jamesclavell.noblehouse-第114节

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noticed　the　untoward　width　of　the　doors。　A　moment's　inspection　and　he　opened　the　false　doors。　His　mouth　dropped　open。
　The　side　walls　of　the　cabinet　were　covered　with　dozens　of　photographs　of　Jade　Gates　in　all　their　glory。　Each　photograph　was　neatly　framed　and　tagged　with　a　typed　name　and　a　date。　Involuntarily　he　let　out　a　bellow　of　embarrassed　laughter；　then　glanced　around。　Virginia　Tong　had　vanished。　Quickly　he　scanned　the　names。　Hers　was　third　from　the　last。
　Another　paroxysm　of　laughter　was　barely　contained。　The　policeman　shook　his　head　helplessly。　What　some　buggers'll　do　for　fun　…　and　I　suppose　some　ladies　for　money！　I　thought　I'd　seen　it　all　but　this　。。。　Photographer　Ng；　eh？　So　that's　where　the　nickname　came　from。
　Now　over　his　initial　shock；　he　studied　the　photographs。　Each　of　them　had　been　taken　with　the　same　lens　from　the　same　distance。
　Good　God；　he　thought　after　a　minute；　astounded；　there's　really　quite　a　lot　of　difference　between　。。。　I　mean　if　you　can　forget　what　you're　looking　at　and　just　look；　well；　there's　a　fantastic　amount　of　difference　in　the　shape　and　size　of　the　whole；　the　position　and　protuberance　of　the　Pearl　on　the　Step；　the　quality　and　quantity　of　pubicity　and　。。。　ayeeyah　there's　one　piece　bat　jam　gai。　He　looked　at　the　name。　Mona　Leung　…　now　where　have　I　heard　that　name　before？　That's　curious　…　Chinese　usually　consider　lack　of　pubicity　unlucky。　Now　why　。。。　oh　my　God！　He　peered　at　the　next　name　tag　to　make　sure。　There　was　no　mistake。　Venus　Poon。　Ayeeyah；　he　thought　elatedly；　so　that's　hers；　that's　what　she　really　looks　like；　the　darling　of　the　telly　who　daily　projects　such　sweet；　virginal　innocence　so　beautifully！
　He　concentrated　on　her；　his　senses　bemused。　I　suppose　if　you　pare　hers　with；　say；　say　Virginia　Tong's；　well　she　does　have　a　certain　delicacy。　Yes；　but　if　you　want　my　considered　opinion　I'd　still　rather　have　had　the　mystery　and　not　seen　these　at　all。　None　of　them。
　Idly　his　eyes　went　from　name　to　name。　〃Bloody　hell；〃　he　said；　recognizing　one：　Elizabeth　Mithy。　She　was　once　a　secretary　at　Struan's；　one　of　the　band　of　wanderers　from　the　small　towns　in　Australia　and　New　Zealand；　girls　who　aimlessly　found　their　way　to　Hong　Kong　for　a　few　weeks；　to　stay　for　months；　perhaps　years；　to　fill　minor　jobs　until　they　married　or　vanished　forever。　I'll　be　damned。　Liz　Mithy！
　Armstrong　was　trying　to　be　dispassionate　but　he　could　not　help　paring　Caucasian　with　Chinese　and　he　found　no　difference。　Thank　God　for　that；　he　told　himself；　and　chuckled。　Even　so　he　was　glad　the　photographs　were　black　and　white　and　not　in　color。
　〃Well；〃　he　said　out　loud；　still　very　embarrassed；　〃there's　no　law　against　taking　photos　that　I　know　of；　and　sticking　them　in　your　own　cabinet。　The　young　ladies　must've　cooperated。　。。。〃　He　grunted；　amused　and　at　the　same　time　disgusted。　Damned　if　I'll　ever　understand　the　Chinese！　〃Liz　Mithy；　eh？〃　he　muttered。　He　had　known　her　slightly　when　she　was　in　the　Colony；　knew　that　she　was　quite　wild；　but　what　could　have　possessed　her　to　pose　for　Ng？　If　her　old　man　knew；　he'd　hemorrhage。　Thank　God　we　don't　have　children；　Mary　and　I。
