jamesclavell.noblehouse-第31节

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　〃　'How？'
　〃　'22　percent　of　Randolf　s　is　owned　by　three　men　…　all　of　whom　despise　Toffer。　With　22　percent　you　could　get　control。　I　know　how　you　could　get　their　proxies；　and　most　of　all；　I　know　the　weakness　of　Toffer。'
　〃　'What's　that？'
　〃　'Vanity；　and　he's　a　megalomaniac；　but　most　of　all　he's　stupid。'
　〃　'He　can't　be　stupid　and　run　that　pany。'
　〃　'Perhaps　he　wasn't　once；　but　now　he　is。　He's　ready　to　be　taken。'
　〃　'And　what　do　you　want　out　of　this；　Casey？'
　〃　'Toffer's　head　…　I　want　to　do　the　firing。'
　〃　'What　else？'
　〃　'If　I　succeed　in　showing　you　how　。。。　if　we　succeed　in　taking　over　Randolf　Opticals；　say　within　six　months；　I'd　like　。。。　I'd　like　a　one…year　deal　with　you；　to　be　extended　to　seven；　at　a　salary　you　think　is　mensurate　with　my　ability；　as　your　executive　vice…president　in　charge　of　acquisitions。　But　I'd　want　it　as　a　person；　not　as　a　woman；　just　as　an　equal　person　to　you。　You're　the　boss　of　course；　but　I'm　to　be　equal　as　a　man　would　be　equal；　as　an　individual　。。。　if　I　deliver。'　〃
　Bartlett　grinned　and　sipped　his　beer。　〃I　said；　okay　you've　got　a　deal。　I　thought；　what've　I　got　to　lose　…　me　with　my　lousy　three…quarter　million　and　her　with　her　nothing　zero　balance　for　Randolf　Opticals　in　six　months；　now　that's　one　helluva　steal。　So　we　shook；　man　to　woman。〃　Bartlett　laughed。　〃First　time　I'd　ever　made　a　deal　with　a　woman；　just　like　that　…　and　I've　never　regretted　it。〃
　〃Thanks；　Linc；〃　Casey　said　softly；　and　every　one　of　them　was　envious。
　And　what　happened　after　you　fired　Toffer；　Dunross　was　thinking　with　all　the　others。　Is　that　when　you　two　began？
　〃The　takeover；〃　he　said　to　Bartlett。　〃It　was　smooth？〃
　〃Messy；　but　we　got　blooded　and　the　lessons　I　learned；　we　learned；　paid　off　a　thousand　percent。　In　five　months　we'd　control。　Casey　and　I　had　conquered　a　pany　531/2　times　our　size。　At　D…hour　minus　one　I　was　down　to　minus　4　million　dollars　in　the　bank　and　goddamn　near　in　jail；　but　the　next　hour　I'd　control。　Man；　that　was　a　battle　and　a　half。　In　a　month　and　a　half　we'd　reorganized　it　and　now　Par…Con's　Randolf　Division　grosses　150　million　yearly　and　the　stock's　way　up。　It　was　a　classic　blitzkrieg　and　set　the　pattern　for　Par…Con　Industries。〃
　〃And　this　George　Toffer；　Casey？　How　did　you　fire　him？〃
　Casey　took　her　tawny　eyes　off　Linc　and　turned　them　on　Dunross　and　he　thought；　Christ　I'd　like　to　possess　you。
　Casey　said；　〃The　hour　we　got　control　I…　〃　She　stopped　as　the　single　phone　rang　and　there　was　a　sudden　tension　in　the　room。　Everyone；　even　the　waiters；　immediately　switched　their　total　attention　to　the　phone　…　except　Bartlett。　The　color　had　drained　out　of　Gavallan's　face　and　deVille's。　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Casey　asked。
　Dunross　broke　the　silence。　〃It's　one　of　our　house　rules。　No　phone　calls　are　put　through　during　lunch　unless　it's　an　emergency　…　a　personal　emergency　…　for　one　of　us。〃
