The Memoirs of Cordelia Chan

Mary's observation left me with a problem. Detective Sun was a good deal older than me. He was also a cop. Although I was seeing Sumito most Saturday's, our sessions together had started to generate an itch that she couldn't scratch, and I wasn't about to seduce her husband. I considered what to do as the cab made its way to the Jade Dragon. I paid the driver and went inside. Sagamoto was about to give me a roasting for not being in, when he realized I wasn't dressed in my usual manner. "Are you going to tell me where you've been. I don't tolerate waitresses being late without a very good reason"
"Is Sato a good enough reason." I asked.
He looked apprehensively at me. "Don't worry. Its all been taken care of. He's been warned off."
He'd gone white as I made the last statement. I realized I wasn't going to be working here any longer. "Just give me what you owe me for this week and this weeks tips and I'll go."
He fumbled in the cash register and brought out a stack of bills. "Here take it and go."
I made to count what I was owed, he started shouting at me "Just take it. Get out! Get out!"
I shoved the cash into my purse and left. I hailed a cab, " Chinese Mission." The driver looked at me
"Just Drive"
"You'd better be able to pay"
"I can pay. Now drive."
I pulled out the cash and started counting it. There was close on one thousand dollars. I put 400 back in my purse. When we got to the mission I told him to wait. I went inside and asked to speak to whoever was in charge. An elderly woman came out of an office. I have something for you. I thrust the roll of bills into her hands, and turned to leave. She looked down in amazement. As I walked out the door it was all I could do to avoid tripping as a voice said " May The Ancestors watch over you Chan Li Feng."
I got back into the cab and gave him the apartment address. By the time I reached the apartment I had decided to ask Sumito for advice on what to do about Sun. I paid the cabbie and went inside. As I climbed the stairs I realized there was somebody on the landing outside the apartment. As I cleared the top step, they turned. It was Huo-Jin. " Good evening Detective. What can I do for you this time? "
"Not here. Can I come in."
"As long as you're not here on business."
I opened the door and he followed me in, closing it behind him. " Would you like a drink? "
"Burbon if you have it"
"Sorry. Saki, gin, coffee, or tea?"
"Tea then."
I took off my jacket, dropped it on the sofa, and went into the kitchen. He followed me.
"I had a visitor a shot time ago. A well dressed female of Chinese descent in her mid 30's. Short black hair. Ring any bells?"
"Should it? What you do in your private life is none of my business."
He grabbed me and spun me round. "Li Feng this is serious."
I kissed him. He let me go as if I'd just electrocuted him. "Don't do that again!"
"Why not? Didn't you like it?" I moved towards him. He backed away. "No.Yes. Look Li Feng. I can't get invloved."
"With me."
"No. With whatever it is you're mixed up in."
"I'm not mixed up in anything."
"Then why did she tell me to stay away from you and that it would not be in my best interest to pursue the Yamoto enquiries any further."
"I don't know. I don't know who she is. I've only seen her once. She told me to go home and forget I was there."
I'd started crying, and he'd taken hold of me. "You shouldn't have told me that." he said
"I couldn't help it. I'm not a very good liar."
He wiped the tears from under my eyes. "Its not admissible now anyway."
I kissed him again. This time he didn't resist. I was going to get my itch scratched. In fact he scratched it several times.

He was gone by the time I woke Saturday morning and realised I was going to be late for class. I managed a quick but necessary shower, and half a glass of juice. Usually I walked to the Dojo, but I was in a hurry and managed to grab a cab, arriving only 10 minutes late. I apologized to the class, avoided Sumito's quizical gaze, and started this weeks program. Class finished as usual and Sumito made a beeline for me.
"So did we have a hot date last night?"
"None of your business."
"So we did. Anyone I know?" and she started giggling.
"Stop it. You're embarassing me. Lets get out of here and I'll tell you all about it."

