Chapter 32 #3
“If they’re in the US, there’s a good chance.
And we’re working with Interpol, which gathers data from almost two hundred nations.
Those countries don’t all share everything, and if the women never left China, I doubt we’ll find them.
But one victim willing to testify, plus the documents you and Ethan smuggled out of China—that’ll give us all we need to arrest Lu Feng. ”
Ethan leaned toward the phone. “Any updates on that?”
“I don’t have the latest intel,” Callan said. “Last I heard, Lu was spotted in the UAE—they have almost as much surveillance as China. If he’s still there or flew out, though, I have no idea.”
Ethan practically growled, the sound so low she doubted Callan heard it. “All the evidence in the world doesn’t do any good if we can’t find the guy.”
“Thanks to your wife’s evidence, the whole world is looking for him.”
Ethan relaxed slightly, taking her hand. “She is pretty amazing.”
“That much, I already guessed,” Callan said. “I look forward to meeting both of you.”
“Thank you, Callan.” Mei Lin hoped the two small words conveyed her gratitude. Even if only ài Le was rescued, the years Mei Lin had spent in prison would be worth it.
At a sound in the kitchen, Mei Lin turned from where she sat on the sofa.
Asher nodded at her, then at Ethan, who was sitting on the adjacent loveseat. “Just grabbing some grub.”
It was almost nine o’clock at night, and she and Ethan were in the middle of a game of Yahtzee, one she was losing badly.
They’d hardly seen Asher since that first day. He kept to the front room, where he’d set up monitors to watch the property. If he slept at all, he did it during the day when she and Ethan were awake.
He plopped a little pod into the coffeemaker and then pulled lunch meat out of the refrigerator.
“Not sure I could drink coffee at this hour,” Ethan said.
“It’s morning somewhere.” Asher built a sandwich, then grabbed a bag of chips. “I’ll be up front in case the bears and coyotes decide to organize.”
“Don’t bears hibernate?” Ethan asked.
He paused behind the sofa. “Good point. One less enemy to worry about.”
“You can eat out here.” Ethan nodded to the bar. “At a table, like a civilized human.”
Asher smiled, the expression transforming his face. She wondered if Cici had to work so hard to coax a smile out of him.
“So, uh… Thing is…” Asher shifted on his feet.
“If I hadn’t seen Cici in six years, and we were married, and we were in a secluded house in the snow, holed up in front of a fire…
?” His gaze flicked to Mei Lin, but he seemed a little embarrassed and looked at Ethan again. “I wouldn’t want you there.”
Ethan laughed. “Fair enough.”
Asher returned to his little room with the big window and all the screens.
“He’s a funny man,” Ethan said.
“Wise, I think.” Mei Lin pulled her feet beneath her on the couch. The fire had burned down to coals, and she was getting chilly.
Ethan shook the dice in the little plastic cup and sent them rolling across the coffee table, then scowled. “I already have twos.” He scooped up three of the dice and started shaking them again.
His phone buzzed against the side table.
He glanced at the screen, and his face shifted. “It’s my father.” He answered and set the phone between them. “You’re on speaker. Mei Lin’s here.”
“Hope I didn’t wake you.”
“I’m beating Mei Lin at Yahtzee. It’s my superior shaking skills.”
Gavin didn’t laugh. “Lu Feng surfaced in Mexico City two days ago. He’s using a forged passport.”
“Mexico?” Ethan plopped the cup down too loudly.
She knew how he felt. Lu Feng was on the same continent. She’d preferred it when an ocean separated them.
“This is good news, son. We can’t stop him until we find him. If he thought all was lost, he’d go to ground, and then we might never find him.”
That would be terrible. Mei Lin would never feel safe.
“As long as he’s still searching,” Gavin continued, “we’ll find him. Two more things. First, Mei Lin, your visa cleared this afternoon.”
She gasped, so surprised she was at a loss for words.
Ethan took her hand, grinning at her. “That’s fantastic news.”
Six years ago, Mei Lin had prayed every morning and every night that her visa would be issued, half believing it never would.
Ethan had shown her photos of the town where he’d grown up. Thick forests and rolling hills and a beautiful coast lined with islands. There was a pretty downtown area with a park in the middle. It was farther south and warmer than Seattle, with less rain.
Her fear that the visa would never be issued was, she realized now, one of the reasons she’d kept distance between herself and Ethan. He had to go back eventually, and what if she couldn’t go with him?
Now, just like that, it was done.
