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〃Some stupid bastard's kicked over another stove；〃 Smyth said sourly。 〃Christ； thank God for the rain！〃
〃Yes；〃 Armstrong said； then added to Wu； 〃If this turns out as you've reported； I'll put in a word with SB or SI。〃
Spectacles Wu could not stop the beam。 〃Yes sir； thank you； sir。 Ah Tam is really from my village。 Yes sir。〃
They turned into the alley。 Crowds of shoppers and stall keepers and shopkeepers under umbrellas or under the canvas overhangs watched them sullenly and suspiciously； Smyth the most well known and feared quai loh in Aberdeen。
〃That's the one； sir；〃 Wu whispered。 By prearrangement Smyth casually stopped at a stall； this side of the doorway； ostensibly to look at some vegetables； the owner at once in shock。 Armstrong and Wu walked past the entrance then turned abruptly and the three of them converged。 They went up the stairs quickly as two uniformed policemen who had been trailing from a safe distance materialized to bottle up the front。 Once the narrow passageway was secure one of them hurried up an even smaller alley and around the back to make sure the plainclothes detective was still in position guarding the single exit there； then he rushed back to reinforce the undermanned barricades in front of the Victoria。
The inside of the tenement was as dingy and filthy as the outside with mess and debris on every landing。 Smyth was leading and he stopped on the third landing； unbuttoned his revolver holster and stepped aside。 Without hesitation Armstrong leaned against the flimsy door； burst the lock and went in quickly。 Smyth followed at once； Spectacles Wu nervously staying to guard the entrance。 The room was drab with old sofas and old chairs and old grimy curtains； the sweet…rank smell of opium and cooking oil on the air。 A heavy…set； middle…aged matron gaped at them and dropped her newspaper。 Both men went for the inner doors。 Smyth pulled one open to find a scruffy bedroom； the next revealed a messy toilet and bathroom； a third another bedroom crammed with unmade bunks for four。 Armstrong had the last door open。 It let into a cluttered； filthy； tiny kitchen； where Ah Tam bent over a pile of wash in the grimy sink。 She stared at him blankly。 Behind her was another door。 At once he shoved past and jerked it open。 It was empty too； more of a closet than a room； windowless with a vent cut in the wall and just enough space to fit the small string mattressless bunk and a broken…down chest of drawers。
He came back into the living room； Ah Tam shuffling after him； his breathing good and his heart settling down。 It had taken them only seconds and Smyth took out the papers and said sweetly； 〃Sorry to interrupt； madam； but we've a search warrant。〃
〃Wat？〃
〃Translate for us； Wu；〃 Smyth ordered and at once the young constable repeated what had been said and； as previously arranged； began to act as though he was the interpreter for two dullard quai loh policemen who did not speak Cantonese。
The woman's mouth dropped open。 〃Search！〃 she shrieked。 〃Search what？ We obey the law here！ My husband works for the government and has important friends and if you're looking for the gambling school it's nothing to do with us but it's on the fourth floor at the back and we know nothing about the smelly whores in 16 who set up shop and work till all hours making the rest of us civ… 〃
〃Enough；〃 Wu said sharply； 〃we are police on important matters！ These Lords of the police are important！ You're the wife of Ch'ung the dustman？〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied sullenly。 〃What do you want with us？ We've done noth… 〃
〃Enough！〃 Armstrong interrupted in English with deliberate arrogance。 〃Is that Ah Tam？〃
〃You！ You're Ah Tam？〃
〃Eh； me？ Wat？〃 The old amah tugged at her apron nervously； not recognizing Wu。
〃So you're Ah Tam！ You're under arrest。〃
Ah Tam went white and the middle…aged woman cursed and said in a rush； 〃Ah！ So it's you they're after！ Huh； we know nothing about her except we picked her off the street a few months ago and gave her a home and sal… 〃
〃Wu； tell her to shut up！〃
He told her impolitely。 She obeyed even more sullenly。 〃These Lords want to know is there anyone else here？〃
〃Of course there isn't。 Are they blind？ Haven't they raped my house like assassins and seen for themselves？〃 the shrew said truculently。 〃I know nothing about nothing。〃
〃Ah Tam！ These Lords want to know where your room is。〃
The amah found her voice and began to bluster； 〃What do you want with me； Honorable Policeman？ I've done nothing； I'm not an illegal； I've papers since last year。 I've done nothing； I'm a law…abiding civilized person who's worked all her li… 〃
