jamesclavell.noblehouse-第55节
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〃Yes； I'm sure they will；〃 Phillip Chen said dully； his mind not so much swamped by the kidnapping as appalled by what he had discovered in his son's safety deposit box this afternoon。 He had opened it with the key that he had taken from the shoebox。
〃Go on； Phillip； take it； don't be a fool；〃 his wife Dianne had hissed。 〃Take it … if we don't the tai…pan will！〃
〃Yes； yes I know。〃 Thank all gods I did； he thought； still in shock； remembering what he had found when he'd rifled through the contents。 Manila envelopes of various sizes； mostly itemized； a diary and phone book。 In the envelope marked 〃debts〃 betting slips for 97；000 HK for current debts to illegal； off…course gamblers in Hong Kong。 A note in favor of Miser Sing； a notorious moneylender； for 30；000 HK at 3 percent per month interest； a long overdue sight demand note from the Ho…Pak Bank for 20；000 U。S。 and a letter from Richard Kwang dated last week saying unless John Chen made some arrangements soon he would have to talk to his father。 Then there were letters which documented a growing friendship between his son and an American gambler； Vincenzo Banastasio； who assured John Chen that his debts were not pressing：
〃。。。 take your time； John； your credit's the best； anytime this year's fine 。。。〃 and； attached； was the photocopy of a perfectly legal； notarized promissory note binding his son； his heirs or assignees； to pay Banastasio； on demand； 485；000 U。S。； plus interest。
Stupid； stupid； he had raged； knowing his son had not more than a fifth of those assets； so he himself would have to pay the debt eventually。
Then a thick envelope marked 〃Par…Con〃 had caught his attention。
This contained a Par…Con employment contract signed by K。 C。 Tcholok； three months ago； hiring John Chen as a private consultant to Par…Con for 〃。。。。 100；000 down （50；000 of which is hereby acknowledged as already paid） and； once a satisfactory deal is signed between Par…Con and Struan's； Rothwell…Gornt or any other Hong Kong pany of Par…Con's choosing； a further one million dollars spread over a five…year period in equal installments； and within thirty days of the signing of the above said contract； a debt to Mr。 Vincenzo Banastasio of 85 Orchard Road； Las Vegas； Nevada； of 485；000 paid off； the first year's installment of 200；000； along with the balance of 50；000。 。。。〃
〃In return for what；〃 Phillip Chen had gasped helplessly in the bank vault。
But the long contract spelled out nothing further except that John Chen was to be a 〃private consultant in Asia。〃 There were no notes or papers attached to it。
Hastily he had rechecked the envelope in case he had missed anything but it was empty。 A quick leafing through the other envelopes produced nothing。 Then he happened to notice a thin airmail envelope half stuck to another。 It was marked 〃Par…Con II。〃 It contained photocopies of handwritten notes from his son to Linc Bartlett。
The first was dated six months ago and confirmed that he； John Chen； would and could supply Par…Con with the most intimate knowledge of the innermost workings of the whole Struan plex of panies； 〃。。。 of course this has to be kept totally secret； but for example； Mr。 Bartlett； you can see from the enclosed Struan balance sheets for 1954 through 1961 （when Struan's went public） what I advise is perfectly feasible。 If you look at the chart of Struan's corporate structure； and the list of some of the important stockholders of Struan's and their secret holdings； including my father's； you should have no trouble in any takeover bid Par…Con cares to mount。 Add to these photocopies the other thing I told you about … I swear to God that you can believe me … I guarantee success。 I'm putting my life on the line； that should be collateral enough； but if you'll advance me fifty of the first hundred now； I'll agree to let you have possession on arrival … on your undertaking to return it to me once your deal's set … or for use against Struan's。 I guarantee to use it against Struan's。 In the end Dunross has to do anything you want。 Please reply to the usual post box and destroy this as we have agreed。〃
〃Possession of what？〃 Phillip Chen had muttered； beside himself with anxiety。 His hands were shaking now as he read the second letter。 It was dated three weeks ago。 〃Dear Mr。 Bartlett。 This will confirm your arrival dates。 Everything's prepared。 I look forward to seeing you again and meeting Mr。 K。 C。 Tcholok。 Thanks for the fifty cash which arrived safely … all future monies are to go to a numbered account in Zurich … I'll give you the bank details when you arrive。 Thank you also for agreeing to our unwritten understanding that if I can assist you in the way I've claimed I can； then I'm in for 3 percent of the action of the new Par…Con （Asia） Trading pany。
