Chapter 10

Bai planned to simply have a drink at the Grand Hotel and fulfill her obligation to Elizabeth. She didn’t feel the need to dress up for her date. An outfit of black slacks and her black leather jacket over a white, pleated tuxedo-style shirt worked as a compromise between dressy and casual. She wore black pumps as a concession to femininity, while minimal lip gloss and a brush of mascara emphasized her lips and eyes.

As she stepped out of the elevator on the twentieth floor and into the lounge foyer, she noticed four Asian men in black suits wearing earbuds. Everything about the men suggested they were private security. She nodded to them as they made eye contact with her. They bowed slightly before she turned to walk into the lounge.

Howard Kwan sat on the far side of the room at a window table with a view of the brightly lit Bay Bridge. She recognized him from photos she’d researched online. Except for Howard and the staff, who stood idly by, the lounge appeared unoccupied. Music played softly in the background.

She walked up to stand before the table. “Howard Kwan?”

Looking up, he turned to study her. He subtly nodded his head to acknowledge her without offering her the courtesy of standing.

She forced a smile. “I’m Bai Jiang.

He waved his hand wordlessly for her to be seated. Handsome in a soft way, he had a straight nose, calculating eyes, and sculpted cheekbones that framed pouty lips formed into a disapproving frown. Long hair with bangs trimmed asymmetrically finished a look popular among chic Asian males.

He studied her from across the table as she settled into a seat facing him.

When he spoke his voice sounded flat. “You’re old. Since I believe in being honest, I’m only stating a fact. I’m rich. That is also a fact.”

Her smile fought to stay in place. She assumed his words were intended to aggravate her. “Don’t forget ‘rude,’ as long as we’re being honest. You’re rude. And my age is something you’d best not mention again. If you do, I’ll hurt you. That is also a fact.”

She waved the cocktail waitress over and ordered a Macallan’s, neat. When the waitress left to fill her order, Bai turned back to face him. “How old, may I ask, are you?”

“Thirty.”

“That makes us the same age.”

“Thirty is young for a man.”

“Younger for some than others,” she observed. “From your behavior, I can only assume you’re even less enthusiastic about being here than I am. Since that’s the case, why don’t we have a quiet drink, let our respective elders know we’re not a match, and part amicably. If you keep talking, I fear you’ll succeed in making me angry.”

Her drink arrived. She sipped while guardedly ignoring the man across the table. Mercifully, he didn’t feel the need to entertain her. The knots in her shoulders and back slowly relaxed as the scotch mellowed her.

“Are you gay?” he asked. “I’m only asking because of the way you dress. And your hair. It’s perfectly all right if you are gay. My masculinity doesn’t feel threatened or anything.”

She no longer felt the need to smile. “It’s been my experience when a man confides his masculinity is not threatened, it generally is. As to whether or not I’m gay, I hadn’t been up until this moment. Meeting you has given me a reason to reconsider.”

He smiled. “You’re very direct. I’m not accustomed to that. Most women tell me what I want to hear. My family has lots of money, an economic fact with a tendency to make the women I encounter meek. But you’re different. I’m trying to decide if I like that.”

“Don’t bother deciding. You’re not my type. I’m not interested.”

“What is your type?”

“Men who aren’t afraid of their mothers.”

“What makes you think I’m afraid of my mother?”

“You’re here, and you don’t want to be.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. I made a special effort to be here.”

She waved his comment aside. “I’m still not interested.”

“Older women can’t be choosy.”

“I thought we agreed not to mention my age.”

“Thirty isn’t young.”

“For a woman, you mean.”

Distracted, he looked up. She turned aside to find Michael Chin in a waiter’s uniform standing next to her. A short-waisted, black coat showed off his broad shoulders and narrow hips.

He smiled down at her. “Hello, Bai. Can I get you anything? A cab, perhaps?” He eyed her date speculatively and smiled. “I hope I’m not intruding.”

She had difficulty hiding her amusement. “I’m fine, Michael. Thanks for your concern. You look good in a uniform.”

“Thanks. You look terrific too. I’ll be sure to call. I really can’t wait,” he said, and turned away, his smile vanishing as he nodded curtly at Howard before walking away.

Howard pursed his lips and stared at her. “What is it he can’t wait for?”

“I promised him a date.”

He seemed to ponder the prospect. “Is it too late for me to apologize?”

“Yes.”

“I feared as much. As long as we’re here, would you like to hear about me?”

She folded her hands under her chin and blinked at him. “What better way is there to pass the time than to sit and listen to you talk about you?”

“See . . . that’s what I mean. That’s not at all what I expect from a woman. But coming from you, it’s attractive.”

“I’m trying to determine whether you’re remarkably dense or just droll. I’m leaning toward dense, but the biographical material I found on the Internet tells me you’re not.”

“What did you find? I’m curious.”

“You’re the third son of Kwan Industries. Most of your family’s operations are in textiles, but you also have a finger in the emerging pharmaceutical industry in China as well as high-tech startups. At a very young thirty, you have a bachelor’s in computer engineering from Harvard and a doctorate in applied medicine from USC. Rumors say you’re the likely successor to the family business, even though you’re neither the heir nor the spare, which indicates that your older brothers, for one reason or another, aren’t suitable. Hence the reason your mother wants you married. The only question I have is why me? I’m an unmarried mother with a history.”

He sat back in his seat to look at her. The pretense dropped from his face, and he took a deep breath. “You know almost as much about me as I do. The reason you’re here is I asked to meet you.”

“Why?”

“Curiosity, I suppose. I saw your picture and bio. The picture was flattering but accurate. You’re a beautiful woman. The bio wasn’t nearly as flattering.”

