds of observing me, his smile evaporated. “Boss? Is everything okay?”
Peter turned around. “Hey, dude … what’s with the long face?”
“We need to talk … alone.” I gestured toward the back room.
“Sure,” he replied. He sounded cautious and kept an eye on me as we left the kitchen.
“Right, I’ll hold down the fort here,” Lou said with a salute. “I’ll have these boxes packed up for you by the time you get back.”
“That’s okay, Lou,” I said to him. “There’s no need.”
Peter’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. Instead, he hung his head and sulked to the back office.
* * *
I broke the news to Peter as gently as possible and provided as many details as I could, which weren’t very many. He nodded at the appropriate intervals and didn’t say much in response. We sat in silence for a few moments before he returned to the kitchen. I knew that he was conflicted … I could see it on his face. He wanted to be upset because he was really hyped up about winning the contest today, but at the same time, someone had just died.
With a heavy sigh, I picked up the phone and called the others to let them know what happened. Everyone seemed extremely shocked and caught off guard by the news, but then again, it was easier to play that card without having to look anyone in the eye. As I talked to Walter and then Stanley, I wondered if I was talking to the killer. I hadn’t given Stanley any consideration, but now that two judges were dead, I thought it was safe to say that it had something to do with the contest.
After I finished up with my calls, I decided to head over and let Penny in on the news. Even though she wasn’t part of the contest anymore, I felt like she should know. I also wanted to see her reaction.
I couldn’t lie to myself, in the back of my mind, the conversation we’d had the day before played in my head, and I thought about how Penny said she would take care of Stella herself. And now, as much as it bothered me to think it, I wondered if she had.
On the way over, I tried to come up with exactly what I was going to say. I still had trouble putting up a good front with people, and I didn’t want to come acr
oss as accusatory.
The lounge didn’t open until noon, so I had a little time before customers would wander in. I found her behind the bar taking inventory and rearranging liquor bottles.
“Hey.” I eased my way into the bar area and gave a delicate smile. “Mind if I sit?”
She looked up from her clipboard. “Sure … have a seat.” She stuck the pencil she was holding behind her ear. “Want anything?”
“No, thanks, I can’t stay. I thought I would come by personally and—”
“Ask for an apology?” she finished. “Because you deserve one, big-time, Lana. I’m so sorry for the way I acted yesterday … for the way I’ve been acting … it’s this stupid contest, and everything else going on. And now this thing with Stella…”
“Stella is actually why I came by.”
Penny put her hands on her hips. “Did she send you here?”
“No…”
“Good … because anything she has to say doesn’t matter to me anyhow. That woman is rotten to the core. I tried to put it all behind me, but she can’t seem to stop running her mouth and bringing up things—”
“Penny…”
“What?” she snapped.
“Stella was found dead this morning.”
She dropped her clipboard. “What do you mean dead? How can she be dead? I just saw her yesterday.”
“A maid at the hotel found Stella strangled in her room this morning. I went there to talk to her about the contest … about…” I looked away. It wasn’t my original intention to tell Penny why I’d gone to see Stella and I didn’t know if I should tell her now. “Well … when I got there, the police were there with an ambulance to take the body away.”
Penny covered her mouth with a shaky hand.
I had to admit, she did appear jarred by the news. Then again, how well did I know Penny … and how good of an actress was she? “I don’t know any details, so I can’t tell you much else.”
She dropped her hand and placed both of them on the bar, gripping the edge. “I see.”
“So … if anything was going on … now would be the time to say something.”