by Brian N. Cox
“Why did you do this to me?” said Li Mei. “Why were you part of this plan to have me blamed for the assassinations?”
“There is no need for us to talk. You are going to kill me. Please do it now,” replied Liang Xiao Xiao.
“Maybe I will not kill you,” said Li Mei. “I need answers before making my decision. This plan was designed to have me executed by the American government; why did you do it? Did Tang Ming give you much money?”
“I hate Tang Ming more than you do. I would accept nothing from him. I think it would be best if you killed me now.”
Li Mei was taken aback by Liang’s reaction to her questions. It was almost as if she was pleading to be killed. “Why do you want me to kill you?”
“If I am dead, they may release my mother. There would no longer be a reason to hold her.”
“Tell me about your mother,” replied Li Mei.
“Let me show you on my computer. Tang Ming gave me this disk.” Liang put a disk into her computer and started a video. It showed two elderly people, a male and female, on their knees looking very scared. A man wearing a mask was standing behind them. Suddenly, the masked man shot the elderly man in the head. He fell forward with blood spurting everywhere while the elderly woman screamed. Then the video went blank. Li Mei could see tears running down the face of Liang Xiao Xiao. It became quite clear to Li Mei why Liang Xiao Xiao had obeyed the instructions of Tang Ming.
“Sit down, Little Sister, maybe I can help. My name is Li Mei and I am an agent of the State Security, Second Bureau. I think I may be able to get your mother released if it is not too late.”
“I didn’t know who you were, but I suspected you were a dangerous enemy of the Mei Hua. How can you help my mother?” said Liang Xiao Xiao as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.
“First, tell me why they chose you. I realize we look similar, but they needed someone with a great deal of skill to succeed with these assassinations and not get caught.”
“I was a member of the People’s Armed Police, Snow Leopard Commando,” said Liang.
“The Snow Leopard Commando,” exclaimed Li Mei. “I am impressed. Their training is as good or better than the British SAS.”
“I could have easily killed Tang Ming and his thugs but I was trapped into the plan as long as they held my mother. They would have no mercy. When I saw them kill my father, I was physically sick.”
“I have a plan, Xiao Xiao. I will try and get your mother released unharmed, in return, you must turn yourself in to the American FBI and confess that you are the assassin.”
“If you can save my mother, Older Sister, I will do anything you say,” replied Xiao Xiao.
“OK, I will make two phone calls,” said Li Mei, as she dialled her cellphone.
“Ma Shan. This is Li Mei. Do you remember me?”
“Of course,” said Ma Shan, “although you are the last person I thought would be phoning me.”
“You saved my life in Barbados, Ma Shan. Now I am going to save you from total disaster. Listen carefully and don’t interrupt. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you know nothing about this.”
“Your second in command, Tang Ming, engineered a plan to frame me for those assassinations in Minneapolis and Chicago, which you no doubt saw on the news. When Tang Ming learned that I knew of his plan, he sent two forty-nines to kill the woman who the newspapers called the ‘Mystery Assassin’. Both his thugs are dead, and the woman is with me now.”
“I have notified the Director of State Security in Beijing of the Mei Hua plan and they are mobilizing agents to come to Seattle. Since we know almost all Mei Hua members in Seattle, and you do not know of any State Security agents here, except me, you know you cannot win a war with ghosts.” It was not true that State Security knew almost all Mei Hua members in Seattle, but the bluff would suit her purpose.
“I can stop this but you must do something right away. Tang Ming has killed this woman’s father and is holding her mother hostage in Shanghai. I want the mother released unharmed and taken to the nearest McDonalds and the police called. I want a video of the mother sitting safely in the McDonalds sent to my phone. This is not something to do in an hour, or tomorrow; this is to happen within the next few minutes.’
“The second thing you must do is to deal with Tang Ming. Leave his body where the police will find it so it can be identified. I suggest you get busy right now.”
“You will hear very from me shortly, Little Sister. Tang Ming will be kissing his penis.”
Li Mei could hear the anger in Ma Shan’s voice, not at Li Mei, but at Tang Ming. This plan did not appear to be authorized by Ma Shan, the Dragonhead, but he was very crafty; Li Mei knew she may never know for sure. She knew the term ‘kissing the penis’ meant that Tang Ming would be decapitated and his head placed between his thighs.
“Thank you so much, Li Mei,” said Xiao Xiao, with guarded encouragement in her voice. “I am in your debt forever. Do you think it will work?”
“Yes, I do. For Tang Ming to bring the wrath of Chinese State Security upon the Mei Hua is unforgivable. They make $billions maintaining a low profile. They avoid confrontation, especially with organizations more powerful than their own, and that would only be the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Safety; they have no fear of American law enforcement. I must make one more phone call.”
“Inspector Gao Hui, this is Li Mei in Seattle. I am very sorry to call you so early.”
