In the Dragon's Tail

Chapter 4 - Cafe Riquexo

We took the elevator and went down to the ground floor where we found Deng standing idly. His boredom evaporated when he saw the four of us exiting.

"Sir! Good afternoon! Shall I take you somewhere?"

"No need," Jules said, "Relax yourself. We'll take a cab."

"Are you sure, Captain?"

"Yes. Have you taken care of our guest's belongings?"

"Of course. The Major has been booked at the Pousada de Lisboa. Very nice. Ambassador Suite."

I was surprised. "I don't remember booking a hotel, though."

"My orders," replied Jules while hailing a cab. One stopped in front of us and we entered. Mona and Arquiza sat with me in the back while Jules sat in the front, next to the driver.

"Cafe Riquexo, qing he xie xie ni," Jules barked. He turned to me. "Allow me to express my hospitality. It's a good place."

"And the payment?"

"Don't worry. The hotelier is a friend."

"Looks like you're making a lot of connections."

"Every now and then I do private services. There at the Pousada for example. There was an incident there with a Filipino businessman who OD'd on a cocktail of nembutal, fentanyl and ativan. There were two other women struggling for life in the bathtub when he was found. To avoid a scandal, I paid the police and the press hush money before repatriating the body. That's not just a one-time incident. These darned establishments are making a fortune out of me."

"I don't think your pockets are getting any slimmer even if you shower them with cash," I said.

"It's alright. I give them money, I guarantee something back in exchange. Return of investment. That's how I consider it. With such accommodations we can bribe for small favors: news, rumors, what happened with whom..."

"Like what happened with Bonilla?" I asked.

"Like what happened with Bonilla," replied Mona. "2018 was when we first heard his name here. Since then, he has been in-and-out of Macau almost monthly, but sometimes with intervals of six, three months."

Three years ago. Enough time for him to mingle with anyone in Macau. He must've had a reason to travel back-and-forth.

The taxi turned to a small roundabout in the middle of the tall buildings and continued downtown, until we reached another commercial district. Contrary to the high-rise buildings earlier, this area is not far from Manila's Ongpin and Santa Ana: narrow roads filled in both rows with buildings about five stories at the highest. Below these buildings are various neon-lit shops, restaurants, and salons, frequented by people walking on the sidewalk. We stopped on the opposite side of an alley with a large sign that says Cafe Riquexo, a hidden restaurant nestled among the hustle-and-bustle, standing out because of the tables and chairs outside where you can eat al fresco. The restaurant is fancy despite its cramped interior, and its brick walls are adorned with paintings depicting Macau's colonial history. We were greeted by a Filipina waitress who invited us to one of the clean tables. Once we sat, she handed us a menu.

"I'll have a bowl of feijoada and a Coke," said Arquiza.

"I'll have panado camaroes and serradura," said Mona.

I looked at the menu thoughtfully; I don't know anything about these foods at all. Jules seemed to sense my confusion so he pointed to one of the items.

"Try this. Peixe panado con arroz tomate. Breaded fish with tomato rice."

I nodded and ordered it from the waitress, and finally Jules ordered his food as well. "Porco a banho maria with steamed rice. I will also order for all of us. Galinha a africana, extra sauce, and a bowl of beef minchin."

"Okay, Captain Mariano," said the waitress.

I suddenly looked at Jules. "They know you here?"

"Why yes, I eat here often."

"Aren't you even slightly concerned you're known by your real name?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" He chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm just a simple consular officer. Paper-stamper, granted or denied, that's it. Mona here is my secretary, even though she knows more about the area than I do, and Arquiza is my driver."

I just shook my head. "Even so. If word spread that you're Filipino intelligence officers, that's gonna big news. Technically, you're still in China."

Mona answered. "No one'd believe it either way. Third-world country? With spies in China? It's like Bilbo Baggins running around while Smaug sleeps!"

"Another thing," said Arquiza. "Even if they find out we're spies, do you think they'll care? This is a spy's nest, and they all know each other but don't care!"

"How..."

"In Coloane, there's an apartment serving as the CIA's office and safehouse. They make zero effort denying it. Left corner of Avenida de Cinco de Outubro and Largo de Estaleiro."

"Their Station Chief's a big man. Joseph Fulton, former marketing officer of Lockheed-Martin in Europe," replied Jules. "I saw him once in NOVA."

"Here's the ballsy part," Mona interjected. "They're just a bridge away from the Mainland. About three blocks away from them is the MI6 headquarters, and they're both under Ministry of State Security surveillance."

"Nonsense," I said.

