The Loner: Crossfire

Chapter 22

Frank took the man’s hand and shook it. “You know who I am.”

“Indeed I do,” Diamond Jack replied. “Frank Morgan. Sometimes known as The Drifter. You are a famous fighting man who hires out his gun.”

“You’re wrong about that,” Frank said bluntly as he let go of Diamond Jack’s hand. “I’ve been in plenty of fights, but never for money, only for causes I believed in or to protect folks who needed my help.”

“Then your reputation does not do you justice.”

Frank shrugged. “I stopped worrying about things like that a long time ago.”

“It takes a man with a great deal of serenity not to worry about what others think of him.”

“Just never seemed like it was worth the time and trouble to me.”

Diamond Jack turned to the big man he had called Ling Yuan. “Escort the young lady to one of the other rooms so Mr. Morgan and I can speak privately.”

Frank held up a hand as Ling Yuan started toward Connie, who flinched away from him. “She stays with me. I promised her I’d take care of her.”

“Your concern is touching but unnecessary,” Diamond Jack snapped. “She works for my enemy. Things must be said that she cannot hear.”

Frank needed to find out what the man knew about Conrad, so he said, “Do I have your word she won’t be harmed?”

“Of course,” Diamond Jack answered without hesitation. “I’ll go farther than that. Ling Yuan, defend this woman to your last breath until I release you from the task.”

The big hatchet man bowed to show his obedience.

Diamond Jack turned back to Frank. “Satisfied, Mr. Morgan?”

“I reckon I’ll have to be.”

Connie shook her head and backed away. “No, I ... I don’t trust these men!”

“They’re men of honor,” Frank told her, hoping he was right about that. “They’ll keep their word.”

Diamond Jack smiled at Connie. “I’ll have tea brought to you. You’ll soon see that I’m not the monster Dex Lannigan makes me out to be.”

Maybe not a monster, Frank thought, but utterly ruthless when he needed to be. Frank hadn’t forgotten how ready Ling Yuan had been to kill Connie in order to silence her, and Diamond Jack had hinted at the same thing.

Ling Yuan escorted a pale, trembling Connie out of the room, leaving Frank and Diamond Jack alone. The younger man held out a hand to indicate Frank should take the comfortable red leather armchair in front of the desk.

Frank took off his hat and sat down. Diamond Jack went behind the desk and settled himself in the big swivel chair. He steepled his fingers together and said, “I hope you’ll forgive me for the somewhat unorthodox manner in which I arranged this meeting between us, Mr. Morgan.”

Frank grunted. “I’ve got a hunch most things about you are a mite unorthodox, Mr. Wong.”

“Please, call me Diamond Jack, or just Jack. I suppose you’ve noticed that while I honor my ancestors, I don’t dress or speak like them.”

“No way for me to know about the honoring part, but yeah, you don’t exactly look like what I’d think of as a tong leader.”

“You believe I lead one of the tongs here in Chinatown ?”

“Don’t you?”

Diamond Jack smiled, revealing that jewel again. “Actually, yes. I am the leader of the Woo Sing tong, and some of the leaders of the other tongs look to me for advice and counsel since we have banded together to deal with the threat of a common enemy.”

“Dex Lannigan,” Frank said. The name was a statement, not a question.

“Indeed,” Diamond Jack murmured. “Lannigan has attempted on several occasions to expand his power and influence from the Barbary Coast into Chinatown. That is one more indication of how much things have changed. In previous decades, no white man, even the most arrogant and ambitious, would have dared to do such a thing. But a new century will soon be upon us. We face new challenges and must use new methods to combat them.” He gestured to indicate his suit and the desk. “I intend to run the tongs as a business ... a profitable business.”

“Of course, some of the old ways are still effective,” Frank commented. “Like using hatchet men to chop your enemies into little pieces.”

Diamond Jack threw his head back and laughed. “Well, some things never get old. Yes, our enemies still fear the hatchet men. They shall learn to fear even more.”

Frank leaned forward. “What about my son? I don’t see how he figures in this war of yours against Lannigan.”

“To be honest, I don’t, either. But clearly, Conrad Browning is very important to Lannigan. Otherwise he wouldn’t have attempted to have your son and the lawyer Turnbuckle killed as soon as Browning reached San Francisco. Lannigan knew he was coming and wanted to get rid of him.”

Frank could have told Diamond Jack what Lannigan’s interest in Conrad was, but first he wanted to find out what else the tong leader knew. “I reckon you keep pretty close tabs on what Lannigan does. That made you curious about Conrad.”

Diamond Jack nodded. “Indeed. My thinking was that if your son is so important to Lannigan, perhaps there is some way I could use him against my enemy.”

“So you started watching Conrad, too,” Frank guessed.

“Yes.” Diamond Jack chuckled. “San Francisco is a city of spies, Mr. Morgan. There are eyes and ears everywhere belonging to people who work for the various factions. The normal citizens go on about their business without any idea of the undercurrents actually guiding their lives. Some of my men, including Ling Yuan, whom you met earlier today, have been watching Conrad Browning for the past few days. In fact, Ling Yuan quite possibly saved his life several nights ago when Browning was involved in a fight at a tavern called Spanish Charley’s. The owner of the tavern, although your son probably didn’t know this at the time, is Dex Lannigan. This situation ultimately led to the perilous circumstances in which Browning currently finds himself.”