“I know you’re both eager to get home,” Gavin continued. “With Lu Feng on the Continent, you’re safer where you are. If we don’t stop him at the border, he’ll probably head to Virginia. We need to give the authorities time to close the net.”
She sat up as something occurred to her. “Will he find Mama and Bàba? Will they be safe?”
“Don’t worry.” Gavin’s voice was gentle. “I’m in Virginia now. I’ll go to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning. Ethan, they both work at your hospital, right?”
“Yeah.” He was leaning toward the phone. “The security isn’t great, though. I wouldn’t trust—”
“I’m going to talk to the administrator about getting them both leave. I figure they’ll be less likely to lose their jobs if I explain what’s going on. Speaking of, where does your job stand?”
“Dr. Donahue’s giving me until the beginning of next week to get back. He’s understanding, but they’re short-staffed and need me on the floor.”
Mei Lin leaned away to look at him. “You didn’t tell me that. You’re leaving?” What day was it? She’d lost track. How many days did she have before…?
“Of course not.” Ethan squeezed her hand. “I told you, sweetheart. I’m not leaving you again.” To the phone, he said, “It’ll be fine. I’ll find another job.”
“Maybe I can help,” Gavin said.
“I don’t need my daddy to call my boss. Sheesh.”
Gavin laughed. “That’s the first time you’ve called me daddy since you were nine years old.
I’m going to pretend you didn’t say it with all that sarcasm.
Anyway, I’m not going as your father. I’m going as an intelligence official—and I’ll be with an official…
official from the State Department. She’ll explain why it wouldn’t be safe for you to return to your job until Lu Feng is captured—she’ll throw around a lot of words like national defense and favor to your nation.
And she’ll tell them why it wouldn’t be safe for Mr. and Mrs. Chen to stay—for their safety and that of the patients and employees. ”
“If that other person is going, then why do you need to be there?”
“Believe it or not, some people actually respect me. I’ve been told I have ‘gravitas.’” He said that as if he found it odd.
Mei Lin had no idea what that word meant. She guessed it was good based on Ethan’s amused grin.
“Yeah, yeah, you’re very impressive,” Ethan said.
“Anyway, maybe I can impress upon them that you’re a hero and your job should be waiting for you when you get back.”
“I’m not a hero.”
Gavin ignored that. “Mei Lin?”
“Yes?”
“Callan couldn’t call but he wanted me to give you an update. He’s in Boston. They found her.” A note of seriousness filled Gavin’s voice. “Your friend, ài Le. If all goes well, they’ll bring her in tonight.”
Mei Lin’s throat closed. Thank You, Father. You are so good. “I cannot—” She swallowed and forced words out. “That is wonderful news.”
“It’s a start,” Gavin said. “Hopefully, she’ll give Callan enough information to get Lu’s accounts closed.”
Ethan squeezed her hand. To the phone, he said, “Thanks, Gavin. We’re both so grateful.”
She nodded, still fighting the overwhelming emotions.
“Sure. Sleep well. Talk soon.” Gavin ended the call.
For a moment, Mei Lin couldn’t move. It was all so much—Lu Feng closing in, but maybe moving into a trap. Her visa. ài Le.
Slowly, her fear and uncertainty lifted. She was where she was meant to be, and God was with her. He’d always been with her, of course. It’d just been harder to believe when she’d been in that horrible prison. But He’d been there, and working.
He’d brought her back to Ethan, and He’d brought Ethan and his amazing family to her.
She stood, plopped down in her husband’s lap, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him.
He went still. Then his arms came around her waist and he returned her kiss, warm and certain and oh, so lovely.
Too soon, he eased away. “Mei Lin.” His voice was rough. “Not that I’m complaining, but if we’re only dating, you can’t… This is a little too much.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. She drew away to look at him. Her fingers slid to his neck, where she felt the quick beat of his pulse. “I do not wish to date you. We are married. I wish to be married.”
His mouth opened, then snapped shut as if he’d thought better of whatever he’d been about to say.
In one swift move, he stood, lifting her off the couch and holding her close to his chest.
A laugh bubbled out of her. “I can walk, my husband.”
He kissed her again, rough and eager, then started for the stairs. “I’d rather you didn’t have the chance to change your mind.”
“I will not change my mind.”
“All the same.”
She rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs and to her door, but before he stepped through, he searched her face, asking without words for permission.
She kissed him, hoping her answer was clear.
And then they were in the room. And then they were on the bed. And then they were together again, as they should have been all along.