Spirits

by Geri ([email protected])

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: D/Leon

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Matsuri Akino; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.

Summary: Sequel to "The Day After"; Leon and D investigate a murder which may have been committed by a vengeful spirit.

Author's note 1: <> Indicates the animals' speech, which Leon cannot understand.

Author's note 2: This story presumes that Chris used to live at the petshop, but now lives with his adoptive parents (Leon's aunt and uncle). I made up the stuff about D growing up in Japan; I invented that part of his background to explain why he sometimes speaks Japanese in my stories.

Author's note 3: "Ni hao" means "hello" in Chinese. "Urusai" means "noisy" or annoying in Japanese; D uses the latter meaning when speaking to Leon. "Oyasumi-nasai" means "goodnight".
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon was sound asleep, blissfully dreaming about the Count, but an annoying ringing noise off in the distance pulled him back into the waking world.

"Uhnn..."

"Keiji-san, answer your phone!"

"Q, Q!"

Leon slowly opened his eyes, looking around blearily. He was lying in a large, canopied bed. Gauzy, gossamer-thin curtains had been drawn back around the bed, and some sort of small, flowered tapestries or scrolls hung from the canopy like streamers. An odd little bat-like creature was hovering in the air, squeaking at him. Oh yeah, he thought, I'm at the Count's place. The ringing seemed to be coming from somewhere on the floor. He leaned over, picked up his jacket and pulled his cell phone out of the pocket.

"Orcot."

"Hi Leon. Are you at Count D's?"

"That's none of your business, Jill!"

"I'm not just being nosy. The wife and daughter of a Chinatown businessman have been murdered, and I want you to bring D down here as soon as possible."

"Why do you need D?" Leon grumbled.

"Because the only witness is a 5-year old boy who apparently can't speak English! He's crying and babbling, and I can't calm him down, much less understand a word he's saying!"

"Isn't there anyone in the department who speaks Chinese?"

"Terry Hu over in Vice, but he's on vacation. Look, I can round up an official translator, but that'll take time, and the kid's hysterical! Get over here as soon as you can!"

"Keiji-san?" D appeared in the doorway. Leon did a double-take: D was wearing a red silk gown covered by an apron that had a little cartoon chick on the front saying "piyo piyo"! He was stirring something in a large mixing bowl.

"Uh, just a sec. What was the address, Jill? Yeah, uh huh, I got it. OK, I'll be there soon."

"Is something wrong, Keiji-san?"

"Yeah, there's been a double murder--the wife and young daughter of a man named Ling Yunhan."

"Oh my! Mr. Ling's family?"

"You know him?"

"By reputation. He is a very wealthy man, well known in Chinatown. His wife came to the shop occasionally."

"What did you sell her?! Something weird?! What was it this time--another tiger? More killer bunnies?"

"Do not be silly, Keiji-san. We sell 'love and dreams,' not death." As the detective growled, D continued, "All I sold her were some ordinary goldfish."

"Really? That's all?"

"That's all. I would not wish any harm on Mrs. Ling. She was a lovely and kind woman, although she seemed rather sad."

"What do you mean?"

"I think she was lonely. She said she wanted a pet to keep her company."

"A fish doesn't seem very cuddly."

She wanted a puppy or a kitten but she said her husband said they would be too noisy and messy. Apparently fish were the only pets he would tolerate."

"Hmmm. Doesn't sound like a loving hubby. Jill said they can't find him--could he have murdered her?"

"I do not know. He is a proud and arrogant man, but he does not strike me as a killer. Of course, I do not know him well."

"Well, we can talk about it on the way down."

"We?"

"Jill says we need a translator. Ling's son saw the murder, but he doesn't speak English. Do you mind?"

"Of course not. I am glad to be of help." He sighed and looked down at the bowl. "Does this mean we don't have time for breakfast? I was going to make waffles..."

"Sorry, we've got to hurry."

"Then shouldn't you get out of bed?"

"Uh, could you leave the room so I can get dressed?"

The Count smirked. "You weren't so shy last night."

"Will you get out of here?!"

D sighed, a martyred look on his face. "Ordered about in my own home!"

Q-chan landed on Leon's head and peered down curiously at the detective. "Q?"

"And take that flying rat with you!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 minutes later, D knocked on the bedroom door. "Aren't you ready yet, Keiji-san?"

"Cool your jets! I can't find my hair thingie!"

D opened the door to find Leon on his hands and knees, searching the carpeted floor for something. "'Thingie'?" asked the Count.

"You know, that rubber band thingie you use to make a ponytail? Come on, help me look!" Leon's blond hair fell across his face, and he impatiently pushed it out of the way.

The detective looked quite fetching with his hair loose, mused D. But unfortunately this was no time to think about such things. "We do not have time for this, Keiji-san," said D, rummaging through a dresser drawer. "Ah, here, you can use this..." he held out a pink hair ribbon.

"I am not wearing a PINK ribbon!" shouted Leon.

"Urusai," muttered D under his breath, reaching back into the drawer.

"What was that?!"

"This is no time to be so picky, Keiji-san," scolded D. "Here, how about this?" He held up a black velvet ribbon.

"Oh, all right!" grumbled Leon, as D tied back the detective's hair, humming to himself.

"Kawaii!" exclaimed D, clapping his hands together.

"I don't know why you even have hair ribbons--" complained Leon.

"Some of my pets--"

"Oh, never mind, I don't want to know! Let's get going!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

As they drove to the crime scene, Leon said, "So tell me about Ling and his wife."

"Mr. Ling is what you Americans call a self-made man. His family had no money, but through hard work, and a certain amount of ruthlessness, he became a successful businessman. He started off running a small corner shop in Chinatown, and turned it into a chain of Asian grocery stores. His stores have done well, and he has invested wisely. He is very ambitious. In fact, his name, written in the Asian style with the family name first--Ling Yunhan--means 'lofty aspirations.' "

"Could a business rival have attacked his family for revenge?"

"I do not know. Mr. Ling is respected, but not well-liked. He has stepped on others during his climb to success, but I do not know of anyone who hates him enough to kill him or his family."

"And the wife?"

"Ah, Ling Meilin, formerly Wang Meilin. Her father is a very wealthy Hong Kong businessman. Their marriage was arranged as a kind of business alliance."

"So they didn't marry for love?"

"No, it was an arranged marriage."

"Hmm. Any hanky panky going on with either spouse?"

"Not on Mrs. Ling's part. She was a very honorable woman. Even if she did not love her husband, she would not betray him. And she had little opportunity. She rarely left the house. Ah, gossip has it that her husband did not permit her much freedom."

"He was the possessive type?"

D shrugged. "Saa...perhaps he was merely old-fashioned, and believed the woman's place is in the house. I also heard that he was a snob despite, or perhaps because of, his lowly origins. He did not like his wife or children associating with people he considered 'beneath' him."

"What about him? Was he cheating on her?"

"He probably had mistresses. It is not uncommon, particularly for a wealthy man in an arranged marriage."

"Hmph! Is that an Asian thing? The wife can't fool around but the hubby can?"

"I said it was common; I did not say that I approved. And I assure you there is plenty of infidelity on the part of both sexes throughout the world. Unfortunately."

"Well, here we are." Leon pulled up in front of the house. Iron gates stood open, revealing police cars parked in the driveway. Leon and D got out of the car and walked towards the house. Jill sat on the front steps, trying to comfort a weeping young boy. D dropped to one knee, and smiled and said, "Ni hao." The boy looked up and spoke hesitantly in Chinese. D replied in the same language. Chinese always sounded harsh to Leon, but D turned the language into something almost musical. After a moment, the boy flung his arms around the Count, sobbing hysterically. D was taken aback, but then gently stroked the child's hair, and spoke to him in a reassuring tone. Leon noticed that despite the fuss the Count had made about his ruined gown two nights ago, D knelt on the ground comforting the child without worrying about dirt or tears staining his expensive-looking silk robe.

While D spoke to the child, Jill said to Leon, "Nice ribbon."

"Oh, shut up," said Leon.

Jill led Leon to the crime scene. The bodies were sprawled out on the living room floor. The woman might have been beautiful in life, but it was difficult to tell. Her face was frozen in a look of terror, and her throat had been torn open. There were also long, bloody scratches on her face and arms.

"They look like defense wounds," said Jill. "Like she was raising her arm to ward off an attack."

"Too uneven to be made by a knife--claws?!"

"Or someone with killer fingernails! Maybe the Count could do something like this with his nails." Jill smiled slyly at Leon. "Can you give him an alibi?"

Leon glared at her. "The scratches on the arms and face may have been done with fingernails, but I doubt even the Count could rip open someone's throat with his nails. Besides, he'd probably be afraid of chipping his nail polish or something!"

Jill's grin faded as they turned to the body of the child. A little girl, of about 7 or 8, lay on the floor like a broken doll. "Christ!" said Leon. As a homicide detective, he had become inured to the sight of death, but he never got used to seeing the children. Every time he saw one of those little bodies, he felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

A woman from the Medical Examiner's office knelt next to the body. "If it's any consolation, she died instantly. Looks like the neck was snapped with one blow. We'll do autopsies, of course, but I don't see any other wounds on the girl."

"Poor child," said Jill softly. "Her name was Wenli."

Leon looked around the room. Furniture had been overturned, paintings hung askew on the walls, and broken glass and wilted flowers lay on the floor, presumably a vase that had been knocked over. "Could it have been a robbery?"

