tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61594108246246352472024-03-15T00:00:32.871-04:00 A3WriterA3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comBlogger1446125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-11532968003038594152024-03-15T00:00:00.001-04:002024-03-15T00:00:00.133-04:00F³ Investigative Security 56<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While we
finished up lunch, Nikki sketched out what she had seen.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was
only for a few moments, you understand, and a considerable time ago. At the
time, I believed it to be a simple foreign currency transaction between
members.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They do
that in the club?” I sipped on my iced tea.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nearly
every kind of transaction you can and cannot imagine takes place at that club,
Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“One of the
reasons I’m not a member,” I muttered. I knew she could hear me, but I wanted
my disgust for the place on the record.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Except
that you are, dumpling.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What are
you talking about? Max Auron bought me a membership for a year, but I let it
lapse.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m aware.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re
paying for my membership?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s not
an full membership, merely one associated with me, but yes.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked
up from her drawing, and gave me a wry smile, then returned to the drawing.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right,” I
said. “I shouldn’t have to ask. Just for occasions like this or that proxy vote
you had me give. You’ve been wanting to investigate this club for a long time,
haven’t you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Of course.
Although I confess, I never expected to employ you with your special
investigative focus. I had suspected more typical political and financial
corruption.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Lucky me.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Would it
surprise you to learn that a number of the Club’s upper echelon also employs
investigators.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh no.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You
playing straight with me? You’re not playing around?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She flicked
eyes at me, checking my expression. “This is no jest. What’s the matter?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They could
have people on us, right now.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It is a
possibility, I suppose, but you are the only supernatural investigator in town,
these days.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That
doesn’t mean we’re not being tailed.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I have
upgraded my own personal security a great deal since initially hiring you. My
vehicles are frequently inspected and have countermeasures. My club security is
an invisible fortress, and even places where I enjoy recreation are fortified.
Perhaps you noticed the curtain at this fine establishment?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked at
it. It had colorful depictions of Indian artwork, featuring elephants,
mythological figures, and people against a backdrop of a coppery geometric
pattern.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What—wait.”
I reached out and touched the fabric, thumbing the pattern. It wasn’t ink or
paint. Instead, it was metal, either a wide wire or metal tape.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I had done
enough regular detective work to know some of the toys like wireless bugs,
laser microphones, and just regular shotgun mics. I pulled out my phone. No
bars. “Is this a faraday cage?” I asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki
smiled. “I have invested a significant amount of money safeguarding my
activities since that stalking case.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-64378427946589445972024-03-08T00:00:00.001-05:002024-03-08T00:00:00.242-05:00F³ Uncertainty 55<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki and I
sat in the private dining area of Curry Palace, waiting on our food. I had
never been to this particular restaurant. My experience with Indian food was
limited to lunch buffets. Curry Palace also had a lunch buffet, but Nikki
insisted on dinner, and on the private area.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What did
you discover?” she asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Lamb is
better than chicken,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She rolled
her eyes. “Not about the menu. Besides, you haven’t even sampled the fare
here.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah, but
I was basing it on past experience. Lamb is always more tender and tasty.
Chicken can be a mixed bag.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Our
dilemma, Matthew,” she prompted.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shrugged.
“I’ve got a hunch.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She glared
at me. “You spent two days researching and then another day talking to your
expert, and the best you have is a hunch.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A hunch is
better than a suspicion, not as good as a fact.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The server
came out, dropping off our curries and naan.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She closed
her eyes, then sighed, not that she needed to breathe. “Very well. What is
needed to turn your hunch into a fact?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We need to
search the Club for some of this joss paper money.” I dipped a corner of nann
into the tikka masala gravy and took a bite.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And what,
pray tell, exactly is that?” Nikki moved with meticulous efficiency, spooning
rice to her place, making a well in the center, and then ladling the curry and
meat to its home. Her gravy was blood red, a fact I wouldn’t have latched onto
had it not been for her presence.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s tomato, not blood. You know that.
Focus.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I pulled up
the article with the photos I had cued up on my phone, showing her the
different varieties.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She took
the phone from me, and rapidly read.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I attacked
my curry. My gravy was more orange-ish, the red moderated by the addition of
cream. Long dormant memories of curry were suddenly awakened, and I began to
devour the dish.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Interesting.
This paper is commonly available, so have you not tested it?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I had to
finish chewing and swallow. “The hunch is that whatever turned them into jade
is specific, and we need the money made specifically to get them out.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And the
currency we will need to search out? It will look exactly like what’s
pictured.” She passed the phone back to me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shook my
head. “No, there would have to be differences. . . . Wait, what do you mean
exactly? Have you seen something like this before?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She ate a
delicate forkful of curry, and smiled at me. “I believe I have.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re
certain?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No, but I
have a hunch.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-66678219868900855702024-03-01T17:18:00.001-05:002024-03-01T17:18:00.127-05:00F³ Greenbacks 54<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mei moved
the cookie sheet, joss money, and figurine gently to a wide place on the floor.
I smiled at that. This wouldn’t have been possible except that she had cleaned
up her grandfather’s shop. The lighter sparked a flame and the thin sheet of
incense paper quickly caught. We both stood back, watching the flame slowly
consume the paper underneath the jade figure. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Neither of us knew what to expect.
Magic, despite Hollywood’s insistence, didn’t come with crazy special effects,
musical accompaniment, or usually anything spectacular. In this case, nothing
happened. The last bit of flame died out, leaving gray and black ash smudging
the figure.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It didn’t
work,” Mei said softly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We were
wrong.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Maybe,” I
said. I quickly scrolled back up the page of funeral rites.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What do
you mean?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Different
money,” I said. “The different spirits get different kinds of money.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes,” she
said, holding up different kinds of paper. “That’s why I burned one of each.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right, but
this is a special case. I’m willing to bet that there’s a specific paper just
for these.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She looked
down at the paper she held. “With different printing on them, made from
different materials. . . . jade. Jade!”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Jade Girl
and Golden Boy. It’s in the name of the story!”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked at
the figure, the paper, and then the web page. “Oh, you’re good. That may be
it.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Really?
