WhilewaitingforReyainthecar,JunidlylookedupinformationabouttheRedLantern.Whathefoundmadehisstomachtighten.
Twogirlswhohadonceworkedtherewerelistedinthemissingpersonsdatabase.
Ofcourse,thatalonewasn''''''''tenoughtomaketheoeeofthegirlshadbeenanundotedimmigrant,theotherarunaway.Withnolegalstatus,nomoney,andurnto,theirchoiceshadbeenpainfullylimited.Apartfromwalkireets,woffthebooksataeserestaurant—waitingtables,washingdishes—wasohefewwaystheycouldstillearnaliving.
Thereweretoomanyyoungwomehemdisappearinginthiscity''''''''sshadows.Forthoseyoungwomenwithoutfamilysupport,withoutasafety,yetstillprettyenoughtodrawattention,thesocietyseemedtoofferendlesswaystthemdownward.
Itmightbeginharmlessly:afreemeal,aparty,adress,asparklingbracelet.Thehegifts,theluxurycars,themansions.Thatwasthegmorousversion.
Moreoften,itstartedwithsomethingassimpleasasmallloan—anewphone,alimited-editionhandbagthatftteredhervanity.Thehemaxed-outcreditcards,theipilingupfasterthanshecouldbreathe.
Ahetrapfinallysnappedshut,therewasalwaysa"friend"willingtohelp.A"goodguy"withajoboffer.An"opportunity."
Oothatabyss,andtherewasnoingback.
Junrolleddownthewindowanddrewinaslowbreath.Theairwasthick—exhaustfumestahthegreasysweetnessoffriedfood.Acrossthestreet,awomaninheavymakeupandashortjacketcaughthiseye.Shetuggedthehemofhercoat,adjustedherheels,andsauowardhim.
Hewasstilldeghowtowaveheroffwheeppedoutoftherestaurant.
"Ugh,I''''''''mdeadtired."
Shestretcheddramaticallybesidethecar,armshighoverherhead.Thewomanacrossthestreetpaused,watg.Junleanedoverandpushedopenthepassengerdoor.
"Haddi?"heasked.
"Ah,fot."Reyasheair."You''''''''vegotfoodinhere?"
Junreachedbehiandhandedherthetakeawaybox.
"Yourbossdoesn''''''''tfeedyou?"
"Mr.Hesselsaidhewould.Buttodaygottoobusy.Imissedthedinnerhour."
Shepriedopeainer,pinchedasliceofcharsiubetweenherfingers,andpoppeditintohermouth.Asatisfiedhumescapedherthroat.
"Sogood,"shemurmured."Thenagain,anythingtastesgoodwhenyou''''''''restarving."
"Whyareyhere?"Junfinallyaskedthequestionthathadbeensittinginhischestallnight.
Reyashrugged."LasttimeIcametoeat,Iactallybrokeoherestaurant''''''''santiquevases."
"Anantiquevase?"Junfrowned."Yousurethat''''''''snotascam?Whokeepsantiquesinadiner?"
"Mr.Hesselsaiditbelooafriend,juststoredthereforafewdays.Heevenshowedmetheappraisalpaperstheaurecord,everything."
Sheraisedfivefingers,hershouldersshrinkingalittle."Fivedigits.Icouldn''''''''tpaythatkindofmoney,andIdidn''''''''twanttobothermydad.ThenKurtsaidmaybeIcouldworkitoff.Mr.Hesselthoughtthatwasfair."
"Workitoff?Howlong?"
"Hesaidthreemonths."
"Threemonths,"Jued,hisvoiceftbutedgedwithdisbelief."Fivedigits,inthreemonths,bussingtables?"
Heleanedback,eyesnarrowing.Therestaurantbarelyhadfiveersduringdinnerhour.
Ifthatvasewasreallyworthwhattheownercimed,hewaseitherafool,orhe''''''''slyingthroughhisteeth.
"Isyourboss,Mr.Hessel,stillhere?I''''''''dliketohaveawordwithhim."
Reyashookherhead."He''''''''salreadygone.Kurt''''''''sclosingtonight."
"Kurt?"
"Oh—themixed-racedeliveryguy,"shesaid.
Justasshespoke,atallfigureturheerofthealley.Atthesametime,thestreetwalker,realizingshewouldn''''''''tfindanybusinesshere,washeadiherway.
Shestoppedthatman,shiftingherhipsintoapracticedpose,teasing,maybeflirting.
JuReyainthepassengerseat.Shewaswatgthemtoo,thoughtful,asifturningsomethingoverinhermind.
"Just...becareful,okay?"
Reyaturohim.
"What''''''''swrong?"
"Thisarea...peopleherearen''''''''talwayswhattheyseem.Keepyoureyesopen,anddon''''''''ttrusttooeasily."
"Mm,"shemurmured.
"Waodriveyouhome?"
"Youwaitedallthistimejusttogivemearide?Yousaidonthephoneyouwaalk."
Juated,unsurewheretobegin.Hernewjobhadalreadysenthisthoughtsspinningintoomanydires.
"Iwasgoingtoaskwhenyou''''''''dbebackattheamusementpark,"hesaidfinally."Guessthatquestion''''''''sanswered."
Reyatiltedherhead."You''''''''reaottheparkmanager.WhyareyousoiedinwhenIgobacktowork?"
Juncursedhimselfinwardly.Terriblecover.Ofcourseshewouldn''''''''tbuyit—she''''''''dgrownupuheroofofahomicidecaptain.
"Youknowhowitis,"hesaid,faweaksmile."I''''''''mjusttheerrandboy.Idon''''''''tknowwhatthecaptaintoldyou,butsinanager''''''''sdeadandLinisan''''''''slockedup,I''''''''msupposedtofollowupwiththevictims."
"Followupwithvictims?"Reya''''''''svoicecarriedaquietsting."AmIohem?"
Junlookedather.Theflickeringneonfromthedinershedinhereyes—bright,thengoneagain.
"Aren''''''''tyou?"hesaidsoftly.
Reya''''''''spupilstractedeversoslightly.Mostpeoplewouldn''''''''thavenoticed,butJunhadstudiedcriminalpsychology.Tinyshiftslikethatneverescapedhim.
"Ifyoumeanthemanagerharassingtheparkstaff,"Reyasaidcalmly,"Iwouldlycallmyselfavictim."
"BecauseJulianprotectedyou?"Junaskedbluntly.Hewaodropthenamelikebait,towatchforaflicker,atwitything.
Butherfaceremainedunreadable.Nosorrowoveradeadluiltofakiller,henervousnessofsomeonehidingsomething.A,acctotheevidence,shehadbeenintimatelyinvolvedwithJulianjustbeforehisdeath.
"Maybe,"Reyasaidvaguely.Shepluckedanotherpieceofcharsiufromthetainerandpoppeditintohermouth,unhurried.
Junressfurther.Butashestudiedherprofile,astrauitiontoldhimhewouldn''''''''tgetanythingoutofhertonight.
Heturhekey,theenginerumbledtolife.
"Home?"
"Mm.Home."
Thecareasedontothemainroad,headlightssweepingpastthemouthofthealley.
Themixed-bloodmanstandingtherewatchedquietlyastheydroveaway.