Chapter 14

The day was bright, not a cloud in the sky. Wisps of wind blew leaves in the trees causing a slight rustle. Dave�s hand felt very comfortable in Sharon�s today as they made their way to The Hard Rock Cafe. Dave�s long blond hair blew in unison with Sharon�s and was only slightly shorter. "So I�ve just met you officially today and already we�re going to lunch," Dave commented.

"You�re lucky aren�t you?"

"Blessed. "He said returning her smile.

"What made you come back to chase me?" Dave asked seriously. He liked the fact that she had returned; yet it worried him all the same. He knew the path from prostitution to normal society. There was a way in which you could do it, a method, but it did take effort.

"I came to get to know you better. Just listening to you telling me where you came from, and where you are today intrigued me. I wondered how you�d done it and didn�t want you to disappear out of my life without asking you." Sharon said.

Dave could see Sharon was serious. He found that the pain he had been through in his past drew people of similar hurt to him. He didn�t have to preach he just shared his life. Each of the people he�d spoken to know that he�d really been where he�d said he�d been. They could see the remnants of pain in his eyes and in the way he explained his hurt. You knew it had all been real. Today, once again, without trying he had drawn a girl to himself. "So you want to have a chat about how I changed and worked through my past?"

"Yes, if I could." Sharon asked.

"That�s fine. How about we have lunch, then we can go back to my place." Dave suggested.

"That would be great." Sharon said. After a pause she asked, "Who are you going to introduce me as?"

"How about someone that wants to know a little of my past and how to come out of her lifestyle,"

"I suppose that�s what I am, that�s the truth of the matter."

"You can never go wrong telling the truth. If you have the fortitude that is. You have nothing to hide. You�re a wonderful, caring, and compassionate girl Sharon. You�re just looking for answers like everyone else, if they�d care to admit it. You have nothing to feel uncomfortable about being a prostitute. Your presence here tells us that. Be a friend and share as much as you like."

"Thanks Dave," Sharon said.

"Well here we are. Let�s go in."

They entered the restaurant and made their way over to the table where Mike and Loran were sitting. Loran had on a pair of shorts and a tank top, very casual and her hair was up. Mike

Once again looked terrific. His suit that was very neatly cut to fit his well-proportioned torso.

"Hi guys," Dave said, as they approached the table. "This is Mike," he said to Sharon as Mike offered his hand and Sharon shook it. "This is Loran." as Sharon took her hand from Mike, and forced her eyes to face Loran. " Mike and Loran, this is Sharon ".

Mike stood in awe of the girl in front of him. Her makeup and her dress made her look very appealing. More so, the smile that lit her face caused an obvious radiance. Guilt gripped him as he went to sit down, guilt for what he had set in motion with Peter.

Sharon was angry. She couldn�t have known Mike was the person Dave was meeting. Out of loyalty to Joanne she excused herself. She stormed out of the front door. Dave was quick to catch her grabbing her by the arm. He turned her to face her and she looked up at him.

"What�s the matter Sharon. We only just got here."

"It�s your friend."

"Mike?"

"Yes." She said looking away

"What. Dave asked thinking. Was he a�?"

"Client. Yes. He was worse then that."

"What? Mike. What happened?"

"His your friend. I don�t w�"

"Hey. I�m just about to do business with him. Come on. If theirs something I should know. I want to know Sharon. I only do business with honourable people."

"He gave my friend Joanne some bad heroin. That night her stepfather brutally raped her. He was sent by him to weaken her. He said sorry. But sorry doesn�t cut it. I don�t know if I can eat with him."

"He said sorry?"

"Yes. But that doesn�t make up for anything."

Dave grabbed both her hands. "Yes I know he said soothingly as he looked into her eyes. It�s just amazing but. The Mike I know had a problem saying sorry. He had a problem admitting he was ever wrong. He must have been really torn up inside. Was that last night?"

"Yes. Joanne almost walloped him. I told him to leave."

"That�s why he left abruptly!"

"Yes."

"Well that girl is his fiancé. I think that he approached you was a sign of his regret. He showed respect by leaving also. It�s up to you. It�s just I kinda was looking forward to some time with you. I understand under the circumstances."

"I don�t know."

"Do you know how you want to find answers?"

"Yes."