You think so?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I think
we’re looking for joss paper made from powdered jade and gold leaf.” I thought
about it a second, then chuckled. “Greenbacks.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-37250497019565946562024-02-23T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-23T00:00:00.133-05:00F³ It's Only Money 53<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mei,
despite only claiming to learn about Chinese folklore to bolster sales, was
good at researching and relating the stories. I had a basic grasp on some of
the stories, but Eastern mythology was just fundamentally different from
Western, and it took a while to wrap my brain around it. Literally anything,
and most did, could have a spirit and required a specific ritual to deal with
it. So when Mei pulled up funeral traditions and the burning of joss money, all
I could really do is shrugged. She had to connect the dots for me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s like
paying the debt of people in the afterlife,” she said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was familiar with the concept of
Catholic indulgences, literally buying your soul out of hell and into limbo,
but there was a wrinkle in this for me. “By burning the money?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s not
real money, it’s . . . it’s incense money, specifically made for this.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay, I
guess, but how does that connect to this?” I pointed to the figure.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, Jade
Girl and Golden Boy carvings are meant to watch over people, and in some
stories they’re even servants.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right, we
covered that. The whole ‘take it with you’ idea.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah, but
see, here’s the thing.” She pointed at a picture on the monitor.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was an
example of the joss money, but whereas others showed a picture of a man or were
decorated with metallic foil in gold or silver, this was copper, but stamped
with black ink in the shapes of common household objects: food, clothing,
tools, etc. Underneath the picture was an explanation that these were the daily
essentials of the afterlife.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So Jade
Girl could also be one of these ‘daily essentials’?” I scrolled up, looking
over the other examples of the money, scanning over the captions.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ah ha!”
Mei shouted.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I hadn’t
noticed, but she had ducked under the counter and now stood up with a
cellophane brick. Carefully slitting the end with a box cutter, she slid out a
short stack of paper from the brick. Immediately, I could smell the incense.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Is that
it?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Uh huh.
Gold, silver, and copper joss paper.” She pulled over the cookie sheet that
caught the ashes from the incense sticks. Moving the incense burner off and
transplanting the joss money and the figurine, she pulled a lighter from her
pocket. “Ready to do this?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Um,” I
said. “If this works, that statue is going to turn into a human woman on your
counter.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good
point. Let’s move it to the floor.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-12228201301511730832024-02-16T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-16T00:00:00.146-05:00F³ Deep Dive 52<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This kickstarted
a deep dive. She moved to her computer as I tried to keep up with my phone. Mei
hadn’t been kidding. Lee had taught her about everything in the shop, and she
had done even more research on items on her own because she thought the stories
might help her make sales. And she had done more than digitize the inventory
and sales records of the shop. She had gone so far as to digitize all of Lee’s
old books, allowing her to read through them while he kept the originals for
sale.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She recited
passages in Manadarin and Cantonese back to me, telling me all about the Jade
Girl and Golden Boy folk tales.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You know—”
she began.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I thought
it was Yunu,” I interrupted.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It is. I
was saying you know. As in you know how—”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right,
sorry. Go on.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You know,
I wonder why she has a name, at all.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shrugged.
“A spirit or some other celestial entity. Tons of things have names in Eastern
mythology.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She nodded.
“That’s true, but what if that’s not the case, here. Yunu is described as the
Jade <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girl</i> and there’s the Golden <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Boy</i>. What if they were human to begin
with?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah, we
kind of went over that.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know,
but that was some kind of guardian spirit, but what if it’s more mundane, like,
I don’t know, kings wanting their things.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Something
clicked for me. “Wait, are you talking like Egyptian pharaohs? They get buried
with all their earthly possessions, including servants?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mei’s eyes
lit up. “Yeah, like that! They’re servants, turned into statues so the kings
can have their servants in heaven or something.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So how do
we bring them back? If they’re supposed to serve the person in the afterlife,
there must be a way for them to carryover or something.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We both
frowned, looking at our screens.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Funeral
traditions,” I said, suddenly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You said
it. They watch over the graves and are supposed to serve or otherwise be buried
with the person to help in the afterlife. So we go back to Chinese funeral
traditions to see if there’s a connection.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh! All
right. Oh, there’s a ton of stuff on funeral traditions, though.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ll get
us takeout from upstairs,” I said.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-55524293777972907972024-02-09T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-09T00:00:00.237-05:00F³ Jade Guardians 51<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I laid it
all out for Mei—I had to ask her—without spilling the beans about Nikki being a
vampire or the possibility of other supernaturals at the Fairhaven Club.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So this is
like human trafficking at the next level? Turning women into statues and then
smuggling them over as curios. Then they’re turned back into people?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s as
far as I can piece it together. What I need to know is how to turn them back.
An incantation, a ritual, or maybe some other magic whatsit to undo it all. Was
hoping that your grandpa knew of something. Some weird thing from mythology. I
did a little research on the Jade Emperor, thinking there was a connection.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mei shook
her head. “No, nothing like that is attached to the Jade Emperor. Besides, he’s
a good guy. None of his stories talk about him except as being wise and kind.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah,
that’s what I got, too. Was hoping that there was something missing, though. I
can’t figure the why of any of it. I mean, what’s the point of turning people
into statues? Are they guardians or something, meant to come back alive to
protect something?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was a
random thought, probably inspired by too many watchings of Indiana Jones and
other fantasy movie offerings.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Guardians?”
