“This is the town of Philomath and about as far as I can go,” the man said. “I hope your friend isn’t too badly hurt.”
“Thanks, I’m not hurt. Just shaken up that’s all,” said John.
Tang pulled out his money and offered. “To forget us and say thanks.”
The driver held up his hand. “Son, I just did what anyone should do and I don’t need a reward for not seeing ya. Heck, I’m so old I don’t recall my own name most days. There’s the bus stop ‘cross the street. Buses are pretty good and come on the hour. They can take you into Salem. Or the local hospital is just down the road that way. Good luck.” The man drove off leaving them on the roadside. He knew without asking, the type of man that Tang was.
The look in the man’s eyes conveyed a level of trust and Tang instinctively, knew the man would not say anything. “Thank you, very much.” Tang got out and as the car drove off, he memorized the man’s license plate. He made a mental note to send something in appreciation for his help later.
John felt somewhat better and was able to walk on his own, which meant nothing was broken. Tang waited until the car was out of view before allowing John to cross with him to the bus stop. Both were very sore. Tang looked at the time table taped to the wall and realized that the next bus going into Portland was in about thirteen minutes. He was sure that from there, they would be able to catch another bus to Astoria.
The bus ride took longer than Tang expected and transferring in Portland for another bus to Astoria absorbed about the last of his patience. All the while John remained quiet. He was obviously in pain and Tang was impressed that he took it like a man. Tang studied the map he had picked up in Portland and felt he knew where he had to go once they got off the bus.
Tang arranged with the bus driver to be let off on a side street, a short distance from their destination. It was around midnight and he was hoping their deaths had been reported by now. If not, then they were still in enormous danger and it was all the more imperative to find his distant uncle, shelter and safety. True, there was the tong in Portland, but not knowing who sabotaged them made contact risky, especially tonight when he didn’t know where the saboteur was located.
They walked slowly down the road, heading away from the Columbia River to a small Victorian house set on a nondescript street. It was not the kind of house Tang had expected to find, but in checking the address, he had written on a scrap of paper in his wallet, he realized they were in the correct place. He rang the doorbell, thinking that it was too late, but he couldn’t wait for morning, nor risk a hotel room and a credit card check.
The light above the door suddenly came on, as an elderly man peered out the window to see who was disturbing his sleep at so late an hour. Quickly, the man struggled to open the locks. He had to see. He had to open the door to see if his eyes were deceiving him.
“Tang? Tang, is it really you,” asked Robert Hsui.
“Yes, my Shark Tail friend. It’s me and I’ve a great imposition to ask.”
“Come in. Get inside. Come in. What happened to your friend? Is he okay?”
Tang helped John walk through the door and into the living room, where they saw the sofa and both, literally, collapsed on its nice soft cushions. The stress of the day had worn them down. “We need to rest a bit,” said Tang. “John?”
“Yes,” John tried to get up, but fell backwards, his head spinning.
“Its okay, John,” said Robert. “Was that the name, John?”
“Yes.” John felt woozy.
“Don’t worry; I’ll take good care of the two of you. Just will someone tell me what happened or am I to spend the night wondering how you ended up here with torn clothes?” Robert looked at an exhausted Tang, who fell asleep where he sat. John was awake, but drifting.
“We - - heading north- - Seattle - - Car lost brakes. We almost plunged off - - mountain. Tang saw it coming - - pushed me out- - jump- - No one must know- - we’re here. Please promise.” John grabbed hold of Robert’s arm.
“You relax John; I’ll take care of you both. I think I know what has happened and will not say anything any time soon, I can assure you.” Robert examined John and after he assured himself that he didn’t have a concussion, handed the boy a glass of water in which he had added a sleeping powder. “I want you to drink this.” With both men asleep on his sofa, he sat back in his chair under the reading lamp. Well, he thought, so much for having a peaceful life in Astoria. He didn’t think anyone knew where he was, except his brother in Hong Kong. Ah yes, he thought. He had sent Tang’s father a picture a few years back and asked him to write. Tang must have seen the picture and remembered the address. But if he knew, who else did, he pondered. Enough, he thought. It was late and the answers would not be coming until the morning, when he’ll have two hungry men on his hands that he suspected will also be in need of some fresh clothes. He looked at them and decided they were fine where they were for the evening.
