Chapter 25...

Fei unlocked the door to his apartment and slipped in quietly. The night lamp in his living room glowed softly, illuminating the features of a sleeping Quin on his sofa. Fei smiled and sat down beside her, touching her hair lightly. For a few moments, he looked at Quin contentedly. Quin’s head drooped a little and dropped on Fei’s shoulder, causing her to wake up with a start. She saw Fei and smiled a little.

Fei: I’m sorry. Did I wake you up?

Quin: (shook her head) It’s almost one o’clock. What kept you? I thought you would be back earlier.

Fei: Well, things aren’t always that predictable.

Quin leaned against Fei, covering her yawn.

Quin: What can you tell me about the case? What exactly is going on?
(Fei hesitated a little.)

Fei: Well…basically, we discovered a body, and Man’s organizer was discovered at the scene of crime. And…in the victim’s wallet was a picture of Man.

Quin: And that made you suspect Man?

Fei: Well…say, Kwan. What can you tell me about Josh Chan?

Quin: (scrunching her face, trying to remember) Well…he’s a rich guy…the son of some bigwig tycoon in China. He has a daughter, and is divorced…

Fei: (disappointed) We know all that. Why did Man break up with him?

Quin: I’m not that sure. Man doesn’t like to talk about him. She always said that he was a mistake, and that she had wrongfully judged him.
(Fei nodded thoughtfully.)

Quin: How’s Man now?

Fei: (shrugging) She went ballistic when I told her not to leave Hong Kong.
(Quin looked at Fei crossly.)

Quin: You should understand Man’s insecurity! You knew about her past. How could you talk to her like that?

Fei: (sighing) God, I never meant for it to come out that way…I’m not saying she’s a criminal.

Quin: Is Man going to be okay?

Fei: I don’t know. We have to wait for the autopsy report before we can make the next move.

Quin: Is Man going home to our place? I better head back and see what I can do.

Quin stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. She reached for her overcoat and Fei tugged her hand, pulling her down beside him.

Fei: Man’s with San Gor. Stay with me tonight.

Quin: (smiled) Okay, on one condition. I get the bed, you get the couch.

Fei: What? No way, I want the bed as well…
(Fei slid his arm around Quin’s waist and tickled her. Quin began to laugh uncontrollably as she tried to push him away.)

Quin: (still laughing) Truce! Truce! You get the bed…

The atmosphere in the office was tensed. Everyone was waiting for the return of Korean. Minutes later, Korean came in with a file. Chi San was the first to snatch it from him. The team crowded around Chi San to read the report.

Chi San: (reading from the file) Cause of death: head injury.

Gigi: So it wasn’t the knife wounds that killed him.

Fei: Time of death is 10th of February, estimated at 9.00p.m.

(Fei’s eyes met Chi San’s.)

Fei: We have to bring Man in again.
(Chi San nodded tiredly.)

Later…
Man sat down across from Fei and Gigi. Her hands nervously twisted the strap of her bag.

Gigi: Man, where were you on the 10th of February, around 9.00p.m?

Man: I…I was at the beach, taking a short walk.

Fei: Have any witnesses to confirm that?

Man: N...no. I don’t know any of the people on the beach.
(Gigi and Fei exchanged glances.)

Fei: I am going to ask you this question again. When is the last time you saw Josh Chan or have any form of contact with him?

Man looked down.

Man: He contacted me 4 days before, wanting to meet me.

Fei: Why didn’t you tell us this yesterday?

Man: You didn’t ask. You asked me when was the last time I saw him. I didn’t lie to you.

Fei: But…

Man: He arranged to meet me at Kowloon Park, but he never showed up for our appointment. I didn’t see him. He wanted to tell me something about May-May.

Fei: Are you aware that Chan May-May is dead?

The blood drained from Man’s face.

May: (in a whisper) What? I don’t believe you. May-May…
(Man’s mouth formed an “o” of astonishment as tears started to roll down her cheeks.)

Gigi: Would you mind telling us why you broke up with Josh Chan?
(Man tried to regain control of herself.)

Man: He…She…I found out that May-May was physically abused. And since May-May lived with Josh…well…I knew he had something to do with it. I couldn’t be together with such a man.

Gigi: You reported this to the authorities?

Man: Yes. Josh cried and begged for forgiveness, he kept saying that he was drunk, he didn’t mean it…but it was all there, the evidence. He admitted it, and May-May herself stated that her father abused her. The China Police Force took May-May away from him and granted his ex-wife, Hoi-Ling, the full custody of May-May. Because of his father’s authorities and fame, Josh wasn’t even jailed.

Gigi started to say something, but she dropped her pen. She bent down to pick it up as Fei continued speaking.

Fei: How well do you know his ex-wife?

Man: I’ve seen her before, but haven’t talked to her.

Gigi straightened herself. She stared straight at Man.

Gigi: Where did you get the mud on your shoes?

Man looked startled. She looked down at her Adidas running shoes and was surprised to see mud coating them.

Man: (still staring at her shoes) I…I don’t know.

Fei looked up from his writing sharply. He was reminded of the shoe-prints at the scene of crime. Gigi looked at Fei. Clearly the same thought had dawned on her as well. Fei nodded. Gigi stood up.

