Banish the anger. Think. The old lady had not been dead long and consequently any information she’d told Kadmus or Brasden might not have been acted upon. The flight to San Francisco would not have landed yet. Damage control.
Don’t contact Catherine as his instincts told him to do. She would be angry, too, and it might lead her to act when he preferred her to hide until he could get to her.
Hu Chang.
Two minutes later, Cameron had made contact with him. “How long before you land?”
“Another hour. You are well, I trust? You left us in rather tumultuous circumstances.”
“I’m safe. But you may not be. I’m at the home of Jack Sen’s mother, and her throat’s been cut. The place has been ransacked. It’s reasonable to assume that she told Kadmus everything she knew. I don’t believe they would have killed her unless they were satisfied with the information she gave them. They would have toyed with her longer.”
“Sen lived with his mother?”
“Yes, and he wouldn’t have given her details, but he might have thought it safe to mention San Francisco.”
“Then we may expect a welcoming committee?”
“Possibly. Or they may not have had time to rally their troops. The flight is going to land at a private airport. The minute it hits the ground, get Catherine, Erin, and Luke off the plane before it taxis to a hangar. Run and keep on running until you leave the airport behind. Tell Sen to taxi to the hangar and stall for at least fifteen minutes before he opens the door. If he thinks any of Kadmus’s men are at the hangar, tell him to stay put and call the police. Sen was supposed to take you to a safe house, but scratch that. Do you know anyone in San Francisco who might be safe shelter for Erin?”
“I have a few acquaintances who might qualify.” He paused. “This is going to cause Catherine to be upset.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I believe it best that I not involve her until the last minute. Then she will only be concerned about saving Luke and Erin and not planning long-range.”
“Wise man.”
“That goes without saying. But that doesn’t take wisdom, only the knowledge of my Catherine.” His tone hardened. “I do not like the fact that Sen was vulnerable and that you’re having to scramble to keep Catherine safe. I thought better of you.”
“I don’t like it either. Sen has always been trustworthy before. He might have gotten careless.” He added wearily, “I suppose no one is trustworthy who has people he cares about.”
“And whom do you care about, Cameron?” Hu Chang asked quietly.
“Why, no one,” he said with bitter mockery. “That’s why I’m considered so trustworthy.” He was silent for a moment. “But the committee may lose faith in me shortly. They made a wrong decision, and they won’t back down. I may have to force the point.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. I’m on my way to San Francisco. Keep everyone safe until I get there.” He broke the connection.
He shook his head regretfully as he glanced once more down at the elderly woman on the floor. Then he strode to the back of the house and slipped out the same alleyway he’d entered.
Dammit, he didn’t like having to rely on Hu Chang to pull his irons out of the fire. Everything had been planned, and he’d been in total control. That’s the way he liked it, the way he had to have it. He had told Catherine that, he remembered. It had made her angry and indignant. But, then, she was always indignant and angry with him. It was the nature of their relationship.
And after they had sex, it would be the same. He could not imagine anything different. He could imagine many erotic and bizarre acts with her, but her character would not change. And that would make every coming together all the more exciting.
And they would come together, he thought recklessly. The chance he was taking might very well be the end of him. He deserved a reward after all the punishment he’d taken over the years.
He deserved Catherine Ling.
* * *
“My mother?” Jack Sen’s face was pale with pain as he glanced at Hu Chang in the copilot’s seat next to him. “You’re sure?”
“Cameron was sure,” Hu Chang said gravely. “I regret to be the bearer of such grievous tidings.”
Sen’s lips twisted. “The sons of bitches.” His eyes glittered with moisture. “She was gentle, kind, always smiling…”
“Are you willing to do as Cameron asked? There may be an element of danger for you.”
Sen jerked his attention back to Hu Chang. “I’ll do it,” he said hoarsely. “I almost hope they are waiting at the hangar. I have my gun, and I’ll use it if anyone gets in my way.”
Hu Chang nodded. “Do what you must. But Cameron said to tell you to disappear. You can’t help him any longer.”
“I understand.” Sen drew a deep, shaky, breath. “But I may be able to help my mother’s soul. Someone should pay.” He glanced at Hu Chang. “I’m on the approach. We should be landing in five minutes. Go back and get ready.”
Hu Chang got up from the seat. “We will be ready.” He hesitated as he opened the door. “But you should know that I received the impression that Cameron is planning on making them pay. Why not leave it to him?”
Sen didn’t answer.
Hu Chang shrugged as he left the cockpit. He had done his best. Sen would do what his heart and mind dictated. His own job was to make their escape from the airport as speedy and seamless as possible.
He must get Catherine moving and not have second thoughts about going to the hangar with Jack Sen.
His demeanor must be perfect and reflect urgency, gravity. Maybe even desperation. Yes, desperation would be good.
He moved swiftly down the aisle. “Gather your possessions, Catherine, Erin. Quickly. Luke, help them!” His voice was hard, whiplike, and the desperation was there. “Sen tells me all hell has broken out, and our plans have to change.”
