The Chinese Tiger Ying

by Larry Darter

  Mike smiled but kept quiet. It was probably a smart move. He inserted the disc into a drive on his desktop computer. We watched the security video recording from the storage place.

  “You’re amazing,” Mike said. “We could use you on the force. We’ll have to get official copies later for the chain of custody purposes, but you’ve given me everything I need to get a warrant for the storage unit. Thanks, babe.”

  “Happy to help, sweetie,” I said with a big smile. “If there is anything else you need, just ask.”

  “And, if those guys from the airport identify Zhang Yong from the photos you brought, I’ll be able to get an arrest warrant on him for the theft charge at least.”

  “Sweet,” I said.

  “You okay, babe?” Mike said with a look of concern. “You seem a little down about something.”

  “All good,” I said. “Just not feeling flash at the moment, feeling a bit tired.”

  “Sorry, babe,” Mike said. “You need to take a raincheck on tonight? I’ll understand if you aren’t feeling well.”

  “No, I need no such thing,” I said. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you tonight all day. I really need to see you tonight, actually.”

  Mike beamed. “You don’t know how much I love hearing that.”

  “Maybe you can show me how much later,” I said smiling coyly.

  Mike grinned.

  “Better show me out so you can get back to work,” I said. “I need to go home, have a shower, and change before you come over.”

  Mike nodded. We took the lift back to the lobby.

  “Want to wait here while I walk out?” I said. “I could wiggle my arse for you like nasty Cassie, only my bum is much nicer.”

  Mike laughed.

  “No, I’ll walk you to the door,” he said. “But, you can wiggle it for me all you want later when I don’t have to concentrate on work.”

  “Ha. Ahkay, deal.”

  At the front doors, I turned and threw my arms around Mike and buried my face in his chest. When I let him go after several moments, I looked him in the eye, cupped his cheeks and gave him a deep, passionate kiss. I didn’t care whether anyone was watching.

  “Wow,” Mike said when I pulled away.

  “Yep, wow,” I said. “See you soon. Can’t wait.”

  I smiled and walked out of the lobby to my motorbike.

  On the ride home, all I thought about was how badly I wanted Mike to hold me in his strong arms so I could feel warm, safe, and loved.

  When I got home, I took my mobile out of my pocket. I had two missed calls from Nick. He must have called while I was riding home and couldn’t hear the ringer. I didn’t ring him back. Instead, I switched the mobile to vibrate mode and tossed it in a drawer.

  Thirty-Five

  Mike and I had an awesome evening together. My mood had brightened considerably by the time he had arrived at the house after work. He had taken me to my favorite steak place on Lewers Street for dinner. Then we’d returned to the house for a last glass of wine before going to bed early.

  The lovemaking had been amazing and passionate, yet unhurried and so tender. I felt sure it had been the best we’d had together since we’d become intimate again. Afterward, I’d fallen asleep curled up in Mike’s muscular arms, feeling so profoundly contented centered, and safe.

  I was a bit surprised when I’d awakened feeling so rested because I hadn’t expected to sleep well. There had been so much on my mind last evening, and a massive decision to make. But, I’d made it before falling asleep. I’d awakened this morning feeling confident I’d made the right decision. Not only the right decision for me, but for everyone.

  The morning lovemaking with Mike had been really nice. It had felt like a continuation of what we’d shared the fantastic night before. Then Mike had showered, dressed, and left for work.

  It was a few minutes before nine when I rode into the car park at Moana Dive Shop. I had to see Nick before he went out on the dive boat. As I stopped and parked the motorbike, I saw him out front doing the same thing he’d been doing the first time I’d come here, and we’d met. He was filling dive tanks. He looked up when I got close and saw me.

  “Babe, what a surprise,” he said with a huge smile on his handsome face. “I was just thinking about how I couldn’t wait to see you after work. And here you are. You’ve made my day.”

  I smiled back.

  “Can we have a word?” I said.

  “Sure, this can wait,” he said waving a hand carelessly at the dive tanks. “Let’s go around to the break area.”

