Whispers of Refuge Box Set

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 26

With the chance the Chinese government was censoring her emails, it was hard for Juliette to tell Kennedy what was really going on. She slouched behind her keyboard at her writing table and plunked one key at a time. She was a slow typist, but that was mostly because it took her a while to think of what she wanted to say.

We haven’t heard from our guests since they went back home, so we’re assuming they’re doing just fine. We hope so, anyway. Juliette spent the next several minutes staring out the window at her garden before continuing.

Dad’s busy as ever with the printing. Benjamin’s working on that gate in the back yard. It’s hard to know what to do with myself. She stopped again and rested her head in her hands.

“Are you all right?” It was Eve. She was so light-footed, Juliette hadn’t even heard her come into the room.

“Just tired, that’s all.”

“It’s getting late.”

Sometimes Juliette wondered if Eve thought the Sterns hired her so she could take care of them, instead of it being the other way around. “You’re right. I’ll be getting to bed soon.” Juliette clicked off her monitor. She’d finish the email in the morning.

“How’s Kennedy doing?”

Since Eve never really got along with Kennedy, Juliette wondered if she was hoping to hear good news or bad. “She’s doing quite well, thanks.” When Eve first came to live with the Sterns, she and Kennedy had quarreled, some dispute over a boy Roger took in or something like that. Their relationship had been strained ever since.

“Will you be going to Mr. Stern’s office again tomorrow?” Eve asked.

Juliette frowned. “Maybe.” When Eve still didn’t leave, Juliette sighed and turned around in her chair to face her. It wasn’t the girl’s fault that there was no one else to talk to anymore. “There’s still a lot of work left to do there. You know how Mr. Stern is when it comes to keeping track of things.”

Eve smiled but didn’t laugh at Juliette’s attempt at humor. It was just as well, Juliette figured. It probably wouldn’t be appropriate for Eve to giggle at her boss’s tendency for clutter. Figuring the conversation probably wasn’t going to get any better from there, Juliette pushed her chair back and stood up from her writing table. “Good-night, then. Thanks for your hard work today.” She wondered if Eve would follow her upstairs like an imprinted duckling when someone pounded on the front door.

Eve reached out and took Juliette’s arm. “Who’s that?”

Juliette couldn’t blame the girl for being nervous. “I’ll see. Why don’t you go get Benjamin?”

Eve dug her fingers into Juliette’s fleshy arm. “He’s out.”

“That’s right. Well, go get Mr. Stern. I think he’s in the den.” Juliette lowered her voice. “And then stay there. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

Eve nodded and went toward the stairs. Juliette took calm, stately steps to the door. She should wait for Roger, but the pounding persisted. The inside latch was locked, so she straightened her spine and opened the door an inch or two, just as far as the metal chain allowed. Her husband would come down any minute. “Can I help you?”

The man was short, his hair disheveled and his clothes filthy. His torn shirt would have screamed refugee if his hollow cheekbones hadn’t already given him away. “I met a man who told me to come here.” He kept his eyes on the ground and mumbled into his stomach. “He said you might have some better clothes I could change into.”

Juliette nodded and unlatched the inside chain just as Roger appeared behind her. He shoved one hand out to the frame and placed the other firmly on the door. Before she even looked behind her, Juliette sensed Roger’s fury boring into her back. She ducked under his arm as he stood physically barring the entrance. “I’ll take care of this,” he snarled at her in English.

Juliette lowered her head. She should have waited, but the refugee on the other side looked so weak, even Eve could probably have tackled him single-handedly if she needed to.

Roger glared down at the young man. “What do you want?” he growled.

Juliette watched her husband until his expression softened just a touch. Once she was certain Roger wasn’t going to just throw the poor boy back out in the street, she went upstairs.

“Never slows down around here, does it?”

“Did you say something, ma’am?”

She looked up at Eve, who was standing in the open doorway of her bedroom. “Oh, never mind. I was just talking to myself.”

Eve put her hand on the doorframe, leaning inside Juliette’s room but keeping her feet outside the threshold. “Who was at the door?” she asked in a timid voice.

Juliette plodded out of the closet, wiping her hands on her pants legs. She still hadn’t changed for bed yet. “Another refugee by the looks of it. You should probably go ask Mr. Stern if he wants some refreshments. The boy looked half starved.”

