Cera's Place (28 page)

“Scroll say Lan Chiu sold to Dong Tseng. This his brothel,” Li replied.

Jake glanced up and down the empty Chinatown street. “Well, there’s only one way to find out. Are you ready, Chief?”

Chief Williams nodded. “Yep, but be ready for trouble. If your girl’s in there, they won’t give her up without a fight.”

Cera hoped the chief was wrong, but she pulled out her derringer just in case.

“Are you sure about coming in?” Jake asked her for the third time. “I wish you would stay outside.”

“No, I need to be able to tell Tessa’s friends how these women are treated. I’m going with you and that’s final.”

With the others following close behind, the chief climbed the building’s steps and pounded on the front entrance. “This is the police. Open up.”

They waited, but no one came to the door. Trying again, the chief called out in Cantonese instead of English.

After a few moments, the sound of shuffling feet could be heard, and then an ancient voice asked, “Eh?”

“Police,” the chief repeated in Cantonese.

The door opened an inch and a filmy white eye peered out at them. “Eh?”

The chief shoved his foot in the crack, forcing it wider.

With a shriek of protest, the owner of the eye cried, “No hurt! No hurt!”

When Jake and the chief moved inside, they found a wizened Chinese woman crouched against the wall, her body shaking. Pointing his gun at her, Jake asked, “Where are the girls?”

Cera peered around his shoulder. “Let Li talk to her. The poor thing is scared out of her wits.”

Curling his lips in distaste, Li spoke sharply in Cantonese. The old woman bowed low and answered him. Li pointed toward a bolted door. “There.”

“Ask her if anyone else is here,” the chief requested.

Once again, Li exchanged words with the old woman. “She say no.”

“Do you believe her?” Cera asked.

Li nodded.

The chief slid back the bolt. With a final look at the others, he opened the door to reveal three figures lying on straw mats on the floor. Weak light filtered in through the bars of the only window. Besides the mats and the girls, the small room was bare.

Cera pushed past the chief. “Lan! Lan!”

In the far corner, one of the figures moved slightly.

“Over there.” She picked her way across the room and knelt down. When Cera brushed the long, dark hair from the girl’s face, she moaned, rolling away and curling into a tight ball. “Jake, what have they done to her?”

Nudging Cera aside, he gently turned Lan’s head and lifted her eyelids with his thumbs. “I’d guess she’s drugged.” He scooped up the girl in his arms. “Let’s get her to a doctor.”

Cera swore. “Where’s that old woman? I’m going to tear her head off.”

The chief put a restraining hand on her arm. “I don’t think it will do any good. I’m pretty sure she’s not the brains of this business.”

“Well, someone’s going to pay for the horror these girls have been living.” She clenched her hands in frustration. “What about the other two girls? We can’t leave them here.”

Jake, Cera, and Li looked at the chief expectantly. “Well, we know that Lan was kidnapped, so we can take her back. However, these other girls will need to be identified. As sad as it may be, they might have chosen this life. If that’s the case then, unless they ask, we can’t do anything for them.”

Crossing her arms, Cera glared at the chief, not saying a word.

Unable to meet her eyes, the chief cleared his throat. “You all know I have to follow the letter of the law—don’t you?”

Jake nodded at his old friend. “Then leave now and we’ll take care of things. I understand.”

“I don’t,” Cera spat out. “These girls need our help. How can that be against the law? How can you walk away from this?”

The chief frowned. As they waited for his answer, no one spoke except for the old woman who stood in the doorway mumbling incoherently. Finally he said, “We’ll take them all, but let’s get going before Dong Tseng shows up.”

As they carried the girls outside, the old woman berated them, throwing her hands in the air and wailing like a banshee. Hearing the commotion, a small crowd gathered on the street to watch the excitement.

After Cera and the girls were settled in the carriage, Jake and Li climbed on its steps and clung to the roof on each side.

The chief jumped up into the driver’s seat. “We can take the girls to the Presbyterian Mission Home. The preacher there has been helping the Chinese.”

Sighing with relief, Cera wrapped her arms around Lan. “You’re safe now. Everything is going to be all right.”

Chapter 19

When the hansom cab hit a large hole in the cobbled street, Cera’s head bounced off the side of the carriage. “Ouch, that hurt. Can I open my eyes yet? I’m starting to feel dizzy.”

Jake patted her knee. “A few more minutes. We’re almost there.”

“Which is where?” she asked, fully knowing he wouldn’t answer her question. Ever since he received a letter that morning, Jake had been strutting around like a cat with a bird in his mouth. After several attempts to find out what the letter said, she realized he was determined to surprise her. She hated surprises. When he again remained silent, she stuck her bottom lip out into a pout. “Fine, keep your secrets.”

Jake chuckled. “After you see what I have to show you, we can discuss how you can make up for being so surly to me.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

The cab lurched to a stop.

“We’re here.” Jake climbed from the cab and then helped Cera down. Motioning for her to follow, he walked over to a boarded-up building with a For Sale sign nailed to the door. “What do you think?”