“No problem, Li Mei. I always have time for you,” said the Shanghai Police Inspector in charge of the Organized Crime Bureau.
“The Mei Hua Triad is holding an elderly woman hostage in Shanghai. They are going to release the woman unharmed in a few minutes and take her to a McDonalds restaurant. The police are going to be called to come and get her. Please see that she is safe. It is too late to save the old woman’s husband as they already killed him.”
“I will put out a bulletin to all districts right now, Little Sister. Who was behind this?”
“It was engineered by Tang Ming, who is here in Seattle, but he will be dead within a few hours.”
“Glad to hear it, Li Mei. I will try and find out who held the old lady and who killed the old man. Please call me later with details.”
“Thank you, Older Brother. I will call you later today.”
“Li Mei,” said Xiao Xiao, “an hour ago I was sick with grief and planning to kill myself. Now I feel hopeful. I owe you everything.”
“Let us have some tea and relax, Xiao Xiao. We should hear from Ma Shan very soon.”
The two women talked for about fifteen minutes, not quite relaxing because both were eagerly anticipating the phone call. Finally Li Mei’s cellphone rang.
“Li Mei,” said Ma Shan. “Look at the video. The old woman is safe. We are even now.”
“Good; one more thing, Ma Shan. I will text you an address. In one hour, send people down to dispose of these bodies. I am sure you don’t want the police investigating this.”
Ma Shan terminated the call and Li Mei looked at the video with Xiao Xiao looking over her shoulder. Xiao Xiao’s mother was safe. She wasn’t smiling and looked terrified, but she was obviously sitting in a McDonalds with many customers sitting around her. The Shanghai Police would be there soon.
“It is time to call the FBI, Li Mei,” said Xiao Xiao, tears of joy flooding down her cheeks as she hugged Li Mei. “I will confess. I assume they will execute me but I deserve it for what I have done. I killed two men who had done me no harm and participated in the frame-up of a person who otherwise could have been my best friend. I will die with only warm feelings in my heart for you Li Mei. When you next go to Shanghai, do you think you could visit my mother and tell her I love her and am very sorry for shaming our family?”
“Xiao Xiao, tell me why these men were killed in Minneapolis and Chicago. Why were they chosen to be the targets?” asked Li Mei.
“I am not sure, but it seems they were
just chosen because of their availability to be killed. When they knew a city you would be going to, the local Mei Hua members decided upon important people who provided the opportunity. I am so sorry I shot them.”
Li Mei knew how the Mei Hua Triad obtained the gun with her fingerprints, but she wanted to hear what Xiao Xiao would say. That would be important evidence to clear Li Mei.
“How do you account for the gun left at the scene of the Chicago shooting with my fingerprints on it?”
“They didn’t tell me how they got it. They just told me to carry it to the courthouse in a plastic bag to preserve the fingerprints and then drop it when I ran away. The videos of the shootings will show I was wearing surgical gloves at both shootings,” replied Xiao Xiao.
“I have an idea Xiao Xiao. You may be able to visit your mother yourself,” said Li Mei. “I have friends in the FBI whom I trust. I think this video will be enough evidence to allow you to escape the death penalty. You will instead be sentenced to life in prison.”
“How will I be able to see my mother? Will you bring her to America?” asked Xiao Xiao.
“Here is my suggestion. You go to jail and be a model prisoner. At first, other inmates will try to intimidate you and beat you. Do not kill them. Just do what you have to do so the other inmates will know you are not a person to trifle with. You are Snow Leopard Commando. Escaping will not be difficult for you. Wait two or three years as a model prisoner. If the guards trust you they will be less vigilant around you. I will give you a secure phone number. When you call me, I will arrange a drop for you to pick up identity papers, including a Canadian passport. Then go immediately to Vancouver, take a flight to Beijing, and never return here.”
“Thank you. Thank you, Big Sister. I think your plan will work. I will see my mother and also visit my father’s grave. I will be forever in your debt.
“Sean, can you and Gary meet me right away?”
“Wait, don’t give me your location,” said Sean.
It was immediately apparent to Li Mei that Sean thought his phone may not be secure.
“I have the Mystery Assassin and she wants to surrender herself to you. She will confess everything. Come to our meeting place and I will bring her. You are experienced enough so you won’t be followed.”
“See you in thirty minutes,” said Sean. Then Sean called Jim Bridges, the SAC.
“Jim, I will have the Mystery Assassin in custody within thirty minutes. I don’t want anyone screwing this up.”
“Great news, Sean. I hope this person will confess. There still has to be an explanation for Li Mei’s fingerprints on the gun.”
“I am sure that can be explained, Jim. Talk to you later.”
