Death by Dumpling

by Vivien Chien

  “I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. I know a lot of you were disappointed with my decision to not have a public ceremony, but with the media lurking about, I felt it was necessary for the privacy of my family.”

  A few people in the crowd nodded in understanding.

  She continued, “I always thought that Thomas and I would grow old together. And to take this unexpected road in life is a difficult adjustment to make.” She paused. “Since Thomas has been gone, I’ve thought much about where my life is headed and what roles I need to play in the community. And I have come to the conclusion that running Asia Village is not where I am needed.”

  There were a few gasps in the crowd.

  Donna chuckled. “No need to be alarmed by this news, it doesn’t mean what you think it does.”

  The crowd quieted again and, surely now, all eyes were on her.

  “Ian Sung,” she said, pointing to our table. “He will be taking over all responsibilities regarding Asia Village.”

  A murmur filled the room as people whispered among themselves, the looks on their faces reflecting surprise and general upset at the news. It didn’t appear to be going over well with everyone. Was it Ian himself? Or the fact that Donna was stepping out of the way?

  She raised her voice to be heard over the clamor. “Even though Ian will be in charge, I will act as a silent business partner to ensure that, according to Thomas’s wishes, the plaza stays within our family.”

  This did not seem to relieve the crowd, and Donna held up her hands, signaling the crowd to quiet down.

  “Now, I know some of you may be concerned about the changes that will be taking place during this transition. But I can assure you that I have the utmost confidence in Ian as a business partner, and I can see Asia Village growing under his care. I promise, good things are coming.”

  The room was silent again. Perhaps people were contemplating the news and letting it settle with them. Donna continued on with her speech as if the interruption hadn’t taken place. She wrapped up by talking about Mr. Feng’s love for the plaza and how she was excited for the coming changes.

  After she was done speaking, we were given another short intermission to freshen our drinks and use the restrooms. The next person to speak was Ian, and I was anxious to hear what he was going to say for himself. I don’t know what everyone thought. Had they really assumed Donna would be running the show? She was hardly around to begin with.

  Kimmy cornered me at the bar. I had a hard time making eye contact with her, but mostly because of what she was wearing. It was very revealing, to say the least.

  “Just so you know,” she said through clenched teeth, “I saw you and Peter talking earlier. I know that he told you everything.”

  She had caught me off guard, and I stood there staring at her like she’d sprouted horns. “I don’t know what—”

  “Don’t lie to me, Lana Lee. I’ve had enough of people lying around here.” She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was there.

  “No, really, I swear, Peter didn’t—”

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you quiet, do you understand me?” Her eyes narrowed into slits. “No one can find out…”

  “Okay…” I said, my hands beginning to sweat. There was no mistake that Kimmy was threatening me, I just didn’t know about what.

  She glared at me for a few more minutes, let out a large groan and stomped off.

  I wasn’t sure what she meant, but I had a feeling that it couldn’t be anything good. Her recent arguments with Mr. Feng before his death, and her strange interactions with Peter made me think that maybe I should be looking at her more closely.

  I’d left my cell phone behind and I hurried back to the table. I needed to tell Megan about this. When I got back, a small crowd of people hovered around Donna, no doubt talking to her about the announcement she’d just made.

  Mr. An stood next to her with his hands behind his back. But, instead of listening to her as everyone else was, he was watching me as I neared the table. I smiled at him as our eyes met, but he looked away, turning his attention back to Donna.

  I tried to shimmy around the opposite side of the table, but that was blocked too. The only way to get back to my seat was to go through the crowd gathered around Donna. There was a small opening between her and Mr. An that I could sneak through.

  As I passed her, Donna reached out and grabbed my wrist. “Lana, dear, let’s switch seats,” she said, ignoring the people talking around her. “I would like a few minutes to talk with Anna May.” Her smile was sly as she said it, and I knew that wasn’t the truth.

  I looked at the empty seat next to Ian’s chair and sighed. If she thought she was fooling anyone, she was wrong. Begrudgingly, I nodded in acceptance.

  Mr. An was blocking the seat I agreed to sit in. I gave him a light tap on the shoulder. “Excuse me, Mr. An, would you mind if I snuck past you.” I pointed at the chair.

  “Of course, Lana,” he said, stepping to the side. “The space is so tight between these tables.”

  I sat down in my new seat and exchanged a glance with my sister.

  The lights flickered and the people that had encircled Donna said their good-byes and moved back to their tables.

  I pulled out my phone and was about to text Megan when the lights dimmed. Crap. It was time for Ian’s speech.

  Anna May hissed at me. “Hey, put away your phone … your boyfriend is about to speak.”

  My nostrils flared. “You’re lucky I’m sitting over here,” I said, glaring at her from the other side of Donna.

  My mother snapped her fingers at us. “Be quiet.”

  I straightened up in my chair and faced the podium where Ian had positioned himself.

  He fiddled with his tie, loosening it at the neck and straightening it under his jacket. I had never seen him this uncomfortable. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was nervous.

