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rapdoor steps led to a rough tunnel that quickly joined the large； dry； subterranean culvert storm drain。 Suslev picked his way carefully； using the flashlight that was in a bracket at the bottom of the steps。 In a moment he heard a car grinding over Sinclair Road just above his head。 A few more steps and he was below Sinclair Towers。 Another trapdoor led to a janitor's closet。 This let out onto some disused back stairs。 He began to climb。
Roger Crosse was still listening to the heavy breathing； mixed with opera。 The van was cramped and close； their shirts sweaty。 Crosse was smoking。 〃Sounds like he's bedded down for the night；〃 he said。 They could hear Clinker humming and his movements as he cleared up the broken glass。 A red warning light on the radio panel started winking。 The operator clicked on the sender。 〃Patrol car 1423； yes？〃
〃Headquarters for Superintendent Crosse。 Urgent。〃
〃This's Crosse。〃
〃Duty Office； sir。 A report's just e in that the Floating Dragon restaurant's on fire 。。。〃 Brian Kwok gasped。 〃。。。 Fire engines're already there； and the constable said that as many as twenty may be dead or drowned。 It seems the boat caught fire from the kitchen； sir。 There were several explosions。 They blew out most of the hull and 。。。 Just a moment sir； there's another report ing in from Marine。〃
They waited。 Brian Kwok broke the silence。 〃Dunross？〃
〃The party was on the top deck？〃 Crosse asked。
〃Yes sir。〃
〃He's much too smart to get burned to death … or drowned；〃 Crosse said softly。 〃Was the fire an accident； or deliberate？〃
Brian Kwok did not answer。
The HQ voice came in again。 〃Marine reports that the boat's capsized。 They say it's a proper carve…up and it looks like a few got sucked under。〃
〃Was our agent with our VIP？〃
〃No sir； he was waiting on the wharf near his car。 There was no time to get to him。〃
〃What about the people caught on the top deck？〃
〃Hang on a moment； I'll ask。 。。。〃
Again a silence。 Brian Kwok wiped the sweat off。
〃。。。 They say； twenty or thirty up there jumped； sir。 Unfortunately most of them abandoned ship a bit late； just before the boat capsized。 Marine doesn't know how many were swamped。〃
〃Stand by。〃 Crosse thought a moment。 Then he spoke into the mike again。 〃I'm sending Superintendent Kwok there at once in this transport。 Send a team of frogmen to meet him。 Ask the navy to assist； Priority One。 I'll be at home if I'm needed。〃 He clicked off the mike。 Then to Brian Kwok； 〃I'll walk from here。 Call me the moment you know about Dunross。 If he's dead we'll visit the bank vaults at once and to hell with the consequences。 Fast as you can now！〃
He got out。 The van took off up the hill。 Aberdeen was over the spine of mountains and due south。 He glanced at Rose Court a moment； then down across the street below to Sinclair Towers。 One of his teams was still watching the entrance； waiting patiently for Tsu…yan's return。 Where is that bastard？ he asked himself irritably。
Very concerned； he walked off down the hill。 Rain began to splatter him。 His footsteps quickened。
Suslev took an ice…cold beer from the modern refrigerator and opened it。 He drank gratefully。 32 Sinclair Towers was spacious； rich； clean and well furnished； with three bedrooms and a large living room。 It was on the eleventh floor。 There were three apartments to each floor around two cramped elevators and exit steps。 Mr。 and Mrs。 John Chen owned 31。 33 belonged to a Mr。 K。 V。 Lee。 Arthur had told Suslev that K。 V。 Lee was a cover name for Ian Dunross who； following the pattern of his predecessors； had sole access to three or four private apartments spread around the Colony。 Suslev had never met either John Chen or Dunross though he had seen them at the races and elsewhere many times。
If we have to interview the tai…pan what could be more convenient？ he thought grimly。 And with Travkin as an alternate bait。 。。。
A sudden squall whipped the curtains that were drawn over open windows and he heard the rain。 He shut the windows carefully and looked out。 Great drops were streaking the windows。 Streets and rooftops were already wet。 Lightning went across the sky。 The rumble of thunder followed。 Already the temperature had dropped a few degrees。 This'll be a good storm； he told himself gratefully； pleased to be out of Ginny Fu's tiny； sleazy fifth…floor walkup in Mong Kok； and equally happy not to be at Clinker's。
