“I was told you love him?” queries Wutong.
“Don’t make any assumptions on what you hear,” states Vicky with a tone that says not to ask more questions. “I found him useful for a time, but that was short-lived.”
He was useful for a time. No greater wrath than a woman scorned. Wutong waves a cautioning finger at her. “Terminating someone’s existence just because he broke your heart is not a good idea.”
“He did not break my heart. I had nothing invested in him,” snaps the Asian beauty. Vicky spits out, “Jasmine was my soul mate. I want justice. An eye for an eye.”
Wutong ignores Vicky’s anger and presses on. “In that case, it should be you that should die. You did in fact strangle her at the end.”
“Only after Todd had so severely damaged her that she could never recover. And even so, she was already dying from a heart attack. Had she survived, she would have been a vegetable. I did so out of love, not like Todd who could not face being a father.”
Wutong turns to Liang. “What do you want, my protégé? Jasmine was going to die anyway. Wasn’t it shown that Todd really was acting in the way Jasmine wanted him to?”
“I never believed that Todd acted unintentionally. More than Jasmine,” he nods at Vicky, “more than Vicky, Todd is a consummate actor. He fooled my daughter but he cannot fool me.”
Liang grips his fists into balls. “Killing him is useless. That will just allow him to be with Jasmine and Mei-mei. That is why I saved him. Not because he is worthy of life but because he is unworthy of the rewards of his death.”
“If what you say is true, why doesn’t he just kill himself?” asks Vicky.
“He’s a coward. He could never commit suicide,” snarls Liang.
Wutong succinctly outlines the dilemma. “More importantly though, if Todd kills himself, no one knows where he will go.”
Vicky is puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
“By killing yourself, you have taken the responsibility only the gods should have. And no one knows how they will react. Not even me.” Wutong nods.
“Why?”
Wutong gazes deeply into the piercing eyes of the actress. “When humans take the decision of their own life and death, that is the same as declaring that they have become gods, However that is a foolish decision and path to take.”
“Why?”
“Suicide is never a normal death and the results are unpredictable.”
“I cannot determine what will happen if Todd dies. But if he lives…” Liang nods his head knowingly. “What is worse than death is living hell.”
“And how we do accomplish this?” asks Vicky.
Wutong folds his hands. “He’s having a meeting right now at the bank. My guess is he’s trying to buy the Liang building. That will make our job easier.”
Liang’s face asks the obvious question. How?
Wutong muses, “We have creativity.” The shaman then turns to Vicky. “And we have you.”
Vicky is not exactly sure what this means but whatever it is, she’s in all the way. Her elongated fingers with crimson fingernails stroke the teacup. “I’ll do anything.”
“I know.” Wutong scans the faces of Liang and Vicky. “I will infuse his life with terror. He will regret he ever lived.”
Thanks for reading this excerpt from Demons of Chinatown. It is available for purchase now online from the retailer you purchased this at or at KOBO or AMAZON where you may browse other books by Wesley Robert Lowe.
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About the Author
Wesley Robert Lowe is a writer, composer and filmmaker based in Vancouver, B.C. His work is seen and heard internationally on the radio, television and film festivals and digital platforms.
Much of his work incorporates his Chinese heritage, bridging cultures and generations. To contact him or find out more about his work, visit www.wesleylowemedia.com
Ghosts of Chinatown Page 13