Chapter 1
“Any news on Aimee yet?”Dad asked. The worry in his voice practically seeped through the phone.
I hated that he was going through this stress. It wasn’t good for his weak heart.
“Not yet, Ba. But I’ve got a lead. Aimee’s a smart girl,so don’t worry.” I stared at the picture of the unique nine-year-old girl splashed on my computer screen. She had big, curious eyes and adorable dimples. But it was her brilliant mind that stood out from everything else. “They won’t harm her. If anything, I’d be worried about them.”
He let out a laugh, which was what I’d wanted.
“The not knowing is killing Will and Susan,” he said. “They’ve lost so much weight.”
Will and Susan had helped my dad and me during a difficult time in our lives and were practically members of our family now . . . Aimee was like a niece to me. Will was the doctor who’d taken extra care of my injuries back then. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve developed other issues beyond the physical wounds.
When Aimee was abducted while on a field trip to the zoo, the shock shook us all up. Dad and I had tried our best to live a quiet and simple life in Northern California after my mom died. But deep in my heart, I had known this day would come. My connection to a dangerous crime family would eventually come back to haunt me.
“I’m doing my best, Ba. And I’m doing it discreetly,” I said, trying not to give him any reason to worry about me too.
“I kept replaying the video from that day, Viv. They took her in broad daylight.”
That meant these people didn’t care if they were caught, which made them even more dangerous.
But I said, “A mistake. And we’ll catch them for that.”
Though the kidnappers wore masks and abducted two other girls, Aimee was the only one who hadn’t been found. Or rather, she was the only one they hadn’t released. The other classmates were released that evening at a shopping plaza. They’d been forced to wear blindfolds, which prevented them from seeing their kidnappers.
I knew they’d released the girls to distract the public. Aimee was a prodigy. She was a target because of her brilliance. Just like my mother. Mom had been a prodigy, and she made a lot of money for The Triad, an organized crime syndicate that dealt with extortion, sex trafficking, illegal gambling, drug trade, and the laundry list went on and on.
My grandfather, Stephen Kwan, who went by the nickname King Viper, was the leader of The Taipan Triad until his death eight months ago. Around the time of Aimee’s abduction. I hadn’t seen my grandfather in years. Though he was a dangerous man, he loved my mom and me and ensured our lives would be undisturbed by members of his faction.
But he was no longer alive to keep that promise. I knew little about the honor system within a crime organization. Was there such a thing? How long could one man’s word hold power after his death?
Had The Taipans taken Aimee? I wasn’t sure, but my intuition told me to look in that direction.
My dad coughed, and I could hear him drinking something.
“We’ll find Aimee, Ba. I promise. I don’t want you stressing out. And I don’t want Rose calling me about your condition either.”
Rose Tran had been his nurse for the past few years. They’d become friends, and I could tell there was something more between them. But Dad didn’t want to admit anything to me.
He hadn’t dated since my mom died, and Rose was the first woman who’d caught his interest. She’d taken great care of him and always called me when Dad was being stubborn about his medication and workout routine.
Dad sighed. “I know, I know. I’m trying not to add to your burden?—”
“You’re not a burden to me. I want you to focus on your health. Don’t worry about finding Aimee. That’s my job.”
“I don’t want you putting yourself in danger. Will and Susan wouldn’t want that either. Promise?”
“Yes, I promise,” I agreed.
It was the best I could do without flat-out lying to him. To find Aimee, I had to step close to the snake pit. Danger was part of the game. A scared little girl was waiting for someone to save her.
Was she still alive?
Stop it. Don’t think like that.
They need her. They won’t hurt her.
The voices warring in my head drove me crazy. My life had been consumed with finding Aimee. I’d resigned from my pediatric dental position and moved to Providence to start a new practice. It was eight months since she’d been kidnapped. Most people would have assumed she was already dead, but I knew in my gut that Aimee was alive.
“I’m going to buy some fruits and flowers for the altar. I’ll make a donation to the temple too. Your mom, our ancestors, and all the gods and goddesses will watch over you and Aimee.”
“Thanks, Ba.” I smiled as I imagined him making the offer. Believing that there was a higher power protecting me brought him peace. Dad’s parents had taught him the Vietnamese tradition before they both passed away in a car accident. I never got a chance to meet them.
“Let me know if you need anything from Agent Stone or me.”
Aimee’s parents had hired a private investigator to help locate her. So far, he had discovered nothing either.
A knock sounded on my door, and Dakota, my dental assistant, poked her head in. The look on her face told me it was an urgent matter.
