The Ying on Triad by Kent Conwell Read Free Book Online

her, and I knew exactly
who could take care of it for me.
    As soon as I closed my apartment door behind me, I
called Jack Edney, an old friend with whom I had taught
high school years earlier. The lucky stiff was now living a
life of luxury, having inherited about six million dollars
before taxes. He had invested a portion of the inheritance
in an apartment complex out on Ben White Road near
Highway 290 that led directly to Johnson City.
    Jack owed me. Not only had I been instrumental in his
inheriting the six million instead of only one or two, but he
was also guilty of murdering several of my exotic fish and
causing brain damage in the sole survivor when he had
drunkenly urinated in my aquarium. Oscar, the albino tiger
barb that looked like a copper penny, had swum only in
circles since Jack's assault.
    It's amazing what you can wrangle from people who
owe you. Within five minutes I had arranged a nice apartment for Diane. Naturally, I neglected to tell Jack that
back in Vicksburg she had once had an affair with his
older brother, W. R. She could surprise him with that little tidbit later if she so chose.
    As I replaced the receiver in the cradle I hesitated,
remembering Danny's information regarding the local triads and tongs. On impulse, I called Joe Ray Burros,
my only dependable source with Austin P. D. He was off,
so I called him at home.

    "Hey, Tony. What's going on?"
    "Tell me something, Joe Ray," I said, getting straight to
the point. "What do you know about the Asian triads and
tongs in Austin?"
    He uttered a low curse. "Not much except they hate
each other."
    "How's that?"
    "Well, it's kinda hard to say. They're sort of like social
or business clubs-you know, like the Knights of
Columbus or Masons or clubs like that. They have their
beliefs, and their own way of doing things. I don't understand them. I don't think any white guy understands
them"
    "So? Every culture has its own practices"
    "Yeah, maybe so. But here in Austin, the tongs and triads can't stand each other."
    "Why's that?"
    "Triads, like the one we got here, the Ying On triad, is
allegedly involved in criminal activities. An old Chink
geezer, Lei Sun Huang, is the head honcho. But the tong
is like a fraternal organization. Really, it's more like the
Knights of Columbus or Lions Club than a triad"
    "Fraternal? Bingo and that sort of thing?"
    Joe Ray snorted, "I don't know about bingo, but from
what I hear, it's how they do business. Most of the tongs
are good old boys, like us. As I understand it, the Sing
Leon tong is like our Chamber of Commerce. There are
certain ways to practice business and it's done through the
tong"
    "So, the tongs aren't criminal"
    "Not usually."
    I rolled my eyes. "That's what I like about you, Joe Ray. You know exactly what you're talking about all the
time."

    He chuckled, "Hey, pal no one knows what those
Chinese guys are doing, or what they're talking about any
of the time"
    The phone rang early next morning, just after 6:00. It
was Janice and her voice was snippy. "You don't have to
let that woman stay with you. I have found her an apartment," she emphasized that woman, making the words
sound sleazy.
    I wanted to laugh, but knew better. I played it seriously.
"Why, Janice. That's very decent of you" I contemplated
whether I should tell her arrangements had already been
made or just let her stew.
    Wisdom dictated that I should tell her because if I
didn't, she'd be angry all over again when she found out.
    "But, the truth is, I wasn't about to let Diane stay with
me. I called Jack last night, and he arranged an apartment
for her in his complex west of town, but I do appreciate
your thinking of her."
    Her reply surprised me for up until this incident she
had never been so forthright about her feelings. "I wasn't
thinking of that woman. I was thinking of me"
    For a moment, I was speechless but, finally the words I
was struggling for rolled off my lips. "I was thinking of
you