by K. T. Tomb
“I see,” Charlie said, recalling that he had seen the woman Mr. Lee spoke of on his arm at the performance gala, that night with Carol Chapman. He and Ella exchanged a quick glance. Charlie wondered if perhaps the relationship between Mr. Lee and his assistant might be more than just professional.
“How long have you known your assistant?” Charlie asked, trying his best to sound casual and conversational.
“Her father is an old friend of the family. I have known her for most of our lives. We grew up together in a small fishing village outside of Nanjing. When my father died, I became the head of a worldwide corporation, but I was just a twenty-something who didn't know anything about how to conduct affairs. She had already gone to college and studied business in Shanghai. I hired her on as my assistant.”
“Is Shi Jing under suspicion as well?” Ella asked. “Do you believe she might also be compromised?”
Mr. Lee shook his head.
“I wouldn't imagine so; I trust her implicitly. She has a full range of the resort in addition to complete access to all of my other properties.”
“That is very generous, Mr. Lee,” Ella said. “Does any of your other staff enjoy such privileges?”
“As a matter of fact, no,” he continued. “You see, she is not only my assistant. She is also my fiancée.”
Charlie leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Congratulations,” he said. “When did you become engaged?”
“Only just recently,” Mr. Lee explained. “When we were children, I always promised that I would marry her and rescue her from the life of inheriting her family's fishing business. You see, that kind of career is considered lower class. We both strove to live a better life. She had watched her parents struggle, her family living under the scrutiny of the ever present class system. She refused to marry me, however. Jing has always had a fiercely independent mind. She wanted to gain a level of success in her own right before agreeing to my proposal. She insisted upon it, in fact.”
Ella laughed with a quick glance toward Charlie.
“That is something I can identify with.”
Mr. Lee continued.
“It was shortly after she hired Ms. Chapman that Jing agreed to be my wife. When I first proposed to her all those years ago in China, she had turned me down, as you know. But I knew her well, and said that the offer remained should she ever change her mind. I'll never forget the day she accepted. I was here in my office. Jing had the day off, but she came to the office and stood right over there.” He pointed toward the middle of the room. “She explained to me why it would be in both our interests for us to wed, and that she accepted my standing offer of marriage. Luckily, I still had the ring with which I had originally proposed to her. The truth is, I had carried it with me at all times since I had first proposed to her. I knew one day she would accept and I wanted to be prepared. When I asked her what prompted the change of heart, she said that she realized she had a high position job with a global empire, more than she could have ever imagined from her days helping her mother scale fish on the shores of the Yangtze River. She realized that she had become the success she aspired to and that this now freed her to follow her heart.”
Mr. Lee stopped and took a sip of his tea.
“Even after ten years of working with her, hearing her say those words was like a balm to my soul.”
Ella and Charlie exchanged another glance. Finally Ella spoke.
“Well, that is wonderful, Mr. Lee. Surely you feel as if you are at the height of your success; your company is flourishing, and now there is a wedding in your future. What more could you possibly want?”
“Well, that is partially why I asked you here this morning,” Mr. Lee replied. “Something does continue to unsettle me. While I, of course, trust Shi Jing completely, there have been some strange occurrences around the resort, and the disappearance of your money that first day was only one of a rash of unexplained disappearances.”
“Such as?” Charlie asked.
“There were several other thefts of money reported lost after you left. And another one of the museum pieces disappeared that same day.”
“Which would that be?” Charlie asked.
“A collection of gold coins.”
Charlie reached in his pocket to check the presence of the gold coin that he had found on his pillow the day before. He had assumed it had been placed by Carol, but perhaps there was more to the story.
“What kind of gold coins?” he asked.
“Extremely rare; they vanished from the storage safe after being on presentation last month. The only other person besides me who has access to that area is Jing. I'm afraid someone may have stolen her key or forced her to allow them access. My greatest fear is that she is perhaps being blackmailed; though I could not imagine why. While you are still here, would the two of you be willing to look into it? If her safety has been compromised I couldn't live with myself.”
“Of course we will,” Ella said with a warm smile. “But, if you don't mind me asking, what has she said about the events? Surely you asked her about the gold coins.”
The man took a breath and exhaled slowly, his fingers tented together before him.
“Ours is a very... unconventional arrangement,” he said. “Please understand that I know the repercussions of asking her about the coins. This way is better.”
“I see,” said Ella.
“What do the coins look like?” Charlie asked.
“They are Spanish,” he explained. “And not very old as far as relics go; they were from the Cortez Era, with the marking of a wreath of Condor feathers on the one side. There were a dozen of them which had become part of the museum when my father still ran the business.”
“I'm confused,” Ella said. “You are certain that Jing has no involvement whatsoever with any of the disappearances.”
“That is correct,” Mr. Lee said.
“So you believe someone is manipulating her into assisting them? Or that they have stolen the access to the coins?” Charlie said.
“That is also correct. I would like for you two to find out who that is. I will double our previous arrangement, if that would be satisfactory. I will be inconsolable if Shi Jing is in any kind of danger. I could not live with myself.”
