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en thought。 〃Excuse me； will you？〃 He nodded politely and walked off。 Casey saw Dunross watching the roll of notes that Gornt put into a pocket and was inwardly aghast at the momentary look on his face。
〃Could Biltzmann 。。。 could he've been correct？〃 she asked nervously。
〃Of course。〃 Dunross put his full attention on her。 〃Fixing happens everywhere。 That's really not the point。 There's been no objection from any of the stewards or jockeys or trainers。〃 His eyes were slate gray。 The small vein in his forehead was pulsating。 〃That's not the real point at issue。〃 No； he was thinking。 It's a matter of bloody manners。 Even so； calm yourself。 You have to be very cool and very calm and very collected this weekend。
All day he had had nothing but trouble。 The only bright moment had been Riko Anjin Gresserhoff。 But then AMG's last letter had once more filled him with gloom。 It was still in his pocket and it had told him that if by chance he had not destroyed the original files； to heat a dozen specified pages that were spread throughout； the secret information written in invisible ink on these pages to be passed privately to the prime minister or the current head of MI…6； Edward Sinders； personally … and a copy given to Riko Anjin in a sealed envelope。
If I do that then I have to admit the files I gave him were false； he thought； weary of AMG； espionage and his instructions。 God…damnit； Murtagh doesn't arrive till later； Sir Geoffrey can't call London till 4：00 p。m。 about Tiptop and Brian Kwok and； Christ Jesus； now some rude bastard calls us all amateurs 。。。 which we are。 I'll bet a hundred to a bent hatpin Quillan knew before the race。
At a sudden thought he said casually； 〃How did you pick the winner； Casey？ With the proverbial pin？〃
〃Peter gave it to me。 Peter Marlowe。〃 Her face changed。 〃Oh！ Do you think he heard it was fixed？〃
〃If I thought that for a moment； the race would have been set aside。 There's nothing I can do now。 Biltzmann 。。。〃 Suddenly he gasped as the idea hit him in all its glory。
〃What's the matter？〃
Dunross took her arm and led her aside。 〃To get your drop dead money are you prepared to gamble？〃 he asked softly。
〃Sure； sure； Ian； if it's legal。 But gamble what？〃 she asked； her innate caution uppermost。
〃Everything you've got in the bank； your house in Laurel Canyon； your stock in Par…Con against 2 to 4 million within thirty days。 How about it？〃
Her heart was thumping； his obvious excitement sweeping her。 〃Okay；〃 she said and then wished she hadn't said it； her stomach fluttering。 〃Jesus！〃
〃Good。 Stay here a second。 I'll go and find Bartlett。〃
〃Wait！ Is he part of this？ What is this； Ian？〃
He beamed。 〃A modest business opportunity。 Yes； Bartlett's essential。 Does that make you change your mind？〃
〃No；〃 she told him uneasily； 〃but I said I wanted to get my 。。。 my stake outside of Par…Con。〃
〃I haven't forgotten。 Wait here。〃 Dunross hurried back into his box； found Bartlett and brought him back； led the way down the bustling corridor to the Struan kitchen； greeting people here and there。 The kitchen was small； busy and sparkling。 The staff paid no attention to them。 A door opened into a tiny private room； carefully soundproofed。 Four chairs； a table and phone。 〃My father had this constructed during his tenure … lots of business is done at the races。 Sit down please。 Now〃 … he looked at Bartlett … 〃I've a business proposal for you； for you and Casey as individuals； outside of our Par…Con deal； nothing to do with the Par…Con…Struan proposal。 Are you interested？〃
〃Sure。 This a Hong Kong scam？〃
〃Do you mind？〃 Dunross beamed。 〃It's an honest…to…God Hong Kong business proposal。〃
〃Okay； let's have it。〃
〃Before I lay it out there are ground rules： It's my game； you two're bystanders but you're in for 49 percent of the profits； to be shared equally between you two。 Okay？〃
〃What's the full game plan； Ian？〃 Bartlett asked cautiously。
〃Next： You put up 2 million U。S。 by Monday 9：00 a。m。 into a Swiss bank of my choosing。〃
Bartlett's eyes narrowed。 〃Against what？〃
〃Against 49 percent of the profit。〃
〃What profit？〃
〃You put up 2 million for Gornt； no paper； no chop； no nothing except against potential profit。〃
Bartlett grinned。 〃How long have you known about that？〃
Dunross smiled back。 〃I told you； there're no secrets here。 Are you in？〃 Dunross saw Bartlett glance at Casey and he held his breath。
〃Casey； you know what this's all about？〃
〃No； Linc。〃 Casey turned to Dunross。 〃What is the scam； Ian？〃
