Chapter Twenty-Six

The police sergeant at the front desk looked up to see a little Chinese man waiting, standing patiently in front of the desk right in front of a giant of a man. "Can I help you?"

"I here meet Missa Adam Cartlight. Name Hop Sing. He say to meet here."

"Who are you?" the sergeant asked, poking his chin at the man standing behind Hop Sing.

"I'm with him," he said, nodding at Hop Sing. "Name's Hoss Cartwright."

"Just what we need. Another Cartwright. Come on," said the sergeant, motioning for Hop Sing and Hoss to follow him. They walked into a back room where there was a row of cells. "Cartwright, you have visitors."

Adam, who had been lying on the cot facing the wall for most of the last two days, turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse of Hop Sing. In one smooth motion, he rolled and stood, then quickly walked to the bars of his cell. "Hop Sing, I'm glad you're here. Hoss," he said, nodding.

"Missa Adam, what you do?"

"Yeah, Adam. How come you're in jail?"

"I lost my temper."

"You lose temper all time."

"Well, the chief of police was the recipient this time."

As if on cue Chief Curtis entered the jail. "Cartwright, are you calm enough to leave that cell?" Adam stood silently, glaring. "Look, I understand why you're so angry, but it's not doing you any good. The way I figure it, the only hope you have of finding your wife is finding out who bought her. Maybe then you can find out where she is. I'll let you out if you'll stay civil, but if you cause any trouble in my city, you'll find yourself back in this cell." Adam flared his nostrils, but nodded agreement, and the chief unlocked the cell door.

"This Chinaman a friend of yours?"

"More like family," Adam answered.

"And what about him?" asked the chief, pointing to Hoss.

"My brother, Hoss."

The chief turned to address Hoss. "Horse…"

"No sir. It's Hoss. Just plain Hoss."

"Well, Hoss, you keep your brother out of trouble. I don't need any of you causing a ruckus in Chinatown."

"Don't worry, sir. You won't be seein' us again," said Hoss, putting his hand on Adam's back, lightly pushing him toward the door.

After Adam picked up his gun and hat, they walked out and stood on the stoop of the police station. "Adam, you look terrible. When's the last time you had somethin' to eat?" Adam's bloodshot eyes looked at him stonily. "Come on. "Let's find a place to sit down and talk," said Hoss, putting his hand across Adam's shoulders, hoping he could talk Adam into eating something. From Adam's demeanor, he knew Adam didn't have good news to tell him, but it wouldn't do any good if he got too weak from not eating.

Hoss knew that the only places they could sit and eat with Hop Sing would be in Chinatown. They took a carriage that stopped a block away, not daring to try to drive down the crowded street. Hop Sing led them to a restaurant owned by one of his cousins. He spoke quietly in Cantonese to the host, who led them through the restaurant to a private room in the back. The man sent a young Chinese girl out of the room while he continued to speak with Hop Sing. Soon, the Chinese girl was back with two other girls bringing drinks, and several plates of food. After they set the table, they bowed and left, closing the door behind them.

"A girl with one green eye, and one yellow eye. Have you heard anything?" asked Hop Sing.

"Come. We will speak with the Tong," said Hop Sing's cousin.

Hop Sing turned to Hoss. "You stay. Eat. Hop Sing be back soon."

Hoss prepared a plate of chow mein and dumplings, passed the plate to Adam, then prepared one for himself. "Adam, you ain't gonna do anybody any good if you fall over. Now eat." Hoss glared at him. "I ain't askin'."

Adam moved his glassy gaze to Hoss, studied him for a moment, then sat up and picked up a set of chopsticks.

"Tell me what you've been able to find out," said Hoss.

"All I know is that she was sold, that she brought the highest price in the history of Chinatown, and she was taken from San Francisco for parts unknown."

"Sounds like you're talkin' about livestock."

Adam glared at him, wearing an expression of something between a frown and disgust.

Hoss sighed. "Sorry, Adam. I didn't mean nothin' by it. But if that's true, we'll find out soon," said Hoss. Hop Sing's family'll be able to tell us more than the police."

Adam had managed to get some food in his stomach, but he abruptly dropped his chopsticks, then propped his elbows on the table, holding his face in his hands. "Hoss, do you have any idea what they'll do to her? What they'll keep doing to her? She'll be paraded around for men to gawk at. She'll be used as a bribe for favors."

Adam shot up out of his chair, turning to a wall, leaning his head against it. He punched the wall. "I have to find her," he whispered.

Hoss sat back in his chair, having no words to offer for comfort. The thought that anyone could do that to a woman, especially a woman who belonged to another man, made him sick to his stomach. He wasn't so naive that he didn't know that it happened. But this was Rebecca. This was too close to home. This is what despair felt like, and if he was feeling it, he was sure Adam was in Hell.