The Chinese Tiger Ying

by Larry Darter

  “You live here, lady?” the man said. “I’m here to pick up a shipment.”

  “You’ll find the arse you’re looking for inside,” I said jerking a thumb towards the house. “Good luck with that.”

  “Thanks, lady.” He started toward the front door.

  “Hold fire,” I called after him.

  The man stopped and walked back.

  I pulled my thin leather case out of my bra and withdrew from it a folded hundred-dollar bill. I unfolded the note and held it up in front of the delivery man.

  “Could I persuade you to tell me what you’re meant to pick up?” I said.

  The guy looked at the hundred, scratched his head, and smiled. “I see no harm in telling you, lady.”

  The driver looked down at a paper on his clipboard for a moment. “Several boxes of antiques it says on the shipping manifest,” he said.

  He reached for the hundred. I pulled it back.

  I said, “Where are you meant to take the shipment?”

  “To the air freight terminal at Honolulu International,” the driver said.

  He reached for the bill in my hand again. Again, I pulled it back.

  “One more thing,” I said. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention our conversation to the homeowner.”

  The driver grinned at me and reached out a third time for the hundred. “My lips are sealed, lady,” he said. “In fact, I never saw you.”

  I let him take the hundred. “Cheers and thanks,” I said.

  “Don’t mention it,” the guy said as he folded the hundred and slipped it into his shirt pocket. Then he turned and went toward the front door whistling a tune I wasn’t familiar with.

  I got on the motorbike, put on my helmet, and rode home.

  As I was walking through the door at home, my mobile rang. I checked the screen. It was Grace Wilton. I took the call.

  “T. J., this is Grace, Grace Wilton.”

  “Hey, Grace, what’s up?”

  “I meant to call you earlier, but something came up,” Grace said. “You offered to show me a few of the sights today. I don’t wish to seem unappreciative, but I met this super nice Australian guy in the hotel bar last night and well—”

  “You want to ditch me for him,” I said laughing. “No worries, Grace. Have an amazing time with him.”

  “Oh, thank you for understanding,” Grace said. “It’s just that I have only the one day here. I have to fly back to San Francisco in the morning. Otherwise, I’d have loved hanging out with you.”

  “Sure,” I said. “If you’re ever back in Honolulu, give me a ring, and we’ll have a catch-up.”

  “I’d like that,” Grace said. “Thanks again. Goodbye now.”

  “See you, Grace,” I said and then ended the call.

  Truth told, I felt relieved. Sadly, I’d forgotten all about Grace Wilton. And, I didn’t feel up to guiding a tiki tour, anyway.

  I lay down on the couch to have a rest. My thoughts returned to Nick, and his missed calls yesterday. Stuff it. I should sort him out and get it over with. I picked up the mobile and dialed his number.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Nick said when he answered. “I called your office twice yesterday and left messages to see if you wanted to hang out. You never called me back.”

  I was happy enough if Nick thought I was beautiful. I knew I wasn’t, exactly. Sometimes I felt conflicted about my looks, especially with the few freckles on my nose, a nose I’d not mind being a wee bit smaller. But, I thought false modesty was crap. I knew men found me pleasing to look at. I was confident enough in my looks to know I had a pretty face. I was tall with long legs, had an athletic build, and good hips. I had a nice chest, no surgical enhancement needed, thanks. Guys had found me attractive since I’d turned thirteen and had developed. But that hadn’t been a complete positive. Being an attractive woman meant it was a struggle to be taken seriously by men much of the time. That had been especially true when I was in the military and later with the cops. Still, I liked Nick thinking as he did. Maybe because I knew he was sincere and liked me for more than my looks.

  “Yep, sorry for that, Nick,” I said. “It was a mad crazy day. Then I was at the police station until very late. I went straight home to bed afterward. I picked up your messages this afternoon.”

  Why the pang of guilt? I’d told the truth. Well, I’d omitted the bit about not going to bed alone. But, Nick and I had no exclusive arrangement. Was it really his business or my responsibility to tell?