  The microphone crackled as he said, “Good evening,” and the sound made him step back. He tried again, keeping his mouth farther away from the microphone. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am so happy to be here.” He stopped, a look of horror on his face. “No, I don’t mean that … not happy. What I mean is, it’s my pleasure to be … given this honor.”

  The crowd remained silent, their faces expressionless, minus a few who looked annoyed. His father was one of them. I watched him as he looked down at the table and shook his head, disappointed.

  Ian seemed to refocus himself, taking a deep breath and flipping through note cards he had in his hands. He looked back out into the crowd, his eyes shifting back and forth. “It is a sad time for all of us at Asia Village, for we have lost a great friend. But, as Thomas loved this plaza, so do I. And he would have wanted us to soldier on—”

  Donna smacked her hand on the table, rattling the plates, and rocked back and forth in her chair. Her hand went up to her throat and she held it there, with her mouth hanging open as she gasped for air.

  Everyone turned to face us.

  Donna looked straight at me before her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed face forward onto the table. The room was a united gasp and people stood to get a better look at what was happening.

  Everything after that was confusion. The last thing I heard was someone say, “Call 911,” and I’m pretty sure that was me.

  CHAPTER

  20

  The paramedics had just wheeled Donna out on a gurney. She was unresponsive, but to our relief, she was still breathing. The memorial attendees lumped together in groups around the room, chattering in speculation. I sat in my chair, taking deep breaths, while Detective Trudeau hovered over me. He’d heard the news come over the radio, and rushed over to see what was going on.

  “So, you said that she grabbed her throat, looked at you, and then hit the table?” he asked me for the third time.

  I nodded, demonstrating for him this time. “First she slapped the table, like she was trying to get someone’s attention.” />
  “I see.” Trudeau scribbled in his trusty notebook. “But she didn’t actually say anything to you?”

  I shook my head.

  A few chairs over, my mother wrung her hands. Esther, who had been sitting two tables over, sat beside my mom talking softly to her in Mandarin. My father stood over my mother and rubbed her shoulders supportively. Lou hovered in the background. He’d been seated at the table next to us and came over after Donna had been taken away. Anna May sat beside me, staring blankly at the table.

  Peter and his mother had stepped outside. Apparently the commotion was too much for Nancy and she felt faint. That made two of us. I had no desire to be sitting here right now, feeling cornered against a wall. The room didn’t feel as big as it had an hour ago.

  He looked at me with a pained expression on his face. “I think we better step outside.”

  My mother’s head jerked up. “What? Where are you going with my daughter?”

  “I think maybe it would be best if your daughter and I took a walk outside. She could use the fresh air.” He looked at the crowded room of onlookers.

  “Excuse me for saying so,” Anna May said with lead in her voice, “but I don’t see why it would be necessary for you to take my sister anywhere. I’d be more than happy to take her for a walk.”

  Trudeau pursed his lips, clicking his pen methodically. “I can assure you that your sister is safe with me. You’re still needed to answer questions.” He skimmed the room for the other officers who were taking statements. “Someone should be over shortly.”

  My sister huffed. “This whole thing is ridiculous to begin with. I don’t understand why you’re questioning everyone when it’s clear that Donna was choking on something. It’s hardly anything to interrogate the whole room over.”

  Through a clenched jaw, Detective Trudeau said, “I find it a little odd that Mrs. Feng would have an episode like this after what happened to her husband. We need to take every precaution.”

  I grabbed his arm. “Wait, are you saying that she—” I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.

  In a gentle tone, he turned to me and said, “She was experiencing the exact same symptoms as someone would with an allergic reaction. This wasn’t just a choking fit.” He looked down at the table, his eyes studying the contents. His eyes narrowed and he crouched down near Donna’s teacup. “Whose teacup is this?” he asked, looking directly at me.

  “It’s Donna’s.”

  He looked back at the cup, and at me. “And where is your cup?” he asked.

  I pointed to the cup on my right. “This is mine.”

  He picked up the kettle and opened the lid, sniffing the contents. “What is all this stuff floating around in here?”

  “Chrysanthemums.”

  He put the lid back down and investigated the cups again.

  “Who was sitting here?” He pointed to the empty seat next to me.

  “Ian Sung.”

  “And you were sitting here?” He pointed to my chair.

  “Well, originally yes, but Donna and I switched seats.”

  He studied the table. “No one touch anything,” he said to the group. He looked over his shoulder, signaling a police officer to come over.

  A young guy with a blond buzz cut came to stand at the edge of our table. “Yes, sir?”

  “We need something to contain this evidence.” Trudeau pointed to the table. “Do you have something?” Trudeau asked.

  “Yes, of course, sir,” the young man replied.

  “I want to mark all of these cups and who they belonged to. We’re taking everything with us. Tea, food … all of it. I’m having it tested.”

  “Yes, sir.” The young man nodded and hurried off to get whatever it was they planned to put everything in.

  My mother looked up at my dad. “Bill, what’s going on?”

  “It’s okay, Betty, don’t worry,” my father said, squeezing her shoulders. “The police will handle it.”

