S. J. Rozan - The Shanghai Moon

S.J. ROZAN

EBURY
PRESS

This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Version 1.0

Epub ISBN 9781407079158

www.randomhouse.co.uk

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Published in 2010 by Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing
A Random House Group Company
First published in 2009 in the US by St Martins Press
as The Shanghai Moon

Copyright 2009 by S.J. Rozan

Youre Nothing Without Me From City of Angels Music by Cy Coleman. Lyrics by David Zippel Copyright 1990 Notable Music Company, Inc. All rights administered by Chrysalis Music. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Pretty Lady From Pacific Overtures Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Copyright 1975 (renewed) Rilting Music, Inc. (ASCAP) All rights administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Shanghai Lil From Footlight Parade Music by Harry Warren. Lyrics by Al Dubin Copyright 1933 Warner Bros. Inc. (ASCAP) All rights administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

S.J. Rozan has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

This novel is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the authors imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner

The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009

Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at www.randomhouse.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

The Random House Group Limited supports The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the leading international forest certification organisation. All our titles that are printed on Greenpeace approved FSC certified paper carry the FSC logo. Our paper procurement policy can be found at www.rbooks.co.uk/environment

Typeset in Adobe Caslon by Palimpsest Book Production Limited, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire Printed in the UK by CPI Cox & Wyman, Reading RG1 8EX

ISBN 9780091936365

To buy books by your favourite authors and register for offers visit www.rbooks.co.uk

For Barbara Seranella
RIP, girlfriend

S.J. Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx and is a long-time Manhattan resident. An architect for many years, she is now a full-time writer. Her critically acclaimed, award-winning novels and stories have won most of crime fictions greatest honours, including the Edgar, Anthony, Shamus, Macavity and the Nero Award.

Praise for S.J. Rozan and the Bill Smith/Lydia Chin series:

To read S.J. Rozan is to experience the kind of pure pleasure that only a master can deliver Dennis Lehane

She has created a story in which the tension and intrigue never lets up. She constantly has you looking over your shoulder into the dark Michael Connelly

Rozans soaring imagination is breathtaking Jeffery Deaver

Two of my favourite characters in crime fictionone of Americas finest crime writers Linda Fairstein

Its an exquisite novel full of heart, soul, passion and intelligence Lee Child

Combines the sure, controlled prose of Ross MacDonald with the fury of early Hammet. Now is the time to discover what Rozans loyal readership has known all along George Pelecanos

A real novel, full of soul, that soars far above the average mystery Martin Cruz Smith

A savvy series The New York Times

As always, Im grateful for so much, including help and support from:

Steve Axelrod, my agent

Keith Kahla, my editor

The Atlantic Center for the Arts

Art Workshop International

Steven Blier, Hillary Brown, Belmont Freeman, Eve Rudin, Max Rudin, Noah Rudin, James Russell, Amy Schatz

Betsy Harding, Royal Huber, Tom Savage, Jamie Scott

Susanna Bergtold, Nancy Ennis, Josh Paynter, Sui Ling Tsang, Joseph Wallace

Peter Blauner, for advice he probably doesnt remember giving

Ruth Gruber, for knowledge

Lee Hyla, for the right music and a lot of birds

Guillermo Kuitca, for understanding

B. G. Ritts, for priceless research

Im back.

I dropped my suitcase, slipped off my shoes, and listened to familiar Chinatown sounds spill in the windows. Horns honked, delivery vans rumbled. Mr. Hus songbird trilled from the roof next door. I heard a child squeal with laughter and her grandmother scold in Cantonese: Hold my hand, you bad girl, or that fish truck will squash you flat.

And speaking of scolding in Cantonese, here came my mother.

Who are you? She shuffled from the kitchen and peered at me. You look like my daughter, Ling Wan-ju, but I havent seen her in a long time. She went to California. She said shed be back soon, but she stayed. Im happy shes having fun.

My mothers sarcasm could cut diamonds.

Two extra weeks, Ma. And theyre your cousins. I kissed her papery cheek, which she grudgingly allowed. Have a good time while I was gone?

Your brothers children are very noisy. I have four brothers, but my mother rarely uses their names when she talks to me; Im supposed to know which one she means. This time I did: Ted, the oldest. Shed stayed at his place in Queens while I was away.

But you had the downstairs apartment to yourself, right?

I was fortunate it was empty. Its so dark, no wonder no one will rent it.

I think Ted and Ling-an did a nice job on it.

Too many rooms for one person. With such a big kitchen! Hard to find all the pots and pans.

Did you cook?

Your brother and his wife both work so hard, come home late. They order from restaurants. So expensive! I made har gow, and long-life noodles.

Ill bet the kids liked that.

And so much lawn, so many useless flowers! I planted melons.

You did?

Your nephew helped.

I could see that scene: my mother in a straw hat, plants dangling from each hand while ten-year-old Barry dug and mulched. Luckily, both Teds kids adore her. They know her frowning and finger-wagging are scams to hoodwink malicious spirits into thinking her useless, disobedient grandchildren arent worth stealing.

Flushing. Pah! my mother finished. Too far away.

I sighed. Shed seen right through us. That apartment, far from being fortunately empty, had been built for her. My brothers and I think this fourth-floor walk-up we grew up in is getting hard for her to manage. But her refusal to leave Chinatown begins with a refusal to acknowledge she has anywhere to go.

Jet-lagged, I didnt have energy for this argument. Im going to unpack, Ma. Then Ill tell you all about the wedding.

You could have gotten married yourself, you were there so long. Have you eaten?

Not yet.