按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Three。 First； next year I'm going to start another stock exchange。 I'll… 〃
〃You'll what？〃 Dunross gaped at him； thrown。 Profitable Choy grinned and wiped the sweat off his face。 〃Sure。 A stock exchange for Chinese； run by Chinese。〃
Dunross laughed suddenly； 〃You've got balls； Profitable Choy。 Oh yes。 Incidentally； that's not a bad idea at all。 What about it； the new exchange？〃
〃Just your benevolent Old Friend assistance to get started； to stop the big guys from blocking me。〃
〃For 50 percent。〃
〃For very favorable inside terms。 Very favorable； guaranteed。 Next；〃 the youth held on to his hope； 〃I want you to introduce me to Lando Mata and tell him you're backing me as part of my father's group to bid for the gambling and gold syndicate monopoly。 All right？〃
〃You said three things。 What's last？〃
〃In three years a stewardship of the Turf Club。 In that time I'll guarantee to donate a million U。S。 to any charity or charities you name； I'll back all worthy causes and swear by God I'll make it as easy for you as I can。〃 The young man wiped the sweat off。 〃I'm finished。〃
Dunross hesitated。 〃If the coin's real I'll agree to everything except the part about Lando Mata。〃
〃No。 That's part of the deal。〃
〃I don't agree。〃
〃I've asked for nothing illegal； nothing you can't gr… 〃
〃Lando Mata's out！〃
The young man sighed。 He took the coin off the desk； stared at it。 〃If that's out； then the whole deal's off and I'll put Four Finger Wu's ask in place。 It's still the same coin；〃 he said； readying to play his last card。
〃And？〃
〃And that'll make you party to narcotics； guns and everything you detest but will have to honor。 Sorry； tai…pan； but I'm bucking to be an ancestor。〃 He tossed the coin back on the table。 〃You choose。〃
Dunross was suddenly perturbed。 The favor was cleverly couched。 Nothing illegal； nothing extravagant。 Paul Choy had done very well against him。 Too well。 Four Fingers was a known quantity。 But this one； this devil's spawn？ I can't risk narcotics … he knows that。
To give himself time Dunross reached into his pocket and found the little silk pouch and put his coin on the table。 He moved his half into the other。 The fit was perfect。
Without knowing it both men exhaled； staring at the now…joined coin that would lock them immutably together。 Dunross knew it was a waste of time but he would go to the assayist anyway。 For a moment he held the two halves in his hand。 What to do about this cocky young bugger； he asked himself。 Ah； now there's a good thought！ Phillip Chen should be given the problem！
〃All right； Profitable Choy；〃 he said putting him very high on his private Suspected Persons list。 〃I'll agree to grant your favor … if your half's real … except I'll ask Lando； I can't tell him anything。 All right？〃
〃Thank you； tai…pan； you won't regret it。〃 Wet with relief Profitable Choy took out a list of names。 〃Here's all the expert assayists in Hong Kong。 You like to choose one？ I； er； I checked and they're all open to seven o'clock。〃
Dunross smiled faintly。 〃You're very sure of yourself； Profitable Choy。〃
〃Just try to keep ahead of the game； sir。〃
Casey came out of the Struan Building and went to the waiting Rolls。 At once Lim opened the door for her。 She sank back into the deep cushions feeling nothing； knowing nothing except that her anguish was consuming her and any moment she would break； not even noticing Lim ease the car into the heavy traffic to head for the vehicular ferry。
Tears were very near。 So much time before we leave； she thought。 Everything packed and sent to the airplane。 I'm checked out； all bills paid； but so much time still left。
For a moment she considered just stopping the car and walking off but that would have been worse； no privacy； no protection and she felt so terrible。 Yet I've got to get out； be by myself。 I've got to。 Oh Jesus； Linc poor Linc。 〃Lim；〃 she said on an impulse； 〃go to the Peak。〃
〃Missee？〃
〃Just drive to the top of the Peak； to the lookout。 Please？〃 she said； desperately trying to keep her voice ordinary。 〃I've； I haven't been there。 I want to see it before I go。 Please。〃
〃Yes； Missee。〃
Casey leaned back and closed her eyes against the tears that poured out silently。
90
6：45 P。M。：
It was almost sunset。
Up at Lo Wu； the central border village between the Colony and China； the usual crowds of Chinese were crossing the bridge in both directions。 The bridge was barely fifty yards long and spanned a trickling muddy stream and yet those fifty yards； for some； were a million miles。 At both ends were guard posts and immigration checkpoints and customs； and in the middle； a small removable barrier。 Two Hong Kong police stood there and two PRC soldiers。 Two train tracks went across the bridge。
