Tangled Vines (31 page)

“She said she’s been alone all her life, until she met me,” he added, sneering at them through his golden good looks.

Those words had put a knife through her heart and, thank goodness, Benfu had stepped up and taken over. Calli couldn’t i
magine what her daughter had gone through and what had made her choose such an unsavory fellow to have a relationship with. She’d almost slipped and corrected the foreigner, told him her daughter was named Dahlia. But fortunately she’d held her tongue. Something unsettling in her gut told her not to share her daughter’s secrets with him.

“She didn’t know she had family. It’s all been a tragic mistake, but something we need to discuss privately with our daughter. Can you tell us where she is?”

The man, his name was Erik he’d said, shook his head. Now here they were a half hour later and they still hadn’t gotten much information from him other than that she’d left suddenly and had been gone a few weeks. He’d made it obvious from his tone that she had left without his approval.

“Does she have a cell phone number we can try?” Jet asked.

“Nope, she left that behind. But she’ll be back. She owes me something and I’ve got something very valuable of hers, too.” The smirk spread across his face until Calli felt like slapping it loose.

“Oh, what’s that?” Benfu asked. Calli could see him looking around to see what could be valuable in the home. Other than a few African-style paintings, she didn’t see much to brag about but the apartment was okay. Messy—but it could be nice if cleaned up a bit.

Behind him Calli saw the door to what must be the bedroom crack open just an inch or so. A face appeared and she locked eyes with a little boy. He looked scared. And he definitely didn’t belong to the foreigner—he was as Chinese as she was. As she took in the contours of his face, she realized something about him looked familiar. She felt a tingle start in her fingers and travel up her arms and to the back of her neck.

The man continued his evasive act. “Oh, just something.” He lit a cigarette and leaned his head back against the chair, blowing smoke rings from his foreign cigarette into the air.

“So, do you have children?” Calli asked, trying to keep her eyes from wandering back to the boy. She knew immediately by the way he looked that he wasn’t supposed to be snooping.

“Nah, never had any. Well, if you’d like to leave a contact number, I can give you a call when Li Jin comes back, man.” He stood up to lead them to the door. He was obviously in a hurry to get them out of there.

Calli cringed to hear the foreigner call Benfu
man
. She knew her husband and he’d find it offensive that he wasn’t being addressed with the proper
Lao
title earned by being his age. Surprisingly, he ignored it and pulled his mobile phone from his pocket. “And when do you expect her, would you guess?”

The bedroom door opened a little more and the boy poked his head out farther. “Ma’s coming back, Erik? When?”

The man turned around, his face a mask of anger. “Dammit, I told you not to come out of that room, Jojo! Get back in there.”

Calli knew then what looked so familiar—the child looked like Benfu. He had the same contoured face and nose she’d looked at for decades. This was their grandson! Before she could move, he stepped back and slammed the door, obviously frightened.

“Who is this boy you call Jojo?” Ignoring the angry glare of the foreigner, Calli quickly crossed the room and pushed the door open all the way. The boy had moved to the bed and was sitting on the edge, tears running down his face as he clutched a red-striped pillow.

“Excuse me—you can’t go in there!” the man said, standing up and turning to follow Calli.

From the corner of her eye Calli saw Benfu also stand and put his hand up. “Stay right there. Don’t go even one step closer to my wife.”

“Old man, you’d better move out of my way,” the guy said, starting to move around Benfu. His choppy Mandarin was getting worse the more excited he got but Calli could still understand him.

Calli sat down on the bed next to the little boy and put her arms around him. “Hi, Jojo. Are you okay?”

The little boy began to let out ragged sobs until Calli pulled him tighter to her. “What is it? Please, tell me what’s wrong.” Through the doorway she looked up to see the man ignore Benfu’s command, then Benfu whip the man’s arm around his back and throw him up against the wall. The poor foreigner likely didn’t know what hit him—as her husband was as strong as an old oak tree when his ire was up.

Benfu held him there until Jet stepped in. Calli turned the little boy to the side so the scene wasn’t within his view. She had a feeling the poor boy had seen enough.

“Let me go!” the man yelled, adding a long line of curse words.

“Be still and I will,” Jet calmly answered, pushing the man’s arm even higher until he yelped.

