Chapter 9
Kris
Zhen texted to say he’d snagged Jo Jo from the airport and sent another text of Jo Jo snuggling Jasha’s new baby, so clearly those two were having fun while I slaved away at work.
PI Moore was worth every penny, which meant more drama to feed the llamas. He’d called me thirty minutes after I’d arrived at work with the news he’d found the girlfriend, Jennifer Davis, and forwarded me her contact information. One day! Man worked lightning fast.
I promptly called her and tried to explain the situation, but she grew more confused over the phone, so I encouraged her to come to the office. Boss could explain the situation better than me, anyway.
She chose to swing by during a quick errand run, which was fine, as it gave me about an hour to prepare. Boss was caught up to speed by time she came through our front doors.
Jennifer Davis was classically beautiful—an oval-shaped face, ash-blonde hair, wearing nice pinstriped slacks and a breezy white top. Office lady for sure and, according to PI Moore, a paralegal at a law firm. Her file said she was roughly my age, having recently turned thirty.
She took one step inside and then paused awkwardly. “Uh, hi? I’m Jennifer Davis.”
“Hi, I’m Kris, I’m the one who called you.” I maneuvered around the front desk and shook her hand. “Thanks for coming in, and sorry for confusing you earlier. Let’s head to the conference room. Boss is waiting in there to explain things better.”
“Sure.” She glanced at Charlotte, perfectly penciled brows furrowing together. “Sorry, I thought you’d be Chinese?”
I laughed ’cause I got that reaction a lot. “Don’t apologize, it’s an assumption everyone seems to make. Boss is Chinese, and she’s the one who runs the show. I’m here for paperwork and translation duties. This is my sister, Charlotte. She also helps run the office.”
“Ah, I see.”
I ushered her into the conference room. “Jennifer, this is Gao Ah Lam, my boss and the matchmaker of Afterlife Marriage Agency.”
“Welcome, Ms. Davis,” Boss greeted warmly in accented English. “Come, sit, let me explain the situation. It’s a weird one, for sure, but I believe this will end positively for you and your child.”
Jennifer sat, and I backed out of the room, letting Boss handle this one.
Still had no idea if Jennifer would be willing to spirit marry her boyfriend after five years, but at least she’d be read into the situation, and her child could get to know her paternal grandparents, if she was amenable.
Those two were ecstatic to have a granddaughter, so connecting them could only be beneficial, allowing them to bridge the gap of lost time and support.
Or so I hoped. I knew better than anyone family could be your worst enemy.
Charlotte hopped up to grab the mail off the back counter. I clicked through emails and kept an ear trained on the conference door.
The bell chimed as the front door opened again, and I glanced up from my computer to see a woman in her late twenties waltzing through the door. She looked similar to Jennifer, although shorter, and wore a casual outfit of cutoff jean shorts and tank top, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Afternoon!” she greeted sunnily. “I heard ya were lookin’ for me? I’m Yichen’s former girlfriend.”
I beg thine finest pardon? “I’m sorry, who are you?”
My question bounced off the forcefield of her brilliant smile. “Oh, I’m Luna, Luna Martin.”
Still no idea who this woman was. “Miss, I’m sorry, but I think you’re confused? We found the woman we were looking for.”
Charlotte and I exchanged a what the fuck glance.
Her smile didn’t waver a whit. “Jennifer Davis, right? It’s fine, I should be ’ere too. Oh, I think I hear ’er.”
To my astonishment, she headed past the desk, like she had every right. On instinct, I hopped in front of her, barring her way.
None of this made sense. How could she have known we were meeting with Jennifer? Or that we were looking for a former girlfriend of Yan Yichen to begin with? I’d called and spoken with Jennifer an hour ago—had she told this woman the exact place and time she’d be here, and this chick had run over?
Something smelled. And it ain’t fried chicken.
I made my voice sterner. “Miss Martin, you are not the one we need to talk to.”
“Can I just poke my ’ead in—” She moved to sidestep me, a move I matched. I had a few inches and twenty pounds on her. She wasn’t getting past me.
“Miss! Why are you so insistent? This meeting has nothing to do with you.”
She reeled back, green eyes widening in shock. “But y’all talkin’ to the former girlfriends of Yichen, right?”
“No, we’re talking to a very specific former girlfriend. I honestly don’t know why you’re even here.”
“Oh, it’s fine, Jennifer knows me—”
At a guess, I would say her mother’s eggs had been expired. And her father’s swimmers operating Windows 98, a pirated copy no less, because there was no other way to explain why she was this stupid.
