The Chinese Tiger Ying

by Larry Darter

Mike nodded and drove away.

  The cops had stretched black and yellow crime scene tape around the perimeter of the house. A white Honolulu police CSI van was parked on the shoulder of the road near the driveway. Two of the uniformed cops were still out front, sitting in their car. I hopped onto my bike and put on the helmet. I waved to the cops and rode away toward downtown and my office.

  Compared to the excitement of the morning, the rest of my day was mostly uneventful. I spent the afternoon doing research on the computer, getting a sandwich for lunch, and making long-distance calls. That and looking at the clock on the wall every five minutes to see if it was getting nearer the time to meet Nick. I was in a bad way, aching to see him.

  I’d ignored three more calls from Brandi Camargo. I suspected I knew why she seemed so keen to get in touch with me. I was waiting on a callback from San Francisco and wouldn’t be ready to talk with Brandi until the call came through. At four o’clock the call I was waiting on finally came. It was a relief since I’d just finished the last word search puzzle in the magazine I kept at the office I used to kill time when I had nothing pressing to do.

  “Ms. O’Sullivan?” the caller said. “Burt Paulson, Golden Gate General Casualty in San Francisco.”

  “Hi, Mr. Paulson,” I said. “I’ve been waiting to hear from you.”

  “Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. It’s a very old claim. My secretary had to go over to our records archives to retrieve the file.”

  “No worries,” I said. “I know it’s been around sixteen years since your company paid out the claim.”

  “Are you certain the artifact in your possession was part of the collection my company paid the claim on?”

  “Yes, it has been identified by someone quite knowledgeable about its history,” I said.

  “Very well, my company would appreciate getting possession of it,” Paulson said. “At its current value, the piece should be worth at least twenty-five percent of the total amount the company paid out on the claim back then.”

  “To be frank, I’ll be relieved to turn it over to you. But, to be clear, you understand the police may need Tiger Ying as evidence in a criminal case?”

  “Certainly,” Paulson said. “We’re happy to transfer custody of it temporarily to the Honolulu police until they complete all pending investigations.”

  “Wonderful, when can I expect a representative from your company to contact me?”

  “Tomorrow afternoon,” Paulson said. “One of my associates, Grace Wilton, is completing her travel arrangements as we speak. She will be in Honolulu tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Cheers and thanks for returning my call and for all your help,” I said.

  “No, thank you, Ms. O’Sullivan,” Paulson said. “The company appreciates your actions on our behalf. Once Ms. Wilton verifies the authenticity of Tiger Ying, I have authorized her to pass on a reward check to you as a token of our appreciation.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Paulson. That’s unexpected, but much appreciated.”

  “You’re most welcome,” Paulson said. “Goodbye now.”

  “Aloha,” I said, and then I hung up the phone.

  Sweet as, I thought. I’d soon be able to rid myself of Tiger Ying which would drop my blood pressure by several points. I locked up and hopped on the motorbike to dash home. I had to get ready for my six o’clock date with Nick—a shower, clean clothes, and a bit of a touch up with my razor.

  Nineteen

  His muscular arms enveloped me, his hairy chest warm against the bare skin of my back. Laying on my side, my eyes were drawn to the crack of light showing between the drawn curtains. It was Thursday morning. This time I hadn’t stolen away in the night. Was he asleep? I felt his warm breath against the back of my neck. The arms drew me closer. Then the feel of something pressing insistently against my backside told me Nick wasn’t asleep. His hands moved gently down my sides, stopping at my waist to grip me tightly. Ah, it was to be another go. I never wanted it in the morning after first waking up. But, I didn’t want to disappoint. Nick was deliberate, it was slow but pleasant, the tempo even. It was a change from the frantic, urgent pace of the last time in the night before we had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Pleasure took many forms.

  Whoa! Maybe having it the first thing in the morning wasn’t so bad. My body was certainly responding. Nick had reawakened the ache. I thought my heart might explode in my chest. I tried catching my breath after another spasm, sucking in huge gulps of air between moans.

