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〃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。〃
Armstrong shivered in spite of himself。 Ever since the '56 riots it was a recurring nightmare of his that he was back in that insane； screaming mob again。 It was in Kowloon。 The mob had just overturned the car with the Swiss consul and his wife in it and set it afire。 He and other policemen had charged through the mob to rescue them。 When they got to the car the man was already dead and the young wife afire。 By the time they'd dragged her out； all her clothes had burned off her and her skin came away like a pelt。 And all around； men； women and young people were raving； 〃Kill the quai loh 。。。〃
He shivered again； his nostrils still smelling burned flesh。 〃Christ； what a bastard！〃
〃Yes； but all in the day's work。 I'll keep you posted。 If that bloody Werewolf es back to Aberdeen he'll be in a net tighter than a gnat's arsehole。〃
30
2：20 P。M。：
Phillip Chen stopped flipping through his mail； his face suddenly ashen。 The envelope was marked； 〃Mr。 Phillip Chen to open personally。〃
〃What is it？〃 his wife asked。
〃It's from them。〃 Shakily he showed it to her。 〃The Werewolves。〃
〃Oh！〃 They were at their lunch table that was set haphazardly in a corner of the living room of the house far up on the crest of Struan's Lookout。 Nervously she put down her coffee cup。 〃Open it； Phillip。 But； but better use your handkerchief in 。。。 in case of fingerprints；〃 she added uneasily。
〃Yes； yes of course； Dianne； how stupid of me！〃 Phillip Chen was looking very old。 His coat was over his chair and his shirt damp。 There was a slight breeze from the open window behind him but it was hot and humid and a brooding afternoon haze had settled over the Island。 Carefully he used an ivory paper knife and unfolded the paper。 〃Yes； it's 。。。 it's from the Werewolves。 It's 。。。 it's about the ransom。〃
〃Read it out。〃
〃All right： 'To Phillip Chen； pradore of the Noble House； greetings。 I beg to inform you now how the ransom money is to be paid。 500；000 to you is as meaningless as a pig's scream in a slaughterhouse but to us poor farmers would be a heritage for our star … '〃
〃Liars！〃 Dianne hissed； her lovely gold and jade necklace glittering in a shaft of muted sunlight。 〃As if farmers would kidnap John or mutilate him like that。 Dirty stinky foreign triads！ Go on； Phillip。〃
〃 '。。。 would be a heritage for our starving grandchildren。 That you have already consulted the police is to us like pissing in the ocean。 But now you will not consult。 No。 Now you will keep secret or the safety of your son will be endangered and he will not return and everything bad will be your own fault。 Beware； our eyes are everywhere。 If you try to betray us； the worst will happen and everything will be your own fault。 Tonight at six o'clock I will phone you。 Tell no one； not even your wife。 Meanw… ' 〃
〃Dirty triads！ Dirty whores' sons to try to spread trouble between husband and wife；〃 Dianne said angrily。
〃 '。。。 meanwhile prepare the ransom money in used 100…dollar notes。 。。。' 〃 Irritably Phillip Chen glanced at his watch。 〃I don't have much time to get to the bank。 I'll have … 〃
〃Finish the letter！〃
〃All right； be patient； my dear；〃 he said placatingly； his overtaxed heart skipping a beat as he recognized the edge to her voice。 〃Where was I？ Ah yes；' 。。。 notes。 If you obey my instructions faithfully； you may have your son back tonight。 。。。' Oh God I hope so；〃 he said； breaking off momentarily； then continued； 〃 'Do not consult the police or try to trap us。 Our eyes are watching you even now。 Written by the Werewolf。' 〃 He took off his glasses。 His eyes were red…rimmed and tired。 Sweat was on his brow。 〃 'Watching you even now' ？ Could one of the servants 。。。 or the chauffeur be in their pay？〃
〃No； no of course not。 They've all been with us for years。〃
He wiped the sweat off； feeling dreadful； wanting John back； wanting him safe； wanting to strangle him。 〃That means nothing。 I'd 。。。 I'd better call the police。〃
〃Forget them！ Forget them until we know what you have to do。 Go to the bank。 Get 200；000 only … you should be able to settle for that。 If you get more you might be tempted to give it all to them if tonight 。。。 if they really mean what they say。〃
〃Yes 。。。 very wise。 If we could settle for that 。。。〃 He hesitated。 〃What about the tai…pan？ Do you think I should tell the tai…pan； Dianne？ He； he might be able to help。〃
