The two drove to Kaimuki Billiards. As they walked to the entrance, Kelso pointed out that none of the parking meters had been fed.
“Dicks,” he said. “I tell you.”
Pushing through the green-tinted doors, the two were inundated by the stench of cigar tobacco that had been caught and held hostage.
At least two thugs occupied every table in the place. If an outsider came in there was no place to play. This kept out anyone not associated with the Korean syndicate.
Except for the man behind the counter wearing a green bowling shirt, everyone was dressed in black. Black turtle necks or black dress shirts, black ties, black slacks, and shoes. And most of them wore dark glasses. Chan never ceased to marvel at this brazen advertising of affiliation with Kang Yu’s criminal enterprise.
All eyes shifted to Chan and Kelso. Chan checked off the faces of all the men he’d arrested.
“What do you want?” asked the surly clerk. Like everyone else in the place, he knew both detectives well.
“Alvin,” said Kelso. “What do you think we want? To shoot pool?”
Chan stepped in. “Alvin, is Richard in the back?”
Alvin looked Chan up and down. “Why?”
“Eh Alvin,” said Kelso. “You want me to call in a bunch of tow trucks to haul off all the illegally parked cars in the lot? You guys don’t seem to know what parking meters are for.”
Sneering, the clerk said, “Try wait.” Turning, he walked to the mirror-tinted door that led to the main office in the back of the pool hall. Opening the door just a crack big enough, he slid through, trying to block as much of a view as he could.
Kelso and Chan, right behind him, pushed their way past and into the smokey room. The din of several window-mounted air conditioners made the place sound like a small industrial plant. The industry: crime.
“Well well well,” said Kelso, seeing two men seated at the main desk. “It’s a two-fer, David.”
Richard Han, Kang Yu’s right-hand man, sat behind the desk. Tommy Choi, second in command, sat in front.
Kelso walked around Choi and sat on the edge of the desk facing Han. “Howdy,” he said, wiggling his behind on the glass top. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“What can I do for you gentlemen?” asked an icy Han.
Chan stood behind and to the right of Choi. “Richard,” he said, “this is a no dancing around visit, understand?” He paused.
Han looked up at the big Chinese perched smiling on his desktop. He figured that if it ever came to it, he might at least be able to get a piece of Kelso, but he was realistic in his assessment that he’d lose a fight in the end. Trying to keep his emotions on simmer, he looked back to Chan.
“All right,” said Han. “I don’t care to tango with you gentlemen. What do you want?”
Kelso picked up a large paperweight, weighed it in his hand, and continued to smile.
Chan said, “Do you know a David Han?”
Han maintained his cool exterior, but Choi shifted in his seat.
“Hmmm,” said Han. “David Han, David Han. No, I don’t believe I know him.”
“Come on,” said Kelso, weighing the paperweight again. “There are only what, three dozen Yobo clans. Don’t tell me all you Hans ain’t related.”
Choi shifted in his seat again.
“Tommy,” said Chan, “why so antsy?”
Choi pivoted to see Chan. “Antsy? I not antsy. What?”
Chan smiled. “Tommy, your boss doesn’t know David Han, but you do, right?”
Choi turned back and looked at Richard Han. Han’s face was placid. “I, uh, shoot. No, I don’t know who’s that. What?”
“There you go, Lieutenant. Neither of us,” Han nodded at Choi, “know who that is. You satisfied?”
Kelso brought the paperweight down on the glass top, not hard enough to shatter it, but with enough force to make a point. Choi jumped in his seat. Han managed to remain still.
“Eh,” said Kelso. “I thought you said you no like dance, Richard. You telling us you changed your mind? Bruddah, I am ready to two-step it.”
Han looked up at the big Chinese. He swallowed.
Kelso continued. “You got family, Richard. Think hard, brah. Brothers, your dad, uncles, grandfathers, second cousins, third cousins. You telling us you don’t know one of them named David?”
Choi blurted out, “And if we do?” Han gave him a sour look.
“Look, Richard,” said Chan, “we’d appreciate knowing his relationship to you.”
Han nodded and shot Choi another hard look. “All right, all right. Yeah, my cousin, his name’s David. Why? What’s it to you?”
Kelso apparently did not appreciate the tone of Han’s answer. Again he picked up the paperweight.
Chan said, “I’m sorry to tell you that your cousin’s dead.”
He paused, but Han showed no reaction to the news.
We’re investigating a series of fires and murders. Did you know that your cousin was involved in insurance fraud?”
Choi kept his seat squirming routine going. Han only stared at Chan with a blank expression.
Kelso began shifting the paperweight from hand to hand.
“I asked did you know that?” Chan said again.
The paperweight traveled picked up transfer speed between Kelso’s hands.
“I got nothing to do with my cousin or with whatever he’s doing.”
Chan searched Han’s face. “Okay, Richard, I believe you. And now I want to know this. Your cousin, may he rest in peace, wasn’t sitting at the top of this scam. He was taking orders from someone else. Now I don’t think it’s Kang Yu – you know the man in Korea I mean, I’m sure. So I wonder if you’d have any educated guesses as to that head honcho’s identity?”
“Look, look, look,” said Han. “I don’t know a lot about what my cousin is – was into. He’s not, uh, someone we associate with.”
Kelso raised the paperweight to eye level and appeared to examine it closely.
“But if you need a guess from me, I’d say . . . it’s someone in your department.”
This took Chan by surprise. Sure, everyone knew there were a few dishonest cops. It came with the territory. Kang Yu might. But ferreting out bad cops was tricky business.
Kelso put down the paperweight. “Why do you think that?”
Richard looked up at the big Chinese. “I may have heard something.”
“But not a name?” asked Chan.
Han shook his head. “No, really, I don’t know the name.”
Again Chan studied Han’s face, then nodded to Kelso that it was time to go.
“Thanks, uh,” said Kelso. “That was real community-spirited of you, Bruddah. Way to support your local police.”
He grabbed Tommy Choi from behind by the shoulders and squeezed hard. Choi winced.
“Take good care, you two,” he said, following Chan out. “We’ll catch you boys later.”
At the door, Kelso turned back. “Oh, and get the goofy gang together so you all can dig up dimes. I know at least some of you guys must be smart enough to figure out how parking meters work, yeah? You never know when a tow truck or three might stop by.”
“Geez,” said Kelso as they slipped into his car. “You think that’s for real, David, or what?”
Chan reached for the area where his son had put in the three stitches. It was throbbing.
Lanning Lee 