"One of the major ways to healing is forgiveness. This would be a good start. I know going inside feels like you are betraying Joanne. What about yourself but. Both of these people are friends of mine. If you spend time with me, you�ll spend time with them. Whether it�s today or another day, you�ll have to face them." He grabbed her chin and tenderly raised it and winked at her. "Come on."

They entered the café again. They approached the table and took a seat opposite the couple. Dave swallowed. "So how�s your morning been Mike?" Dave asked, feeling a little tension in the air.

"Pretty good. I think we have seen every jewellery shop from Manly to Kings Cross. I�ve spent thousands of dollars so far, in my mind, at least. Sorry Sharon, I�ve just recently asked Loran to be my wife," he said to fill her in.

Sharon looked across to Loran, her eyes searching hers. She found a look of pride in them. "You both look as though you�re very fortunate. You look good together."

Loran saw what she thought was a tear in Sharon�s eye and the tone she had used had surprised her. Curious, she just ignored it.

"I�ve been very fortunate Sharon. A guy like this is one in a million."

As she said it Sharon could read the delight and feel the love in her words. This Mike was strange. He was more like the Mike she met in bed. She wondered how Loran would feel if she knew she�d slept with her man. With this thought, she found the courage to relax.

"How long have you been here?" Dave asked.

"We just sat down actually. I suppose we�re naturally punctual." Mike said, placing a napkin on Loran�s lap and then on his own.

"That�s good." Dave said, doing the same for Sharon. Just as he had laid the napkins on both their laps a waiter appeared at their side. He asked if they would care to order drinks. Dave ordered and the waiter left, leaving four menus from which to select their meal.

"So what have you been up to Dave? We�ve all missed you." Mike asked.

"This and that. How long has it been a few months, over a year?"

"Yes, that at least! Loran commented. As she did so she noticed Sharon looking very interested. She was quite relaxed and happy to let Dave talk. Loran looked her over. A very attractive brunette, with a well-proportioned figure and the makeup she wore was hardly visible, just setting off her natural features. Yes, she was most attractive, good enough for her Dave that�s if Dave was interested in girls.

"Well I suppose you could say I�ve been learning to live a whole new life. I�ve spent a little time in counselling, but mostly in forming right relationships. I read a lot these days, something I�ve always loved to do. It�s been reading about homosexuality that I have been able to understand myself. I learnt that my upbringing and environment had a lot to do with my being gay so, like I said, I avoided my old haunts.

"So when you left Manly, you were just starting to learn what made you tick? " Mike stated.

"Yeah, that�s right. It was around that time I went to the church in Brookvale and they had a visiting speaker from America. He was gay in his past and had lived as a female for years. He was just about to get a sex change when he asked God for a sign. The major hospital announced they weren�t going to do anymore sex change operations. This included his booking. He took that as the sign and shared how he came out of the lifestyle. He offered hope to others. I accepted.

"What do you mean you accepted?" Loran asked.

"Well they offered free counselling. Through a network of counsellors they slowly helped me to come to understand myself. Christine, the woman I was eating with last night, also had a major part in my recovery. She took me into her house and introduced me to her husband and family who helped tremendously."

"It sounds like you�ve had a productive year." Mike said. The drinks arrived; he took his beer in his hand and held it in the air in a toast. "To new friendships and new horizons." The glasses clinked and they all took a sip of their drinks. "Gee that�s nice." Mike commented "It�s been a long time between drinks."

"You look as though things have improved in all areas Dave. You look clean, smart and quite the successful businessman. Look at that suit, the jewellery, and the shirt."

"I�ve been fortunate, that�s for sure. Everything fell into place. When my spiritual life began, it had a dramatic effect on my sex life, and also my emotions. As my emotions needed answers, and I found them, this affected my social life. My friends began to change, my health improved and also my self-esteem. I found purpose for my life, and this new direction catapulted me toward better decisions and eventually success. I�m so happy.

"It must�ve been tough though," Sharon said clearly impressed.

"Sure, it was tough alright. Don�t let me gloss over it too easily. It takes a lot of support. Without drinking as a crutch, it took a lot of effort on more than my part. I struggled and crawled before I could walk and walked before I could run. Now looking back, it�s hard to see how I got through it, the pain, the tears the falling back two steps for every three forward. Yet I did it Sharon. I know it�s possible and I know you can do it."

