If there were any.
With every day, every hour, her chances of finding An-mei were dwindling. It wasn’t as if her family would be of any constructive help either, even if they did somehow realize the reality of An-mei’s disappearance.
Watching her staff carefully wrap up any leftover food and clear away the chafing dishes, she seized the thought of family to take her mind down safer paths for the time being.
Thank goodness her stepmother hadn’t been there to witness either Maylin making a fool of herself or the cursing to follow. Though with a body like that man had, she rather doubted the big bodyguard ever had to settle for frog-humping, curse or no. When she’d first approached him, she’d not realized just how big he was in the midst of all the milling party-goers. She’d thought he’d been standing on a step or part of a raised stage. Nope. Both his feet had been firmly planted on the same floor as hers and he’d stood head and shoulders over the crowd. It’d taken her by surprise, made her stutter like an idiot.
First impression was key.
A lesson from her mother, her real one. And one she should have kept in mind rather than blowing her last chance to find someone to listen, to help her find An-mei.
“Cleanup is complete, Miss Cheng.” The young man didn’t come within arm’s reach. Not that she’d ever strike out, but her entire catering staff was familiar with how clumsy she could get when distracted. Few ways to be more distracted than humiliating oneself at a high-profile event thrown by one of her best clients. Luckily, no one seemed to have noticed her discomfiture but her own staff, and they were like family. The kind of family a person chose instead of having been born into. When it came to relations by blood, only An-mei had been the family of her heart. Maylin would do anything for her little sister. Anything to get her back.
“Thanks, Charlie. Let’s get out of here and head home, then.” She nodded to one of the venue’s regular security guards and stepped out into the cool night hoping to clear her head.
It must’ve only stopped raining a short while ago. Not a surprise for Seattle. The sidewalk pavement shone silver in the light of the streetlamps, with highlights of green or red from the traffic light at the top of the alley.
“The others left for the train station already. I’ll walk you to your car.” Charlie gave her a lopsided grin.
She shook her head. “No worries. You need to catch the bus, right? Don’t wait for me. I’m parked just up the street anyway. Totally safe.”
“You’re sure?” Charlie’s brows drew together and briefly she flashed back to the way the mercenary’s scowl had darkened his face. A fierce expression—not frightening so much as intimidating—and Charlie couldn’t be more different. What she needed now was more than any of her friends or family could do.
“Yes.” She forced her lips to widen in a smile. “Absolutely.”
Another door opened farther down the alleyway, the venue’s other back exit. Several men and women stepped out, all with the dark suits of the personal security her client had hired. Funny the way Henderson enjoyed flaunting his mercenary security, but they’d carried themselves with better polish and sophistication than the majority of the guests.
Speak of the devil. The man she’d spoken to and his colleagues must be heading home too, wherever it was for each of them. She wondered if they called each other “colleagues” or something more...militant.
“See?” She turned back to Charlie. “I’m not even alone back here. Get going. And if anything happens, I’ll shout to those guys for help.”
Charlie eyed the group dubiously. “Men like those aren’t safe to be around, Miss Cheng. I bet the women aren’t either.”
As if Charlie could do anything against them.
No, that was uncharitable. “Thank you. Really. But I’m sure I’ll be fine. You get yourself on your bus or I’ll have to drive you all the way home.”
She made a shooing gesture to Charlie and after another moment’s hesitation he turned, jogged up the alley to the street and headed for the bus station. She followed at a walk because trying to jog in heels this high was ridiculous. Plus she’d probably trip and break an ankle. An added embarrassment she did not want with those people, with him, behind her.
Maybe in an immediate emergency they’d actually move to action. Or they might just shout the name of a private investigator to her.
Not fair.