Take the Fifth by K.J. Emrick

Author:K.J. Emrick [Emrick, K. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: South Coast Publishing

Chapter Seven

Arnie Chen is sitting on one of those cement benches on the sidewalk of Cass Ave when Harry and I get there. Da-Di Mac is right there beside him. Both of them are wearing expressions of pure impatience.

They couldn’t look more out of place if they tried. In his human form, Chen is a massive bulk of a man. The amount of white silk needed to cover that body in tailored suits must keep entire colonies of silkworms busy year round. It’s not that he’s overweight. He’s just…big. Round torso, thick legs, large hands wrapped around the head of the walking cane planted firmly into the sidewalk in front of him. Even his white shoes are huge. It’s hard to say what his exact dimensions are because he seems to be too big for any space he fills. It’s a trick of the eyes, caused by him being a Person of Magic.

And the fact that he’s really a dragon masquerading as a man. Don’t ask me how it works. Just roll with it.

Starkly Asian features stare back at me as he gives me a curt nod of acknowledgement. The streetlights have come on all around us in the twilight hours, and the glare of halogen bulbs is reflected off his head. He keeps his scalp shaved bald—or maybe he just doesn’t grow hair. Like I said, I have no idea how dragon physiology works.

Standing next to him, Mac has that classic 1980s action star thing going on: all muscles, sloping brow, and a thousand-yard death glare. His short black hair is pulled back tight and tied into a rat tail with a short red ribbon. He’s wearing a silk outfit, too, a traditional Chinese Tang suit that would look a lot better on Jet Li. It would also be a lot better suited to a martial arts ring than the streets of Detroit.

His suit is black with red trim, a stark contrast to Chen’s pure white.

A few people walking by give them curious looks before moving on, their feet stepping a little faster than before. They might not be able to say what it is about these two that makes them feel unnerved, but they know they don’t want to stick around to figure it out.

Given a choice, I wouldn’t want to be here, either. Not just in the company of these two criminals. I mean out here in the open. The outline of my gun is pressing into the small of my back, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice if I see anything or anyone that might be Gong Gong. At least now, with Arnie Chen here, I know that G-Dude will have a bigger target than me.

“Ah, Miss Stone,” Chen greets me in a voice that’s smooth as butter. “Good of you to keep the appointment. Considering it was you who arranged it.”

“Nice to see you too, Mister Chen.” I always make sure to call him ‘Mister’ Chen to his face, even though I drop the honorific in my own thoughts.

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