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〃I wish I were； Linc； oh so very much。〃
〃You are。 You sound American and you dress American。〃
〃Ah； but I know what I am； my darling。〃
He let himself just watch her。 I've never enjoyed watching anyone so much； he thought。 Not Casey； not anyone in my whole life。 Then his mind took him again to Biltzmann and he wished he had that man's neck in his hands。
Put him away； old buddy； away with the shit of the world。 That's what he is … he and Banastasio。 Bartlett felt another twinge go through him。 He had had a phone call just before lunch； and an apology that was really an added threat。
〃Let's break bread； baby； you'n me？ Hell； Linc； it's shitsville with you'n me hollerin'。 How about steaks tonight？ There's a great steak house off Nathan Road； the San Francisco。〃
〃No thanks。 I've got a date；〃 he had said coldly。 〃Anyway； you made your point yesterday。 Let's leave it at that； okay？ We'll get together at the annual board meeting； if you attend。〃
〃Hey Linc； this is me； your old buddy。 Remember we came through for you when you needed the cash。 Didn't we give you cash up front？〃
〃Cash up front in return for shares which have been the best investment … the best regular investment you ever had。 You've doubled your money in five years。〃
〃Sure we have。 Now we want a little of the say…so； that's only fair； isn't it？〃
〃No。 Not after yesterday。 What about the guns？〃 he had asked on a sudden hunch。
There was a pause。 〃What guns？〃
〃The ones aboard my airplane。 The hijacked M14's and grenades。〃
〃It's news to me； baby。〃
〃My name's Linc。 Baby。 Got it？〃
Another pause。 The voice grated now。 〃I got it。 About our deal。 You gonna change your mind？〃
〃No。 No way。〃
〃Not now； not later？〃
〃No。〃
There had been the silence on the other end of the line and then a click and the endless dial tone began。 At once he had called Rosemont。
〃Don't worry； Linc。 Banastasio's a top target of ours and we have lots of help in these parts。〃
〃Anything on the guns？〃
〃You're in the clear。 The Hong Kong brass here've withdrawn the lien on you。 You'll hear that officially tomorrow。〃
〃They found something？〃
〃No。 We did。 We checked out your hangar in L。A。 One of the night watchmen remembered seeing a couple of jokers fiddling around in your landing bay。 He thought nothing about it till we asked。〃
〃Jesus。 You catch anybody？〃
〃No。 Maybe never will。 No sweat。 About Banastasio； he'll be off your back soon enough。 Don't worry。〃
Now； thinking about it； Bartlett felt chilled again。
〃What's the matter； darling？〃 Orlanda asked。 〃What is it？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Tell me。〃
〃I was just thinking that fear's lousy and can destroy you if you don't watch out。〃
〃Oh yes I know； I know so very well。〃 She took her eyes off the road a second and smiled hesitantly and put her hand on his knee。 〃But you're strong； my darling。 You're afraid of nothing。〃
He laughed。 〃I wish that were true。〃
〃Oh but it is。 I know。〃 She slowed to go around a pile of slush； the road steeper here； water swirling in a minor flood in and out of the gutters。 The car was hugging the tall retaining wall as she turned down into Kotewall Road and around the corner to Rose Court。 When she came alongside he held his breath as she hesitated a moment； then firmly bypassed the foyer and turned into the steep down…path that led to the garage。 〃It's cocktail time；〃 she said。
〃Great；〃 he said； his voice throaty。 He did not look at her。 When they stopped he got out and went to her side and opened the door。 She locked the car and they went to the elevator。 Bartlett felt the pulse in his neck throbbing。
Two Chinese caterers carrying trays of canapés got in with them and asked for the Asian Properties flat。 〃It's on the fifth floor；〃 she said； and after the caterers had got out Bartlett said； 〃Asian Properties're the landlords here？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃They're also the original builders。〃 She hesitated。 〃Jason Plumm and Quillan are good friends。 Quillan still owns the penthouse though he sublet it when we broke up。〃
Bartlett put his arm around her。 〃I'm glad you did。〃
〃So'm I。〃 Her smile was tender and her wide…eyed innocence tore at him。 〃Now I am。〃
They reached the eighth floor and he noticed her fingers tremble slightly as she put the key into her lock。 〃e in； Linc。 Tea； coffee； beer or a cocktail？〃 She slipped off her shoes and looked up at him。 His heart was pounding and his senses reached out to feel whether the apartment was empty。 〃We're alone；〃 she said simply。
〃How do you know what I'm thinking？〃