The conference room door abruptly flew open and out stomped an enraged Jennifer, heels a sharp staccato on the tiles, fists clenched like she was ready to throw hands.
“I knew it was you!” she fumed, biting off each word. “Luna, why the hell can’t you move on?!”
For the first time, Luna faltered, mouth working like she was trying to come up with a response and failing.
“He’s dead!” Jennifer pressed right in Luna’s face, towering over the shorter woman.
“The man you’re obsessed with is dead! Even alive he refused to have anything to do with you!
I’ve never let you near me or my child! Yet you stalk us like you have a right to be in our lives!
QUIT ALREADY. God, you’re harder to get rid of than pet stains! ”
I stan Jennifer. Taker of no shit. Desirer of no scrub.
Luna fired back, “’e loved me, too! It’s not wrong for me to want to be involved!”
“He left you three years before he died. Fucking moron! The last thing he’d want is for you to meddle. Especially when he finally escaped you in death!”
Luna gasped, horrified, and started wailing.
I couldn’t make out one babbled word in three.
Nor did I want to. The picture here was pretty clear, but I could tell Boss was confused as she approached.
Also pissed at the noise level. Both ladies were now screaming at each other and hurling accusations.
My ears ached and, you know what, someone had to put a stop to this. I grabbed the spray bottle I used to water the plants and aimed it right in Luna’s face. The mist shocked her into silence and she took two steps back, expression torn between outrage and confusion.
From behind the desk, Charlotte stifled a laugh.
“Let’s use our adult words, shall we?” I glared at both women.
“Now, I don’t know who’s right or who’s wrong here, to be honest, and there’s only one person who can verify that between you three.
We’ll summon the man himself, but for today, how about you both leave?
Come back tomorrow at five p.m. and we’ll sort the situation out then. ”
Luna looked even more confused. “What, summon ’im? Wait, Jennifer, I just—”
“Save it,” Jennifer snapped. “You’ve only said it a million times. My answer’s the same. Leave.”
Dejected, Luna turned and stomped for the front door, leaving the space in blessed silence. But she then hovered outside the front door like she was waiting for Jennifer to leave. Something about her expression creeped me right out. I didn’t like it, not one iota.
Jennifer pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I realize you need to speak with Yichen to verify my story. Still, please do not trust her. She’s insane and utterly obsessed with Yichen.
She won’t leave me alone due to our child together.
Anything connected to him, she’s on it like an ant on candy.
I am this close”—she held finger and thumb barely a quarter inch apart—“to filing a restraining order. She’s given me enough ammunition. ”
“Clearly you didn’t tell her you were coming here.” Which now gave me the willies. I stared through the big picture window, where Luna stood out front, and wished it was less see-through. Or had bars.
“No, I did not.” Jennifer’s stormy eyes narrowed. “Which means she’s tracking me somehow. I’ll have to figure out how. She better not have put an AirTag on my car again.”
Sorry, again?!
“Pretty sure her spirit animal has rabies. Anyway, don’t trust her.” Jennifer blew out a harsh breath. “I’ll come back tomorrow. Assuming I can get her to leave.”
Muchen popped his head out from underneath my desk. “Kris, the crazy girlfriend is sensitive enough to see us. Can I?”
I kept an eye on Muchen as I relayed to Jennifer, “Um, I think I can help with that. I can call a guardian forward, but he’s massive and looks like he eats children. That okay? You shouldn’t be able to see him, but I wanted to warn you just in case.”
She snorted derisively. “If it gets rid of Luna, anything’s okay.”
I’d take her at her word. “Hold on.” I turned my head and said, “Go forth and terrorize.”
He let loose a gleeful, gravelly chuckle, bounding out the door in a black mass.
The next second, Luna screamed in terror before turning around and booking it.
There was a definite bounce in Muchen’s stride as he chased after her.
Like a Great Dane-sized kitten playing with a daffodil.
If the daffodil was running for its life.
And was that fire coming out of his snout?
Pure theatrics but, eh, he could have his fun.
Interesting, though, was that based on Luna’s terrified reaction, clearly she could see him. Meaning she was magically sensitive to some degree. Typically, only young children could see the huodou since they were still sensitive to the energies of the otherworld. Muchen had been right on the money.
Jennifer canted her head curiously. “Your guardian works fast.”
“They sure do. It’s safe to go back to work.”
“Well, thank you.” Though still curious, she shrugged and let it go. “See you tomorrow.”