"There's a lot of jewelry in the wife's room, untouched. TV, stereo, computer, all still here. There's a lot of expensive-looking artwork around the house. Some of it's broken--" Jill motioned towards the broken vase on the floor. "But most of it appears to be intact. Of course, with Ling gone and the wife dead, we don't know if anything's missing. Ling's car is gone; we have an APB out on it."

"You figure he killed his wife and daughter and took off? But what about the son?"

"We found him hiding under his bed."

Leon frowned. "Why would he leave the boy alive if he killed the rest of his family? Or did someone else kill the family and kidnap Ling? No, I've got a feeling Ling is involved somehow."

"Maybe D can get the boy to talk to us."

"Yeah, let's go back and see." As they went back out, Leon noticed among the wreckage more broken glass, this time mixed with colored pebbles, limp pieces of seaweed, and several dead goldfish. They were the fancy kind, with the frilly tails and bulging eyes. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"D sold Mrs. Ling those fish. Pets to keep her company because she was lonely. It wasn't enough that whoever did this murdered a mother and an innocent child! No, he had to kill her pets, too!" For some reason he didn't fully understand, the sight of those fish filled Leon with rage.

Jill gently took hold of Leon's arm. "Come on, let's see if the Count has calmed the boy down enough to talk."

D sat on the front steps with the boy. His face was streaked with tears, but he had stopped crying. Leon couldn't see any pockets on D's robe, but he had somehow produced a handkerchief, with which he was wiping the child's face, and a lollipop, which he handed to the boy. D smiled and said, "Hello, detectives, this is Jiazhen. Jiazhen, this is Detective Leon and Detective Jill."

The boy looked up shyly and said, "Hello," very softly.

Jill and Leon both knelt down. "Ni hao," said Leon, and the boy smiled, just a little.

D spoke to the boy in Chinese, then said to the detectives, "I told him that you are friends of mine. He does speak some English, but Cantonese is his first language, and under these circumstances, it is difficult for him to remember his English lessons."

"Of course," said Jill, smiling reassuringly at the child. "Hello, Jiazhen. Is that what you like to be called, or do you have a nickname?"

The Count translated, and the boy whispered something to D. "He says you can call him Jia. That's what his mother and sister called him."

"I know this is very hard for you, Jia," said Jill, "but can you tell us what happened? We want to catch whoever hurt your mother and sister."

D translated. Jia went pale and began to tremble. D said something, and the boy's eyes widened as he looked at Leon.

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him not to be afraid because my friends will protect him. I told him you protected me from 3 bad men with guns the other night."

"Well, that's not exactly true, but...don't worry, Jia! We won't let anyone hurt you!"

Jia said something to D, who smiled. "He says you must be a very brave man."

"Well, of course! Tell him I'm very strong and brave, and won't let any bad men hurt him!" Leon flexed his arms like a bodybuilder, and Jia giggled.

Jill rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't let it go to your head!"

Jia spoke to D in Cantonese. "He says that the 'bad lady' hurt his mother and sister."

"What bad lady?"

Jia and D talked for several minutes while Leon tried to conceal his impatience. Finally, D said, "You're not going to like this, Keiji-san. I believe that the 'bad lady' is some sort of ghost or spirit."

"What?!"

"Mr. Ling is a collector of fine art." The Count hesitated for a moment, glancing at the boy apologetically, then continued. "Ah, rumor has it that not all of it was acquired legally. In any case, he recently brought home a statue, about this high--" D held his hands about a foot apart, "--of a woman in 'funny clothes like the people in Mama's tv shows.' Mrs. Ling mentioned once that she was fond of the historical dramas on the Chinese television station."

"So, probably some piece of antique art?" asked Jill.

"Yes, he bought mostly Asian art, all of it old and expensive. I'm not sure if he really loved art, or if it was his way of showing off his wealth."

"What does all this have to do with the murders?" demanded Leon.

"I'm getting there. Jia says his father started acting strangely after he bought the statue. He kept it in his study, and he would lock himself in there at night, and Jia and his family would hear voices--like Mr. Ling was talking to someone, even though he was alone."

"Couldn't he be talking on the phone or something?"

"Jia said they could hear a woman's voice. Mrs. Ling confronted her husband about it, and he flew into a rage. Said it was none of her business, and slapped her."

"Abusive husband?" mused Jill. "That could be a motive."

"Jia said his father never hit his mother before." D paused to talk to the boy again. "It sounds like Mr. Ling was more distant than abusive. He mostly ignored them, except when he brought guests to the house. Then they were expected to behave like the perfect family. At any rate, after that incident, Jia says his father became even more reclusive, spending all night in the study, rarely leaving the house, or even the room. He says last night the statue came to life and attacked his mother."

"WHAT?!"

"Keiji-san! Do not frighten the child!"

Leon got himself under control with an effort. "Sorry. " He tried to smile at Jia, who was huddled against D's side. "But can you please explain?!"

"He and his sister heard shouting. They saw a woman who looked just like the statue, in the same 'funny clothes,' screaming at their mother. Their father looked terrified, and was trying to calm down the woman, without success. The woman attacked their mother, clawing her with her nails. Wenli ran downstairs to try and protect their mother." D smiled sadly. "Apparently, she was a very brave girl. The woman hit her, and she fell down and didn't get up again. Jia ran to his room and hid under the bed. Which is where the police found him this morning."

"And Ling? Does Jia know where he went?"

"He doesn't know. He stayed under the bed all night. He was afraid to come out, in case the 'bad lady' was still around."

"Hmm. He said the woman was yelling at his mother. Does he remember what she said?" asked Leon.

D translated, and the child replied. "She kept shouting something like, 'He belongs to me!'"

"Sounds like a jealous lover, not a ghost! Probably one of the mistresses you mentioned earlier. The part about her being the statue is probably just a frightened kid's imagination."

"She was dressed in old-fashioned robes, like those worn by noblewomen in China hundreds of years ago. He said she looked just like the statue."

"He was scared! His mind is playing tricks on him. Maybe she dressed a little funny, but she's not the only one." Leon looked pointedly at D's gown. "I'm sure she's flesh and blood, not a spirit!"

"I do not 'dress funny,'" grumbled D.

"We're detectives, not ghostbusters," said Jill gently. "All we can do is look at the evidence at hand. Even if ghosts existed, how could we find one, much less arrest it? We'll examine the crime scene, and talk to Ling's associates. And I promise we'll try to find out more about the statue. Even if it didn't come to life, maybe it played some role in his death. If he dealt in black-market art, maybe someone killed him for it. Or maybe he bought the statue because it reminded him of his mistress."

D smiled, somewhat mollified. "Beautiful, intelligent, AND diplomatic! You could learn from your partner, Keiji-san."

Leon gritted his teeth, and for a change, did the diplomatic thing--he ignored D. "Is there a relative or someone the boy can stay with?"

D spoke to Jia, then translated the boy's answer. "His Auntie Wen. I believe that would be his mother's older sister, Wenjing Holt. She runs the American branch of her father's import-export business. The head office is located in San Francisco."

"Wenjing 'Holt'?" asked Leon.

"She is married to an American scholar, Simon Holt. His specialty is Chinese history. I believe he met his wife while he was studying abroad."

"How come you know so much about these people?" asked Leon suspiciously.

"Oh, I hear a great deal of gossip in Chinatown. Besides, the Wangs import many products from Asia--including cheongsams."

"I'll go see if I can get the Aunt's phone number," said Jill. "We need to notify the family anyway."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

D looked after Jia while Jill went to track down the Aunt's phone number, and Leon went back to look over the crime scene. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the two were deep in conversation. Occasionally the boy would look at Leon and giggle. God only knows what the Count is telling the kid about me! thought Leon. Still, at least he was distracting the kid from his problems for a little while.

Leon searched the house, but found no sign of a statue like the one Jia had described. He did find Ling's address book and personal papers in the study. There were the names of what appeared to be business contacts, and canceled checks for bills, including several local art galleries. He noted that something called the "Jade Empress Lounge" showed up on Ling's credit card statements, to the tune of several hundred dollars per month.

Jill walked in. "I've got Mrs. Holt on the phone. It took awhile to track her down. She's in Hong Kong on business. Let's put her on speakerphone so we can both talk to her." She leaned over and punched a button on the phone on Ling's desk. "Mrs. Holt? This is my colleague, Detective Orcot. I know this is a bad time, but we need to ask you a few questions."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Holt," said Leon.

"Thank you, Detective," Wenjing Holt replied softly, with a faint hint of a British accent in her voice. "Can you please tell me what happened to my sister? And where is my brother-in-law?" She sounded genuinely grief-stricken, but the tone of her voice sharpened on "brother-in-law." Hmm, thought Leon. No love lost there?

"There's no easy way to say this," said Jill gently. "She was murdered."

"How? Who? And where's Ling?!"

"We don't know where Mr. Ling is right now, and we are searching for him. We believe the suspect is a woman; we're still trying to find out who she is. As for how--" Jill hesitated.

"Please--I need to know how my sister died!" Mrs. Holt's voice broke. "I don't want to know...but I must!"

"Her throat was cut," said Jill softly. "And I'm afraid your niece was killed also. The killer struck her when she tried to protect her mother. She died instantly."

"Oh God!" Mrs. Holt broke down sobbing. They heard a male voice in the background, sounding concerned. "No, Simon," she gasped, "I'm...I'm all right." There were a few more soft sobs, then she said shakily, "Is Jiazhen...is he...?"

