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fast and was back in line though still over the speed limit when he saw the traffic motorcycle policemen waiting ahead。 He changed down and passed them going the regulation 30 mph。 He waved good…naturedly。 They waved back。
〃You really must slow down； Ian；〃 his friend； Henry Foxwell； Senior Superintendent of Traffic； had said recently。 〃You really should。〃
〃I've never had an accident … yet。 Or a ticket。〃
〃Good God； Ian； there's not a traffic copper on the island who'd dare give you one！ You； the tai…pan？ Perish the thought。 I meant for your own good。 Keep that speed devil of yours bottled for Monaco； or your Macao Road Race。〃
〃Monaco's professional。 I don't take chances； and I don't drive that fast anyway。〃
〃67 mph over Wongniechong isn't exactly slow； old chap。 Admittedly it was 4：23 a。m。 on an almost empty road。 But it is a 30 mph zone。〃
〃There're lots of E…Types in Hong Kong。〃
〃Yes； I agree。 Seven。 Scarlet convertibles with a special number plate？ With a black canvas roof； racing wheels and tires； that goes like the clappers of hell？ It was last Thursday； old chap。 Radar and all that。 You'd been to 。。。 to visit friends。 In Sinclair Road I believe。〃
Dunross had contained his sudden rage。 〃Oh？〃 he said； the surface of his face smiling。 〃Thursday？ I seem to remember I had dinner with John Chen then。 At his apartment in Sinclair Towers。 But I thought I was home long before 4：23。〃
〃Oh I'm sure you were。 I'm sure the constable got the number plate and color and everything all wrong。〃 Foxwell clapped him on the back in friendly style。 〃Even so； slow down a little will you？ It'd be so boring if you killed yourself during my term。 Wait till I'm transferred back to Special Branch … or the police college； eh？ Yes； I'm sure he made a mistake。〃
But there was no mistake； Dunross had said to himself。 You know it； I know it； and John Chen would know it and so would Wei…wei。
So you fellows know about Wei…wei！ That's interesting。
〃Are you fellows watching me？〃 he had asked bluntly。
〃Good God no！〃 Foxwell had been shocked。 〃Special Intelligence was watching a villain who's got a flat at Sinclair Towers。 You happened to be seen。 You're very important here； you know that。 I happened to pick it up through channels。 You know how it is。〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃They say one word to the wise is sufficient； old chap。〃
〃Yes they do。 So perhaps you'd better tell your Intelligence fellows to be more intelligent in future。〃
〃Fortunately they're very discreet。〃
〃Even so I wouldn't like my movements a matter of record。〃
〃I'm sure they're not。 Not a matter of record。〃
〃Good。 What villain in Sinclair Towers？〃
〃One of our important capitalist dogs but suspected secret mie fellows。 Very boring but SI have to earn their daily bread； don't they？〃
〃Do I know him？〃
〃I imagine you know everyone。〃
〃Shanghainese or Cantonese？〃
〃What makes you think he's either？〃
〃Ah； then he's European？〃
〃He's just a villain； Ian。 Sorry； it's all very hush…hush at the moment。〃
〃e on； we own that block。 Who？ I won't tell anyone。〃
〃I know。 Sorry old boy； but I can't。 However； I've another hypothetical idea for you。 Say a hypothetical married VIP had a lady friend whose uncle happened to be the undercover deputy chief of the illegal Kuomintang Secret Police for Hong Kong。 Say； hypothetically； the Kuomintang wanted this VIP on their side。 Certainly he could be pressured by such a lady。 Couldn't he？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dunross had said easily。 〃If he was stupid。〃 He already knew about Wei…wei Jen's uncle and had met him at a number of private parties several times in Taipei。 And liked him。 No problem there； he had thought； because she's not my mistress or even a lady friend； however beautiful and desirable。 And tempting。
He smiled to himself as he drove in the stream of traffic down Magazine Gap Road then waited in line to circle the roundabout and head down Garden Road toward Central； half a mile below； and to the sea。
Now he could see the soaring modern office block that was Struan's。 It was twenty…two stories high and fronted Connaught Road and the sea； almost opposite the Terminal of the Golden Ferries that plied between Hong Kong and Kowloon。 As always； the sight pleased him。
He weaved in and out of heavy traffic where he could； crawled past the Hilton Hotel and the Cricket Ground on his left； then turned into Connaught Road； the sidewalks jammed with pedestrians。 He stopped outside his front entrance。
This's the big day； he thought。 The Americans have arrived。