Mei said. “Wait a second.” She began typing on her phone, then scrolling. “Hey,
here’s something. Yunu, the jade girl. They were carvings over graves to watch
over and guard them. What if they weren’t always carvings? What if they were
real people?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She showed
me her phone, and I began reading.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-29612714085342828582024-02-02T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-02T00:00:00.131-05:00F³ Preceding Reputation 50<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The young
woman let out a low whistle as she leaned in to look at the figure. “She is
gorgeous. The level of detail is amazing. Was this 3d printed? The work is so
intricate, down to the embroidery on her dress. I can’t imagine carving—” she
stopped as she touched it. “Wait, this isn’t plastic. It’s real jade!”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I nodded.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How?
Wait.” She looked at me. “Tortoises. You bought a ton of jade tortoises.
Grandpa told me the story how the jade tortoises, the black tortoise, was used
to stop the Chinese firebird here in Belport! He used to tell that story, a
lot, how a guy bought a bunch of them so the fire department could use the
tortoise on their engines to put out fires in the city. That’s you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I nodded.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She touched
the figurine, gently. “Is this magic?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s
kind of what I need your grandpa for. I think, I’m not certain, though, that
this is a real woman, turned into a jade statue.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her eyes
went wide with horror. “She’s alive? You’re not messing with me, are you?
Grandpa told a lot of wild stories. I thought they were just to fool tourists
into buying stuff.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m sure
some of that’s the case, but with me it was always more than that. Is there
anyway we can contact your grandpa?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She shook
her head. “Like I said, he won’t even do a cordless phone, much less a mobile. But
I really did listen to everything he talked about. If some of it is real . . .”
She trailed off, her eyes back on the figurine.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, I
guess we can try it out. Here’s what I know.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-87286972189771858212024-01-26T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-26T00:00:00.135-05:00F³ Establishing Bona Fides 49<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Um,” I
said, confused. “I’m looking for Han Lee.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, this
is the place. This is Han Lee’s, shop.” The young woman beamed a
customer-service smile.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s
changed since I was here last. Is Lee here?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her smile
slipped and her eyebrow questioned me. “Why do you want Grandpa?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One of his granddaughters. Thought he said
none of them were interested in running the shop.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know
him. I’m Matt Allen. Wanted to ask him about some things.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her smile
completely disappeared. “Ask about what things? Grandpa’s not in some kind of
trouble, is he? I won’t answer any questions without a lawyer.” She pulled out
her phone.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I held up
my hands defensively. “Whoa. I’m not a cop. I’m a PI. Your grandpa has helped
me on cases, before. I’m Matt Allen.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What’d you
buy?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’d have
to buy something for Grandpa to help you out. So what’d you buy?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I searched
my memory. “Jade tortoises, a bunch of them. A bronze gong. Some beads. Silk
cloth. Some other things over the years. I’m sure he wouldn’t have talked about
them.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No, he
didn’t, but I’ve got all of the shop’s records I can search through?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wait, Lee
digitized everything?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No, I did.
Grandpa is still afraid of cordless phones, much less mobile phones and cloud
computing.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That fits.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hmm. Okay,
I can see that you have made purchases.” She scrolled through her phone.
“Pretty random stuff, and you only come in rarely. Would it kill you to be a
more regular customer?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m a bit
far away to be a regular. Usually only need his expertise rarely. Is he here?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Expertise?
On souvenirs? That’s weird, man. No. He’s not here. He went back to China.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Permanently?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
shrugged. “Maybe. He is pretty old. At least a year, though.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, well.
Okay. Thanks.” I turned to leave.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?
That’s it? Thought you had some case and needed answers.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I do.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So, ask. I
know about everything in this shop.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Everything?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Everything.
Grandpa wouldn’t agree to me running the shop until I knew everything. I had to
sit through and listen to him drone on until I could repeat it back to him.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay, but
I don’t have questions about items in the shop. I need to know about Chinese
mythology and this.” I pulled the jade figurine from my coat and unwrapped the
cloth carefully.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-65567653111855126532024-01-19T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-19T00:00:00.150-05:00F³ Not The Guy 48<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Shadow
Valley was a warren of tangled streets that made the Grind look navigable.
While the Grind came from the Hooverville shanties during the Depression,
Shadow Valley’s knots of streets arose from the various immigrant communities
setting up their own places since they were forced to live outside of the towns
where they worked in factories.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Modern GPS
systems didn’t know any straightforward way to get to a destination, insisting
on dozens of turns in what it thought was the most direct route, but over the
last few years, I had learned a shortcut that worked off of three streets,
based on landmarks rather than street signs, which had a habit of disappearing.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The smells
of the Golden Peach restaurant called to me. I almost always stopped for some
food before I came here, but it was already late, and Han Lee kept irregular
hours in his shop. Instead, I went down some steps to the basement of the
building and entered the shop.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
getting all the way in, I froze. A waving cat statue greeted me. Bright
overhead lighting banished all shadows, and instead of the chaos of shelves and
counters that resembled the streets above, the place was completely organized. It
looked like a dozen other souvenir shops I had passed on the way here.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Welcome to
Lee’s Cruios,” a woman’s voice said as I came in. “Something I can help you
find?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I turned to
the woman, who was in her twenties, wearing a Chinese-style dress in green
silk.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That was
not the guy.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-91057978672785521922024-01-12T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-12T00:00:00.145-05:00F³ Punny Business 47<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For a
vampire, who was hundreds of years old, Nikki displayed uncommon impatience
over the next few days. She virtually clung to me as I spent time online
researching. I also ended up sending Jen and Jessie to DeGradi’s library to
look up some of their more obscure folklore collection, particularly from the
Far East collections. It turned out that Nikki didn’t care to piece together
fragments of folk texts and apply them to real-life.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“ ‘Jade is
a semi-precious gemstone, highly regarded in Asian cultures and certain North
American Native American tribes due to the large deposits of jade found in
British Columbia, The Yukon Territory, and parts of Alaska.’” She read. “Why
are you looking up the geology of this substance, Matthew?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Because I
never know,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Never know
what?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I warn you
I am in no mood for word games.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After three
days of this kind of questioning, I as in a mood, too. “Tough,” I said.
