This was what it meant to care so much about one human being you extrapolate that to… to everyone. This was what it meant to have “skin in the game”—an expression his father had used. “It’s different when you have kids,” he would say. Or “What would you do if that was your mother?”
Theo had kept his heart closed to questions like that all his life. He’d never planned to marry. Didn’t expect to have children. But he’d had his heart set on Koa, he wanted to build a life with him, and he’d never given thought to the danger that put his heart in.
Easier by far to be the loner, the cop who gets up and goes to a job he finds impersonal. Because when it’s personal…
Because when it’s personal….
Something suddenly clicked for him. “Gimme your phone.”
“Why?” Calista turned to him, surprised.
“I need to call Koa. No, wait—” He stopped himself from calling Koa right away. He might be reading everything wrong because it was personal for him. But maybe they all were.
His mother answered on the first ring.
“Hey, it’s me,” he said. “You think Gary’s gonna be home tonight?”
“Sure. How come?” In the background, he heard his nieces chanting the words to a familiar hand-clapping game.
“Okay if I stop by?” he asked, knowing he was acting stupid, knowing he didn’t ever have to ask and it would only annoy her if he did.
“You hit your head, little fish?” Sure enough, her answer was caustic. “Better bring da kine if you want me to let you in.”
“Fine.”
“Yeah, you bet it’s fine.” Her tone was teasing. “See you when you get here.”
“Mahalo.” He gave Calista her phone back.
“You gonna fill me in about any of this?”
“I promise. When I know what’s what.”
“Just tell me”—she gripped his arm—“they didn’t step in something criminally stupid, did they?”
He shook his head. “I’m gonna find out.”
“And when you know?”
“I won’t keep it to myself if it concerns Ortiz any more than I’d expect you to keep something to yourself if it concerned Koa.” He eyed her. “Just so we know where we stand.”
She studied him. “It’s like that between you?”
The smile he got whenever he thought about Koa probably told her. “Mm-hmm.”
Anger heated her face. “Did you know he and Freddie—”
“Yeah. But I don’t believe that for a second. You never wondered about that? About Freddie sucking dick?” he asked.
“I did, yeah.” She glanced away, scanning the beach. “He’s not someone I’d picture….”
“I try not to.”
Casually, they moved in the direction of a bunch of college-age boys roughhousing near a stand of outdoor showers. Once they saw him and Calista coming their way, they nudged one another and moved in the opposite direction.
Like most people, they changed their behavior when uniformed police officers walked by. In his experience, innocent people dropped their belongings and acted stupid and muttered nonsense. The people who had stuff to hide were the ones who opened one eye, saw a uniform, and then went right on sleeping in the sun like they didn’t have a care in the world.
Calista pulled her phone out and glanced furiously at it. “He swore it wasn’t a cover.”
“Well. He would. Wouldn’t he?” Theo could imagine Freddie trying to convince his girl he’d suddenly fallen for his partner. That was exactly the stupid kind of thing he’d do. He covered her hand—and her phone—with both of his. “You can’t tell him you know.”
“Oh shit.” She looked up from her phone and laughed. “Omygod. Shit. This has to be killing him.”
He frowned. “It’s not that funny.”
“No, but I mean—” Her smile dropped away. “No, it’s not funny. That dumbass.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
THEO ARRIVED at his mother’s place just past nightfall. From the drive, he couldn’t see light, but that didn’t mean the family wasn’t awake. He let himself in the side gate and walked around to the back. Sure enough, the porch was gaily lit; his mother’s new family had apparently gathered for a late supper.
My family. It’s my family too. Alice and Raul glanced up when he opened the slider. This part of the house got the best views at sunset, and when he was a kid, they’d eaten there often. The old trestle-style tables seated twenty-four, and they were nearly full. He pushed the door aside and stepped in.
My God, who were all these people? Were they family? They were gaping at him. They’d been laughing and joking and talking while kids scooted from adult to adult for tidbits of fruit and treats, but now they were frozen with surprise and intrigue. They stared at him. Waiting for an introduction?
“Hi. I’m Theo.” He asked, “What’s going on?”
“We were gonna play bridge,” his mother informed him. “What’s going on with you?”
“You seen Koa?”
“Not since the barbecue.” The thought of food made Theo’s stomach rumble unmistakably in the awkward silence. Because he’d had to replace his phone at lunchtime, he hadn’t eaten since the morning.
“Somebody get Theophilus something to eat.” Gary’s casual acceptance of Theo entering while they were entertaining was… reassuring. This family thing probably went both ways. He enjoyed doing chores for his mother. He could ask for help if he needed it. He should ask for help—because it was for Koa, and he was obviously family too.
Except Theo wasn’t used to asking for anything, and the words stuck in his throat.
Alice brought him a plate piled high with rice and macaroni salad and sticky pork and fern salad and pan-fried ‘opae. His childhood on a plate. He had to swallow hard before speaking.
“Thanks. I… um. I need your help, Mr. Ko.”
At his bald announcement, the room grew silent again. Perhaps that was because he’d never before asked for anything. But it could just as easily be because he’d asked for something no one wanted to give.
Perhaps this wasn’t his family, and it never would be.
