Chapter 4

Nancy woke a bit later than usual. She had read a lot more of her mother’s diary. It turned out that Nancy’s mom had some competition for her dad. It was Lilian’s mom but she suddenly went for Lilian’s dad when he moved into the city. That left her mother with her father. It was obvious from her diary that she wasn’t going to let him change his mind about her as a real woman.

Soon her mother’s notes related how her father was making love to her as often as they could. Yes, she became pregnant and he married her. Her dad had gone to college and became an attorney before they met. Nancy read that just after she was born her mother had found her own mother’s diary. Nancy’s mother, Wilma had been surprised that her mother, Sara had not been a virgin when she married. A very nice man ended up marrying her. Wilma was born ‘prematurely’. Sara had found her father’s notes about his missing wife and sister-in-law. It was a time when women believed they could do anything as good or better than men. She thought it wouldn’t take her long to find them since they were living in the city in which the two women had disappeared.

Wilma wrote that it was her turn to try but she was going to be very cautious. The diary had also noted how her best friend had been suffering without a baby. Somehow Nancy’s father had been induced to give it a go. To somehow balance things out her best friend’s husband got into Nancy’s mother’s nickers. It was easy to tell that it had upset her relationship with her friend and her husband.

For several months Wilma searched the area where a suspicious Oriental import/export business was located. Nancy’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the address. It was the same as the theater. So something had happened since that time. But Wilma decided that a more direct approach to her investigation was necessary. She had viewed the comings and goings of the owner, a Mr. Chan, for some time. It was not unusual to see a small boat unload goods for Mr. Chan’s business at the dock of the river in back of the store. Sometimes the boat received goods from Mr. Chan. Most of these exchanges occurred after dusk toward the early morning hours. Nothing that could be used to arrest anybody but Wilma didn’t like it.

Wilma boldly went in and asked Mr. Chan for a job. He led her to his office and asked her to sit down. His smiling face covered his real intentions. First he wanted to seduce the white American woman. It was easy to see that she had taken her marriage ring off. Was this because she was divorced or was she still married? That status didn’t really matter to his short term goals for her. No, but if she was married his long term goals might be compromised. He was a very practical man when it came to saving his skin. So his first decision was easily made. He hired her as a clerk and receptionist. He explained in poor english that the girl he had before had quit to marry a boy friend. He had not had time to advertise for a new clerk so she was lucky.