〃First I want to know if I get the 2 million advance free and clear … if you go for this scheme。〃
〃What's the profit potential？〃 Casey asked。
〃4 to 12 million。 Tax free。〃
Casey blanched。 〃Tax free？〃
〃Free of any Hong Kong taxes and we can help you avoid States taxes if you want。〃
〃What's 。。。 what's the payout period？〃 Bartlett asked。
〃The profit'll be set in thirty days。 The payout will take five to six months。〃
〃The 4 to 12 million's the total； or our share only？〃
〃Your share。〃
〃That's a lot of profit for something pletely； twenty…four…carat legal。〃
There was a great silence。 Dunross waited； willing them onward。
〃2 million cash？〃 Bartlett said。 〃No security； no nothing？〃
〃No。 But after I've laid it out you can put up or pass。〃
〃What's Gornt to do with this？〃
〃Absolutely nothing。 This venture has nothing to do with Gornt； Rothwell…Gornt； Par…Con； your interest in them or us or the Par…Con deal。 This is totally outside； whatever happens … my word on that。 And my word before God； that I'll never tell him you've put up this 2 million； that you two are my partners and in for a piece … or； by the way； that I know about the three of you selling me short。〃 He smiled。 〃That was a very good idea by the way。〃
〃The deal's swung by my 2 million？〃
〃No。 Greased。 I haven't 2 million U。S。 cash as you know； otherwise you wouldn't be invited in。〃
〃Why us； Ian？ You could raise 2 mill from one of your friends here； easy； if it's so good。〃
〃Yes。 But I choose to sweeten the lure to you two。 By the way； you are held to Tuesday at midnight。〃 Dunross said it flat。 Then his voice changed and the others felt the glee。 〃But with this … this business venture … I can dramatize how much superior we are to Rothwell…Gornt； how much more exciting it'll be being associated with us than him。 You're a gambler； so am I。 Raider Bartlett they call you and I'm tai…pan of the Noble House。 You gambled a paltry 2 million with Gornt； with no chop； why not with me？〃
Bartlett glanced at Casey。 She gave him neither a yes or a no though he knew the lure had her in spades。
〃Since you're setting the rules； Ian； answer me this： I put up the 2 million。 Why should we share equally； Casey and I？〃
〃I remember what you said over dinner about drop dead money。 You've got yours； she hasn't。 This could be a device to get her hers。〃
〃Why're you so concerned over Casey？ You trying to divide and rule？〃
〃If that's possible then you shouldn't be in a very special partnership and business relationship。 She's your right arm； you told me。 She's clearly very important to you and to Par…Con so she's entitled to share。〃
〃What does she risk？〃
〃She'll put up her house； her savings； her Par…Con stock … that's everything she has … alongside yours。 She'll sign it all over for a half share。 Right？〃
Casey nodded； numb。 〃Sure。〃
Sharply Bartlett glanced at Casey。 〃I thought you said you knew nothing about this？〃
She looked at him。 〃Couple of minutes ago； Ian asked if I'd gamble my all to get some drop dead money； big money。〃 She gulped and added； 〃I said okay and already wish I hadn't。〃
Bartlett thought a moment。 〃Casey； blunt： You want in or you want out？〃
〃In。〃
〃Okay。〃 Then Bartlett beamed。 〃Okay； tai…pan； now who do we have to kill？〃
Nine Carat Chu； who was a sometime gold coolie for the Victoria Bank and also the father of two sons and two daughters … Lily Su who was Havergill's occasional friend and Wisteria who was John Chen's mistress； whose joss was to be trampled to death outside the Ho…Pak at Aberdeen … waited his turn at the betting window。
〃Yes； old man？〃 the impatient teller said。
He pulled out a roll of money。 It was all the money he had and all the money he could borrow； leaving only enough for three inhalations of the White Powder that he would need to see him through his night shift tonight。 〃The double quinella； by all the gods！ Eight and five in the second race； seven and one in the fifth。〃
The teller methodically counted out the crumpled bills。 728 HK。 He pressed the buttons of those numbers and checked the first ticket。 It was correct： five and eight … second race； seven and one … fifth race。 Carefully he counted 145 tickets； each of 5 HK； the minimum bet； and gave them to him with 3 HK change。 〃Hurry up； by all the gods；〃 the next in line called out。 〃Are your fingers in your Black Hole？〃
〃Be patient！〃 the old man muttered； feeling faint； 〃this is serious business！〃 Carefully he checked his tickets。 The first； three random ones and the last were correct； and the number of tickets correct； so he gave up his place and pushed his way out of the press into the air。 Once in the air he felt a little b