"He's fine, Mrs. Holt," said Leon. "He's frightened, but unharmed. A...friend of mine is looking after him right now."

"Thank God! I'll take the first flight back to America!"

"Is there anyone who can look after Jia till you get back, Mrs. Holt?" asked Jill. "A friend or a relative?"

Mrs. Holt sounded hesitant. "I...I don't know. Most of our family lives in Hong Kong."

"What about a friend or neighbor?"

"Meilin didn't really have any friends," said Wenjing Holt bitterly. "That husband of hers kept her locked up in that house most of the time. As if he were some sort of Emperor in ancient times! He looked down his nose at the neighbors--they weren't good enough for him and his family to associate with! As if he didn't start off as a nobody himself! I tried to visit her when I could...I think I was the only friend she really had." She started to weep softly again.

"I'm sorry to have to ask this," said Jill, "but the marriage was not a happy one?"

There was a long silence. Finally, Mrs. Holt said, "She was happy enough at first. It was an arranged marriage, but he was handsome and charming. While negotiating the marriage, he sent her gifts, fine dresses and jewelry. She thought the presents and pretty words meant that he cared for her. I didn't trust him, but my sister was too obedient to defy our father. Besides, she liked him and thought they could build a good life together. She didn't know that he didn't see her as a person, but as just another lovely ornament to grace his home."

"What do you mean?" asked Leon.

"The clothes and jewelry weren't tokens of affection. They were to make her look beautiful, just as he bought paintings and antique vases to make his home look beautiful. She meant no more to him than a vase or tapestry. In fact, I suspect he valued his art collection more. And of course he wanted an heir. Do you know the meaning behind my nephew's name? 'Jiazhen' means 'promoting family business'. All he really cares about is his business and his money! Jia is just another one of his possessions; he has the boy's life all mapped out--and God help him if it turns out he has no aptitude for or interest in the family business!"

"Mrs. Ling never considered a divorce?" asked Leon.

"No, my sister is...was...too old-fashioned for that. And besides, there were the children to think of...although I think they'd have been better off without a father like that! But I'm the rebellious one in the family."

"Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to hurt your sister? Or of anyone who held a grudge against her husband?" asked Jill.

"I don't know of anyone who'd want to hurt Meilin! As for Ling...I don't know. He's made enemies--but someone who would kill? And why Meilin and Wenli?"

"Perhaps to hurt him by harming his family? Can you think of anyone, perhaps a business rival seeking revenge?"

There was another silence. "He recently did a hostile takeover of the Chow family's restaurant business. The Golden Lion chain. They had financial problems--he loaned them money, but took the business when they were late with the payments. Which was his intention from the start. The Chows were very bitter, but I don't think they'd resort to murder."

"We'll look into it, and into his other business dealings." Jill hesitated a moment. "Was Mr. Ling ever abusive towards his wife?"

"He never hit her, if that's what you mean. If he did I'd--!" She said something in Chinese the detectives couldn't understand, but from her tone, it was definitely something unpleasant. "Do you think he did it?!"

"We don't know, Mrs. Holt," said Jill. "We have to look at all the possibilities."

"Do you think he's capable of something like this?" asked Leon. "You sounded a bit suspicious of him yourself. And you said the marriage was an unhappy one."

"I said my sister was unhappy! He didn't give a damn about how she felt! He had a respectable wife, and children, a nice home and lots of money--he was quite happy!" Mrs. Holt paused. "I hate him, but I can't see any reason for him to kill my sister or his own daughter! But if he's responsible in any way, I'll kill him myself! Wait--didn't you say something about a woman being the murderer?"

"We're not sure...but your nephew saw a strange woman in the house," said Leon. "Do you know of any female business partners or, ah, um..."

"Lovers? Well, not 'lovers'--he wasn't capable of loving anyone! But I know he slept with other women--mostly women from some hostess bar. My sister was resigned to it. But he'd never bring one of those women into the house!"

"Any one woman in particular he was seeing?"

"Weren't you listening? He doesn't care about anyone--those women were playthings, that's all. He didn't care for them any more than he did for my sister. Please, can I go now? I need to book a flight back home."

"Yes, that's all for now, thank you, Mrs. Holt," said Jill. "Please call us as soon as you get here."

"Yes, of course! And--will you look after Jiazhen for me? You said you had a friend who was taking care of him?"

"Uh, yes," said Leon. "A Chinatown shopkeeper. He speaks Chinese, and Jia seems to like him."

"Who is it?" asked Mrs. Holt.

"Uh, well, his name is Count D..."

"Oh, Count D! I've heard of him...and Meilin said he was kind to her. I suppose that's all right. I'll be in as soon as I can!"

After Mrs. Holt had hung up, Jill turned to Leon and said, "Well, I suppose we'd better break the news to the Count that you've volunteered his services as a baby-sitter."

"Why is this MY fault?! It was your idea to get him involved in the first place!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Count crossed his arms and glared at Leon. "Contrary to what you might think, Keiji-san, I run a pet shop, not a nursery!"

"Oh, come on, Count!" protested Leon. "There's no one else to look after him! Look at him, poor kid--father missing, mother dead--are you going to abandon him?"

"Isn't it your responsibility--"

Jill sighed. "Well, if we can't find someone to take care of him, we'll have to turn him over to Social Services. That means a foster home, where he won't know anyone, and there probably aren't many foster parents available who speak Chinese..."

D looked down at Jia, who was looking back up at him anxiously. His expression softened slightly. "Oh, very well. But you will both owe me a very large favor..."

Jill grinned. "We'll make it up to you, Count!"

"Then you can be the one to stand in line all morning at Hotel de Marseilles," muttered Leon.

The Count leaned over and whispered in Leon's ear, "I'm sure I'll think of some other way you can make it up to me, Keiji-san."

Jill snickered as Leon's face turned red. "Say Leon, I just noticed--weren't you wearing those same clothes last night...?"

"Uh...WHOA, look at the time!! We've really gotta get moving on this investigation! I'll have a patrol car take D and the kid back to the shop! And I'd better go call the Chief and arrange to have a couple of cops to protect the kid!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

D led Jia down the stairs into the pet shop. "I'm glad you're here," he said to the boy in Cantonese. "I could really use some help today. Would you like to help me take care of the pets?"

Jia nodded. A fluttering sound made him look up and gasp.

"Ah, this is my friend, Q-chan." The Count held out his hand, and the little bat-like creature landed on it.

"Is he a vampire bat?" asked Jia nervously.

"Oh no, his favorite food is strawberries."

"Q!"

Some of the other inhabitants of the pet shop emerged to check out the new visitor. Jia watched wide-eyed as a raccoon walked up and tugged on the Count's robe with one paw. <Hey Count, who is this? Is he going to live with us like Chris did?> asked Pon.

A strange little animal with horns and shaggy fur gave a derisive snort. <Just what we need, another hairless ape!>

<Oh, shut up, Tetsu! I know you miss Chris too!>

"Enough," scolded the Count gently. "This is Jia. He will be staying with us for a day or two. Jia, this is Pon and Tetsu-chan."

"Uh, hello," Jia said, patting Pon, who seemed to smile at him. He started to pat Tetsu-chan, but changed his mind. The animal looked grumpy, and he didn't want to get bitten. "What can I do to help?" he asked the Count.

"Well, I have a pet that needs some very special care. Just a moment." D left the room and came back a moment later with a small ball of fluff. He handed it to Jia. The ball of fluff squirmed and mewed. It was a tiny kitten, with smoky gray fur and pale blue eyes. "It is a stray that I found in the alley the other day. He is afraid of humans right now, since his first owner abandoned him. He'll need a lot of care and affection before he's ready to be a pet. Do you think you can help me with him? It will require a great deal of work and patience."

"I can do it!" said Jia, gently stroking the kitten. He could feel its heart beating rapidly against his arm. "Don't be scared...what's his name, Count D?"

"Kage."

"Kah-gay?"

"Yes, it means 'shadow' in Japanese. I named him that because I almost didn't see him, he blended into the shadows so well."

"Hello, Kage." Jia continued to stroke the kitten. Gradually its heartbeat slowed to a normal rate, and it began to purr.

"Well, it seems that he likes you! You're doing a good job already! Shall we go feed Kage and the other animals their breakfast?"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jill interviewed Ling's assistant, Steven Kam. "Enemies? Sure, he pissed off a lot of people."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Hmm...well, Johnny Chow was furious when Mr. Ling foreclosed on his family's business. He was in here screaming and swearing--we had to threaten to call the police to make him leave. And there was Raymond Hong--he worked with Mr. Ling when he was first starting out."

"What happened?"

"When the business became successful, Mr. Ling fired him. Hong claimed that he had been promised full partnership and a half-share in the business. But there was no written agreement, so there was nothing he could do."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon stood outside the Eastern Garden restaurant talking to Johnny Chow. "Yeah, I hated Ling's guts, it's no secret. He came to us, saying how he wanted to help us out as a fellow Chinese-American. Then we were a few weeks late with our payments, and he took away the business that my grandfather started 50 years ago! So much for all his talk about fellowship! We should've known better than to trust that bastard! Now I work here--" Chow gestured towards the restaurant behind them "--for someone else. And my grandfather had a stroke, and he's never fully recovered. Losing the business broke his heart."

"Did you hate him enough to kill his wife and little girl? Was that a fair trade--he hurt your family, so you decided to hurt his?"