Arthur had arranged everything： Clinker； Ginny Fu； this safe house； the tunnel； certainly as well as he himself could have done in Vladivostok。 Clinker was a submariner and cockney and everything he was supposed to be except that he had always detested the officer class。 Arthur had said it had been easy to subvert Clinker to the cause； using the man's built…in suspicions； hatreds and secretiveness。 〃Ugly Ernie knows only a little about you； Gregor … of course that you're Russian and captain of the Ivanov。 As to the tunnel； I told him you're having an affair with a married woman in Sinclair Towers； the wife of one of the Establishment tai…pans。 I told him the tape…recorded snores and secrecy are because the rotten Peelers are after you and they've sneaked in and bugged his flat。〃
〃Peelers？〃
〃That's the cockney nickname for police。 It came from Sir Robert Peel； Prime Minister of England； who founded the first police force。 Cockneys've always hated Peelers and Ugly Ernie would delight in outwitting them。 Just be pro…Royal Navy and he's your dog until death。 。。。〃
Suslev smiled。 Clinker's not a bad man； he thought； just a bore。
He sipped his beer as he wandered back into the living room。 The afternoon paper was there。 It was the Guardian Extra； the headlines screaming； MOB MURDERS FRAGRANT FLOWER； and a good photograph of the riot。 He sat in an armchair and read quickly。
Then his sharp ears heard the elevator stop。 He went to the table beside the door and slid the loaded automatic with its silencer from under it。 He pocketed the gun and peered through the spy hole。
The doorbell was muted。 He opened it and smiled。 〃e in； old friend。〃 He embraced Jacques deVille warmly。 〃It's been a long time。〃
〃Yes； yes it has； rade；〃 deVille said as warmly。 The last time he had seen Suslev was in Singapore； five years before； at a secret meeting arranged by Arthur just after deVille had been induced to join Sevrin。 He and Suslev had met just as secretly the first time in the great port of Lyons in France in June '41； just days before Nazi Germany invaded Soviet Russia when the two countries were outwardly still allies。 At that time deVille was in the Maquis and Suslev second…in…mand and secret political missar of a Soviet submarine that was ostensibly in for a refit from patrol in the Atlantic； It was then that deVille was asked if he would like to carry on the real war； the war against the capitalist enemy as a secret agent after the fascists had been destroyed。
He had agreed with all his heart。
It had been easy for Suslev to subvert him。 Because of deVille's potential after the war； the KGB had secretly had him betrayed to the Gestapo； then rescued from a Gestapo prison death by munist guerrillas。 The guerrillas had given him false proof that he had been betrayed by one of his own men for money。 DeVille was thirty…two then and； like many； infatuated with socialism and with some of the teachings of Marx and Lenin。 He had never joined the French munist Party but now； because of Sevrin； he was an honorary captain in the KGB Soviet Security Force。
〃You seem tired； Frederick；〃 Suslev said； using deVille's cover name。 〃Tell me what's wrong。〃
〃Just a family problem。〃
〃Tell me。〃
Suslev listened intently to deVille's sad story about his son…in…law and daughter。 Since their meeting in 1941 Suslev had been deVille's controller。 In 1947 he had ordered him out to Hong Kong to join Struan's。 Before the war deVille and his father had owned a highly successful import…export business with close ties to Struan's … as well as family ties … so the change had been easy and wele。 DeVille's secret assignment was to bee a member of the Inner Court and； at length； tai…pan。
〃Where's your daughter now？〃 he asked passionately。
DeVille told him。
〃And the driver of the other car？〃 Suslev mitted the name and address to memory。 〃I'll see that he's dealt with。〃
〃No；〃 deVille said at once。 〃It 。。。 it was an accident。 We cannot punish a man for an accident。〃
〃He was drunk。 There is no excuse for drunk driving。 In any event you are important to us。 We take care of our own。 I will deal with him。〃
DeVille knew there was no point in arguing。 A gust of rain battered the windows。 〃Merde； but the rain's good。 The temperature must be down five degrees。 Will it last？〃
〃The storm front's reported to be big。〃
DeVille watched globules running down the pane； wondering why he had been summoned。 〃How are things with you？〃
〃Very good。 Drink？〃 Suslev went to the mirrored bar。 〃There's good vodka。〃
〃Vodka's fine； please。 But a short one。〃
〃If Dunross retired are you the next tai…pan？〃
〃I would think it's between four of us： Gavallan； David Mac…Struan； myself and Linbar Struan。〃
〃In that order？〃
〃I don't know。 Except Linbar's probably last。 Thanks。〃 DeVille accepted his drink。 Th