A Loyal Character Dancer

blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
     
    “She is quite young.” Chen studied the picture, thoroughly puzzled.
     
    “Inspector Rohn has studied Chinese in college. She is sort of a sinologist in the Marshals Service. And you’re the scholar on our force.”
     
    “Hold on—what job are you talking about, Party Secretary Li?”
     
    Outside the office window, an occasional siren was heard in the distance.
     
    “Inspector Rohn is going to escort Wen Liping to the United States. Your job is to help her accomplish this mission.” Li cleared his throat before going on, “An important job. We know we can count on you, Chief Inspector Chen.”
     
    Chen realized that Li was talking about a totally different matter. “Who is Wen Liping? I do not have the slightest idea about this job, Party Secretary Li.”
     
    “Wen Liping is Feng Dexiang’s wife.”
     
    “Who is Feng Dexiang?”
     
    “A Fujian farmer, now a crucial witness in an illegal immigration case in Washington.”
     
    “What makes Feng so special?”
     
    Li poured hot water into Chen’s cup. “Have you heard of someone named Jia Xinzhi?”
     
    “Jia Xinzhi—yes, I’ve heard of him, a notorious triad tycoon based in Taiwan.”
     
    “Jia has been involved in a number of international criminal activities. Jia is a heavyweight snake head. He’s been arrested in New York in connection with these activities. To convict him, the American authorities need a witness who will testify to his involvement with an immigrant smuggling ship— The Golden Hope.”
     
    “Oh, I remember reading about that disastrous operation a couple months ago. The ship, carrying more than three hundred Chinese, was stranded off the U.S. coast. When the Coast Guard arrived on the scene, there was only a sick pregnant woman remaining on board. She had been too weak to jump into one of the fishing boats that were supposed to transport them to shore. Later, several bodies were discovered in the sea—those who had failed to land in the boats.”
     
    “That’s the ship,” Li said. “So you are familiar with the background. Jia is the owner of The Golden Hope.”
     
    “We have to do something about human smuggling,” Chen said, putting down his cup, in which the tea leaves no longer appeared so green. “The situation has deteriorated in the last few years. Especially in the coastal areas. That’s not the way we want China to open up to the world.”
     
    “Feng Dexiang was one of those on The Golden Hope. He managed to board a fishing boat. And he started in as a ‘black man’ in New York, working day and night to pay for his passage.”
     
    “I’ve heard that those people work like dogs. Most of them do not know what really awaits them there. We have to deal a crushing blow to the snake heads.”
     
    “Jia is as slippery as a rice paddy eel. The Americans have been after him for years. Now they finally have a good chance to nail him for the deaths of those from the ship who drowned,” Li said. “Feng was caught in a gang fight in New York and arrested. Faced with criminal charges and deportation, he cut a deal in return for serving as a witness against Jia.”
     
    “Was Feng the only one from the ship who was found?”
     
    “No, they caught several others.”
     
    “Why do they have to deal with Feng exclusively?”
     
    “Well, once caught, illegal immigrants from China apply for political asylum on the basis of human rights issues, like the one-child-per-family policy and the threat of forced abortion. Political asylum is easily granted, and they do not have to make deals with the American government. Feng did not have a basis for such a claim. His only son died several years ago. So he chose to cooperate.”
     
    “What a shrewd bargainer!” Chen said. “But Jia is not only involved in illegal immigration, not just a snake head, but also a dragon head, an international triad leader. Once Feng’s identity comes to light, ruthless retaliation may be expected.”
     
    “Since his testimony is indispensable at Jia’s trial, the Americans have admitted Feng to their Witness Protection Program in cooperation with the U.S. Marshals. They have also granted his request for family reunification with Wen Liping, his wife, who is pregnant. They have asked for our help in this matter.”
     
    “If the trial helps to halt the flood of illegal emigration from China, it will be a good thing for both countries.” Chen searched for a pack of