"Jesus, no!" exclaimed Chow, looking genuinely surprised. "I thought Ling was the one who got killed! I'd never hurt a woman or a kid!"

"Where were you last night?"

"Here, working the night shift till 11pm."

"And after that?"

"Went straight home. You can ask my wife."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I hear you had a falling out with Ling Yunhan several years ago, Mr. Hong," said Jill.

"You heard right," said Hong. "I worked for peanuts because he promised me a share of the business when it became profitable. Then when it did, he stabbed me in the back."

"You didn't have a written contract?"

"A handshake was all that was needed between friends," said Hong bitterly. "Or so I thought. He did me one favor--he taught me to always get it in writing! So, you're from the Homicide Department? Did someone finally kill that son of a bitch?"

"Would that make you happy?"

"I'd shake the guy's hand and buy him a drink!"

"Mr. Ling is missing. His wife and daughter were the ones who were murdered."

"What?!"

"Where were you last night, Mr. Hong? Say, between 8 and midnight?"

"I...I went out with some coworkers last night. It was someone's birthday. We went out for dinner, and then for drinks. We were out past midnight."

"I'll need their names, and the names of the restaurant and bar."

"Yes...yes, of course. Listen, I wouldn't have hurt Meilin or the the little girl! I admit, I wouldn't mourn Ling, but Meilin was a really nice lady...way too good for Ling!"
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon entered the Jade Empress Lounge and asked for the manager. The place wasn't the sleazy strip joint he'd imagined. It looked like an upscale bar, dimly lit, with Chinese-style screens (like the ones D had in the pet shop) set up in the corners, presumably to provide a measure of privacy. A few men in suits, presumably businessmen, sat at one table with a pretty Asian woman, who poured the men drinks and hung on their every word as if it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever heard.

"Yes, how may I help you?" the manager, a Chinese-American man in his 30's asked.

Leon flashed his badge. "Ling Yunhan was a regular customer of yours?"

"Our customers like their privacy. May I ask what this is about?"

"This is about murder. Mr. Ling's wife and daughter have been killed."

"And Mr. Ling--is he all right?"

"He's missing. And don't play games with me--I know he was a regular here!"

"Yes, he was. I'm very sorry about what happened, but I don't see what that has to do with us."

"Let me do the detecting," said Leon dryly. "Did Ling have any arguments with anyone recently?"

"Not that I know of."

"Any enemies?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well, thanks for all your help," said Leon sarcastically. "Was there a certain girl here who was Ling's favorite--and please don't tell me you don't know!"

The manager led him back to some sort of dressing room. A beautiful Chinese woman sat at a table, applying makeup. "Jade, this detective would like to talk to you about Mr. Ling."

The woman rose gracefully to her feet. She had shoulder-length black hair, and wore a dark green cheongsam not unlike the ones the Count wore, but much tighter. Or perhaps it was just that D didn't have curves like that!

"I'm Detective Orcot. And you're Jade...or should I call you 'Empress'?"

Jade laughed, then spoke in a low and sultry voice. "No, the bar wasn't named after me! I chose the name because it was convenient. You don't always want clients to know your real name."

"Which is?"

"Zhang Miaoyu."

"'Miaoyu'?" Leon asked, stumbling over the unfamiliar syllables. "What does that mean?"

"It means 'pretty as fine jade'," replied Jade.

"Yes, you certainly are!" exclaimed Leon, giving her his most charming smile.

Jade gave him a flirtatious smile in return. "What did you want, Detective? Is Mr. Ling in some sort of trouble?"

She didn't seem overly concerned, Leon noticed. "How long have you known him?" asked Leon, ignoring her question for the moment.

"He's been a regular patron here for quite some time. I've been...spending time...with him personally for a few months."

"And what exactly does 'spending time' mean?"

"A hostess entertains the guests--" As Leon raised an eyebrow, Jade said, "Not THAT sort of entertainment, Detective! We serve them drinks, make conversation, laugh at their jokes..."

"I've seen how much Ling spends at this place--surely he doesn't pay all that money just for conversation!"

"This is a place for men to come and relax--we talk with them, flatter them, and yes, flirt with them. Just for a few hours, we make an ordinary man feel like a king. It's also a good place if you want to conduct business in an informal setting."

"I guess," said Leon dubiously. "Is that some sort of Asian thing?"

"You might say that," said Jade with an amused smile. "Perhaps you should stop by sometime when you're off-duty."

Leon found the thought rather appealing--until a mental image of an angry D popped into his head! Oh well, this place looked too expensive for a cop's salary, anyway. "And did you do anything besides talk with Ling?"

"This is a hostess bar, not a brothel, Detective. However, if one of the girls decides to date a client outside of work...well, her free time is her own, isn't it?"

"And did you 'date' Ling?" asked Leon impatiently."

"Yes."

"Even though he was married?"

She shrugged. "I'm no threat to his wife. If it wasn't me, it would be someone else, and he's not going to leave her for a bar girl. I would think she'd be glad to get him out of her hair for awhile, anyway."

"You don't love him?"

Jade burst out laughing. "Of course not! He's arrogant, self-centered, and boring!"

"Then why--?"

"He's also rich. He buys me presents--" she fingered the gold and jade necklace around her neck, and the heavy jade bangles on her wrists "--and gives me gifts of cash. Oh, don't look so disapproving, Detective. This is not a profession one can remain in for long. Sooner or later, my looks will fade. I'm trying to save enough money so that someday I can buy a shop or bar of my own."

"Mr. Ling's wife and daughter are dead. Was she threatening to make him leave you? Perhaps you were afraid of losing your meal ticket?"

Jade gasped and turned pale. "No! I had no idea!"

"Where were you last night?"

"I was here, working! One of our important clients brought some guests from Hong Kong. A few of the other girls and I entertained them till about 2 in the morning. Listen, Detective, I didn't kill Ling's wife! I didn't expect him to marry me or anything! The way Ling works is, he chooses a girl, goes out with her for a few months, maybe 6 months tops! Then he moves on to someone else. Nothing personal on either side!"

"He bought you all that jewelry and gave you money--are you saying there was nothing personal about that?"

"Yes! It's just his way of showing what a big shot he is! That he can afford to buy necklaces and bracelets that cost hundreds of dollars like they were dime store trinkets! And he likes having a beautiful woman on his arm to show off!"

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Yes, damn you! But it was strictly business! Anyway, he loved having his ego stroked more than anything we did in bed! You can think of me as a whore if you like, but I'm not a killer! I wouldn't kill for him--and that bastard is not worth going to jail over!"

"OK, take it easy--I believe you. Was he seeing any other women who might be jealous? Was he worried about anything, or acting strangely recently?"

Jade took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She thought for a moment. "He did seem a little distant lately. I thought maybe he was getting ready to move on to someone else, which quite frankly, would be a relief. But he wasn't seeing anyone else that I know of. He seemed...distracted, as if something was on his mind. I figured he was worried about some business deal or something. And he hasn't been coming around as much lately as he usually does. Come to think of it, he hasn't been in for over a week."

"Did he mention any business deal that was troubling him?"

"No, that was just my guess. But usually he would only tell me his success stories, anyway. He does have a big ego, you know."

"Yeah, I get the picture." Leon hesitated. It was just some crazy idea of the Count's, but what the heck. It wouldn't hurt to ask. "Did he mention anything about a statue he'd bought recently?"

"He's always buying artwork. But he did seem very pleased about a piece he'd bought about a month ago. I think it was a statue or figurine. He got it at a real bargain, because it was supposed to be cursed or something. He really gloated over that."

Oh great, thought Leon, the damn thing's cursed! He sighed. Now the Count would keep harping on his ghost theory. "One last thing--may I see your hands?"

Jade looked puzzled, but held out her hands for the detective to examine. Her fingernails were long--although not as long as D's--and perfectly polished and manicured. It certainly didn't look as though she'd been clawing anyone last night.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jill and Leon met at the "Asian Antiquities" art gallery in Chinatown. The owner was a well-dressed Chinese man in his 40's, Anthony Wong. Like Wenjing Holt, he spoke with a slight British accent.

"I'm sorry," Wong said, "but unless you have a warrant, our customer records are confidential."

"Listen, pal," said Leon, "this is a murder inves--"

Jill motioned for Leon to be quiet, and gave the gallery owner a charming smile. "I understand. Your clients rely on your discretion."

"Exactly!"

"Pardon me for asking, but are you from Hong Kong? I noticed your accent..."

"Yes, I emigrated here about 10 years ago."

"How could you tell?" whispered Leon.

"Hong Kong used to be a British territory, Einstein," Jill muttered back. She flashed another smile at Wong. "Mr. Ling's wife was from Hong Kong also," she said. "Our friend, Count D, knew her well."

Wong's manner became considerably friendlier. "Ah, you know the Count?"

"Yes, in fact, my colleague, Detective Orcot, is a very close friend of the Count."

"Ah, yes," said Wong, giving Leon a knowing look. "You're THAT detective!"

"And what is that supposed to mean--?" protested Leon, trying not to blush. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, as Jill stomped on his foot.

"Not now!" she hissed.

"Well, in that case, I suppose it's all right...you will be discreet, won't you?"

"Of course," smiled Jill.

"I don't see what this has to do with the murder...but Mr. Ling did buy a small porcelain statue like the one you described about a month ago."

"Ling's lady friend mentioned something about it being cursed," said Leon.