“Research doesn’t move in straight lines. There’s no old man nor a book with
all the answers. I piece all of this together. This is detective work.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I expected
more searching for clues.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We’ve got
a lot of clues. We don’t have a lot of information about them. I need to know
more about this stuff before I can make an educated guess before I pump my guy
for information.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Guy? This
is the first time you’ve mentioned a guy. Some magician, perhaps? Or maybe
Tony?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Tony’s
long gone, Not coming back as far as I know.” It would have been nice if he
would come back. He probably had the raw power to undo the enchantment, or at
least be able to pinpoint what did it. “And my guy is more a con artist than a
magician.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This does
not inspire me with confidence, Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ha! Good
one,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She frowned
at me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Confidence,”
I grinned. “Con artist.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She rolled
her eyes. “I was not making a pun.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s too
bad.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-5701376293539587672024-01-05T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-05T00:00:00.126-05:00F³ The Business 46<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We left
Parker as he was calling the 24/7 hotline number on the card.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How did
you get a card from Customs and Border Control?” Nikki asked as we climbed into
her car. “And why?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I wanted to
play it as the cool detective who knows his business, but it was Nikki. She
would almost certainly laugh or give me a flat look. “I’ve had a few cases
dealing with smuggled items, before.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So you
know this Colleen Fenton. Won’t she recognize you by description?” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Parker would certainly describe
Nikki and me, particularly Nikki. It wouldn’t really do to get identified by
the a border control agent. It was possible, if not likely, that someone at the
Club had paid some of those agents off. Even if that wasn’t the case, it
represented a loose end, a connection to us when we wanted anonymity.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Never met her before,” I smiled. “Customs
and Border Control sounds imposing, but it’s not the FBI. Regular people have
to deal with them all the time, so people are constantly wandering in their
offices. I picked cards from a few desks to have on hand, and to call with a
question so I can bypass the switchboard.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You are
quite a rogue at times, Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s my
business.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-54767117849013871872023-12-29T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-29T00:00:00.134-05:00F³ Bureaucracy to The Rescue 45<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I drove us
back to the dockmaster’s office. Before going in, I pulled out to figures from
the crate, wrapped them in a blanket I kept in the car, and stashed the bundle
under my seat. To help sell things, I put on a pair of nitrile gloves. Nikki
held out her hands for a pair as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why
not? If it works for me, then both of us will be twice as convincing.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Then I pulled the crate out and
took it into the dockmaster’s office with us. Parker was still there; Belport,
like a lot of ports, operate 24/7. His shift wouldn’t end for a couple of more
hours, which was probably perfect for what I wanted to do.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His head
swiveled towards us before going back to his computer screen. “Oh, it’s you two
again. Did you find what you were looking for?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No,” I
said. “We found much more, and much worse.” I carefully set the crate on his
desk, pushing his coffee mug precariously close to the edge of the desk.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What’s
that?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I reached
in and pulled out another figure, putting it in front of his mouse. “A problem.
These are almost certainly smuggled, and I’ve got a hunch they’re antiques.
Container’s full of these crates.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”
Parker’s eyes came off the screen and looked at the figure, then the crate.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Does it
look like we’re in a jesting mood, Parker?” Nikki deadpanned.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Way to sell bad cop. She’s almost too good.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Listen,
Parker. I don’t think you knew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I didn’t
know! Do you know how much comes through here? Sure, we’re not Portland or
L.A., but we get—”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I raised my
hands. “Easy. Easy. Like I said, I don’t think you knew. But this is some grade
A serious guano. It’s gotta go up the chain. If we do that, eyes are going to
fall on you and this office. Big time.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m not
convinced it shouldn’t,” Nikki glared.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No, he was
straight with us, pointed us right to them. He didn’t know, and I’d hate for
his job and pension to be at risk for something like this.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Parker’s
eyes darted from Nikki to me, and he began to look horrified. “I didn’t know!”
he yelled.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right.
That’s what I’m saying,” I tried to reassure him. “So you’re going to be the
one to run this up the chain.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?” he
seemed genuinely confused. I guessed Nikki was doing more than just pulling off
bad copy, but adding her mojo to the mix.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Here,” I
handed him a card for US Customs and Border Protection. “You call it in. Ask
for her. And just do what you would do if you found something suspicious. In
fact, you did. You found this,” I pointed to the crate, “and that,” I pointed
to the figure, “outside the container number you gave us. Tell it like it is.
These look like smuggled artifacts.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I call it
in, and I’m the hero?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, it
might get a little uncomfortable, but it goes a long way in your favor if you
do. If we call it in, well, they’re going to look at you for a long time.
Because they’re going to ask, ‘Why didn’t Parker call us?’ Better this way.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Better
this way. Okay. Okay.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I pointed
to the number on the card.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-12787548702480449262023-12-22T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-22T00:00:00.132-05:00F³ What Now 44<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The holy
water formed a small puddle around the jade figure; I returned the figure to
the safety of the crate, not trusting it not to get knocked over.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What else
can you try, Matthew?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shook my
head. “I need to do research. It could be a spell or another artifact that
frees them. There’s no way to know. This came from China, and the jade is kind
of a big indicator that Chinese mythology is somehow involved. I’ve had a
little dealing with that before, so I can do some research, but there are no
guarantees, Nikki.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“There
never are in life. Now, we must move these containers.” She closed the door and
relocked it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Move them?
