Chapter 176

word count 962

Buzz watched the Asian girl slip in the back door of the restaurant and debated what to do next. If he went and sat at a table, she would surely remember him from the tea garden and get suspicious. Grinding his teeth, he felt the old, familiar rage building in his chest. Damn! He felt certain the girl had something to do with the diamond, but he didn't dare follow her into the restaurant. Pounding his clenched fist on the steering wheel, he turned onto a side street to head back to the precinct.

* * *

Mr. Yoo was shown into a back room by a burly enforcer he knew by the name of Guido. In fact, the guy practically tossed him in by the force of his giant hands on Mr. Yoo's collar. When the Asian man fell through the door, he stumbled but righted himself and smoothed his suit, straightened his hat, and shot Mr. Big an angry glance.

“It is not polite to treat visitors with such disdain.” he said.

“Sit down.”

“I do not appreciate being called here like this, last minute and without time to properly make plans.”

“Shut up.”

The two men sat in eerie silence, Mr. Yoo rigid and straight, Mr. Big, sitting at a desk, puffing slowly on a cigar which was dangling from his mouth the whole time. Finally, he pulled the stogie out and spoke.

“One of my guys was killed tonight. Do you know anything about it?”

“Of course not. What would I know about the fate of one of your thugs?”

“The 'thug,' as you say was having sex with your daughter at the time.”

As soon as the words reached Mr. Yoo's ears, he saw stars. So much was wrong with the remark. First of all, why was his daughter with an American? The very idea made his blood freeze and crust over in his veins. And second, he'd given her a gun for her protection. It was necessary with all the secrets about the business she carried with her every day. Had she used it to kill this man? And why? Fear gripped him. Was his empire in danger? What is wrong with you, he thought. The empire comes second, the daughter first.

“You have no proof. You must be crazy,” Mr. Yoo said.

“I don't need proof. I know what I know.” Mr. Big took a puff from the cigar and blew circles into the air, waiting for the other man to speak.

“Well, I have no knowledge of such a thing.”

“So, you don't have anything to tell me...give me the jewel then.”

Mr. Yoo's hands trembled. He tried to control them, but it was impossible. He knew he would never leave that room. Once Mr. Big had the diamond back, all was lost. They'd kill his daughter. And, of course, in this room tonight they'd kill him. Well, he'd have none of that.

With his trembling fingers he got up and leaned toward the other man, the case handcuffed to his wrist. Mr. Big waited with a key. Leaning halfway across the desk, Mr. Yoo flicked his other wrist and a small caliber gun shot out of his sleeve and into his hand. With it in his grip, he aimed and pulled the trigger. Half of Mr. Big's face blew off as the bullet traveled into his skull. The big man tottered for a minute, lifting his hand to his face to feel torn flesh dangling. Then he fell to the floor.

At the same time as he'd launched a shot at Mr. Big, Mr. Yoo turned and aimed at the door. As expected, the blast had Guido bursting through to be greeted with gun shot. Mr. Yoo kept pulling the trigger, using all his ammo to be certain he got him. The small caliber gun was not as accurate as he would have liked. But he succeeded. Guido plopped to the floor.

Mr. Yoo exhaled. He pulled his small Asian body up rigid and controlled. He needed to gather his riches and get out of New Albany. To be safe, he would either have to take his daughter...or kill her. She knew too much. He wouldn't make the choice this moment. He was too angry at her. Whether he would get over what she'd done, he didn't know. No matter. Time was of the essence.

* * *

Gil was back at the precinct and with a pounding headache. It was nighttime, around 8 p.m. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep again...and figured he might as well get some work done, pull an all-nighter. He flitted through a succession of screens on the computer but it was all just gobbledygook to him. Running a hand through his hair, he wondered why he couldn't seem to concentrate anymore. His cell rang.

“Hullo.”

“Hello, is this Gil Bettencourt? Stephanie, Hank's friend, told me I could call you.”

Hearing Hank's name didn't exactly make Gil's day, but Stephanie was a nice lady, so he gave it a pass.

“Yeah, what can I do for you?”

“Well, this is kind of embarrassing. But I...well...Oh heck! Look, she thought we might hit it off, and she wanted me to meet you. I hope you don't mind my candor. She said you and Hank don't work together anymore, and I'm looking for a date for a wedding, and she said you're my man. There was no way to match us up but with a call like this. I hope you understand. ”

She sounded nice, very nice, her husky voice purred all sexy on the phone. Stephanie wouldn't steer him wrong, would she?

“Sure, are you busy right now? I'll meet you.”