“Sung,” said Byung Yu, “that kink in my supply chain, I’ve not been able to handle it from over here. I do need you to talk to him.”
“Just talk to him, that’s all, right?”
“Yes, Sung, don’t worry, your size alone may be too daunting for him. He’s a little guy. Little and shifty. None of my connections there should be involved in this. You are the only one I trust.”
“And what is it I’m supposed to talk to him about?”
Yu smiled, which, of course, was only for himself since Sung-min Wang couldn’t see him through the telephone wire. It would be terrible, in some situations, Yu thought, if people could see you when you spoke to them over the phone. That could only lead to problems.
“I want you to compliment him on the good health of his mother, his wife, and his two children. Compliment him, and then wish him and them continuing good health in the future.”
Wang felt uneasy about this. “So I’m threatening this guy and his family. Is that really going to convince him to fall in line? There’s no way, sir, respectfully, that I’m going to follow up on this if he doesn’t. I can’t do that kind of thing anymore.”
“Of course, of course,” said Yu. “Never fear my friend. Your overwhelming sincerity and gravitas will carry the day. It will be hammer enough, I assure you. No man with any kind of conscience wants to see his family harmed because of his actions.”
“And you know that he does have a conscience?”
“Absolutely,” said Yu. “A man with no conscience grieves for no one. He grieved mightily when his father died, more than I could have imagined. And because for some reason he thought I might have something to do with his father’s demise, he decided to try and harm my business by pulling what I’m sure he thought were undetectable little acts of sabotage. Our fish must get to Honolulu, you know, and he is a central cog in that operation. I need him well-oiled by you in order to carry on our cause.”
“All right, Mr. Yu, I won’t let you down. Where do I meet him?”
“Our warehouse, Yu Enterprises, is opposite dock thirteen at the Port of Incheon. His name is Nam-gil Song.”
“All right,” said Wang, “I’ll go first thing in the morning. Do you think he’ll be in early?”
“Oh, yes, I’m sure. He may be dishonest, but he works long hours at it.” Yu smiled for himself again.
After the hung up, Byung Yu immediately called Nam-gil Song and explained what was going to happen in the morning.
“And make no mistakes with this one,” said Yu. “I’m counting on you to take care of him.”
Song assured him that Sung-min Wang would breathe his last in the morning.
“Excellent, Nam-gil,” said Yu, mentally rubbing his hands together and congratulating himself on the simple brilliance of his plan to take care of the man who had lied to him about abandoning Lt. David Chan’s car at Ka‘ena Point.
Just then Richard Han walked into the office. Byung Yu’s second-in-command bowed politely and then approached the desk.
“Richard,” said Yu, “Any good news? I do have some of my own.”
Han shook his head. “It’s not that it’s good news, boss, but it may be helpful.”
“Oh,” said Yu brightly, always on the lookout for news that might enrich him.
“It’s about Chan’s car,” said Han.
“Oooh,” said Yu, smiling. “What a coincidence. My good news has a bit to do with the late Lieutenant’s car as well.”
Han nodded and gave Yu a look that indicated his great interest. He leaned forward.
“Oh no no no,” said Yu. “Please tell me what you know first. Please.”
“Well,” said Han. “I found out it wasn’t Wang who dropped off the car. Someone was working with him. Seems like Wang told that person to take the car out to Ka‘ena Point. It’s that guy who left it in Kāhala. Wang was busy dumping Chan’s body. That guy did whatever he did for who knows what reason.”
Yu sat up straighter and straighter as he listened to Han. Fully erect now, he said, “And who is this, this guy?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well if you don’t know, and you didn’t hear it from Wang or this whoever he is, how the hell do you know all of this.”
“Our man on the inside, he just found this all out.”
Yu’s lip curled. Not because he had put a plan into effect that would effectively kill an innocent man in Seoul, but because that idiot on the inside was forever getting important information a beat slower and slower as he aged. What was the point of having a mole in the Honolulu Police Department if that mole was as stupid as this one? Sometimes Yu thought he should kill the man and be done with him, but he’d never moved on that impulse. After all, the moron was his father’s friend.
“And just out of curiosity,” said Yu, “why did our friend pass this information on to you and not to me?”
“You were on the phone, boss. I was sitting outside at the bar. I took the call.”
“Yes,” said Yu, “I was indeed on the phone.” He glanced at the ceiling, then returned his attention to Han.
Han went on. “Boss, he’s trying to find out who the guy is.”
“Oh, wonderful,” said Yu, his arms sweeping in a wide circle. “And how long did our witless wonder say he thought that might take?”
“Sir, I don’t know, but I’m sure he’s on it.”
“Yeah,” said Yu, smirking. “He’s on it, all right. On it. Yeah, that bum is always on something, isn’t he?”
“Sir, so what’s your news.”
Yu sat back and thought about how he had to get on the phone to call off Song and then let Wang know that he could proceed to Wanhei and the comfort of Kang Yu’s fortress.
But, of course, wouldn’t his father ask Wang about the elimination of David Chan? How he did it, perhaps, but more damningly when he’d done it. And then Kang Yu would know that his son had acted before Kang Yu had decided Chan’s fate. And that could be very bad news for Byung Yu.
Byung Yu relaxed and sat back in his chair.
“Sir?” prodded Han.
“Ah, yes, my good news indeed,” said Yu. “When our mole called and I was on the phone, I was talking to Wang. The good news is that he is safe in Seoul and will be well taken care of there.”
“Ah, that’s good, boss. Real good. I know your father admired Wang a lot. For taking care of David Chan, I’m sure he’ll welcome Wang real appropriately.”
“Yes,” said Yu, knowing full well that Wang would never make it to the haven of Wanhei. “Yes, Richard, Sung-min Wang will indeed be well taken care of.”
Lanning Lee 