"Dad,justlethergo."
"Why?"
Theoldmandidn''''''''tevenlookupfromhiscigarette.Smokecurledbetweenhisfingers.
"Theguywhocamefordinerday—younoticedhim,right?Isawhertalkingtohimterwheouttotakeoutthetrash,inthebackalley.AndwhenIlockedup,shegotintohisdleft.Whatifthey''''''''recops?Undercover?"
"Cops?"Theoldmansnorted,fligashtothefloor."Thosetwomissinggirls—thecedusin,remember?Questionedusforhoursandstillgotnothing.Youthinkthey''''''''reanysmarterthistime?"
Heleanedback,eyesnarrowingthroughthesmoke."Rex.We''''''''vealreadygreasedtherightpalmsupstairs."
"Butshe—"
"What?"Theoldman''''''''sgazesharpened."Yougotsoftforher?"
Heughed,dryandmea.Thetshavealreadyseenherpicturesandvideos.Deposit''''''''sdown.Soonasshepassesiion,she''''''''supforsale."
Hepaused,voicedropping."Unlessshe''''''''salreadybeentouched.ThenmaybeI''''''''llletyouhaveataste.Butremember—"Hejabbedafihisson."Theyallbelongtosomeone.Don''''''''tgetideasyou''''''''tafford."
Amiddle-agedwomaninagrease-soakedapronwalkedpastthem,carryingabasinfullofrawmeat.Herfacewasbnk,eyesfixedahead,likeshewashauli.
Thered-faan''''''''sgazetrailedafterherhips.Hegrabbedthebottleandtookalongpull,smirking.
"What''''''''syourswilletoyou.Don''''''''treachforwhatain''''''''t."hesaid,wipinghismouthwiththebackofhishand.
"Girlslikeher—nobodygivesadamheyvanish,noonereallylooks.Maybetheyfileareport,makesomenoiseforshow,butthat''''''''sit.Youknowhoeoplegomissinginthistryeveryyear?Evenifthecopswaodosomething,theycouldn''''''''t."
Heleanedbahischair,voiceturningrougher.
"Firsttimeshecameherefornoodles,Inoticedherrightaway.Woresomeoutdatedolddress.Fiwobowlsinonego—hungrylikeshehadenindays.Someguypaidherbill,awalkedoffwithhim.I''''''''vetalkedtoher.She''''''''sanorphan,livingwithherfosterfathernow."
"Youknow,aman,"Hesaidwithachuckle."Gothimselfagrown-upfhter,hehe."
Hetiltedthebottle,watgtheliquorslosh.
"We''''''''regivinggirlslikethatacethey''''''''reout,followtherightman,andaslongastheypytheircardsright,they''''''''lleatwell,livesoft.Thelues?Youcouldn''''''''tdreamofhavingtheirlife."
Thesonfellsilent.Theoldermanpattedhimontheshoulder.
"Gogetsomesleep.Weopenearlytomorrow."
Hepaused,aglintofcalcutioninhiseyes.
"Ifyou''''''''rereallyworriedaboutthatman,"headded,"I''''''''lltakehertothe''''''''shipment''''''''myselftomorrow.It''''''''sarush,Iknow—buthenightbreedtrouble."
***
Jundidn''''''''tsleepthatnight.Instead,hespentthehoursbingthroughthefilesofthetwomissinggirls.
OhemhadworkedatRedLanternforhalfayearbeforeshevanished—simplyfailedtoshowuponem.Herroommate,alsoanundotedimmigrant,wastooscaredtoreportit.
Theonlyreasonthecaseeveintothesystemwasbecauseamansheowedmoogotnervousshe''''''''dskippedtownandcalledthepolicehimself.
Whenthepolicequestioherestaurantowner—oldHessel—aboutwhyhehadn''''''''treportedhisemployeemissing,he''''''''dshruggeditoff.Saidthepcewasbusy,hedidn''''''''thavetimetochaseafterfkyworkers.pihatcash-paidstaffswereunreliable—thisonehadevenstolenfromhisregisterandrunoff,orsohecimed.
Thenthecopsaskedwhyhehadn''''''''treportedthetheft.
Hesseljustugheditoff."Notmuey,"he''''''''dsaid."Fetit."
Junknewwhatthatmeant.Theoldmandidn''''''''twantanyonelookingtoocloselyathisbooks.
ThefilealsotaiatementsfromHessel''''''''swifeandtheirdeliveryboy.Theirstoriesmatchedalmostwordforword.ThatwaswhenJunfirstnoticedadetail—Hessel''''''''swifehadgotteizenshipthroughmarriage.Andthedeliveryboy,Kurt,wastheirson.
Theseissinggirlhadstedonlytwoweeks.Sheclockedoutasusualonenight,andbym,shewasgohistime,Hesseldidn''''''''tevenbothertosoundsurprised.Saidhewasusedtoit.Cimedhehadn''''''''tletherhecashregister,soatleastnothimissing.
Therestofthereportwasthesamepattern—interviewswithroommates,friends,boyfriends.hegirlshadstablehousing.Theydriftedfromonecheaprentaltothe,carryinglittlemorethanabagofclothes.Nothingtheyleftbehindofferedanyclues.
Andlikethat,bothcasesfadedintothebackgrouy—unsolved,unremembered.
Junwaothekitandbrewedhimselfacupofcoffee.Thepalemlightspilledthroughthewindow,buttheuneaseinhischestwouldn''''''''tsettle.
Hecouldn''''''''ttellifitwasthecaffeine—orsomethingelse.
Eitherway,heknewohingforsure.
He''''''''dhavetostopbytherestaurantagain.HavealittlechatwitholdHessel.
Ifitcamedowntoit,hecouldalwayshelpReyasettlethatso-calledantiquevase—fivedigitsbarelymeantanythingtohimanyway.
***
Juheentiremfinishinghisusualdailytasks.JustasRedLanternopenedforthelunchservice,hewalkedintotherestaurant.
Thecrispchimeofthewindbellweledhim.Kurt,themixed-racedeliveryboy,stoodattheter,talkingtothemiddle-agedAsianwomanbehindit—hismother.Hisfacelookedteheversationclearlynotgoingwell.
Hearingsomeoer,Kurtturned.WhenhesawJun,hisbrowfurrowed.
"You,again?"
Junraisedaneyebrow."What,I''''''''teforameal?"
ThewomanholdingthemenuwalkedpastKurtwithoutaword,simplygesturingforJuntotakeaseatbythewindow.
Flippingthroughthemenu,Junaskedcasually,"Where''''''''syourserver?"
Mrs.Hesseldidn''''''''tanswer.Instead,sheasked,"Whatwillyouhave?"
Junorderedabowlofcharsiurice.Tobehoheirroastmeatswereprettygood.
Whilewaitingforhisorder,JunpulledouthisphochedMrs.Hesselmovebehindthedispyter,sligcharsiuwithprecise,rhythmicchops,anddialedReyaatthesametime.
Theringofthephoedwiththesoundofkingthewoodencuttingboard.Themeatwassliced,butthecallwentstraighttovoicemail.
JunstoodandcalledouttoKurt,whowasgrabbingtakeoutandheadingforthedoor.
"Reyanotintoday?"
Kurtshotback,clearlyannoyed."HowshouldIknowwhereshewent?"
Juasinkiinhischest,abouttopressfurther,whenMrs.Hesseppearedwithabowlofricetoppedwithcharsiu.
"Shewentwithmyhusbandtopickupstock.Shouldbebackter,"shesaid,settingthebowldown."Hereyougo,enjoyyourmeal."