chapter 148: convinced

[Streets]

Seeing how it was late by the time their date ended, Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) insisted on going with Joey (Bernice Liu) to find Ah Mun (Nancy Wu), the salesgirl who worked at "White Dreams" the night of Ah Hoi's murder and was the only other person there besides Joey, Rose (Kenix Kwok), and Michael (Kevin Cheng).

[Apartment Building]

"Thank you for coming with me," Joey smiles at Ah Biu.

He rings the doorbell for her. The two of them wait patiently for someone to answer the door. Joey prays that Ah Mun was at home. She didn't want to wait another day. She had to get answers.

"Coming!" They hear a female voice from inside the apartment say. Though muffled, Joey recognized that it was Ah Mun's voice.

"Who are you?" Ah Mun asks when she opens the door.

"Do you remember me? I was at 'White Dreams' last night, you serviced me!" Joey says.

Ah Mun immediately replies, "No, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't remember anything. I never worked for 'White Dreams.'" She tries to close the door, but Ah Biu puts his foot between the door and the doorway. He grimaces. "Oh! I'm so sorry," Ah Mun apologizes.

"Please, you remember me." Joey begs.

"No, I don't know you. Please leave me alone." Ah Mun pleads.

"Why are you doing this? It's obvious you are who we think you are," Ah Biu states.

"Please, just go..."

"You are my only hope. If you don't help me, no one can." Joey begins to cry.

"Miss! Please, don't cry."

"Then help her!" Ah Biu says.

"I can't." Ah Mun shakes her head vigorously. "Please, just go... leave me alone. I already said yesterday that I don't know anything. I was unconscious the whole time. Really, I was! I don't know who killed whom or what happened. I didn't hear anything nor did I see anything. Please..."

"You were so scared that you peed on yourself! When we found you, I saw the look in your eyes. You must know something," Joey frowns.

"It's a natural reaction! Everyone feels scared if they've been threatened with a knife and tied up to a corner! How could I not be shaking and scared to death?"

Ah Biu pulls out his police badge, "You're disrupting the legal system. If you're not truthful and tell us all that you know, we can press charges later."

"I don't know anything. Please, please... leave me alone."

Wiping her tears, Joey sighs. "I was wrong. I thought you were so sweet and helpful... I suppose I'll just have to lose my happiness then. Thank you anyways and sorry for bothering you." She turns around. "Ah Biu, let's go."

"Are we going to leave like that?" he questions as he follows behind her.

They were about to step into the elevator when Ah Mun opens the door and calls out, "Wait!"

[Ah Mun's Apartment]

Joey and Ah Biu were seated on Ah Mun's couch.

"Do you want tea?" she asks.

"No, we're good."

Ah Mun sits down on a chair near the couch. "The reason I invited you in... was because of what you said..." She pauses, unsure of how to continue. "You seem very sweet, you do, and I want to help you, but who will help me?"

"What do you mean?" Ah Biu questions.

"If I help you, you'll want me to make it an official statement for the police, isn't that right?"

"Well yes, that's how it works," Ah Biu says.

Ah Mun frowns and grows silent.

Joey's eyes travel from Ah Mun to Ah Biu. She clears her throat and says, "Ah Biu, I'm really hungry. Can you go buy me some snacks?"

"What?"

She lowers her voice and whispers to him, "She won't talk if you're here. Just go."

"Oh..." Ah Biu stretches and declares, "All right. I'll take my time choosing the right snacks for you." He winks at her before leaving.

"Is it because of him... that you wouldn't talk?" Joey asks. "He's not really that intimidating, is he?"

"Oh no, your boyfriend's nice but..."

"My boyfriend? Oh no! You've got it wrong... he's just a friend."

"I'm sorry." Ah Mun blushes. "I'm not afraid of him. I'm afraid of what he represents."

"You're afraid of men? Did you get harassed or something?"

"No. It's not him or his gender... it's his job."

"Being a police cadet?" Joey asks with surprise.

Ah Mun nods her head slowly.

"But why? They protect us!"

"You mean they protect you."

"They'll protect you too if you're in danger."

"They won't..." Ah Mun lowers her head.

"How can you say that? You're a tax-paying and law-abiding citizen. Your protection by Hong Kong's police force is guaranteed!"

"I'm not..." Seeing Joey's confused look, Ah Mun continues, "I'm not a legal citizen of Hong Kong..."

"What? Are you an illegal immigrant?" she blurts out.

Ah Mun rushes over to cover her mouth. "Keep down your tone! I don't want anyone to find out."

Joey nods her head. "It makes sense now... why you didn't want to have anything to deal with the case and why you were so afraid to talk with Ah Biu here…"

"Yes..."

"It doesn't matter if you're not a legal citizen! You're still a good person."

"That doesn't matter. If they catch me, they'll send me back... So please, never tell anyone." Ah Mun has a begging look in her eyes.

Joey frowns. "Why don't you become legalized then?"

"My family needs money, so I have no choice but to risk it and work illegally in Hong Kong..."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Ah Mun blushes. "I'm so sorry! You didn't come to listen to my story. Why am I making this about me? It's about you..."

"It's okay. I understand."

"You were saying, before you left, something about losing your happiness if I don't help you?"

Joey nods her head. "The only man I love is getting married to another woman."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

"So I need to find out what exactly happened last night, because it could help me to win him again. The girl I went with, I suspect that she did something very bad."

Ah Mun trembles upon hearing Joey mention Rose.

"Ah Mun, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry... It's just that when you mention her... I get so scared... I can't believe someone like her is capable of something so..."

"What are you saying?"

"I tremble thinking about her words and hearing what happened..." Ah Mun begins to shake. She huddles up into a ball.

Joey comforts Ah Mun and says, "It's all right, calm down. Let me make you some tea." She brings her a cup of herbal tea, which Ah Mun gladly takes and devours. Seeing Ah Mun's great reaction to her memories of last night, Joey became ever the more suspicious. Whatever it was that had happened, she was now sure more than ever that Rose was definitely guilty of something.