Where? How?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We cannot
let our adversaries keep their prize, Matthew, while you discover how to
restore them to humanity.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I didn’t
say no, I just asked about he where and how.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“My club
has loading docks,” she smiled. “By incentivizing the right workers, it shouldn’t
take long to relocate them all beyond the reach of those from the club.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She started
walking to the car.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t you
think they’ll figure that out pretty quickly?” I picked up the lone crate and
quick-walked—carefully—to catch up. “I mean, you’d need some unknown warehouse
or something to move them all to, and then you’re leaving a lot of loose ends
to follow up on. This isn’t the kind of operation you slap together last
minute.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She slowed
her pace as we got to the car. “True. I could arrange for everything we need,
but it would take days, maybe even weeks. Perhaps a temporary relocation while
I arrange something more permanent and untraceable.” She tapped a finger to her
lips, thinking.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I set the
crate in the back seat, then put the seatbelt on it for good measure.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Maybe, but
there could be a better, an easier way to stop them from getting all this.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Bureaucracy,”
I grinned.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-34340461566595239312023-12-15T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-15T00:00:00.358-05:00F³ Longshot 43<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I pushed the scrambling, panicked
thoughts behind a wall to be dealt with later. I took inventory. Outside the
container, it was full dark, now, only tall light poles and building
floodlights gave any light. The air was saturated; the gentle, almost
nonexistent rain dampened everything and left it with a wet sheen. I smelled
roses. Nikki almost always smelled like roses, but it was subtle, like petals
folded in her clothing instead of a sharp perfume. On top of that, I smelled
the musty, industrial scent of the docks and salt water.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I felt my breathing become more
regular as the panic and shock subsided.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki relaxed her hug, then looked
into my eyes. She didn’t say anything, but she nodded.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I nodded back.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“How do we free them?” she asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The question gave my mind a new
direction, and was even better than any kind of calming exercise. I searched my
memory. Clearly, this was some kind of magic at work. While I didn’t know
everything there was to know about magic, it followed some rules, and there
were some things that I could try.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I went back into the container.
Almost immediately, I felt the panic rise, just being near all of those souls
imprisoned. I picked up the crate I had been sorting through, and carefully
hauled it outside. I withdrew one of the figures and set it carefully on the
ground. From inside my jacket, I pulled my flask. This was a longshot, at best,
but it was the only shot I had at helping them on the spot. Instead of scotch
or other liquor, I kept holy water. I poured the hole thing out on top of the
figure and waited. Nikki watched from afar, checking her steps when she saw me
pull out the flask. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nothing happened.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.</i></p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-91679137602145036102023-12-08T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-08T00:00:00.129-05:00F³ Shock 42<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
realization popped something in my brain. I felt detached. Numb. And thoughts
began racing about the implications.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So many crates. So many people. Trapped.
Sold as what? Slavery? Cattle to be slaughtered and eaten? Worse?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The noise came
from outside of me, but I couldn’t locate it. My eyes darted around, looking
down at the figure in my hands, at the others on the floor, at the crate in
front of me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Put it
back in the crate, Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki. That was Nikki’s voice.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She was
right. I tried to put the figure back in the crate, but my arms and hands
didn’t obey. Still felt disconnected.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh, God!”
said a new voice. No, that was my voice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki was
suddenly in front of me, her hands gently taking the figure from mine. As soon
as my hands were empty, they began to tremble, even when I clenched them into
fists.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hundreds. No, thousands of people.
Imprisoned. Yet still alive. Are they aware? Do they know what’s going on
around them?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I watched,
still detached, as Nikki carefully placed figures back in the crate, layering
the shredded material so that they were protected.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">She took my face in her hands.
“Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I felt something warm drape itself
over me folding over me like a blanket on a cold morning. It wanted to ease my
panic, but instead it felt smothering, and my panic rose. I thrashed, throwing
Nikki back. The warmth disappeared, and I lurched into a stumbling run to get
out of the container. I got three steps out when something seized me and hauled
me around.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki’s arms encircled me, holding
me close. “Shh, Matthew. You’re safe. You are not alone. I am here.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The panic wavered, and I hugged her
back.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Part of my brain got back in the
driver’s seat.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calm.
Breathe. Focus on breathing. Push the thoughts away. Gather senses. Know where
you are.</i></p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-74129277678644664802023-12-01T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-01T00:00:00.135-05:00F³ Eye for Detail 41<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I looked all over the crate.
“There’s no label, no bill of lading. Completely unmarked. Clearly, these
figures are being smuggled in, but are they worth that much?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I pulled one of the figures over
again, and began to really inspect it. The jade was perfectly polished. It
didn’t seem like it was that old. I couldn’t explain it, but old things felt
old. Just walking among things in a museum, I could feel the age of some of the
exhibits, but I wasn’t getting that feeling from these figures. I used my
phone’s camera to zoom in on the details.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The phone wasn’t as good as my
Nikon, but it worked in a pinch, bringing up details I didn’t notice before,
such as the nose, which looked fully sculpted instead of just a bump on the face.
There were even two dimples for the nostrils. The eyes also looked very
realistic, and carved with exquisite precision. The eyes were wide, and mouth
open. If I had to guess, the woman looked afraid, aided by her pose with her
arms close together. I set it aside.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The next figure had the same
exquisite facial details, but instead of a huddled pose, she stood rigidly. She
wore a Chinese style dress, so detailed that the flowers climbing up one side
of the dress had been carved in—no, they were carved out, raised above the
dress itself like embroidery would be.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s
no way this could be carved by hand. Was it done with some sort of machine?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I had heard of computer-controlled
tools that were supposedly ultraprecise. I didn’t know anything about them, though.
