Page 94 of Taken As Collateral

“Twice,” he answers.

“Have you been to many places in the world?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your favorite?”

He thinks for a moment. “Qidong. It’s not the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, but it was the first.”

“Your first?”

“When I was a boy, my grandmother wanted to take me to Qidong. She liked the sea. Despite her age and failing eyesight, she took on extra work, embroidering and sewing for others so that she could save up enough for us to spend one day and one night there.”

“Sounds like you had a very special grandmother.”

“She was. She deserved a far better life than the one she was dealt.”

“How often have you been back to Qidong?”

“I go once a year during the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the dead. When I was sixteen, I stole my first artwork from a Hong Kong businessman. With the money I got for it, I treated myself to the most expensive hotel in Qidong. The hotel thought it was suspicious since I was on my own and called the local police. My mentor had to bail me out and wasn’t too happy about it. He thought I was being arrogant and flaunting my spoils.”

“Did you explain to him the significance of Qidong?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because Iwasbeing arrogant.”

I ask him more about his grandmother. He seems surprised that I want to know so much about his family history.

“It’s fascinating on its own,” I explain, “but it also helps me to know you.”

That gives him pause. Maybe he’s reconsidering whether or not to tell me more.

“What purpose would that serve?” he asks.

“I don’t know that it serves any purpose,” I reply. I think it’s natural for humans to want to connect with each other, but maybe it’s better not to connect with a gangster.

He starts asking the questions, perhaps to avoid answering any more of mine. Or maybe he wants to get to knowme.Though I feel like there’s not much to my life so far, I fill in more about my family background and describe various jobs Peter and I have pulled off.

Halfway through the flight, Rafe gets a text from James. It includes a photo. Rafe shows it to me.

It’s Morelli’sRaging in the Mountains.

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