Gary cleared his throat. Everyone held their breath. “’Bout what?”
“Gao Enterprises?”
Gary’s black eyes sparked with interest. “Elaine Gao?”
“Yes.”
His stepfather lifted his brows. Gary Ko’s full head of silver hair and elegant demeanor gave him the aspect of a man of great wisdom, and Theo couldn’t imagine why he’d never noticed his air of command before. A long time passed without anyone saying a word.
“I need your help, please,” Theo added.
At the “magic” word, Gary’s eyes twinkled—how had Theo missed his kindness? Maybe that fatherly gaze had never been trained on him before, but Alice, Grayson, and Jared must know firsthand how it felt under that patient regard. They were solid citizens. Good people. Good parents—at least, they seemed like it.
Perhaps their loyalty and warmth came from example…?
Gary spoke at last. “How can I help you, Theo?”
“Can you tell me everything you know about Elaine Gao?”
He held his breath while he waited for Gary’s answer.
“Come inside. We can talk in my office.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
GARY’S RICHLY appointed home office used to be the family parlor where his mother made quilts. Now it was beautifully furnished with comfortable seating, a veritable jungle of plants, and an exquisite desk that featured an intricate pattern of inlays—mother-of-pearl and koa wood, Theo thought.
They looked up Elaine Gao’s American business interests, which included several clubs in Hawai‘i. She had clubs in Tahiti, Fiji, and Australia too. All featured high-end entertainment. Some were gambling meccas. Some, like Club Aumoe of the laminated key tag, sold “specialty” private memberships. They were expensive, exclusive, and featured private security and strict codes of conduct.
His stepfather said, “My family name, Ko? Is Gao also. Gao is a common name. Some use Kao. Some Ko. Depends where you’re from. My family was from Hong Kong, although we came to the States before the Second World War.”
“Common like Hsu.” He might be called Xu or Tsu.
“Like Hsu.” Gary nodded. The walls in his sanctuary were saturated with a deep, soothing saffron color. His office featured teak and stone surfaces that seemed imbued with ancient power. Bright, dark maidens watched Theo from a large canvas, hung flawlessly and lit well—as if Gary had dragged them back from colonial hands and was keeping them safe there.
Gary said, “Tell me about John Hsu.”
“Huh?” At this abrupt change of subject, Theo lost words.
“I could do little to comfort your mother when he passed. I only wondered… what kind of man he was to inspire such strong emotions.” Soft color limned Gary’s cheeks. Blushing?
“Complicated,” Theo admitted. “Bitter.” What could he say? It wasn’t a match made in heaven.
“I see.” Briefly illuminated, the human inside his stepfather appealed to him directly. “Your mother is my heart. I don’t suppose that matters, or… I don’t suppose there is anything you can do about it. But Iwalani is my heart. When I discovered I had a second chance, I—”
“You knew my mother before?” Second chance. The words landed like a pebble on still water. Theo was all for second chances. He wanted to believe in his.
“In my youth.” He spread his hands. “But it wasn’t possible. I married the girl my family chose for me. Later, when I found my way back to your mother, I vowed I would never take my good fortune for granted—”
Theo stifled a wince. He wasn’t comfortable with any of this. He doubted he could be comfortable thinking of his mother as a woman…. Discomfort and discretion had dictated most of their interactions, but Gary seemed determined to see this one through.
“Thank you, for saying that. It means a lot to me to know you hold my mother in such high regard.” But please, please stop.
Gary clasped his brown, thickly veined hands together. They were ugly and powerful, as though he worked on the docks instead of behind his fancy desk. A weekly manicure and platinum-and-diamond wedding ring kept them from appearing unkempt, but as he laced his fingers together now, they were the least elegant thing about him.
“Your mother is so proud of the man you’ve become.”
Had his mother actually said those words? How? She didn’t know him. Unless his dad had kept her informed about every little thing, how could she?
Gary gave a few clicks to his mouse, and light from his microthin monitor played over his features. He scrolled for information. “Ah. Here. Gao Enterprises.”
Curiosity made Gary appear youthful. Enthusiastic. This sort of business—tracking where money came from and where it went—ignited his passion as much as misguided power plays fired Zhang’s and Ms. Gao’s.
While Gary clicked through Gao’s website pages, he made notes to himself on a yellow legal pad. “Gao Gan died in late 2016,” he said, “leaving the enterprise under the leadership of his second wife—”
“Elaine Gao. I met her.”
“Did you?” Startled dark eyes met his. “Ms. Gao is an interesting, attractive woman. With unusual hobbies.”
“You know her?” Theo wanted to know how his ultraconservative stepfather knew Ms. Gao.
“Professionally,” Gary corrected quickly. “We see her from time to time, usually at community fundraising events. Like your mother, she has causes. When did you meet her?”
“Er… couple days ago.” Theo glossed over the details to make their meeting sound like a party rather than an abduction. “She said she’s seen Mom dance. I met the son, Albert. The house is amazing, but I don’t envy him one little bit. He’s gonna be his mother’s little project—”
“Whose mother?” Gary’s brows drew down.