The following week I received my exam results. I'd got good grades, so my course fees would be paid again the following year. I still had the problem of paying the rent on the apartment and feeding myself. I could take the easy option and go live on campus, but I preferred it here in the community. The job situation resolved itself near the end of the week. I'd been toying with the idea of getting myself a bike. I'd found a bike lot and spent numerous hours just looking at the bikes, but I knew I couldn't really afford one. Anyway, with no job, I found myself at a loose end wandering in that direction. The shop was run by Liu-Jang Wang, and it looked like he'd had some new stock in. I wandered over and took a closer look. As I stood there, he came out. "You ride? "
"Not recently."
"You want to take bike on road?"
"How do you know I won't run off with it."
"You're honorable lady who runs Dojo."
He flipped me the keys. "It need gas. Bring back when finished."
I flipped them back. "I don't have a license to ride it legally, and you'd get into trouble if I rode it without insurance."
"Come inside. I have offer for you."
I followed him in. The place was a tip. He cleared some papers off a chair. "Tea?"
"Thank you"
"I make TV advert. I need pretty lady rider. Increase customers. You do advert. I pay for training and license"
"Cleaning this place up, and redecorating would bring in more customers."
He looked at me as If I'd just crushed his world. " You not do advert then? "
" I didn't say that. You pay me $200 a week. I'll help you put this place back on its feet. You pay for the training and the license, and throw in the bike, and I'll do your advert."
"You drive hard bargain." He offered me his hand and I shook it." Right lets get this place cleaned up."
He got in the way more than he helped, so I sent him off to the mall with a shopping list. A good percentage of the papers were about unfiled and incomplete tax returns. He was going to need a good tax accountant. I phoned Mr Lee. He said he'd get back to me. The phone rang about 20 minutes later. It was the IRS wanting to speak to Mr Wang. I told them he wasn't in. They wanted to know where he was, who I was and what I was doing. I told then I couldn't help as I'd only just started and he'd gone out. They said they'd call back. The phone rang again about an hour later. It was Mr Lee this time. He gave me a name and phone number. I thanked him and rang the number he'd given me. The phone was answered in Mandarin. I told them I only spoke Cantonese or English. They switched to Cantonese. I arranged for a Mr Hu to come and see us the following day. Mr Wang returned and I banished him in the direction of the workshop. I started filing the paper work into year bundles, and dollar bills into the cash box. Given what I found in that first afternoon I wondered how he stayed in business. If I'd thought about it in light of my recent experiences it should have been obvious.
It took me a week to sort all the paper work into a state where Mr Hu could do something with it. He had acted immediately to forestall the IRS and give us the breathing to sort Mr Wangs affairs out. The following week I passed my CMSP and got my permit. I then set about sorting out the TV ad Wang had wanted to do but done nothing about. Whilst repainting the store front, dressed only in shorts and crop top, I confirmed the old adage that nothing sells like sex, and sold three of the bikes off the lot. It also confirmed a couple of ideas I had in my mind for the advert. Sumito, was intrigued when I said I wanted to go shopping for lingerie, especially when she saw what I was buying. " Is that for Huo-Jin " she had enquired. I'd said no rather too quickly, causing a fit of the giggles which had nearly got us thrown out of the shop. We'd gone back to the flat, and I'd put it on along with the boots, motorcycle jacket, and leather mini skirt, and asked her what she thought. The fact I didn't stay in it for very long told me what I wanted to know.

After she'd left I'd called Hou. Sumito always left me with an itch that only a good man could scratch. He was out on a case, so I left a message for him to call round. I had a shower, grabbed something to eat, and then put it all back on again. I wanted to see how it would work on him. I'd actually fallen asleep when I heard the door go. I rolled off the sofa, and stood up, flexing stiff joints as I did so. "What time is it?" I asked as I wiggled. It took a couple of seconds for the question to percolate its way to his brain. "Ugh? Oh about 11:30"
I wiggled over to him, "You like"
He kissed me hard, and tried to push me over backwards, his hands fumbling for my pants. "Whoa. Slow down! I don't want any of this damaged. It cost me a lot of money." I pushed him onto the sofa. " Take your pants and shirt off and stay there. You get up and I'll snap it off."
I started to dance and remove my clothes. He told me to get a move on. I told him to behave or he wouldn't get. By the time I finished undressing he was barely able to control himself. I pushed him back and climbed on top of him.