Clearly, though, these were not ancient carvings. No ancient hand tool could
produce this level of detail.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I set it aside and picked up
another one.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Do you hear that?” Nikki
whispered.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I listened intently, then shook my
head. “No,” I whispered back. “What do you hear?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">She held up a hand, concentrating.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I went back to my own figure. This
one looked in more of a fun pose. She stood on tiptoe with one foot while the
other leg lifted up revealing a lot of thigh where her skirt rose. She had on a
big smile, but something was off. Her eyes didn’t share in the same joy that
her smile suggested. I used the phone again to zoom in close. The eye was very
detailed, but didn’t share the smile. Instead, it felt forced. There was
something in the corner of her eye, too. I thought it might be an imperfection.
I rubbed a finger over it, feeling it raised up slightly. Whatever it was, it
was too small for the camera to make out clearly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“I think . . . I think it’s. . . .”
Nikki trailed off, her ear to the figure.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">It all clicked, then.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“A heartbeat,” Nikki breathed.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">All of the details, the poses, and
the expressions. These were real people. What I thought was an imperfection on
the last was a single tear, about to roll down her cheek, frozen in jade.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-74948577051988625252023-11-24T00:00:00.001-05:002023-11-24T00:00:00.130-05:00F³ Faulty Calculation 40<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Inside the
container, we used flashlights to look around. Instead of an open container
with crates shoved in, they were all stored very neatly on racks with cargo
nets preventing them from slipping off. What surprised me was that the crates
were all very small. I expected a smuggling operation to be for a wide range of
things, but these were no bigger than a large milk crate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I undid the
net and slid one of the crates out. It was heavy. I used a prying tool on my
Leatherman to inch the nails and boards up. Nikki, out of patience, simply
ripped the board away. Inside was shredded packing material. It took a little
rummaging, and I came up with a small, carved figurine. In the light, it looked
like jade. A woman carved in jade, maybe six inches tall. I passed it over to
Nikki.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Mean
something to you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
inspected it, turning it over slowly in her hands. “No, nothing in my
recollection.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I kept
rummaging, and pulled out another figurine. Another woman, but not a copy. They
were clearly different. The pose, hair length, and clothing were unique. I set
it aside, and rummaged down in the bottom. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki set her figure down with the
one I had placed, and then walked deeper into the container. “The crates are
identical. Are they all jade figures?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Beats me. That’s an awful lot of
jade. Be worth a lot, especially if they are antiques.” I felt around for
something different, but instead my fingers brushed up against more smooth,
polished stone.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki ripped open another crate,
and began rummaging herself. “Figures in this one as well. This doesn’t make
sense, Matthew. Money is not the object, here. Power.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Money can get a lot of power,
these days,” I said. I went ahead and pulled out each figure and set it aside.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“To a limit,” she said, and ripped
open another crate. “Still more figures. This is most puzzling.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">After ten figures, my crate was
nothing but the shredded material. “There’s no false bottom, nothing else
stashed in them besides the packing material. Unless they’re hiding one crate
in particular with something special, this is what they’re bringing in.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“It is possible, but to tear open
all of the crates to find the one important one, and what if it was already
delivered, previously? Yet this seems to be a lot of effort to smuggle in
something alongside other contraband.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">She had a point. The cost to bring
all of this over, the bribes to keep it all hidden, couldn’t be more than the
value of what was smuggled. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s
not adding up. Which means we’re missing something.</i></p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-24883678910283757382023-11-17T00:00:00.001-05:002023-11-17T00:00:00.153-05:00F³ Subtle Touch 39<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Really,
Matthew. I could have persuaded Parker to open this for us, or I could easily
break the lock.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
locksmithing videos always made the job look so easily, especially that one guy
who could open just about anything in under three minutes. I didn’t have nearly
his skill, especially at holding the padlock and turning tool with the same
hand. I also hadn’t developed the feel with the pick that he had. I would have
preferred the easy way of using padlock shims, but they had sprun for high
quality padlocks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The
point—” I said tightly, my concentration still on the lock. “The point is to
not leave a trail. We don’t want anyone knowing we were in here.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Parker
showed us everything.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah, but
that’s just information. We don’t want any proof that we were in here. You
snapping the padlock is clear proof of tampering, as is his opening it for us.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I felt a
click from the pick. It felt set. I moved back to the beginning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I could
easily have made him forget.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I paused.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How do you
do that?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Merely by
asking, Matthew. Really, it shouldn’t surprise you. Hypnotists have long done
it as a parlor trick. A relaxed state, suggestibility. It’s far easier to get
people to forget than to remember.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hmm.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Is that
concern in your voice? Perhaps I have made you forget some things?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I didn’t
want to answer her. She’d almost certainly here it in my voice. I knew she
could make people do what she wanted, but making people forget hadn’t crossed
my mind. In fact, it opened up a whole new set of possibilities that I needed
to look into.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But not right now.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I picked
the next pin, and the tension bar moved.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I got it.
Just needed a subtle touch.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Quite so,”
Nikki smirked. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Yeah, I could hear the smirk. It
sent a shiver down my spine.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-33256028961966088772023-11-10T00:00:00.001-05:002023-11-10T00:00:00.145-05:00F³ Nods 38<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki made short work of talking to
the respective dock masters. While I was confident a fake ID, clipboard, and
tablet with a spreadsheet might do the trick, it always took some fast talking
to keep them from calling a boss. With Nikki using her will on them, it was
instant cooperation. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Now that I thought of it, the idea
should have been making my skin crawl. When did I reach the point that I was
okay with a vampire clamping down on the will of others in order to get answers?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I wanted to believe it was for a
good cause, but that was the kind of "ends justifies the means"
thinking that almost always led down a certain path of good intentions. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">"Here's the info you're
looking for, ma'am," Parker, the fourth dock master we had come to pointed
to a line on the screen, indicating the truck number we had given. I followed
the line across to the container number, and the ship it had come from, The
Heaven's Barge, which was the translation of the Chinese name which preceded
it. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">China made sense; it would be rife
with artifacts that could be smuggled. Though the government was communist,
many of its citizens had thoroughly embraced corrupt capitalism. Hong Kong and
Macau made for two of the biggest smuggling ports in the world. Singapore
probably beat them out, and. . . . Well, what do you know, the row of the
spreadsheet listed Singapore and Hong Kong as ports. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">"Is the ship still here?"