“I’m calling the police and they can sort this out,” Benfu answered, looking around the floor to see where his phone had dropped in the scuffle.

“Wait!
Hao le, hao le
. I’m good. No police, please.” The man suddenly calmed and gave up his struggle. Jet still held him against the wall, burying the man’s face against the concrete.

Benfu stayed only a foot or so behind him. “I’m going to tell Jet to let you go, but if you make one move toward my wife or that child, you’ll be right back there and this time with that foreign beak of yours broken.”

Calli had never heard him sound so formidable and she believed he would truly hurt the foreigner if the man was dumb enough to come at her again. She prayed he wasn’t. They didn’t need the trouble getting mixed up with a foreigner could cause.

“Okay. I swear. Just don’t involve anyone official.” With that Jet let him go and Calli saw Benfu point to the chair the man had bolted from.

“Sit. Now.”

The man obeyed and Calli turned her focus back to the boy. Not just any boy! Her own daughter’s child! “So tell me, why are you so scared? Do you know where your mother is?”

Jojo nodded. “We took a bus to another town and when I got off the bus, Erik’s friend snatched me and brought me here. My ma doesn’t know where I am. Can you call her?”

Calli gasped. She could only imagine how frantic Dahlia was in the disappearance of her son. And why would the foreigner do such a thing? Why didn’t he just try to talk it out with Dahlia and get whatever it was he thought she owed him? She struggled to keep a calm face to console the child.

“I heard that man call you Jojo.” She used the end of her sweater to wipe the tears from his cheeks. “Is that your name?”

Jojo nodded, sniffling. Calli shook her head. The poor kid looked like he hadn’t bathed in at least a week and his clothes smelled horrible. He obviously needed his mother.

“Well, Jojo, we have a lot to talk about. How would you like to come with me for a little outing?” Now that she’d seen the fear in his eyes from the foreigner, there was no way she was leaving him.

The boy looked up at her. “But who are you? Do you know my ma?”

Calli swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. “I don’t anymore, Jojo, but I really want to. I knew her a long time ago and I’ve missed her so much. Maybe you can help me out with that.”

She looked out the doorway at the tense scene in the living room. She wanted to take Jojo out of there but didn’t think it was safe yet. Both Benfu and Jet stood beside the foreigner’s chair, waiting for him to try to move. She met Benfu’s eyes and he looked from her to Jojo and then back to her. In his face, under the glint of anger, she saw astonishment and hope. They’d found a piece of their daughter, and with the discovery of the boy, they’d been given an unexpected gift. A grandson.

Benfu broke the gaze and sat down across from the man. When he began to speak, Calli felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise up at the low, lethal tone of his voice.

“This is the way it’s going to go. You are going to tell me where to find my daughter and I’m going to take her boy to her. Obviously that’s what you meant by having something valuable of hers, you blithering idiot.” He glared at the guy. “And then if you know what’s good for your future, you are going to disappear from their life.”

Erik held his hands up helplessly. “I’d love to know where she is, but I don’t. I only know that when she figures out Jojo is here, she’ll come back. She’ll do anything for her kid, man.”

Even from a distance, Calli saw Benfu’s face turn red and knew he’d had enough of the insulting slang title.

“Don’t call me—” Benfu’s reprimand was interrupted when they heard the doorknob turn and the front door open. Calli peered around the men and saw a small old woman standing there with her hands on her hips and a half-knit scarf hanging from her hands.

“I know where Li Jin is but I didn’t know he’d gotten ahold of Jojo,” the woman said, giving Erik a defiant look. “But I’m not telling you where Li Jin is in front of him.” She pointed at Erik. “She had to run from this foreign devil. He hurt her terribly.”

L
i Jin picked up the bucket of cleaning supplies and closed the door behind her. She crossed the hall to the room opposite hers and entered, finding Sami struggling to snap the sheet into the air just right to come down evenly on top of the bed. She was so petite that all the chores were a bit harder for her, though she’d never admit it.

“Here, let me help you.” Li Jin took one edge of the sheet and together they made the bed and folded the ruby-red duvet neatly on the end. They plumped the pillows and Li Jin stood up and arched her back. Using her one good arm, she reached behind her and rubbed at the knot of tension.

“I can finish the room,” Sami said, and pointed at the glass door leading to a small patio. “You go out there and take a break.”