The next call was to Gary Webster. “Gary, we have the Mystery Assassin. Be downstairs in ten minutes.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Sean and Gary stayed late into the night interrogating Liang Xiao Xiao aka Jade Liang at the FBI Field Office. Both were amazed at her resemblance to Li Mei, and both felt very sorry for her. They would like to have released her considering the horrific video of her parents’ captivity and her father’s murder, but that wasn’t possible. The unfortunate aspect of law enforcement is that sometimes your oath to perform you duties conflicts with your sense of what is the right or compassionate thing to do. Liang Xiao Xiao murdered two people so there was no question that she would stand trial for First Degree Murder.
Both Sean and Gary, were quite certain that the extenuating circumstances of her parents abduction, and the video to corroborate it, would be more than enough for Xiao Xiao to escape the death penalty. Neither agent wanted to think what they would do if they were trapped in the same circumstances. This was obviously the question that the defense lawyer would put to the jury and to the judge.
When she was still a fugitive, both Sean and Gary would have liked to have shot her for her apparent collaboration with the Mei Hua Triad and what she had done to their friend, Li Mei. Now that they had met her and heard her story, they both wanted to help her, but there wasn’t much they could do, except ensure that the lawyer that represented her was competent.
“Jim, have you got a few minutes, I want to talk to you about something very important.”
“Come on up, Sean. Coffee’s on.”
A few minutes later, Sean was sitting in Jim Bridges office with the door closed.
“You aren’t going to be happy to hear this, but I think I have identified the Portland Killer,” said Sean.
“Why wouldn’t I be happy to hear that, Sean? That’s great news.”
“I am ninety percent sure it is Gord Paquette from Counterintelligence.”
Not many things surprised Jim Bridges, considering his vast experience in law enforcement, but this was not only shocking, it was the last thing he wanted to hear. The reputation of the FBI country-wide, and particularly in Seattle was at stake. However, Jim Bridges was never one to panic.
“What evidence do you have, Sean, and would it stand up in court?”
“I’ll show you what I have. It’s convincing but wouldn’t lead to a conviction, in fact, the US Attorney may not even lay charges based on what I have so far,” replied Sean.
“First, these are photos of Paquette, time and date stamped, picking the lock on the back door of the Newbury Apartments at the time one of the victims was raped and murdered.”
“That’s pretty good evidence, Sean, except for the fact that time and dates on photos can be manipulated, something every good defense lawyer knows. If you subpoena the person who took the photos to confirm the time and date, that’s good evidence as long as you have other evidence to go along with it.”
“That’s the problem, Jim, the people who took those photos can’t and won’t testify.”
“They won’t have a choice if they are subpoenaed.”
“That wouldn’t work either. We couldn’t even locate them to serve a subpoena.”
“Let me guess, Sean. These photos were taken by Chinese State Security, possibly your friend Li Mei.”
“Now why would the Chinese be following Paquette and taking photos of him?” asked Sean, wondering why Jim would come up with this suggestion from left field. For what reason would Jim think that Chinese agents could become involved in a domestic criminal investigation?
“I can’t actually answer that, Sean, but I am sure you can piece that together. Paquette works Counterintelligence and the Chinese have him under surveillance. They are either creating intelligence files on our Counterintelligence people or we have an undercover operation in place. That’s all I can say.”
“Got it, Jim. No more questions for now,” said Sean. “Another piece of evidence is that Paquette has been positively identified as the person who has purchased thirty foot lengths of nylon rope.”
“Corroborating evidence I suppose,” said Jim, “but buying rope doesn’t make a person a murderer. Besides, he owns a boat. A lawyer could make a good case that a thirty foot anchor line would be adequate for a lunch hook when gunk holing in shallow waters.”
“Agreed. I just wanted you to know where this may be heading so it wasn’t dumped on your lap some day without any forewarning.”
“I understand perfectly, Sean, and I appreciate it. I suspect your Chinese friend may come up with more intelligence; if so, I hope we can turn it into evidence we can use in court.”
“Before you go, Sean,” Jim Bridges continued, “I got some info from our San Francisco office about an hour ago. There had been a big explosion in San Francisco two days ago, levelling a few vacant houses. It turns out that one of these houses had been owned several years ago by a lawyer named Vince Marino, and back then, his roommate was our friend, Gord Paquette.
“That’s interesting; I assume there is more to the story.”
“A little. The explosion wasn’t accidental; charges were expertly set in each house, and our San Fran office suspects it was a Mafia job. Also, Vince Marino is the local mob lawyer with strong ties to the Mafia bosses; a r
eal unethical sleaze ball.”
“Sounds like someone is trying to cover up some evidence, and a dead body comes to mind,” said Sean.
“Maybe it’s our suspicious police minds, but that is exactly what I was thinking. They are thinking the same thing in San Fran so they’ve got the ERTU Unit on the scene but so far they have found nothing.”
“Thanks, Jim. We had better keep in close touch on both these developments.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Sean, I just got a call from the Seattle Police, Organized Crime Bureau,” said Gary as he walked into Sean’s office and sat down. “Apparently a couple of women walking down a lane taking a shortcut to their office found a body with no head, at least not attached to the neck.”