  “No problem,” Nick said. “I had just wanted to see you. How about tonight? Are you interested in going to the Vibe for drinks and dancing?”

  The Vibe was a flash night club inside a chic downtown Honolulu hotel on Ala Moana Boulevard. I loved going there. My best mate Jackie and I went there often on Friday or Saturday nights though we hadn’t in a while. But, I was too tired for it.

  “Yeah, nah, Nick, not tonight,” I said. “I didn’t sleep well last night, and I’m not feeling flash. Not sure I’d be much fun tonight.”

  “Okay, how about this? Come over to my place, and we’ll watch Netflix and chill.”

  Nick sounded so keen to see me, I didn’t want to disappoint him. It wasn’t like Mike and I were back in a relationship again. We had nothing on for the evening. I hadn’t even heard from Mike since he’d left for work. Besides, going to Nicks to watch a movie didn’t mean we had to shag. I didn’t feel up to that bit until I’d sorted myself out.

  “Sure, ahkay,” I said. “That sounds good, and I’d love seeing you.”

  “Awesome,” Nick said. “I’m working until four. Want to meet at my apartment around five? We can order a pizza or Chinese and have dinner while we watch a movie.”

  “Cool,” I said. “See you at your flat at five then. Can’t wait.”

  “I’ll be looking forward to it,” Nick said.

  We hung up. What the hell was I thinking? We didn’t have to have sex? Yeah right. That was a crack up. Of course, Nick expected we’d have a root. Hadn’t he bloody said, “Netflix and chill?” Sometimes I thought I must be a sammie short of a picnic. Aw, bugger it. I’d already agreed, hadn’t I? I’d have to harden up and carry on. I knew I really needed to nap now. I’d need my strength. After hearing Nick’s voice, the damn ache had started again. So, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

  Twenty-Five

  I’d already known “Netflix and chill” is nothing more than a euphemism for a booty call, an invitation to shag. So, it wasn’t surprising that was exactly what I walked into at Nick’s flat. He ordered Chinese as promised. But, before we had even gulped down the dinner and guzzled two glasses of wine, we were both already half undressed.

  After maybe a minute or two of more heavy pashing, some groping, and the removal of the remaining articles of clothing after we’d put down the chopsticks and wine glasses, we were on Nick’s bed rooting like two bunnies.

  After the first go, I wanted a drink. We went back into the lounge with me wearing one of Nick’s tee shirts and him wearing a pair of gray athletic shorts. The pashing and groping started again. The tee shirt and shorts came off, a wine glass was kicked over and spilled. The second go took place right on the couch. Then it was back to the bed for the third round. Nick recovered as fast as any guy I’d ever been with, and he had heaps of imaginative ways to drive me mad with pleasure during the intermissions. Of course, I had a few tricks of my own he seemed to enjoy.

  Once we’d finished the third time, I was breathing hard. I was hot and sweaty, drenched in sweat, both mine and his. I lay on my back, savoring the post-coital mini tremors and aftershocks while Nick amused himself with manipulating various parts of my anatomy. Then my mobile rang.

  I ignored it, letting the call go to voicemail without a thought. After all, I needed to focus on what Nick was up to with my few remaining brain cells. With my heavy limbs, and legs that felt like jelly, I doubted I could walk over to get my phone without support, anyway.

  Thinking back on my day as Nick con
tinued to stoke the fires of lust, I felt more than a bit wickedly promiscuous. First, Mike had debauched me the entire morning during the continuation of the shagfest we’d started the night before. Now I was in Nick’s bed recovering from a third root, but still wantonly yearning for more. Had I become an insatiable pleasure-seeking shippie? The phone rang again immediately once the first call had gone to voicemail. I wasn't impressed. Who was calling me? Maybe it was Jackie. Maybe something was wrong. Bloody hell, I should at least check the screen.

  Pushing Nick’s hands away I said, “I’ll just see who it is, hold that thought.”