Frank leaned forward and asked tensely, “What perilous circumstances?”

“Last night, Lannigan set a trap for your son. My men did not become aware of it in time to prevent it. Browning was captured, and the man with him, a bodyguard hired by Claudius Turnbuckle, was killed.”

Frank nodded. He knew what had happened to Morelli. After talking to Turnbuckle, he had strongly suspected that Lannigan was involved. Diamond Jack had confirmed it. But the most important question was still waiting for an answer. “Where is Conrad now?”

“Being held prisoner on a ship called the Nimbus. It sails tonight, and Browning will be forced to become a member of the crew during its voyage to China and back. He’s been shanghaied, as the Americans call it.” The tong leader shrugged. “Either that, or the captain of the Nimbus has orders to kill Browning and dump his body at sea. It’s impossible to know which fate Lannigan has in mind for your son.”

“Why haven’t you sent your men in to rescue him?”

Diamond Jack’s expression hardened. “Taking over a ship is a different proposition from intervening in a tavern brawl or making an incursion into Lannigan’s saloon. I knew only a few bouncers would be working in the Golden Gate at this time of day. On board the Nimbus there’s an entire crew of extremely tough sailors. It’s almost certain I would lose some of my men, and they’re valuable to me. I refuse to run that risk simply to frustrate Lannigan’s plans and annoy him.” The tong leader leaned forward and placed his hands flat on the desk. “I want to know what’s going on here, Morgan. I want to know why your son is so important to Dex Lannigan. Perhaps then I can decide if he is that important to me.”

“So you brought me here to answer that question.”

Diamond Jack’s narrow shoulders rose and fell in another eloquent shrug. “Who better to know the affairs of the son than the father?”

Frank didn’t answer that. “How did you know I’m Conrad’s father?”

“I have my sources of information. There are spies everywhere, remember?”

Frank sensed he wasn’t going to get a straight answer out of the man. Diamond Jack wanted to protect his sources. Frank couldn’t blame him for that. The Woo Sing tong was locked in a war with Lannigan, and its leader would use every weapon at his disposal.

“What happens if I tell you what’s going on?”

“Then I decide whether or not to rescue your son,” Diamond Jack said.

“Based on how much of a blow that’ll deal to Lannigan.”

“Precisely.”

Frank nodded. The tong leader represented his best chance of getting Conrad off that ship before it sailed, so he was going to have to put his cards on the table.

“Three years ago, Lannigan made a deal with a woman named Pamela Tarleton. At least that’s what Claudius Turnbuckle and I believe.”

“Turnbuckle has a reputation as an astute lawyer,” Diamond Jack admitted. “But I have never heard of this Tarleton woman.”

“Consider yourself lucky. At one time she was supposed to marry my son, but all she wound up ever giving him was grief.”

For the next few minutes, Frank sketched in the details of Conrad’s relationship with Pamela and how she had set out to have her vengeance on him. When he reached the part about the hidden children, Diamond Jack arched an eyebrow.

“This woman sounds ... impressive.”

“If being downright evil impresses you, I reckon she fits the bill, all right,” Frank said. “Ever since Conrad found out about the twins, he’s been looking for them, and the trail led him here to San Francisco. It looks like she made an arrangement with Lannigan, since he’s been trying to kill Conrad. I want to get my hands on him so I can make him tell me if he knows where my grandchildren are ... unless those spies of yours might be able to shed any light on that.”

Diamond Jack shook his head. “My people cannot look for something they don’t even know exists, and this is the first I have heard about any missing children. You and your son have my sympathy, Mr. Morgan. You have suffered much at the hands of this Tarleton woman.”

“Conrad more than me, but I’d be holding a grudge against her, too, if she was still alive. I sure don’t want her winning, even though she’s dead.”

“Perhaps I can be of assistance—”

“You’ll help get Conrad off that boat?”

“It can be arranged,” Diamond Jack murmured, “but I must have something in return.”

“What do you want?” Frank asked bluntly.

“What happens to Lannigan if he knows where the children are hidden?”

“I reckon that’s up to him.”

Diamond Jack smiled. “I would like to see him wind up dead. My men might be able to get to him, but at a high cost. You and your son, on the other hand ...”

“We’re not members of your tong, so our lives aren’t worth as much to you.”

“Look at it however you will, Mr. Morgan, but it seems to me you and Browning have ample reason for wanting Dex Lannigan dead, as do I.”

“I told you, I’m not a hired gun,” Frank said. “But if you rescue Conrad from that ship, I think there’s a good chance the two of us will be taking the fight to Lannigan. What happens after that is up to fate.”

Diamond Jack laughed. “As a good Chinese, how can I not put my trust in fate? Very well, you have a deal. Before the Nimbus sails tonight, my men will take your son off the ship.”

“One more thing ... I’m going along.”

“Knowing your reputation, Mr. Morgan, I expected no less.”