jamesclavell.noblehouse-第37节

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tern　and　this　pleased　him　and　took　his　mind　off　the　file　and　all　the　secret　knowledge　he　possessed；　and　the　problem　of　the　money　that　he　needed　so　quickly。　I　wish　to　God　I　could　just　be　a　policeman；　he　thought；　detesting　Special　Intelligence　and　the　need　for　it。　〃Ta　Pan　Fat　left　the　taxi　first　at　his　home　on　Queen's　Road；　then　Wo　Sang　Chi　left　on　the　same　road　shortly　afterwards。　John　Chen　and　Po　Cha　Sik　…　we　think　he's　got　triad　connections；　he's　being　checked　out　now　very　carefully　…　went　to　the　Ting　Ma　Garage　on　Sunning　Road；　Causeway　Bay；　to　collect　John　Chen's　car；　a　1960　Jaguar。〃　Again　he　referred　to　his　notebook；　wanting　to　be　accurate；　finding　the　Chinese　names　confusing　as　always；　even　after　so　many　years。　〃A　garage　apprentice；　Tong　Ta　Wey；　confirms　this。　Then　John　Chen　drove　his　friend　Po　Cha　Sik　to　his　home　at　17　Village　Street　in　Happy　Valley；　where　the　latter　left　the　car。　Meanwhile　Wo　Sang　Chi；　John　Chen's　business　colleague；　who；　curiously；　heads　Struan's　haulage　pany　which　has　the　monopoly　of　cartage　to　and　from　Kai　Tak；　had　gone　to　the　Sap　Wah　Restaurant　on　Fleming　Road。　He　states　that　after　being　there　for　thirty　minutes；　John　Chen　joined　him　and　they　left　the　restaurant　in　Chen's　car；　intending　to　pick　up　some　dancing　girls　in　the　street　and　take　them　to　supper　…　〃
　〃He　wouldn't　even　go　to　the　dance　hall　and　buy　the　girls　out？〃　Crosse　asked　thoughtfully。　〃What's　the　going　rate；　Brian？〃
　〃Sixty　dollars　Hong　Kong；　sir；　at　that　time　of　night。〃
　〃I　know　Phillip　Chen's　got　the　reputation　of　being　a　miser；　but　is　John　Chen　the　same？〃
　〃At　that　time　of　night；　sir；〃　Brian　Kwok　said　helpfully；　〃lots　of　girls　start　leaving　the　clubs　if　they　haven't　arranged　a　partner　yet　…　most　of　the　clubs　close　around　1：00　a。m。　…　Sunday's　not　a　good　pay　night；　sir。　It's　quite　usual　to　cruise；　there's　certainly　no　point　in　wasting　sixty；　perhaps　two　or　three　times　sixty　dollars；　because　the　decent　girls　are　in　twos　or　threes　and　you　usually　take　two　or　three　to　dinner　first。　No　point　wasting　all　that　money　is　there；　sir？〃
　〃Do　you　cruise；　Brian？〃
　〃No　sir。　No　need　…　no　sir。〃
　Crosse　sighed　and　turned　back　to　Armstrong。　〃Go　on；　Robert。〃
　〃Well　sir；　they　failed　to　pick　up　any　girls　and　went　to　the　Copacabana　Night　Club　in　the　Sap　Chuk　Hotel　in　Gloucester　Road　for　supper；　getting　there　about　one　o'clock。　About　1：45　a。m。　they　left　and　Wo　Sang　Chi　said　he　saw　John　Chen　get　into　his　car；　but　he　did　not　see　him　drive　off　…　then　he　walked　home；　as　he　lived　nearby。　He　said　John　Chen　was　not　drunk　or　bad…tempered；　anything　like　that；　but　seemed　in　good　spirits；　though　earlier　at　the　club；　the　Tong　Lau　Club；　he'd　appeared　irritable　and　cut　the　mah…jong　game　short。　There　it　ends。　John　Chen's　not　known　to　have　been　seen　again　by　any　of　his　friends　…　or　family。〃
　〃Did　he　tell　Wo　Sang　Chi　where　he　was　going？〃
　〃No。　Wo　Sang　Chi　told　us　he　presumed　he　was　going　home　…　but　then　he　said；　'He　might　have　gone　to　visit　his　girl　friend。'　We　asked　him　who；　but　he　said　he　didn't　know。　After　pressing　him　he　said　he　seemed　to　remember　a　name；　Fragrant　Flower；　but　no　address　or　phone　number　…　that's　all。〃