Li Jin looked toward the hallway. She’d only been helping clean the patron rooms for a week and didn’t want any of the other girls, or especially Shuwen, to find her doing nothing.

“Just go! Five minutes. No one is around,” Sami insisted. “Anyway, you’re too clumsy with just one arm to do me much good.”

Li Jin knew Sami was teasing, despite her ferocious expression. She’d become very protective of her since their friendship had bloomed. Li Jin opened the door and slipped out. She didn’t dare take the chance to sit in one of the bamboo chairs; instead she leaned over the gate and stared at the small pond. The tiny courtyard was exquisite; fair enough, considering the inn only had eight rooms for rent and this was their most expensive one. Sami had told her they’d just gotten a week’s rental confirmed for a German photographer who’d come through the village sightseeing and wanted to stay awhile.

So far she’d been at the inn for almost two weeks and even though she still went to the police headquarters every morning, they’d found no evidence of Jojo. The day she’d gone to the train station with Sami, they’d sent the driver to go get copies of his photo made into posters. When he brought them and they’d finished hanging them around the station, she’d broken down and wept in frustration. Sami had comforted her and since then they’d been inseparable. Shuwen had even paired them up for their daily tasks and though Li Jin would rather be in the kitchen cooking, cleaning the rooms kept her physically exhausted. Only after a full day starting at the police headquarters, searching the train station, and then finishing her workload was she able to stop worrying about where Jojo was and trick her brain into shutting down for some much-needed sleep each night.

As for the other girls, they had finally accepted her, and though she hadn’t so far formed any real bonds with anyone but Sami, she felt comfortable and no longer an outsider. Sami had filled her in on a lot of their stories, and for once in her life Li Jin saw that there were others who’d suffered as much as or even more than she. She wasn’t alone. Being an orphan, she’d especially felt a surge of appreciation for one young girl who bunked next to her. Sami explained to her the girl had to run with her infant so that she could keep her because the child’s father had wanted his wife to abandon her.

The others had finally warmed toward Li Jin when she began doing her share of work. When it was time to settle down and enjoy the evening, they all flocked to the attic but Li Jin tried to find other things around the inn that needed doing. She watered flowers, swept the walkways, and even got on her knees and pulled stray weeds in the various gardens outside the rooms if they weren’t occupied. More often than not, Sami tagged along and helped her in whatever needed to be done. Sami had even snipped the last threads of her stitches and pulled them out! They didn’t talk much; instead they worked silently and comfortably together, each lost in her own thoughts.

Today had been a tolerable day. She listened to Sami vacuuming the room behind her as she watched the part of the street she could see from the courtyard. For such a small village, it was busy. She saw bicycles and scooters going by, and the sidewalks were dotted with pedestrians, but only a few cars.

Across the way she could clearly see many of the ancient rooftops that still stood after decades of modernization in surrounding cities had failed to reach Hongcun. Unlike the heavy concrete most houses were built with in Suzhou, these were all either stone or brick—some with pale pink walls and black roof tiles. Li Jin was surprised they weren’t demolished during the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution when everything old was being destroyed. There was so much beauty in this village that she found it enchanting, almost as if she’d stepped back in time.

On a few of their evening strolls, she’d seen the many university students who were bussed in and left to hike to the small pond to practice their brush stroke or photography skills. The small town and surrounding scenery were the perfect backdrop for their work. It was a lovely place and though it couldn’t feel like home without Jojo being there, Li Jin was sure it was one of the most peaceful places she had ever stayed.

“I’m done.” Sami poked her head out the door. “That was our last room. Want to go for a walk to Moon Pond before dinner?”

Li Jin nodded and followed Sami back into the room and down the hall. They passed the kitchen and saw a few of the girls peeling what looked like turnips, with Auntie Wan behind them stirring her pots at the stove, a platter of fish and diced red peppers sitting on the counter beside her. They slipped by and out the door.

“Auntie Wan is making turnips and minced fish tonight, isn’t she?” Li Jin said to make conversation. She didn’t see what other recipe would accompany it, as they’d moved by too quickly.

“Looks that way,” Sami answered, and led the way down the cobbled path toward the pond.