"She sure can " Mike agreed. You�re half way there already Sharon. You�re such a lovely girl you deserve better than your lifestyle." His three lunch companions could see looks of surprise, shock and embarrassment and yet he continued anyway. "I have met Sharon before. I slept with two girls for a guy. One of them was Sharon. I would never have done it if I�d known the old man�s intentions. I felt so guilty later on. Anyway Dave and Loran, I�ve slept with your partner here and I found she was very considerate. If you need any encouragement to change, or any assistance, Loran and I would be glad to help."

Silence fell on the table. The sound of other diners filtered into their ears. Frankness so forthcoming was difficult to comprehend. Loran seemed so surprised, yet happy in a way as she sat silently smiling. Sharon was a little embarrassed. She wondered how Loran felt now. It must have been embarrassing for her sitting opposite a girl who�d slept with her man recently. At least he was an assignment she concluded. Dave couldn�t believe his ears either.

"I�m so astonished that you can speak out like this mate," Dave said with genuine surprise in his tone. "I knew from the time I first saw you that I would appreciate seeing you again. You�re so refreshingly open."

Sharon wanted to apologise for sleeping with Loran�s new fiancé yet as she opened her mouth Loran put a finger to her lips. "Don�t you say anything Sharon. If Mike approves of you and has slept with you, that was his doing, not yours. I can see by just looking at you that it wouldn�t have taken much to get him enthused."

Sharon feeling in need of saying now why she was in Dave�s company, to explain why he was with a prostitute said. "I wanted to spend a little time with Dave. He�s really impressed me heaps. Maybe, if he could change, so might I." She tried to continue yet tears had choked her voice. Loran reached over and grabbed her hand.

Dave smiled. The truth was so rewarding to hear. It had a healing power just in its expression. It cultivated love and trust. Honesty brought acceptance. A happiness filled Dave�s heart as he ran his mind through the conversation that had transpired in the last few minutes. Being honest he had started a landslide where all the walls were coming down. He was proud of Loran for her acceptance of her fiancée and Sharon. He was proud that Mike had been so honest in opening up the truth. Above all, he was impressed with Sharon. She was truly a precious stone awaiting polishing.

"Shall we order " Loran suggested.

*******

A fresh breeze blew through the apartment. Tony lay comfortably, asleep on the lounge, his hair blowing slightly in the breeze. As Tracy approached she could here heavy breathing typical of someone in a deep sleep. She contemplated letting him sleep on, thought better of it and kissed him fully on the lips. An arm went around his chest as she nibbled on one of his ears. He woke slowly. His eyes flickered open to see Tracy leaning over him. Her lips met his.

Tony lay back on the couch, now fully awake. The slow tender kiss ceased as he lovingly stroked her hair. He stopped slowly and looked into her green eyes. Reading them, he pulled her to himself. As he lay there kissing and stroking his girlfriend his mind wandered. How could he be so fortunate to land this beautiful girl who was so full of happiness? Her mood had changed since she knew she didn�t have to turn tricks any more.

"I�ve been thinking," he said.

"How strange " Tracy said smiling and brushed her hair aside as she lay over him looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, I do it sometimes. I�ve been thinking I would like to go to church on Sunday. This guy we saw at the police station this morning mentioned he was going to a church. I�m thinking of asking him if I can go with him this week."

"That�s good Tony " Tracy said. She went silent.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"No thanks!"

"Okay. I just thought I�d ask. It would be good for us to go together, but I�m sure I�ll cope without you." His voice seemed a little hurt as he said it.

"Are you sure?" Tracy asked. "I mean, I�ll come if you really want me to but I don�t really feel right about it. I can�t relate to a God who cares. He can take a running jump as far as I�m concerned. I suppose that�s it really."

"I know Tracy. I�ve felt that way myself. I blamed God for years. I still can�t understand. All I can say though is that he answered my prayer yesterday. I�d like to see if he really does exist. Dave sounds like he knows a little about him. Maybe if I go to church with Dave I can get to know more."

"That�s good Tony. I hope you can tell me about it when you get back. I�m not all that negative. I�m just hurt that�s all."

"I can understand. Anyway, how was your little trip into the city?"