  Nick took my hand and led me around the corner of the building where the owner of the dive shop had set up a break area for the employees, a wooden picnic table with benches beneath the shade of several palm trees.

  We sat down together facing each other on the bench at the table. Nick held both my hands in his. He leaned in for a pash. I pulled back and pulled my right hand from his grasp and touched the tips of my index and middle finger to his lips.

  “Talk first, please,” I said.

  Nick gave me a long look.

  “Okay, babe, but you’re freaking me out a little,” Nick said. “Is there something wrong?”

  I told Nick how amazing he’d been, how much he meant to me, and how he so perfectly had filled every need I’d felt when we’d met. I told him how seriously fantastic and fun the sex had been we’d shared.

  “You’re such a great guy, one of the best men I’ve ever shared my life with,” I said.

  Nick smiled again. He squeezed my left hand and softly caressed my face.

  “Ah, I get it now, babe,” he said. “Even though it’s only been casual up to now, I’ve loved every minute we’ve spent together. I’ve never felt happier. Yet I understand why you came here this morning. Why it couldn’t wait until this evening. You feel like it’s time we took things to the next level. Don’t worry, babe. That’s all I’ve been thinking about the last few days. It was so hard not seeing you yesterday.”

  I shook my head and looked down at the ground for a moment. Then I let out a little sigh and met Nick’s gaze.

  “I can’t see you anymore, Nick,” I said. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t.”

  “What?” Nick said clearly dumbfounded by what I’d said.

  “You can’t see me again? Why? I thought things were perfect with us. We’re so great together. You’ve always seemed so contented and satisfied. Haven’t I satisfied you? It has sure seemed that way.”

  “Yes, Nick, you’ve satisfied me in every way,” I said. “You’re kind, considerate, and loving. The sex has been great. Mind-blowing, actually. It’s been wonderful being with you. You’ve done nothing wrong. It isn’t you.”

  “You aren’t giving me the old ‘it isn’t you, it’s me’ are you?” Nick said.

  “Yep, I know it sounds a bit cliché,” I said. “But in our case, it’s true. It isn’t you, it’s me. When we met, I wanted and needed a casual, sexy relationship with no strings attached. I didn’t want to feel pressured to commit to something long-term and exclusive. I didn’t feel ready for that. And, you’ve been so sweet and amazing. You’ve given me exactly what I felt I needed. But, I’ve changed, what I want and need has changed. That’s why I can’t see you anymore, Nick. I’m terribly sorry, but I can’t.”

  “I don’t understand,” Nick said. “Babe, please don’t do this. I told you it’s fine if you need more than we started with. I’m ready to step up and commit to you if that’s what you want. Maybe I don’t feel ready to get married, but everything else is on the table. I have seen no one else since the first time with you. And, I don’t want to. I can be whatever you need me to be.”

  Nick’s eyes had filled with tears while he’d been talking. The tears spilled onto his cheeks and ran down his face. I reached out with my fingertips to brush them away. Then I kissed the fingertips and touched them to Nick’s lips.

  “I know sorry doesn’t quite cut it, but I am sorry, Nick,” I said. “I never meant
to hurt you. If only I could say something to make you feel better, but I know I can’t. And, I can’t see you anymore.”

  I pulled my hand away from his and stood up.

  “You were out with some other dude last night weren’t you?” Nick said angrily. “That’s why you wouldn’t see me yesterday, and why you didn’t return my calls. That’s what this is all about. Isn’t it?”

  I looked at Nick through the tears in my own eyes. I tried to speak but had to choke back a sob. I paused a moment and cleared my throat.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “Thank you so much for everything. Goodbye, Nick.”

  I turned and hurried back to the car park and my motorbike. Nick hadn’t followed me. I felt relieved he hadn't. There was nothing more left to say. I rode away.

  Epilogue

  Six months had passed since that day with Nick. I hadn’t been in love with him but had loved him all the same. I still thought of him often, even missed him sometimes. But, I had no regrets. Ending things with Nick had been the right decision for me. He hadn’t called since the day I’d said goodbye. I hoped he had moved on and found someone new. I hoped he had found happiness.

