Free Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials by Ovidia Yu Page B

waited for the front gates of 8 King
     Albert Rise to slide open for them. “Background on the victims, who found them, anything?”
    Panchal looked at him blankly. “Do you want me to find out?”

8
    Staff Sergeant Panchal
    “This way, sir.” Salim’s men were already on the wide front driveway. Salim paused
     for a moment, looking at the front of the enormous house and then turning to look
     at what could be seen of the neighbors, which was not much other than high walls and
     privacy shrubbery.
    “Shouldn’t we go inside?” Staff Sergeant Panchal prompted.
    Salim did not answer.
    “Sir, shouldn’t we—”
    “Security? Cameras?” Salim asked the officer who had let them in.
    “Four cameras in the house, sir. Front and back gates, pool area, and the son’s room,
     where the bodies were found. I’ll send someone round to ask the neighbors.”
    Salim missed having Timothy Pang by his side at a crime scene. Or rather, Tim Pang
     would not have stuck to his side. Panchal was acting like an eager dog on a leash.
     Tim would have wandered off collecting impressions of people who didn’t notice him
     and confidences from people who did. Being mistaken for an actor or model had embarrassed
     Officer Pang but his good looks and open manner inclined people to trust him. Officer
     Panchal, glaring suspiciously at everyone in sight, was not proving as helpful.
    Inside the house, people looked at one another uncertainly and whispered but no one
     said anything out loud. Commissioner Raja had arrived late and meant to slip away
     early once he had congratulated the new partner of Sung Law. However, he had been
     detained by the death of the old partner, and now as he watched his fellow guests
     he was reminded of mission school boys waiting for the punch line to an off-color
     joke. They knew something was coming but were afraid to guess exactly what in case
     it revealed their ignorance, or worse—their knowledge.
    “Commissioner?”
    Commissioner Raja turned to see Inspector Salim with Staff Sergeant Panchal. Panchal
     saluted him smartly and he responded with a nod.
    “I’m here for the party, not for the murder,” Commissioner Raja said to explain his
     green-and-brown batik shirt. “The Sungs are old friends. I got here right after the
     bodies were found. Must have been just before noon. Thanks for coming down.”
    “You are a friend of the Sungs?” Salim asked. He seemed surprised.
    “You could say that,” Commissioner Raja said grimly. He had not liked Mabel Sung.
     The woman had been good at manipulating people into supporting her causes, making
     her both a powerful ally and a dangerous person to cross. “With some people it is
     better to be friends than enemies.
    “Anyway, this is your case, Salim. I can give you my statement but I want you to handle
     the investigation. By the way, you’ll find some familiar faces here. I tell you, any
     funny business in this district they are sure to be somewhere around.”
    Familiar faces? Salim looked around and saw Aunty Lee, Cherril—and yes, Nina. Thank
     goodness that aggressive Carla Saito woman had finally left Singapore. Salim had heard
     she had gone on to China. Good luck to the Chinese, he thought.
    “I saw them!” Aunty Lee said, waving to catch their attention. “I saw the bodies!”
    “Can I see your IC, ma’am?” Panchal took out her notebook and recorder.
    “You know who I am! I am Aunty Lee, from Aunty Lee’s Delights! Yesterday I brought
     the kueh dadar to the station, remember? That was because I made extra for the party here today!”
    “You saw them?” Salim said. “You saw Mabel and Leonard upstairs after they died? How
     come?”
    “I heard they were dead so I went in to see to make sure,” Aunty Lee said. “Sometimes
     people shout somebody died, everybody gets worked up and calls the police, then they
     only fainted. So susah, right?
    “Anyway I can describe for you. The son, Leonard, was lying in his bed. He had