“One more thing,” JP said, “do you have a photo of Jade?”
Quang hesitated, and glanced down at his cell phone next to the computer.
“You took pictures of her, didn’t you?”
Quang nodded. He pulled up his photos on his cell phone while JP watched. There were at least twenty of them showing Jade in various candid poses. He started to flip through them.
“Text me the best two. Make sure I have a close-up,” JP said. “And Quang, I need Jade’s phone number.”
Quang shook his head from side to side. “No, I can’t. I won’t give you that.” After a moment he added, “I promised Jade. She could get in a lot of trouble if someone called her.”
JP didn’t push him as it seemed futile. He gave the boy his card and waited for the photos to download before he left. “Call me when you feel like talking,” he said as he walked out the door.
Chapter 39
The Tran Case
Child: Emma, age 18 mos. (F)
Parents: Father—unknown, Mother—Kim-Ly Tran
Issues: Neglect
Facts: Mother left eighteen-month-old girl in locked room and went to work. Apartment complex caught on fire.
The address JP had received from Quang took him to a large, vacant house in Linda Vista. Quang had said it was Jade’s last address, indicating that she moved a lot, but JP was still disappointed. He started knocking on neighboring doors but with little success.
An Asian woman came to the door of the adjacent house on the right.
“Hello, I’m JP Torn. I’m a private investigator and we’re looking for a missing girl.” He didn’t know if telling her who he was would help or hurt. This was almost the truth and he hoped to appeal to her sensitive side. Most people seemed willing to help when a child was in danger. Besides, he couldn’t come up with anything better. Selling something wasn’t going to cut it. He needed to be able to ask the right questions.
“No,” she said and started to shut the door.
“Excuse me,” JP said quickly.
“No, no English,” she said and closed it.
JP tried the house next to it with a similar experience. The third house brought him face to face with a couple of teenage girls, both of Asian descent. One had long, dark hair. The other was about five inches shorter than the first. He gave them the same opening as he did the others and added, “We need your help.”
“Who is it?” the shorter girl asked.
Finally, someone with whom he could communicate. Someone who spoke English. He surmised their English was probably better than his. “Her name is Jade Tran. She’s about your age. She lived in that house two doors down.” He pointed to his left. “Did you know her?”
“We didn’t know any of them by name, but there were a bunch of young girls living there for a while.”
JP took out his phone and showed them her photo.
“Yes, she lived there,” the taller girl said. “But they called her Bich.” When the shorter girl gave her friend a peculiar look, the taller one shrugged and said, “When I walk home, I go by that house. I talked to a couple of them one day.”
“When was that?” JP asked.
“A couple of months ago. Maybe three or four. They’ve been gone for a while.”
The short girl chimed in, “There were a lot of them, about seven or eight, and I don’t think any of them went to school. They mostly went out at night and I never saw anyone outside until late afternoon. I think they slept all day.”
“Did you ever see any adults? Their parents, maybe?”
The two girls looked at each other. The shorter girl shook her head. “I never saw any parents, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t there.”
The other girl said, “The only adult I saw was a man in an expensive car. I saw him there several times in the evening when I was on my way home.”
“Do you know what kind of car it was?”
“No, but it was black and big. That’s all I know.”
“What did the man look like?”
She shrugged again. “I don’t know. He was Asian, not tall, but not real short, either. He had dark hair and was kind of….” She held her hands out to each side about two-and-a-half feet apart.
“Stocky?” JP asked.
“Yes. He was wide, but not fat or anything. More buff.”
“The time you said you talked to Jade, or Bich, what did you talk about?”
“She was carrying some groceries and her bag broke just as I was passing. I stopped and helped her pick them up. She thanked me several times. I asked her if she lived there and she said she did. One of the other girls yelled from the door, ‘Bich, Bich, come inside.’ I asked her if that was her name and she said yes, but she yelled something back to the girls in another language. I think it was Vietnamese because it sounded like when my parents talk to each other and they don’t want us to understand them. I don’t know what she said, but she sounded upset.”
“So, your parents speak the language but you don’t?” JP asked.
“I was born here and I never learned Vietnamese. I understand a few words but my parents mostly speak English around us kids.”
“How long did Bich live there?”
“Maybe three weeks,” the shorter girl said. “It wasn’t very long. After they left, there were a lot of people coming and going from there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like people fixing it up—painters and such. A couple of men in suits. Then the real estate agents came, put up a ‘For Sale’ sign, and they’ve been showing people the house.”
JP got both of their names and contact information. He gave them each a card and thanked them for their help. Then he tried a few more houses in the same direction before he walked back to the house where Jade had lived. No one answered the door at the house situated to the left. The same thing happened when he knocked on the door of the next house over. He continued to a few more houses and then crossed the street, but when he gained no more helpful information he got in his car and left.
As JP drove away he called Muffs, the strip joint where Kim-Ly worked, and determined that Kim-Ly would not be in for two more hours. He had time to drive there, have a lap dance/talk with Blossom, and leave before Kim-Ly would arrive for work.
