Strong Mystery: Murder, Mystery and Magic Books 1-3 (Steampunk Magica) (32 page)

“I am sure that you do not have anything to hide, Master
Jimmy,” Owen said. “I simply wish to ask you some questions about the victim
and the night of his death in particular. Is that agreeable to you?” he
finished. Jimmy the Horse visibly relaxed, shaking loose his shoulders and arms
at hearing this.

“Sure,” he said. A rumbling growl came from the direction of
the Dragon. Jimmy risked a glance in that direction before turning back. “I
mean, ah, yes Lord Owen.”

“Good,” Owen said. “Did you see Huang the night he was killed?”

“Sure,” Jimmy said. “You saw him that night too.”

“Yes I did,” Owen allowed. “Did you see him after I had left?”

“Yeah,” the ganger said with crossed arms. “I talked to him
after you left with Mike and his girls. I wanted to know who had started with
all the fire making. I was sure it was that doxy of Mike’s.”

“And was Huang able to tell you who had started with all the
fire-making?” Owen asked. “Was it Mary?” The ganger hung his head, and looked
at the floor.

“No,” he said in a small voice. “Huang admitted it was him that
started it.”

“I see,” said Owen mildly. “So at an important meeting of
yours, Huang disrupted it by using his fire talent. Perhaps he was seeking to
take control away from you? That must have made you very angry.”

“Well sure,” Jimmy said. “I was figuring Huang would try
something like that. But that don’t mean I killed him!”

“No of course not. Did that conversation happen here in this
room?” Owen smiled at him.

“Yes,” Jimmy said in puzzlement at the change of questioning.
“Afterwards I went up to my room here in the restaurant.”

“Did anyone see you go upstairs?” Owen asked.

“Sure,” Jimmy said. “A bunch of the guys were still out in the
hallway and saw me go up. I went to sleep, and was woken up by Jo, who told me
that Huang had been killed.”

“Was this the same Jo who headed the lookout guards that
night?” Owen asked.

“Well, yeah,” Jimmy said scornfully. “Jo has been with me
almost as long as Huang had been. Few others can wake me up.” Owen nodded at
this.

“I have no more questions for this person,” Owen suddenly
announced. Hu-San glided forward.

“Mighty Lohan,” He said. “I have a few questions if I might be
permitted.” The Dragon nodded testily.

“Yes,” Lohan allowed, “But make them brief.” Hu-San bowed and
then turned towards Jimmy.

“Jimmy the Horse is such an interesting name,” Hu-San began
silkily. “Surely that is not the name that your mother gave you.”

“Well no,” Jimmy said, “That one was boring.”

“‘Jimmy’ is short for the western name ‘James’ is it not?”
Hu-San asked. “And what does Horse mean?” Jimmy laughed, pulling up his sleeve
and shoving up his arm rampant like a penis. The Court twittered.

“What do you think it means?” The boy answered with a leer.

“Precisely,” Hu-San responded unruffled. “Yet, you bear with
pride a false name. Why is that? Is it not to conceal your criminal
activities?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jimmy replied easily.

“Do you not?” Hu-San said. “I remind you that you are under the
question.” He paused significantly before continuing. “Your mother must be very
ashamed of you,” he continued.

“She is right here,” Jimmy retorted. “Why don’t you ask her?”
He pointed towards where Zhang the old woman who owned the restaurant stood.

“Mighty Lohan,” Owen interjected. “I fail to see what Hu-San is
attempting with this questioning.” The Dragon looked at Hu-San.

“I must agree,” the Dragon grumbled. “What are you seeking to
prove Lord Hu-San?”

“Simply that this person,” Hu-San sniffed, “Is nothing more
than a common born criminal, whose word is not to be trusted.”

“I had no more questions for this witness,” Owen pointed out.

“Then let us move this along,” Lohan ordered. “Does that meet
with your approval Lord Hu-San?” The Dragon asked dangerously. Hu-San bowed
deeply, knowing when to bend.

“As you wish Mighty Lohan,” the court official said unctuously.

“Do you have any other people that you wish to call as witness
on in this matter, Lord Owen?” Lohan asked him.

