motive even stronger. He thought the new wife was still around and might conceive a son at any moment.
“A few days ago, Bobby. This young lady has been looking for her.”
He stood aside to reveal me, standing in the darkness a few steps above him.
Bobby gave me an incredulous look. “Her? That’s what she tell you she’s been doing—looking for my father’s bride? She came to see my father. Then she comes to give him special message, but she won’t give message to me. Maybe someone pay her to spy in our house, see how best to kill my father.” His voice had risen angrily as he spoke. He tried to push past Kear to get at me. “Make her tell truth.”
“Let’s go down to the living room, shall we?” Captain Kear held him up and forcibly turned him around. “There is no point in jumping to any conclusions at the moment. And if you can find the number one wife and persuade her to come down to talk with us, then maybe we can hear what she has to say on the matter.”
“Where houseboy go?” Bobby asked.
“You tell me. Ran off before we got here,” Kear said as he took my elbow to escort me down the stairs. “How well do you know the servants, Bobby? Are they trustworthy? Been with Mr. Lee a while?”
“Cook been with my father many years,” he said. “Houseboy just come last year, but he is son of On Leong man who work for my father in cigar factory. Good man, so must be good son.”
“One doesn’t always signify the other,” Captain Kear said. I felt that this was being directed personally at Bobby Lee. The captain didn’t think much of him. “And why did they run away if they are innocent of any crime?”
“Chinese always scared when police come,” Bobby said. “They scared police will say they did it and not bother to find real killer. Police think one Chinese look like one another and what does it matter which one they throw in jail? That’s what most men in Chinatown think.”
We reached the living room. Captain Kear indicated I should sit on the sofa and took the big chair himself.
“Take a seat, Bobby,” he said, waving graciously at an uncomfortable-looking upright wooden chair.
Bobby scowled as he perched on the chair.
“Okay, Bobby, now let’s talk about what happened to your father,” Captain Kear said. “Do you know anything that can shed some light on this? Can you think of anyone who would want to kill Lee Sing Tai?”
“Hip Sing, of course,” Bobby said quickly. “They would be happy if no more Lee Sing Tai in On Leong. He control too much of Chinatown.”
“Do you really think they’d be stupid enough to risk starting the war again right now?” the captain asked. “And if they were going to kill Lee, do you think this is the way they’d choose to do it?”
Bobby pursed his lips, thinking. “Okay. Maybe not. Push man off roof is coward’s way. They would shoot him or stab him in his bed and leave him there to be found.”
“Exactly my thoughts,” Kear said. “So what about other rivals—rivals within On Leong, for example, or business rivals?”
“Members of On Leong know that Lee Sing Tai is good for them and good for Chinatown,” he said. “They do what he say. Lee Sing Tai only one who does business with white people outside of Chinatown. He important man. Nobody to take his place.”
“And business rivals?”
“Business rivals? Lee Sing Tai control business in Chinatown, except for Hip Sing properties.”
“So you’re saying he had no rivals who might want to kill him to get him out of the way?”
Suddenly Bobby Lee’s face lit up. “Ah,” he said, waving a knowing finger at Captain Kear. “I know who did this. Of course. It was Frederick Lee.”
“Frederick Lee? Another paper son?”
“No, he not son. He was only Lee Sing Tai’s employee. His secretary. My father dismiss him yesterday. So maybe Frederick angry that his job has been taken from him and he come back to kill. This would be easy. He knows my father’s apartment well. I am sure he has access to keys.”
I was now sitting on the edge of my seat. “I’m sure Frederick wouldn’t do a thing like that,” I said hotly. “He spoke of Mr. Lee with great respect. And he was a quiet, educated man too.”
“How come you know Frederick Lee?” Captain Kear asked, looking at me with surprise.
“Lee Sing Tai sent him to find me. He escorted me to Chinatown and looked after me. I was impressed with him.”
“Men who have lost their jobs have acted irrationally before now,” Captain Kear said. “Especially Chinamen. They care about losing face more than losing money. So do you know why Frederick Lee was fired by your father, Bobby?”
“I do. He try to touch my father’s bride. My father send him to bring his bride to New York and he betray my father’s trust.”
“That’s not what I heard,” I said, really angry now. “I heard it was you who tried to force yourself on your father’s bride.”
Now they were both looking at me suspiciously.
“Who told you this?” Bobby Lee demanded.
I realized I had to tread cautiously here. “Frederick Lee,” I said. “I asked him if he had any idea why Bo Kei had run away and he said that she was frightened when Bobby tried to attack her.”
Bobby Lee pursed his lips in scorn again. “He lies! Of course he says this, to protect himself. I would not dare to touch bride of my esteemed father.”