Gigi: I am going to have to take your shoes as evidence and have the mud analyzed.
(Man looked at them bewilderedly.)

Man: Why?

Fei: (quietly) Shoe prints like yours were found at the muddy area of the scene of crime.
(Man slumped back into her chair. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.)

Fei handed Chi San the lab report. Chi San grabbed the report and read it. The blood drained from his face. The shoe-prints were a perfect match. And the mud on Man’s shoe was analyzed as the same mud from the scene of crime. Chi San closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall.

Fei: All the evidence was pointing to Man. And she didn’t have an alibi at the time of the murder. I’m sorry, San Gor, but it looks like Man is our prime suspect. Although the motive for the murder is still unclear…

Chi San: (half to himself) Why? Why does this have to happen to her, to us?

Man picked at her food. She looked timidly across the table at Chi San. Chi San wasn’t eating at all. Man knew what he was thinking about.

Man: I really don’t know how the mud got onto my shoes.

Chi San looked up, startled. He smiled weakly, but didn’t say anything. Pain contracted Man’s heart. She had hoped to hear Chi San’s reassurance that he believed her, that he trusted her.

Chi San stared at his food. He hadn’t wanted to distrust Man, but even he was starting to feel suspicious. Come on, Chi San. This is Man, right? The girl you love. You should trust her. No matter how he tried to convince himself, Chi San was uncomfortably reminded of the time where Man lied to him about helping her father. He hadn’t wanted to distrust her then as well. Chi San took a deep breath. He knew that he had to confront Man or else he’ll go crazy.

Chi San: Man, you know that you can tell me anything, right?

Man looked up from her food. Her heart started beating wildly.

Man: What do you mean?

Chi San: Man, if…if…you had anything to do with Josh’s death, please tell me. I can help you. I can ensure that you’ll get a lighter jail term if you confessed.

Man looked at Chi San disbelievingly. A stab of pain racked her body. He didn’t believe in me. He thought I murdered Josh. Anger began to take over the pain.

Man: You didn’t believe me, did you? You thought that I’m the murderer.

Chi San: I didn’t…

Man: I don’t care anymore. Think what you like. And since you don’t believe me and since we don’t have any trust, there isn’t any point going on any longer. Let’s just break up. For once and for all.

Chi San: Man, no! Listen to me…

Man: (bitterly) Save it, Chi San.

Man left the restaurant, tears blinding her vision. She collapsed on the sidewalk, crying uncontrollably. Everything was shattered. Chi San didn’t believe her.

Gigi sat at her table, yawning widely. Korean passed by with a cup of hot coffee.

Korean: Here, have some coffee.
(Gigi accepted the cup gratefully.)

Gigi: Thanks, Korean. I…

She was interrupted by a commotion outside the door. A woman rushed into the office.

Woman: I needed to see the inspector.

Korean: Inspector Kong is not in. Miss, you are…?

Woman: I am Lam Hoi-Ling. I am Josh Chan’s ex-wife.

Gigi: Miss Lam, are you aware of you ex-husband’s death?

Hoi-Ling: He’s really dead? He gone?

Gigi and Korean both nodded. All of a sudden, Hoi-Ling began to laugh. Korean stared at Gigi in shock. Korean’s heart began to pound. Was this the break into the case they had been looking for? Just then, Chi San walked tiredly into the station, accompanied by Fei. They both stared in amazement at the laughing woman.

Hoi-Ling: May-May…rest in peace…

Hoi-Ling stopped laughing and turned to them.

Hoi-Ling: I did it. I murdered Josh Chan.

Everyone in the station froze as they heard this confession. Gigi immediately lept forward and handcuffed Hoi-Ling. Hoi-Ling simply smiled.

Hoi-Ling: Arrest me. It doesn’t matter anymore.

Chi San: Did you kill Josh Chan?

Hoi-Ling: Yes. He deserved to die. He abused May-May. I lured him out to the hill area and hit him from behind. He struggled a bit, but the head injury was too much. He fainted, and I stabbed him. All for my May-May…

Chi San: But why did you try to blame Mun Yuen Lan?

Hoi-Ling sighed.

Hoi-Ling: After I killed him, his pager beeped. I checked, and saw the message left for him by Mun Yuen Lan. She left a message saying that she waited for half-an-hour in the Kowloon Park, and since he wasn’t coming, she was leaving. I went to the park and saw her organizer. I just picked it up and disposed in the same area where Josh’s body was. With the address I acquired from her organizer, I sneaked into her house and see what I can do to shed suspicison on her. It was purely a coincidence that Mun Yuen Lan had the same model and size of the shoes I wore. I switched the clean shoes for the dirty ones. I just want to throw the suspicion on someone else.

Fei: Then why did you confessed?

Hoi-Ling: In the end, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let an innocent girl suffer. Just like my May-May. She was innocent, but she suffered. I didn’t regret killing Josh, you know. He deserves to die. He killed May-May. I knew he did.

Chi San: According to reports, May-May died of electrocution.

Hoi-Ling: I don’t care what the reports said!! Josh killed May-May…
(Hoi-Ling’s face crumpled, and she began to cry.)