  Detective Trudeau looked at my parents. “I think that Mrs. Feng was poisoned. It could be anything on this table, but since she was the only one affected, I think it was in her tea.”

  Everyone at the table, except me, gasped. I was too busy thinking about how Donna and I had switched seats.

  * * *

  Trudeau and I stood outside of the plaza, staring out onto Payne Avenue. “I appreciate you getting me out of there so fast,” I said. “I don’t think I could have taken it much longer.”

  “You’re welcome.” He stuck his hands in his pockets. “It was getting stuffy in there … even for me.”

  I kept my eyes focused on the street in front of us. It was easier than looking at him while I said what I had to say. “Do you think that tea was meant for me?”

  The detective remained still. “Why would you say that?”

  “Because we switched seats, and if I wasn’t paying attention, I might have grabbed the wrong cup.” My eyes began to well up and I could feel the temperature dropping. I shivered.

  “We won’t know until all of the tea has been tested,” he replied. His voice was calm, and it helped soothe my nerves. “Don’t get worked up over anything just yet. No one else seemed to have any reaction to their drinks.”

  I sniffed back my tears. I didn’t want the detective to see me cry.

  “I need to ask you something,” he said gently.

  I chanced a glimpse at him. “What do you want to know?”

  “Did you notice anything out of the ordinary tonight?”

  “No,” I said, thinking back. There hadn’t been anything strange. Just my little encounter with Kimmy. “Except…”

  “Except what?” he prodded.

  I shifted my weight, my heels tightening around my toes. If I told him about my run-in with Kimmy, then I’d have to explain how I’d gone to Peter’s house the day before. “Kimmy Tran … she approached me…”

  “Okay,” he said, looking confused. “She approached you … and?”

  “She said that she’d do anything to make sure that no one found out.”

  “That no one found out about what?” he asked with caution.

  “That’s the thing. I have no idea.”

  “Why would she say this to you to begin with?”

  There was no way around it. I’d have to tell him the truth. “I stopped at Peter’s yesterday to talk to him about the memorial. Donna wanted all of us to sit together at dinner, and I didn’t know if anyone had told him.” I sucked in a breath. “While I was there, Kimmy showed up and practically threw me out of his apartment because she needed to talk to him in private.” I paused to let him absorb the story. “Then tonight, when she approached me, she assumed that he had told me whatever they talked about. Only he didn’t.”

  His hands went up to his face and he covered his eyes with his palms. “You went over there?”

  “It was only for a minute.”

  He turned to me, his face red where his hands had been. “Only for a minute?” he repeated.

  “It was—”

  “Lana, what did I say? I said to stay away from him, and then you go over there?” Trudeau started to pace. “Did you go straight there from the station, or did you at least stop at home and give it some thought?”

  I watched him as he paced back and forth in front of me. “I went shopping with Megan…”

  He laughed. “Oh, well, at least you went shopping.”

  “I had to see him for myself. Besides, I can handle myself.”

  He stopped pacing and stood in front of me. He leaned in, his face inches from mine. “This isn’t about whether or not you can handle yourself … don’t play the tough-girl act with me. Not now, Lana. Not while I’m trying to keep you safe.”

  I softened a little when I noticed the worry in his voice. The more I saw him, the more human he became. I felt a hint of guilt for upsetting him.

  “What can you tell me about Kimmy Tran?” he asked, breaking into my thoughts.

  I shrugged. “She used to be a n
ice girl … always kind of grumpy though. I’m not very close with her now so I can’t tell you much.”

  Trudeau looked away, his jaw clenching. “Well, she just became part of my investigation.”

  * * *

  About an hour later, I was home and in my pajamas. Kikko and I were snuggled up on the couch under a jumble of thick blankets. Her head poked out from under one, a bone held firmly between her paws. She took out her frustrations on the bone I’d just given her. Sitting Indian style, I had my notebook balancing on my right leg, and the private-investigating book open on my left leg.

  I was still worried about the possible poisoning from earlier that night. I jotted down some notes about what I remembered, emphasizing details of Kimmy’s strange behavior. I couldn’t think of anything that would connect her and Peter. It bugged me. She was so comfortable coming into his apartment, as if she’d been there before. But as far as I knew, they weren’t more than acquaintances. And they definitely didn’t run in the same social circles.

  My phone rang, and I reached for it on the coffee table. The readout said: ANNA MAY.

  “Hello?” I grumbled into the phone.

  “What happened with you and the cop?” Anna May asked without a greeting.

  After I’d come back inside from talking with Trudeau, we didn’t have a chance to speak in private. I wasn’t planning on telling my sister anything anyway. I knew it’d get straight back to my mother. “Nothing, he asked me if I was okay, and then we went over what happened again.”

  “Mom just called me, Donna is conscious.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “She didn’t give any details, just said that we should go visit tomorrow.”

  “Okay, do you want to go together?” I suggested.

  “I told Mom I would work at the restaurant tomorrow so she and Dad could have the day off together. He’s been so busy working they’ve barely seen each other. I’ll find time to go after Nancy comes in or something. You go ahead without me.”