She looked around in confusion. They stood on the corner of O’Farrell and Larkin in the Tenderloin district. “About what?”

“The building, silly. I had Isaac contact the seller and he has accepted your offer.” Grinning broadly, Jake stuck his thumbs in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.

Cera blinked her eyes several times. “You did what?”

“You can start a new saloon—or maybe a fancy restaurant—whatever you want. The meals I had at Cera’s Place were some of the best I’ve ever tasted…” Jake stopped talking. “You’re mad. Funny, this is exactly how Ginger said you would react, but I thought you’d be happy.”

She raised both eyebrows. “You told Ginger about this building before me?”

“That’s kind of funny too.” He stared at her with a bewildered look. “She told me I shouldn’t be telling her before you.”

“Oh, Jake, there’s nothing funny about this.” She shook her head, still in shock.

“So, you don’t like the building?” he asked, the disappointment evident in his voice. “I really thought you’d be excited about fixing up a new place. The location’s great, the building is solid—it just needs some elbow grease and a woman’s touch—and the price is right.”

As Cera listened to Jake praise the building, the anger drained from her body. She held up a hand to silence him. “It’s a fine building and will make a wonderful saloon or restaurant.”

“So I’m forgiven?”

She sighed. “Yes, you’re forgiven.”

Pulling her into his arms, he twirled her around. “I love you, sweet Cera.”

Cera took his face in her hands. “I love you too.”

“Do you want to go inside?”

Smiling at his enthusiasm, Cera nodded. “Yes, I can’t wait to see it.”

Epilogue

San Francisco, March 19, 1870

Dear Tessa,

I take up my pen to write you of great news. With the help of your most gracious friends, the first step in improving the lives of the Chinese women of San Francisco has gone into effect. For your perusing, I have enclosed the beginning of the Anti-Prostitution Act, which will make it illegal to kidnap these women for criminal or demoralizing purposes. I am not naïve enough to think that this Act alone will stop the vile criminals, but at least it gives those prosecuting the offenders a stronger legal foothold. Once again, I cannot thank you enough for your help in this most serious matter.

We are all in high spirits and I hope that this finds you and Isaac in good health. The new restaurant is keeping Jake and me busy. We are fortunate to see Ginger and David often, as we seem to be constantly going to their stores for supplies. Ginger’s gregarious personality has been quite a boon, and I have heard talk of them opening yet a third store later this year. Ginger is still hoping God will bless her with a child of her own, but until that time, she has taken Johnny and Sam into their home. The boys are thriving and growing like weeds.

Sadie and Mary Beth are fine. We discovered that Mary Beth has quite the talent for cooking, so she has taken over the restaurant’s kitchen. This has been most fortunate since I was sorely missing Li’s help, but fully understood why after his and Hu’s wedding that he chose to work in her laundry business. Sadie and Mary Beth make quite a team and the customers often rave about the daily specials they concoct.

I am also pleased to report that Sonya is doing well. She spends most of her time at the Presbyterian Mission Home teaching English to rescued Chinese girls. I believe that helping these wretched creatures has brought her a peace that she has never known. The preacher is most grateful for her help
—
and I believe he is a bit sweet on her.

That is all the news I have for now. We are looking forward to visiting you after the birth of the baby in June. Until then, give my best to my former piano player. I miss him with all my heart.

Your humble friend,
Cera Cassidy

Anti-Prostitution Act
Approved March 18, 1870

CHAPTER CCXXX.

An Act to present the kidnapping and importation of Mongolian, Chinese and Japanese females, for criminal or demoralizing purposes.

WHEREAS, the business of importing into this State Chinese women for criminal and demoralizing purposes has been carried on extensively during the past year, to the scandal and injury of the people of this State, and in defiance of public decency; and whereas, many of the class referred to are kidnapped in China, and deported at a tender age, without their consent and against their will; therefore, in exercise of the police power appertaining to every State of the Union, for the purpose of remedying the evils above referred to and preventing further wrongs of the same character.

The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SEC. 1. It shall not be lawful, from and after the time when this Act takes effect, to bring, or land from any ship, boat or vessel, into this State, any Mongolian, Chinese or Japanese females, born either in the Empire of China or Japan, or in any of the islands adjacent to the Empire of China, without first presenting to the Commissioner of Immigration evidence satisfactory to him that such female desires voluntarily to come into this State, and is a person of correct habits and good character, and there upon obtaining from such Commissioner of Immigration a license or permit particularly describing such female and authorizing her importation or immigration.

SEC. 2. Any master, officer, owner or part owner of any steamship, sailing or other vessel, or any other person violating any of the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, or imprisonment for a term not less than two nor more than twelve months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SEC. 3. Every individual person of the class hereinbefore referred to, transported into this State contrary to the provisions of this Act, shall render the person so transporting liable to a separate prosecution and penalty, and the transportation of each one as aforesaid shall create a separate and distinct offense, and render the person offending liable to the pains and penalties herein provided.