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pressure on one of his elbows and he cried out； 〃All gods bear witness it's the truth！〃 He screamed as the joint went； and fainted。 Across the room Dog…eared Chen groaned with fear。 He started to cry out but one of the men smashed him in the face； his head crashed against the wall and he collapsed； unconscious。
Now all their eyes went to Kin Pak。 〃It's true；〃 Kin Pak gasped in terror at the suddenness of everything。 〃Everything he told you。 It's true！〃
Goodweather Poon cursed him。 Then he said； 〃Did you search Noble House Chen before you buried him？〃
〃Yes； Lord； at least I didn't； he 。。。〃 Shakily he pointed at his father's body。 〃He did。〃
〃You were there？〃
The youth hesitated。 Instantly Poon darted at him； moving with incredible speed for such an old man。 His knife knicked Kin Pak's cheek a deliberate fraction below his eyes and stayed there。 〃Liar！〃
〃I was there；〃 the youth choked out； 〃I was going to tell you； Lord； I was； there。 I won't lie to you I swear it！〃
〃The next time you lie it will be your left eye。 You were there； heya？〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes； Lord！〃
〃Was he there？〃 he said pointing at Smallpox Kin。
〃No； Lord。〃
〃Him？〃
〃Yes。 Dog…eared was there！〃
〃Did you search the body？〃
〃Yes； Lord； yes I helped our father。〃
〃All his pockets； everything？〃
〃Yes yes everything。〃
〃Any papers？ Notebook； diary？ Jewelry？〃
The youth hesitated； frantic； trying to think； the knife never moving away from his face。 〃Nothing； Lord； that I remember。 We sent all his things to Noble House Chen； except； except the money。 We kept the money。 And his watch … I'd forgotten his watch！ It's； it's that one！〃 He pointed at the watch on his father's outstretched wrist。
Goodweather Poon swore again。 Four Finger Wu had told him to recapture John Chen； to get any of his possessions the kidnappers still had； particularly any coins or parts of coins； and then； equally anonymously； to dispose of the kidnappers。 I'd better phone him in a moment； he thought。 I'd better get further instructions。 I don't want to make a mistake。
〃What did you do with the money？〃
〃We spent it； Lord。 There were only a few hundred dollars and some change。 It's gone。〃
One of the men said； 〃I think he's lying！〃
〃I'm not； Lord； I swear it！〃 Kin Pak almost burst into tears。 〃I'm not。 Pl… 〃
〃Shut up！ Shall I cut this one's throat？〃 the man said genially； motioning at Smallpox Kin who was still unconscious； sprawled across the table； the pool of blood thickening。
〃No； no； not yet。 Hold him there。〃 Goodweather Poon scratched his piles while he thought a moment。 〃We'll go and dig up Number One Son Chen。 Yes that's what we'll do。 Now； Little Turd； who killed him？〃
At once Kin Pak pointed at his father's body。 〃He did。 It was terrible。 He's our father and he hit him with a shovel 。。。 he hit him with a shovel when he tried to escape the night 。。。 the night we got him。〃 The youth shuddered； his face chalky； his fear of the knife under his eye consuming him。 〃It； it wasn't my fault； Lord。〃
〃What's your name？〃
〃Soo Tak…gai； Lord；〃 he said instantly； using their prearranged emergency names。
〃Him？〃 The finger pointed at his brother。
〃Soo Tak…tong。〃
〃Him？〃
〃Wu…tip Sup。〃
〃And him？〃
The youth looked at his father's body。 〃He was Goldtooth Soo； Lord。 He was very bad but we 。。。 we； we had to obey。 We had to obey him； he was our； our father。〃
〃Where did you take Number One Son Chen before you killed him？〃
〃To Sha Tin； Lord； but I didn't kill him。 We snatched him Hong Kong side then put him in the back of a car we stole and went to Sha Tin。 There's an old shack our father rented； just outside the village 。。。 he planned everything。 We had to obey him。〃
Poon grunted and nodded at his men。 〃We'll search here first。〃 At once they released Smallpox Kin； the unconscious youth who slumped to the floor； leaving a trail of blood。 〃You； bind up his finger！〃 Hastily Kin Pak grabbed an old dishcloth and； near vomiting； began to tie a rough tourniquet around the stump。
Poon sighed； not knowing what to do first。 After a moment he opened the suitcase。 All their eyes went to the mountain of notes。 They all felt the greed。 Poon shifted the knife into his other hand and closed the suitcase。 He left it in the center of the table and started to search the dingy apartment。 There was just a table； a few chairs and an old iron bedstead with a soiled mattress。 Paper was peeling off the walls； the windows mostly boarded up and glassless。 He turned the mattress over； then searched it but it concealed nothing。 He went into the filthy； almost empty kitchen and switched on the light。 Then into the foul…smelling toilet。 Smallpox Kin whimpered； ing around。