  The same day I’d broken up with Nick, Mike and his team had served a search warrant at Chet’s public storage facility. From the unit Zhang Yong had rented, HPD had not only recovered all the pieces from Austin Bryce’s collection of Chinese artifacts, but also a Colt Open Top Pocket Model revolver, hidden inside one carton they had seized. That had led to an arrest warrant for Zhang Yong, and Mike and his team had brought him in.

  The police sent the weapon they had found in the storage unit to the FBI lab on the mainland where the firearms experts there confirmed it was the same gun used in the murders of both Lee Tran and Austin Bryce.

  When Mike confronted Zhang Yong with the fact he was the only one connected to the murder gun and was facing two murder charges, Zhang Yong had cracked. He had agreed to talk. He’d been the first domino to fall. He admitted he had been present at both murders, but it was his boss William Chambers who had shot and killed both men. Zhang Yong admitted to disposing of Tran’s body in the canal but swore he had only been acting on Chambers’ instructions. Finally, Zhang Yong admitted Chambers had sent him and Justin Wood to the Lawrence house to get Tiger Ying back. When they hadn’t found the artifact there and phoned Chambers for instructions, he had told them to take Chloe and Ken Lawrence to Brandi Camargo’s shop for safekeeping until they could be made to tell where the artifact was.

  Based on Zhang Yong’s statement Lee Tran had been killed at Chambers’ house, shot to death by Chambers on the backyard patio, the police got a search warrant for the house. When a CSI team used Luminol while processing the Chambers’ residence, they had found latent blood traces on the patio and in the boot of Chambers’ car which Zhang Yong had told the police he had used to transport Lee Tran’s body to the canal where he had dumped it. With that corroboration of Zhang Yong’s claims and other evidence the police had developed independently, despite his political connections, HPD arrested William Chambers on a warrant.

  Once the cops convinced Chambers and his attorney they had enough to put Chambers behind bars, like Zhang Yong, Chambers talked in hopes cooperation would gain him at least some leniency from the court.

  He first admitted he had struck a deal with Austin Bryce in San Francisco some sixteen years ago to destroy valuable ancient Chinese artifacts he had owned, including Tiger Ying. Chambers said he was suffering severe financial problems at the time and wanted to cash in on the insurance. Proceeds from an insurance fraud offered more than he could have hoped to get from selling the pieces in a hurry. Bryce had come up with the idea to destroy the collection by burning the museum he operated at the time. Chambers had loaned the artifacts to the museum ostensibly for temporary display. After the arson, Chambers had paid Bryce what they had agreed to, not knowing Bryce had stolen the artifacts days before he set the fire. He had double-crossed Chambers, intending to make an even larger profit by selling the artifacts himself.

  Chambers said he hadn’t learned about the double-cross until recently when Lee Tran contacted him, and Tran told him what he knew about Tiger Ying. Chambers said he panicked, fearing the truth would come out about the insurance fraud. He had killed Tran to shut him up, but not before Zhang Yong had forced Tran to tell them about Chloe and Ken Lawrence.

  Chambers told the cops he had enlisted the aid of Brandi Camargo and her boyfriend, Justin Wood, using as leverage Camargo’s cooperation with Austin Bryce in the attempt to dispose of Tiger Ying and the other stolen artifacts through a private auction. Then Chambers sent Zhang Yong and Justin Wood to the Lawrence home. When they hadn’t found Tiger Ying there, and neither Chloe nor Ken would tell them where it was, the decision was made to take them back to Camargo’s shop to hold them until they could be made to talk.

  Once HPD had arrested Brandi and Justin, Chambers said he felt the whole scheme was falling apart. So, he and Zhang Yong had gone to Austin Bryce’s house to confront him and to get back the rest of the collection Bryce had stolen from him. After quarreling with Bryce and growing tired of Bryce’s denials, Chambers said he threatened Bryce with the gun he’d brought along, the same antique Colt he’d used to shoot Tran.