Hoi-Ling: (in between sobs) May-May…my May-May…

Chi San and Fei looked at each other. Chi San clicked off his tape recorder and Fei closed the file. The case was solved.

One Week Later…
Quin: Man, are you sure you don’t want to take Chi San’s call?

Man shook her head. Quin sighed.

Quin: Man’s resting…yes…I don’t know…okay…bye.
(Quin hung up the phone.)

Quin: This isn’t the solution, Man.

Man: I don’t care. I don’t want to see Chi San ever again.

Quin: Try to understand him, Man. He’s a police officer and…

Man: It isn’t that! Quin, you didn’t hear the way he talked to me! He was assuming that I’m the murderer and that I’m hiding something! He was so damn patronizing…I felt like strangling him. “I can ensure that you’ll get a lighter jail term if you confessed.” Those are his exact words! How would you feel, Quin?
(Quin sighed again and sat down beside Man.)

Quin: I have a dinner date with Fei tonight. But I just hate to leave you alone like this…

Man: (trying to smile) You go ahead. Anyway, I want to be alone.
(Quin hugged Man reassuringly.)

Quin: Just call me if you need me.

Quin: Fei, where are you taking me? Stop being so mysterious! And besides, the blindfold is really irritating me!

Quin reached up to tug at the blindfold. Fei laughed and grabbed her hand.

Fei: Uh-uh. No peeking.

Quin: What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting weirdly all day.

Fei pulled his car into a parking spot and got out of his car.

Fei: Just follow me, Miss Mo.

Fei led Quin by the hand, taking her into an apartment complex. They rode the elevator up to an apartment. Fei opened the door and gently pushed Quin inside.

Fei: You may remove the blindfold and switch on the lights.

Quin tugged off the blindfold and groped around for the switch in the darkness. She finally found the switch and snapped the lights on. She gasped in amazement. It was the apartment that Fei and her and planned on buying almost 3 years ago. Quin stepped into the apartment and ran her hand over a sofa.

Quin: How did you managed to buy this now?

Fei: (grinning) Believe it or not, I’ve had it for the past 3 years.

Quin turned to Fei. Her eyes were a little misty.

Quin: Fei…

Fei: Let’s have dinner.

The dining table was elegantly set for two. There were candles and a bottle of chilled champange. Fei strode into the kitchen and came out with two plates.

Fei: (proudly) Here is it. Tsui Fei’s special recipe of steak with mushroom and cream sauce.

Quin stared in marvel at the dinner.

Fei: Try it!

Quin sat down and cut a small piece of steak. She put it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. She wrinkled her forehead and scrunched up her face.

Fei: (anxiously) How is it? Does it taste horrible?

Quin: (burst out laughing at Fei’s anxious face) It tastes great, silly! I didn’t know you could cook.
(Grinning in relief, Fei sat down across Quin.)

Fei: I didn’t until today. I had Chi San taught me how to make this.

They ate, chatting happily throughout dinner. After they had finished, Quin tugged at Fei’s hand.

Quin: Let’s go out for dessert. (tong shui)

Fei: Wait.

Fei walked towards the stereo and switched it on. Soft music floated into the apartment.

Fei: May I have this dance?

Quin stared at Fei curiously. What is he up to? She smiled and offered her hand to Fei. Fei pulled her into his arms and they swayed to the music.

Fei: Kwan?

Quin: Mmmm…?

Fei: Do you remember what day is today?

Quin: I don’t remember…what?

Fei: 2 years and 11 months ago, I proposed to you in this apartment. 2 years and 11 months later, today, I, Tsui Fei, once again, proposed to Mo Chiu Kwan.

Quin pulled back from Fei’s embrace and stared at him in amazement.

Fei: I know I’m stupid to have let you go, and that I was a fool not to cherish you when I had you. Now I had you again, I’m not going to let go so easily.

Fei raised Quin’s left hand and slipped a diamond ring on her finger.

Fei: If you are willing to wear this ring, I will be willing to take care of you and love you for as long as we both shall live. I promise you, Kwan, I will not let you suffer, ever again. You will always be loved and cherished by me. I love you. I truly and really love you, Kwan, with all my heart.

The diamond sparkled brightly on Quin’s ring finger. She looked into his eyes and saw love for her. Quin could felt tears prickling her eyelids.

Quin: Well…this ring really is beautiful, and if you want me to wear it, I have no objections.

Joy flooded into Fei’s face as he realised the significance of Quin’s words. He picked Quin up and spun her around, both of them laughing happily. Fei then set her down and touch his forehead to hers.

Quin: I love you, Fei.

Fei didn’t answer her, at least, not in words. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Quin felt her heartbeat quickening as she lost herself in the sensation of Fei’s kisses, the feel of his strong arms around her. She could feel Fei’s heart beating rapidly. Quin wanted nothing more than to be held close to that tender, loving heart for the rest of her life.

What will happen to Man and Chi San now? Would Man ever be able to forgive Chi San?
Fei and Quin are engaged, but when tragedy occurs, everything will change.

Chapter 26...

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Yong June-Ling
Copyright 2001