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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

“Zhang and Acosta were friendly rivals, but they ran in the same circles here in Vancouver. Head offices for both of their companies were based here.”

“Head offices for most of the world’s mining companies are in Vancouver.” It’s something I remembered from the time I’d been looking into the Zhang family and their business dealings.

“Yes, yes. You’re not going to give me a lecture, are you?”

“You won’t get a lecture from me,” I say. I’m not my sister. “When Ray Zhang was out of the picture, maybe Dao transferred his allegiance to Acosta.”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking,” Lam says. “Maybe Dao was friendly with Acosta—or Acosta’s security. Dao had a reputation as someone who worked his way up to the head of Ray Zhang’s private security detail. Acosta has done business all over Asia, especially in Indonesia. Dao likely knew Acosta, very well.”

“Dao worked for the Zhang family for years. He knew how those kinds of high rollers operated. Knew how to handle their security and the various unsavory aspects of their lives. He was trusted and respected. He would be an asset to any team.”

“He always struck me as a company man,” Lam says. “A soldier for the Zhangs.”

“When we’d first met you told me that he was triad, but how did you know that? Who is he, really?” He shrugs it off, but something jolts my memory. “You said he seemed like a soldier. To me, he had a military bearing. What are the chances that he has some military experience, somewhere in his past?”

“It would make sense. Especially if he worked for someone as high-profile as Ray Zhang.”

“And now Michael Acosta. Now what would a guy like Michael Acosta need a ruthless, loyal soldier for?”

It occurs to me, much later, that I should have brought up Joe Nolan’s death just to gauge the temperature in the room. I don’t see Vidal pushing him onto the rocks, but I would have liked to see his reaction. It’s an opportunity missed because I’ll probably never be in the same room as Vidal again. But I have Michael Acosta, who might be Dao’s new employer. If I—we—can figure out what role he plays in Acosta’s vast empire, there’s a chance we can find him.

Then what? asks a voice in my head.

I tell it to fuck off.

25

The daylight is seeping away when Krista Dennings calls. “I’m on deadline so I don’t have a lot of time, Nora,” she says, as soon as I pick up.

“What’s up?”