“Albert’s?” Theo had seen the resemblance too clearly. “Ms. Gao is his mother, right? I guess she could have been his sister. Is there any way to check?”
“Elaine has no children that I know of. I can see if her bio mentions a brother.”
“I can ask somebody to check with Vital Records at work.” Obviously not Koa or Freddie, who would kill him for digging, but Taryn? “Maybe he uses a different family name?”
Because he’d felt certain Albert was Elaine Gao’s son. Albert did not deny it. That was something, wasn’t it?
“Is there any way to find out if Elaine Gao has ever had a child?”
“I’m sure she’s in your mother’s contact list, and if so—” Gary took more active control of his mouse while Theo looked over his shoulder. “One marriage, to Gao Gan. No children listed here. I can’t be certain, but your mother is scrupulous with her address list. I find no mention of an Albert.”
“That’s… either significant….” Theo’s stomach did a little flip. “Or it isn’t.”
“Your grasp of the obvious—” Gary said dryly. “Oh, here. Gao Gan’s first marriage resulted in a female child. Unusual for the second wife to be named CEO if the first marriage resulted in a child….”
What had Albert said about a sister? “I get the feeling Elaine is an unusual woman.”
Gary’s eyebrow quirked. “Perhaps Elaine Gao will retain control until the daughter marries? I can hire a private investigator to find out more if it matters. Do you mean to tell me the police outsource this sort of thing now?”
“This is personal.” Theo tried to make sense of the information scrolling past. “I met Elaine Gao. She wants something important to me, and from what I can see, she’s never gonna give up control over anything.”
“I would give it to her. Whatever it is.” Gary suppressed a shudder.
“I can’t.”
“All right. A son by her husband’s first wife would take control by force if he had to. Even Ms. Gao could not prevent that.”
“Elaine Gao has a son. I’ve seen him.” I know how a son looks at a mother like his. “But he’s an adult, so maybe he’s not Gao Gan’s son. How long were she and Gao Gan married?”
“I don’t know… ten years, maybe? Hmm….” Gary narrowed his eyes as he paged through columns of figures at lightning speed. “Gao Enterprises manufacturing is under sanction with the US government. US assets frozen….”
“So?”
Gary lowered his head and looked over the rim of his glasses. “It’s no wonder federal agencies were looking into Gao Gan’s business dealings. They use both Chinese and South Korean companies in the fabrication and shipping of any number of products. Having an American ally at the head of Gao, even a nominal ally, would be preferable.”
Theo frowned. “Maybe that’s why she got the nod instead of the ex’s daughter?”
“Possibly.” Gary opened another tab.
“There’s probably a weapons trafficking connection if the ATF is interested,” Theo said to himself. “But is that enough to warrant an operation like this? Putting men under for years, possibly?”
Gary didn’t have an answer for that, or he chose not to offer it. “I could use my friendship with Elaine Gao. Organize a meeting between her and someone from your department?”
“Gao’s pretty skittish, and she doesn’t seem like the cooperative type.” Theo absorbed what he’d learned. “Is she?”
“I doubt it. But she is quite clever, it seems.” His stepfather must have finished reading, because he fell back against the cushions of his extra fancy office chair with a sigh. “Her position was tenuous when her husband died, and yet GAO came on stronger in the second quarter after his death than it did in the three quarters leading up to it. Her leadership is unquestionably sound. She’s consolidating power. My guess is she’s trying to right the ship in a way that will trigger the removal of sanctions.”
“Big money”—Theo gave him an eye roll—“is awesome until it’s not. Less possessing, less possessed. She can have it.”
Gary offered an indul
gent smile. “Money is not as malevolent as you make it sound. For a lot of reasons, Gao should bring her son on board. Family is important, and if he’s a well-spoken, likable young man, they’ll both benefit.”
“His name is Albert.” Theo stared at the screen. “If she did bring him on board, how well do you expect he’d fare?”
“Few people will respect him.” Gary squinted at the screen. “He’ll learn to deal with the downside of nepotism, and he’ll gain valuable experience. Then he’ll make his own way in the world. Better that than being Gao’s natural daughter.”
“How so?”
“I met Gao Gan, and I can’t say he struck me as a warm man. If he’d had a son, he’d have put him on track to inherit the company long ago. He’d have learned the business on a cellular level. Your friend Albert will do well if he’s bright, but he could not be Gao Gan’s son, or everyone would know it.”
“Sperm donor makes a difference,” Theo said.
“Exactly.” Gary took up his mouse and followed up on several more links, looking for Albert Gao specifically. “Of course, if your Albert were Gao Gan’s natural son, the first wife’s people would smile with forced politeness and despise him behind his back. If he were Gao Gan’s son and he could consolidate power like his mother? He’d better be bulletproof.”
Theo let that sink in. “Is that possible?”
“Anything’s possible.” Gary shook his head. “But I was being facetious.”
“But think about it.” Theo warmed to the idea. “You met my mother and didn’t marry her until you were free. Maybe Gao and Elaine met at some club years ago. Maybe they carried on an affair? Albert said he’s twenty-one. Is there any picture of Gao Gan at twenty-one?”
Hawaii Five Uh-Oh Page 19