Black Karma (23 page)

“You're really quite stunning. The short hair and black clothing work to hide how beautiful you are. A practiced eye can see beyond your tedious apparel. You have amazing cheekbones and beautiful, full lips. Your body is long, shapely, and well-muscled. You're quite the specimen.”

“Don't get yourself all worked up, Howard. And just for your information, women don't like to be referred to as ‘specimens.' It really takes the shine off of the compliment.”

“I didn't mean to flatter you,” he stated. “I merely wondered what you'd look like after a day at the spa and a complete makeover. I see real potential.”

“What you see is what you get. Don't assume I want to change to make myself more attractive for you. You'd be wrong. I like the way I am.”

“I like the way you are, too. I just don't think a woman with thoughts of becoming the head of a conglomerate can afford the luxury of dressing like a ninja. The jobs may, for all intents and purposes, be the same, but you don't want to advertise that fact.”

He was probably right. She hadn't given thought to what kind of image she'd need to project if she were to become a public figure. Her dress and mannerisms would certainly have to change. The way she talked would definitely have to become more circumspect.

“What kind of look would you recommend?” she asked out of curiosity.

“I'm not sure. Would you like to go shopping? I think it would be fun, and the excursion would give us a chance to get to know one another better.”

She played with the idea. He seemed enthusiastic. He could also be quite charming, when he wasn't being an ass.

“Could we make a date tomorrow? I need to get my partner released from the hospital today.”

“Tomorrow's fine with me. I look forward to it. What happened to your partner?”

“Someone shot him in the back.”

“Really?” His eyebrows shot up. “I hope he'll be all right. Do you know who did it?”

She nodded. “Given time, he'll be fine. I have a pretty good idea of who shot him, but not why.” She frowned. “Finding out why is proving much more difficult.”

Chapter 27

Lee sat in an armchair looking bored. A Giants game played on the large flat-screen television with the sound turned off. His two security men flanked him with their hands resting inside their jackets. They each had one eye on the door and one eye on the game. They nodded to Bai as she walked into the room.

“Gentlemen,” she responded to the guards. And, to Lee, “I see you're up and around.”

“And ready to get out of here,” he replied. “Nurse Ratched came in a half dozen times last night to wake me up and ask if I was resting comfortably. I've had all the recuperation I can stand. I want out.”

“They're filling out your discharge papers now. We'll be leaving soon.”

“That's good news.”

He seemed to want to say more but stopped himself. He looked toward the men standing guard. She got the hint. “Would you gentlemen be so kind as to step out of the room? We'd like a moment in private.”

The men silently left the room and pulled the door closed behind them.

“What's up?” she asked.

“Jason came by to see me last night. He told me what he'd found out about the identity of the tan man.”

“What else did he have to say?”

“He's worried about you. He's afraid you'll do something rash.”

“He worries too much.”

“He cares about you.”

She brushed the comment aside with a flick of her hand. “He has his own problems to worry about. He should let me worry about mine.”

“You seem angry.”

“I am angry . . . and impatient. That's my fault. I've always wanted more from him than he's willing or able to give.”

“What are we talking about?” he asked.

“I've been offered a marriage to Howard Kwan of Kwan Industries. His mother wants me to continue expansion of their thirty-billion-dollar business. I'm toying with the idea.”

“More important than the money, what do you think of Howard?”

“I've only met him twice. He's hard to know. From what he's told me, I'm not sure it really matters what I think of him. The marriage would be more a matter of convenience.”

“Don't you think it would be nice to be in love with the person you're marrying?”

“Look where love has gotten me!” She stopped to take a breath and look away for a moment, letting her emotions settle. When she continued, her voice softened. “To be honest, I'm not sure what I want anymore.”

“That's a pretty cynical perspective. For the sake of argument, let's say you accept this proposition. Why rush into a marriage?”

“Howard's father is in poor health. His parents want to install Howard as CEO before his father passes to ensure a smooth transition of power. His mother, Jade, is chairman of the board. She feels his being married would be a big mark in his favor with the other board members. A marriage would demonstrate he's settled down and more stable in his personal life.”

“What do you think?”

“I think when one door opens, another closes.”

“You're thinking of closing the door on Jason?”

“I'm just thinking out loud.”

He remained quiet.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“I don't know, Bai. I don't have an unbiased opinion. Jason's my friend. Have you talked to the girls about getting married?”

“No. I'm pretty sure I know how Dan will feel. She loves her father. But this change wouldn't be just for my benefit. She would be the heir to Kwan Industries. The girls would have their futures ensured.”

He smiled. “I don't believe there's such a thing as an ensured future. Getting shot made that perfectly clear. One moment you're here and the next . . . gone—
finito
. The end of life is uncompromising and inevitable. Everyone dies.”

“Don't you think it's better to die rich?”

“Unhappy people strive for money thinking wealth will solve their problems. That rarely seems to be the case.”

A muscular-looking blonde nurse backed into the room pulling a wheelchair. Bai and Lee turned to her.

“Your release papers are processed, Mr. Li. You're all set to go.”

Lee stood unsteadily with Bai's help, still numbed by pain medication. He sat in the wheelchair while the nurse swiveled the foot platforms around before releasing the brakes on the wheels. Bai had already collected Lee's valuables. There wasn't any clothing to pack. The police still held it as evidence in the attempted homicide.

As they exited the room, one of Lee's bodyguards preceded the wheelchair while the other followed. The procession secured an elevator and descended to the lobby without incident. Bai pulled her car around to the front entrance where the two bodyguards assisted Lee into the passenger seat. She released the security detail and pulled away from the curb with a farewell wave.

