From where?
Seattle.
Hmm. Not a place hed attract attention, given their vast Asian community. Mei studied the photo for a few seconds. The earthenware vase is from the tomb of Lou Rui, unearthed in Shanxi province. So it isnt part of the same collection as the warrior being peddled by the first courier.
No, but both are on a list of objects that disappeared from a government-operated Beijing museum several months ago. No one can or will say exactly when.
No, she murmured. Thats not the Chinese way. Mei didnt need to be told that both would be priceless to a serious collector, however. Or to a dealerlike her father. With dread forming in her stomach, she slid the picture under the letter and began reading aloud, until Archers cell rang. Not only did she deduce it was Catherine on the line, but following his side of the conversation, she realized he wanted her assignment extended so she could help with this case.
Thanks, Chief, he was saying. Lieutenant Lings ties to Houstons Asian neighborhood may be of value to me in unraveling this puzzle. I took the liberty of inviting her here to see this latest victim firsthand. Would you like a word with her?
Mei reached for the phone with a less than steady hand. This is Mei Lu, Chief. Yes. Yes. She sighed. No. Im fine. It does make sense. Ohbut if Im to be assigned to Mr. Archer starting tonight, youll need to notify Captain Murdock. She listened while a weary-sounding Catherine told her to consider the captain informed. Mei barely acknowledged the chiefs standard closing statement to take care and to keep her updated.
Cullen accepted the phone she shut and handed back. You dont seem pleased with this assignment, Lieutenant.
Its been a tiring day. In any event, she added briskly, this note could be a carbon copy of the one you have in your home file. Except that this couriers name is Jung Lee. Mei passed him both plastic sleeves. I could hardly help overhearing what you said to Chief Tanner. Really, Mr. Archer, I dont know what ties you think I have to Houstons Asian community. I assure you theyre far fewer than you seem to believe.
I dont know, Lieutenant. For starters, theres your knowledge in this field. Youve obviously been well-trained.
Mei recoiled visibly, automatically clenching her hands at her sides. Was it her imagination or had Archer worn a faintly suggestive smile? As you say, sir, she said levelly, Ive studied Chinese history and Dynasty art. If this is all you need from me tonight, Ive got a long drive home.
Certainly. Lets meet at my office tomorrow morning. Say, seven sharp? I like getting a jump on the day. And I promise to make you a pot of tea that holds more than one cup, he said, showing hed remembered her parting shot at their last meeting. Come ready to help me work out an investigative plan. Well follow that with a visit to your fathers gallery. His expertise may exceed yours.
Mei gave a short nod, then excused herself to return to her car. By the time she coaxed the cantankerous Toyota into starting, she saw that her nemesis had been swallowed by the evening fog setting in over the harbor.
As she drove off, she couldnt help wondering about one question in particular. Did Archer have an ulterior motive for suggesting they visit her father?
CHAPTER THREE
MEI LU RETAINED just enough of her traditional Chinese up-bringing to feel shame mixed with her worry over Cullens subtle implication that Ling Limited and her father might somehow be involved in this smuggling case. Saving face wasnt merely a passing fancy in her culture, but something ingrained in children from birth. While it was true that her father was far more westernized than his wife, in some ways he was wholly Chinese. Daughters had no right to be involved in the interrogation of a parent.
Foo whined and snuggled his head against her as she drove home. He was perceptive enough to know when his mistress was upset.
Sometimes I wish you could talk, she said, reaching down to rub his ears at a stoplight. By the very nature of Ling Limiteds dealings, its reasonable that Archer might consider it a gallery of interest.
The dog emitted a little bark, licking her hand before she eased her car from behind the vehicle stopped in front of her. Mei felt foolish confiding her concerns to a dog. For a fleeting moment, as she approached an exit that would take her to a street near Risas, Mei considered swinging by to ask her advice. Risa had street savvy and access to information on Houstons criminal underbelly. Her friends on the force worked a cross section of undercover assignments. As part of her job, Risa dealt with snitches and could probably fill her in. Mei hesitated for many reasons, including the fact that she no longer felt comfortable just dropping in now that Risa was living with Grady.
Mei was sure of one thing: smuggling rings didnt appear overnight. Especially rings attempting to peddle the items shed seen in those photographs found on the dead couriers. Illegal exportation of national treasures and artifacts carried hefty fines and stiff jail terms. Early Dynasty pieces ranked right up there with ivory, or trying to peddle endangered wild animals, either alive or for pelts. This was serious business.
When shed worked at the Hong Kong firm, a clerk had been approached to find a buyer for a rare ivory hairpin topped by an intricate solid-gold phoenix set with ruby eyes. Lings dedicated clerk had detained the man after shed pressed a hidden buzzer connected directly to the local police department. They came at once and hauled the would-be seller off to jail.
Mei later found out the poor man legitimately owned the piece. Or rather, his great-grandmother did. The old woman had fallen ill and he, like a dutiful grandson, had been sent to secure money to pay for her care.
The woman died while authorities fought over whether the government had the right to confiscate her property without restitution of any sort because the item was deemed a national treasure. Mei and her clerk felt horrible, and so sorry for the family. Stephen, whod been away at the time, said Mei had handled the man incorrectly. Her brother told her next time to buy the piece to put in his private collection. He bought estate pieces in Chinas rural areas and insisted that if word of her actions got out, itd cause good citizens to be angry at the governmentand to feel leery of working with gallery buyers in the future.
But her dad had personally trained the clerk. Mei was positive hed never approve of the way Stephen chose to ignore the rules. She hadnt discussed the incident with her father, yet it remained an issue between her and Stephen.
A second question nagged her as she drove past the ramp that led to Risas. Since her father was also a kind, loyal man, could hewould he overlook a flaw in a friend or fellow dealer?
Until she had that answer, she wouldnt seek advice from Risa or anyone else. Meaning Cullen Archer, as well. If he thought shed automatically throw open the doors to Ling Limited and allow him to interrogate her dad, he needed to think again.
At home, she brewed sweet mint tea in a black earthenware pot of the kind preferred by Chinese all over the world. A methodical investigator, Mei pulled out a chair at her kitchen table and opened her notebook. She made two lists. One contained what she knew about the case thus far. The other was a series of questions. She stopped the question list at the end of page four. On the fact side, she had only three things. The priceless items in the photographs were missing from museums in China. Houston, Texas, was being canvassed for possible buyers. Two couriers had ended up in the morgue.