The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,12

to be certain because the young woman was very thin. Her too-large dress hung limply around her body, doing very little to conceal a bruise on her shoulder and scratches along her arms.

Miss Culbertson approached her with careful steps. “We’re from the mission home. You sent for us?”

Ah Cheng translated, and the Chinese girl looked from Officer Riordan to Dolly and Miss Culbertson. Slowly the girl uncurled her clenched fist to reveal a scrap of red cloth.

“She will come,” Ah Cheng announced, her voice triumphant.

Miss Culbertson extended her hand, but the Chinese girl didn’t move. Instead she rattled off several phrases in Chinese.

Ah Cheng translated quickly. “She has valuables with her mistress. Some jewelry. She wants to bring them.”

Dolly wanted to tell the young woman no. Shouldn’t they hurry out of this dank place? She could hear the other two officers pacing outside, and someone shouted in the distance. What if the Chinese mistress retaliated?

Dolly was doing everything she could not to gag, not to flee this horrible room. She already wanted to scrub her hands with soap and rub these images of filth from her eyes.

“All right,” Miss Culbertson said in a soft tone. “Tell her we will go with her to get her belongings.”

Once Ah Cheng had translated, the young woman shook her head vigorously. “My mistress has them, and—”

They were interrupted by a man unlocking the door to the room from the outside. He burst through the doorway. He was Chinese, and evidently the owner of the place, if the angry flush on his face was any indication. “You cannot be here,” he barked, glowering at Miss Culbertson. He glanced at Riordan, but didn’t seem to care about the broken window. Instead, he turned to the young woman and issued a sharp reprimand in Chinese.

The young woman replied in a meek tone, and the Chinese master stepped toward Miss Culbertson, who didn’t shy away from his aggressive stance. “She cannot prove she has jewelry,” he said in clipped English. “These mui tsai lie. She no good. Look at her. Pitiful prostitute.”

Even if the young woman didn’t understand all the harsh words said about her, the words felt like a slap to Dolly. Who was this man to call the girl names?

Miss Culbertson only tilted her head, keeping her gaze steady on the man. “You are the one who took away her dignity, sir. You care only about the money she can bring you, no matter the cost to her life.”

The man’s face darkened another shade of red. His mouth worked, and his glance darted to Riordan. At that moment, the other two officers crouched at the broken window, making their presence known. The Chinese man glowered at them, then turned to the trembling girl and began berating her in Chinese. Ah Cheng did not translate his words.

“That’s enough,” Miss Culbertson said, her tone steely.

The owner grabbed the girl’s arm and shoved her against the wall, then pointed a finger at Miss Culbertson. “You stop talking, woman. You will pay for this.”

Officer Cook was through the window in a flash. He backed up the Chinese man against the wall without even touching him. His towering demeanor was enough.

Green joined them too and stood between the women and the Chinese owner.

The Chinese man lifted his hands in surrender and moved toward the open door, his expression twisted in rage.

Dolly was rooted to the ground, her stomach ready to heave, either from the awful smell, or in anticipation of someone getting hurt.

But nothing in Miss Culbertson’s demeanor shifted. It was as if she hadn’t been fazed at all. She simply told the young Chinese woman, through the interpreter, “Come with us now, before he tries to stop you. We will inquire about your property later.”

The young woman’s wide, dark eyes shifted from her owner to Miss Culbertson. Then she nodded, moved to her bed, and scrambled for something beneath the soiled scrap of a blanket. She brought out a round picture frame and clutched it to her chest. Her nod told them she was ready to go. One item was all she would take to begin her new life. Sounds erupted from within the depths of the house—someone shouting and someone else crying. But the Chinese girl didn’t seem interested in turning around, and she climbed out the window with the help of Ah Cheng.

The cool night air was a godsend after the foulness of the basement room.

The police officers abandoned the mess they’d made, and their group moved quickly.