Wong rolled his eyes. "Yes, there was supposed to be a curse attached to it! That's why I sold it to Mr. Ling so cheap! It was worth a lot more, but no one else would buy it."

"What kind of curse?" asked Jill.

"Well, the story goes that the statue was a figure an ancient Chinese nobleman commissioned of his wife. She was supposed to be very beautiful, and she was, if she looked anything like the statue--but she was also very vain and jealous. When she found out her husband was seeing another woman, she killed them both--stabbed them to death, then killed herself. Supposedly her ghost resides in the statue, and haunts anyone who buys it. It's all nonsense, of course, but people are so superstitious..."

"What kind of things happen to the people who are supposedly haunted?" asked Jill.

Wong sighed. "Supposedly she appears at night, and threatens the women of the household. In life, it was said that she could not tolerate any competition. The last owner...well, he murdered his wife. Claimed that the ghost had possessed him and made him do it! Probably just trying for an insanity plea--but the story stuck, and I couldn't get rid of it until Ling bought it."

"He wasn't worried about the curse?" asked Leon.

"He said he didn't believe in such things. Drove a really hard bargain, too. But by then, I was glad to get rid of the damned thing...Hey, wait a minute! You're not saying that the curse--"

"Of course not," said Leon. "After all, there's no such thing as ghosts--right?"

"Uh...right."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon and Jill returned to the Pet Shop by early evening. Two policemen were sitting outside a restaurant across the street, watching the shop. "See anything?" asked Leon.

"No, Detective. No one's entered the shop since we got here. He hasn't even had a customer all day. He did bring us some tea and pastries a few hours ago, though. Said something about it being tea time."

"Can we go home yet?" asked the other policeman. "We've been out here all day."

"Yeah, go on," said Leon. "We'll take over from here."

"I'm sure you'll take good care of the Count," said the second cop with a smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" growled Leon. He was getting really sick of the smirks and knowing looks he'd gotten all day. First Jill, then the art gallery owner, and now some smart-ass patrolman! Did the whole damn city know about his love life?!

"Don't mind him, Detective," said the first cop, glaring at his partner. "The Count is a decent guy."

"Yeah, if you don't mind transvestites," muttered the other cop under his breath. "Ow!"

"Oops, sorry, was that your foot?" asked Jill sweetly. Stiletto heels were murder on the feet, but they did come in handy sometimes, she thought to herself smugly.

"I bought a puppy from Count D," continued the first cop. "It's great with the kids! Well, tell the Count thanks again for the tea." He left, his partner limping along behind him.

"Dammit, does the whole department know--or think they know--about me and D?" complained Leon as they crossed the street over to the shop.

"Who cares what some jerk thinks?" asked Jill.

"I have to work with some of those jerks, you know! You're not the one who has to listen to faggot jokes in the locker room!"

"I know, Leon," said Jill. "But you can't run your life by what other people think. Besides, it's not always easy being a woman on the force, you know!"

"Yeah, I know, but--"

"Welcome, Detectives," said the Count as they entered the shop. "Why don't we have some tea, while you tell me how the investigation is going?"

"Oh yeah, uh, here, this is for you." Leon held out a small box embossed with the logo "Madame C's."

D clapped his hands together in delight. "How wonderful! What is it? A fruit tart? Cream puffs?" He took the box and opened it as eagerly as a child opening a Christmas present. "Ah! Chocolate truffle cake! Splendid!"

As the Count bustled about, cutting cake and pouring tea, Jill whispered to Leon, "Guess you're forgiven."

Without looking up, D replied, "No, not completely. But I'll consider it a down payment."

Leon sighed and flopped down on the couch. Jia sat on the floor nearby, playing with a gray kitten. He looked up and smiled shyly at the detective.

"Tea is served," announced D.

They all sat down to eat. D ate almost daintily, slowly savoring every bite, while Jia gobbled up the cake like any normal 5-year old, smearing chocolate all over his face. Leon wanted to discuss the investigation, but hesitated to do so in front of the boy, even if he didn't speak much English. Jill caught his eye and nodded.

"Jia, would you like to show me around the shop?" she asked.

The Count translated her question. The boy turned to Jill, who smiled at him kindly. He looked back at D, who murmured something reassuring in Chinese. The boy whispered something in the Count's ear.

D smiled at Jill. "He thinks you're very pretty, and he would be glad to show you some of the pets. As you can see, he was helping me take care of the cats today." As Leon started to open his mouth, the Count quickly added, "Normal, ordinary housecats. Q-chan will show you the way."

The little pear-shaped bat looked annoyed at having his snack interrupted, but obediently fluttered into the air, heading towards the back rooms. Jia scooped up Kage with one hand, and, after a moment of hesitation, took Jill's hand with the other.

"So, how is the investigation going?" asked D.

"Not so good," replied Leon. "All the main suspects have alibis. We're trying to look into the black market art angle, but of course no one will admit to selling Ling anything illegal."

"And the statue?"

"The statue was a legitimate sale. The art dealer, Wong, showed us the receipt."

"I sense there is something you are not telling me, Keiji-san," said D, smiling coyly as he sipped his tea.

"So what are you, a mind reader?!" snapped Leon. "And why're you always calling me 'Keiji-san' anyway?!"

"Well, it means 'Mr. Detective' in Japanese," D started to reply.

"I know that!!" interrupted Leon. "But I have a name, you know! And besides, you're Chinese! How come you're always saying stuff in Japanese?!"

The Count was silent for a long moment. His eyes took on a faraway, melancholy look. "I...spent part of my childhood in Japan," he said at last. "I learned quite a bit about the language and culture while I was there."

"But...well, it's just that...you never told me that before. You never talk about your childhood or your family."

"Neither do you," D pointed out. "I didn't know you had a brother until you dropped Chris off at my shop that day."

"Yes, well..." Leon wanted to ask D more about his past, but he sensed that the Count wasn't ready to discuss it, anymore than Leon wanted to talk about his own family. Did D also have a secret, something too painful to discuss, or even think about?

"And...I'm sorry if I offended you, Leon-san," said D.

The detective's mouth dropped open. D had never apologized to him before about anything!

"We Asians are more formal than you Americans," the Count continued. "We often refer to even close family and friends by titles instead of names. For example, in Japan, your little brother would call you 'older brother,' not 'Leon,' but it wouldn't mean that he didn't care for you." D smiled at Leon, who was still speechless. "Besides, you've referred to me as far worse," he said lightly. "Such as, 'murderer,' 'drug dealer,' 'drag queen'..."

"Well, but not lately..." spluttered Leon.

"...'stupid bastard'..."

"When did I--? Oh yeah! Well, you WERE being stupid, worrying about your silly dress when you got shot--"

"In any case, I believe you are avoiding my original question. You found out something about the statue...?"

Leon sighed. It seemed D was only capable of being serious for a short amount of time, then it was back to his favorite game of let's-get-under-the-detective's-skin. "Ling's girlfriend said he told her the statue was cursed, and--"

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, a hostess at the Jade Empress Lounge--" Leon began, realizing his mistake too late, as the Count glared at him.

"You went to the Jade Empress Lounge?" asked D coldly.

"Christ, D, I was investigating a murder, not picking up women!"

"And am I supposed to believe it was just coincidence that you chose to investigate the lounge, not Jill?"

"Oh, come on! We just divided the suspect list down the middle!" Actually, Leon had made sure he got to investigate the lounge, but he didn't see any reason to tell D that! "It was strictly business!" Suddenly he grinned. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"Hmmph!" D crossed his arms and tilted his nose up in the air. "Certainly not! Why any woman would want such an ill-mannered, uncouth--"

"Well then," interrupted Leon, "I guess it's a good thing that you want me." Impulsively, he leaned over and kissed D. Now it was the Count's turn to be dumfounded. Leon felt very pleased with himself. It wasn't often that he got the best of the Count!

Finally the Count got his voice back. "Don't push your luck, Keiji-san," he said, still sounding a bit miffed. "Tell me what this hostess said."

"That Ling got the statue at a bargain price because it was supposed to be cursed. The art dealer confirmed her story. Said there was some legend that the statue was the likeness of a woman who murdered her husband and his lover, and that her ghost haunts whoever owns the statue."

"I see," said D. "And are there any murders connected with this statue?"

"Wong said the last owner killed his wife. But that's gotta be a coincidence!"

"Oh? I thought the police didn't believe in coincidence. And where is the statue?"

"Well, it's missing...but so what! Maybe Ling took it with him when he ran off!"

"I'm sure he did, if he was under the influence of the spirit."

"There are no such things as spirits!"

"Then how do you explain the woman Jia saw?"

"Well--probably some jealous girlfriend..."

"But didn't the woman at the lounge have an alibi?"

"Well, yeah, but...that doesn't mean he didn't have another girlfriend somewhere!"

"The answer is right in front of you, yet you refuse to see it."

"How the hell am I supposed to arrest a ghost?! And why didn't this ghost lady kill the little boy, too?"

"Perhaps she didn't see the boy as a threat. This ghost was a jealous woman, correct? If she claimed the husband for her own, then her rage would be focused on the wife. Perhaps she would not even have killed Wenli if the girl had not tried to protect her mother."

"So you don't think she'll come after Jia--wait a minute! I can't believe I'm buying into this!"

"I don't know if the spirit will return for the boy. Probably not. But I still think you should stay here to protect us, just in case." The Count smiled seductively, gently running a long red nail down Leon's cheek.