“Yes, Mighty Lohan,” Owen said. “I wish to call Madame Zhang.”

After Bailey’s calling and swearing in, the old restaurant
owner stood trembling between Owen and Hu-San while the Dragon looked down at
her. She twisted the long hem of her black robe nervously in her hands.

“Now, Madame Zhang,” Owen began easily. “Is it not true that
Jimmy the Horse is your son?”

“Yes,” she said proudly. “He truly is a fine man, no matter
what some may say,” she said with a pointed glance at Hu-San. “He takes care of
his friends and seeks to help them.”

“I am sure of that,” Owen said. “It must have been hard raising
him while taking care of this huge restaurant,”

“Oh, it was not that hard,” Zhang said with a smile. “When I
inherited this place from my uncle. Jimmy, as he likes to be called, has always
helped me out where he can.”

“Ah, so it was your uncle’s place before it was yours?” Owen
asked.

“Oh yes,” Zhang said, “We have barely kept it going since he
passed on, but we try.”

“And how long have you know our Austrian friend Deter over
there?” Owen asked. Zhang’s voice hesitated.

“I am not sure what you mean,” she quivered.

“All this,” Owen said with a wave of his hand, “used to be the
headquarters for a dissident group. That is the reason for all these passageways
is it not?”

“I do not know about that,” Zhang said faintly.

“Was that the time that Deter showed up and offered to help you
save your son, when you took possession of this building?” Owen asked gently.
Zhang looked up at Lohan, then back to Owen with her lips tight. Owen gave her
a sympathetic look. “It really will not do to pretend any longer Madame.”

“Yes,” she said finally.

“I am sure that you did not know who Deter worked for when he
approached you,” Owen said sympathetically. “What did he tell you Madame?”

“That some of my son’s associates were not wholesome fellows,”
Madame Zhang spat out. “He offered to remove my son from the life that he had.”

“How did he propose that he would do that?” Owen asked. Madame
Zhang shrugged violently.

“He never said,” she snapped angrily. “Only that if I showed
him where the tunnels where and introduced him to some of the other boys, that
my little Wong would be saved.” She glared at Deter. “But that never seemed to
come true.”

“I see,” said Owen. “And was Huang, the murdered youth, one of
the ones that you introduced Deter to?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Although, again, nothing ever seemed to
happen until the other night! When Deter roasted that foul perversion alive!”
The Court burst into a babble of noise at this revelation.

“I object!” screamed Hu-San. The Austrian Ambassador seemed to
leap from the wall to his side, adding her voice of objection over the roar of
the courtiers. Bailey struggled in vain to restore order. A mighty voice
exploded from the throne where Lohan was seated.

“
ENOUGH! BE
SILENT
!”

In the strained silence that followed, Owen could see people
attempt to work their mouths, only to clutch their throats in growing dismay.
Somehow Lohan had actually silenced the entire room. A feat of sorcery that
Owen had never even heard of before, let alone seen. It was very impressive.
Most of the room fell to their knees before the Dragon Lord of Hong Kong,
silently abasing themselves. Owen remained standing. Lohan continued in a deep
rumbling growl that penetrated ones bones.

“Your voices will return momentarily, more is the pity,” the Dragon
said remorselessly. “There shall be a short intermission to allow everyone to
gather their decorum about them.” The Dragon stirred on the throne. “And I will
have decorum my Ladies and Lords! This is MY Court! Now go!”

Everyone slowly cleared the room, the crowd spilling out into
the inner courtyard. Jinhao appeared at Owen’s side.

“So much for our thinking that Deter did not kill Huang,” she
remarked.

“Do you really think so?” Owen asked her with a raised eyebrow.

“How else would you interpret her statement?” Jinhao asked in
astonishment.

“Watch and see,” Owen replied merrily. “At least now I know who
killed Huang. I even have a plan to reveal him!”

“What plan?” Jinhao asked looking at him closely.

Before Owen could answer a westerner wearing the black and
maroon colors of the British crown came up to them. His black cutaway coat was
as neatly tailored as if he had just come from London itself. A small round hat
perched on his head.

