Obtaining a search warrant, Chan and Kelso went to examine David Han’s Pacific Heights Place home. After knocking several times to no response, Kelso was able to ease open a window, and the two entered.
The house was as bare as the office. There were no photos and no papers of any consequence.
“David, this guy must live alone. Only men’s clothes in the bedroom closet.”
Chan emerged from the bathroom. “Just one toothbrush. Yeah, it looks that way. What a huge, beautiful home. And so unlived in. It’s strange.”
“Strange how?”
“I don’t know. You put this much money into a house, you’d think it was made to be lived in.”
The two sat down in the living room. There was no TV or radio to be seen.
“Huh, I guess,” said Kelso. “But the guy to me feels like someone who was always ready to move if he had to. If he gotta run, he’s ready. Nothing to time him down.”
Just then they heard a key turn in the lock. The two jumped to their feet and concealed themselves as best they could. Kelso pulled his service revolver.
Through the door came none other than Harvey Wong. He was carrying a paper bag.
Chan stepped out. “Harvey Wong, it’s good to see you.”
Wong turned to try to run back out the front door, but Kelso was on him, grabbing him by the arm and throwing him to the ground. Then he pressed his right foot on the man’s neck.
“Boss, you want me to soften him up?”
“No,” said Chan. “Just get him up and over to the couch.”
Chan picked up the bag. The contents were harmless, a sandwich and a bag of chips.
“What are you doing here, Harvey? You looking for David Han?”
Wong gave Chan a sullen look but still did not speak.
“I can play bad cop,” said Kelso. “Just a few slaps, David.”
“No, Chin, please.”
Kelso, disappointed, sat down.
“Harvey, what made you run when we came to your house?”
Wong gave Chan an appraising look. Then, “Would you believe me if I told you I wasn’t running from you?”
Chan nodded. “I would. You were running from your dad, right?”
“Damn right. He killed my brother. You were getting close. I figured I was next if he thought I would talk. I gotta thank you guys for taking care of him.”
This sickened Chan almost as much as knowing that Harvey’s father had killed Harry. “You feared your father. But you were in on the killing of Harry.”
Wong shook his head. “No, no way,” he exclaimed. “I never killed anybody. He made us watch, yeah, but we never was the ones who did the killing ourselves. Harry, he was lucky. He got out. But me, the cripple, yeah, I got stuck with him.”
“And your mother?” asked Chan.
“Ma, well, it’s not like she was totally afraid of him. Let’s just say, the less she knew about my dad’s work, the better.”
“Are you sorry she’s gone, too?”
Wong took a few moments. “She was a good mom, you know? But I always thought, when we were kids, yeah, that she should have done more to keep him away from us. It’s like she cared more about him than us when it came right down to it.”
“So you’re not sorry?”
“No, yeah, I am. Some. Like I said, yeah, she was mostly a good person.”
“You have a key to this house. You work for David Han?”
“You arresting me, or what?” said Wong, now more defensive. “You better read me my rights.”
“No, actually, I’m not going to arrest you. We have nothing on you right now. Harvey, I want to help you. What you and your brother went through, being groomed like that, it’s terrible.”
“Yeah yeah yeah. But it looks pretty bad, right, me with the key?”
“Yes, it does,” said Chan. “But if you tell me everything that’s going on, I’ll make it clear that, if you are eventually charged with anything, you helped us. I’ll support minimum sentencing. Probation even, depending on the charges.”
Wong looked over at Kelso, then back to Chan. “Okay, Lieutenant. I got the key because David Han is my cousin.”
This piece of information bent a link Chan’s chain of thought. “Your cousin?”
“Yeah, he’s my mom’s sister’s son. My cousin.”
“And your father was taking orders from him?”
Harvey laughed. “No way. My dad thought David was stupid. Well, he thought most guys was stupid, so . . .”
“So who was your dad doing his jobs for?”
“Some old guy. I never met him. But he been telling my dad what to do since as long as I can remember.”
This made sense. If Chan’s father had been investigating Wong, then the person giving Wong jobs back then would be an older person now.
“So back to the key,” said Chan. “Why do you have it?”
“David keeps it under a rock outside. I come here when I gotta go someplace to hide.”
“Good one,” said Kelso. “How’s it working as a hideout right now.”
Wong gave Kelso a sour look. “Most times,” he said.
“Your cousin,” said Chan, “you know he’s into insurance fraud. He has people who do the same kind of work your dad did. You know that, right?”
“Yeah yeah yeah,” said Wong. “I guess you could say it’s a family business.” He laughed. “Pretty fucked up, yeah?”
“You think this old man who gives your dad jobs,” said Chan, “you think he gave jobs to your cousin as well?”
“Yes,” said Wong. “I know he did.”
“Jeez,” said Kelso, “this is for real bigger than we thought. Who knows how many guys are doing work for whoever this old guy is?”
“So you’re living here?” asked Chan.
“Yes. Well, I was.”
“This is not an active crime scene,” said Chan, “so we’ll leave you be.”
“What the hell?” said Kelso. “Just let him go around and do his thing?”
“No,” said Chan. “Harvey, you don’t do this kind of thing, do you? Not anymore.”
“No, Lieutenant, I swear. Me and Harry were out of the whole thing. Well, I was out of it as much as I could be, living with him and all.”
“Okay,” said Chan, getting up. “If you think of anything else that might help us, you call me at police headquarters, got it?”
Wong nodded.
Chan and Kelso left the house.
“You sure we shouldn’t take this guy in?” said Kelso. “What if he’s a fricken’ liar? You think pyros ever stop?”
“Yes, Chin. I’ll stake my reputation on it.”
These were heavy words, Kelso knew, coming from Chan. “Okay, boss, if you say so. But what if someone is trying to kill him?
“No, I don’t think that anymore, Chin. His dad would have been the problem for whoever this old man is. And since Harvey wasn’t doing anything for David Han, I think he’s completely out of the loop. He’ll be okay.”
Chan wanted to stop by his house. The scene was quiet now. He would need to call his insurance agent, who happened to be his sister, Elaine. But that could wait.
The two drove back to the station.
“So, David, where you gonna stay?” asked Kelso. “With your mom?”
“No, I can’t do that. I can’t stay with her, or Elaine, or Kathy. If someone is after me, I wouldn’t want to put any of them in danger. Dave is going to be at my mom’s. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do.”
“You can always stay at my place,” said Kelso. “Two bachelor bros. Pizza and beer every night. And you know me. I live for danger.” He laughed.
“Hey, I appreciate that,” said Chan. “You know it’s going to take a while to rebuild.”
“That’s okay, boss. If I get tired of you, I’ll let you know.”
Lanning Lee 