And； with joss； Bartlett's the noose that'll strangle Quillan Gornt once and for all time。 Christ； if we can pull this on！
〃Morning； sir。〃 The uniformed doorman saluted crisply。
〃Morning； Tom。〃 Dunross eased himself out of the low…slung car and ran up the marble steps； two at a time； toward the huge glass entrance。 Another doorman drove the car off to its underground parking and still another opened the glass door for him。 He caught the reflection of the Rolls drawing up。 Recognizing it； he glanced back。 Casey got out and he whistled involuntarily。 She carried a briefcase。 Her sea…green silk suit was tailored and very conservative； but even so； it hid none of the trim of her figure or the dance to her stride and the sea green enhanced the tawny gold of her hair。
She looked around； feeling his eyes。 Her recognition was immediate and she measured him as he measured her and though the instant was short it seemed long to both of them。 Long and leisurely。
She moved first and walked toward him。 He met her halfway。
〃Hello； Mr。 Dunross。〃
〃Hello。 We've never met； have we？〃
〃No。 But you're easy to recognize from your photos。 I didn't expect to have the pleasure of meeting you till later。 I'm Cas… 〃
〃Yes；〃 he said and grinned。 〃I had a deranged call from John Chen last night。 Wele to Hong Kong； Miss Tcholok。 It is Miss； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 I hope my being a woman won't upset things too much。〃
〃Oh yes it will； very much。 But we'll try to acmodate the problem。 Would you and Mr。 Bartlett care to be my guests at the races on Saturday？ Lunch and all that？〃
〃I think that would be lovely。 But I have to check with Linc … may I confirm this afternoon？〃
〃Of course。〃 He looked down at her。 She looked back。 The doorman still held the door open。
〃Well； e along； Miss Tcholok； and let battle mence。〃
She glanced at him quickly。 〃Why should we battle？ We're here to do business。〃
〃Oh yes； of course。 Sorry； it's just a Sam Ackroyd saying。 I'll explain another time。〃 He ushered her in and headed for the bank of elevators。 The many people already lined up and waiting immediately moved aside for them to get into the first elevator； to Casey's embarrassment。
〃Thanks；〃 Dunross said； not noticing anything out of the ordinary。 He guided her in； pressed 20； the top button； noticing absently that she wore no perfume or jewelry； just a thin gold chain around her neck。
〃Why's the front door at an angle？〃 she asked。
〃Sorry？〃
〃The front entrance seems to be on a slight tilt … it's not quite straight … I was wondering why。〃
〃You're very observant。 The answer is fung sui。 When the building was put up four years ago； somehow or other we forgot to consult our house fung sui man。 He's like an astrologer； a man who specializes in heaven； earth； water currents and devils； that sort of thing； and makes sure you're building on the Earth Dragon's back and not on his head。〃
〃What？〃
〃Oh yes。 You see every building in the whole of China's on some part of the Earth Dragon。 To be on his back's perfect； but if you're on his head it's very bad； and terrible if you're on his eyeball。 Anyway； when we did get around to asking； our fung sui man said we were on the Dragon's back … thank God； otherwise we'd've had to move … but that devils were getting in the door and this was what was causing all the trouble。 He advised me to reposition the door； and so； under his direction we changed the angle and now the devils are all deflected。〃
She laughed。 〃Now tell me the real reason。〃
〃Fung sui。 We had very bad joss here … bad luck … rotten in fact until the door was changed。〃 His face hardened momentarily then the shadow passed。 〃The moment we changed the angle； everything became good again。〃
〃You're telling me you really believe that？ Devils and dragons？〃
〃I believe none of it。 But you learn the hard way when you're in China that it's best to act a little Chinese。 Never forget that though Hong Kong's British it's still China。〃
〃Did you learn th… 〃
The elevator stopped and opened on a paneled hallway and a desk and a neat； efficient Chinese receptionist。 Her eyes priced Casey's clothes and jewelry instantly。
Cow； Casey thought； reading her loud and clear； and smiled back as sweetly。
〃Morning； tai…pan；〃 the receptionist said smoothly。
〃Mary； this is Miss K。 C。 Tcholok。 Please show her into Mr。 Struan's office。〃
〃Oh but… 〃 Mary Li tried to cover her shock。 〃They're； they're waiting for a 。。。〃 She picked up the phone but he stopped her。 〃Just show her in。 Now。 No need to announce her。〃 He turned back to Casey and smiled。 〃You're launched。 I'll see you shortly。〃
〃Yes； thanks。 See you。〃
〃Please follow me； Miss Tchuluck；〃 Mary Li said