She nodded in acknowledgment. “I have a history.”

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to approach you. You’re somewhat intimidating. Your ‘history,’ as you call it, reads like a crime novel.”

“Give me a minute. I’m trying to figure out whether I’m being flattered or insulted.”

“I’m attracted to you,” he stated bluntly.

“You have an odd way of showing it.”

“I’m not good with people. I’m good at making money, but people, especially women, are a mystery to me.”

“I’m sorry, Howard, but I’m not attracted to you.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I don’t believe I want to know you.”

He leaned back in his chair to study her. They gazed at each other while they sipped on their respective drinks in a state of fragile détente.

When he spoke, he sounded as if he were reciting. “You have one daughter, age thirteen, father unnamed but generally assumed to be a high-ranking triad member. You have another child living with you, age fifteen, relationship unknown. Your mother is actually your childhood governess and not a blood relation. Various real estate holdings in your name as well as corporations under your control place your wealth in the range of a hundred million American dollars. You work sporadically as a souxun finding lost people, an activity that seems to take up most of your time. Did I miss anything?”

She shrugged. “That pretty much says it all: unmarried mother, crime family affiliate.”

He dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. “The details don’t really matter. The salient point is, although you’re wealthy in your own right, your fortune pales compared to my family’s assets. Don’t you find all that money attractive?”

She paused to reflect on his question. “I have difficulty keeping track of the money I have, which is far more than I’ll spend in a lifetime. At some point, money becomes a burden.”

“You surprise me,” he said with a frown. “The more we talk, the more I like you. This date was just a lark, a way to ingratiate myself to my mother and entertain myself. Getting to know you has complicated matters.”

“I’m unsuitable. Your family would never accept a woman with my background.”

“You’ve been direct with me, so I’ll be direct with you. My oldest brother is a gambling addict. My father bought him a casino in Macau thinking my brother would get his fill. Instead, he managed to gamble away the casino. My second brother is a drug addict. He’s in rehab in Sweden. If history repeats itself, as soon as he gets out, he’ll get high until he gets thrown back into rehab. My family isn’t in any position to make judgments.”

“So what are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting we date and get to know each other. There’s something about you I find very appealing.”

“Are you sure you just don’t like women who dress like boys?”

He laughed. “Touché. I deserved that. And the answer is no. I assure you. I’m very fond of women. Some might suggest, too fond.”

“The problem I have with dating you, Howard,” she confided, “is I find you to be a bit of an ass.”

“I can be a complete ass,” he assured her. “That’s just one more reason to have someone like you around to put me in my place.”

She finished her drink and tipped the empty glass at him. “Sorry. Time’s up. I still don’t want to date you. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

As she stood to leave, he got to his feet. “Then I want to hire you.”

“I’m not that kind of girl,” she asserted dryly.

“I’ll pay you a thousand a day and expenses.”

“No thanks.”

“Ten thousand a day and expenses,” he said loudly enough for the wait staff to turn and stare.

She gave him a withering look, which he ignored. “Are you done throwing money around?”

The remark seemed to set him back. “At least let me give you a ride home. I have a car and driver downstairs. It’s the least I can do.”

“No, thanks,” she said, and turned to walk out of the bar.

He followed her. She ignored him and stepped into the elevator. He stepped in with her, and the security team formed around him to fill the lift. At ground level, he continued to follow her alone through the hotel lobby to the taxi stand next to valet parking. She stood in line with two couples on holiday while a parking attendant with overdeveloped cheek muscles puffed on a pipe whistle in an attempt to attract the attention of a passing cab.

As she waited, a black van with dark tinted windows pulled to the far curb. Three men jumped from the side door of the van. Dressed in black and wearing balaclavas to hide their faces, the men seemed to have their sights set on Howard.

Howard spotted them and turned to run toward the hotel lobby where his security team waited. As the men ran to intercept him, Bai ran toward them. She blindsided them and knocked the first assailant sideways into the path of the second, who managed to get tangled in the legs of the third. All four of them tumbled to the pavement. She rolled on her shoulder to spring back to her feet. By the time the three men got themselves sorted, she stood between them and Howard with her knife in her hand while his security team hustled him through the glass door of the lobby to safety.

Seeing the opportunity to grab their intended victim spoiled, the men turned and ran back toward the waiting van. Tires screeched, and the smell of burning rubber permeated the air as the black-clad assailants dove into the moving van. Unwilling to give chase in pumps, Bai stood watching, with the knife in her hand. Only then did she realize onlookers had congregated to stare at her.

She quickly slipped the knife back into the sleeve of her jacket and turned to walk back into the hotel lobby. Meanwhile, Howard issued orders to his security. “Get the CCTV discs as well. I don’t want this getting out.”

When he’d finished, he turned to her. “Sorry. This is probably my fault. I asked my security to stay back so I could talk to you. I wanted some privacy. Apparently, someone saw my lapse as an opportunity.”

“Seems like more than happenstance a van would be waiting for a lapse in your security. Does this happen often?”

“This isn’t the first attempt. I suspect this is the work of my oldest brother. I also suspect he’s subverted some of the people closest to me.” He turned to look at his security detail with a wary expression before turning back to Bai. “He doesn’t want me dead, just out of the way until after the board meeting next month.”

“Your family plays rough.”

He smirked. “You don’t know the half of it.”

A black limousine pulled to the curb outside the door.

“Are you sure I can’t give you a ride home?” he asked.

Her cell phone rang. Lee’s voice sounded anxious. “I think you should come up to the room. We have a problem.”

“I’ll be right there.”

She turned back to Howard. “Thanks anyway. It seems I still have business here.”

As she walked away he called after her. “I’ll be in touch, Bai. I don’t give up easily.”