"Look! " She flashed her resume up from the side of the lounge. It looked impressive yet what could she possibly have on it. She didn�t list her last occupation; instead she stated that she�d worked for an uncle in a take-away shop.

"That looks okay to me. I wonder how it look to the employers?" Tony was proud of his girl and hoped things would work out for her. He�d come to feel really close to her. A closeness he�d almost forgotten. He hadn�t been close to anyone since his parents died those years ago. Inside his innermost being he had mixed emotions. He was happy for Tracy, yet years of abuse had taught him to hide a lot of his thoughts. Because his past hurt, it was necessary for him to come to grips with his present feelings. But he couldn�t count on too much - he�d been disappointed so often. People let you down.

Tracy noticed that Tony had grown silent. She didn�t know the reason for it. " What�s the matter? "

"Nothing, everything�s okay," Tony said, trying to smile.

"Sure it is. Don�t try and put me off Tony, I know you�re worried about something!"

"Leave me alone please Tracy, I�ll work it out."

"I won�t leave it alone Tony. I�m worried. One minute you�re kissing me and smiling then all of a sudden you close up, and go all quiet. What�s the matter?"

"Leave me alone, all right!" Tony replied.

Tracy began to speak again and then stopped herself. Her mind raced. She hadn�t seen Tony like this before. All sorts of reasons started coming to mind. Foremost in her mind, was the fact that she�d said she didn�t want to go to church. She�d said the truth. What was wrong with that? She wondered about the conversation. Things had gone sour after she�d said it, so she concluded that, that was the reason.

"Is this about me not wanting to go to church with you? "

"I said leave it, didn�t I. It�s not about you, all right! Just leave me to think and work it out for myself.... He paused. Please."

"I want to help" Tracy said, not giving up.

"I think you�d better leave!" Tony said.

Tracy collected her resume. Her hands shook. Tears began to well in her eyes. She couldn�t understand why he had shouted at her. She couldn�t understand a lot of things. She knew one thing for certain though; it was no use pushing him any more. She left.

As she closed the door behind her Tony wished he hadn�t been so mean. He knew it had nothing to do with her. He had even told her that. Though he didn�t believe it now himself. It had everything to do with her. He was beginning to love her and that was the problem.

*******

A young man was shuffling up an alley that led to his workplace. The entrance he always used was a back door to the kitchen of the restaurant, and to get there he had to walk up an alley. He was scurrying quite fast, running late for the second part of his shift, due to a video game he had been playing. Today was an ordinary day and he was returning for the second part of his split shift. He knew the alley like the back of his hand and was able to walk through it side-stepping the rubbish strewn against the walls of restaurants, even in the blackness of night.

Today though, as he was slowly strolling up the well-worn path he noticed something that stopped in his tracks. In a large bin he saw what looked like a hand sticking out from the top. He opened the large lid of the bin and saw a sight that turned his stomach. Inside was the body of a youth. It was in tatters. As a kitchenhand and reserve cutter, he was used to seeing the flesh of animals cut and torn apart, but this body was human!

He quickly ran to his restaurant, uttered a few words in Mandarin and motioned the first cook to follow him. The kitchen staff, alerted to the plea, also stopped work and followed the kitchenhand down the alley. With excited explanation he showed the head cook the body and collapsed in shock. One of the other kitchen staff picked the youth up and helped him to walk back to the restaurant.

*******

The phone rang. "Detective Christine Wallace. Yes Chief. I�ll be right in." Christine hung up the phone and motioned to her partner to follow her. They went into the chief�s office.

"Close the door and take a seat!" the Chief ordered from his soft leather recliner as they entered the room. He was a happy cop, one whom you could share a joke with. Yet he was powerful all the same. He had connections and the grin that he normally wore could serve to put a criminal at ease whilst hammering important questions at him. Today, he had a face lined with worry. Gone from his composure was any sign of humour. A frown was evident on his worn face.

"Sorry I have had to call you away from your other assignment. I�ve thrown another couple of D�s on it. It�s a pretty simple case. It will be an easy conviction This one isn�t."

He swallowed, brushed a wisp of his greying hair nervously and looked up at them. His deep blue Scottish eyes showed a grimace. He was worried all right. "I want you to go down to China Town and see the head cook of the Shing La Ha restaurant. Here�s the address. He�ll fill you in on a homicide and show you everything. The Commissioner has already been on the line. There are tensions in China Town at the moment, and this one�s creating a stink." He loosened his tie a little, threw a pad across the desk with an address on it, and said "Report to me when you get back!"