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Jill. She and Jia were standing in the doorway.

"GAAH! No, of course not!" Leon exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"We were just discussing the security arrangements for Jia's stay," said the Count calmly. "I take it he will be spending the night here?"

"Mrs. Holt called me back earlier. Her flight will arrive tomorrow morning. Are you staying overnight, Leon?"

"Yeah," he said grumpily. "Just to protect the kid, so don't go jumping to any conclusions!"

"Do you want me to stay? Or can you handle it alone?"

"I can handle it. And don't smirk at me like that! Nothing's gonna happen with the kid here."

"Meaning something would if he weren't here?"

"AAUGHH!"

D explained to a wide-eyed Jia that he shouldn't worry, Mr. Detective always acted like this.

Jill laughed. "OK, I'm going. Can I bring you anything? Maybe a toothbrush and a change of clothes?" she asked, casting a sly look at his twice-worn outfit.

"Thank you," said D. "That would very kind."

"Listen, you two--oh what the hell, I give up!" Leon grudgingly tossed Jill his keys.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jill had dropped off Leon's things with a wink and an admonition to behave himself. Leon had gone off to shower and change, grumbling to himself. When he returned, feeling somewhat refreshed and a little less irritated, he found D and Jia seated on the couch. The boy leaned against the Count as he struggled to hold back a yawn. The little gray kitten curled up in Jia's lap also seemed to have gone to sleep.

"Guess it's beddy-bye time, eh?" asked Leon.

The Count laid a gentle hand on the boy's head, and spoke to him in Chinese.

"Not tired," Jia protested sleepily in English, but the Count took Kage, and Leon lifted the boy off the couch.

"You can put him in Chris' old room," said D.

Leon carried the boy to the bedroom. Jia made a few token protests, then snuggled against the detective contentedly. He was fast asleep by the time they tucked him into bed. D placed the kitten on the bed next to the boy.

"Oyasumi-nasai," the Count whispered, then turned out the lights and shut the door.

Leon watched D, with a bemused look on his face. When he first met the Count, Leon had thought he was a criminal. And he knew D sold strange and dangerous pets that sometimes killed their owners, although there was no way to legally hold the Count responsible. Yet he was so gentle with kids like Jia and Chris. He was sure he had seen a look of tender affection on D's face as they put Jia to bed.

D turned to the detective, still smiling. "You are very good with children, Keiji-san. I think you are more softhearted than you would like to admit, although you do disguise it well."

Leon laughed. "Funny, I was just thinking the same about you!"

"Me? Of course I have a gentle heart. After all, I sell--"

"Love and dreams, I know, I know!" Not to mention man-eating mermaids and killer bunnies, but Leon didn't feel like arguing with D right now. Particularly when he was still looking at Leon with that same tender smile. Leon slipped an arm around D's waist and pulled him close. The Count's silk robe felt cool and slick beneath his hands, but his breath felt warm against Leon's face.

"Will you protect me from the ghost, Leon-san?" whispered D.

In answer, Leon kissed him, long and slow. But he couldn't resist having the last word. When they came up for air, Leon said, "There're no such things as ghosts."

"Ah, then was that just an excuse to stay here with me?" asked the Count hopefully.

"Uh...well...I...oh, I surrender!" exclaimed Leon, throwing up his arms in disgust. So much for having the last word!

"You do? Well, you'll find we treat prisoners-of-war here very well," purred D, winding his arms around Leon's neck, and pressing his body against the detective's.

Leon was about to kiss D again, when he felt something tug painfully at his hair.

"Ouch!"

"Q, Q!" squeaked Q-chan angrily as he yanked at Leon's hair.

"Damn little bat-bunny!" Leon growled, trying to swat at the creature. One blow connected and Q-chan went flying across the hall, hitting the wall with a soft "thunk!"

"Q!"

"It's your own fault," the Count chided, as he scooped up his pet. Q-chan squeaked at him indignantly. D sighed. "He said he was trying to remind you of your promise that nothing would happen while Jia is here."

"So an overweight bat is gonna be my chaperone?!"

"KYUUU!!!"

"Q-chan says he is not overweight."

"Oh yeah? How much cake did you eat today, bat boy?"

"Enough, both of you! You'll wake the child!"

"Fine! I'll go sleep on the couch!"

Leon stalked off, but felt slightly mollified--and a little worried--when D whispered, "We'll continue this on another night, Keiji-san. Remember, you're my prisoner."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon slept fitfully on the couch. Maybe it was the chocolate cake, maybe it was the fact that his hormones had been kicked into overdrive by the Count, maybe it was the perpetual scent of incense in the shop--but he kept having the strangest dreams that night...

Wong the killer chef was waving a huge butcher knife and chasing him down the halls of the pet shop. The heavy scent of incense was making Leon dizzy, and his legs felt like lead weights. Picking up one foot and setting it down in front of the other took a huge effort; he felt like he was moving in slow motion--there was no way he could outrun Wong like this. He saw an open doorway ahead--a chance for escape! But as he ran towards it, he saw the silhouette of a 6-foot tall Q-chan! Leon skidded to a halt, trapped between an insane serial killer and a giant bat-bunny...

"AAH!" shouted Leon, sitting up on the couch as he woke with a start. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding. "Jesus," he grumbled. "What was in that cake, anyway?" Once again, something cold and wet nudged his hand. He looked down. The gray puppy, Lupin, was sitting on the floor next to the couch. He whined and bumped his nose against Leon's palm. "What's wrong, boy?"

<I sense the presence of a spirit. I'm scared! We should wake the pack-leader!> said Lupin.

All Leon heard was a nervous whine. But he could tell the dog was upset about something. Funny, he felt a sudden chill, as if there were a draft in the room. But there were no windows in this room, and the door was closed. Leon was reaching for his gun when he heard a loud creak. He grabbed his gun and ducked behind the couch as the front door slowly swung open.

Lupin whined again. "Shhh!" Leon hissed into the puppy's ear, clamping a hand over the dog's muzzle. Leon was always telling D he should oil those squeaky hinges on the door, but for once he was glad of the warning they gave. But he could have sworn D had locked the door before they went to bed...

A beautiful Chinese woman glided through the door. She wore elaborate robes of yellow silk covered with intricate embroidery and beading, the main motif being that of a stylized dragon, similar to the dragon designs on several of the D's robes. Her hair was pinned up in a complicated style apparently held together with jeweled pins and combs. Leon rubbed his eyes. The woman seemed to have a faint, luminescent glow around her. Surely that was just an effect caused by the dimly glowing lanterns the Count used to light the shop. A middle-aged Chinese man Leon recognized from photos as Ling Yunhan looked around nervously. He clutched a small, cloth-wrapped parcel in one arm.

"My love," said the woman in a melodious voice, "give up this foolishness and let us be gone from this place."

"No!" said Ling. "He is my son and heir! He belongs to me--I must have an heir to inherit my empire!" Leon noticed that the man's expensive suit looked rumpled, and there was a bright, feverish look in his eyes. This guy is not playing with a full deck, thought Leon.

The woman pouted. "I have given you my love," she said. "And I will bring you great wealth and riches. Have I not promised to build you an empire that shall be the envy of any mortal man? And now you scorn me in favor of a stripling boy!"

"Xueli, my heart, I do not scorn you," said Ling, cringing at the woman's rebuke, yet there was a look of stubborn determination on his face. "He is my son, not a rival for your affection. We shall be a family together, I the Emperor, you my beautiful Empress, and the boy our Crown Prince."

The woman gave Ling a glare that sent chills down Leon's spine--this was the look that must have inspired the phrase "staring daggers"! Yet Ling seemed oblivious to his paramour's anger. "Very well, my love," said the woman in a too-sweet voice. "We shall retrieve your son."

"Good. Where is he?"

The woman motioned in the direction of the hallway leading to D's private quarters. Her nails, Leon noticed, were as long and elegant as the Count's. As the pair headed for the doorway, Leon rose to his feet, raising his gun. Time to take care of these two fruitcakes! It should be an easy arrest; neither seemed to be armed.

"Hold it right there!" Leon shouted. The pair turned towards him, looking vaguely surprised, but not especially worried. "LAPD! Ling Yunhan, you and your girlfriend are under arrest for the murders of your wife and daughter!"

The woman...Xueli?...laughed, giving him a contemptuous look. "Mortal man, do not interfere, if you value your life."

Jesus Christ! thought Leon. She's even crazier than I thought! Don't tell me SHE thinks she's a ghost?! She can't have been talking to the Count! "Ling--drop the package! And both of you put your hands in the air and move up against the wall--now!" Lupin emerged from behind the couch, growling.

"Spirit-dog, you are out of your league," said Xueli. "If you get in my way, I'll kill you, too." She took Ling's arm and continued walking towards the hallway.

