Distant Cousins
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Chinatown
Henry turned to see that the old priest, Lo Si, was still behind them but had stood back a ways to give them a bit of privacy.
"You'd like a lift some where?" Henry asked the ancient-looking Chinese.
"Yes, that would be very good. My old bones cannot walk long distances the way the young can."
"You don't seem too upset over this," Henry observed.
"To allow anger and fear to enter would cause great harm to the spirit," Lo Si counseled. "Kwai Chang Caine will return."
"You seem so sure."
"I am Shaolin," the Ancient answered as a matter of fact.
"Yeah, well. Us regular people have doubts. Mind if I go and investigate it myself?"
Lo Si then said something even more puzzling. "The tiger stalks the nest and has imprisoned the crane. Only after the tiger has been trapped will the crane be truly free."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Lo Si gave Henry a shrug but continued to stare at the newest member of the Caine clan. Henry at first stared back then pulled away from the Shaolin's penetrating gaze. It was as if the old priest could see right through him.
"There is more to you than you know Henry McLean-Caine," Lo Si stated.
The Ancient's words caused the younger man to shiver as he felt an icy chill run down his spine. He wondered just what the old priest knew. Then shaking off the eerie feeling, Henry turned and headed for his car.
"Well, we better get going. I need to get to the precinct and meet up with this Kermit character."
The two men climbed into Henry's car and were soon heading back toward Chinatown. Lo Si directed Henry to his home. Henry waited until the old priest was safely behind his garden gate then headed to the Chinatown precinct. He parked his car in a visitor's slot then proceeded to pull a few things from his glove box, one thing being a pearl-handled Beretta which he placed in the small of his back underneath the light jacket he had been wearing. After making certain that everything was secure, he then headed to the front steps.
As Henry entered the precinct, it came to know surprise just how busy the place could be. There were several people waiting at the counter trying to get a word in edgewise while the desk sergeant did his best to keep order. It would seem he was fighting a loosing battle. Henry waited his turn when suddenly all hell broke loose. One of the men waiting at the counter grabbed the desk sergeant by his shirt then reached for his gun.
"Don't anyone move! I demand to see my brother! I'll kill this guy if he isn't brought out soon!"
"Take it easy fella, you're just going to make things worse," someone stated.
"I mean it, I'll kill him!"
Henry shook his head as more plain clothed officers came into view from the bullpen and slowly approached. The man with the gun began backing up in Henry's direction, keeping the desk sergeant in tow. When he was close enough, Henry proceeded to pullout his gun and let the man back right into it.
"This is a Beretta at your back. If you don't drop the gun now, you'll be sitting in a cell in a wheelchair."
The man demanding to see his brother let the gun slip from his hands and was quickly apprehended.
"You've got a license to carry that?" one of the plane clothes officers asked, her badge clearly showing clipped to her belt.
Without another word, Henry handed his wallet over to the blonde cop.
"Detective Henry McLean-Caine? You're a cop?" she asked.
"Yeah," Henry stated.
"Which precinct?"
"Los Angeles, hundred and fifty second."
"What are you doing here?"
"Let the man be, Powell. He's probably got better things to do," another blonde female office came into view. "Of course if you're not busy tonight . . . "
"Can it Jordan. You're always looking for an easy lay. It's no wonder you and Peter split."
"Um, I'm here to see Captain Simms." Henry thought it best not to get involved with "family squabbles." There were a few in every precinct.
"I'll take you to her office. I'm Jody Powell. By the way, you wouldn't happen to be related to Peter Caine. I mean your I.D, did say McLean-Caine."
"Actually, Peter's my cousin, a distant cousin you might say."
"Really." Henry followed Jody Powell through the bullpen then knocked on the Captain's door.
"Captain, someone to see you," Jody Powell stuck her head in the door then turned back to Henry. "You can go in."
Continues with Part 13
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2003.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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