　Be　honest；　you　bleed　for　sons　and　daughters　but　you　can't　have　them；　at　least　Mary　can't；　so　the　doctors　say　…　so　you　can't。
　With　an　effort　Armstrong　buried　that　everlasting　curse　again　and　relocked　the　cabinet　and　walked　out；　closing　the　doors　after　him。
　In　the　outer　office　Virginia　Tong　was　polishing　her　nails；　clearly　furious。
　〃Can　you　get　Mr。　Ng　on　the　phone；　please？〃
　〃No；　not　until　four；〃　she　said　sullenly　without　looking　at　him。
　〃Then　please　call　Mr。　Tsu…yan　instead；〃　Armstrong　told　her；　stabbing　in　the　dark。
　Without　looking　up　the　number；　she　dialed；　waited　impatiently；　chatted　gutturally　for　a　moment　in　Cantonese　and　slammed　the　phone　down。　〃He's　away。　He's　out　of　town　and　his　office　doesn't　know　where　he　is。〃
　〃When　did　you　last　see　him？〃
　〃Three　or　four　days　ago。〃　Irritably　she　opened　her　appointments　calendar　and　checked　it。　〃It　was　Friday。〃
　〃Can　I　look　at　that　please？〃
　She　hesitated；　shrugged　and　passed　it　over；　then　went　back　to　polishing　her　nails。
　Quickly　he　scanned　the　weeks　and　the　months。　Lots　of　names　he　knew：　Richard　Kwang；　Jason　Plumm；　Dunross　…　Dunross　several　times　…　Thomas　K。　K。　Lim　…　the　mysterious　American　Chinese　from　next　door　…　Johnjohn　from　the　Victoria　Bank；　Donald　McBride；　Mata　several　times。　Now　who's　Mata？　he　asked　himself；　never　having　heard　the　name　before。　He　was　about　to　give　the　calendar　back　to　her　then　he　flipped　forward。　〃Saturday　10：00　a。m。　…　V。　Banastasio。〃　His　heart　twisted。　This　ing　Saturday。
　He　said　nothing；　just　put　the　appointment　calendar　back　on　her　desk；　and　leaned　back　against　one　of　the　files；　lost　in　thought。　She　paid　no　attention　to　him。　The　door　opened。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　phone　for　you！〃　Sergeant　Yat　said。　He　was　looking　much　happier　so　Armstrong　knew　the　negotiation　must　have　been　fruitful。　He　would　have　liked　to　know　how　much；　exactly；　but　then；　face　would　be　involved　and　he　would　have　to　take　action；　one　way　or　another。
　〃All　right；　Sergeant；　stay　here　till　I　get　back；〃　he　said；　wanting　to　make　sure　no　secret　phone　calls　were　made。　Virginia　Tong　did　not　look　up　as　he　left。
　In　the　other　office　Bucktooth　Lo　was　still　moaning；　nursing　his　hand；　and　the　other　man；　Big　Hands　Tak；　was　pretending　to　be　nonchalant；　going　through　some　papers；　loudly　berating　his　secretary　for　her　inefficiency。　As　he　came　in　both　men　started　loudly　protesting　their　continued　innocence　and　Lo　groaned　with　increasing　vigor。
　〃Quiet！　Why　did　you　jam　your　fingers　in　the　drawer？〃　Armstrong　asked　and　added　without　waiting　for　a　reply；　〃People　who　try　to　bribe　honest　policemen　deserve　to　be　deported　at　once。〃　In　the　aghast　silence　he　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Armstrong。〃
　〃Hello；　Robert；　this　is　Don；　Don　Smyth　at　East　Aberdeen　。。。〃