* * *
Hu Chan threw the door open. “Out.” He jumped to the ground and helped Erin to the tarmac. “Run.” He jerked his head toward the woods to the west of the airport. “Head toward the woods, not the airport. Luke, go with Erin and help her.” He saw him hesitate, and said impatiently, “I’ll take care of Catherine.”
“Right.” The boy dashed past him and caught up with Erin.
Catherine glanced back over her shoulder at the plane, which was already starting to taxi. “I don’t like this, Hu Chang. All you said was—What the hell went wrong?”
“Later,” Hu Chang said. “There’s no time. I see lights beyond those trees. We need to get through the woods to the nearest street and get a taxi.” His pace increased. “Run! Don’t lose sight of Luke and Erin.”
She instinctively obeyed. She ran across the runway and headed for the woods. Luke had stopped, waiting for her. She motioned for him to go on. Then she put on speed to make sure that he would. She caught up with him, and, five minutes later, they were tearing through the trees. It took them all another five minutes to traverse the rough ground and ditches to make it to the street that bordered the stretch of trees.
Lights. Noise. Neon signs.
“Taxi,” Hu Chang said. “Now.”
“I’ll get it.” Luke stepped into the street in front of the wave of traffic.
“Luke!” Catherine started to go after him.
“Hey, I’m a kid. Sometimes it come in handy.” Luke grinned at her as he waved down a taxi. “No one wants to mow down a kid. Rakovac used me that way all the time.”
“Well, I’m not going to use you that way.”
“Get in the cab, Catherine.” Erin opened the passenger door. “The deed’s done. Argue later.”
Catherine was already heading for the cab. “I wasn’t going to stage a protest. I just had a—” She broke off as she heard the high keening of a siren. “What’s that?”
“The sound of foolish disobedience.” Hu Chang jumped into the seat beside the driver. “Get in the cab.” He turned to the tax
i driver. “Chinatown. I’ll give you the exact address later.”
An ambulance and two police cars roared past the taxi as Catherine got in the back with Luke and Erin. “They’re turning in up ahead at the airport terminal,” Luke said. “I wonder…”
So did Catherine. Another ambulance roared by as the taxi started negotiating the traffic. She gazed at Hu Chang. “What did you mean about disobeying?”
“Jack Sen quite probably disobeyed Cameron’s orders. I was wondering if he would. I hope he survived.”
“What orders?”
“To lie low and call the police if there was a threat.”
“What threat?” Her gaze shifted to the airport entrance they were passing. “You’re saying that Sen—”
“I’m only saying Jack Sen had a weapon.” He gazed meaningfully at the taxi driver. “And that I will discuss it with you later.”
Catherine leaned back in her seat. She had a sinking feeling that Sen might be hurt or dead. But there was no way of knowing or even guessing until she could get Hu Chang to talk. And that wouldn’t occur until they had reached their destination and could have a moment of privacy. “Chinatown? Who’s in Chinatown?”
“Several million Chinese and other interesting cultural and racial blends.”
“Who are we going to see?” she asked impatiently.
“A woman of beauty and intelligence who is an old and valued friend.” He told the driver, “Just let us out at a restaurant on Clement Street. We’ll make our own way from there.” He turned back to Catherine. “To my friend, who might be persuaded to welcome us into her home.”
“Don’t you have any old and valued friends that aren’t women?”
“A few. But women appear to be drawn to me, and I find them fascinating. My relations with men always seem to have an element of antagonism. No doubt they recognize a superior male in me.”
“No doubt,” she said dryly. She looked back over her shoulder, at the flashing lights of the ambulance at the airport entrance. Had Jack Sen been hurt or killed? Perhaps there was something that she could have done. Hu Chang should have told her what was going on instead of rushing her away.
“He made a choice,” Hu Chang said as he saw her expression.
“But you didn’t let me make one.”
“I told Cameron I would keep you safe.” He looked at Erin. “And you were not the only one at risk. Erin and Luke—”
“I know.” She raised her hand to interrupt him. “And maybe you’re right. But I can’t be sure of that.”
“We will have a discussion when we arrive at Chinatown, and you can make a determination.”
“You promised Cameron?” Erin had focused only on that part of the conversation. “He reached you? He’s all right?”
Hu Chang nodded.
Naturally, Erin would zero in on the well-being of her superhero, Catherine thought. She had not had the same response. Somehow, she had felt she would have known if anything had happened to Cameron. Crazy, unreasonable, but perfectly in sync with everything else that had gone on since she had encountered him.
“That’s good,” Luke said. “I thought that he would be. Cameron is a cool guy.”
And maybe Luke had that same sense that he would have known that Catherine did. She hoped it wasn’t true. She didn’t want him to be that close to Cameron in any way.
Dangerous.
Dangerous for Luke. Dangerous for her.
CHAPTER
12
CHINATOWN
Bright lights.
Crowded streets.
The spicy sweet-sour smell of food.
A restaurant painted red with a gold dragon on the door.
“Let us out here. We will walk the rest of the way.” Hu Chang paid the driver and got out of the cab. “Come along. It’s not far. It will give my friend time to prepare for us.”
Catherine watched the driver negotiate his way through the busy traffic. “And the name of your friend?”
