"Ma'am? Phone call for you." He handed her the portable phone and stepped back discreetly to give her privacy for her call.

"Hello? Oh, hi, Honey. Where are you?" Her face fell. "Oh. No. That's OK. I understand. No. Really. I understand." She giggled. "No, I am not going to get picked up by some other guy." She looked down at her belly. "Not too many guys are going to hit on a woman that's eight months pregnant but looks full term...What's that? Yes, I'm still going to have lunch...Yes, I'll be careful, and I'll see you tonight...I love you, too. Bye."

She handed the phone to the waiter, who bowed as he took it from her. "Well." She sighed. "I guess I'm having lunch all alone today." Her maternity top twitched, and she stroked the spot as she smiled. "Oh, sorry, Baby. I meant you and I would be having lunch."

"May I join you?"

Kacie turned her head and her eyes lit up with recognition. "Mr. Wong. How nice to see you again." She gestured at the empty seat at her table. "Please, do. I just got a call from my husband that he can't get away, so I was going to have to eat by myself."

He frowned. "Your husband ignores you?"

"Oh, no. Things are just pretty chaotic at the precinct today, and he couldn't get away." Surprised at the personal question, she steered the topic to safer waters. "Mr. Wong, you look wonderful."

"I am feeling quite well, thank you. Your care of me after my surgery was instrumental in my recovery."

"You give me far too much credit, Mr. Wong."

A waiter came to the table and started to hand Wong and Kacie their menus, but the elderly man imperiously waved them away. "If it is all right, Mrs. Caine, I will order for us both?"

Kacie shrugged and smiled. "That would be fine. I trust your judgment. The only thing I ask is that I have some herbal tea, nothing with caffeine, and some more water, please."

Wong spoke in Chinese to the waiter, who scribbled furiously on his order pad and bowed respectfully when he left.

Kacie and Wong chatted amiably throughout their lunch. After an hour, Kacie glanced at her watch and smiled regretfully. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wong, but I've already stretched my lunch hour too far, and I need to get back to work."

"I will see you to your car."

She frowned in the direction of the headwaiter. "I don't understand why they haven't brought my bill yet. I need to go."

"There will be no bill, Mrs. Caine."

Shaking her head, Kacie state firmly, "Mr. Wong, I can't allow you to pay for my lunch. I invited you to be my guest."

He smiled benevolently at her. "I cannot allow you to buy me lunch in my own restaurant."

Her eyes widened. "I didn't know you owned the House of Hunan."

"I own several businesses in Chinatown." His smile faded and his face grew sad. "Many I wish I did not."

Kacie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. {Peter has told me about some of the business interests the Wongs have, but I still have a hard time believing this nice old man is a crime lord.} "I really need to be going now, Mr. Wong. Thank you very much for your company, but I truly can't allow you to buy my lunch. I...my husband..."

Wong bowed. "I understand. As you wish. Your meal was ten dollars."

Blushing furiously, Kacie rummaged through her purse until she found her money. Handing him the ten-dollar bill, she stuttered, "I do appreciate the gesture. It's just that...I mean, I really couldn't --"

"Say no more." He pulled out her chair and offered his arm. Seeing no gracious way to refuse him, Kacie mentally shrugged and accepted his escort from the building and to her car.

They paused at the crosswalk and waited patiently for the signal to change. When they were halfway to the other side of the street, a black sedan roared around the corner and accelerated as it bore down on them. In one inescapable moment, glass shattered, and metal thudded sickeningly against flesh.

The door to the interrogation room flew open, and Strenlich strode inside. "Caine, you're done in here."

"What are you talking about, Chief? Chuckie here and I were just coming to an understanding." Peter smiled from the teeth out and patted the man on his shoulder. "Weren't we, Chuck, old man?"

"I need you out here now, Detective. Move it." Spinning on his heel, Strenlich stalked out, and Peter trailed after him.

"What's the matter, Frank? He was just about ready to talk. What's the prob...lem...?" His voice trailed off at the strained look on his chief's face.

"Peter, we picked up a 9-1-1 call from Chinatown. Accident. Two pedestrians run down by a car."

Peter's lips formed the word soundlessly. "Who?"

"Kacie and -- "

Peter was down the stairs and running for the door before Strenlich could finish.

Jack Wong fell into the room, gasping. "You...Priest...You must come."

Caine raised an eyebrow. "You? You have need of a priest?"

"My...grandfather...is dying. He's asking for you." Worry and grief etched the younger man's face, and the usual cocky bravado was missing. "Please. You must come."

Caine nodded solemnly and reached for his coat, shrugging into it with a minimum of movement. Placing his hat on his head, he gestured toward the door. "Let us go."

To Part 33

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