Chapter Seventy
George wasn’t in the mood to sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Catherine to come out of the bathroom. He had been on the phone most of Sunday afternoon trying to confirm James’ news. He pondered what the lost of his son John, and best friend Tang, would mean to him. Then he thought of the possible women’s reaction and felt even more devastated.
“George? You’ve been sullen all day. What is it? What’s troubling you?” Catherine reached over to George and put her arm around his neck as she sat on the bed next to him.
“Catherine. I don’t know how to tell you this.”
“What, George? Talk to me. George? Just say it.”
“Tang and John were in a car crash. We don’t know if they’re dead. When they pulled the car off the ledge, there were no bodies inside,” said George soberly.
Catherine’s face lost its color, turned ashen gray as shock registered. “John? Dead?”
“They don’t know for sure. We should remain hopeful they’re still alive.”
Catherine gulped air in disbelief and clutched her chest. “Oh, no.” She collapsed into George’s arm and began crying, softly. Then the realization hit her about Tang. “Tang, too?” George nodded his head before resting it on her own, as he supported her in his arms. “Oh my God, Lauren!”
“I know, Cathy. We’ll not tell Lauren, until we know for sure.”
“There may be a chance?” Catherine looked hopefully into George’s eyes.
“Cathy, they went off the side of a mountain. They plunged down a mountain into a wilderness area. If they survived the fall, they may not have survived the night and we must prepare for the worst. We’ll not tell Lauren until we are absolutely certain. There’s not much we can do except wait,” he said as he let a tear fall from his eye and Catherine sobbed in his arms. He was grateful she hadn’t heard, or asked about Richard.
Chapter Seventy-One
Kai walked around Chinatown feeling triumphant. The guys showed their respect and were angling themselves to be his new best friend. Ng was pleased with the accident report and was sure the Choi family was devastated. He had paid off Beard who was safely back in L.A. Yes, this was indeed a good day for the Cheng family, he thought. He couldn’t wait until he could speak to his father. In the meantime, he was enjoying the summer afternoon as he accepted his congratulations from an assortment of business people. The only troubling thing was his brother, Eric, who had called from out of the blue. They usually kept a distance between themselves for protection. Eric wished him congratulations, but also warned him to be vigilant. The Choi’s were making moves he said and if Tang was in the States, he was on a mission that wouldn’t be beneficial for their family, or father. When he told Eric that Tang and John had died in a car crash, he thought he would hear joy, but all Eric would say, was if you haven’t seen the bodies, don’t believe the news.
Ng saw Kai sauntering down the street like an over confident prince, and decided such news that he had couldn’t wait. It was too bad he would spoil the boy’s day. Then again,
as his was already spoiled and if he was going to have to visit the Choi’s, than Kai can share the fortune and responsibility. Together, they walked up the hill to the Choi apartment building. Kai pestered him to know what it was he knew, but all he would say was to be silent and listen attentively, once they were there. He was hoping that by delivering the news to both parties at the same time, neither would be in the mood to kill him, the poor messenger.
Rose Choi fussed with tea as they waited for James. It wasn’t too long before he walked in, greeted them and sat on the sofa.
“There’s no easy way to say this Rose and I wish I didn’t have to bring such news to you, especially so soon after hearing about Tang and John’s deaths.” Ng tried to be compassionate in his tone, but failed and was about as sincere as a tiger, waiting to pounce on a wounded animal.
“What is it Uncle?” James looked between Kai and Ng and knew something else, something truly devious had happened.