　〃Oh；　hello！〃　Armstrong　was　startled；　not　expecting　to　hear　from　the　Snake；　but　he　kept　his　voice　polite　though　he　loathed　him　and　loathed　what　he　was　suspected　of　doing　within　his　jurisdiction。　It　was　one　thing　for　constables　and　the　lower　ranks　of　Chinese　police　to　supplement　their　ine　from　illicit　gambling。　It　was　another　for　a　British　officer　to　sell　influence；　and　to　squeeze　like　an　old…fashioned　Mandarin。　But　though　almost　everyone　believed　Smyth　was　on　the　make；　there　was　no　proof；　he　had　never　been　caught；　and　had　never　been　investigated。　Rumor　had　it　that　he　was　protected　by　certain　VIP　individuals　who　were　deeply　involved　with　him　as　well　as　in　their　own　graft。　〃What's　up？〃　he　asked。
　〃Had　a　bit　of　luck。　I　think。　You're　heading　up　the　John　Chen　kidnapping；　aren't　you？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Armstrong's　interest　soared。　Smyth's　graft　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　quality　of　his　police　work　…　East　Aberdeen　had　the　lowest　crime　rate　in　the　Colony。　〃Yes。　What've　you　got？〃
　Smyth　told　him　about　the　old　amah　and　what　had　happened　with　Sergeant　Mok　and　Spectacles　Wu；　then　added；　〃He's　a　bright　young　chap；　that；　Robert。　I'd　remend　him　for　SI　if　you　want　to　pass　it　on。　Wu　followed　the　old　bird　back　to　her　fairly　filthy　lair；　then　called　us。　He　obeys　orders　too；　which　is　rare　these　days。　On　a　hunch　I　told　him　to　wait　around　and　if　she　came　out；　to　follow　her。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃A　twenty…four…carat　lead！〃
　〃What's　your　pleasure？　Wait；　or　pull　her　in　for　real　questioning？〃
　〃Wait。　I'll　bet　the　Werewolf　never　es　back　but　it's　worth　waiting　until　tomorrow。　Keep　the　place　under　surveillance　and　keep　me　posted。〃
　〃Good。　Oh　very　good！〃
　Armstrong　heard　Smyth　chortle　down　the　phone　and　he　could　not　think　why　he　was　so　happy。　Then　he　remembered　the　huge　reward　that　the　High　Dragons　had　offered。　〃How's　your　arm？〃
　〃It's　my　shoulder。　Bloody　thing's　dislocated　and　I　lost　my　favorite　sodding　hat。　Apart　from　that　everything's　fine。　Sergeant　Mok's　going　through　all　our　mug　shots　now　and　I've　got　one　of　my　lads　doing　an　Identi…Kit　on　him　…　I　think　I　even　saw　the　sod　myself。　His　face　is　quite　pockmarked。　If　we've　got　him　on　file　we'll　have　him　nailed　by　sundown。〃
　〃Excellent。　How's　it　going　down　there？〃
　〃Everything　under　control　but　it's　bad。　The　Ho…Pak's　still　paying　out　but　too　slowly　…　everyone　knows　they're　stalling。　I　hear　it's　the　same　all　over　the　Colony。　They're　finished；　Robert。　The　queue'll　go　on　till　every　last　cent's　out。　There's　another　run　on　the　Vic　here　and　no　letup　in　the　crowds。　。。。〃
　Armstrong　gasped。　〃The　Vic？〃
　〃Yes；　they're　handing　out　cash　by　the　bagful　and　taking　nothing　in。　Triads　are　swarming　。。。　the　pickings　must　be　huge。　We　arrested　eight　pickpockets　and　busted　up　twenty…odd　fights。　I'd　say　it's　very　bad。〃
　〃Surely　the　Vic's　okay？〃
　〃Not　in　Aberdeen　it　isn't；　old　lad。　Me；　I'm　liquid。　I've　closed　all　my　accounts。　I　took　every　cent　out。　I'm　all　right。　If　I　were　you　I'd　do　the　same。〃
　Armstrong　felt　queasy。　His　life's　savings　were　in　the　Victoria。　〃The　Vic's　got　to　be　all　right。　All　the　government　funds're　in　it。〃
　〃Right　you　are。　But　nothing　in　their　constitution　says　your　money's　protected　too。　Well；　I've　got　to　get　back　to　work。〃
　〃Yes。　Thanks　for　the　info。　Sorry　about　your　shoulder。〃
　〃I　thought　I　was　going　to　have　my　bloody　head　bashed　in。　The　sods'd　just　started　the　old　'kill　the　quai　loh'　bit。　I　thought　I　was　a　goner。〃
　Armstro