  Minutes after we’d finished, full control of my body still eluded me, not that I was eager to have it back. I was learning that the intensity and frequency of the residual tremors and aftershocks was one perk of sharing intimacy with Nick Bell. I’d always enjoyed sex, but sex with Nick was ridiculously good. It had been since the very first time.

  Nick whispered in my ear, “Time to get up sunshine.”

  The post-coital scent of sex filled the room.

  I sighed. “Ahkay, dibs on first in the shower,” I said.

  Nick laughed and patted my bare bum. “Okay, I’ll go put the coffee on.”

  He rolled out of bed and headed for the door without bothering to put anything on. I’d rolled over on my other side to watch him go. Oh my God, the man had a seriously nice arse. I threw off the covers and made a dash for the bathroom.

  Rinsing the shampoo out of my hair beneath the hot shower, dreamily I entertained the memories of the previous night with Nick. I knew I already felt an affection for him. Why not? He had a sharp wit, a playful sense of humor, and was such an affectionate and attentive lover. And there was that amazing arse. Best of all, he seemed as content with things as I was. He didn’t seem to want anything more from me than I was willing to give.

  It was so different with Nick compared to how it had been with Mike. After I’d slept with Mike only a few times, he was already talking about marriage. Nick hadn’t even broached the monogamous couple topic yet, which I was happy about. When men wanted to have that conversation too early it always smacked of insecurity. Not that I wasn’t a girl who couldn’t be happy enough sharing intimacy with one sexual partner at a time. I was happily monogamous by nature with a partner I liked and had fun with. But, at least hypothetically, Nick and I were both free to date other people if we wished. Not that I wanted to, but I liked it a lot it was my choice to make.

  Maybe I wouldn’t find our arrangement nearly so appealing if I learned Nick was dating other women besides me. Guess we’d cross that bridge if we came to it.

  By the time I’d finished showering, I’d decided I liked having it first thing in the morning, after all. Especially with Nick. Once Nick came into the bathroom to shower and get ready, it confirmed the bathroom maneuvers were as awkward as I’d expected. But, there were the passionate kisses and the bit of groping that occurred I really liked a lot to make up for it. I had dressed with privacy in the bedroom while Nick finished shaving. All and all, staying the night wasn’t so bad.

  After we’d shared a coffee and a last lingering sizzling pash, Nick and I reluctantly said goodbye, and he left for work. I went home to change before my one o’clock appointment with Dr. Nix. I was pleased it was an hour earlier than usual since I was expecting the arrival in Honolulu of Grace Wilton of Golden Gate General Casualty Company at two-thirty. I wanted to be back at the office when she called.

  On the ride home, I was looking forward to seeing Dr. Nix more than ever to discuss how much my emotional state and outlook had changed for the better since the last session. I was certain the good doctor would be impressed with my progress.

  After some light chores around the house, and a load of laundry I had lunch at home. At twelve-fifteen, I was freshly showered, dressed in clean clothes, and on my way to Nix’s office with newly brushed teeth and my minty fresh breath.

  Twenty

  Dr. Nix had dressed down for our Thursday session. For Nix dressed down meant he wasn’t wearing a suit jacket. He had on a plum-colored oxford shirt with pre
ssed creases so crisp it looked like you could cut a finger on them. His tie was light blue, and he had on gray pin-striped slacks. The man was a fashion rockstar. I wondered if Nix was gay. Most of the straight guys I knew found it challenging to match a shirt and tie properly. Of course, despite the absence of a wedding ring, Nix could have a wife at home who selected his clothing.

  I could tell by the way Nix was leaned back in his chair with his elbows on the chair arms and his fingertips tented in front of his chest he was keen as to listen as I surrendered my deepest secrets. He nodded after I’d sat down which I reckoned was my signal to begin.

  “I had sex with Nick again last night and even liked it when he wanted to have another go when we woke up this morning,” I said somewhat proudly.

  Nix raised his eyebrows which I felt certain meant he was quite impressed.

  “That must have been wonderful for you,” Nix said.

  “It was.”

  “Tell me about it,” Nix said.