“I learned today from our uncle in Hong Kong that a dear, dear friend, and much trusted advisor, a man of great respect and love, has died.”
Rose and James sat in shock, both thinking the worst that it was George, who had succumbed to death. James saw Kai sat with a twisted smile and needed to know specifics. If it was his father, what on earth was he going to do? First, it was John and Tang, and now this. He wasn’t ready to handle the pressure. “Who of our family has died, uncle?”
“Richard Cheng.”
It was hard in that moment to say who bore more shock. Rose, who just learned her cousin was dead, Kai, who just learned it was his father, or James, who saw Richard as a respected distant relation. Ng sat drinking his tea, while the news sunk into the three before him and was very happy for once that he wasn’t related to the Choi’s. Now, if only someone would kill George, his life would be complete and he could get rid of the troublesome, rather annoying Rose and the irksome James.
Chapter Seventy-Two
Tang was the first to awake. Stretching, he saw fresh clothes had been laid out on the chair, and smelled the coffee being brewed. He followed his nose to the kitchen. “Good morning Uncle Robert.”
“Good afternoon, Tang. It’s good to see you’re up. I hear you had a bit of an adventure.”
“Yeah, it was a bit rough. Did John tell you what happened?”
“What he didn’t, the papers did.” Robert turned the paper around for Tang to see. “Why don’t you go, clean up and change your clothes. When you feel better we’ll sit down and talk. I have many questions for you as I’m sure you have for me.”
“What about John. Why isn’t he awake?”
“I gave him a sleeping powder last night. He’ll sleep for at least another hour. Go on now. The sooner you’re clean, the sooner we can talk.”
Tang didn’t say anything, but grabbed the clothes and followed Robert upstairs. “Here’s the bathroom. That room will be yours while you’re here. John’s down the hall. I would have sent you up last night but you fell asleep.” Robert went back downstairs and into the kitchen.
When John awoke some time later, he found Tang and Robert deep in discussion over the kitchen table and coffee. He too was ordered to clean up and clean up, he did. A shower never felt better to him. He enjoyed it so much that he was in there for nearly twenty minutes. When he did rejoined Tang and Robert, he realized they had been talking about the accident and Tang’s father. To him yesterday seemed as if it were years ago, and not just a mere twenty-four hours.
“I disagree with you, Tang. I think it was local talent that cut the lines on the brakes. Whoever did it has a vendetta against you. Can you think who?”
“Kai,” said John from the doorway. “It had to be. What better way to get back at us?”
“True, but I didn’t think he knew,” said Tang.
“Knew what?” John accepted a dish of eggs and home fries from Robert.
“Huh? Oh, nothing. I’ll have to check some things out when we get back,” said Tang.
“Back? Back where, to Hong Kong?” John questioned, emotionally. “No, Tang, that’s not an option. I’ll not go back. You didn’t call them, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. With the time difference, it would be nearly two in the morning. No need to wake them up yet. And, no need to announce our survival to those who did this just yet. John, I think you should reconsider. Given the fact that someone has just made a play on your life, don’t you think it makes sense to tell your parents you’re alive? To return home?”
“Why? To them I am already dead, and now that they think I am physically dead, let it stay that way. I don’t want any part of my father’s business,” said John in a strong voice.
Tang and Robert were both silent for a considerable time as they finished their brunch knowing, as wise men do, that they cannot change a person unopened to change.
“John,” said Tang. “I can see your perspective, given everything you’ve been through, but think for a minute. When I told your father you wanted to go to Seattle for a while, he figured you needed to stretch out for a bit and that it would be temporary. He didn’t want to force the issue of returning, but he needs you. You’re his son and given the recent plays on his life, your life and yes even the business- -”
“Yeah, but he has both you and James for sons.”
“My marrying Lauren will not make me the son he knows you are,” said Tang. “What about Lauren and your mother? Don’t you think they’ll miss you, or will suffer when they hear you’re gone? How can you, expect me, to do that to them?”