"That's true!" Arquiza said. "There are many State Security operatives here. In Taipa, didn't we pass the Ferry Harbor? I'm sure you've seen it. Anyway, in the distance you will see a large yacht just moored still in the middle of the sea, and every night it disappears into nowhere. Not sure if it goes to Hong Kong, or straight to the Mainland."

Jules agreed. "I've seen that too. Even the CIA and the other agencies have. They also suspect State Security. They noticed some small boats going from to-and-from it, straight to the Harbor."

A few moments later, I smelled the enticing aroma of food coming towards us. The waitress brought us our respective plates. Arquiza's food was the most fragrant, a large and deep bowl of feijoada: pork and beef cooked in black beans, topped with slices of chorizo. She then gave me and Mona our plates, which from the smell alone I've identified as both seafood dunked into boiling oil. Mona ordered a serving of fried calamari rings with thick-cut french fries, along with a small goblet of what I eventually found was called serradura: a sherbet of layers and layers of whipped cream and condensed milk, topped with crushed biscuits. I wondered if I should order one too, especially when I smelled the cinnamon, almonds, and coconut on top, but decided to pay attention to the food I chose. Two large slices of breaded fish with an equally large bowl of red rice. I sliced a morsel from the fish, tasted it, and immediately discovered it to be cod, tender and marinated in spices. I tasted it again, but this time accompanied it with a spoonful of the rice, and fell in love with the combination of its flavors.

Jules smiled while looking at my face. "I told you, right?"

"Yes. The best. What are you eating?"

"Ah," he said while showing his plate. "Fried pork fat. I will eat it with rice."

We began to eat, however, after a while, I broke the silence to ask the questions that I came here for.

"Let's go back to Bonilla," I said with my mouth full. "How did you know he's missing?"

"I was the first to hear the news," said Arquiza. "It was initially about the fire in his house. Not only was the fire isolated to his house, we also had no immediate report that he was here."

"Didn't anyone alert you that he's here?"

"No one," said Mona. "Mainly because he uses a different name to enter here. Apart from the first time he came here in 2018 using his real name, he uses a different name every time. He's used about six names so far. Top of my head: Jason Robert Gallardo, Jose Maria Ocampo, Kurt Mallari, I can't remember the others. He used the first one most recently."

"So you can't trace his entry in real time?"

"Sadly, no. We'll only know about it a day or two after he lands here, and by that time he's already free to move out-and-about. But whenever we find out that he's here, we follow him immediately."

"Doesn't he have bodyguards?"

"No. That's why we tail him. When he arrives, he doesn't bring anyone with him."

"That's a massive red flag already. And how did you know he was missing?"

"From my people too. I swept all the places that he frequents. We haven't found even the slightest hint of where he could be. That's when we alerted you two days ago."

"Let's go back to his apartment. When you went there, what did you find?"

"When I got there, the house was cordoned off. I was about to break in to investigate, until I noticed a lot of Chinese men hanging around the perimeter."

"Police?"

"Not sure. Maybe plainclothes. But we think they're Zhi Ling Dao's people."

I looked at Jules. "Zhi Ling Dao?"

Jules opened his mouth to answer me when suddenly the waitress returned with more food. She placed on the table a whole fried chicken chopped into pieces and smothered with a red sauce that smelled of mixed chilies. Jules reached for the plate and took the wing, then placed it on my plate. I tore a bit off it with my fingers and smeared it in the bright sauce and ate it, and it scorched my mouth with how hot and spicy it was. Jules then scooped a large spoonful of ground meat onto my plate: it looked like a crushed hamburger with chopped onions, topped with a sunny side egg. I smelled the dish - beef minchi as Jules ordered it - finely minced beef sauteed in onion and Worcestershire sauce.

Jules looked pleased, as if it was an achievement for him to introduce my appetite to the local culture. He took some minchi and put it on his plate to eat with his rice, and he explained to me about the new name that I had just heard.

"Zhi Ling Dao," he said as he looked up at the light. "Macau's most enduring kingpin. Come on, think of an illegal business you can get into. Gambling, prostitution, drugs. He is the head of all that here in Macau. Everyone else trying their hand, they're just the tentacles. He's also on the Ministry's list, but until now he's still free."

He showed a picture of a man, at least fifty years old, but still looking strong and fierce, as if there was malice lurking behind his gentle smile. He is shown standing in the middle of a banquet and dressed up in some sort of celebration, as if he had just won eight figures at the baccarat table or chemin de fer. As I stared for a long time I realized that such occurrences may not have been far from the truth.