  I assumed he wanted me to express my feelings about shagging Nick again, not tell him all the naughty details surrounding it. So, I proceeded with that in mind. Nix listened quietly while I told him about waking the previous morning and feeling so super aroused while laying in bed thinking of Nick and the first time we’d slept together. Then I told him I’d had occasion to ring Nick at work later in the day about something related to my case. During the call, Nick had asked me out again, and I’d accepted. We met at one of my favorite downtown pubs for dinner and drinks. Then we went back to his flat where we had experienced mutual coital bliss for the second time.

  “To clarify, I mean to say we slept together for the second time,” I said. “Obviously, the first time we slept together we had experienced mutual coital bliss multiple times.”

  Nix nodded, clearly fascinated now. I finished my report with a bit more elaboration on the morning experience Nick and I had shared when we first woke up.

  “I feel as if I’ve turned an important corner, actually,” I said. “I think I’m getting much better now.”

  Oddly, I wondered whether Nix found it arousing listening as I told him all about my sex life. I reckoned that depended on whether he was gay. I know I found it oddly arousing to tell him about my sexual exploits.

  “What do you suppose brought it on?” Nix said.

  “Several things, as best I can tell,” I said. “The sex with Nick is ridiculously great. I think it has been a massive positive factor in my improved mood and outlook. Also, I feel I’ve come to grips with my obsession with Malone, having worked out it was only an obsession. Recognizing now the obsession was unhealthy and counterproductive, I feel I’ve been able to let it go. Finally, I met Mike for a drink the evening before last to discuss our case. We had an amazing talk. Remember when I told you Mike had been cold and distant since we ended the relationship?”

  Nix nodded.

  “Well, he apologized for being mean and even admitted he realized he had been punishing me for the breakup. Then I apologized for hurting him, and for not being as supportive as I should have been.”

  Nix was quiet, but he had tapped his fingertips together twice while I’d been talking. Nix was such an undemonstrative man, I reckoned for Nix tapping his fingertips together was like jumping into the air and giving me a high five. I felt encouraged and kept going.

  “I feel I understand what was bothering me so much when I first came to see you. It was my lack of clarity about the obsessive nature of my feelings for Malone and feeling so sad about Mike and I both going through such a rough bit with our friendship. The feeling I’ve made real progress on both those fronts has lifted the heavy burden I’ve struggled with. The improvement in my overall emotional state and the renewed sense of well-being is why I feel the freedom to enjoy the intimacy with Mike.”

  Nix nodded.

  “For the first time since I returned from New Zealand and spending time with Malone again, I feel truly happy.”

  Nix nodded again. At least I thought so. Sometimes it was difficult to be sure.

  “Things with Nick are so amazing, I feel like I’m on top of the world.”

  “So, you aren’t in love with Malone, it was only an obsession?”

  “Well—I still have a love for Malone, but let’s face it. My feelings weren’t realistic. I’ve always known Malone would not leave his partner Sara Bernstein for me.”

  “Then good sex with Nix is all you needed to resolve your conflicted feelings toward Malone?”

  “It isn’t only the sex,” I said. “Nick is witty, he has a good sense of humor. It makes me happy to spend time with him. When we’re apart, I literally ache to be with him again. And, yes, the sex is seriously fantastic.”

  “Perhaps you want it to be that way,” Nix said.

  “What does that mean?”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Sure you know.”

  “That I want things to be perfect with Nick so badly because my previous relationships since David died have sucked so bad? And, I’ve only convinced myself things with Nick are perfect?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “The feelings seem genuine,” I said feeling a bit defensive now.

  “Perhaps you want them to be genuine.”

  Now Nix was pissing me off.

  “I’m sure they are genuine,” I said. “Do you think I don’t know when something makes me happy or not?”

  “Do you?”

  “So, you think what I’ve told you only means I’ve fooled myself into believing I’m happy because I want so badly to be happy?”

  “What do you think it means?”

  Nix exasperated me.

  “For fuck’s sake, why can’t you ever give me a straight answer on anything? Your noncommital shrinky comments and questions leave me feeling more confused. You make me feel like a mouse running all out round and round in one of those little wire wheels, getting nowhere.”

