Last Violent Call (Secret Shanghai, #3.5)(29)

“It is very much not,” he countered firmly when he had gotten ahold of himself. “The scales tipped too far when we were younger. This is a slow restoration of justice.”

“And at what point are the scales entirely restored?”

“Never.” In a sudden swoop, Roma employed his favorite tactic, grabbing her by the waist and picking her up to the sound of her squeal. “You are stuck with me and utter contentment for all of time and beyond.”



* * *



The next day, Juliette took her shopping basket to the open market. She wandered around the fish at a leisurely pace, peering at each display before finally pointing to a smaller one at the back, waiting for the stall owner to wrap it up and weigh the catch.

The fall season was fully shedding its skin. Though the weeping willows that leaned over the canals would stay green year-round, they were thinning significantly, leaves dropping into the water and running along the currents like miniature canoes. Juliette walked home with her basket swinging, watching the blue sky deepen into the color of high noon.

She hadn’t been planning to stop by Mrs. Fan’s house, but as she passed by, her elderly neighbor poked her head out the window.

“Mai tàitài, I saw the postman knocking at your door before. He set your mail on the front stoop.”

“Oh?” she said, pausing outside Mrs. Fan’s window. “My husband has been home all morning.”

“To be very fair, he knocked for less than a few seconds before setting off.”

Juliette shook her head. Classic. “I will fetch it. Yulun and Mila are well?”

“They are dearies. Come over for dinner tonight. I am making hóngshāo ròu.”

“How could I possibly say no to that?” Juliette resumed walking, stepping onto the bridge to cross the canal. “See you soon, Fan nǎinai.”

Juliette trekked to the other side, walking the thin path to the front door carefully, then bending over to pick up the mail on the stoop. The envelopes looked like the usual reports they got from their eyes in the city. Jiemin liked sending letters instead of making phone calls. He claimed it was harder to get caught when he was mostly working undercover for the Nationalists.

Juliette pushed through the door. Inside, Roma was sitting at the desk, a beam of sunlight shining against the side of his face while he concentrated on a balance sheet.

“Hello, my love.”

Roma silently inclined his cheek toward her without taking his eyes away from his math, asking for a greeting kiss. Juliette leaned in, making a dramatic sound upon contact.

“Oh my goodness,” Roma complained, jolting in his seat. “That was such a wet kiss.”

“It is your punishment.” She set the basket and envelopes down, then perched on the edge of the desk so that she was facing him. “Not even a hello for your own wife. Have you no shame?”

He dropped his pen, grabbed her wrists, and pulled her onto his lap, his attention fixed on her properly now.

“Stop trying to pick a fight,” he said. When he leaned closer, his breath was hot against her jaw. “I see right through your trickster ways.”

“Just one fight,” Juliette returned, accepting that she had been caught out. “You love screaming at me.”

“Lies.” A glint appeared in his eye. He seemed to consider it briefly, if for no other reason than to amuse themselves through the day, but then his gaze moved to what she had brought in.

Juliette looked at the envelopes too. “They got left outside.”

“Messages from the city, I’m assuming?” he asked. While Juliette hopped off his lap, taking the shopping basket and putting its contents into the kitchen, Roma reached for the envelopes. Flipped through them.

“Juliette, what is this?”

He held up one of the envelopes. A fish clutched in her hands, Juliette turned around in curiosity.

The front of the envelope was entirely blank. Juliette hastened over again, still gripping the fish.

“Open it.”

“There is a fish in my face, dorogaya.”

“Ignore the fish and open it.”

Roma opened the envelope. Out fluttered a slip of paper, penned in Russian.


I told you there would be consequences. I am the only one who can help you now.



For a long moment, Juliette and Roma both stared at the words, uncomprehending. The moment that Roma shouted aloud, Juliette pivoted fast too, hurrying to set the fish into the icebox in the kitchen, washing her hands and shaking water everywhere.

They had been waiting for more hired men to show up, hopeful that they could garner some answers and stop the facility from coming after Mila. But this address change had summoned Mr. Pyotr directly.

“It’s only two o’clock,” Juliette exclaimed. “The postman is most definitely still in the area. He must have some firm answer on where this envelope came from, or else he wouldn’t have known to deliver it here.”

Roma reached under the desk, pulling free a knife taped to the base and handing it to her. Juliette blinked. She had forgotten it was there. Far too many weapons were taped in the strangest places around the house.

“Here. You take the route along the western canal. I’ll circle through the north.”

“What is our signal if we find the postman?” She accepted the knife.