“Of course, Mr. Lee,” Ella said as she stood. “We will keep you informed of what we find.”
They shook hands and began to leave the room.
“One other thing,” the man said just as they reached the door. “I understand that the both of you have a reputation for discretion. I trust that reputation is warranted.”
“Of course,” said Charlie. “We understand.”
Chapter Eight
Ella and Charlie walked down the hallway, took the elevator and got all the way to the lobby next to the aquarium before they finally spoke to each other.
“Well, this is an interesting twist,” Ella said. “It seems like every time we talk to him we come away with more questions than answers.”
“The coins,” Charlie said. “Something is going on with the coins. The coin that was left in our room matches the description of Lee's coins. That was a message to me… or to us.”
“What kind of message, I wonder?” Ella said.
“I think perhaps we need to talk to Carol. I saw her and Shi Jing on the night of the performance. Jing was there with Lee and she and Carol exchanged a significant look during the applause. I don't know how else to describe it. At the very least, the two know each other, but the look seemed to indicate there was something more. It wasn't just a casual recognition.”
“I'll call the police station,” Ella said. “Set up an appointment to see Carol during the visiting hours there. That should be a start.”
“Wouldn't you rather I went?” Charlie asked.
“Not at all. I'm looking forward to seeing her again,” Ella said with a smirk.
***
Ella took a taxi to the police station where Sergeant Laurent
had agreed to have an officer escort her to the jail where Carol Chapman was being held until her trial. Gray walls surrounded by a barbed wire and chain-link fence made the building look out of place in the idyllic tropical setting. Ella had dressed in conservative but casual business attire; a gray waist jacket with a collared white shirt. With her pressed, black slacks and matching shoes, Ella looked crisp and professional. She signed in at the security station and the officer directed her to sit and wait at the visitor's table. The facility was a minimum security one, so there was no need for a partition between herself and Carol. She was surrounded by others waiting to see their loved ones. The room reminded Ella of the elementary school cafeteria from her childhood, with the long brown tables and folding chairs. High windows around the room let in a little bit of the sunlight, but the gray coloring of the walls washed everything out.
A guard opened a door on the far side of the room with a loud clank. A line of women wearing clothing that looked like brown hospital scrubs walked into the room, and one by one, they scattered out to their various tables. Many of them exchanged a brief hug with those waiting for them; boyfriends, mothers, husbands were all in the mix. Ella watched the line for Carol. Finally, she saw the quiet and unusually stoic face of Carol Chapman emerge through the door. The woman looked strange and alien without her signature red lipstick and dressy pants suit on. But behind the pale lips and jailhouse uniform, the same spark blazed behind Carol's eyes. She had taken a major hit, but was not yet defeated. The woman approached Ella and sat down across from her. She sat up straight and dignified, but kept a distant cool gaze on Ella.
“You look disappointed to see me,” Ella began.
“When they said I had a visitor, I was expecting someone else,” Carol said.
“Mr. Lee, perhaps?” Ella said.
“Perhaps,” Carol answered.
Ella leaned forward.
“I wanted to speak to you about something.”
“Go ahead,” Carol spoke with an edge to her voice. “What have I got to lose now?”
“I think more than you let on.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Ella took a breath and held up her hands.
“Let's not get off on the wrong foot. First, I want to apologize for punching you in the face. That was unnecessary.”
“It's understandable,” Carol replied. “After all, I did kiss your husband.”
“Yes, that you did,” Ella said in a cool tone.
“I probably would have had the same reaction if our places were reversed,” Carol said with an offhand shrug.
“Tell me about Shi Jing,” Ella said in an attempt to cut to the chase, and watched Carol's reaction carefully. She might have seen a slight twitch in her lip.
“What about her? She is Benjamin Lee's personal assistant,” Carol said with a sharp tone.
“Mr. Lee believes she might be in trouble. Someone may be blackmailing her to get into the private facilities of the museum. Surely the two of you have been in contact during your professional relationship with Mr. Lee. Didn't she hire you into his employment?”
“That's correct. Shi Jing brought me into the company.”
“How did the two of you know each other?”
“We met through a mutual acquaintance.” Carol began to look annoyed. “Look, I think I know what you are insinuating. I can assure you that Shi Jing has nothing to do with any of this. I'm already informing on my sources in the states. What else do you people want?”
The guard at the back of the room announced that the visiting time was over; all around the room, there was the sound and motion of people standing, hugging and some crying as they said their goodbyes.
“Carol, what about the coins?” Ella blurted out as a last ditch effort for information. “And the necklace? What is the connection?”
Carol smirked as she stood.
“Time's up, Ella,” she said and promptly turned back to the guard who ushered the women back into the hallway.
***
“I don't get it,” Ella said to Charlie, as she applied her makeup in front of the bathroom mirror. “Something is going on, and I can't put my finger on it. I had really thought that after Carol was arrested, that would be the end of it.”