She shrugged a little shrug。 〃It's only some things。〃
He put his hands on her waist。 〃Orlanda 。。。〃
〃I know； my darling。〃
Her voice was husky and it sent a tremor through him。 When he kissed her； her lips weled him； her loins soft and unresisting。 His hands traced her。 He felt her nipples harden and the throb of her heart equal his。 Then her hands left his neck and pressed against his chest but this time he held her against him； his kiss more urgent。 The pressure of her hands ceased and once more the hands slid around his neck； her loins closer now。 They broke from the kiss but held each other。
〃I love you； Linc。〃
〃I love you； Orlanda；〃 he replied； and the sudden truth of it consumed him。 Again they kissed； her hands tender but strong； his own hands wandering and in their wake； fire。 For him and for her。 More of her weight rested on his arms as her knees weakened and he lifted her easily and carried her through the open door into the bedroom。 The gossamer curtains that hung from the ceiling to form the four…poster moved gently in the cool sweet breeze from the open windows。
The coverlet was soft and down…filled。
〃Be kind to me； my darling；〃 she whispered huskily。 〃Oh how I love you。〃
* * *
From the stern of the Sea Witch； Casey waved good…bye to Dunstan Barre； Plumm and Pugmire who stood on the wharf； Hong Kong side； where they had just been dropped； the late afternoon pleasant but still overcast。 The boat was heading back across the harbor again … Peter Marlowe and the girls had already been dropped off at Kowloon … Gornt having persuaded her to stay on board for the extra trip。 〃I've got to e back to Kowloon again；〃 he had told her。 〃I've an appointment at the Nine Dragons。 Keep me pany。 Please？〃
〃Why not？〃 she had agreed happily； in no hurry； still in plenty of time to change for the cocktail party to which Plumm had invited her this afternoon。 She had decided to postpone her dinner with Lando Mata for one day next week。
On the way back from Sha Tin this afternoon she had dozed part of the time； wrapped up warm against a stiff breeze； curled up on the wide； fortable cushions that circled the stern； the other guests scattered； sometimes Gornt there at the conn； tall； strong and captain of the ship； Peter Marlowe alone in a deck chair dozing at the bow。 Later they had had tea and cakes； he and Casey and Barre。 During tea； Pugmire and Plumm had appeared； tousled and content； their girls in tow。
〃Sleep well？〃 Gornt had asked with a smile。
〃Very；〃 Plumm had said。
I'll bet； she had thought； watching him and his girl； liking her … big； dark eyes； svelte； a happy soul called Wei…wei who stayed with him like his shadow。
Earlier； when she and Gornt had been alone on deck； he had told her that none of these were casual friends； all of them special。
〃Does everyone here have a mistress？〃
〃Good lord no。 But； well； sorry； but men and women age differently and after a certain age it's difficult。 Bluntly； pillowing and love and marriage aren't the same。〃
〃There's no such thing as faithfulness？〃
〃Of course。 Absolutely。 For a woman it means one thing； for a man another。〃
Casey had sighed。 〃That's terrible。 Terrible and so unfair。〃
〃Yes。 But only if you wish it to be。〃
〃That's not right！ Think of the millions of women who work and slave all their lives； looking after the man； scrubbing and cleaning and nowadays helping to support their children； to be shoved aside just because they're old。〃
〃You can't blame men； that's the way society is。〃
〃And who runs society？ Men！ Jesus； Quillan； you've got to admit men are responsible！〃
〃I already agree it's unfair； but it's unfair on men too。 What about the millions of men who work themselves to death to provide … that jolly word … to provide the money for others to spend； mostly women。 Face it； Ciranoush； men have to go on working until they are dead； to support others； and more than frequently at the end of their lives； a hacking； shrewish wife … look at Pug's wife for God's sake！ I could point out fifty who are unnecessarily fat； ugly and stink … literally。 Then there's the other neat little female trick of the women who use their sex to trap； get pregnant to ensnare； then cry havoc and scream for a highly paid divorce。 What about Linc Bartlett； eh？ What sort of a wringer did that wonderful wife of his put him through； eh？〃
〃You know about that？〃
〃Of course。 You ran a tape on me； I ran one on both of you。 Are your divorce laws fair？ Fifty percent of everything and then the poor bloody American male has to go to court to decide what proportion of his fifty percent he can retain。〃
〃It's true Linc's wife and her attorney almost