Lee turned to her with a weary smile. “Thanks for breaking me out.”

“I'm taking you to the summer house in Healdsburg.”

“I'll need my things from home—clothes, shaving kit.”

“Already packed and in the back of the car. I also brought along your lab computer and Wen's cell phone in case you get bored.”

“Good thinking. There are a lot of files I haven't opened yet. It might be interesting to see what other information she sold and to whom she sold it. The tan man could be an agent working for an unhappy customer, or even a victim of data theft bent on revenge.”

“Maybe,” she said, turning the thought over before changing the subject. “What do you remember about the day you got shot? Where did the tan man go after we split up?”

He closed his eyes a moment then spoke slowly as if he were pulling one memory out after another. “I followed him over to Montgomery Street. He'd backtracked south a few blocks to the Business District. I held back about a half block to stay out of sight. The sidewalks were pretty congested. That part of town is always busy.”

He stopped and shook his head as if to jostle a memory. “I saw him go into a high-rise office building south of Jackson Street. By the time I made it to the lobby, he'd disappeared. I remember looking at the registry in the building. None of the business names meant anything to me. I'd lost him, so I walked across the street to a coffee shop where I could keep an eye on the front entrance. He came out of the building about a half hour later. I followed along behind him on the other side of the street. He didn't appear apprehensive. I felt confident he didn't know I was tailing him.”

“Where did he go then?” she asked.

“He walked back up Leavenworth and around to Sansome. I crossed the street at the light. By the time I reached the corner, he'd disappeared again. Walking up Sansome, I remember a stinging pain in my back as if I'd been burned. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I vaguely remember dropping to my knees. My chest hurt. Then, nothing.”

“Do you remember the address of the building where you lost him the first time?”

“It was 645 Montgomery. The front was faced with polished black granite. The lobby was nice, clean, and done in black granite as well. There wasn't an information booth inside. A lot of big buildings have receptionists. This one didn't.”

“I'll take another look at the building. I'm curious about who owns it and who leases space.”

“I can do an Internet search on the building and see what there is to find.” Lee closed his eyes a moment. “Maybe I missed something. The building seemed innocuous. There were security cameras, but nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Can you remember anything else?”

“The coffee at the coffee shop was really bad and really expensive. I don't mind paying more for coffee, but I expect it to be good. When I get time, I'm going back to have a word with the manager.”

She looked at him and shook her head. “You were almost killed, and you're worried about a bad cup of coffee?”

“It's the principle of the matter.”

“What principle is that?”

“There's no excuse for bad coffee.”

“I wasn't aware that was a principle.”

“It's listed under the code of the ‘righteous bitch.'”

“I thought that was me.”

He smiled. “And, so it is, Grasshopper.”

Bai managed to get Lee situated before leaving Dan in charge of his care. Jia and Alicia returned from riding lessons and greeted him. The encounter was the first time Alicia had met Lee. She acted uncharacteristically shy. Bai left as he kept the girls spellbound by telling stories while high on pain meds. When she last saw him, Lee held court with three beautiful handmaidens in attendance.

She almost made it out the door before Elizabeth caught up with her.

“Bai, do you have a minute?”

“Certainly,” she replied with a smile on her face as she turned in the doorway. “I was just on my way back to the city to run some errands.”

“We missed you at breakfast. Will you be home in time for dinner around seven?”

“Yes. I'll be here. I had a breakfast date with Howard Kwan this morning and didn't want to wake you.”

Elizabeth smiled. Her shoulders visibly relaxed. Bai's date with Howard clearly managed to deflect her concern. As long as Bai kept seeing Howard, Elizabeth appeared content.

“If something comes up,” Bai added. “I'll be sure to call. He mentioned something about shopping and getting to know each other better. He thinks I should change the way I dress if I'm to assume the role of a public figure.”

“Really?” Elizabeth nearly chirped with excitement. “So, Howard is talking about marriage. That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you.”

“Don't get too excited. I'm just trying on the notion to see if the idea is a fit. Being his wife means changing my lifestyle and my behavior. I'm not even sure that's possible.”

Elizabeth lectured. “You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Did he say anything else?”

“He didn't know Dan was Jason's daughter. He seemed to like the idea Jason wouldn't be happy with the marriage. His reaction seemed childish. I'd like to avoid turning a marriage with Howard into a defeat for Jason.”

“That may not be possible,” Elizabeth warned. “If you're the prize, only one can be the winner.”

“I'm wondering when I became a prize. I'll have to give my new status more thought. Maybe there's a way to leverage being a trophy.”

“Don't get carried away. You need to focus and be proactive to make the most of this opportunity.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I think a new wardrobe is a wonderful idea, one long overdue. You need to present a more feminine face to the world. I can hardly imagine the impact you'll have.”

“The impact will be my butt hitting the floor when I fall off my shoes. I've never mastered high heels. I'm not even sure I want to.”

“We'll practice,” Elizabeth enthused.

“Won't that be fun?”

The sarcasm seemed lost on Elizabeth, who appeared captivated by the prospect of a feminized Bai. “We should probably hire a makeup consultant. I'll make some calls. We'll talk tonight and arrange time in your schedule for a wardrobe consultation. As soon as possible, I'd like to make appointments at the major department stores.”

She stared at Elizabeth and wondered how she'd inadvertently opened the gateway to hell. From the determined expression on Elizabeth's face, Bai was about to join the ranks of the well-coifed, whether she wanted to or not.

Chapter 28

Bai felt a sense of relief, a feeling of homecoming, as she passed through the bridge tollbooth and entered the city proper. The vineyards and rolling hills of Healdsburg were nice, but she never really felt comfortable amid all the fresh air and wide-open spaces.