Weecho: First Shots

Chapter 10 - Moving the Pieces

A shiny black Escalade pulled up in front of Emer Lynch’s Petoria building. Two large men got out, one going back and opening the rear door for a diminutive Asian man in an expensive suit – Mr. Ming Jay Yoon. The other man held the pet store door open and Yoon stepped inside.    

A myna squawked when Yoon came in, the man’s escorts darting sharp glances at the bird and its feathered and scaley neighbors, at the tanks of strange fish. 

Over at the dog pen, Juna was feeding the Rottweiler puppies. She straightened and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Hi, can I help you?” 

“My name is Yoon. I have an appointment with Mr. Lynch.” 

Juna checked him out – guy putting it on like some midget warlord – glanced at the two big guys and nodded. “Sure, follow me.” 

She put a water bowl in with the puppies and headed for the door in back. 

She led them across the wide storage area, over to where Emer Lynch was talking to the truck driver Crotty. 

Lynch smiled when he spotted his guest. “Ah, Mr. Yoon…” He stepped over and shook Yoon’s hand. “We were just talking about how well it all went.” 

“You got them to where they were going?” 

“Like nothing ever happened. But their people got the point.” 

Yoon nodded. “Hopefully they will see there is a better way to travel.” 

Lynch noticed Juna still standing nearby. “What is it?” 

“The puppies are fed. Should I take them out.” 

“Fine.” 

She started back across the floor. 

Lynch called to her back. “Juna?” 

She stopped and turned around. 

“This is Mr. Yoon. He’s going to be an important friend of ours.” 

Juna gave him a polite smile. “Pleased, I’m sure.” 

Yoon made a stiff little bow. “The pleasure is mine.” 

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They sat facing each other, publisher and this kid from wherever, coffee cups on the table between them. Alexey asked Weecho to start from the beginning, why he’d been at the scene with a camera. Weecho told him about scouting for the grunge band shoot, how he saw this container truck tearing along with the Mercedes right behind it. 

“By the way,” he said, “we know where the container truck is, too.” 

“You’re full of interesting information. That container had dangerous cargo in it.” 

“We saw them.” Maybe that was stretching it, but Weecho knew who had seen them, or at least she’d gotten an eyewitness account. “But they’re gone now.” 

Alexey was looking hard at him. “Do you happen to know where they went?” 

“No, but we can probably find out.” Another stretch. But maybe not, Juna being where she was now. 

Alexey took a sip of coffee. “What’s your part in all this?” 

“I don’t have a part, but I’d like to.” 

“Why?” 

“Lemme ask something. How was Nina Galleon involved?” 

Alexey put his cup down, started to say it wasn’t Weecho’s concern, instead looked over at the big windows, the pricey view. How much did he have to let out here, to this kid he knew next to nothing about, to keep the flow going? “Nina was working undercover. That’s all I can say.”