“Because I’m asking you to. I don’t want to go back, I need time. I need your word that you won’t tell them I’m alive.” John pleaded with his voice.
“John, if you don’t go back, where is it you want to go? You realize if someone did try to kill you, they will continue looking for you once Tang reappears,” said Robert.
“I don’t know.”
“Think about it, John, if you want to remain unknown, you will have to change your identity. If you choose to be dead to your family, then neither James, nor I, can be associated with you, because that will destroy your cover. You’ll have to disassociate yourself totally from all of us and remaining on the west coast will be impossible. You’ll have to go east. It’s easy to get lost in New York, Boston or one of the other big cities like Chicago,” said Tang.
“Tang, you must promise not to tell the family that I’m alive.”
“I cannot make that promise John. I’ve never lied to your father and I’ll not lie now! If I told him you were dead, it would destroy him. He cares a great deal for you, which is why, I might add, you were sent to San Francisco in the first place. If he didn’t place you here after what happened in Hong Kong, do you think you would still be free, or even alive? He sent you here to get you away from Richard, to save you from prison and to protect his family. You’re so lucky the guy you killed was actually wanted for murder; hence, the cops thought you did them a favor. But you really screwed up big time, when the cops crashed in the tunnel. It took months for those cops to recover and guess who had to pay those medical bills. When are you going to understand that everything he ever did, he did for you, for your future?”
“Tang, it wouldn’t be a lie. Someone else, I’m sure, has already told them I’m dead. Whoever did this may have already claimed their victory, or am I mistaken about that?”
“No, John, I don’t think you are wrong. I’m sure they have already heard the news. I’m sure the police traced the rental car back to me, back to San Francisco. Just as I’m sure, James and Rose know. And if they know, I’m sure your father knows. But it would devastate him.”
“Not as much as he has hurt me,” said John, angrily.
Robert picked up the coffeepot with the fresh brew, “more coffee?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m . . . Thank you, Robert.”
“Young man, the volume of your voice makes it difficult for me not to interfere as it isn’t my place, but,” he said. “But have you truly thought this out? Thi
nk what a new identity will cost you. Besides the thirty-five thousand to pay your way, you’ll have to change your appearance. Cut your hair for starters, then there will have to be a new name, a new country, and a new life. You’ll be totally severed and cut off from all you know. Should you meet, oh, let’s say Tang on the street. He wouldn’t be able to acknowledge you, or you, him. Do you hate your family so much, that you would really do such a thing?”
“I don’t hate them, Robert. Just- - I’ve already been banished and he has told the world I was dead. He thinks I’m dead, so let’s not tell them that I didn’t die. He chose this path, not me. I’m just taking it to the next level.”
“John, please reconsider,” Tang moved out of the way, so Robert could leave again.
“Then don’t lie, Tang. All I'm asking you to do is not correct the information.”
“In not telling them you’re alive, I’ll be hiding the truth. I would be lying, John.”
“Tang, I’ve decided. I’m going to New York. I’m not going back to Hong Kong.”
“And how are you going to get there? Do you have money?” Robert asked.
John knew his money was limited, about three thousand was all he had saved. He never had to worry about that and figured on borrowing some more from Tang.
“You see, John. It’s not as easy as you think. Without support, or money, you have no choice, but to return to Hong Kong,” said Tang. “What about revenge? Did you think that James is just going to let this slide? Running and hiding doesn’t get rid of the problems. It only changes the location.”
“I’m going to New York,” he said, stubbornly.
“Under what name? How?” Tang pressured John. He saw John’s baffled blank stare.
“If he agrees to my price, his name will be John Hsui and,” Robert returned carrying some papers. “He’ll present himself as my grandson. This will afford him some protection. Now, given you and I are related, it will not seem strange that he knows you, Tang. Therefore, when he realizes his mistakes, he can contact you and arrange to go home.”
The Dragon Within His Shadow Page 38