The Greatest of These by Greg Wendleton (booksvooks txt) 📕

The two lawmen walked out allowing the door to latch and lock behind them. “I ain’t talking!”, screamed Bobby. Those people will kill me, my family and my relatives in Taiwan.”

“Who is they?”

“The United Bamboo Gang.”

Counselor Chun slumped into the plastic chair. “Oh shit.”

“Oh shit is right. Help me Mr. Chun.”

“Tell me what happened.”

Bobby spent the next ten minutes recounting his relationship with a man he knew only as The Red Assassin. He was paid for information about Asians, especially those of Taiwanese or Chinese ancestry. Sometimes he provided information about people involved in unusual activity. That was what he had done this time. He had received a message from The Red Assassin telling him to arrange transportation and supplies for a surveillance assignment. So, he bought some water, protein bars and a sleeping bag. He placed them in his old conversion van and left it at the airport.

After he finished his recap, Chun asked him, “Have you ever met The Red Assassin?”

Bobby took his time and exhaled, “Just once.”

“Is he the man in the photo that the authorities have?”

“Yes.”

“Well Bobby, you might have a problem. But, we might be able to make a deal.”

“I can’t tell them who he is. He will kill me!”

“Let me see what I can negotiate. Take a deep breath and relax while I go talk to them.”

Counselor Chun found the other men sitting in a small conference room drinking coffee and eating pizza, just like they said. He knocked on the glass door and entered when they both waved him in.

“Coffee, counselor?”

“Yeah, maybe so. This could be a long night.” Mr. Chun explained the situation and emphasized how fearful of retribution Bobby was.

Special Agent Mueller was first to respond, “What the hell does the UBG want with our protective assignment? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Bobby said that these people were rescued over in Hana and are high visibility. They are receiving some extra special handling. What’s their story?”

“Afraid I can’t share that with you counselor.”

“Hmm, don’t know what I can offer you in the way of helpful information then.”

“This isn’t a negotiation counselor. Your client admits that he has been selling sensitive information to a foreign gang. We don’t know how much damage he has done at this point, but we will investigate and find out.”

“If I can get him to reveal the identity of the Asian man in your photo, what can you do?”

“We can keep him out of the Maui County jail for starters. And, we can keep him alive. We can also place eyes on his family to protect them.”

“Let me go back in there and talk to him again.”

It was now Sunday, February 28, and everyone’s nerves were on edge. Finally, at three o’clock that morning, Bojing “Bobby” Wang agreed to divulge the identity of the man in the photo. In exchange, the authorities would release him and provide protection for him and his family, pending further investigation.

Bobby claimed the man was known as The Red Assassin, but said his name was Jackie Ming. Immediately, that information went out to authorities on the island and on the west coast of the United States. Special Agent Mueller, who had informed Special Agent Jerry Presley, drove directly to the Kahului Airport. Local police had discovered the blue Ford Van parked in a remote lot at the airport.

They were dusting for prints and were hopeful of uncovering some helpful data. Special Agent Mueller entered the airport terminal and went to the first ticket counter. They were just beginning to open for the Sunday travel schedule. He asked the Aloha Airlines agent if he could search the name Jackie Ming for travel in or out of this airport in the past seventy-two hours. Nothing popped in the computer data bank. He started working his way down the line of ticket counters.

At the United Airlines counter, he scored a hit. Jackie Ming had arrived Thursday afternoon on flight 1273 from San Francisco. He had flown economy, originating in Taipei, Taiwan. The information further indicated he carried a Canadian passport. Interesting.

Mueller’s final stop was the American Airlines ticket counter. Again, he hit the jackpot. Jackie Ming had purchased a one-way ticket, with cash, to Dallas, via Los Angeles. The originating flight departed and arrived as scheduled. His boarding pass was scanned at LAX and that flight arrived at DFW at 6:41am, this morning. He had checked one piece of luggage, and it had not been reported as unclaimed in Dallas.

They had missed him at DFW, but they knew what state he was in. His photo would be sent to all law enforcement agencies within the state of Texas. For good measure, they would include the neighboring states of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

A full-on manhunt was underway for Mr. Jackie Ming, The Red Assassin.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

After the chaotic beginning to our Saturday morning, the activity level settled into a more soothing pattern. Leilani and Jamie sat together in the dining area of the home and discussed life on Maui, local markets, restaurants, shopping and also discussed meal planning. The two ladies decided to slow cook a pork shoulder in the oven. Seasoned with salt, black pepper, smoky paprika and some garlic, the pork shoulder was wrapped in a banana leaf and aluminum foil. It would slow roast at two hundred and fifty degrees for at least six hours. They also decided to make a mango salsa to serve with the pork shoulder. Poi, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes and a salad would round out the meal. The men in the house would duck into the kitchen from time to time savoring the aroma of the food. The ladies were pleased that they had managed to instill calm in the midst of the chaos.

Special Agents Presley and Mears planned the security watch schedule for the next several nights. They would alternately sleep during the day and take up night security duty and call in a third rotating agent