Houseboat

by Paul Shadinger

  As she walked away, Scott slid in next to me. When he leaned over, I had to shout in his ear, as I told him I needed to talk to him. I could see by the look on his face he wondered how we were going to chat since it was so loud in the room. I motioned for him to follow me. When I stopped at the velvet chain, I asked the bouncer if we could come back in again, and he nodded his head.

  Once we were outside, I explained to Scott everything I’d learned during my visit with Walter. He got a big kick out of it when I told him about shouting the word faggot at Price and Hollis as they were putting me in the chopper. I told him about Lan, and how I believed the woman who just walked away when he arrived was the stripper I was looking for. Scott asked me why, so I explained that she asked me if I wanted a dance, I had asked her about her ethnic background and she’d told me she was half Vietnamese and half white.

  I told Scott I believed she knew where Hollis was. In addition, she might even know where he was staying. Since I’d nothing else to share, we decided to go back in to see if I could secure a chance to speak with Lan.

  Once we both sat down, I spotted her and then watched as she walked around the room trying to solicit a dance. After she’d struck out with everybody she asked, she headed to an area directly behind us. As she passed by, I reached out, and motioned for her to come and sit next to me. She asked me if I was ready for a dance, but instead I asked her to sit just for a while. I’d previously placed a fifty dollar bill on the table, but I had left my hand covering all of it except the one corner with the domination showing. It was obvious she was aware of the bill, and she smiled as she sat next to me. When she sat, I told her how great her perfume smelled, and as she smiled broadly, I couldn’t help but notice her stunning face. She leaned close to me and spoke in my ear telling me her name was Suzi. Once she said her name, I was positive it was just her stage name, and I was sure this was the woman with whom I wanted to talk.

  Suzi continued talking directly into my ear as she explained she needed to have a drink in front of her if we were going to sit together, and I told her to go ahead and order. Her drink and another watered down coke came to twenty bucks even, and I knew her drink was just apple juice.

  I was tempted to ask her what she was doing working in a place like this, but I realized that’s not a fair question to ask anybody. If she wanted to make a living dancing, it was not my place to put my values on anyone’s life. The thing I needed to do was keep my mouth shut. I’m sure women who dance for a living have just as interesting lives as anyone else.

  When the song ended and it was a little quieter, I moved the bill over to her and lifted my hand. As she picked it up, I leaned closer to her and asked if her real name was Lan. She pulled back quickly, but snatched up the bill. I could see she was afraid, and her eyes were wide as she stared at me. I asked her again. I wanted to make sure I was not making any mistakes. This time she nodded her head once. I leaned close to her and spoke into her ear. My follow up question was if she knew Hayward Hollis. She pulled back and I watched a look of terror flickering across her face. She visibly pulled herself together. Finally, she got a grip and she looked at me with mistrusting eyes and said, “No, I don’t know name.”

  I was positive she was not telling me the truth. “Why are you lying to me?”

  “Please, you not understand. I not know him.”

  I needed a way to talk to her some more. “Can I meet you anywhere else, so we can talk about this?”

  “Please, mister, leave me alone. I don’t know him.”

  I pushed up my shirtsleeve on my left arm and showed her my tattoo. Since one of her parents was from Nam I wondered if she might recognize the sign, or maybe she’d seen it on either Price or Hollis. When she saw the tattoo, she pulled back, her face now a mask of terror. “Go away!” she whispered. “Go away now! Please. Now!”

  When I took her hand I palmed her one of my business cards, and told her I really needed to talk to her some more. The card quickly disappeared. She stood up and fled behind some curtains, but I was pleased to see she took my card and hadn’t left it on the table. I felt that was a good sign. Her interesting perfume still lingered even though she was gone.

  When I mentioned Hollis, I’d been surprised at the amount of fear I’d seen in her eyes. I wondered if perhaps she knew where he was, or if she knew anything about him. The fear I’d seen on her face was real and I figured she had to know something. I had no idea if I’d ever hear from her, but I thought my best hope might come from her desire to have Hollis out of her life. I prayed that was greater than her fear of what Hollis might do to her if he found out she’d talked to me.

  I motioned to Scott it was time to leave and we both stood. I took a couple of steps towards the exit and the burly man who’d taken my money at the front door now stood in front of me blocking my way. As I stepped to the side, he reached out and grabbed my arm. I was in no mood for this bozo to manhandle me. I casually moved a little, so that I could grasp the hand which was holding my arm. With a quick motion I remembered from my days with Uncle Sam, I had his elbow tight against my chest with his wrist bent in a very painful position. I pulled back on the hand until he was on his tiptoes, and I told him we were all leaving.

  As we moved to the front door, I noticed two men moving out of the shadows towards us. I tightened my grip on the bouncer, bringing him once more onto his tiptoes. I told him to tell his friends to back off. I didn’t see him do anything, but the two men stopped and then quickly stepped back into the shadows.

  Scott unhooked the chain and the three of us stepped outside. The bright light was painful after coming from the dark club, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. I kept the bodyguard in my hand lock until we were by my truck, but before I released him, I asked him if he was going to make any problems. He shook his head no, and when I released him he immediately started to massage his wrist.