“Have to go, Ba. Talk to you soon.”
I hung up the phone and glanced at my watch. Three hours until the wine expo. I had time.
I walked to the dental chair and sighed when I saw Chicken standing with an older woman with gray hair in a twisted bun.
Chicken was a tall, lanky man with a kind face and a full heart. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans. His dark hair was swept to one side, looking like one of those K-pop stars that Kaylee loved so much. I didn’t know why people called him Chicken, and I never asked. He was known in the area as a thoughtful man who cared for his grandmother and her friends. My office treated many of them, and most didn’t have dental insurance.
“How can I help you?” I asked the young boy, who was holding a hand to his cheek.
“Max has a bad toothache that’s getting worse. His grandma is here with him,” Chicken explained. “They don’t have?—”
“I’ll take a look.” I patted Chicken’s arm, stopping him from stating the obvious out loud. Other patients were around, and I didn’t want anyone complaining about my good deeds. People could twist things for their own gain, which could cost me. I couldn’t afford any setbacks. My time in Providence was to find Aimee. Then I could return to California and resume my simple life.
“Thanks.” Chicken nodded and tucked his hands into his jeans.
I led Max into the exam room. Chicken and his grandmother stood against the wall.
On the stool, I scooted closer to the eight-year-old boy. “What’s going on, buddy?”
Wincing, he pointed to his right cheek. “It hurts a lot.”
“He didn’t sleep well last night,” said the grandmother.
I looked at the fearful boy. “Don’t be scared. I’ll take good care of you. Cavities are afraid of me. Now, open wide.”
“Dr. Vo has magical powers.” Chicken winked at me.
With a quick review, my heart sank. “You have an infection in your primary molar.” I looked up at Chicken and the grandmother. “It needs to be removed. I can do it right now.”
“Please,” said the grandmother.
Max beamed when everything was done, carrying the plastic baggie filled with a toy, a fancy toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. “Your adult tooth will fill in that space soon. Make sure you brush and floss twice a day. No candies.”
Max nodded.
“Thanks for squeezing us in,” Chicken said as the boy walked to the front desk to check out.
“Are you related to Max?”
“No. He lives in the same complex as my grandmother.” He reached for his wallet. “Can I give you some cash to cover part of it?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I waved a hand. “I have a fund for these kinds of situations.”
“Thank you,” Chicken said.
Max and his grandmother were busy putting on their coats in the waiting area.
I told Allison, my officer manager, to use the Kindness Fund to pay for their visit. Most dentists would call my deed an unprofitable business practice because I wasn’t making money, but I didn’t care. A kid went home pain-free today. If I were his parent, I’d want that for him too.
When my dad was a dentist, he also had a Kindness Fund. My mom thought it was the most wonderful idea, and they’d started dating because of that.
The only thing the visit cost me was time. I could’ve filled that slot with someone who had insurance, but I was helping a family who couldn’t afford dental care. This was why I wasn’t a wealthy dentist. And don’t even get me started on what some dental offices charge these days and what insurance suits claim is “unnecessary.” There were dentists sitting on the Board of Directors for dental insurance companies and the candy industry. Everything came back to money. The entire world was corrupt.
Walking back into my office, I shrugged off my lab coat and hung it on the rack. I washed my hands and prepped myself to look decent for the International Wine Expo event.
Out of habit, I checked my phone for the newsfeed from New England. Sometimes, the smallest details could provide clues to Aimee’s whereabouts. The local station had a segment on the wine expo and several of the notable attendees. An old image of Arrow and his ex-girlfriend splashed across the screen. Sylvia Ormon was a gorgeous brunette and looked like a supermodel.
An uncomfortable feeling sprouted in me. Surprised at the strange sensation, I rubbed my stomach.
He’d asked me on a date twice, but I’d declined, so I had no idea why I was experiencing the sudden pang of jealousy.
Wealthy men like him would attend a wine convention. I’d probably see them tonight. Or maybe miss them all together. I just wanted to get there, do what I needed to do, and head home.
Not wanting to think about him anymore, I swiped to another news page. Governor Fenner was being interviewed about his opposition to Whiz Kidz’s purchase of an old building owned by the state. Apparently, he wanted more money from the nonprofit organization. I rolled my eyes at the greedy politician with a head of spiky silver hair. Whiz Kidz was an exceptional organization that offered talented children a way to broaden their abilities. I didn’t understand why anyone would oppose that, especially if the old building wasn’t being used.
Enough of the news. I grabbed my purse and headed to the wine expo.