〃Huh！〃 she said scornfully。 〃What help can he give us？ We're dealing with dog…bone triads not foreign devil crooks。 If we need help we have to stay with our own。〃 Her eyes began boring into him。 〃And now you'd better tell me what's really the matter； why you were so angry the night before last and why you've been like a spiteful cat with a thorn in its rump ever since and not attending to business！〃
〃I've been attending to business；〃 he said defensively。
〃How many shares have you bought？ Eh？ Struan shares？ Have you taken advantage of what the tai…pan told us about the ing boom？ Do you remember what Old Blind Tung forecast？〃
〃Of course； of course I remember！〃 he stuttered。 〃I've； I've secretly doubled our holdings and have equally secret orders out with various brokers for half as much again。〃
Dianne Chen's abacus mind glowed at the thought of that vast profit； and all the private profit she would be making on all the shares she had bought on her own behalf； pledging her entire portfolio。 But she kept her face cold and her voice icy。 〃And how much did you pay？〃
〃They averaged out at 28。90。〃
〃Huh！ According to today's paper Noble House opened at 28。80；〃 she said with a disapproving sniff； furious that he had paid five cents less a share than she had。 〃You should have been at the market this morning instead of moping around here； sleeping your life away。〃
〃I wasn't feeling very well； dear。〃
〃It all goes back to the night before last。 What sent you into that unbelievable rage？ Heya？〃
〃It was nothing。〃 He got up； hoping to flee。 〃Noth… 〃
〃Sit down！ Nothing that you shouted at me； me your faithful wife in front of the servants？ Nothing that I was ordered into my own dining room like a mon whore？ Heya？〃 Her voice began rising and she let herself go； knowing instinctively that this was the perfect time； now that they were alone in the house； knowing that he was defenseless and she could press her advantage。 〃You think it's nothing that you abuse me； me who has given you the best years of her life； working and slaving and guarding you for twenty…three years？ Me； Dianne Mai…wei T'Chung who has the blood of the great Dirk Struan in her veins； who came to you virgin； with property in Wanchai； North Point and even on Lan Tao； with stocks and shares and the best schooling in England？ Me who never plains about your snoring and whoring or about the brat you sired out of that dance…hall girl you've sent to school in America！〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Oh I know all about you and her and all the others and all the other nasty things you do； and that you never loved me but just wanted my property and a perfect decoration to your drab life。 。。。〃
Phillip Chen was trying to close his ears but he could not。 His heart was pounding。 He hated rows and hated the shriek to her voice that； somehow； was perfectly tuned to set his teeth on edge； his brain oscillating and his bowels in turmoil。 He tried to interrupt her but she overrode him； battering him； accusing him of all sorts of dalliances and mistakes and private matters that he was shocked she knew about。
〃。。。 and what about your club？〃
〃Eh； what club？〃
〃The private Chinese lunch club with forty…three members called the 74 in a block off Pedder Street that contains a gourmet chef from Shanghai； teen…age hostesses and bedrooms and saunas and devices that dirty old men need to raise their Steamless Stalks？ Eh？〃
〃It's nothing like that at all；〃 Phillip Chen spluttered； aghast that she knew。 〃It's a pi… 〃
〃Don't lie to me！ You put up 87；000 good U。S。 greenbacks as the down payment with Shitee T'Chung and those two mealy…mouthed friends of yours and even now pay 4；000 HK…a…month fees。 Fees for what？ You'd better 。。。 Where do you think you're going？〃
Meekly he sat down again。 〃I … I was … I want to go to the bathroom。〃
〃Huh！ Whenever we have a discussion you want the bathroom！ You're just ashamed of the way you treat me and guilty。 。。。〃 Then； seeing him about to explode back at her； she switched abruptly； her voice crooningly gentle。 〃Poor Phillip！ Poor boy！ Why were you so angry？ Who's hurt you？〃
So he told her； and once he began the telling he felt better and his anguish and fear and fury started to melt away。 Women are clever and cunning in these things； he told himself confidently； rushing on。 He told her about opening John's safety deposit in the bank； about the letters to Linc Bartlett and about finding a duplicate key to his own safe in their bedroom。 〃I brought all the letters back；〃 he said； almost in tears； 〃they're upstairs； you can read them for yourself。 My own son！ He's betrayed us！〃
〃My God； Phillip；〃 she gasped； 〃if the tai…pan found out you and Father Chen…chen were keeping 。。。 if he knew he'd