"Stop, or I'll shoot!" said Leon. He took aim, intending to fire a warning shot. Xueli raised her hand, and what looked like a lightning bolt shot out from her palm and hit Leon in the chest. He was flung across the room, crashing against the wall. Through a haze of pain, he heard Lupin snarl, although he couldn't see anything but a gray blur leaping in the air. There was the sound of a blow, and a yelp of pain, and the dog fell to the floor beside him. When his vision cleared, he saw four long, bloody slash marks across the puppy's muzzle. Lupin rose unsteadily to his feet, and Leon did the same, bracing himself against the wall for support. His chest hurt, but he seemed to be mostly unharmed. The strange pair was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, shit!" exclaimed Leon. He looked around frantically, then spotted his gun on the floor. He snatched it up, running down the hallway, shouting, "D! Look out! Ling and the woman are here! They're after Jia!" Lupin shot past him, barking wildly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leon ran through the dimly lit halls--they seemed far longer than they should be, as if the inside of the shop was somehow larger than the outside, which made no sense. And it was difficult to tell, with all the twists and turns of the hall, and the many mysterious-looking doors, but the hall looked different to him each time he entered it. Only the front parlor remained the same with every visit. Still, Lupin seemed to know where he was going, so he followed the dog, whose puppy-ish whine had somehow transformed into the bay of a wolf on the hunt.

Lupin skidded to a stop outside Jia's bedroom. He growled, baring his fangs. The puppy suddenly seemed larger, but Leon didn't have time to wonder about that--Ling and Xueli stood outside the bedroom door, confronting Count D.

The woman glared at D, who gazed back impassively. "I do not know what you are," said Xueli, "but if you are wise, you will not stand in my way."

D's eyes narrowed, glowing eerily in dim light. "The boy is under my protection," he said softly. Leon recognized that deceptively gentle tone of voice as the calm before the storm. You didn't want to mess with him when he sounded like that.

"He's MY son!" shouted Ling. "Give him to me!"

"Why do you want him?" asked D, still speaking in that same gentle tone. "You have never seen him as anything but an object, an accessory to your lifestyle--you believe a man in your position should have a wife and children, just as you must have the latest model car and television, to show off your status to your peers. You have never read him a bedtime story, sung him a lullaby, or kissed him goodnight. You do not know what his favorite book is, or the name of his favorite stuffed animal."

"What are you babbling about?" snapped Ling. "His mother took care of all that bedtime stuff--that's the woman's job, after all!"

"Yes, she did all those things...because she loved him. As you did not. So why do you even want him back?"

"Because he's my heir, damn it! I need a son to run my business someday!"

"You gave up your right to him when you let the spirit kill his mother and sister," said D coldly.

"Enough talk!" said Xueli. She motioned with one hand, and the bedroom door swung open. D made no move to stop her. Leon raised his gun. This time he didn't bother to shout a warning; he fired immediately. The bullet entered the middle of her back--and passed through her as if she wasn't there, then struck the wall. There was no blood or entry wound on her body.

Leon's jaw dropped. "Wh...what the hell...?!"

"She is a spirit, Keiji-san," said D patiently, as if talking to a very young--and somewhat dimwitted--child. "Mortal weapons cannot harm her."

"I don't believe this!" shouted Leon, pushing his way past Ling, who was still standing in the hall with a slightly glazed look in his eyes. He entered the bedroom, and saw Xueli standing at the foot of the bed. Jia was sitting up, blinking sleepily and rubbing his eyes. The woman reached out for the boy, her long nails looking like claws. She no longer looked beautiful; her face was contorted in an ugly grimace of hate.

"NO!!!" shouted Leon, starting forward, fearing he would be too late.

Xueli reached for the boy, but as she did, a globe of light sprung up around Jia and the bed like a force field. When the woman touched it, she was thrown back, shrieking...in pain? Or anger?

The Count appeared in the doorway behind Leon. "I told you he was under my protection," he said mildly. Leon followed the Count's gaze, and saw that there was a small scroll hanging on the wall above the bed. It was inscribed in black ink with Chinese calligraphy; Leon couldn't read the characters.

Xueli's lips curled back in a sneer. "If you think that simple charm will stop me, you are a fool! Clearly your powers are no match for mine!"

Q-chan fluttered into the room, hissing at the woman. Lupin appeared at Leon's side, growling. Xueli laughed mockingly. "Are these your familiars? A flying rabbit and a baby wolf-spirit?"

"Kii kii!" squeaked Q-chan, attempting to sound menacing. Xueli waved her hand in the little bat's direction, and he was flung headfirst into the wall.

"Kyuuuuuu..." moaned Q-chan weakly, sliding down the wall until he fell into a small, limp heap on the floor.

Lupin leaped up and clamped his jaws around the woman's outstretched arm. She simply swung her arm down, slamming him into the floor with far more strength than a normal human should be capable of. Lupin twitched once, then lay motionless.

Leon put his gun back in his holster; clearly bullets didn't work. As he ran towards the woman, he heard D shout, "Keiji-san, no!" He tried to grab Xueli, but his hands passed right through her body, as if she were an illusion--or a ghost?!

"I tire of these petty games!" snapped Xueli peevishly. She flung her hands out towards Leon, and another bolt of light shot out towards him--

--As the Count pulled him out of the liine of fire. The bolt just barely grazed Leon, but excruciating pain coursed through every inch of his body. This was what it must feel like to be electrocuted, he thought, with the one small corner of his mind that was not paralyzed by the pain. He heard screaming; it was only when his throat became raw and sore that he realized it was coming from himself.

When the pain finally receded, he found himself lying on the floor with his head resting in D's lap. He blinked and looked up, to find the Count looking back down at him, his strangely colored eyes filled with concern.

"Are you all right, Leon-san?" asked D, gently stroking the detective's hair.

"Uh...yeah, I think so." In fact, now that the pain was gone, it actually felt rather pleasant...No! Leon shook his head, as if to clear it. "Jia!" he exclaimed, struggling to sit up.

The Count pointed towards the bed. Jia was fully awake now, eyes wide with fear as he stared at the spirit-woman. The little gray kitten was standing on the bed, back arched, all its fur standing on end, hissing and spitting at the woman. Xueli ignored them both, gazing at the scroll above the bed, an intense look of concentration on her face.

"I fear the protective charm will not hold much longer," said D. Even as he spoke, the edges of the scroll began to blacken and curl, as if it had caught on fire.

Leon jumped to his feet, swaying unsteadily for a moment until D caught his arm. "You have not fully recovered from the spirit's attack," said the Count.

"I've gotta stop her!"

"You cannot touch her! She cannot be harmed by a mortal man!"

Leon turned as he heard hissing and growling behind him. Gathered in the hall outside the bedroom were several of the shop's "pets": a large lizard, a fox-like creature that seemed to have too many tails, an orange tabby cat, and an odd animal that looked like a cross between a dog and a goat, which Leon recognized as Tetsu-chan.
"I fear she cannot be harmed by ordinary animals, either," said the Count. Tetsu-chan snorted. "And perhaps not even by...extraordinary animals." D looked sadly at Lupin's still form. "The powers of this spirit are very great. Her anger and hatred fuel her strength. This is the most powerful ghost I have ever seen."

And how many ghosts HAVE you seen?! wondered Leon. He shoved his way past the Count and the animals, grabbed Ling, and dragged him into the room. "Look at that!" shouted Leon. "That...that...whatever she is, she's gonna kill your son!" Ling stared at him blankly, and the detective shook him, hard. "Do something! Stop her!"

"Stop...her?"

"She's YOUR ghost, isn't she?! She's going to kill Jia like she killed your wife and daughter!" Leon shook Ling again, trying to snap him out of the trance he seemed to be in. "Remember them--Meilin and Wenli?! She tore out Meilin's throat and broke Wenli's neck!"

"That wasn't my fault," Ling whined. "I can't control her!"

"You bought the statue!" Leon shouted.

"Yes..." Ling's eyes took on a dreamy, unfocused look. "She was beautiful...a rare and precious gem..." Leon wasn't sure if he was talking about the statue or the woman. Ling continued, "She said she would make me wealthy beyond my wildest dreams...she said she would make me a king..."

Xueli shouted, a wordless cry of triumph. Leon turned in time to see the scroll burst into flames and vanish in a puff of smoke and ashes. In desperation, Leon pulled out his gun and shot at her, but the bullets passed through her without effect. Jia screamed as she reached for him, and the kitten crouched down, ready to pounce...

Suddenly the air in the room seemed to shimmer for a moment, and then the ghostly image of another woman interposed herself between Xueli and the boy. She was pretty, although not as heart-stoppingly beautiful as Xueli. But the kindness in her face more than made up for that.

"Mama!" shouted Jia, and Leon recognized the woman as Ling Meilin.

Xueli snarled and started forward, but Meilin flung out her arms, as if to bar her way. And suddenly there was another apparition by her side--a young Chinese girl, with a stubborn and determined look on her face. She crossed her arms and glared at Xueli.

Leon could only stare openmouthed. The two new spirits glowed with the same faint light as the first, but their forms were misty and transparent, while Xueli's seemed substantial--at least until you tried to touch her.

Xueli sneered. "You are still weak, newborn spirits. Your strength cannot possibly equal mine!"

Meilin gazed back at her without fear. D whispered, "Love provides strength in unexpected ways."

Xueli hovered at the foot of the bed. Despite her words, she seemed to be hesitating.

Meilin turned her gaze towards her husband, staring at him silently, with a look that was both sad and reproachful. Ling backed away fearfully. "No! Don't look at me that way! It wasn't my fault!" His hands shook, and he dropped the bundle he was carrying. The cloth fell away, revealing a small porcelain statue of a woman in yellow robes.

"Keiji-san!" shouted D. "The statue is what links her to this world! Destroy it!"

"NOOOOOO!!!" screamed Xueli, moving towards them. But Leon aimed and shot at the statue, and it exploded, spraying shards of pottery all over the room. One shard nicked Leon's cheek, but he didn't notice. He was watching Xueli scream in rage, her cry growing fainter as she slowly faded out of sight and vanished.