  Rolling out of bed, I moved unsteadily to the door. The mobile was in my pant’s pocket, and as best I recalled my pants were somewhere in the lounge on the floor. Nick whistled before I got to the door. I turned my head to look back at him over my shoulder. “Girl, you have a gorgeous ass,” Nick said grinning.

  I grinned back. Who didn’t like hearing a guy say that? It was something we girls were always feeling conflicted over. Didn’t we always ask the stupid question: “Does my arse look big in these pants?” Also, I was quite a fan of Nick’s sexy bum too. I smiled wickedly and continued my journey to the lounge. There I found the pants in a wadded ball on the floor beside the sofa. Of course, the bloody phone had stopped ringing before I got there. As I dug it out of the pocket, it rang again. It was Mike calling! Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Moving more quickly now I went back up the hallway. I poked my head into the bedroom.

  “Sorry, babe, I have to take this,” I said to Nick. Then I went into the bathroom and closed the door.

  “What’s up, Mike?” I said, sitting down on the toilet.

  “Someone murdered Austin Bryce,” Mike said.

  “What? When?”

  “Sometime this afternoon it looks like,” Mike said. “His housekeeper came home from shopping and found the body.”

  “I never saw that one coming,” I said.

  “The reason I called is I wanted to ask you if you know whether Bryce ever collected the rest of the artifacts you told me about from Brandi Camargo’s store?”

  “I’m certain he did.”

  “Weird, when we searched the house, we found none, and you told me there were quite a few.”

  “Bryce was in the process of shipping them somewhere, actually,” I said. “A delivery dude picked them up from his house today.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I was at his house earlier to see if he’d talk with me,” I said. “He wouldn’t, but as I was leaving a van drove up. I talked to the driver and persuaded him to tell me what he was meant to pick up. He told me cartons containing antiques, and he was taking them to the air freight terminal at the airport. I’d be willing to bet it was the collection he took back from Camargo after he learned Tiger Ying had gone missing.”

  “What time was that?”

  “Around three I think.”

  “You didn’t happen to kill Bryce while you were here did you?”

  “Yeah, nah, I don’t recall killing him,” I said. “I’m gutted you even asked me that, Mike.”

  Mike laughed. “I was only joking. It looks like someone may have shot Bryce with the same gun they used to kill Lee Tran. It’s small caliber for sure, but I must wait for the autopsy before I will know for certain if the bullets match.”

  “Then it seems Bryce didn’t kill Lee Tran.”

  “Nope. Hey, since you were here earlier today, think you could come over and give us a statement. It will help on the time of death calculation.”

  “Right now, Mike?” I said. “I’m downtown having—um, I’m having dinner and only arrived a few minutes ago.”

  “You’re on a date?”

  “No, I’m not on a date, I’m having dinner alone.”

  “Oh, well then if you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you came over here to give us the statement after you’ve eaten dinner. There isn’t any rush. I’ll be here for another two hours at least.”

  “Yep, ahkay,” I said. “If it’s that important. I’ll try to be there in an hour.”

  We hung up. I was already in the bathroom, so I hopped into the shower and washed away the sweat and smell of sex. Then I wrapped up in a towel and went back to the bedroom.

  Nick smiled. “You didn’t have to shower, babe,” he said. “I like it raw.”

  He threw back the covers exposing his muscular naked body. Damn. It was obvious he was ready for another bloody go.

  “Can you tell I missed you?” Nick said with a grin.

  “I’m so sorry, Nick, but something has come up,” I said. “Someone murdered a suspect in the case I’ve been working on, and I must pop over to the house to speak with the police. I was at the guy’s house earlier today talking with him. So, they need me to make a statement.”

  “Damn,” Nick said. He threw his legs and bobbing bits over the edge of the bed and stood up.

  “I’ll drive you,” Nick said. “Then I’ll bring you back here when you’ve finished.”

  “No, all good,” I said. “I’ll ride my motorbike. Remember, I told you they kept me at the police station until late last night giving a statement? No way to know how long I’ll be. You would be bored of waiting long before I was through.”

  Nick sat down on the edge of the bed, his visible enthusiasm literally wilting before my eyes.