〃I enclose a few more things of interest： note the date that Struan's demand notes （countersigned by my father） bee due to pay Toda Shipping for their new super container ships … September 1； 11 and 15。 There's not enough money in Struan's till to meet them。
〃Next： to answer Mr。 Tcholok's question about my father's position in any takeover or proxy fight。 He can be neutralized。 Enclosed photocopies are a sample of many that I have。 These show a very close relationship with White Powder Lee and his cousin； Wu Sang Fang who's also known as Four Finger Wu； from the early fifties； and secret ownership with them … even today … of a property pany； two shipping panies and Bangkok trading interests。 Though outwardly； now； both pose as respectable businessmen； property developers and shipping millionaires； it's mon knowledge they have been successful pirates and smugglers for years … and there's a very strong rumor in Chinese circles that they are the High Dragons of the opium trade。 If my father's connection with them was made public it would take his face away forever； would sever the very close links he has with Struan's； and all the other hongs that exist today； and most important； would destroy forever his chance for a knighthood； the one thing he wants above all。 Just the threat of doing this would be enough to neutralize him … even make him an ally。 Of course I realize these papers and the others I have need further documentation to stick in a court of law but I have this already in abundance in a safe place。 。。。〃
Phillip Chen remembered how； panic…stricken； he had searched frantically for the further documentation； his mind shrieking that it was impossible for his son to have so much secret knowledge； impossible for him to have Struan's balance sheets of the prepublic days； impossible to know about Four Finger Wu and those secret things。
Oh gods that's almost everything I know … even Dianne doesn't know half of that！ What else does John know … what else has he told the American？
Beside himself with anxiety he had searched every envelope but there was nothing more。
〃He must have another box somewhere … or safe；〃 he had muttered aloud； hardly able to think。
Furiously he had scooped everything into his briefcase； hoping that a more careful examination would answer his questions … and slammed the box shut and locked it。 At a sudden thought； he had reopened it。 He had pulled the slim tray out and turned it upside down。 Taped to the underside were two keys。 One was a safety deposit box key with the number carefully filed off。 He stared at the other； paralyzed。 He recognized it at once。 It was the key to his own safe in his house on the crest。 He would have bet his life that the only key in existence was the one that he always wore around his neck； that had never been out of his possession … ever since his father had given it to him on his deathbed sixteen years ago。
〃Oh ko；〃 he said aloud； once more consumed with rage。
Dunross said； 〃You all right？ How about a brandy？〃
〃No； no thank you；〃 Phillip Chen said shakily； back in the present now。 With an effort he pulled his mind together and stared at the tai…pan； knowing he should tell him everything。 But he dare not。 He dare not until he knew the extent of the secrets stolen。 Even then he dare not。 Apart from many transactions the authorities could easily misconstrue； and others that could be highly embarrassing and lead to all sorts of court cases； civil if not criminal … stupid English law； he thought furiously； stupid to have one law for everyone； stupid not to have one law for the rich and another for the poor； why else work and slave and gamble and scheme to be rich … apart from all this he would still have had to admit to Dunross that he had been documenting Struan secrets for years； that his father had done so before him … balance sheets； stockholdings and other secret； very very private personal family things； smugglings and payoffs … and he knew it would be no good saying I did it just for protection； to protect the House； because the tai…pan would rightly say； yes but it was to protect the House of Chen and not the Noble House； and he would rightly turn on him； turn his full wrath on him and his brood； and in the holocaust of a fight against Struan's he was bound to lose … Dirk Struan's will had provided for that … and everything that almost a century and a half had built up would vanish。
Thank all gods that everything was not in