"And? What does he have to do with Bonilla?"

"When Bonilla first came here, he stayed for about... six? Seven months? All throughout that duration he was in-and-out of the Diamond Dragon Hotel and Casino." He took the folder out of his messenger bag and opened it to show me a picture of a huge casino near the sea, illuminated by yellow lights from below to make it look even more majestic. "That hotel also belongs to Zhi. I've checked in there a couple times, simple surveillance and what have you. Good food. Good service. But more than that, it's a good place to see a who's who of Asia's criminal empires."

"You don't say."

"Indeed. I even found out they visit by season. All year-round, there are of course Chinese people who are on the wanted lists of various countries. April to let's say June, July, all Caucasians in suits. Russian Mafia. Trafficking? Arms deals? Can't really say. September to January next year, Yakuza season. Must be cold in Japan."

"And you suspect that in some way Bonilla was involved with them?"

"Ha. Do I even need to suspect? A man with a history of being a drug informant, flying abroad without protection under a different name?"

"And so you're suspecting this Zhi Ling Dao guy to be the one behind Bonilla's disappearance?"

"More than likely, Major. Even if, let's say, Bonilla was simply getting in touch with Zhi to get drugs, but Zhi found out that he used to be a government informant, he wouldn't have hesitated getting rid of Bonilla. How, or what happened after, that's what we don't know. As far as we know right now, he's the biggest lead we're seeing, and there's only two leads we have."

"Two? Who's the other one?"

Jules opened his folder again to show me a picture of a woman: tanned, slim and unbelievably beautiful. She's looking far off in the distance and even though the quality of the picture is terrible - it was obviously taken quickly from a distance - her ravishing features were all captured in detail. She was facing slightly to the left, wearing a tight red cheongsam which highlighted her ample breasts. Her expression was anxious, and her slanted eyes were narrowed, while her red, thin lips seemed to be drawn along with her sharp nose.

"Stephanie Saw. Bonilla's girlfriend. As you can see, he knows how to choose his women."

I stared at the picture even more, and I let the silence continue. "And do you have any form of contact with her?"

"No," said Arquiza. "But I know where she lives. Rua de Felicidade, a short walk from the consulate. She rents a small house there. Bonilla also used to stay there sometimes. But since he disappeared, we have not been able to see that girl anymore. Everyday we have our men hanging around there to observe, but we haven't been able to see anyone."

So, Bonilla is not the only one missing. I don't want to confuse this situation any further and include Stephanie's disappearance, but it is obviously related to Bonilla's case as well. "Known relatives? Places of employment?"

Mona answered. "Nothing, Major. I have done a background check on her, no leads have been brought up as to where she is from, or if she has any relatives. As for employment, she's a, well..."

"Yes, Mona, what is she?"

"Escort, Major," Jules intervened. "She lives off by being what you would call an 'escort'. High class clients too, from what I've gathered."

"Gathered? In what way?"

"Hey! It's not what you're thinking!" Jules said blushing while I laughed.

"You guys. What's wrong with that? Girl's trying to live. You can't give her s**t for how she does it."

I looked at the pictures of these two people, Zhi Ling Dao and Stephanie Saw, while I finished my plate. Afterwards, I leaned on the table with both of my hands tightly together, and thought of a way on how to start.

"Gentlemen. Lady. Thank you for briefing me regarding this. Looks like we really are just about to start to progress with this case. And, well, I can't blame you, can't I? If you're gonna ask me, this is too much of a risky work to handle, which shouldn't have happened if not for a fool running amuck as if no one's out for his head."

"You don't say," Mona remarked, much to Jules and Arquiza's laughter.

"But," I continued. "Tomorrow I myself will begin investigating Bonilla's disappearance. Nel, tomorrow, seven o'clock in the morning, I'll pick you up at the consulate."

Arquiza smiled widely. "That's what I'm looking forward to from you, Major!"

"Wait a minute," Jules said as he pointed to the two pictures on the table. "Don't tell me you're going to Diamond Dragon right away to find Zhi?"

"What? No. Tomorrow, we're going to Rua da Felicidade to first investigate Stephanie. Let's go one at a time, starting with the one closest to Bonilla."

"Didn't Luinel say that his people haven't seen her at her house? How can you be sure that she will be there on the exact day, time and place you'll be going?"

I looked at Jules and smiled arrogantly. "Instincts, Captain. I rarely rely on instinct. But when I do, I'm never wrong." I finished the cold Sprite in front of me in one gulp and belched. "Actually, half the time, to be honest. But I'm known to take on my chances."