  “But, you will come back here when you’re finished? It doesn’t matter how late it is. It’s Sunday tomorrow, so I’m off work.”

  “We’ll see,” I said. “It depends on how long it takes, and how I feel afterward. I’ll try, but no promises. Now, I really must get dressed.”

  I went back to the lounge where all my clothes had been left scattered about with Nick following behind. Yay! I finally got to enjoy him watching me while I wriggled into my undies and bra. With the urgency of passion gone, it was every bit as awkward as I’d reckoned though we were hardly strangers now. Nick stood there the entire time with a foolish grin on his face. It surprised me he didn’t drool.

  “Ahkay,” I said after pulling on my boots. I went to Nick for a quick pash. He prolonged it until the heat and the ache built inside me once again. I freed myself from his arms and hands while I still had the strength and the will. Seriously, getting away from the guy was like escaping an octopus. Once I was free of an arm, a hand was grabbing me somewhere else.

  “Nick, I really have to dash,” I said. Pulling away, I straightened my clothes again and went to the front door.

  “Hey, I have an idea,” Nick said.

  I turned to look at him over my shoulder, warily. I knew very well the sort of ideas he usually came up with, and I had no time for it at the moment. Sadly.

  “If you can’t make it back tonight, let’s take a picnic lunch and some wine up to North Shore tomorrow and make a day of it. I know a secluded beach up there where there is never anyone around. We can work on our tans, the no tan lines variety, and do, you know, anything else we’re in the mood for.”

  “Sounds fun,” I said. “Maybe. Let me get this sorted tonight. I’ll ring you in the morning if I can’t come back tonight, and we’ll make a plan. I blew Nick a kiss from the doorway and left before I stripped my bloody clothes off again.”

  Twenty-Six

  It was almost seven when I rolled up at Bryce’s place. It was dusk, but the area was lit up from the lights from the emergency vehicles the drivers had parked up and down the street. Had I been driving a car, I’d not even got closer than a block or two away. But, with the motorbike, I weaved through the obstacles and parked just short of the first line of yellow and black crime scene tape.

  I went to the first cop behind the tape, gave him my name, and told him Detective Young had asked me to come to see him. The cop nodded and lifted the tape for me to slide under.

  “Yeah, I got the word,” the cop said. “Don’t go inside the house. I’m sure Detective Young will be out to speak with you shortly.”

  “Ahkay, cool,” I said.

 
I walked to the porch and waited in the yard. The warning not to go in had hardly been necessary. There was another big, burly uniformed cop at the door I’d never made it past if I’d tried. I’d been waiting for about five minutes when Mike stuck his head out the door and saw me. He came toward me.

  When Mike came out of the shadows, I saw his face. His right eye was puffy and swollen and the surrounding area was already showing bruising.

  “Thanks for coming out,” Mike said.

  “What the bloody hell happened to your eye?” I said.

  Mike grinned sheepishly. “Would you believe I walked into a door?”

  “Yeah, nah, I think that one has been a bit overused, mate,” I said.

  “Okay, let’s just say Maki got a little upset when I told her what happened last night and that I wanted her to move out.”

  “Bloody hell, the stupid cow punched you in the eye?”

  “Yes, we got into a huge argument. Maki kind of lost it when she learned why I hadn’t come home last night.”

  “Oh Mike, I’m so sorry,” I said. “I never meant to cause problems for you.”

  “Not your fault. Don’t even think that. It was all Maki and me. I know now it was a mistake getting involved with her. But, I was lonely when we broke up. She was pretty and available. Now I guess I’m just pretty lonely.”

  “Still, I'm sorry for my part in it,” I said. “Does it hurt?” I brushed my fingertips over his face tenderly.

  Mike pulled his head back. “Ouch, only all the time.” Then he grinned.

  “You should lay charges on that bitch,” I said.

  “No, if I filed charges it would be a domestic assault and battery,” Mike said. “Maki could lose her badge. I don’t want that.”

  “She shouldn’t even be allowed to carry a badge and gun,” I said. “The stupid cow is mental.”