“If we go too fast, we all die?” the young teen asked, a worried expression on her face.
“Only if Lane doesn’t keep us on the road,” Sigmund said. Once they had made it a few blocks down the road. “Young Miss, would you mind introducing us to your new friend?”
“This is Missy’s maid. She can confirm Minnie’s story. I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name,” Helena finally asked the girl.
“My name is Lo Wai Han, Mistress saved me from most dishonorable life.”
“Miss Han alleged the man I spoke to wasn’t Missy’s father,” said Helena.
“Young Miss, Han is miss Lo’s middle name. Am I correct?” Sigmund regarded miss Lo for confirmation.
She nodded the affirmative.
“Miss Lo told me that the man I spoke to was not Missy’s father, she hadn’t seen Mister Whitaker for three days. Miss Lo, why don’t you tell your story. I’m sure you know it much better than I.”
“My Mistress spent a lot of time in Chinatown and Barbary Coast. She saved me when I escaped house I forced to work. She brought me home to be her maid. Her family furious, sure they all hate me. Her father, Mister Robert Whitaker, sure she spending her time gambling, using drugs, and selling her body to pay for both,” tears dripped from her eyes as she spoke.
“Last week he threaten to have her committed to Agnew’s asylum. The argument quite loud, I sure everyone in house, in neighborhood heard it. Next day Missy cut off all hair. Not sure why, but I watched her, she cried whole time. People in big houses talk, rich think they secrets safe, but everyone knows.”
“I know she alive four days ago, I believe in my heart she alive now. I have been praying for her every night,” tears ran down Lo Wai Han’s cheeks as she told the story, “Now that I left the Whitaker house, if I go back to Chinatown the Hop Sings kill me. Show my head as a warning to others that try escape. I am dead woman,” Lo Wai Han began to cry in earnest, the severity of her situation sinking in.
“Hop Sings?” Helena asked.
Lane said, “One of the many Chinese gangs operating in Chinatown,” from over his shoulder.
Both Helena and Sigmund peered at the back of Lane’s head, and each questioned how he might know that. Lo Wai Han nodded her head, through her tears, indicating Lane was correct.
“Sigmund, aren’t we in need of another pair of hands on the estate?” Helena motioned with her head towards Lo Wai Han bent over body and wiggled her eyebrows.
Sigmund wasn’t quite that dense, he understood her suggestion without the body language, “Yes Young Miss, I do believe we could use another house person. You don’t need a personal attendant, but I bet we might find somewhere for Miss Lo to work if she wanted to stay with us.”
“Oh yes, please. I will do any housework, please don’t make me go back to Chinatown. I don’t want to sell my body or die.”
“Sell your body?” Helena asked. The gravity of the situation finally sinking in, and what kind of house the girl younger than herself had been forced to work in and the services she would have had to provide. The grip tightened on her parasol, it suffered for the injustice Helena felt for this young woman.
“I almost forgot,” Wai Han reached into her pocket and pulled out a small embroidered handkerchief containing two items. “These are two things that help you find Mistress. First is picture before she cut hair,” Wai Han handed her a locket the size of a silver dollar. Inside contained a picture of Missy, “and this,” she handed Helena a wine cork, “Mistress told me to keep this safe, it very important.”
Helena took the two articles, precious as the crown jewels. “I will guard them with my life. Wai Han, I promise I will do everything I can to find Missy and bring her home to you.”
Agnew’s:
Once they arrived safely back at the estate and Wai Han was taken care of, Helena and the two men sat down in the study.
“I don’t understand what could’ve happened to Missy. Her life was not that much different from mine. Who were those men in her house?” Helena asked.
“At the moment that is a question that will need to wait. If we are going to investigate Agnew’s we must leave soon. It is a long drive,” Sigmund offered, “If we leave right now we will arrive there before dark.”
“We’ve never taken Bessie that far, I will need an extra can of kerosene to get back. It might be midnight depending on how much time we spend, wait a moment where are we going?” Lane asked.
“Santa Clara,” Sigmund said.
“That’s got to be fifty miles away. Not sure what the roads are like.”
“In some places, we will be able to travel very fast and others not so.”
“I would like to know how you knew where... about Agnew’s,” Helena asked.
“There came a time I had to do some research for your father. If I take the time to explain now, we may not make it to the asylum before dark.”
“Well let me get Bessie ready. I’ll pass by the kitchen and tell them to pack us a basket. I think we’re going to need it, sounds like a long haul. Sigmund, could you pick it up your way out?” Lane said as he left the room, escaping the coming storm.
“Perhaps you should change into your riding clothes. It is going to be a long drive.”
“Yes, and on the trip down to Santa Clara I expect more than a few answers,” Helena said as she gathered her things and headed towards her room. The house heard her call out, “Gertie, I need my riding gear,” at the top of her lungs as she headed up the stairs.
Helena barely caught Sigmund saying, “Yes, it is most certainly going to