I asked. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Parker clicked the mouse a few
times, then nodded. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">"What about the container that
the truck was loaded from? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">More clicks. A nod. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">"Is that container alone or
part of a group?"</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Click, click. “Hmm, yes. Looks like
4 containers.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Any more deliveries to this
address?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I supplied him the address of the
Fairhaven Club’s loading docks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">He opened another window in the
software and searched. A list of scheduled deliveries popped up over the course
of a few weeks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked
over to Nikki standing in the doorway. I nodded.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She nodded.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-48403291633231119102023-11-03T00:00:00.001-04:002023-11-03T00:00:00.141-04:00F³ Nerd Nobility 37<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki
dressed in all black and ditched her heels for more practical boots. I didn’t
expect we would have a situation that went out of control. After all, she was
just going to make everyone nice and docile using her vampire mojo while I sat
in the background. I didn’t normally like when she did that, but there was a
certain expediency to it, namely in getting info without causing any kind of
big brouhaha. I certainly had ways of getting the info using normal
surveillance and discrete questioning, but that would take time, and Nikki was
already testy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">This way, we could allow the people
who were just doing their jobs like the guys at the hangar and didn’t know of
anything illegal could just get out of the way. Okay, so the guys at the hangar
were technically sidestepping customs and FDA regulations regarding foods, but I
didn’t care about that. Fancy people want to blow all their cash on potentially
tainted food, fine by me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“What is the plan?” Nikki asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“I have a plan?” I asked, not
taking my eyes off the road.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Matthew, do not be tiresome. I’m
sure that even before my arrival you had worked out a method to track down our
objective.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Yeah, but if I just do it, I look
cool and knowledgeable,” I grinned. “If I explain it, I sound geeky and nerdy.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Let me assure you, your encyclopedic
knowledge of hard-boiled detective books and film, coupled with mythology and
folklore secure you a permanent position of geek and nerd nobility, if not part
of the royal court.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I snuck a glance her way.
Completely stone-faced. Not even a hint of mirth or irony.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“You really know how to hurt a guy.
Okay. Just remember, you asked for it.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I steered us onto the westbound
loop, headed straight for Shoreward.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“So, I downloaded the harbor
schedule going back a few days. It’s a matter of public record which ships
arrive in port and at what times. Also, some of these ships, as big and loaded
as they are, can take days to offload all their containers, even going 24/7.
So, our job is to go and contact the dockmasters of each dock that had a ship
during that time. The delivery yesterday was at four, so we know any ship that
arrived after that time is off the list. We talk to the dockmasters, giving
them the truck and trailer numbers, and they look up the info for us. The one
that has the info is the dock and ship we need. Then we can proceed to ask
drivers and ship’s crew for more information. There’s every chance they’re
innocent as well, but there’s also a good possibility of more shipments to be
taken over.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“I would expect as such if they
took the trouble to bring ships across the Pacific. Perhaps different people
ordering from the same vendor?” Nikki suggested.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“You’re pretty nerdy about this,
too,” I smirked.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-64125467317468709882023-10-27T00:00:00.001-04:002023-10-27T00:00:00.146-04:00F³ Wrong Venue 36<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki came
in a Jaguar, a car I had always thought about wanting to drive, but there was
no way on what I made. And while I was sure she would let me take the wheel,
tonight, it was also the completely wrong car.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What’s
this?” I asked, after opening the door. Or rather, I would have if my jaw
hadn’t dropped at seeing her in a rhinestone-studded gown.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I should
ask the same. Where is your tuxedo?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I squeezed
my eyes shut to keep from rolling them. “Okay, clearly we’re miscommunicating
on this. You think we should go back to the Club, presumably to search for
whatever was dropped off.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Correct,”
she nodded.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her hair
was perfectly style in long curls, and they bounced with unnatural springiness
at her nod.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You know,
I would love to do that, and especially I would love to dance with you dolled
up like that, but that’s not the play.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">She compressed her lips to f a flat
line that demanded explanation.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Right, so,
we’d have to break into storage units or you’d have to find out who stashed
what where in order to find out who got what and what’s in it. That’s a lot of
haystacks for a few needles. If they got a shipment of something exotic from
overseas, it likely came from the docks.” I pulled out my phone. “I’ve got a
list of the ships that made port this week. We can check their docks and find
the truck. If we’re lucky, we can even question the driver, and maybe even see
what else the ship might be carrying. There’s a good chance that there will be
other shipments off those boats that go to the club.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I shall
need to change.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ll
watch,” I quipped, grinning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now she
smirked. “We both know that I have invited you to do so before, but you adhere
to some strange chivalric code that your detective heroes did not. But I
encourage you to do so.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One of these days I’m going to learn not to
spar with her like that.</i></p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-19106032756593810842023-10-20T00:00:00.001-04:002023-10-20T00:00:00.137-04:00F³ Optimal Recognition 35<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was back
to more surveillance. A couple of weeks went by as I tracked vehicles, but
nothing tripped any alerts. I was beginning to feel stretched out by having to
comb through so much footage, even at fast forward. Plus, life just went on. I
had other cases to take in order to keep paying the bills and not go insane by
focusing exclusively on Nikki’s stuff.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Finally, at
about three pm on Wednesday, a semi-truck arrived. It was a completely plain
truck, only marked by looking like the old-school Optimus Prime flat-faced cab.
But those style of trucks weren’t popular much, anymore. It might be enough.
