Read Online Black Karma by Thatcher Robinson - Free Book Online Page A

automatic pistol in her hand. “None of those is a good reason.”
    Bai hastily replied. “If you want a really good reason, how about a man standing behind you with a gun?”
    The woman grinned. “Nice try.”
    The sound of Lee’s cocking his pistol managed to get her attention. Bai smiled and shrugged. The naked woman frowned as the barrel of her gun dipped before coming up again indecisively.
    She gestured with the gun in Bai’s direction. “He shoots me. I shoot you.”
    â€œWorks for me,” Lee stated flatly.
    Bai frowned. “I have a better idea. How about nobody shoots anybody? This is all just a big misunderstanding. We’re here to make sure Daniel Chen is all right. Two men were found dead in his office this morning. People are concerned for his well-being.”
    The woman looked torn. She stepped away from Bai but kept the gun trained on her. “How do I know I can trust you? If I lower the gun, you could kill me, or worse.”
    The comment struck Bai as odd. “What could be worse than being killed?”
    The woman hesitated. She chewed on her lower lip. “You might shame me.”
    It took Bai a moment to piece the words together. She looked at Lee. He chuckled.
    â€œThat would be a first,” Bai blurted. She looked at the confused woman and shrugged. “It seems neither one of us has any desire to shame you. Sorry.”
    The woman turned to look at Lee with an appraising stare. He shrugged an apology. Her gun barrel dropped to point at the floor. His gun dropped in response.
    â€œI don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced,” he said with a smile, “though I feel like we’re on familiar terms. We can wait, if you’d like to put something on.”
    Dropping all pretense of fear, she shrugged and turned to casually walk toward the back of the room, where she disappeared into what Bai assumed to be the master bath or perhaps a dressing room. When she returned, she wore a white terry robe and no longer carried the gun. She took a seat on the bed facing them.
    Lee put his pistol back into its holster. Bai kept her knife concealed in the palm of her hand.
    â€œWe’re sorry for intruding like this,” Bai said. “Like I said, my name is Bai, and this is my associate, Lee. We’re looking for Daniel Chen.”
    â€œAre you the police?” The young woman pulled a cigarette from the pocket of her robe and held out a lighter to Lee as she put the smoke to her lips. He obliged and accepted the lighter. She cupped her hands suggestively around his when he lit her cigarette.
    â€œNo. I’m a souxun,” Bai replied.
    The woman seemed to consider the explanation a moment before discarding it. “If you’re not the police, then you’re trespassing. Leave before I have you arrested.” She turned to Lee. “You can stay.”
    â€œI thought this was Daniel Chen’s house,” he replied.
    â€œThis is my house. Daniel sometimes stays here.”
    â€œAren’t you afraid of being shamed?” Bai asked.
    The woman looked annoyed.
    â€œCall the police,” Bai insisted. “I’d like to hear what they have to say concerning the ownership of this house. Who knows? Maybe we’ll all make the five o’clock news.”
    The woman’s head turned to meet Bai’s gaze with a frosty glare. Bai smiled. A proper upbringing didn’t bar illicit affairs, but it did frown upon scandal.
    â€œWhat do you want to know?” the woman asked bluntly.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” Bai asked.
    â€œWen Liu.”
    â€œThis is a beautiful home, Wen. Yours?”
    â€œIt belongs to my parents.”
    â€œWhere are your parents?”
    â€œThey live in Hong Kong.”
    â€œIs Daniel Chen your boyfriend?”
    Wen looked thoughtful. She turned to look at Lee before answering. “We’re not exclusive.”
    â€œWhen was the last time you