In the old days trains came from Canton to Hong Kong and back again； nonstop； but now passenger trains stopped on either side and passengers crossed on foot。 And the trains themselves went back the way they came。 Freight trains from China went through without problem。 Most days。
Each day hundreds of locals crossed the border as they would cross any road。 Their fields or work was on both sides of the border and had been so for generations。 These border people were a hardy； suspicious lot； hating change； hating interference； hating uniforms； hating police particularly and foreigners of every kind。 A foreigner to them； as to most Chinese； was anyone not of their village。 To them there was no border； could never be a border。
The Lo Wu bridge was one of the most sensitive single spots in all China … it and the other two crossing points。 Of these； one was at Mau Kam Toh where cattle and vegetables came daily over a rickety bridge across this same stream that marked most of the border。 The last； at the very eastern tip of the border； was at the fishing village of Tau Kok。 Here the border was not marked but； by mon consent； was said to run down the middle of the single village street。
These were China's only contact points with the West。 Everything was meticulously controlled and monitored … by both sides。 The tension and manner of the guards was a barometer。
Today the guards on the PRC side of Lo Wu had been jittery。 Because of that； the Hong Kong side was nervous too； not knowing what to expect … perhaps a sudden closure； perhaps a sudden invasion like last year； the Colony existing at the whim of China。 〃And that's a fact of life；〃 Chief Inspector Smyth muttered。 Today he had been assigned here for special duty and he was standing uneasily near the police station that was discreetly set back a hundred yards from the real border so as not to offend or create waves。 Christ； he thought； waves？ One fart in London could start millions of refugees marching here … if the powers across the border decided that that tiny piece of wind was an affront to the dignity of China。
〃e on； for chrissake；〃 he said impatiently； his khaki shirt sticking to his back； his eyes on the road back to Hong Kong。 The road was puddled。 It curled away。 Then； in the distance； he saw the police car approaching。 Greatly relieved； he went to meet it。 Armstrong got out。 Then Brian Kwok。 Smyth saluted Robert Armstrong with his swagger stick to cover his shock。 Brian Kwok was in civilian clothes。 There was a curious； vacant； petrified look in his eyes。 〃Hello； Robert；〃 Smyth said。
〃Hello。 Sorry to be late；〃 Armstrong said。
〃It's only a couple of minutes。 Actually I was told sunset。〃 Smyth squinted westward。 The sun was not yet down。 He turned his attention back to Brian Kwok。 It was hard to keep the contempt out of his face。
The tall； handsome Chinese took out a pack of cigarettes。 His fingers trembled as he offered it to Smyth。
〃No thanks；〃 Smyth said coldly。 Armstrong took one。 〃I thought you'd given up smoking？〃
〃I did。 I started again。〃
Brian Kwok laughed nervously。 〃Afraid it's me。 Robert's been trying to keep 。。。 to keep Crosse and his angels off my back。〃
Neither man laughed。
〃Is anyone ing？ Anyone else？〃 Smyth asked。
〃I don't think so。 Not officially。〃 Armstrong looked around。 There were the usual gaping bystanders but they appeared haphazard。 〃They're here though。 Somewhere。〃 Both men felt the hackles on their necks rising。 〃You can get on with it。〃
Smyth took out a formal document。 〃Wu Chu…toy； alias Brian Kar…shun Kwok； you are formally charged with espionage against Her Majesty's Government on behalf of a foreign power。 Under the authority of the Deportation Order of Hong Kong you are formally ordered out of the Crown Colony。 If you return you are formally warned you do so at your peril and are liable for arraignment and imprisonment at Her Majesty's pleasure。〃 Grimly Smyth handed him the paper。
Brian Kwok took it。 It seemed to take him time to see and to hear； his senses dulled。 〃Now 。。。 now what happens？〃
Smyth said； 〃You walk over that bloody bridge and go back to your pals。〃
〃Eh？ You think I'm a fool？ You think I believe you're； you're letting me go？〃 Brian Kwok spun on Armstrong。 〃Robert； I keep telling you they're playing with me； with you； they'll never let me go free！ You know that！〃
〃You're free； Brian。〃
〃No 。。。 no； I know what's happening。 The moment I； the moment I'm almost