***
JP walked up to the bar at Muffs and ordered a Corona. When the bartender returned with it, he set the glass aside and took one swig from the bottle as he looked around the room for Blossom. He spotted her heading to the area partitioned off for the lap dances. He laid six dollars on the bar, took his bottle of beer, and followed Blossom. Before he reached the area inside, he was approached by a bouncer, who although not very tall, had bulging muscles that JP didn’t want to test.
“Can I help you?” the bouncer asked.
“I’d like to buy a lap dance from Blossom.”
“Wait here. I’ll get her.” The bouncer walked away.
The bar was just beginning to fill with the happy hour crowd. Pitchers of beer and well drinks were half price. JP jokingly wondered if lap dances were on special as well. He was glad Bob wasn’t there because JP was certain Bob would have embarrassed him by asking for a “happy hour dance discount.”
He looked around at the crowd in the dimly lit room. It consisted of approximately thirty men and three women. Two women sat with three guys at a bar that ran across the back of the room near the pool table. JP expected they were there for happy hour. He had no plausible explanation for the one lone woman at the bar.
“Hello,” the young woman said, as she walked up to JP.
“Hello, Blossom. I’d like a lap dance.”
She looked at him with a hint of recognition, but she didn’t acknowledge it. “This way.”
JP followed her as she led him to a chair. Three other chairs occupied the small room. Two of them were filled. JP paid Blossom and then he sat down. She started to move in when JP said, “Blossom, please. I just want to talk.”
She stopped and looked
at him, recognition now beaming on her face. “That’s who you are.” She sighed. “I don’t have anything to say.”
“If you want to help Lotus….”
“Lotus doesn’t need any help,” she interrupted.
“I think her sister does,” JP said. Blossom’s eyes opened widely and her face showed surprise before she could stop it. “Her sister Jade. Or Bich. That’s her real name, right?” JP pushed a little harder.
“Shhh.” She looked sternly at JP. “You’re going to get Lotus in trouble.”
JP spoke softly. “Jade’s already in trouble, isn’t she?”
“I don’t know.” Blossom looked around as if she were being watched.
“You know better. And I bet you know how old she is, too.”
Even in the dimly lit room, JP could see the color fade from Blossom’s face. Her voice shook when she said, “Please, don’t ask me any more.”
“I need to find Bich. Do you know where she is?”
Blossom looked around again. Then she whispered to JP, “I don’t know. I have an address but it’s probably no good anymore. They don’t stay in one place too long. Give me your card and I’ll text you the address in a few minutes.”
“One more thing: Do you know the Asian man who drives the big black car?”
She shook her head. “You need to go. Now.”
Chapter 40
Tyson Doyle Cooper, aka Clint Buchanon
“Nam-yam-yam-ya-nam,” Sabre repeated Bob’s parking lot chant aloud as she circled the parking lot in front of “World Famous.” I guess you have to believe in the goddess, Brodenia, in order for it to work. She circled one more time and then pulled up to the valet, handed him her keys, and walked through the crowd into the restaurant.
The lounge was filled with people waiting for a table. She spotted a familiar cowboy hat about ten feet ahead of her against the partition between the check-in desk and the dining area. She walked toward him and caught a huge smile as she approached.
“I put our name in for us,” Clint said.
“Thanks, but follow me,” Sabre said and walked directly to the bar area where she found an empty high-top table near the back of the room. “Will this work for you?”
“I’m short on patience so if this means we don’t have to wait, I’m happy.”
For a second Sabre thought of JP; he had little patience, too. Maybe that’s the way they raise them in Texas, she thought. She shook it off and boosted herself up onto the barstool. “I actually prefer this over the dining area. The menu is limited, but they have great fish tacos among other things. And a great view.”
“This is a beautiful city you have. I haven’t spent much time by the ocean, but I’m beginning to see why people stay here. It’s very different from my little town in Texas, but this is almost worth fighting the traffic.”
Sabre agreed. She didn’t like the traffic either, but she loved the ocean air. Then she remembered something he had told her earlier. “I thought you lived in Dallas. They must have a lot of traffic there.”
“Yes, we do. I haven’t lived there that long. Not sure I’ll stay. I grew up in a small town outside of Dallas. I just moved there for work.”
“What kind of work?”
Before Clint could answer, the waitress approached and laid two menus on the table. “What can I get you to drink?”
Clint turned to Sabre and asked, “Midori Margarita?”
She looked at him with a furrowed brow. “Why would you ask that?”
“I thought that’s what you were drinking when we met.” He looked at her sheepishly. “Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re right. That’s my favorite drink, but I’m driving tonight so I’ll pass. Just water, no ice, no lemon, and a straw, please.”
Clint turned to the waitress. “Shiner Bock if you have it, a Bud if you don’t.”
When the waitress left, Clint said, “I hope I didn’t overstep with the drink thing. You looked uncomfortable.”
“No, I was just surprised. Most men wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Everything about you impressed me that day. I could even tell you what you were wearing….I hope I’m not starting to sound creepy.”
