Read Online The Scratch on the Ming Vase by Caroline Stellings - Free Book Online Page B

out. T’ai and Margo were with them. They tried to get Mac to his feet, but he was coughing blood.
    Quon had the last word.
    â€œWe’ll be seeing you, MacDonald. You can count on it.”
    Nicki trailed them for several blocks, across intersections, down a side street, and through a park. They turned down a narrow alley that ran behind a row of older buildings, then into the back entrance of a run-down, two-story apartment house.
    Nicki made her way down the alley. She wanted to follow them inside, but looked down at her dress.
    Oh, I can’t do anything in this , she thought.
    By the time she’d made it back to the club, T’ai and Margo had ice on Mac’s eye. The three of them were sitting on the ground with their backs against the brick building.
    â€œYin!” cried Margo.
    â€œI know where they live,” said Nicki.
    â€œWho cares?” She threw her arms around Nicki.
    â€œThanks for what you did,” mumbled Mac.
    â€œHe won’t let me take him to the hospital,” said Margo. “I’m worried about internal bleeding.”
    â€œLook, I can’t go,” said Mac. “They’ll call the police, and if they do, I’m a dead man.”
    â€œWhat do these guys have on you?” asked T’ai.
    Mac wouldn’t answer.
    â€œCome on, Mac. I’m your best friend,” T’ai pleaded. “Why are they after you?”
    Mac stared at the ground.
    â€œOkay, that’s it,” declared T’ai. “I’ve had it with you. And this time, I mean it.” He got up and left.
    â€œYou know,” said Mac, watching his best friend walk away, “I wish they had killed me.” He coughed several times. “Life isn’t worth living anymore.”

Chapter Fifteen

    â€œI don’t know how Ellen managed to get today off,” said Dolores, as she and Nicki filled their cleaning cart with supplies. “I hate working on Saturday, don’t you?”
    â€œYes,” said Nicki. “Especially when it’s so nice outside.”
    â€œToo hot for me.”
    â€œI don’t mind the heat,” said Nicki. “I like to run first thing in the morning, though, before the worst of it sets in.”
    â€œYou’re ambitious. I drag myself out of bed, drink two or three cups of coffee, and convince myself that I’m going to win the lottery.” She laughed. “Ready to go?”
    â€œReady as I’ll ever be.”
    They pulled the cart into the service elevator, got off on the fourth floor, and knocked at 401.
    â€œHousekeeping. Anybody there?” When nobody answered, Dolores put her key card in the slot. “I knew he wouldn’t be here, but I always follow the rules.”
    â€œYou knew who wouldn’t be here?”
    â€œThe manager.”
    â€œThis is Trent Newman’s room?” asked Nicki.
    â€œYep,” replied Dolores. “Which is why I always follow the rules.” She knocked again, then opened the door and went inside. Nicki took a wet rag and started to clean the safe. While wiping it off with one hand, she tried to open it with the other.
    It was locked.
    She waited for Dolores to go into the washroom, then used the override key.
    The safe was empty.
    â€œHow long has Newman lived here?” asked Nicki when Dolores returned.
    â€œNot long at all,” she replied. “He moved out of his apartment recently. He’s staying here until he finds a new place, I guess.”
    â€œEver find anything interesting in here?” Nicki pulled the sheets off the bed and threw them onto a cart in the hall.
    â€œNothing more interesting than wine bottles.” She helped Nicki stretch the fitted sheet onto the mattress. “And Spam.”
    â€œYeah,” said Nicki, “he does love his Spam.”
    Dolores fluffed the pillows and put on new cases.
    â€œThere was one weird thing,” said Dolores.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œA Mandarin