I took me most of the following week to find a suitable location for the video shoot. Hu came to the shop late on the Tuesday and landed another problem in my lap. He couldn't get the books to balance. It appeared there was more cash going through the business than could be accounted for in sales of bikes and parts. In addition some of the sales and purchases made no sense. Bikes would be sold, only to be bought back a few months later at greater than the sale price. I said I'd talk to Wang about it.
I never actually got to talk to Wang about it, before events conspired to make it was made clear to me exactly what was going on. I'd got back from my location recy, having at last found what I was looking for, to find the shop shut, a van and trailer parked out in front, and three oriental gentlemen - two of which I recognised from the kidnap rescue- waiting. As I drew into the lot, and got off the bike, the one I didn't recognise approached me.
"Good afternoon Ms Chan. I have a delivery for you. I take it you have the money."
"And you are? " "My name is not important. Shall we go inside. "
"A name is every thing, especially as  you seem to know mine."
"You can call me Mr Wu. Now shall we go inside."
The other two had begun unloading bikes. Four of them looked factory new. I took off my helmet, undid my jacket, and we went inside. He opened the briefcase he was carrying and pulled out a sheaf of paperwork.
"Four of the bikes are as ordered. Their owners will collect them sometime next week. The rest you can sell as you wish. If you'll just get the money I'll be on my way."
"I don't know what you're talking about." "Don't play games with me Ms Chan, or you'll find yourself having diner with Mr Sato, even if it means upsetting your mother."
"What's my mother got to do with this?"
"Perhaps, you should ask her. Now get me my money."
"I still don't know what you're talking about."
His tone changed. "You weren't expecting us. Mr Wang said nothing to you."
"Haven't I been saying that all along."
"Follow me."
He went through the side door and into the workshop. Crossing to the bench he wheeled the tool chest aside and lifted a box out from behind it. Underneath was a floor safe, which he opened. From inside he withdrew several bundles of bills, before replacing the box and tool chest. He put all bar one bundle, which he gave to me into the brief case.
"The combination is 35-72-12-08. Cash from the sale of the bikes goes in the safe. Once you hit $45,000 the rest is yours. Remember we prefer used notes. Tell Mr Hu to make sure the books balance and the IRS don't come looking. It would be a shame if anything happened to his family. I'll see you in about 6 weeks. Remember what I said about Mr Sato."

I went back into the office an sat down. There was a bottle of bourbon in the desk but I didn't want to cloud my thinking. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I knew the power of the Triads and had gone out of my way to avoid them. But now I was virtually running one of their money laundering operations, with no viable way out. I picked up the bundle of notes. They were hundred dollar bills, still with their bank binding and sequential. If they weren't counterfeit then I had $5000 dollars in my hand, the trouble was I didn't know how to tell. Huo-Jin would probably know but I couldn't exactly ring him up and ask. Then there was the problem of Hu and the threat to his family, and how did my mother fit into all this. Sitting about wasn't going to solve anything. I took two bills off the top and put the rest in the day safe.

I went to see Hu first thing the following morning. When I told him what had happened he thought I was joking, until I produced the two crisp clean notes. He went white then and sat down abruptly. I told him I had every faith in his abilities to find a solution and left. When I got to the lot, everything was still shut up. This was the third day in a row this had happened. Now I thought about it I hadn't actually seen Liu-Jang for the last few days. I'd have to try and find out where he was later, as I was expecting the producer/director for the video shoot shortly. He was late, and I took an instant dislike to him.
When I told him what I wanted to do he told me it would never work and presented me with a worked up story board of his own. I flipped through it. It was rubbish, and besides which it would never get shown, and it wouldn't appeal to the customers we wanted to attract. I told him we'd do it my way or the deal was off. He chose to leave. I could see it wasn't going to be a good day.
It took me a couple of hours of rummaging to locate Liu-Jangs home address. It was in a part of Chinatown I generally avoided. I left the bike outside the bath house, and walked the three blocks to Liu-Jangs. I attracted a few interested gazes but nobody actually bothered me. Liu-Jangs apartment was on the second floor. I rang the buzzer but there was no answer. When I started banging on the door, a door down the hall opened, a voice said "You won't get no answer. They took him off in an ambulance."
"When was this?"
"Tuesday"
"Do you know where they took him?"
"What's it to you?"
"I'm running the lot and need to talk to him."
"Sorry can't help."
She closed her door, and I left. As I exited the apartment block, the rear door of a black BMW that hadn't been parked there when I arrived, opened; " Get in Ms Chan. "
The voice sounded female and spoke in Cantonese.
This was becoming a little annoying. I got in the car. I recognised the woman in the back. We drove a couple of blocks and stopped outside the Four Winds bar. We got out the car and I followed her in. We were shown to a table where another gentleman was waiting. After ordering drinks, she indicated to the gentleman, who produced a number of papers from the briefcase beside him.
"As you are aware Ms Chan, Mr Wang has been taken seriously ill. He has a heart condition that we were not previously aware of, or we would have replaced him sooner. I have here the new lease for the motorcycle lot. You will note that it is currently in your mothers name although it will revert to you on your 21^st birthday. Please sign where indicated. The terms are the same as previously as is the business arrangement."
"And if I refuse to sign"
"That would not be a good idea. Parents get very upset when they outlive their children, especially children with a promising future ahead of them. Play your cards right Ms Chan and you should easily surpass the accomplishments of your mother."
I couldn't see a way out and signed the papers.
" Good luck Ms Chan. We look forward to a profitable future. The driver will take you where you wish to go."
I got up and left the bar. I was only a couple of blocks from the bath house and chose to walk. When I got back to the lot, there were 5 messages on the answer phone, two from customers and three from a Mitch Chen about the video shoot. I picked up the phone and dialed his number. He sounded out of breath when he answered the phone. He wanted to talk about the video shoot. I told him it wasn't happening. He said he knew about what had happened and had a counter offer to make me. Could I meet him at the Purple Dragon Club around 9. I said yes and hung up.