  “T. J., there is only one expert on you in the room, and it isn’t me. You have all the answers you need inside you. All I can do is help you learn to find them.”

  Wow! Nix had referred to me as T. J. for the first time. That had to be some kind of breakthrough. I reckon it threw me off my game enough to provoke me to ask him another dumb question.

  “Where do you think things are headed with Nick and me?”

  Nix raised his eyebrows. Obviously, he was urging me to elaborate a bit more.

  “I mean are we on the cusp of the beginning of a relationship, or are we only two people having meaningless, albeit stupidly amazing casual sex with each other?”

  “Don’t know,” Nix said. “Think about it. We can talk more on Tuesday.”

  “Despite what I’m sure you believe, I’m not the tart you think I am,” I said. “I merely have a healthy sexual appetite, and there is nothing wrong with it.”

  “We’ll talk Tuesday,” Nix said.

  Twenty-One

  On the ride from the session with Nix to the office, I contemplated what we’d talked about. One positive was I hadn’t cried even once. The dreaded Kleenex box had stayed put on his side of the desk. Despite me criticizing Dix for his noncommital comments and the questions he had asked, I had to admit some of his questions had been bang on. They were things I had to suss out.

  Had I let go of my feelings for Malone? Who was I kidding? If Malone showed up on my front stoop and asked if I fancied having a root, we’d never make it out of the foyer. I’d drop my gear, rip off his clothes, and let him take me right there on the bloody tile floor. What did that mean? Even worse, I’d still shag him even if he prefaced an offer of sex by first telling me he still wouldn’t leave Sara for me. Crap. What was wrong with me? What did it all mean as far as the feelings I was developing for Nick? It was doing my head in thinking about it all.

  Parking the motorbike out front, I unlocked the office door and went inside. The clock on the wall told me it was almost two-thirty. Grace Wilton’s plane
should land soon. I plonked down on the chair behind my desk and stared at the phone. Nick and I had gone out twice. Couldn’t I ring him and suggest we hook up again tonight? It wouldn’t seem I was too needy and desperate would it? We’d had two dates already. Recalling the memories of our morning lovemaking made me feel tingly, and I ached to experience it again. I felt so ready for another go with Nick I’d happily skip the dinner and drinks and meet him at his flat to get right on to it.

  The phone rang. I answered it and tried to refocus. It was Grace Wilton. She had arrived at the airport. She said she was getting a hire car and would be over to my office straight away. I told her the best route to take from the airport and then we hung up.

  Once Grace arrived, my plan was we’d go together to Brandi’s shop with Tiger Ying. I’d collect my fees and expenses, then deliver the bad news to Brandi that Grace was taking possession of the artifact on behalf of her employer. Then I’d accompany Grace to the police department to turn Tiger Ying over to the cops until we worked out a way to prosecute Austin Bryce and clear the name of Ken Lawrence. That made me think about Chloe and Ken for the first time today. I felt a bit guilty. I’d been so wrapped up in me, I hadn’t given them a thought.

  Like Mike, I was certain Chambers was involved in their disappearance. It was a safe bet that Justin Wood was too. Bryce might even have played a role. Where had they taken Chloe and Ken? Could be anywhere, even off Oahu to one of the other islands. I felt sure they were still alive. It seemed logical the purpose for kidnapping Chloe and her dad was leverage to get Tiger Ying back. Whoever had abducted them would likely spare their lives until they got the artifact. I wondered if they had talked, had told whoever had abducted them I had Tiger Ying. That thought sent a shiver up my spine. Yet another good reason to get rid of the bloody thing.

  Getting up I walked over to the file safe and dialed the combination on the second drawer. Opening the drawer I took out a black Versacarry inside the waistband holster. I unholstered the Colt Detective 38 Special, opened the cylinder, and made certain I’d left it fully loaded. Then I put the pistol back into the holster and slipped the holster inside the waistband of my black tactical pants, the black metal clip slipped over my belt. I loved the holster because it was lightweight and left only the butt of the two-inch revolver exposed. My shirt tail easily concealed that.