　They　watched　Lim　put　down　the　coffee　tray。　It　seemed　to　take　him　forever　to　walk　across　the　room　and　pick　up　the　phone。　They　all　had　wives　and　children　and　families　and　they　all　wondered　what　death　or　what　disaster　and　please　God；　let　the　call　be　for　someone　else；　remembering　the　last　time　the　phone　had　rung；　two　days　ago。　For　Jacques。　Then　another　time　last　month；　for　Gavallan；　his　mother　was　dying。　They　had　all　had　calls；　over　the　years。　All　bad。
　Andrew　Gavallan　was　sure　the　call　was　for　him。　His　wife；　Kathren；　Dunross's　sister；　was　at　the　hospital　for　the　results　of　exhaustive　tests　…　she　had　been　sick　for　weeks　for　no　apparent　reason。　Jesus　Christ；　he　thought；　get　hold　of　yourself；　conscious　of　others　watching　him。
　〃Weyyyy？〃　Lim　listened　a　moment。　He　turned　and　offered　the　phone。　〃It's　for　you；　tai…pan。〃
　The　others　breathed　again　and　watched　Dunross。　His　walk　was　tall。　〃Hello？　。。。　Oh　hel…　What？　。。。。　No　。。。　no；　I'll　be　right　there。　。。。　No；　don't　do　anything；　I'll　be　right　there。〃　They　saw　his　shock　as　he　replaced　the　phone　in　the　dead　silence。　After　a　pause　he　said；　〃Andrew；　tell　Claudia　to　postpone　my　afternoon　board　meetings。　You　and　Jacques　continue　with　Casey。　That　was　Phillip。　I'm　afraid　poor　John　Chen's　been　kidnapped。〃　He　left。
　
　8
　
　2：35　P。M。：
　Dunross　got　out　of　his　car　and　hurried　through　the　open　door　of　the　vast；　Chinese…style　mansion　that　was　set　high　on　the　mountain　crest　called　Struan's　Lookout。　He　passed　a　glazed　servant　who　closed　the　door　after　him；　and　went　into　the　living　room。　The　living　room　was　Victorian　and　gaudy　and　overstuffed　with　bric…a…brac　and　ill…matched　furniture。
　〃Hello；　Phillip；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　so　sorry。　Poor　John！　Where's　the　letter？〃
　〃Here。〃　Phillip　picked　it　up　from　the　sofa　as　he　got　up。　〃But　first　look　at　that。〃　He　pointed　at　a　crumpled　cardboard　shoebox　on　a　marble　table　beside　the　fireplace。
　As　Dunross　crossed　the　room　he　noticed　Dianne；　Phillip　Chen's　wife；　sitting　in　a　high…backed　chair　in　a　far　corner。　〃Oh；　hello；　Dianne；　sorry　about　this；〃　he　said　again。
　She　shrugged　impassively。　〃Joss；　tai…pan。〃　She　was　fifty…two；　Eurasian；　Phillip　Chen's　second　wife；　an　attractive；　bejeweled　matron　who　wore　a　dark　brown　chong…sam；　a　priceless　jade　bead　necklace　and　a　four…carat　diamond　ring　…　amid　many　other　rings。　〃Yes；　joss；〃　she　repeated。
　Dunross　nodded；　disliking　her　a　little　more　than　usual。　He　peered　down　at　the　contents　of　the　box　without　touching　them。　Among　loose；　crumpled　newspaper　he　saw　a　fountain　pen　that　he　recognized　as　John　Chen's；　a　driving　license；　some　keys　on　a　key　ring；　a　letter　addressed　to　John　Chen；　14A　Sinclair　Towers；　and　a　small　plastic　bag　with　a　piece　of　cloth　half…stuffed　into　it。　With　a　pen　that　he　took　out　of　his　pocket　he　flipped　open　the　cover　of　the　driving　license。　John　Chen。
　〃Open　the　plastic　bag；〃　Phillip　said。
　〃No。　I　might　mess　up　any　fingerprints　that're　on　it；〃　Dunross　said；　feeling　stupid　but　saying　it　anyway。
　〃Oh…　I'd　forgotten　about　that。　Damn。　Of　course；　fingerprints！　Mine　are　。。。　I　opened　it　of　course。　Mine　must　be　all　over　it　…　all　over　everything。〃
　〃What's　in　it？〃
　〃It's…　〃　Phillip　Chen　came　over　and　before　Dunross　could　stop　him　pulled　the　cloth　out　of　the　plastic；　without　touching　the　plastic　again。　〃You　can't　have　fingerprints　on　cloth；　can　you？　Look！〃　The　cloth　contained　most　of　a　severed　human　ear；　the　cut　clean　and　sharp　and　not　jagged。
