The Jade Garden (The Barrington Patch Book 2) by Emmy Ellis (reading diary txt) 📗

So much for not having money lying around. Li Jun couldn’t put this in the bank. Such large amounts might raise questions and eyebrows. He slid it across and hid it beneath the counter, his blood going cold at the enormity of what he was doing. “Thank you.”

A loud knocking came from the kitchen, startling him.

“That’ll be the delivery.” Lenny gestured to the hatch. “I’ll come through, shall I?”

Li Jun couldn’t say no anyway, but again, he was happy at the level of respect. He raised the hatch, still clutching the chopsticks in one hand, and stepped back so Lenny could come through. Nuwa opened the kitchen door, pressing her body to it as a prop. She smiled away as if they weren’t involved in bad things, like she’d been born into this way of life.

“Chuffed with the flat?” Lenny asked, all jovial. “If you need owt else up there, you just let me know. Likewise with any kitchen equipment.” He went into the cooking area and sniffed. “I’ll buy me and my missus a curry after. Smells well mint, that does.”

He walked over to the back door, drew the bolt across the top, and opened up. Li Jun followed, as did Nuwa, and they stood beside each other, staring at a big man in dark clothing, his width filling the frame so formidably that Li Jun swallowed. His eyes were near black, deep-set, his hair the same shade, shorn close to his scalp so his skin was on show. Muscles sat upon muscles, turning him into a package as large as a barn.

Li Jun blushed at his exaggerated thought and nodded at him in greeting.

The newcomer entered, a bulging navy-blue holdall in hand, and he kicked the door closed behind him. It banged shut from a suck of wind, Nuwa jumping, and Li Jun held her fingers tight, placing the chopsticks down on the steel work surface next to him.

“This is Glen Maddock, what’s known as my right hand.” Lenny patted the man on the shoulder. “I trust him with my life, so you should trust him an’ all. He’s the middle man who’ll deliver the drugs from the supplier for now. If he’s in The Donny in my place for receiving the takings, you can hand it to him. Same if Joe Wilson’s there, or my wife, Francis. Joe’s the bloke I was at the bar with the night we met—remember him?”

Li Jun nodded.

“This is Francis.” Lenny took his wallet out and flipped it open to show a picture behind a plastic window of a beautiful brown-haired woman holding a redheaded child. “Now, Joe and Francis, they won’t ever be there unless me and Glen are held up, but I wanted you to be aware of who you could hand the dosh to other than me. Anyroad, I’ll always text you if there’s a change of plans.” He smiled at Glen. “Supplier all right, pal?”

Glen sniffed much like Lenny had done earlier. “That smells right handsome.” He poked a finger towards the pot of curry sauce simmering. “And yeah, he’s fine. The chain’s intact—I had to ask him, seeing as we need regular packages.”

Li Jun supposed he meant the supply chain, but that was none of his business. His part in this was to hand over the little bags, take the money, then give Lenny the proceeds.

“Magic.” Lenny bent and opened the holdall. “I take it everything’s there.”

“I wouldn’t have left his place if it wasn’t,” Glen said, a little gruff. He scooped up the holdall handles. “In the fridge, is it?”

Lenny smiled. “Yep.”

Glen disappeared into the office, and Li Jun swallowed again. His throat had gone tight, his stomach lurching. Glen scared him somewhat.

Lenny opened his wallet again and produced forty pounds. “Three chicken curries, chicken fried rice, two plain noodles, and a couple of portions of spring rolls—bag up one lot for Glen. Keep the change.” He winked.

Much as Li Jun wanted to dislike this man, what with him being a drug dealer, amongst other nefarious things, he couldn’t help but like him and look upon him as their saviour.

Like Nuwa had said this morning, Lenny was a god amongst men.

* * * *

The week following that first delivery had seen many folks coming in for extra salt and herbs. The takeaway orders had gone through the roof, swelling Li Jun and Nuwa’s personal coffers, and they’d earnt enough to pay for a whole month of food supplies instead of him ordering bits and bobs as they ran low. Handing the little bags over had been terrifying at first, although Nuwa behaved as though it were the most normal thing on the planet. Maybe she told herself they really did contain salt and herbs.

His wife had the family reunion as a goal, and that spurred her on to do whatever Lenny wanted. She had him high on a pedestal and wouldn’t hear of Li Jun casting doubt on him. So Li Jun remained secretly wary and would until he trusted Lenny completely. It wasn’t for Li Jun to question how the leader kept the residents from blabbing about the gear, but he suspected threats were involved, ones where he told them they’d ‘disappear’ if news ever wormed its way into the wrong ears.

He’d told Li Jun the same during that first encounter in The Donny.

Six months had passed since they’d stepped inside the Jade, and Zhang Wei and his wife now helped in the kitchen. What a relief to have another cook.

They employed a babysitter to mind the kids and occupied one of Lenny’s high-rise flats. Li Jun had paid for all the furniture. After all, he had those grands which had accumulated, hidden beneath his and Nuwa’s double bed inside a holdall much like the one the drugs arrived in.

Zhang Wei had