　〃Fragrant　Flower？　That　could　cover　a　multitude　of　ladies　of　the　night。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Crosse　was　lost　in　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Why　would　Dunross　want　John　Chen　eliminated？〃
　The　two　police　officers　gaped　at　their　superior。
　〃Put　that　in　your　abacus　brain；　Brian。〃
　〃Yes　sir；　but　there's　no　reason。　John　Chen's　no　threat　to　Dunross；　wouldn't　possibly　be　…　even　if　he　became　pradore。　In　the　Noble　House　the　tai…pan　holds　all　the　power。〃
　〃Does　he？〃
　〃Yes。　By　definition。〃　Brian　Kwok　hesitated；　thrown　off　balance　again。　〃Well　yes　sir　…　I　。。。　in　the　Noble　House；　yes。〃
　Crosse　turned　his　attention　to　Armstrong。　〃Well？〃
　〃No　reason　I　can　think　of；　sir。　Yet。〃
　〃Well　think　about　it。〃
　Crosse　lit　a　cigarette　and　Armstrong　felt　the　smoke　hunger　pangs　heavily。　I'll　never　keep　my　vow；　he　thought。　Bloody　bastard　Crosse…that…we…all…have…to…carry！　What　the　hell's　in　his　mind？　He　saw　Crosse　offer　him　a　packet　of　Senior　Service；　the　brand　he　always　used　to　smoke　…　don't　fool　yourself；　he　thought；　the　brand　you　still　smoke。　〃No　thank　you　sir；〃　he　heard　himself　say；　shafts　of　pain　in　his　stomach　and　through　all　of　him。
　〃You're　not　smoking；　Robert？〃
　〃No　sir；　I've　stopped　。。。　I'm　just　trying　to　stop。〃
　〃Admirable！　Why　should　Bartlett　want　John　Chen　eliminated？〃
　Again　both　police　officers　gawked　at　him。　Then　Armstrong　said　throatily；　〃Do　you　know　why；　sir？〃
　〃If　I　knew；　why　should　I　ask　you？　That's　for　you　to　find　out。　There's　a　connection　somewhere。　Too　many　coincidences；　too　neat；　too　pat　…　and　too　smelly。　Yes　it　smells　of　KGB　involvement　to　me；　and　when　that　happens　in　my　domain　I　must　confess　I　get　irritable。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Well；　so　far　so　good。　Put　surveillance　on　Mrs。　Phillip　Chen　…　she　could　easily　be　implicated　somewhere。　The　stakes　for　her　are　certainly　high　enough。　Tail　Phillip　Chen　for　a　day　or　two　as　well。〃
　〃That's　already　done；　sir。　Both　of　them。　On　Phillip　Chen；　not　that　I　suspect　him　but　just　because　I　think　they'll　both　do　the　usual　…　be　uncooperative；　keep　mum；　negotiate　secretly；　pay　off　secretly　and　breathe　a　sigh　of　relief　once　it's　over。〃
　〃Quite。　Why　is　it　these　fellows　…　however　well　educated　…　think　they're　so　much　smarter　than　we　are　and　won't　help　us　do　the　work　we're　paid　to　do？〃
　Brian　Kwok　felt　the　steely　eyes　grinding　into　him　and　the　sweat　trickled　down　his　back。　Control　yourself；　he　thought。　This　bastard's　only　a　foreign　devil；　an　uncivilized；　manure…eating；　dung…ladened；　motherless；　dew　neh　loh　moh　saturated；　monkey…descended　foreign　devil。　〃It's　an　old　Chinese　custom　which　I'm　sure　you　know；　sir；〃　he　said　politely；　〃to　distrust　all　police；　all　government　officials　…　they've　four　thousand　years　of　experience；　sir。〃
　〃I　agree　with　the　hypothesis；　but　with　one　exception。　The　British。　We　have　proved　beyond　all　doubt　we're　to　be　trusted；　we　can　govern；　and；　by　and　large；　our　bureaucracy's　incorruptible。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Crosse　watched　him　for　a　moment；　puffing　his　cigarette。　Then　he　said；　〃Robert；　do　you　know　what　John　Chen　and　Miss　Tcholok　said　or　talked　about？〃