“No, not at all.”
“I’m afraid I’m a bit of a romantic. I even remember birthdays and anniversaries.”
Sabre smiled. It had been a while since she had been courted. It might be kind of fun, she thought.
The waitress returned with two glasses of water and a Budweiser. “Sorry,” she said, “no Shiner Bock.” She set the bottle and an empty glass in front of Clint. He moved the empty glass aside. Sabre thought of JP again. JP always drank from the bottle; he never used a glass for his beer. She looked at the handsome man sitting next to her and told herself to let it go. She wasn’t with JP and she needed to be fair to her date. She wanted to be, as a matter of fact. He seemed like a really nice guy and he deserved her attention. She made a vow to herself to not bring JP on any more of her dates.
Sabre turned to him and smiled. “So, tell me, what was it like growing up in a small town in Texas?”
The evening passed quickly as they shared their lives. Sabre told him about her brother, Ron, her work, and growing up in Southern California. He told her about raising cattle, riding bulls, and some of the scrapes he got into as a kid. Sabre was impressed when he not only asked lots of questions, but actually listened to her answers. The way he catered to her needs at the table captivated her, too. He was charming, made her feel very comfortable in his presence, and they laughed a lot. When it came time to leave Clint discreetly paid the bill in cash, but Sabre noticed that he left a generous tip.
He walked her out to the valet. While they waited, Clint said, “I had a great time.”
“Me, too,” Sabre said. “Thank you.”
When the attendant walked up to them, Clint gave him a tip and said, “I’ve got this.” He walked Sabre around to the driver’s side of the car and opened the door for her. Although he made no attempt to kiss her, he said, “I’m limited on time in your fair city, but I’d love to see you again. How about tomorrow night?”
Sabre hesitated only for a second. “I’d like that. I’ll meet you at The Brigantine on Shelter Island Drive in Point Loma. If we’re there by six, we can make Happy Hour.”
“It’s a date,” Clint said and sauntered away, cowboy style.
Chapter 41
The Tran Case
Child: Emma, age 18 mos. (F)
Parents: Father—unknown, Mother—Kim-Ly Tran
Issues: Neglect
Facts: Mother left eighteen-month-old girl in locked room and went to work. Apartment complex caught on fire.
The address in City Heights that he had received from Blossom led JP to another vacant house with a “For Sale” sign on the lawn. He walked around the house and peeked in the windows. It looked like numerous renovations had recently taken place, including a newly painted exterior.
Once again JP canvassed the neighborhood in search of answers. He knocked on door after door on one side of the street, but found no one who knew or admitted to knowing Jade. At a house across the street, he was greeted by a marine in his early twenties on crutches. The man was just leaving the house in his uniform with a nameplate that read Simard.
JP introduced himself and told him he was looking for a missing teenage girl. When he showed him the photo, Simard tilted his head to one side, and said, “It’s possible that she lived there, but I can’t be certain. All I can tell you is that there was a group of Asian girls there for a couple of weeks. At least six of them, maybe as many as ten. I never saw any of them close enough to identify them.”
“How long ago did they leave?”
“A week or so, maybe. Not long. It was very strange because they moved in one evening and then they hardly came out of the house for two days. I was home with an injured leg so I pretty much sat around.”
“What happened to you?”
“It was stupid. I was drinking with a f
riend of mine and we started wrestling. I caught my toe on the rug. When we flipped over, my foot went one way and my body the other. I’ve done a lot of stupid things when I’ve been drinking. You’d think I’d be old enough to know better.”
JP chuckled. “My granddaddy use to say, ‘If you get into the ignorant oil, you’re gonna come out ignorant.’”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind next time. Anyway, for several days I spent a lot of time on the porch just watching people come and go. Those girls seemed to go out mostly at night. And some of them looked really young, but like I said, I never saw them up close.”
JP thanked him and left. He tried a few more houses, but didn’t obtain any more helpful information. This was the second place now where the girls had lived for only a few weeks. Both were now vacant and listed for sale. He had no more leads as to where they may be but he knew there was something strange occurring and his gut told him it wasn’t good. He called Sabre and arranged to meet her at her office in an hour.
***
It had been five or six days since Sabre and JP had met and discussed the cases she had piled upon him. Several hearings were approaching and Sabre needed an update, so when JP called she headed straight to her office. She thought about having him come to her house, but decided against it. She was having enough trouble maintaining a professional relationship; the office would be a better setting.
“So, what do you have for me, JP?”
“First, let’s talk about Judge Mitchell’s murder. I’m hitting a lot of dead ends. I haven’t ruled out Ralph, Durham’s buddy. Nor have I eliminated Isaiah Banks on the King case. I wanted to know what the police were doing on the investigation so I spoke to Klakken….”
Sabre cut in. “You spoke to Klakken?”
“Yes, we had quite a civil conversation. Anyway, it seems Banks is their prime suspect, but they don’t have enough for an arrest.”
The Advocate's Ex Parte (The Advocate Series Book 5) Page 19