Chapter 3 - A Name From the Past

The detective introduced herself as Dana Ruiz and took Lily to a quiet room at the precinct.

"You recognized the woman in that photograph," Ruiz said.

Lily placed the picture on the table. "That's my mother."

"Name?"

"Mei Chen."

Ruiz made a note. "And the boy?"

"That's me."

"You were younger."

"Twelve. Maybe thirteen."

"Who took the picture?"

"I don't know."

Ruiz turned the photograph over. "What does Harbor mean to you?"

"Nothing."

"Think carefully."

Lily stared at the handwriting. Her mother had used blue ink for grocery lists, birthday cards, and the notes she tucked into Lily's lunchbox. The letters looked familiar, but the message did not.

"My mother worked in a hotel," Lily said. "She died in a car accident when I was seventeen. I don't know anything about Harbor."

"Did she ever work for Victor Castellano?"

"No."

"Did she ever mention him?"

"Never."

Ruiz watched her face. "You moved to the city six weeks ago. You applied at Castellano's three weeks ago. Before that, you worked at a diner in Queens."

Lily stiffened. "How do you know that?"

"We did a background check after tonight's incident. You have a clean record. No arrests. No weapons permits. No military service."

"Then why are you looking at me like I'm lying?"

"Because you put a six-foot-eight man on the floor in under five seconds."

Lily looked down at her hands.

"My father taught me how to fall," she said. "He said if someone bigger grabbed you, you had to make the ground your friend."

"Your father?"

"Daniel Chen. He died when I was little."

Ruiz closed the folder. "Lily, that man is known as Mason Rourke. He's been linked to three contract killings. He didn't come to rob the restaurant. He came with a specific target."

"Victor."

"That's what it looks like."

"Then why did he have my mother's photograph?"

Ruiz had no answer.

A knock sounded. An officer entered and handed the detective a phone.

"Detective, the man from the restaurant asked for a lawyer. Before that, he gave us a message."

Ruiz listened, then looked at Lily.

"What message?"

The officer hesitated. "He said, 'Tell the Chen girl the harbor clock is running.'"

Lily's mouth went dry.

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