jamesclavell.noblehouse-第101节

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ade　but　so　far　had　no　real　evidence　implicating　him　or　his　bank；　not　even　enough　circumstantial　evidence　to　merit　SB　detention；　interrogation　and　summary　deportation。
　Well；　he'll　slip　sometime；　Robert　Armstrong　thought　calmly；　and　turned　his　binoculars　back　on　to　Pilot　Fish；　then　to　Noble　Star；　then　to　Butterscotch　Lass；　and　then　to　Golden　Lady；　John　Chen's　mare。　Which　one's　got　the　form？
　He　yawned　and　stretched　wearily。　It　had　been　another　long　night　and　he　had　not　yet　been　to　bed。　Just　as　he　was　leaving　Kowloon　Police　HQ　last　night　there　had　been　a　flurry　of　excitement　as　another　anonymous　caller　phoned　to　say　that　John　Chen　had　been　seen　out　in　the　New　Territories；　in　the　tiny　fishing　village　of　Sha　Tau　Kwok　which　bisected　the　eastern　tip　of　the　border。
　He　had　rushed　out　there　with　a　team　and　searched　the　village；　hovel　by　hovel。　His　search　had　had　to　be　done　very　cautiously　for　the　whole　border　area　was　extremely　sensitive；　particularly　at　the　village　where　there　was　one　of　the　three　border　checkpoints。　The　villagers　were　a　hardy；　tough；　unpromising　bellicose　lot　that　wanted　to　be　left　alone。　Particularly　by　foreign　devil　police。　The　search　had　proved　to　be　just　another　false　alarm　though　they　had　uncovered　two　illegal　stills；　a　small　heroin　factory　that　converted　raw　opium　into　morphine　and　thence　into　heroin；　and　had　broken　up　six　illegal　gambling　dens。
　When　Armstrong　had　got　back　to　Kowloon　HQ　there　was　another　call　about　John　Chen；　this　time　Hong　Kong　side　in　Wanchai；　down　near　Glessing's　Point　in　the　dock　area。　Apparently　John　Chen　had　been　seen　being　bundled　into　a　tenement　house；　a　dirty　bandage　over　his　right　ear。　This　time　the　caller　had　given　his　name　and　driver's　license　number　so　that　he　could　claim　the　reward　of　50；000　HK；　offered　by　Struan's　and　Noble　House　Chen。　Again　Armstrong　had　brought　units　to　surround　the　area　and　had　led　the　meticulous　search。　It　was　already　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　by　the　time　he　called　off　the　operation　and　dismissed　his　men。
　〃Brian；　it's　me　for　bed；〃　he　said。　〃Waste　of　another　fang…pi　night。〃
　Brian　Kwok　yawned　too。　〃Yes。　But　while　we're　this　side；　how　about　breakfast　at　the　Para　and　then；　then　let's　go　and　look　at　the　morning　workouts？〃
　At　once　most　of　Robert　Armstrong's　tiredness　fell　away。　〃Great　idea！〃
　The　Para　Restaurant　in　Wanchai　Road　near　Happy　Valley　Racecourse　was　always　open。　The　food　was　excellent；　cheap　and　it　was　a　well…known　meeting　place　for　triads　and　their　girls。　When　the　two　policemen　strode　into　the　large；　noisy；　bustling；　plate…clattering　room　a　sudden　silence　fell。　The　proprietor；　One　Foot　Ko；　limped　over　to　them　and　beamed　them　to　the　best　table　in　the　place。
　〃Dew　neh　loh　moh　on　you　too；　Old　Friend；〃　Armstrong　said　grimly　and　added　some　choice　obscenities　in　gutter　Cantonese；　staring　back　pointedly　at　the　nearest　group　of　gaping　young　thugs　who　nervously　turned　away。