“We're going to be late for dinner,” Charlie said. “I know how much you've been looking forward to spending some time with Mitch. Now it's my turn to tell you to relax. Let's just enjoy the night out.”
Ella sighed and looked at Charlie through the reflection of the mirror. “You're right, honey. I feel as if I've hardly seen Uncle Mitch at all this trip.”
“We'd better get going. We're supposed to meet him at the restaurant in twenty minutes.”
Ella glanced at the time on the wall and gasped. She finished applying a quick coat of lip gloss and they hurried out the door, both wearing casual dress clothes. Charlie looked dapper in his khaki, pressed pants and button-down shirt. Ella wore a blue knee-length dress with rhinestone-accented sandals. Together, they looked unstoppable.
They arrived at the restaurant and saw Ella's uncle already seated at the table. A large bottle of wine was chilling in an ice canister beside him. When they approached the table, he gave them a hearty greeting.
“Well, don't the two of you look like a regular power couple,” he chortled as he stood.
“Hi, Uncle Mitch,” Ella said, giving the man a kiss on the cheek.
Charlie and Mitch exchanged a hearty handshake.
“I've taken the liberty of ordering us some appetizers,” Mitch said.
He waved to the nearby server. A moment later, a large tray of grilled scallops in drawn butter with a side of toast points were placed upon the table. The scent of roasted garlic wafted over Ella. She suddenly realized just how hungry she felt, and how long the day had been. She scooped some of the scallops onto the small appetizer plate and drizzled the garlic butter over the toast before taking a small bite.
“You're going to have to do better than that,” her uncle chided her.
He turned to Charlie and said, “When she was a girl, we wondered if she had a hollow leg, she ate so much. She could really put it away.”
“Don't worry, I'm going to eat,” Ella said. “I hear this place has the most amazing seafood. I'm saving room, but I don't quite have the hollow leg that I used to.”
“So, Charlie,” Mitch turned his attention to her husband. “What do you think of the resort?”
“It's wonderful,” Charlie said. “Tell me, how long you have worked here?”
“I did my first technical internship here about ten years ago. I've moved up the ranks over the years.”
“Ten years ago?” Ella said, “Really? That's about the time that Mr. Lee said he came on as the CEO. Did you know his father?”
“Unfortunately, I never met him,” Mitch said. “But I know many of the people who knew him.”
“Do you know Mr. Lee's assistant?” Ella asked.
“Only in passing.” He paused to spoon another scallop onto his plate. “She caused a bit of a controversy. After all, she was the one with the business degree; many said that she should have been running the show. There is even speculation that she has been all this time, and that she's the brains of the operation.”
“I don't understand what you mean,” Ella said, coaxing for more information.
“Shi Jing was and is a remarkable woman,” Mitch said. “I know it isn't common knowledge that they are engaged, but word gets around and people are starting to talk. Half the resort staff is already gossiping about it.”
Charlie motioned for more wine. The server filled Mitch's glass with the sparkling liquid and the man continued.
“A lot of people in the company think she's making a play for the top role. Legally, once they are married, she owns half the company.”
“You don't think he would do a prenuptial agreement?” Ella said. “A man of his considerable means?”
“That's not really his style,” Mitch said, draining
his glass nearly halfway. “He's got a soft spot when it comes to her.”
“Or a blind spot,” Ella muttered.
“What do you mean?” Mitch said.
“Oh, nothing,” Ella said. “Tell us more, Uncle Mitch.”
He chuckled and ruffled her bangs like he did when she was a child. She placed her hands on her chin and settled in to hear his tale. He puffed his chest slightly at the attention.
“Well, she was responsible for hiring Carol as the arts dealer for the resort. Apparently, they had known each other from school years before; the two went way back. Shi Jing had gotten the P.A. job right out of school, but Carol hadn't been so lucky. She had to work her way into establishing herself in the art world as someone who really knew her stuff. It took her a while and she had to call in some favors; one of those favors involved the call to Shi Jing.”
“But Carol Chapman has an impeccable reputation in the field,” Charlie said.
“Now she does,” Mitch clarified. “There is no doubt she knows what she’s doing. She can spot a forgery from a mile away.”
Ella interjected.
“I'm confused about something. You said that Carol and Jing knew each other from school. Is that right?”
“That's right,” Mitch responded.
“So, they had lost touch at some point, do you think?”
“What are you getting at, Ella?” Charlie said.
“Well, if they not only knew each other, but were close friends when they were in school, then maybe Shi Jing is involved in the ring somehow.”
“That can't be,” Charlie said. “Mr. Lee insisted that she was innocent in all this.”
“I'm not so sure,” Ella said. “I went to see Carol today at the jail, but I didn't get much from her. She became defensive when I mentioned Jing.”
They paused the conversation as the waiter brought their plates, Lobster Thermidor on a bed of roasted vegetables, alongside a large basket of steaming buttery yeast rolls. Ella sunk her teeth into the mouthwatering, buttery taste of the lobster meat, momentarily distracted from the mystery at hand, and reveling in the sublime flavor.