The Sniper by Kuo-Li Chang

Author:Kuo-Li Chang [Chang, Kuo-Li]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Anansi Press Inc
Published: 2021-04-13T14:38:26+00:00

17

Taipei, Taiwan

Wu woke up on his son’s bed, still waiting. Shit, eleven

already. And his son still on the computer.

The doorbell rang. Wu opened the door: his father, pulling a trolley bag full of vegetables. Playing chef again.

“How come you’re not at work? Did you retire?”

“Six days to go, including today.”

“You can’t retire yet. Your son’s still in school.”

Wu’s father’s first task was to check on the boy; there was a bubble tea and rice cakes for him in the bag. Grandfather loved grandson, mother loved son. Sometimes Wu wondered if they had forgotten his role in the family, as both son and husband.

He’d promised to speak to his dad about coming around like that. He readied the words and walked into the kitchen, where he found his father bent over the sink, carefully washing and peeling cabbage. The words rearranged themselves as he spoke. “Dad, could you . . . put less salt in?”

“Oh, my food’s too salty? Didn’t do you any harm. You grew up on my salty food.”

“Just try putting in a bit less. The boy’ll be in working all day; get him to taste it and see what he thinks. Tastes are different now.”

His dad didn’t speak.

Wu grabbed his coat. A pile of things to do and twelve hours to do them in.

First, Julie’s Café and the usual crushing hug. He ordered a coffee and added the most expensive thing on the menu, beef in red wine sauce. Still only 520 dollars, though. Enough to keep her dad on his side?

“Take a seat.” The sunshine was gone, replaced by occasional light rain. Julie’s dad had acquired a large umbrella and the cat now rested in his lap. The old man stroked the old cat, two veterans enjoying their comradeship. “Finish your coffee first,” he told Wu.

The man had his eyes open this time, looking down at the cat, which in turn was relaxing under his fingertips. Wu took a sip of coffee and set down his cup. A beefy hand stretched out to silence Wu’s opening mouth.

A few minutes later they were joined under the umbrella by three elderly gentlemen.

“Detective Wu, three friends of mine. You may know them.”

Of course he knew them. Each one was a known crime boss. He shook hands and showed respect. “Stab, long time no see.”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it.”

“Lucky, looking well.”

“Thank you. I’m hanging on.”

“Kong. I’m still grateful for your help that time.”

“That was twenty years ago. No need to mention it.”

Julie fetched a pot of tea, a fragrant oolong. He’d thought she sold only coffee.

“So I asked a few friends about that question of yours.” Julie’s dad indicated the new arrivals with a sweep of his hand.

Lucky poured the tea neatly into cups. Stab folded his hands over his stomach and gazed up at the sky. Kong wheezed at an electronic cigarette.

“And?”

“They think it’d be best if you didn’t ask it.”

No comment from the other three.

“The Heavenly Union? The Bamboo Alliance?”

“There’s no name.”

Still the three had no comment.

“The Triad with No Name?”

“You’ve heard of the Vast Family and the Green Gang?”

“Of course.

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