“Lord Owen,” he said with a nod. He bowed perfunctorily towards
Jinhao. Straightening up, his hands moved in an intricate pattern. Owen sighed
at the recognition signal.

“I have no time for Order monkey business,” Owen said to the
man curtly.

“My Lord!” The newcomer replied in shocked rebuke, darting a
glance at Jinhao. He was further disconcerted when Jinhao bared her teeth at
him in distaste.

“Oh it is alright,” Owen assured him. “Jinhao is very familiar
with the Obsidian Order. What does our dear Uncle Stephen want now?” The man
gobbled for several moments as he took this in. The Obsidian Order was the
powerful and secret intelligence order of the British Empire, and as such,
preferred to work in the darkness of obscurity. Sir Stephen Partridge was one
of the senior adepts of the Order.

Owen had been a secret agent of the Order before he left it in
disillusionment. Uncle Stephen was Owens’ nickname for Sir Stephen Partridge,
the head of the Orders overseas operations, and Owen’s former mentor. Owen’s
use of his irreverent nickname clearly shocked the young dandy. The un-named
man gathered his dignity about him and stood straight. His eyes darted left and
right before he spoke.

“This word comes from Sir Stephen himself,” the man said in a
low voice. “You must find the Austrian innocent of the murder of the Chinese
boy. Such a thing could only exacerbate international tensions.”

“Regardless if he’s innocent or not eh?” Owen said dryly. “Good
thing that I had already figured out that he was innocent then. Anything else?”

“Yes,” the man said furtively, “Your own safety is directly in
danger from assassins. Sir Stephen does not know who or when only that you
should take heed. He is attempting to discover more.”

“That warning comes about a week too late,” Owen replied. “Tell
Partridge that a westerner Sorcerer named Mr. Victor is hunting me. He has the
air of a mercenary and a slight Belgian accent to his vowels. See if that helps
him in his inquiries.” Owen exclaimed as the man took out a note pad and
stylus. “Do not write that down! Memorize it! Victor. Mercenary Sorcerer.
Belgian! By the Dark Woods, what degree are you?” The man swallowed hard,
putting away his writing implements.

“I am a first degree, Worshipful Lord,” he stammered. “This is
my first assignment.”

“I thought as much.” Owen said with a sigh. “And do not call me
that. I am not a Worshipful anything. “Can you remember what I have told you?”
The man nodded his head.

“I think so,” he replied uncertainly.

“See that you do,” Owen said. He refrained from rolling his
eyes at the man’s response. “Now go,” he ordered. “Tell Uncle Stephen that I
have the matter of the Austrian well in hand. And do not forget,” he admonished
holding up his hand. A single finger went up at each word. “Victor. Sorcerer.
Mercenary. Belgian.”

~ ~ ~

The messenger nodded his head jerkily, and hurried
off. Owen and Jinhao watched him weave his way clumsily through the courtiers
.

“Well that is one way to be remembered,” Owen remarked drolly,
watching as the man ran head long into a fat Court courtier. After a moments
hurried bowing, the young Westerner scampered off.

“Not like when we were staring out at all, oh grey beard,”
Jinhao said with a brief laugh.

“We were never that young,” Owen replied sourly. He turned
towards her. “Now listen, here is what I want you to do.” He outlined his plan.
Jinhao grinned when he finished.

“Lohan, will be impressed, and possibly very upset with you,”
she remarked.

“Let him,” Owen replied with a shrug. “So long as he doesn’t
set me on fire or eat me, I think I shall endure.”

“Dragons do not really eat people,” Jinhao said carefully.

“And someday you will have to tell me how you know that, and
how you are acquainted with Lohan for that matter.” Owen said with a quizzical
tilt to his head.

“No, I do not have to,” Jinhao replied, grinning at him. They
both turned as Bailey’s voice called to all to return to the Court. Owen
straightened up.

“That is our cue,” he said. “Off you go then.” Jinhao nodded.

“I shall await your signal.” She replied.

Chapter 23

Owen took his place before the Dragon and waited for
the other Courtiers to settle
. Baileys’ calls for order were
finally obeyed and the room grew silent. Hu-San stepped slightly forward.