“It was a young man, then? Was he traveling by himself?”

Juliette looked down over her glasses at her housekeeper. “Why does it matter?”

Eve bowed her head. “I just wondered how much food I should prepare. That’s all.” She turned to go.

Juliette reached her hand out toward the Eve. “Just a minute.”

Eve stopped. Juliette had never let anyone see her hidden supply of cash. Roger would be furious if he knew about it, but then again, he was annoyed at just about everything she did these days. She thrust her hand into one of the smaller closet drawers and pulled out a small wad of bills. “If Mr. Stern sends him away tonight,” Juliette whispered as she held out the money, “try to find a way to give this to him.”

Eve hesitated for several seconds before reaching out to take the cash.

“Oh, one more thing,” Juliette added, adjusting her glasses and studying the housekeeper.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Don’t mention the money to Mr. Stern. Ever.”

***

Jae glanced up at the Westerner and took a step back. The woman had been about to let him in, but her husband didn’t seem so easily persuaded. His light hair made him look just like the American soldiers in those paintings from the Peninsula War. Jae kept his gaze downward. “I’m looking for my sister.”

The Westerner set his face and kept his arm across the doorway. He was over a head taller than Jae. “It’s late.”

Jae bowed his chin to his chest, trying to forget the pale-skinned villains from the propaganda posters. “It’s my sister, sir. I’m told she made it to Yanji. I only want to bring her home.”

“At this hour? Most folks are getting ready for bed by now, if they’re not asleep already.” The man’s Korean was heavily accented, but his meaning was clear.

“I apologize, sir.” Jae lowered his voice. “I met a man downtown, a big guy. He told me to come here.” Jae kept his eyes to the floor. “He said you might be willing to help.”

The Westerner paused before he stepped out of the doorway and nodded. “Come in.” He took Jae lightly by the arm and shut the door behind him. “You’ve traveled a long way, I imagine.” There was a hint of a question in the remark, but Jae didn’t respond to him. The man crossed his arms. “And your sister? You followed her here?”

Jae unclenched his fists deliberately, but he kept his body alert and ready to run at a moment’s notice. “My sister is very young.” A muscle near the veins in his neck spasmed. Jae swallowed and tried to breathe evenly.

The Westerner nodded, and a slight look of sympathy passed quickly over his brow. A petite wisp of a Korean girl tiptoed up behind him without a sound and announced, “I can find something for you to eat.”

Jae followed her with his eyes as she glided out of the room but stopped when he caught a glimpse of the Westerner scrutinizing him with a severe frown.

***

Old Joo sat outside the police office, smacking his gums with satisfaction. Everything about the business deal had worked out smoothly so far. He regretted offering fifty percent up front, but if this transaction went over well, maybe he and the big guy could form a little partnership. It looked like Benjamin could use some new clothes, and he obviously shared Old Joo’s predilection for drink. With physical strength like that at his disposal, Old Joo could retire from digging through trash piles for good.

He let his jaw hang open and scratched his stubbly cheek. The restaurant across the street tantalized him with the smell of ginger and roasted garlic. It wouldn’t be much longer. And then he would be rich again. He chuckled to himself and picked his gums with a small stick, a habit vestigial to the days when he still had a full set of teeth and could enjoy the taste of meat every day. His mouth salivated. He’d be having soju tonight. And lots of it. There was no way the scrawny river hopper could outrun Benjamin, and Benjamin wasn’t stupid enough to kill an eight-hundred-yuan investment. Old Joo tapped his fingers against his knees. He’d just wait a little longer. His leg bounced up and down. He wiped his brow and imagined the taste of the first sip of soju he’d enjoy with all the cash their little river-hopping friend would bring in.

He looked over his shoulder, got up from the bench, and walked around. He just needed to stretch. How long could Benjamin take, unless he had to carry the body all the way to the police station? Old Joo should have insisted on going with him. At least that way he’d have something to do besides breathe in the scent of day-old vomit from the drunks on the sidewalk. He sat down once more and drummed his fingers on the back of the street bench, his feet keeping time with the beat. A few minutes later he stood up and walked around again. If that Benjamin didn’t get here with his catch soon, Old Joo was going to dock some of his pay, no matter how strong or intimidating the giant was.