Oh, and the truck decal number emblazoned on the cab and trailer. I sure didn’t
have Department of Transportation record privileges, but I didn’t need them in
order to match up the numbers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I took
screenshots and forwarded them to Nikki.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She texted
me back, right away. ‘Tonight, midnight.’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Really?
Cliché much? Some of us aren’t immortal vampires and need sleep.’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘We dare
not wait for the trail to go cold. Must move on this.’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Sure, but
you know, maybe we could do it much earlier? How about 8? ;P’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘I’m not
sure I approve of you using emojis, Matthew. It lacks a certain sophistication,
or at least an old-school charm, which you’ve come to represent.’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Cassie’s a
bad influence. At least I’m not shortening words to a single syllable.’</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Quite.’</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-65126361799540998042023-10-13T18:09:00.001-04:002023-10-13T18:09:00.139-04:00F³ Goose Chase 34<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Martin
handed me the printouts. I asked to see pictures of the cargo crates, which
were non-descript, refrigerated cases. The units plugged into the plane’s power
to refrigerate the contents, and were all locked. Next, I checked the bills of
lading, which were also pretty sanitized of any real clue of what was inside.
Any kind of chemical, dangerous item, or perishable that would have red-flagged
customs was omitted from the description.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You got a
blank client contract?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Martin
shrugged, then nodded, calling up a pdf file.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Print it,
please.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I started
skimming each page as it came off the printer. While I didn’t have the legal
training, contracts were helpfully labeled by section, and I finally found what
I wanted, the language about dangerous cargo. Quite clearly, the company
wouldn’t transport anything that might be considered dangerous with regards to
risk of explosion, toxic exposure, or other kind of hazardous material, nor
would they transport living cargo. And that left only the most probable thing a
bunch of snobby rich people could want from Europe.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We’re all
done,” I told Martin. “Thanks.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki
opened the office door, looking decidedly unhappy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki and I
got back in the car, where she finally let it out. “Foie gras,” she seethed.
“Caviar, unpasteurized milk and cheese, and other rare and exotic foods.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah,
afraid so,” I said. “It’s been a real wild goose chase. Or maybe duck.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Despite how
bad the joke was, Nikki’s lips quirked, fighting the smile. “That was terrible,
Matthew.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know,
but sometimes that’s all we’re left with after chasing a lead. How about some
dinner?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, but
we shall not be having French.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Fine by
me.”</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-63126344222988163312023-10-06T00:00:00.003-04:002023-10-06T00:00:00.138-04:00F³ Unexpected Cargo 33<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">We followed the guy in, where a
couple of other guys poked their head around pallets of crates they were
sweeping around.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We may
need to speak to your crew, too,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nikki gave
me the side-eye. “Just a few questions,” she added, “nothing time consuming.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Russ,
Javier,” he beckoned them with the tablet. “These officials have a few
questions for you about recent delivery to the Fairhaven Club. Hey, while
you’re asking them, can I look up the files on the computer for you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I glanced
at Nikki. I wasn’t sure how well her trick with wrapping a person up in her
will worked on people away from her. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">She nodded to the man. “That will
be fine.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“I’ll lend you a hand,” I said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I followed Martin—I finally just
asked for his name and gave mine as Jimmy Freeman, what was already listed on
my inspector ID—into the office. Barely more than a closet, it was clear the
space was just for one person to do computer work and not for any kind of
meetings, unless it was by phone.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Martin started clicking and typing
away, searching for deliveries by address, in this case, the Fairhaven Club. Up
came a list as long as my arm. The originating address came from about a dozen
places spread across European countries and Canada. The address didn’t come
with any business names for the originating address, but the client account
that paid for shipping was there. Unfortunately, there were a couple of dozen
of those, as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Can you print these for me?” I
asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">He nodded, then clicked on the
options.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I’d be able to chase down the names
of businesses later.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">As the printer whirred, something
stood out to me on the screen. “This column, what does R mean?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“That column’s for special handling
instructions. You know, fragile, any possible dangerous warnings. The R means
refrigerated?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I looked down the list. Every
shipment to the Fairhaven Club was refrigerated.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Huh,” I said.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159410824624635247.post-30903058084342640082023-09-29T00:00:00.001-04:002023-09-29T00:00:00.139-04:00F³ Methods of Approach 32<p> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We pulled
up to the cargo company’s hangar as the sun threatened to dip into the bay. Not
quite twilight, it was close enough given the shade the hangar provided. Nikki
and I got out of her car and strolled up to the building. They weren’t closed,
yet, but looked to be going that route. One man marked our approach, tucked his
tablet computer against his leg and walked to meet us while sizing us up.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was in my
normal clothes. Shirt and tie and leather jacket. Some—Nikki—might criticize
the look, but the leather jacket repelled the ample rain Belport was known for,
so I didn’t care. Nikki was in a pinstripe skirt suit, looking like she should
be an executive in a Midtown Manhattan high rise. Her confident stride in those
heels ate up the tarmac as she closed the distance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Can I help
you?” the man asked. He wore a red polo with the company name on it. A little
grey in his dark hair and full beard put him in his 40s, and in decent shape
for his age.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nikki came inside the man’s
personal space. She showed him a picture on her phone, captured from the night
vision camera showing the truck delivering to the Fairhaven Club. “I’m an
official person. It’s in your best interest to cooperate with my request. You
make deliveries to the Fairhaven Club. I want to know how often and what’s in
them.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">For a moment the man frowned and
his brow furrowed, looking like he was about to tell Nikki to go away, but then
his expression softened. “Right now? Sure, I guess. Wish you people would call
ahead for this stuff, maybe come earlier when we’re not closing up?” He turned
away, beckoning us to follow. “Oh well, come on.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Much easier and faster than your
approach,” Nikki whispered to me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I rolled my eyes. I guess I would
have to use my inspector ID another time.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">“Show-off,” I whispered.</p>
A3Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16798698147826674020noreply@blogger.com