Li Jin could say one thing for sure; they were well fed by Auntie Wan. The old woman made sure to prepare enough to feed her girls as well as all the customers. Li Jin was just itching to find out how she made her concoctions so delicious. Some of her recipes were spicy ones passed down from her Sichuan heritage, and the girls who waited on the foreigners got a good chuckle from the red faces and teary eyes as they moved in and out of the dining room. Li Jin had at first wondered how they communicated with the guests who didn’t speak Chinese, but she soon saw them handing out picture menus with the meal-of-the-day options printed on them. The customers only had to point to the one they wanted, making it a simple exchange. And Auntie Wan gave only two choices, after all, so not much got lost in translation and she didn’t have to create multiple dishes all day.

A step behind Sami, Li Jin noticed that she turned heads everywhere she went. Her small stature and graceful walk stood out, but the girl was oblivious to the commotion she caused as she walked down the pathway. Li Jin felt tall next to her, even though she’d always thought of herself as average height. It was just that Sami looked like a tiny doll compared to most women—a perfect one at that.

“Let’s sit,” Li Jin suggested, and pointed at the bench she’d sat at with Shuwen. They crossed the path but an elderly man beat them to the bench. Without words they both plopped down on the grass a few feet away. Li Jin was glad they did, as the coolness under her fingers was a comfort and a distraction.

Sami stared at the ripples in the water in front of her, ignoring the people around them who passed between her and the pond.

Li Jin saw a pack of tourists pointing to the pond. It was part of the draw of the crowds, she guessed, that the movie
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
had filmed a few scenes over the pond. She started to say as much to Sami but the girl broke the silence between them first.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Li Jin didn’t push her. Sami didn’t ever say much and she’d learned quickly to give her time to get it out in her own time.

“I might make a quick trip home.”

That got Li Jin’s attention real fast. “Home? What about your father and your uncle? Won’t they send you back?”

Sami sighed. “They’ll try. But I won’t go back to that life. Ever. I’d kill someone if they tried to force me.”

“Then why do you want to go home?” Li Jin didn’t want Sami to ever be around her father or uncle again. The girl was lucky to still be alive, considering the beating she’d taken.

Sami reached up and unbuttoned her shirt, then pulled the collar down to expose her neck and shoulder. “Because I have a little sister, and I’m afraid they’ll do this and make her take my place.” Sami pulled her shirt closed and stared at her feet.

Li Jin didn’t get a long look but from what she saw, Sami had been tattooed. It looked like an elaborate scene of scrolls and butterflies. Quite beautiful, but in China it was unusual for a
nyone to be tattooed unless they were connected to some sort of gang. No wonder Sami always wore her clothing buttoned high.

“How old is she?” Li Jin asked gently. She’d never had any siblings that she knew of but she could only imagine how terrifying it would be to think your sister would be forced into the life Sami fought to flee.

“She’s twelve and her name is Xue,” Sami said softly, buttoning up her shirt. “I was thirteen when my father sent me to my uncle. Before that, it wasn’t so bad. My mother loved us and always protected us, until she couldn’t anymore. I’m thinking of going right now, Li Jin. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

Right now? Li Jin struggled. “Listen, Sami. If you can only wait until I find Jojo, I’ll go with you. And I promise you that no one will touch you if I’m there.” Li Jin felt a surge of protection for Sami, almost as strong as what she felt for Jojo. Sami reminded her of herself at that age, vulnerable and taken advantage of.

Sami looked at her. “You’d do that for me? Even though it’s a long way from here and might be dangerous?”

Li Jin nodded. “I will. But I can’t leave here yet. Something tells me that this is where I am supposed to stay until Jojo comes back for me. Can you understand that?” She knew she was asking a lot. Her mother’s instinct or maybe just wishful thinking told her Jojo would come find her if she just kept returning to the spot where she last saw him.

“I understand. And I’ll talk to Shuwen to see if I can bring my sister here. If she says yes, we’ll make a plan. If she says no, I’ll take her somewhere else. But either way, I have to get Xue out of there before they decide she will take my place. And while we’re there, maybe we can find a way to make them pay for what they did to me.”

Li Jin didn’t answer. Going after her sister was one thing, but she hoped with time, Sami would drop the need for retribution. It could only get her hurt and Li Jin didn’t want anything else to happen to the girl. It was time for Sami to move on and build a new life, and Li Jin hoped that maybe the two of them could work together to accomplish that.