〃Where's your room？〃
The younger woman pointed。 〃There；〃 she said in her screeching； irritating voice； 〃where else would her room be？ Of course it's there off the kitchen！ Are these foreign devils senseless？ Where else do maids live？ And you； you old maggot！ Getting honest people into trouble！ What's she done？ If it's stolen vegetables it's nothing to do with me！〃
〃Quiet or we shall take you to our headquarters and surely the judge will want you kept in custody！ Quiet！〃
The woman started to curse but bit it back。
Armstrong said； 〃Now； what 。。。〃 Then he noticed that several curious Chinese were peering into the room from the landing。 He stared back； took a sudden pace toward them。 They vanished。 He closed the door； hiding his amusement。 〃Now； ask both of them what they know about the Werewolves。〃
The woman gaped at Wu。 Ah Tam went a little grayer。 〃Eh； me？ Werewolves？ Nothing！ Why should I know about those foul kidnappers。 What have they to do with me？ Nothing nothing at all！〃
〃What about you； Ah Tam？〃
〃Me？ Nothing at all；〃 she said querulously； 〃I'm a respectable amah who does her work and nothing else！〃
Wu translated their answers。 Both men noticed that his translation was accurate； fast and easy。 Both were patient and they continued to play the game they had played so many times before。 〃Tell her she'd better tell the truth quickly。〃 Armstrong glowered down at her。 He bore her no ill feeling； neither did Smyth。 They just wanted the truth。 The truth might lead to the identity of the Werewolves and the sooner those villains were hung for murder the easier it would be to control Hong Kong and the sooner law…abiding citizens； including themselves； could go about their own business or hobbies … making money or racing or whoring。 Yes； Armstrong thought； sorry for the old woman。 Twenty dollars to a broken hatpin the shrew knows nothing but Ah Tam knows more than she'll ever tell us。
〃I want the truth。 Tell her！〃 he said。
〃Truth？ What truth； Honorable Lord？ How could this poor old body be anyth… 〃
Armstrong put up his hand dramatically。 〃Enough！〃 This was another prearranged signal。 At once Spectacles Wu switched to Ning…tok dialect which he knew neither of them understood。 〃Elder Sister； I suggest you talk quickly and openly。 We know everything already！〃
Ah Tam gaped at him。 She had only two twisted teeth in a lower gum。 〃Eh； Younger Brother？〃 she replied in the same dialect； caught off guard。 〃What do you want with me？〃
〃The truth！ I know all about you！〃
She peered at him without recognition。 〃What truth？ I've never seen you before in my life！〃
〃Don't you remember me？ In the poultry market？ You helped me buy a chicken and then we had tea。 Yesterday。 Don't you remember？ You told me about the Werewolves； how they were going to give you a huge reward 。。。〃
All three saw the momentary flash behind her eyes。 〃Werewolves？〃 she began querulously。 〃Impossible！ It was someone else！ You accuse me falsely。 Tell the Noble Lords I've never seen y… 〃
〃Quiet you old baggage！〃 Wu said sharply and cursed her roundly。 〃You worked for Wu Ting…top and your mistress's name was Fan…ling and she died three years ago and they owned the pharmacy at the crossroads！ I know the place well myself！〃
〃Lies 。。。 lies 。。。〃
〃She says it's all lies； sir。〃
〃Good。 Tell her we'll take her to the station。 She'll talk there。〃
Ah Tam began shaking。 〃Torture？ You'll torture an old woman？ Oh oh oh 。。。〃
〃When does this Werewolf e back？ This afternoon？〃
〃Oh oh oh 。。。 I don't know 。。。 he said he would see me but the thief never came back。 I lent him five dollars to get home an… 〃
〃Where was his home？〃
〃Eh？ Who？ Oh him； he 。。。 he said he was a relation of a relation and 。。。 I don't remember。 I think he said North Point 。。。 I don't remember anything 。。。〃
Armstrong and Smyth waited and probed and soon it was apparent that the old woman knew little though she ducked and twisted the probing； her lies being ever more flowery。
〃We'll take her in anyway；〃 Armstrong said。
Smyth nodded。 〃Can you handle it till I can send a couple of men？ I really think I ought to be getting back。〃
〃Certainly。 Thanks。〃
He left。 Armstrong told Wu to order the two women to sit down and be silent while he searched。 They obeyed； frightened。 He went into the kitchen and closed the door。 At once Ah Tam pulled at her long ratty queue。 〃Young Brother；〃 she whispered slyly； knowing her mistress did not understand Ning…tok； 〃I'm guilty of nothing。 I just met that young devil like I met you。 I did nothing。 People of the same village should stick togethe