　One　Foot　Ko　laughed　and　showed　his　bad　teeth。　〃Ah；　Lords；　you　honor　my　poor　establishment。　Dim　sum？〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Dim　sum　…　small　chow　or　small　foods　…　were　bite…sized　dough　envelopes　packed　with　minced　shrimps　or　vegetables　or　various　meats　then　steamed　or　deep…fried　and　eaten　with　a　touch　of　soya；　or　saucers　of　chicken　and　other　meats　in　various　sauces　or　pastries　of　all　kinds。
　〃Your　Worships　are　going　to　the　track？〃
　Brian　Kwok　nodded；　sipping　his　jasmine　tea；　his　eyes　roving　the　diners；　making　many　of　them　very　nervous。　〃Who's　going　to　win　the　fifth？〃　he　asked。
　The　restaurateur　hesitated；　knowing　he'd　better　tell　the　truth。　He　said　carefully　in　Cantonese；　〃They　say　that　neither　Golden　Lady；　Noble　Star；　Pilot　Fish　or　Butterscotch　Lass　has　。。。　has　yet　been　touted　as　having　an　edge。〃　He　saw　the　cold　black…brown　eyes　e　to　rest　on　him　and　he　tried　not　to　shudder。　〃By　all　the　gods；　that's　what　they　say。〃
　〃Good。　I'll　e　here　Saturday　morning。　Or　I'll　send　my　sergeant。　Then　you　can　whisper　in　his　ear　if　some　foul　play's　contemplated。　Yes。　And　if　it　turns　out　one　of　those　are　doped　or　cut　and　I　don't　know　about　it　on　Saturday　morning　。。。　perhaps　your　soups　will　addle　for　fifty　years。〃
　One　Foot　smiled　nervously。　〃Yes；　Lord。　Let　me　see　to　your　food　no…　〃
　〃Before　you　go；　what's　the　latest　gossip　on　John　Chen？〃
　〃None。　Oh　very　none；　Honored　Lord；〃　the　man　said；　a　little　perspiration　on　his　upper　lip。　〃Fragrant　Harbor's　as　clean　of　information　on　him　as　a　virgin's　treasure。　Nothing；　Lord。　Not　a　dog's　fart　of　a　real　rumor　though　everyone's　looking。　I　hear　there's　an　extra　great　reward。〃
　〃What？　How　much？〃
　〃100；000　extra　dollars　if　within　three　days。〃
　Both　policemen　whistled。　〃Offered　by　whom？〃　Armstrong　asked。
　One　Foot　shrugged；　his　eyes　hard。　〃No　one　knows；　Sire。　They　say　by　one　of　the　Dragons　…　or　all　the　Dragons。　100；000　and　promotion　if　within　three　days　…　if　he's　recovered　alive。　Please；　now　let　me　see　about　your　food。〃
　They　watched　him　go。　〃Why　did　you　lean　on　One　Foot？〃　Armstrong　asked。
　〃I'm　tired　of　his　mealy…mouthed　hypocrisy　…　and　all　these　rotten　little　thugs。　The　cat…o'…nine…tails'd　solve　our　triad　problems。〃
　Armstrong　called　for　a　beer。　〃When　I　leaned　on　Sergeant　Tang…po　I　didn't　think　I'd　get　such　action　so　fast。　100；000's　a　lot　of　money！　This　can't　be　just　a　simple　kidnapping。　Jesus　Christ　that's　a　lot　of　reward！　There's　got　to　be　something　special　about　John。〃
　〃Yes。　If　it's　true。〃
　But　they　had　arrived　at　no　conclusions　and　when　they　came　to　the　track；　Brian　Kwok　had　gone　to　check　in　with　HQ　and　now　Armstrong　had　his　binoculars　trained　on　the　mare。　Butterscotch　Lass　was　leaving　the　track　to　walk　back　up　the　hill　to　the　stables。　She　looks　in　great　fettle；　he　thought。　They　all　do。　Shit；　which　one？
　〃Robert？〃
　〃Oh　hello；　Peter。〃
　Peter　Marlowe　smiled　at　him。　〃Are　you　up　early　or　going　to　bed　late？〃
　〃Late。〃
　〃Did　you　notice　the　way　Noble　Star　charged　without　her　jockey　doing　a　thing？〃
　〃You've　sharp　eyes。〃
　Peter　Marlowe　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　He　pointed　at　a　group　of　men　around　one　of　the　horses。　〃Donald　McBride　told　me。〃
　〃Ah！〃　McBride　was　an　immensely　popular　racing　steward；　a　Eurasian　property　developer　who　had　e　to　Hong　Kong　from　Shanghai　in　'49。　〃Has　he　given　you　the　winner？　He'll　know　if　anyone　does。〃
　〃No；　but　he　invited　me　to　his　box　on　Saturday。　Are　you　racing？〃
