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sailing； there was a message： 〃Hi； have fun。〃 So she had showered and changed and bottled her impatience and had e here tonight。 It had been no fun in the beginning； everyone gloom and doom…filled； then after the news and Gornt slamming out； no fun again。 Shortly afterward Dunross had forced his way over and thanked her again but almost at once he had been surrounded by excited men discussing deals and chances。 She watched them； feeling very lonely。 Perhaps Linc's back at the hotel now； she thought。 I wish 。。。 never mind； but it is time to go home。 No one noticed her slip out。
Roger Crosse was standing at the elevator。 He held the door for her then pressed the down button。
〃Thanks。 Nice party； wasn't it？〃 she said。
〃Yes； yes it was；〃 he replied absently。
On the ground floor Crosse let her get out first then strode off out the front door and down the hill。 What's his hurry？ she asked herself； heading for the group that waited for taxis； glad that it was not raining again。 She jerked to a stop。 Orlanda Ramos； with packages in her arms； was ing into the foyer。 Each woman saw the other at the same instant。 Orlanda was the first to recover。 〃Evening； Casey；〃 she said with her best smile。 〃How pretty you look。〃
〃So do you；〃 Casey replied。 Her enemy did。 The pale blue skirt and blouse were perfectly matched。
Orlanda poured a stream of impatient Cantonese over the crumpled concierge who was lounging nearby。 At once he took her packages； mumbling。
〃Sorry； Casey；〃 she said nicely； a thread of nervousness to her voice； 〃but there's been a small landslide just down the hill and I had to leave my car there。 You're； you're visiting here？〃
〃No； just leaving。 You live here？〃
〃Yes。 Yes I do。〃
Another silence between them； both readying。 Then Casey nodded a polite good night and began to leave。
〃Perhaps we should talk；〃 Orlanda said and Casey stopped。
〃Certainly； Orlanda； whenever you wish。〃
〃Do you have time now？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Would you like to walk with me back to my car？ I've got to get the rest of my packages。 You won't be able to get a taxi here anyway。 Below will be easy。〃
〃Sure。〃
The two women went out。 The night was cool but Casey was burning and so was Orlanda； each knowing what was ing； each fearful of the other。 Their feet picked a way carefully。 The street was wet from the water that rushed downward。 There was a promise of more rain soon from the heavy nimbus overcast。 Ahead； fifty yards away； Casey could see where the embankment had partially given way； sending a mess of earth and rocks and shrubs and rubble across the road。 There was no sidewalk。 On the other side of the slip； a line of cars were stopped； impatiently maneuvering to turn around。 A few pedestrians scrambled over the embankment。
〃Have you lived in Rose Court long？〃 Casey asked。
〃A few years。 It's very pleasant。 I th… Oh！ Were you at Jason Plumm's party； the Asian Properties party？〃
〃Yes。〃 Casey saw the relief on Orlanda's face and it angered her but she contained the anger and stopped and said quietly； 〃Orlanda； there's nothing really for us to talk about； is there？ Let's say good night。〃
Orlanda looked up at her。 〃Linc's with me。 He's with me in my apartment。 At the moment。〃
〃I presumed that。〃
〃That doesn't bother you？〃
〃It bothers me very much。 But that's up to Linc。 We're not married； as you know； not even engaged； as you know … you have your way； I have mine； so th… 〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃 Orlanda asked。
〃I mean that I've known Linc for seven years； you haven't known him for seven days。〃
〃That doesn't matter；〃 Orlanda said defiantly。 〃I love him and he loves me。〃
〃That's y… 〃 Casey was almost shoved aside by some Chinese who barreled past； chattering noisily。 Others were approaching up the incline。 Then some of the party guests walked around them； heading down the slope。 One of the women was Lady Joanna； and she eyed them curiously but went on。
When they were alone again； Casey said； 〃That's yet to be proved。 Good night； Orlanda；〃 she said； wanting to scream at her； You make your money on your back； I work for mine； and all the love you protest is spelled money。 Men are such jerks。
〃Curiously I don't blame Linc；〃 she muttered out loud seeing the firm jaw； the flashing determined eyes； the perfect； voluptuous yet trim body。 〃Good night。〃
She walked on。 Now my plan has to change； she was thinking； all her being concentrated。 Tonight I was going to love Linc properly； but now everything has to change。 If he's in her bed he's under her spell。 Jesus； I'm glad I found that out。 God； if I'd offered he would have had to say no and then。 。。。 Now I can 。。。 what should I do？
