“Security tells me. I don’t know what you’re doing in there, but cut it out. I’m sure it’s not something that honors my mother’s memory.”
“Come on, Lucas,” I said, grinning, “I’m just leaving flowers at her feet.”
“Right. Probably in there fucking that Russian girl of yours.”
I smirked. “I wish. She’s been tough lately.”
“Why? Pissed you don’t want to play daddy?”
“Yeah, actually,” I said.
Lucas laughed at me. “Shit. You’re kidding. You actually told her that?”
“What? I was trying to be honest.”
We stopped outside my office door, and Lucas looked totally mystified. “You dumb fuck,” he said. “How long have you known? A day or two?”
“Yeah,” I grunted.
“So you don’t know what you fucking want right now. Give it some time before you piss the girl off.”
“Guess so.”
“Being a father isn’t all that hard. Just be better than your dad.”
“Never had one.”
“Bar isn’t high then.” Lucas nodded and then turned and walked away.
That bastard. So damn smug. But he did have a point. I had only just found out about the kid. Maybe I’d change my mind. And I definitely didn’t want Kaley to sulk around all the damn time.
I pushed open the door and saw Rafa sitting at the table, a bag opened in front of him.
“Rafa?” I asked.
“Boss,” he said, “look.” He held the bag up and showed me the cash inside it.
I laughed. “Yeah. The mob comes through again.”
“Should we go visit our Chinese friend?”
“I think we should.”
I got out my phone and made a few calls.
An hour later, we were back in Chinatown.
Normally, I’d meet with Bao with only a few guys, maybe even just Rafa, but after last night, I wasn’t taking any chances. We were three cars deep again, each car filled with thugs armed to the teeth.
We pulled up out front of Bao’s dry cleaning place, though this time he expected me. I climbed out with Rafa on my heels, the other guys spreading out in front of the building.
We went inside, and the same woman looked up at us, almost bored.
“He expecting you,” she said. “In back.”
I nodded and we walked past her. The racks of clothes stretched back and the place smelled like a closet full of chemicals. Rafa was close on my heels, carrying two bags full of cash.
Toward the back there was an open door and some stairs that led up. I glanced back at Rafa and had a bad feeling about this. If we were walking into an ambush, this was the perfect place to spring it on us.
“Bao?” I called out.
“Up here,” he said. “Come on.”
“Boss,” Rafa warned, “I don’t like this. Why not meet out front?”
“Shit,” I said. “Come on. Let’s go.”
I took a step and began to walk up the stairs.
Part of me was sure we were walking into a trap. I didn’t know why the Chinese would want to work with the Russians, especially when we had so much money wrapped up in our deal already, but crazier shit had happened.
Finally, we reached the top of the stairs. I paused and almost laughed at what I saw.
Bao was sitting in the middle of the room holding a baby. He smiled as Rafa and I walked into the little room.
“Sorry about this,” he said. “I’m babysitting.”
“Are you joking?” I asked him.
“I joke not,” he said. “My son’s daughter, Jane. He gave her an American name, of course, just to annoy me to no end.”
I laughed. “She’s adorable.”
“Well yes, of course. She’s my flesh.” He bounced her a little bit on his knee and made some cooing noises.
“We have your money,” I said.
“Good. Then you can have your guns.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow. We’ll drop them right at your compound.”
I frowned at that. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
He waved me off. “It’s fine. This money guarantees no problems. And you can check the truck before it enters the property. Hell, we’ll drop it at the gate and leave.”
“Fine,” I said.
“Put it over there,” he said, pointing at a chair. I nodded at Rafa and he placed the bags down.
“How do you do that?” I asked Bao.
“Do what?”
“Take care of her, doing what you do.”
He cocked his head at me. “You mean, how do I take care of a child while I am in the Chinese mob?”
“Yeah,” I grunted.
“It’s easy,” he said. “Just because my job is violence and pain doesn’t mean my whole life must be.”
I frowned at him and wanted to ask more, but I was intensely aware of Rafa waiting near the stairs. I paused for another second and then turned to leave.
“Vincent,” Bao said, “one more thing.”
“Yeah?”
“This war with the Russians. I was instructed to tell you that we will not be taking sides.”
I nodded. “Fine.”
“But between us? Make this war fast. My organization is not interested in needless bloodshed.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Bao.”
I turned and left, Rafa heading down the stairs ahead of me.
Once we were down and back through the shop, Rafa looked back at me. “What was that about up there?” he asked.
“What?”