A/N: I want to give a special thanks to WhiteKingdomAngel for your help with all the Chinese translations! You are so awesome! Oh, and I put all the English translations at the bottom of the chapter for all those who don't speak any Chinese (except, I'm sure, for all you Browncoats who have learned all the curse words...)
Chapter 10:
That same day, Cartwright's apartment was swarming with officers. Ryan and Esposito were down in the restaurant, trying to get the owner, also the suspect's landlady, to answer their questions.
"How's it going down here?" Beckett asked when she and Mal came downstairs.
"Oh, it's going great," said Esposito. "Aside from the fact that the person we're trying to question only speaks Chinese."
"So get one of the others here to help translate," said Kate.
"No one's admitting to understanding us," said Ryan. "Even though there are a few that seem to be looking at us like they do. I think they're just annoyed that we forced them to close up early."
Kate sighed and raised her arms in an attempt to get attention. "Listen up," she called out. "This is a serious matter. If anyone speaks English, I need you to come forward. Not doing so could be construed as hindering a police investigation."
All eyes were on Kate, but the room was silent, until Mal suddenly decided to step forward. "You know, I can speak Chinese," he said, hesitantly raising his hand.
"You speak Chinese?" Kate asked, incredulous.
"Yeah," said Mal.
"Well, then go right ahead," said Kate, motioning for Mal to step forward.
Mal came to sit across from the landlady, Mrs. Chen, who was seated at one of the tables. She didn't seem too happy about all the commotion.
"Zǎoshang hǎo, Chén tàitài," said Mal. "Wǒ de míngzì shì ruì kè chéngbǎo."
"Zǎo ān," she said tersely.
"Zhè shì yīgè kěài de wéijīn nǐ chuān," he said.
"Xièxiè," she said, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "Wǒ de nǚér duì wǒ lái shuō."
"Tā fēicháng yǒu cáihuá. Nǐ yīnggāi gǎndào zìháo."
"Wǒ. Tā shìgè hǎo gūniang." Mrs. Chen smiled, letting Mal know that now she would be more compliant.
"Wǒmen hěn bàoqiàn yào zhànyòng nǐ de shíjiān zhème duō," Mal said. "Dàn wǒmen zhǐshì duì zhānmǔsī kǎtè lài tè de yīxiē wèntí. Nǐ néng gàosu wǒmen guānyú tā de dōngxi?"
"Tā duì zūjīn běn yuè xiàxún; suīrán, tā de tōngcháng shíjiān, suǒyǐ wǒ ràng tā huá. Tā xǐhuan fù xiànjīn. Tā shì yīgè fēicháng ānjìng de rén."
"Castle, what is she saying to you?" Kate interrupted.
"Tā zhīfù de xiànjīn ma?" Mal asked, paying no attention to Kate. "Nǐ zhīdào tā de shēnghuó yīyàng ma?"
"Wǒ rènwéi tā shìgè yóudìyuán..." Mrs. Chen answered. "Dàn tā tígōng de, wǒ bù zhīdào."
"Chú zūjīn wài, nǐ fāxiàn shénme qíguài de?" Mal asked her.
"Ń..." she considered. "Yǒu yīgè qíguài de rén, dào zuìhòu yīzhōu lái yǔ tā shuōhuà. Tā kàn zhe chuānzhuó tǐmiàn de hé hǎo, suǒyǐ wǒ bù zhīdào tā wèishéme zài zhèlǐ jǔ háng huìyì."
"Castle!" Kate said through gritted teeth, trying to get Mal's attention again.
"Sorry, yeah?" Mal said, turning to her.
"What's she saying?" Kate asked again.
"Apparently," he explained. "Cartwright is some sort of delivery boy who likes to pay his rent in cash. He was late in his payment this month, though. But the best part is that he seems to have had a mysterious visitor stop by his place the other week."
"Ask her if she knows of any of Cartwright's friends?" Kate instructed him. "Somebody he might crash with while he lays low."