　〃Do　you　mind！　I'll　see　you　in　the　members'　box　…　I　don't　cavort　with　the　nobs！〃
　They　both　watched　the　horses　for　a　while。　〃Golden　Lady　looks　good。〃
　〃They　all　do。〃
　〃Nothing　on　John　Chen　yet？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　Armstrong　caught　sight　of　Dunross　in　his　binoculars；　talking　to　some　stewards。　Not　far　away　was　the　SI　guard　that　Crosse　had　assigned　to　him。　Roll　on　Friday；　the　policeman　thought。　The　sooner　we　see　those　AMG　files　the　better。　He　felt　slightly　sick　and　he　could　not　decide　if　it　was　apprehension　about　the　papers；　or　Sevrin；　or　if　it　was　just　fatigue。　He　began　to　reach　for　a　cigarette　…　stopped。　You　don't　need　a　smoke；　he　ordered　himself。　〃You　should　give　up　smoking；　Peter。　It's　very　bad　for　you。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes　I　should。　How's　it　going　with　you？〃
　〃No　trouble。　Which　reminds　me；　Peter；　the　Old　Man　approved　your　trip　around　the　border　road。　Day　after　tomorrow；　Friday；　6：00　a。m。　on　the　dot　at　Kowloon　HQ。　That　all　right？〃
　Peter　Marlowe's　heart　leaped。　At　long　last　he　could　look　into　Mainland　China；　into　the　unknown。　In　all　the　borderland　of　the　New　Territories　there　was　only　one　accessible　lookout　that　tourists　could　use　to　see　into　China；　but　the　hill　was　so　far　away　you　could　not　see　much　at　all。　Even　with　binoculars。　〃How　terrific！〃　he　said；　elated。　At　Armstrong's　suggestion　he　had　written　to　the　missioner　and　applied　for　this　permission。　The　border　road　meandered　from　shore　to　shore。　It　was　forbidden　to　all　traffic　and　all　persons　　…　except　locals　in　certain　areas。　It　ran　in　a　wide　stretch　of　no…man's…land　between　the　Colony　and　China。　Once　a　day　it　was　patrolled　under　very　controlled　circumstances。　The　Hong　Kong　Government　had　no　wish　to　rock　any　PRC　boats。
　〃One　condition；　Peter：　You　don't　mention　it　or　talk　about　it　for　a　year　or　so。〃
　〃My　word　on　it。〃
　Armstrong　suppressed　another　yawn。　〃You'll　be　the　only　Yank　who's　ever　gone　along　it；　perhaps　ever　will。〃
　〃Terrific！　Thanks。〃
　〃Why　did　you　bee　a　citizen？〃
　After　a　pause　Peter　Marlowe　said；　〃I'm　a　writer。　All　my　ine　es　from　there；　almost　all　of　it。　Now　people　are　beginning　to　read　what　I　write。　Perhaps　I'd　like　the　right　to　criticize。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　been　to　any　Iron　Curtain　countries？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　I　went　to　Moscow　in　July　for　the　film　festival。　One　of　the　films　I　wrote　was　the　American　entry。　Why？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Armstrong　said；　remembering　Bartlett's　and　Casey's　Moscow　franks。　He　smiled。　〃No　reason。〃
　〃One　good　turn　deserves　another。　I　heard　a　buzz　about　Bartlett's　guns。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Armstrong　was　instantly　attentive。　Peter　Marlowe　was　very　rare　in　Hong　Kong　inasmuch　as　he　crossed　social　strata　and　was　accepted　as　a　friend　by　many　normally　hostile　groups。
　〃It's　just　talk　probably　but　some　friends　have　a　theory　…　〃
　〃Chinese　friends？〃
　〃Yes。　They　think　the　guns　were　a　sample　shipment；　bound　for　one　of　our　piratical　Chinese　citizens　…　at　least；　one　with　a　history　of　smuggling　…　for　shipment　to　one　of　the　guerrilla　bands　operating　in　South　Vietnam；　called