Chapter 18. Within the heart of downtown, there stood an inordinately busy Chinese laundromat.

The owner, Mr. Fong, was a canny man, wise in the ways of the world. He had long recognized that

for all the talk of opportunity in the new world, the deck was stacked against him and his countrymen.

A society that prided itself on fair play and freedom presented little of either to members of his race.

Most of his fellow Chinese were as well aware of these inequities as Fong was, but chose to

bear this burden quietly and with dignity. They worked hard, and each successive generation

hoped that things would be better for their children as a result.

Fong was a less patient man. But he was also not prepared to take unacceptable risks. Just as Toronto Society presented many barriers to men of Chinese descent,

the law was also much harder on those of his race that stepped beyond

their bounds. Oddly, only the underworld seemed prepared to treat each man equally, each according

to his worth. To that end, Fong had taken steps to make himself worthy of such respect,

while minimizing the risk to himself and his family. When Fong had bought the building 15 years earlier, it was with a keen eye to its versatility.

It was in a heavy traffic area, bordering on three distinct districts, and was close to several main thoroughfares.

All of these points made it appealing for a family-run laundry business.

It also had three separate entrances, no two of which could be observed from the same vantage point.

The previous owner had closed two off, concentrating on the busiest street.

Fong had immediately opened the other two entrances for business and placed bright signs over each door.

It had cost him some expense and valuable space inside

and had brought in little new business, but over the years it had paid him much, much more than his

honest labor ever could. It made Fong's laundromat the ideal place for someone who might wish

their comings and goings to remain unobserved to lose a police tale.

A service fong was only too happy to provide at a monthly rate.

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