　Dunross　cursed　softly。　〃How　did　the　box　arrive？〃　he　asked。
　〃It　was　hand　delivered。〃　Phillip　Chen　shakily　rewrapped　the　ear　and　put　it　back　in　the　box。　〃I　just　。。。　I　just　opened　the　parcel　as　anyone　would。　It　was　hand　delivered　half　an　hour　or　so　ago。〃
　〃By　whom？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　He　was　just　a　youth；　the　servant　said。　A　youth　on　a　motor　scooter。　She　didn't　recognize　him　or　take　any　number。　We　get　lots　of　parcels　delivered。　It　was　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　…　except　the　'Mr。　Phillip　Chen；　a　matter　of　great　importance；　to　open　personally；'　on　the　outside　of　the　package；　which　she　didn't　notice　at　once。　By　the　time　I'd　opened　it　and　read　the　letter　。。。　it　was　just　a　youth　who　said；　'Parcel　for　Mr。　Phillip　Chen；'　and　went　away。〃
　〃Have　you　called　the　police？〃
　〃No；　tai…pan；　you　said　to　do　nothing。〃
　Dunross　went　to　the　phone。　〃Have　you　got　hold　of　John's　wife　yet？〃
　Dianne　said　at　once；　〃Why　should　Phillip　bear　bad　tidings　to　her？　She'll　throw　a　temperament　that　will　raise　the　roof　tiles　never　mind。　Call　Barbara？　Oh　dear　no；　tai…pan；　not　。。。　not　until　we've　informed　the　police。　They　should　tell　her。　They　know　how　to　do　these　things。〃
　Dunross's　disgust　increased。　〃You'd　better　get　her　here　quickly。〃　He　dialed　police　headquarters　and　asked　for　Armstrong。　He　was　not　available。　Dunross　left　his　name　then　asked　for　Brian　Kwok。
　〃Yes　tai…pan？〃
　〃Brian；　can　you　e　over　here　right　away？　I'm　at　Phillip　Chen's　house　up　on　Struan's　Lookout。　John　Chen's　been　kidnapped。〃　He　told　him　about　the　contents　of　the　box。
　There　was　a　shocked　silence；　then　Brian　Kwok　said；　〃I'll　be　there　right　away。　Don't　touch　anything　and　don't　let　him　talk　to　anyone。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　Dunross　put　the　phone　down。　〃Now　give　me　the　letter；　Phillip。〃　He　handled　it　carefully；　holding　it　by　the　edges。　The　Chinese　characters　were　clearly　written　but　not　by　a　well…educated　person。　He　read　it　slowly；　knowing　most　of　the　characters：
　
　Mr。　Phillip　Chen；　I　beg　to　inform　you　that　I　am　badly　in　need　of　500；000　Hong　Kong　currency　and　I　hereby　consult　you　about　it。　You　are　so　wealthy　that　this　is　like　plucking　one　hair　from　nine　oxen。　Being　afraid　that　you　might　refuse　I　therefore　have　no　alternative　but　to　hold　your　son　hostage。　By　doing　so　there　is　not　a　fear　of　your　refusal。　I　hope　you　will　think　it　over　carefully　thrice　and　take　it　into　serious　consideration。　It　is　up　to　you　whether　you　report　to　the　police　or　not。　I　send　herewith　some　articles　which　your　son　uses　every　day　as　proof　of　the　situation　your　son　is　in。　Also　sent　is　a　little　bit　of　your　son's　ear。　You　should　realize　the　mercilessness　and　cruelty　of　my　actions。　If　you　smoothly　pay　the　money　the　safety　of　your　son　will　be　ensured。　Written　by　the　Werewolf。
　
　Dunross　motioned　at　the　box。　〃Sorry；　but　do　you　recognize　the；　er　。。。　that？〃
　Phillip　Chen　laughed　nervously　and　so　did　his　wife。　〃Do　you；　Ian？　You've　known　John　all　your　life。　That's　。。。　how　does　one　recognize　something　like　that；　heya？〃
　〃Does　anyone