Free Pearls of Asia: A Love Story by Lee Geiger Page A

what’s even more amazing? Her Jimmy Choos are a size twelve.” The crowd went nuts, and Ashley received the loudest applause of the night.
    Reyna had one more announcement to make. “Ladies and Gentlemen, not only does Pearls of Asia offer a feast for your eyes and well as your tummies, there is also a dance club downstairs, where the room gets hot, the women get hotter, and the drinks are as stiff as a wedding night prick.”
    The lights came back up, but Mac had seen enough. It had been a very long day.
    As he headed out a side door that lead onto Howard Street, he saw Nadia and Ashley outside sharing a cigarette. “Have a good night, ladies,” he said as he strolled toward Eighth Street.
    “I would if you’d take me home with you,” suggested Ashley.
    Mac turned and smiled. The ladies from Pearls of Asia must have been on their school’s varsity flirt team. And they weren’t shy about speaking in Tagalog around him. “Dyos ko day hihimudin ko ang buong katawan nyan. (I’ll lick his whole body.) “ At ang puwit… winner! ” (Now that’s what I call a great ass!)
    “You like the suit?” Mac asked, clueless.
    “The suit looks good on you, babe,” said Nadia, taking a long drag from the cigarette, “but I’d rather see you naked and hand-cuffed to my bed. If I didn’t have to do a web cam show tonight, I’d put a leash on you and put you in the back seat of my car.”
    “Of course you would.”
    Ashley and Nadia waved as Mac drove south on Howard Street toward Ninth. It was a very cute scene, two attractive women, one a tall blonde and the other a skinny brunette, running into the street to say goodnight.
    A tall blonde. A skinny brunette.
    “No way.”

C HAPTER S EVEN
     
    Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 7:30 am
     
    “Michelle Osher’s body was discovered by the couple’s live-in maid, Maria Madrigal. An anonymous tipster has informed the Examiner that, according to immigration records, Miss Madrigal entered the United States from Mexico seven years ago on a work visa. U.S. law requires her to annually renew her visa, but she failed to do so. Efforts to reach Ms. Madrigal have been unsuccessful, and she is rumored to have left the country.”
     
    The San Francisco Examiner
    “T HEY’LL CRUCIFY THE guy,” deplored Mac. His feet propped on his desk, Mac was speculating with Mayes on the media’s reaction upon learning the true identity of Paul Osher’s alleged mistress. “Whether he killed his wife or not, there’ll be nothing left of him but a few scraps of decomposed arrogance.”
    “I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” said Mayes, already on his third cup of coffee. “It’s not like the world hasn’t seen this kind of relationship before. Ever hear of a play called ‘M. Butterfly?’”
    Mac picked up a Rubik’s Cube on his desk and tried to solve it for the millionth time in his life. He had yet to be successful. “Who hasn’t, Mr. Magna Cum Laude. Didn’t the 49ers use that play to score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl?”
    “At least those guys are scoring instead of living at home with their mother,” quipped Mayes. “M. Butterfly is a Broadway play, inspired by the opera ‘Madame Butterfly’ by Giaccomo Puccini in 1904. The modern update is based on a true story, and the main character, a French diplomat, falls in love with a beautiful Chinese opera singer who is a man masquerading as a woman. At first he doesn’t know it, and then it doesn’t matter to him. He doesn’t care, and he’s happy with her forever after. It’s a wonderful love story. You should see it if you ever get the chance. I think you’d like it, and you might even learn something.”
    Mac was intelligent, but rare was the opportunity when he could teach his cerebral partner a thing or two. “Speaking of learning something, smart guy, I’ve been doing some homework this morning. Do you know why they call the place where Sheyla Samonte works Pearls of Asia ?”
    “Not a clue,”