In a drawer Goodweather Poon found some papers； ink and writing brushes。 〃What's this for？〃 he asked； holding up one of the papers。 On it was written in bold characters： 〃This Number One Son Chen had the stupidity to try to escape us。 No one can escape the Werewolves！ Let all Hong Kong beware。 Our eyes are everywhere！〃
〃What's this for； heya？〃
Kin Pak looked up from the floor； desperate to please。 〃We couldn't return him alive to Noble House Chen so our father ordered that 。。。 that tonight we were to dig Number One Son up and put that on his chest and put him beside the Sha Tin Road。〃
Goodweather Poon looked at him。 〃When you start to dig you'd better find him quickly； the first time；〃 he said malevolently。 〃Yes。 Or your eyes； Little Turd； won't be anywhere。〃
35
9：30 P。M。：
Orlanda Ramos came up the wide staircase of the vast Floating Dragon restaurant at Aberdeen and moved through the noisy； chattering guests at Sir Shi…teh T'Chung's banquet looking for Linc Bartlett … and Casey。
The two hours that she had spent with Linc this morning for the newspaper interview had been revealing； particularly about Casey。 Her instincts had told her the sooner she brought the enemy to battle the better。 It had been easy to have them both invited tonight … Shi…teh was an old associate of Gornt and an old friend。 Gornt had been pleased with her idea。
They were on the top deck。 There was a nice smell of the sea ing through the large windows； the night good though humid； overcast； and all around were the lights of the high rises and the township of Aberdeen。 Out in the harbor； nearby； were the brooding islands of junks； partially lit； where 150；000 boat people lived their lives。
The room they were in； scarlet and gold and green； stretched half the length and the whole breadth of the boat； off the central staircase。 Ornate wood and plaster gargoyles and unicorns and dragons were everywhere throughout the three soaring decks of the restaurant ablaze with lights and packed with diners。 Below decks； the cramped kitchens held twenty…eight cooks； an army of helpers； a dozen huge cauldrons … steam； sweat and smoke。 Eighty…two waiters serviced the Floating Dragon。 There were seats for four hundred on each of the first two decks and two hundred on the third。 Sir Shi…teh had taken over the whole top deck and now it was well filled with his guests； standing in impatient groups amid the round tables that seated twelve。
Orlanda felt fine tonight and very confident。 She had again dressed meticulously for Bartlett。 This morning when she had had the interview with him she had worn casual American clothes and little makeup； and the loose； silk blouse that she had selected so carefully did not flaunt her bralessness； merely suggested it。 This daring new fashion pleased her greatly； making her even more aware of her femininity。 Tonight she wore delicate white silk。 She knew her figure was perfect； that she was envied for her open； unconscious sensuality。
That's what Quillan did for me； she thought； her lovely head high and the curious half…smile lighting her face … one of the many things。 He made me understand sensuality。
Havergill and his wife were in front of her and she saw their eyes on her breasts。 She laughed to herself； well aware that； even discreetly； she would be the only woman in the room who had dared to be so modern； to emulate the fashion that had begun the year before in Swinging London。
〃Evening； Mr。 Havergill； Mrs。 Havergill；〃 she said politely； moving around them in the crush。 She knew him well。 Many times he had been invited onto Gornt's yacht。 Sometimes Gornt's yacht would steam out from the Yacht Club； Hong Kong side； with just her and Quillan and his men friends aboard and go over to Kowloon； to the sea…washed steps beside the Golden Ferry where the girls would be waiting； dressed in sun clothes or boating clothes。
In her early days with Quillan she too had had to wait Kowloon side； honoring the golden rule in the Colony that discretion was all important and when you live Hong Kong side you play Kowloon side； live Kowloon side； play Hong Kong side。
In the days when Quillan's wife was bedridden and Orlanda was openly； though still most discreetly； Quillan's mistress； Quillan would take her with him to Japan and Singapore and Taiwan but never Bangkok。 In those days Paul Havergill was Paul or more likely； Horny … Horny Hav…a…girl； as he was known to most of his intimates。 But even then； whenever she would meet him in public； like tonight； it would always be