“Celia Mekong.” He was making a telephone call. “Ah, Celia. I have guests and perhaps a few problems. May I bring them to you? You have no commitments?” He smiled at her answer. “We will be there within twenty minutes.” He hung up. “She is bored and delighted to have our company.” He started down the street. “However, she must get rid of one of her commitments and prepare for us. So we will stroll slowly and enjoy people watching. The Chinatowns of America are like no others.”
Luke and Erin were already walking ahead and looking into shop windows.
“Commitment?” Catherine asked.
“Celia is a courtesan.”
Catherine’s eyes widened. “She’s a prostitute?”
“No, a courtesan. There is a vast difference. You will understand once you meet her.”
“I don’t have to understand. All I have to know is that Erin is safe with her.”
“As safe as the circumstances permit. Until Cameron takes care of the root of the matter.”
“Kadmus.” She said, “I’m not sure Cameron is going to take care of him. He told me that was on the forbidden list.”
“He may have changed his mind. I received that indication.”
“Well, I can’t rely on him. I have to be ready for Kadmus when he comes.” She gazed directly into his eyes. “Or his men come, as they did tonight. Why did we have to go on the run? Tell me what happened at the airport, Hu Chang.”
“What you’ve probably deduced, but I’ll fill in the details.”
She listened quietly, and when he’d finished, she didn’t speak for a moment. “And we don’t know if Jack Sen is alive or dead.”
“He didn’t have to confront Kadmus’s men. I told him that I believed Cameron was going to address the problem.”
“Would that have been good enough for you? It was his mother who was murdered, for God’s sake. It wouldn’t have been good enough for me.” She paused. “I need to know if there’s anything I can do for Sen.”
“I will contact the airport and local hospitals and try to find out where he was taken. Or I will have Celia call a few people she knows, and they will be able to tell her.” He smiled. “People are always eager to do favors for Celia.”
“Good.” She was silent. “Cameron said he was on his way?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know if I want him to come. I thought we might be done with him. He … disturbs me.”
“I know. Then you must decide if you’re willing to tolerate the disturbance for his help in keeping Erin safe.”
“I don’t need his help. All I need is a little time to work things out for her.”
“Kadmus isn’t going to give us time. And you have both Erin and Luke to protect. Help would not come amiss.”
“You want Cameron to come?”
“I want you to come to terms with him. Take what you need, give what you wish. But do not hide from him.”
“I’m not hiding.” Or perhaps she was. And perhaps Hu Chang was right. Confront Cameron and take what she needed.
What she needed …
Tingling heat.
She pulled her gaze away. “I’ll think about it.”
“I know you will.” He nodded up ahead. “There is Celia’s house on the corner.”
“That store?” She could see a plate-glass window displaying exquisite Chinese statues on ivory pedestals and beside it a finely carved mahogany door. “It’s not what I was expecting.”
“Once you get beyond that door, you will see a house that would rival any mansion in the city. The interior is absolutely stunning. But Celia’s clientele quite often would prefer to be seen going into a store that can be explained rather than a luxury apartment. One of her main attractions is that she always protects the customer.” He corrected himself. “Well, not main attraction, that is the product itself.”
“How did you come to know her?”
“Several years ago, she was being held in a bordello in Calcutta by Li Pradka, a criminal who was scum of the Earth. She was his
pride and joy. A prize he only let be sampled by special friends and clients. Celia was superbly talented, and it was considered a rare treat if she came to your bed.” He smiled. “But Li Pradka annoyed me, and I decided he had to be punished. So I arranged to take Celia from him and give her a life of her own.”
“Did she want to go?”
“Oh, yes, she told me later that she was only waiting for the opportunity to kill him and flee the city. It was not a life that she would have chosen for herself. She’d grown up in Greece and been kidnapped by one of the sex-slave traffickers. Li Pradka had bought her from them.”
“Poor woman.”
“She never pitied herself.”
“Yet evidently she felt she had to go back to prostitution.”
“She was not forced to do anything. I set her up here in the city with enough money for schooling and living expenses.”
“Then why—”
“Ask her yourself.” He motioned to Erin and Luke, who were looking at the Chinese artifacts in the window. He moved to the door and frowned as he looked at the digital-numbered lock. “I know the code for this lock, but Celia gives very few people the code. I believe we’ll not use it. We must respect her privacy.” He knocked on the door. “And she will not be shy about answering.”
“Hu Chang!” The door was thrown open, and the woman who stood there took Hu Chang’s hand and drew him into the house. “Why can’t you give me notice? Do you think I wait around for you to come visit me? I’m a busy woman.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Actually, I do wait for you. I have no other friends that I value as much.” She turned to Catherine. “And who are you?”
“Catherine Ling.”
The woman was stunning. Shining red hair, green eyes, and golden skin that seemed to shimmer in the light. Her features were beautifully symmetrical and her body graceful and sexual at the same time. She was dressed in a black jumpsuit and looked sleek and sensual as a cat. Celia Mekong might be somewhere in her thirties, but it was difficult to determine. You were only aware of the dazzling total and just wanted to keep on looking.
“Thank you for allowing us to come here.” Catherine gestured to Erin. “Erin Sullivan. And this is my son, Luke.”
Live to See Tomorrow Page 21