The Purple Dragon club turned out to be a Nightclub, Topless bar and strip joint. It also had an over 21's only entry sign. Since I'd agreed to meet the guy here I couldn't exactly walk away without trying. As I went to open the door, the bouncer reached across in front of me. "Id please Miss"
"But I'm meeting someone inside."
"Sorry Miss, No Id, No entry."
I was about to walk away when the door opened and a figure walked out holding the door open, "Miss Chan, if you'd like to come this way. "
He led me through into the club proper, and to one of the tables on the upper level. "If you need anything just signal one of the waitresses. The first drinks on the house. Have a nice evening. "
As he turned to leave I said, " I'm supposed to be meeting a Mitch Chen. Do you know him.? "
"No. But I can find out if he's here."
He signaled to a waitress and went back the way he'd come. I ordered a rum and coke, and waited. The waitress came back a couple of minutes later with the drink and my members card. I was about to check my watch when I noticed the guy who'd escorted me in, was directing another guy upstairs.
I watched him as he approached. He was about 5'10", of average build, although I doubted he exercised much, with brown hair, and a hint of oriental parentage. He looked nervous.
"Miss Chan. I'm Mitch Chen. Can I get you a drink.?"
"Yes. I'll have a Rum and Coke."
"I hadn't realised you were a member. I've only been up here once before."
"I wasn't till I got here. Now you said you had an offer for me regarding the video shoot."
"Yes. All I've been up to now is a cameraman. I'm looking to move up. I know who Miller was dealing with at the studio and can cut you the same deal."
"How do I know you're not just trying to pull a fast one?"
"I'm not that stupid. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a wheel chair."
"I don't understand what you mean."
"You don't look old enough to be a member here. Yet you walk in and get one. That means you're connected."
"Look I'm not connected. Things just keep happening around me. All I wanted was a nice easy job for the rest of the summer. Now I've got a bike lot to run, a Dojo to run, and a whole lot of shit to deal with. I don't need a wise arse cameraman pissing me about."
"Okay. Okay. Calm down. Do you want to make this video or not."
"Yes. You're prepared to shoot it on my terms."
"If you know what you want then I can shoot it."
" Good, the ad'll run something like this
Opening shot- Wangs lot, me in boots, fishnets, mini-skirt, jacket. Hi i'm Cordelia. Here at Wangs we've everything you need in bikes. From Trail bikes- Scene - I get on bike and wheelie down road into off road shot - to Easy Riders - Scene me on Easy rider hand walkover onto Street bike - to street bike - scene wheelie away - to tourers - scene me arriving back outside Wangs. We've custom jackets - scene I take off jacket and drape over bike - and protective clothing - scene me walking across lot. As I get to door I undo my bra. - we even sell accessories - shot of bra falling to floor, and retreating naked back. End shot Wangs - helmet drops across camera - We even sell helmets - caption required by California State law."
"Ever thought of going into the movie business"
"No. Can you shoot and cut that. I'm also going to need some provocative pictures of me."
"Why. I wouldn't have you down as the type to get into that game."
"I'm not. But if this add works the way I think it will then a few limited edition jackets and helmets with me on should cover my school fees for next year."
"I take it you've worked out where you're going to shoot this?"
"Yes. But I don't know how to arrange getting a mock up of Wangs built there."
"Leave that to me. When do you want to shoot this."
"As soon as possible."
"If you can swing by the studio Monday next week, we'll shoot the stills, you can give me details of the location, and we'll go from there. Nice doing business with you Miss Chan."
He finished his drink and left. As he did so one of the waitresses approached the table. " The gentleman over there wants to buy you a drink. " Her tone was unmistakable. " Tell him I'm not for sale. "
"Everyone's for sale Sugar."
I got to my feet. As I passed her I said "Not everyone. And my price is a lot higher than a cent."