Meilin gave the detective and Count D a grateful smile. Then she turned to her son, and caressed his cheek lovingly with a ghostly hand.

"Mama?" Jia whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. "You're going away, aren't you?"

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Goodbye," she said softly. "I love you."

Wenli kissed her brother's cheek, then took her mother's hand. She gave Jia a cheerful grin and a wink as they vanished.

"Goodbye," whispered Jia, tears running down his face. Kage mewed, butting his head against the boy's chest. Jia gathered the kitten into his arms, burying his face in its fur. D sat on the bed next to Jia, and put an arm around his shoulder.

"They came back to protect you," said D, speaking gently to the boy in Cantonese. "Now that you are safe, they can rest in peace."

Jia sniffled. "I know. They're in Heaven now, right?"

"Yes," said D. "When I was a child, my mother told me a story. In Japan, she said, some people believe that their loved ones become stars when they die. They shine in the sky, watching over us."

"Do you think Mama and Sister are watching over me now?"

"I'm sure they are."

"I'm glad I got to see them again," said Jia, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand. "I'm glad I got to say goodbye."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________


Eventually Jia went back to sleep. Despite all he'd been through, the boy calmed down quickly. He seemed to be comforted by his mother's farewell visit.

By the time the Count got Jia back to bed, Q-chan and Lupin regained consciousness. Q-chan fluttered to the Count's shoulder, squeaking grumpily but none the worse for wear. Lupin walked over to the Count and barked.

"Yes, Lupin, you were very brave," said the Count, praising and petting the puppy, who wagged his tail happily. "We'll put some medicine on those scratches...it may leave a scar, but you can consider it a badge of honor."

Leon cuffed Ling and led him out of the room. He followed Leon docilely, but kept muttering to himself about ghosts and statues.

"I don't know how I'm going to write up my police report," complained Leon.

"Just tell the truth," said D.

"Are you kidding?! They'll lock me up in the looney bin! Probably give me the room next to Ling here!"

"The truth...that Mr. Ling claims that the ghost of the statue killed his wife and daughter. And that he came here tonight to retrieve his son. And that he had a complete mental breakdown when you destroyed the statue."

"I see..." said Leon, rubbing his chin as he thought over what D said. "Selective truth. Not telling the whole story--"

"But not lying either."

Leon gave D a suspicious glance. "You're very good at this selective truth thing."

"Thank you," said D, smiling modestly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day, Jill arrived at the shop, accompanied by an attractive Chinese woman in her mid-thirties, and a tall, lanky man about the same age. He had light brown hair and blue eyes, and the gold-rimmed glasses he wore gave him a slightly owlish look. The woman had long black hair, and bore a distinct resemblance to Meilin and Jia. There were dark circles under her eyes, but her face lit up when she saw Jia.

"Auntie Wen! Uncle Simon!" shouted Jia, running towards the couple. Wenjing Holt knelt down and embraced her nephew. Her husband put his arms around them both. The detectives and the Count discreetly stepped back to give the family some space. They all hugged and wept, with Jia chattering excitedly in a combination of English and Cantonese.
Finally, after everyone had calmed down, Wenjing stepped forward.

"Thank you so much for saving my nephew's life," she said, bowing deeply to Leon and Count D. Simon added his thanks also, bowing to the Count, and extending his hand to Leon.

Leon shook Simon's hand, saying, "Please...it was nothing; just doing my job..."

"It means a great deal to us," said Wenjing. "Jia is all I have left of my sister."

"Yeah, well, he's a pretty great kid," said Leon, a little embarrassed. "I have a little brother near his age..."

"So you understand how we feel, then," said Wenjing.

Jia smiled shyly, holding onto his aunt with one hand, and tugging on Leon's pants' leg with the other. "Can I play with your brother sometime, Mr. Detective?"

"Hey, so you do speak English!" said Leon, bending down to ruffle the boy's hair affectionately. "Sure, you can visit me and Chris whenever you're in town. But you'll be going to live in San Francisco with your Aunt and Uncle, won't you?"

Jia looked up, a little apprehensively, at the Holts. Simon dropped to one knee and spoke to his nephew in Cantonese. Leon shot D an inquisitive glance, and the Count whispered a running translation in the detective's ear. But the warmth of D's breath on his skin made it difficult for Leon to concentrate on what the Count was saying.

"We'd like you to come live with us now," Simon was saying in a gentle tone of voice. "Remember when you visited our house last year? We're going to turn the guest room into your bedroom. You can decorate it however you want. Would you like that?" Simon brushed his hair out of his eyes with one hand; he seemed to need a haircut. His hair fell into his eyes and over his collar, and he had the rumpled, slightly absent-minded look that Leon associated with scholarly types. But his eyes were kind, and he seemed to be genuinely fond of Jia.

"I can't live here anymore?" Jia asked.

"I'm afraid not," said Wenjing softly. "Mama..." she hesitated, her voice catching in her throat as she choked back a sob.

"Mama's not coming back," finished Jia. "I know. Don't be sad, Auntie Wen," he said, patting her hand, as if he were the parent and she the child. "She came to say goodbye last night. She's watching us from Heaven now."

Wenjing pulled Jia to her and held him tightly. He patted her back as she wept softly. After a minute or two, she wiped her eyes and said, "Jia, we both love you very much. Will you come live with me and Uncle Simon?"

"Yes, Auntie Wen. I...I love you, too."

Another round of weeping and hugging ensued. Jill took off her glasses to wipe her eyes, the Count discreetly brushed a tear from the corner of his eye, and Leon turned away, mumbling, "Got something in my eye..."

Finally, everyone composed themselves, and Wenjing bowed once more to Count D, handing him a small shopping bag that was printed with the logo of the Hong Kong Airport. "We know we can never repay you for your kindness...but this is just a small token of our gratitude. Thank you for taking care of Jia."

"It was my pleasure," said D. "In fact, I should thank you. Jia was a big help around the shop yesterday." Jia grinned proudly. Leon peered over D's shoulder as he opened the bag. It contained cellophane bags of some kind of candy--small, roundish sweets wrapped in twists of white and purple waxed paper.

"Ah!" exclaimed the Count. "Chan Pui Ying Che!"

"Chan poo--?"

"Seedless preserved plums," D translated for the detective.

"I know it's not much," said Wenjing, looking slightly embarrassed, "but--"

"I understand," said D. "You were in a rush to get back to the U.S. Don't apologize! This is wonderful! I haven't had these in such a long time...my grandfather used to buy me preserved plums when--" He suddenly stopped when he saw Leon and Jill staring at him, with a look of avid curiosity on their faces. "Ahem. Thank you very much."

Jia looked down as he heard a soft mew. Kage purred, rubbing himself against Jia's leg. Jia stroked the kitten, and said sadly, "Goodbye, Kage." He turned to D and said, "Count, will you please find a good home for Kage?" He was obviously trying to be brave, but his lower lip trembled just a little.

D caught Wenjing's eye. She exchanged a look with her husband, who smiled and shrugged. Wenjing turned back to the Count and nodded.

"I already have," said D. He picked up the kitten and handed him to Jia. "He has chosen you as his master; I do not think he would be happy with anyone else."

Jia turned to his aunt and uncle, eyes pleading. "Auntie Wen--"

"Yes, Jia," she laughed. "You can keep the kitten."

"Thank you!" He hugged her tightly. He hugged the Count, "Mr. Detective," and "Miss Jill" as he told them goodbye. The Holts bowed again, promising to keep in touch. And Leon promised Jia he could meet Chris the next time he came to L.A.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Two weeks later, the Count received a letter from San Francisco. Just as he was opening it, a delivery man from the local bakery stopped by to drop off a box. When D opened the box, he laughed and clapped his hands together.

"What is it?" asked Leon.

D stepped aside so Leon could see the cake. It was a round, two-layer cake, trimmed with slices of strawberries and kiwi fruit. The top of the cake was covered with a large Hello Kitty face sculpted in white frosting. "Isn't it cute?" asked the Count happily.

"Q! Q!" said Q-chan, eyeing the cake hungrily.

"Cute is not exactly the word I'd use," mumbled Leon.

The Count slit open a small envelope with his thumbnail. "The card says it's from the Holts. Jia picked out the cake. 'Just a small thank-you for your many kindnesses'...well, how thoughtful!"

"What about the letter?" asked Leon. "Is it from Jia?"

"Let's see...'Dear Count D and Mr. Detective: I am fine. Auntie Wen and Uncle Simon say hello. We just finished decorating my new room with Pokemon wallpaper--' "

Leon rolled his eyes.

"'I miss Mama and Sister, but I like living with Auntie and Uncle. Auntie Wen says she has business in L.A. next month, so maybe we can come and visit you. And Uncle Simon bought me a telescope so I can look at the stars. Say hi to Pon and Tetsu and Lupin and Q-chan--say hi to everyone for me! Love, Jia. P.S. Here is a drawing I made.'"

D unfolded the piece of paper, and smoothed it out on the coffee table. Jia had drawn in a childish scrawl, two stick figures, one with long hair labeled "Auntie," and one with glasses labeled "Uncle," plus a smaller one labeled "Me." He had also drawn a small gray cat labeled "Kage." They stood together under a night sky colored in with a black crayon. Two silver stars, one large, one small hung in the sky. Beneath them he had written "Mama" and "Sister."

THE END.

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