“I have a few questions for the witness, Mighty Lohan,” Lohan
looked to Owen.

“Do you have any objection, Lord Owen?” the Dragon asked.

“None, Mighty Lohan.” Owen said. Hu-San looked at Madame Zhang
craftily.

“Madame,” he asked. “Did you see my defendant shoot the boy
Deter?” Zhang shot upright at this question, clearly reluctant to answer it.

“I remind you that you are under the shadow of the question,”
Hu-San said mildly at her reluctance. Finally she spoke.

“No I did not see him burn the boy down,” she admitted. “But I
know that he had promised to see my Wang, my Jimmy that is, safe.”

“And Huang was not safe for your son to be around? By all
accounts they were the best of friends.” Hu-San remarked incredulously. Madame
Zhang curled her lip at him.

“No, he was not,” she paused, looking down as if uncertain how
to proceed. “I do not know the polite words for it,” she went on finally,
rising her head. “Huang was a
lover of men
” she finished using the
course term for a homosexual male. Hu-San expressed shock, which Owen was
certain must be faked.

“Truly,” he breathed. “I shall spare you having to recount how
you know such a thing to be true,” he said sympathetically. “Still,” he
continued, “many a young man has a special male friend. Such a relationship is
neither against the law or shameful in the eyes of the Sage, Confucius.”

“It is if the
special
friend
is both a witch and a white-face!” The old woman spat out.

“Which is why you killed Huang is it not, Madame Zhang?” Hu-San
asked triumphantly. “You knew about Deter, you must have known about his
witch-weapon, and so you killed Huang with it, and then blamed Deter for your
foul murder, knowing that he would accept the blame rather than betray you as a
traitor-agent of a foreign power!”

He finished with a rhetorical flourish, smiling in victory at
Owen as the room exploded yet again in exclamations. Owen saw that Jimmy the
Horse was shouting his objections. He was held back by the gang member Jo and
another ganger. Madame Zhang stood mute, shaking her head in negation.

Bailey called the room to order yet again. Everyone waited,
scarcely breathing, to hear what the Dragon would say to these revelations.
Lohan cast his gaze on Owen.

“Lord Owen,” the Dragon rumbled. “What have you to say to
this?”

“Mighty Lohan,” Owen bowed to him. “While I applaud Lord Hu-San
for his imagination, I must point out that he is completely wrong. With your
permission I wish to give a small demonstration that will reveal the true
killer of the boy Huang.” Lohan looked to Hu-San.

“My Lord have you any objection to this?” he asked. Hu-San
bowed graciously towards Owen.

“‘Better a diamond with a flaw, than a pebble without meaning,’
so the Sage tells us on matters of the law,” Hu-San quoted smoothly. “I have no
objections.”

“Very well Lord Owen,” Lohan said, “You may proceed.”

“Thank you Mighty Lohan,” Owen said with bow. He began to pace
around the cleared space in the center of the room, swinging his cane as he
talked.

“Let us go back to that night, the night of the murder. The
fire
caller
Huang sends a message to the other
fire caller
in Mike’s
gang, Mary. Why?” Owen asked rhetorically. “This question becomes all
important. Why send for your rival in a rival gang in the middle of the night?
The explanation becomes very clear when you answer this question. You send for
them because you wish to subvert them to your cause. How can you do that?” Owen
paused to look at Deter.

“You can do that,” he said, “Because an agent of a mighty
political power promises you the moon and stars. He promises you that you can
rule not only the gang you belong to, but also the gang of your rivals if you
convince the other
fire caller
to join with you. So that you never
become aware that your every move is being directed by a foreign power.”

“What was the plan Deter?” Owen asked the Austrian agent, “To
lure the unwanted urchins into spying for you? Perhaps to use the power of a
fire
caller
to perform an assassination or two?”

“Do not answer that!” Hu-San directed Deter. He moved to stand
between Owen and his charge.

“The Austrians hold that those who can wield the western
sorcery are fit only for burning as they violate their code of holiness. They
themselves proclaim this publicly!” Hu-San protested. Owen smiled a predatory
smile at this.