  “What’s your problem?” I asked.

  He snarled. “How come you’re bothering my girls?”

  “I only spoke with one of the girls. Like I said, what’s your problem?”

  His voice was still menacing but he seemed to be ready to talk about what happened. “Suzi ran to the dressing room in tears. What’d ya do to her?”

  “Nothing, I just asked her a couple of questions.”

  “And what kinda of questions would lead my gals to tears?”

  “I was asking her if we had friends in common.”

  The bouncer stood glaring at both of us for a few seconds, then barked at us, “I’m telling both of you not to come back here. I don’t care what you think you were doing, but you aren’t going to spoil things for my girls. Get in your car and go. Now!”

  Scott headed towards his car, and I trailed behind him. When we got to his car, he turned and asked me why I was following him. I told him to open up the car so I could enter on the passenger side. I slid in and told him to start the car and drive off. When we were a block away, I asked him to pull over. Once we’d come to a stop, he turned to me and asked, “What the hell was that all about?”

  “I’m positive she knows something about Hollis, and I aim to find out what it is. In about an hour, I’m going to sneak back to my truck. I’m wondering when she gets off. Anyway, I’m going to see if I can follow her.”

  Scott tugged at his beard, “I don’t think that’s the best idea I’ve heard, but I can’t stop you. What are you going to do for the next hour?”

  “You’re going to buy me a cup of coffee, and I’ll tell you how come I knew the young lady knew Hollis.”

  Scott agreed grudgingly.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  After I retrieved my truck from the strip club parking lot, I drove it across the street and parked directly across from the club. I lucked out and I found a large bush to park behind which hid most of my truck. It turned out even better because there was a thin patch of leaves in the middle of the bush where I could
look through and see right across the street. From my vantage point, I could watch anybody who came or went into the club.

  It was just getting dusk when I saw a cab pull up and after Lan chatted with the bouncer, she climbed in the back of the cab. When it pulled out into traffic, I let a couple of cars pass and then dropped in behind it. We continued for a couple of miles down the street, and the cab signaled a right turn and pulled into a large parking lot. The cab drove to the end of the parking lot and pulled up behind a car. When I reached the edge of the parking lot, I pulled into a parking stall and stopped. I watched as Lan paid the cabbie and then got in the car next to the cab. I understand many of the girls parked their cars away from the club and when they finish their shift, they take a cab to their cars rather than have their car sit at the club’s parking lot. This would prevent any of the patrons of the club seeing the girls leaving in their own cars and perhaps follow them and who knows what.

  As I watched the cab leave, I saw her start her car. I let her move out onto the street before I pulled across the lot and then in behind her. We traveled a few blocks before she pulled in to a grocery store parking lot. I parked my truck at the back of the lot and I walked up to the front of the store. I waited until she came out and then walked up behind her.

  In a gentle voice I spoke to her, “Lan, I need to talk to you. Please, will you talk to me?”

  She spun around, dropping her groceries. Her face was a mask of fear and I felt bad I was causing her such terror. She stuttered slightly as she asked, “How you find me?”

  I stooped and picked up her bag, and I explained, “I followed your cab. I need to talk to you. Please talk to me for a minute.”

  She seemed to shrink before my eyes, “No. Go away.”

  “Lan, do you know where Heyward Hollis is?”

  “You stupid man. He kill us both if he know you talk to me.” I thought I could see her body trembling with fear.

  “Then you do know where he is?”

  The fear in her eyes made me sad. I wished I knew the right words to comfort her, “No. Please go away. I know he kill Denny, and now he kill me if he knows I talk at you.”

  “I can help you. I can protect you,” I tried to reassure her.

  “You are stupid man. I know who you are and you are dead man. You are dead man. You not protect anything or anybody. Heyward hates you. He kill you. Now, go away.”

  Lan turned, put her groceries in her car, and then started it. She pulled forward a few feet, then stopped, put down the driver’s window, and looked up at me, “Stay away from me. He mad Denny dead. He blame you and he get even. He crazy now. He kill you, maybe he kill me. He wants to hurt. Hurt everybody. You not safe. Just stay away from me.” Her car lurched forward and she drove away. I considered following her again, but then decided that was not a wise idea.

  If I had to, I knew where I could find her again. In a way, I hoped I wouldn’t have to. Nobody likes to frighten people. And I had seen the terror in Lan’s eyes when she looked at me. That look was going to take a while for me to forget.

  CHAPTER 28

  I know I shouldn’t admit to this, but driving back from the strip club to my apartment, my mind was in such turmoil I wasn’t paying the least bit of attention to my driving. I had the confirmation that Hollis and Price not only were responsible for Slim’s demise, but Hollis was the person we were all looking for now. I also hoped maybe there might be a lead on how to go about finding Hollis. I knew I should probably call Jeff L. and tell him about Lan, but I wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet. And, now that I was headed home I found my mind was more consumed with Sharon and how I was going to resolve a relationship with her without damaging our friendship.