"Nǐ zhīdào rúguǒ yǒu rènhé mìqiè kǎtè lài tè xiānshēng xiàng shi? Rènhé nǐ jiàn guò shuí yòng le hěnduō ne?"
"Zhè shì wǒ jiàn guò guòlái dàitì tā de nǚrén bù shǎo zuìjìn, yīgè niánqīng de hēi fǎ."
"Nǐ zhīdào tā de míngzì?" Mal asked.
"Duìbùqǐ, méiyǒu."
"Looks like Jimmy-boy has a girlfriend," Mal explained to Kate.
At that point, one of the officers checking the apartment came down to show Kate a picture of the suspect with a young brunette. "We think her name is Heather Donovan," the officer explained.
"All right," said Kate. "Let's find Heather."
"Xièxiè nín de shíjiān, Chén tàitài," Mal said to Mrs. Chen. "Ér yíhàn de rènhé bùbiàn."
"Méi wèntí," she said.
Inara nodded politely to the doorman as she walked past into the lobby of the Manhattan condo building. There was a bored looking man at the front desk that, as soon as he spotted Inara, straightened his posture.
"May I help you?" he asked Inara.
"I hope so," Inara said. "I'm looking for M... Richard Castle."
"Are you a friend?" he asked.
"You could say that."
"If you'll just wait one moment, I'll phone upstairs." Inara smiled in response. The man picked up the phone and waited for a few moments before returning it to the receiver. "I'm sorry, but no one seems to be at home."
"That's all right," said Inara. "If you just tell me what floor they live on-"
"I'm sorry," he said. "But you'll have to wait down here. You say you're a friend, but perhaps you are actually a persistent fan. You understand how it is...?"
"Persistent fan?" said Inara chuckled. "Hardly."
"Mr. Castle's books are very popular, especially among women."
"His books? Inara asked, disbelieving. "He's an author?"
"Have you been living on another planet?" asked the man.
"I... Well..." Inara stammered, too confused for her own good. Luckily, she didn't have to explain herself because Alexis had just walked through the door.
"Excuse me, Miss," the man called out to her. Alexis stopped and turned.
"This lady here says she knows your father," he explained.
"You know my dad?" Alexis asked Inara.
It took a moment for Inara to answer. She brought her hands to her mouth in shock and excitement. This was Mal's daughter! Inara studied her petite figure, alabaster skin, and long red hair neatly kept in a pony tail. She inexplicably had to hold back her own tears. But she quickly composed herself.
"Yes," she answered. If there was a slight twinge to her voice, it went unexamined. "I knew him a very long time ago. My name is Inara Serra."
"Well," Alexis said. "He should be back soon, if you'd like to come up with me and wait?"
"That would be lovely," Inara smiled.
"Great," Alexis said cheerfully, guiding Inara to the elevators. Inara followed behind Alexis, taking in everything she could about the girl who unknowingly kept Mal rooted to his new home, a place of ancient myth and legend, a planet slowly headed for destruction.
English translations in order of dialogue:
"Good morning, Mrs Chen. My name is Rick Castle."
"Good morning."
"That's a lovely shawl you're wearing."
"Thank you. My daughter made it for me."
"She's very talented. You should be proud."
"I am. She's a good girl."
"We're sorry to be taking up so much of your time, but we just have some questions about James Cartwright. Can you tell us anything about him?"
"He's late with the rent this month; though, he's usually on time, so I've let it slide. He likes to pay in cash. He's a very quite man."
"He pays in cash? Do you know what he does for a living?"
"I think he's a delivery man... But what he delivers, I'm not sure."
"Other than the rent, have you noticed anything strange?"
"Well... there was a strange man that came by last week to speak with him. He looked respectable and well dressed, so I wondered why he was meeting here."
(After Mal explains to Kate):
"Do you know if Mr. Cartwright has any close acquaintances? Anyone who you've seen him with a lot?"
"Well, there is this woman I've seen come around to his place quite a lot recently, a young brunette."
"Do you know her name?"
"Sorry, no."
(After the officer speaks to Kate):
"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Chen. And sorry for any inconvenience."
"That's all right."