Christine grabbed her coat, her bag and her partner, and they left the station

"Damn. I wanted to be on that case," Christine said. I wonder what�s happened?"

"We�ll find out soon enough, I�d imagine"

The restaurant was fairly large. Inside, it was half full of diners finishing off their lunch. Most of them were Chinese; a fact Christine took note of. Dave had told her once, when he was a chef, to always be on the lookout for a Chinese restaurant where a high proportion of the diners were Chinese. He�d said that the Chinese would always eat at a restaurant that serves the traditional dishes of their culture. If she wanted to eat like the Chinese, then she took a personal note that this restaurant was a good one to choose.

Looking around she could see a buffet containing an assortment of fine dishes with intricate carvings of fruit as a centrepiece.

"Excuse me. We are the police. May we see the head cook?" Christine�s partner asked.

The waiter disappeared into the kitchen and returned, motioning for them to follow him. They entered the kitchen where four woks were being used as four cooks tended them, shaking them roughly over high-powered gas flames. Dish clothes protected the cook�s hands from the heat. Each held ladles in their other hand and was furiously spreading, turning and shaking the contents of the woks. The head cook took his wok off the flame and emptied its contents. He steam cleansed the wok from one of the taps connected to a long horizontal pipe situated along the wall behind the cooking area. A quick command in Mandarin and the three other cooks moved up in line, the cook next to the head chef taking control of the head wok. A cutter from the prep table took control of the fourth wok; a position made vacant with the move. Such automation, the speed and the fast cooking pace surprised Christine.

The head cook washed his hands and came over to greet Christine and her partner.

"Hello. You must be the detectives."

"Yes. How are you today?"

"Could be better," he replied. "Come this way". He led them out the back door of the kitchen and into the alleyway. The change in temperature was immediately recognisable and Christine drew in a breath of the fresh air.

"It�s very hot in the kitchen," Christine said.

"You get used to it," the cook said, wiping the sweat from his brow. He was young to be in such a position. He looked a little over thirty, very talented for his age. His youthful looks didn�t worry Christine. He�d probably been cooking from an early age. At thirty he could have been in the kitchen for twenty years.

"Is this your restaurant?"

"I am a partner with my father. He cooks nights mostly. He prefers both the clientele and the fancier dishes."

They approached the crime scene a little way down the alley. It wasn�t hard to spot, with policeman, photographers and others crowded around the bin. Christine stayed with the Cook while her partner went over to a person he knew as a forensic officer.

"When was the body discovered?"

"At lunchtime about 12 noon, by my kitchen hand."

"Did he touch the body or anything?"

"No, not as far as I�m aware" the cook replied, trying to be calm, though he seemed nervous. He kept looking back at the restaurant. Christine took note of the nervousness she saw and continued.

"When did you find out about it?"

"A couple of minutes after it was discovered."

"Who else knows about it"

"Everyone in my restaurant. That�s for sure," he said." With the mess around here I don�t know how many other people would know."

"Is the kitchenhand back at the restaurant?"

"No, I sent him home. He was too shaken to do any work."

"Is he related? "

"Sort of, he�s my second cook�s cousin. My second cook is my uncle."

"That sounds fairly close. " Christine said, taking a note of it on a pad. Did you say you heard about it at about lunchtime."

"Yes "

"Do you have any idea when the body could have arrived here?"

"No."

"You said before that your kitchenhand was on a break and was returning when he discovered the body?"

"Yes that�s right" The cook stole a glance back at the door of his restaurant and wiped his brow. Christine decided his nervousness was probably because he wanted to return to the kitchen. Even so she pushed further.

"Why are you so nervous? "

The question seemed to catch the Cook by surprise. It was exactly what Christine expected. He swallowed, began to speak, then stopped. "I really have to get back to my restaurant. We are busy. We have a large function tonight."

Christine surmised that this was entirely true. Yet, the fact that he had stalled spoke of something. He was worried and it wasn�t only the demands of the restaurant! He�s been a cook too long to let this time-out affect him. He was scared, that�s for sure, and the reason for his fear Christine determined to get to the bottom of.