　〃No　sir。　We　haven't　been　able　to　interview　her　yet　…　she's　been　at　Struan's　all　day。　Could　it　be　important？〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　Dunross's　party　tonight？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Brian？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Good。　Robert；　I'm　sure　Dunross　won't　mind　if　I　bring　you　with　me；　call　for　me　at　8：00　p。m。　All　Hong　Kong　that　counts　will　be　there　…　you　can　keep　your　ears　to　the　grindstone　and　your　nose　everywhere。〃　He　smiled　at　his　own　joke　and　did　not　mind　that　neither　smiled　with　him。　〃Read　the　report　now。　I'll　be　back　shortly。　And　Brian；　please　don't　fail　tonight。　It　really　would　be　very　boring。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Crosse　left。
　When　they　were　alone　Brian　Kwok　mopped　his　brow。　〃That　bugger　petrifies　me。〃
　〃Yes。　Same　for　me；　old　chum；　always　has。〃
　〃Would　he　really　order　a　team　into　Struan's？〃　Brian　Kwok　asked　incredulously。　〃Into　the　inner　kernel　of　the　Noble　House？〃
　〃Of　course。　He'd　even　lead　it　himself。　This's　your　first　tour　with　SI；　old　lad；　so　you　don't　know　him　like　I　do。　That　bugger'd　lead　a　team　of　assassins　into　hell　if　he　thought　it　important　enough。　Bet　you　he　got　the　file　himself。　Christ；　he's　been　over　the　border　twice　that　I　know　of　to　chat　to　a　friendly　agent。　He　went　alone；　imagine　that！〃
　Brian　gasped。　〃Does　the　governor　know？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　think　so。　He'd　have　a　hemorrhage；　and　if　MI…6　ever　heard；　he'd　be　roasted　and　Crosse'd　get　sent　to　the　Tower　of　London。　He　knows　too　many　secrets　to　take　that　chance　…　but　he's　Crosse　and　not　a　thing　you　can　do　about　it。〃
　〃Who　was　the　agent？〃
　〃Our　guy　in　Canton。〃
　〃Wu　Fong　Fong？〃
　〃No；　a　new　one　…　at　least　he　was　new　in　my　time。　In　the　army。〃
　〃Captain　Ta　Quo　Sa？〃
　Armstrong　shrugged。　〃I　forget。〃
　Kwok　smiled。　〃Quite　right。〃
　〃Crosse　still　went　over　the　border。　He's　a　law　unto　himself。〃
　〃Christ；　you　can't　even　go　to　Macao　because　you　were　in　SI　a　couple　of　years　ago　and　he　goes　over　the　border。　He's　bonkers　to　take　that　risk。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Armstrong　began　to　mimic　Crosse。　〃And　how　is　it　tradesmen　know　things　before　we　do；　dear　boy？　Bloody　simple；〃　he　said；　answering　himself；　and　his　voice　lost　its　banter。　〃They　spend　money。　They　spend　lots　of　bloody　money；　whereas　we've　sweet　f。a。　to　spend。　He　knows　it　and　I　know　it　and　the　whole　world　knows　it。　Christ；　how　does　the　FBI；　CIA；　KGB　or　Korean　CIA　work？　They　spend　money！　Christ；　it's　too　easy　to　get　Alan　Medford　Grant　on　your　team　…　Dunross　hired　him。　Ten　thousand　pounds　retainer；　that'd　buy　lots　of　reports；　that's　more　than　enough；　perhaps　it　was　less。　How　much　are　we　paid？　Two　thousand　quid　a　year　for　three　hundred　and　sixty…six；　twenty…five…hour　days　and　a　copper　on　the　beat　gets　four　hundred　quid。　Look　at　the　red　tape　we'd　have　to　go　through　to　get　a　secret　ten　thousand　quid　to　pay　to　one　man　to　buy　info。　Where'd　the　FBI；　CIA　and　god…cursed　KGB　be　without　unlimited　funds？　Christ；〃　he　added　sourly；　〃it'd　take　us　six　months　to　get　the　money；　if　we　could　get　it；　whereas　Dunross　and　fifty　others　can　take　it　out　of　petty　cash。〃　The　big　man　sat　in　his　chair　slouched　and　loose…limbed；　dark　shadows　under　his　eyes　that　were　red　ri