“Yes they do, do they not?” He asked rhetorically. “Which is
something that Deter could have counted on us assuming, that dealing with a
sorcery wielder no matter how simple their talent was something a good follower
of the Church would not do. Thus he could preserve his mission even after being
caught.” Owen stopped and leaned on his cane as he spoke.

“Deter was kind enough to brag that he had a special
dispensation from his Bishop,” Owen continued. “This got me wondering, what
else could he have a dispensation for? Perhaps setting up an asset that can be
as useful as a street gang for terror and sorcerous assassination would be
worth a little soul uncleanliness. Wouldn’t you agree Ambassador?” He turned to
address the last towards the Austrian Ambassador. Rather than reply, the cowled
figure started moving towards the exit.

“I believe that you should wait until Lord Owen is finished
Ambassador,” Lohan ordered from his elevated chair. “It would be a pity if you
were to leave just as things were becoming interesting.” A pair of constables
crossed their air rifles barring the exit. The Austrian Ambassador bowed
towards Lohan, her bodyguard glowering at the exits guards.

“You will forgive me Mighty Lohan,” her sweet voice came from
under the cowl. “I have recalled that urgent business awaits me at the Embassy.
I do not have the time to listen to the ranting of madmen.”

“None the less,” the Dragon insisted. “I require you to await
Our
pleasure in this matter.” The Ambassador bowed again, gesturing to her soldier
to stand easy. Owen turned back towards the Dragon.

“If I might continue Mighty Lohan?” he requested of the Dragon.

“Please do Lord Owen,” Lohan replied. “I am eager to hear what
you have to say.”

“Thank you Mighty Lohan,” Owen said. He smiled again at the
Ambassador. “I wonder if the esteemed Ambassador would still characterize my
dissertation as the ‘ranting of a madman’ when I assert that Deter did not kill
the boy Huang!” Again Bailey had to call the room to silence at this
pronouncement. Owen waited before continuing.

“Make no mistake, My Ladies and My Lords,” Owen began pacing
the center of the room again. “Deter came prepared for murder. Why else carry
an Aether pistol to meet with your contact? But the intended target was not
Huang, but Jimmy the Horse. If you killed the beloved gang leader, what better
way than to do so by fire? If you are lucky than no one is the wiser. If not,”
he looked over at Mary, discreetly holding Mikes hand, “then you can blame the
enemy gang’s
fire caller
. Bu there was one thing that neither Huang nor
Dieter counted on.” Owen raised his cane and pointed it at Lohan. Owen’s voice
rose over the murmurings of the Court.

“Think of that night,” He pressed on. “Huang is sitting exactly
where you are now, Mighty Lohan. If you are Deter, you want to have control of
your contact’s attempt at subversion, so you hide in the hidden passageway,
where you can hear every sound.” At this, a loud thumping came from the wall
behind the courtiers causing them to jump away from it.

“While you hide there, you are ambushed by one who takes you
unawares, rending you unconscious.” Another loud thump comes from the wall. “He
takes your weapon and then bursts out, pistol blazing!” The wall parts and
Jinhao stands in the suddenly revealed opening in the wall. She mimed aiming a
handgun at Lohan. The Dragon leapt to his feet roaring in surprise at the
swiftness of the attack.

“But who would do this?” Lohan demands. Owen lowered his cane.

“The only person who could know everything,” Owen explained.
“The one who knows all the comings and goings that night, the leader of the
lookouts in Jimmy’s gang that night. I call to witness the gang member known as
Jo,” he pronounced. Jo attempted to bolt for the door upon hearing this, only
to find Deputy Inspector Gregg and a constable conveniently placed to restrain
him. Jo yelled as they struggle to bring him to the center of the room.

“I did it for you Jimmy!” he screamed. “I knew they were going
to kill you and I burned down that bugger Huang first, that’s all! I did it to
protect you Jimmy!” The boy stopped screaming as they reached the center of the
room. Owen looked at him, then at the Dragon.

“I submit, Mighty Lohan,” Owen said tiredly, “that his outburst
constitutes a confession. Thus are the ancient laws of the Han fulfilled, as
well as what I hope will become the more modern proceedings of criminal
justice.” Owen bowed as the room exploded in noise.