Shit on the Orlandas of the world！ It's so easy for them。 They have a game plan from day one。 But the rest of us？
What do I do？ Stick to November 25 and gamble Orlanda will bore the hell out of him by that time？
Not that lady。 That one's dynamite and she knows Linc's her passport to eternity。
Her heart picked up a beat。 I'm a match for her； she told herself confidently。 Maybe not in bed or in the kitchen； but I can learn。
She stepped up and over a boulder； cursing the mud that fouled her shoes； and jumped down the other side of the earth barrier。 Dunross's Rolls and his chauffeur were at the head of the line。
〃Excuse； Missee； is the tai…pan still there？〃
〃Yes； yes he is。〃
〃Ah； thank you。〃 The driver locked the car and hurried over the roadblock back up the hill。 Casey turned and watched him。 Her eyes centered on Orlanda who was approaching and she looked at her； wanting to shove her into the mud。 The thought amused her and she stood there； letting her enemy approach； letting her wonder what she would do。 She saw the eyes harden and there was no fear on Orlanda's face； just a very confident half…smile。 Orlanda passed her fearlessly； and a tremor of apprehension went through Casey that she managed to dominate。 Maybe you're just as afraid of me and my power as I am of yours； she thought； her eyes now on Rose Court； a brilliant tower of light； wondering which light surrounded Linc or which darkened window。 。。。
When Orlanda had first seen Casey； she had immediately jumped to the conclusion that Casey had been to her apartment and confronted Bartlett … that's what I would have done； she told herself。 And； even though she knew now where Casey had been； fear again swept through her at the sight of her rival。 Has she power over him through Par…Con？ she asked herself； trembling。 Can she control Linc through stocks or shares？ If Linc's first wife nearly destroyed him financially and Casey saved him as many times as he said； she's bound to have him tied up。 I would if I were she； of course I would。
Involuntarily Orlanda glanced back。 Casey was still watching Rose Court。 Beyond her； Dunross and others … Riko； Toxe； Phillip and Dianne Chen among them … came out of the foyer and started down the hill。 She dismissed them and everything except the question of how to deal with Linc when she returned。 Should she tell him about meeting Casey or not？ Numbly she took the remainder of her packages from her car。 I know one thing； she told herself over and over again。 Linc's mine； and Casey or no Casey I'll marry him； whatever the cost。
Casey had seen Dunross e out of the foyer and she watched him； enjoying the sight of him； tall； debonair； ten years younger than when she first saw him； and it pleased her very much that she had helped him。 Then； just as she turned away； she heard him call out； 〃Casey！ Casey！ Hang on a moment！〃 She glanced back。 〃How about joining us for dinner？〃 he called out to her。
She shook her head； not in the mood； and called out； 〃Thanks but I've a date！ See you tomorr… 〃
At that moment the earth fell away。
82
8：56 P。M。：
The landslide had begun further up the mountain on the other side of Po Shan Road； and it swept across the road； smashing into a two…story garage； its mass and velocity so vast that the garage building rotated and toppled off the garden terrace； slid down for a short distance； then fell over。 The slide gathered momentum and rushed past a darkened high rise； crossed Conduit Road and smashed into Richard Kwang's two…story house； obliterating it。 Then； together with these buildings； the slip； now nine hundred feet long and two hundred feet wide … fifty thousand tons of earth and rock … continued on its downward path across Kotewall Road and struck Rose Court。
The landslide had taken seven seconds。
When Rose Court was struck； it appeared to shudder； and then the building came away from its foundations and moved forward in the direction of the harbor； toppled over and broke up near the middle like a man kneeling then falling。
As it fell； the upper stories struck and ripped off a corner of the upper stories of Sinclair Towers below； then crumpled and disintegrated into rubble。 Part of the slide and the demolished building continued on and fell into a construction site farther down the mountain； then stopped。 The lights went out as the building collapsed in a cloud of dust。 And now over all Mid Levels there was a stunned； vast silence。 Then the screams began。 。。。
In the tunnel under Sinclair Road； Suslev was choking； half…buried in