‘You’re not serious?’ Sean asked incredulously, as he filled his mouth with sui mien noodles.
‘These people seem to have their tentacles everywhere.’ Kathy whistled.
Kenneth looked across at the children’s table and nodded at Kenny, who had a big grin on his barbecue-soiled face. He picked up another rib from his plate as he acknowledged his mother. Jackie was sticking her red tongue out at Jason, who seemed to be trying to show Jackie his tonsils, and Andy was laughing hysterically at whatever Kenny had said, while simultaneously trying to sip from the very tall straw poking out of his glass of soda. Janet stretched across the table, and in hushed tones she exuberantly related a story to the group. Kenny started laughing, but fell of his chair when Jason choked and had Coke dripping from his nose as he tried to laugh and drink at the same time. Jackie wiped Jason’s face while grunting a laugh. Andy cackled and clapped his barbecue-covered hands gleefully.
Kenneth smiled at the scene. ‘How did we get into this mess?’ he asked as he turned back to the group sitting at the adults’ table.
‘We are sorry to have brought this down on you,’ Mr. Martin said.
Kenneth snapped his head around to Mr. Martin. ‘No, that didn’t come out right. That wasn’t what I meant.’
Marshall interrupted, ‘Well I don’t know how we got here, but I’m going to get some more of those snow crab legs while I still can.’ He got up from the table and headed towards the buffet. There was a collective chuckle, and everyone followed suit, joining the various long lines to the serving stations for this Thursday’s special All-You-Can-Eat buffet. The Golden Dragon was one of the family’s favourite restaurants, and they always tried to visit it whenever they were in the Miami area. Kenneth was the last to return to the table after he had to pause and apologize to a very slender woman, in what looked like bed slipper, for elbowing a crab claw off her plate as he passed her. She accepted his apology with a smile and eased herself into her chair behind her brim-full plate. As Kenneth enjoyed another mouthful of barbecue ribs, he looked around the two tables, smiled and gave Jenny a kiss on the cheek.
‘Hey, not with those barbecue lips,’ Jenny playfully complained and wiped her cheek with her napkin.
‘So what next?’ Sean asked as he finished his beer, and sat back in his chair.
‘How about we rent some videos and just kick back and watch some movies?’ Kenneth offered.
‘No, come on. You know what I mean,’ Sean said in a hushed tone, as he leant forward, resting his elbows on the table as he eyed Kenneth. ‘Where do we go from here? We seem to be at an impasse with our investigation.’
‘Yes, you have a point. To be honest, I don’t know.’ Kenneth looked around the table. ‘Any ideas?’
‘Kenneth,’ Jenny said softly, ‘why can’t we just go home?’
Kenneth looked around the table, trying to read everyone’s face, before looking into Jenny’s eyes. ‘Is that what you think we should do?’
‘Yes. I’m tired, and we almost lost our son. We should go home.’
In the corner of his eye, Kenneth noticed a red paper or cloth lantern hanging from the ceiling. It had a gold dragon etched on each of its four sides, and it seemingly swayed slowly from side to side in unison with the heads nodding around the table.
‘I guess the only question is whether it is safe to go home or not.’ Kenneth said.
‘Is it?’ Marshall prompted.
‘That’s what I was asking,’ Kenneth said.
‘No. I meant, is that the only question?’
Kenneth slumped back in his chair. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Why did we come here in the first place?’ It was Marshall’s turn to lean forward and examine the faces of everyone at the table. ‘Need I remind you all that Kathy’s partner was murdered?’ He pointed at Kenneth and Jenny. ‘I mean, you guys were chased by the police, to rhaatid! Like you were criminals!’ He pointed at Mr. and Mrs. Martin. ‘Your daughter was kidnapped, and she can identify the people who did it.’
‘But surely that is behind us now? We have given them what they wanted,’ Jenny pleaded.
‘Yes, we are no longer a threat to them,’ Mrs. Martin rebuffed.
‘They may have what they want, but not where they want it,’ Sean said reflectively. This caused everyone to pause. All eyes settled on Sean. ‘It’s common sense. The diamonds are in Jamaica, but that is not their final destination. They can’t legally move them, and we are possibly the only threat to them being able to successfully smuggle them out of the country and move them probably into the US.’
Kenneth noticed the bed-slipper-clad woman making her way back to her table with another mountain of food on a plate. Where does she put it all? Kenneth wondered for a fleeting moment.
‘We know too much.’
Kenneth looked around the table. ‘What?’
Kathy repeated herself, ‘We know too much. That is why they will still be after us.’
‘But what do we really know?’ Jenny asked. ‘We don’t know who is behind all this. We don’t know any names. We don’t have any real evidence.’ She searched the faces around the table. ‘I mean, you heard what Kenneth just said, the police didn’t believe his story.’ She gestured in the direction of Mrs. Martin. ‘The police would not help you find Janet. Even if we talked, who would listen to us? They have nothing to fear from us.’
‘Jenny does have a point. Maybe that message will filter back home and Busha George will leave us alone. We can’t prove anything against him,’ Mrs. Martin offered.
‘This is a mistake,’ Marshall said brusquely.
‘Sean, you brought this up. Lisa?’ Kenneth turned to them.
Sean looked at Lisa, looked down at the table and took a deep breath. ‘In contradiction to what I said earlier, we would like to go home. Without a plan, we seem to be here in limbo, and maybe we can get more done there.’
‘What is wrong with you people?’ blurted out Marshall.
‘What would you have us do, Marshall?’ Kenneth asked, exasperated.
‘Let me help.’
‘We discussed this already.’
‘But I can help. Look at where we are doing it your way.’
‘So what do you suggest? Slit the throats of all those involved?’ burst out Kenneth. Jenny gasped.
‘Come on,’ Marshall protested.
‘How about shooting a few people? One barrel, no, maybe both barrels of a twelve gauge?’
‘OK. That’s enough now,’ Marshall hissed.
‘Oh, I know. Maybe we can vent all our frustrations by bludgeoning some people to death. That will really work.’
Lisa put her hand over her mouth.
Marshall glared at Kenneth. He opened his mouth and then paused. He clenched his fists and slowly pushed his chair back and started to stand. Kenneth tried to jump up from his chair, but Jenny grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his chair. Kenneth tried to pull himself clear, but Jenny held onto his arm with both her hands.
‘Yuh waan some a dis?’ Kenneth hissed at Marshall.
Marshall thumped the table. Everyone and their plates jumped in unison. People at neighbouring tables started to look over to see what was happening. Marshall looked around and noticed the curious onlookers. He stood up to his full height and walked towards the exit.
‘What was that about?’ Kathy asked, looking frantically from Kenneth to the retreating Marshall.
‘He hasn’t told you?’
‘Told me what?’
‘I think it best if he tells you.’
‘Tell me what?’
‘Talk to Marshall about it. It is not my place to say.’
‘Argh!’ Kathy jumped up from the table and hurried after Marshall.