  When I pulled into the garage I was stunned to find I was already home. I didn’t remember a thing about the drive home from the strip club. That I found very troubling. Wasn’t this God’s way of trying to tell me I wasn’t supposed to be driving? Glancing over at Sharon’s parking spot and I noticed her car sitting there. I hoped that meant she was home.

  Since leaving Walter and Thien, my thoughts that day had strayed to Sharon. The other night with her had been like no other I’ve ever had with a woman. The other night was what poets write about, why there are love songs—the stuff of dreams. I’ll admit if this was what true love was all about, I’m hooked.

  I took the elevator to my floor. When I reached my place I headed towards the back door to let BJ outside do her thing. I walked with BJ to the end of the walkway and while I was standing at the end, I heard the steel mesh door open and then clang shut. I turned. I watched as Sharon came towards me and at that moment, I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She slipped her arms around my waist and said, “I’ve missed you. You were gone for so long.” Her voice was a whisper.

  “I’m sorry. Walter and his wife asked me to stay for an extra night and I did. I would have called, but he’s so far out in the toolies, there isn’t any cell phone service.” Then I said something I’d thought I’d never say to a woman again, “I missed you, too. And you know something else, I love you.”

  Her eyes were big and round, her lips in a little grin, “Really?”

  “Really, really. We need to talk.”

  Sharon frowned, “Oh shit, is this a good ‘we need to talk’ or do I need to have a drink first?” Sharon winked at me so I knew she was kidding. “You’re not telling me you love me just to appease some part of you that feels bad, because of the other night?”

  “NO! That’s not it at all. I’ve discovered I really do love you, and yeah, we do need to talk.”

  Sharon’s smile would have melted an ice cube, “Last time with you frightened me.”

  My voice went up an octave, “You! I’m the one they call Mr. Cool and all I can think about is you.”

  Sharon kissed my cheek and told me, “When BJ finishes, I’ll be in the front room. It’s cold out here.” After Sharon left I kept encouraging BJ to finish her business, and as always, she had to fool around sniffing all the foliage in the lot. Finally she finished and we came back down the walkway. The weather was cold enough that the moisture on the walkway was icy, and I had to move carefully in order not to slip.

  When I got to my front room, Sharon was sitting on the couch with a drink in her hand, looking off towards the canal. There was another glass on the table in front of her for me. I sat down beside her, and with her snuggled next to me, we just watched the movement on the canal for a while. We saw a couple of small boats braving the cold evening as they moved up and down the canal, their lights reflecting off the water. We sipped our drinks, looking at the waves making patterns on the water. I can’t really describe it completely, but in that moment, I was at peace with the world. I knew Hollis was somewhere out there and I hoped the police were looking for him. I knew there were still problems with the houseboat I needed to resolve, but just sitting with Sharon on the couch stilled my soul.

  I turned my head to look at her, “I talked about you with somebody the last couple of days.”

  “Who?” Surprise in her voice.

  “Did I ever tell you about Walter?”

  “The dude who saved your life in Nam and then you took him over to the peninsula somewhere?”

  “Very good, one and the same.”

  “Why did you ask me about Walter?”

  “Well, he built a cabin on that piece of land I own over there and I gave part of the land to him.” I chuckled and revised my statement, “Perhaps cabin isn’t really the best word to use. This place is perhaps the most unusual structure you have ever seen. It is a cabin of sorts, but more than that it’s truly a work of art. Walter has done the most spectacular job you could ever imagine. He used stuff he found over there scattered around the forest: fallen trees he bucked up and then split, burned logs which had the burls exposed that he turned into tables, coffee table and end tables. Then there’s the ri
ver rock. He packed up the mountain from the stream and made this amazing fireplace. Sharon, the whole place is truly a work of art.” I paused as I reflected over what he had created just out of materials that were lying about.

  “Anyway, after I took him over there and he decided to stay and live up in the mountains, he came back to retrieve his stuff from down in Chinatown. Back in Nam Walter befriended a family and he was somehow instrumental in getting them out of the country when things started to fall apart in ‘75. The family he saved has a daughter, Thien, who was, or should I say is, in love with Walter. She’s much younger than Walter and at first, he didn’t want to take her with him. She insisted, and now they live together in his cabin. Actually, she’s pregnant.

  “Thien and I had a talk about you. She could tell from something in my face that you and I had just spent that night together. I don’t know how, but she could sense I was trying to deal with how intense things had become between us, and my emotions regarding you. Just from the way I looked, she told me a few things which pointed out how special you are. She seems to possess some sort of ability to see inside the soul. She helped me to understand just how special you are to me. By the way, she also wants me to bring you over so she can meet you. She believes that you must have some very special magic to tame someone like me.” Sharon laughed.

  I continued, “The other night when we made love was really special to me. It’s something I want more of.”

  Sharon started to talk, but I put my finger to her lips. “Please, let me finish. I want us together, but not like married, at least not yet. I want you with me, because I want us together, not because we have some piece of paper saying we’re together. It’s important to me that we’re together, because I want to wake up next to you, to share my life with you, and not because somebody grumbled some words over us. I want us together because that’s what we both want, not because the law says we are. And the really amazing thing is that I’m even telling you all of this.”