  Bryce then admitted to Chambers he had taken the artifacts all those years ago, but no longer had them. He had shipped them to Thailand where he had planned to flee himself. After forcing Bryce to turn over a copy of a shipping manifest to prove his claim, Chambers said he had shot and killed Bryce feeling it was the only way to be sure Bryce could never implicate him in the insurance fraud scheme.

  Chambers concluded his story with how he and Zhang Yong had gone to the air freight terminal and paid off two employees to get Bryce’s shipment. Zhang Yong had then rented a public storage unit the police had later found and had stored the collection of artifacts there.

  At the end of the interrogation, Mike had escorted Chambers to the HPD property and evidence section to identify the artifacts the police had recovered from the storage unit. Mike had told me he would never forget what Chambers had said when he’d seen the artifacts. He’d told Mike that he was happy the artifacts hadn’t actually been destroyed all those years ago. He had said seeing them was like seeing old friends again someone had told you were dead.

  Chambers and Zhang Yong were both tried and convicted for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and a variety of fraud and theft charges, along with other charges related to the kidnapping and false confinement of Chloe and Ken Lawrence. Brandi Camargo and Justin had also been tried and sentenced for their roles in the kidnapping and false imprisonment. Brandi’s sentence was lighter since Justin Wood was also sentenced for the attempted murder of Grace Wilton and me that day at Brandi’s shop.

  Every story should have a happy ending, and this one did. The California courts vindicated Ken Lawrence after he’d spent those long years in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed. His arson conviction had been reversed and his record expunged. The last time I’d spoken with Ken, he told me he was expecting a very large settlement check any day from the State of California, reparations for his erroneous conviction.

  I’d stopped seeing Dr. Nix after we both agreed I’d attained my therapeutic goals. I had worked out my past obsession with Malone and had discovered it had been intertwined with the trauma I’d experienced over the loss of my late husband, David.

  After David’s horrific death, I’d been incapable of forming another healthy relationship because I’d feared another relationship might also end in more trauma and pain. But, like everyone, I still had normal needs and desires to love and be loved. I had fixated on Malone because he was safe. He was someone I found attractive and excited me. But, I knew from the beginning he would never be available to have a relationship with me. That made him safe, and non-threatening. I could love him with all my heart and long to be with him, knowing I’d never have to face having a relationship with him, the thing I feared most in life. Th
at had worked for a while, but then the obsession caused problems.

  I’d learned that my unrealistic feelings for Malone along with my inability to form a healthy relationship had been the real factors that had caused the breakup with Mike. Then the desperation and anguish of being unable to have Malone in my life, the thing I believed I wanted more than anything, had precipitated the depressive spiral that eventually sent me to Dr. Nix in search of help. The same mental and emotional forces combined had propelled me into the situation where I’d ended up in romantic, intimate relationships with two men at the same time.

  After that day I sat at Mike’s desk when his co-worker Cassie had shown such interest in him, I had to admit to myself it had made me feel jealous and possessive. With a little more work with Dr. Nix, I’d finally understood why.

  Life had now settled into a comfortable routine with Mike again, and I loved every minute of our life together. I’d never felt happier. Mike had kept his flat, but the truth was he now spent most nights with me in the house I’d started to think of as ours instead of mine. We spent heaps of time on our private little stretch of sand out back. We enjoyed meals and coffee at the table in our dining room. We slept together and made passionate love in our bed, in the bedroom that for too long had been just mine.

  The talk about maybe getting married and starting a family has started again. It no longer sends me into a panic or makes me feel smothered. Mike hasn’t proposed yet. I reckoned he was being cautious because he didn’t want to risk me running away again though I wouldn’t. But, I know he wants to, and feel sure he will propose soon.

  Every morning after he has spent the night with me when Mike leaves for work I walk him to the door. Once we’ve kissed and said goodbye, Mike always smiles that smile that makes his eyes twinkle and tells me he will miss me every second until he sees me again. After he’s gone, I close the door and lean my back against it feeling the little catch in my throat I always feel when I think about how close I’d come to losing Mike forever. Then a smile always creeps to my lips knowing I didn’t lose him and never will.