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〃You're free； Brian。〃
〃No 。。。 no； I know what's happening。 The moment I； the moment I'm almost there they'll pull me back； the torture of hope； that's it； isn't it？〃 There was a shrillness creeping into his voice； a fleck of foam at the corner of his lips。 〃Of course！ The torture of hope。〃
〃For chrissake； I've told you you're free！ You're free to go；〃 Armstrong said； his voice hard； wanting to end it。 〃Go for chrissake！ Don't ask me why they're letting you go but they are。 Go！〃
Filled with disbelief； Brian Kwok wiped his mouth； started to speak； stopped。 〃You're 。。。 it's a 。。。 it's a lie； has to be！〃
〃Go！〃
〃All right； I'll 。。。〃 Brian Kwok went off a pace then stopped。 They had not moved。 〃You're； you really mean it？〃
〃Yes。〃
Shakily Brian Kwok put out his hand to Smyth。 Smyth looked at it； then into his face。 〃If it was up to me I'd have you shot。〃
A flash of hatred went over Kwok's face。 〃What about you and graft？ What about you selling police pro… 〃
〃Don't let's get into that！ H'eung yau's part of China！〃 Smyth snarled and Armstrong nodded uneasily； remembering the first 40；000 gambled on Saturday。
〃A little feathering's an old Chinese custom；〃 Smyth continued； shaking with rage。 〃Treason isn't。 Fong…fong was one of my lads before he went to SI。 Go get stuffed and get the hell across the bridge or I'll whip you across it！〃
Brian Kwok began to speak； stopped。 Bleakly he offered his hand to Armstrong。 Armstrong shook it without friendship。 〃That's just for old times' sake； for the Brian I used to know。 I don't approve of traitors either。〃
〃I； I know I was drugged but thanks。〃 Brian Kwok backed away； still suspecting a trick； then turned。 Every few seconds he looked back； petrified that they were ing after him。 When his halting feet reached the bridge he broke into a frantic run。 Tension skyrocketed。 Police at the barrier did not stop him。 Neither did the soldiers。 Both sides； forewarned； pretended not to notice him。 The crowds streaming across either side of the tracks； bicycles； pedestrians； carts； mostly laden； paid him no attention at all。 At the other side of the barrier； Brian Kwok skidded to a stop and turned back。
〃We'll win； we'll； we'll win you know；〃 he called back to them； his chest heaving。 〃We will！〃 Then still suspecting a trick； he hunched down and fled into China。 Near the train they saw a nondescript group of people intercept him but now it was too far away to see clearly。 Tension on the bridge subsided。 The sun began to set。
In the small observation tower atop the police station； Roger Crosse watched with high…powered binoculars。 He was well concealed。 Beside him was an SI operator with a telescopic camera； equally concealed。 His face closed。 One of the men meeting Brian Kwok was Tsu…yan； the missing millionaire。
The sun was almost under the western seas。 Casey was at the Peak lookout； all Hong Kong spread below； lights on in the gloaming； part of the city and Kowloon blood…colored； part already dark with deep shadows and blazing highlights。 The sun vanished and night； true night； began。
But she saw none of the beauty of it。 Her face was wet with the tears that still coursed。 She was leaning on the railing at a far corner； oblivious。 The other sightseers and people waiting at the nearby bus stops left her alone … too interested in their own affairs。
〃By all the gods I made a fortune today。 。。。〃
〃I bought in first thing and doubled my fornicating money。 。。。〃
〃Ayeeyah so did I； and I spent most of the day negotiating a loan from Best Bank against my portfolio。 。。。〃
〃Thank all gods the Middle Kingdom bailed out those stupid foreign devils 。。。〃
〃I bought Noble House at 20。 。。。〃
〃Did you hear they dug out two more bodies at Kotewall and now the count's sixty…seven dead。 。。。〃
〃Joss！ Isn't it wonderful about the market！ Old Blind Tung's prediction came true again。 。。。〃
〃Did you hear about my sister； Third Toiletmaid Fung from Great Hotel？ She and her syndicate bought at the darkest time and now she's a millionaire。 。。。〃
Casey heard nothing； saw nothing； misery overwhelming her。 People came and went； a few lovers。 The only Europeans were tourists with their cameras。 Casey hid from them as best she could。
〃Say； can I help？〃 one of them said。
〃No； no thank you；〃 she replied； her voice flat； not looking at him； helpless to stop the tears。
I have to stop； she thought。 I have to stop。 I have to begin again。 I have to begin again and be strong and live； for me and for Linc。 I've got to guard him and his； I've got to be strong； be strong。
But how？
〃I won't let go；〃 she told herself aloud。 I won't。 I have to think。
I have to think about what the tai…pan said。 Not about marriage； oh Linc； not about that。 I have to think about Orlanda。
〃Is it too much to hope they'd be friends？〃 Did he really say that？
What to do about her？
Bury her。 She took Linc away from me。 Yes。 But that was within my rules； the rules I set down。 Ian's right。 She's not like Quillan and it was Linc … he fell for her； he went out with her。 She's not like Quillan Gornt。
Quillan。 What about him？ He had e to the hotel this afternoon； again offering her whatever help she needed。 She had thanked him and refused。 〃I'm okay； Quillan。 I have to work this out myself。 No； please don't see me off。 Please。 I'll be back in thirty days； maybe。 Then I'll be more sensible。〃
〃You're signing with Struan's？〃
〃Yes。 Yes； that's what I want to do。 Sorry。〃
〃No need to be sorry。 You've been warned。 But that doesn't preclude dinner the first night you're back。 Yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
Oh Quillan； what to do about you？
Nothing for thirty days。 Linc must have the next thirty days。 Totally。 I have to protect him against the vultures。
Seymour Steigler for one。 This morning he had e to her suite。 〃Hey Casey； I'll get the coffin arranged and… 〃
〃It's done； everything's done。〃
〃That a fact？ Great。 Listen； I'm all packed。 Jannelli can take my bags and I'll be at the airplane in good time so we c… 〃
〃No。 I'm taking Linc home alone。〃
〃But hell； Casey； we've got a lot to talk about。 There's his will； there's the Par…Con deal； we got time now to figure it good。 We can delay and maybe get us a few extra points。 We… 〃
〃It can all wait。 I'll see you back in L。A。 Take off a couple of days； Seymour。 Be back next Monday。〃
〃Monday？ For chrissake there's a million things to do！ Linc's affairs'll take a year to untangle。 We gotta get counsel fast。 Sure； the best in town。 I'll do that first thing； the best。 Don't forget there's his widow and his kids。 She'll sue on their behalf； of course she'll sue … and then there's you！ For chrissake you're entitled to a fat share。 We'll sue too； haven't you been like a wife to him for seven ye… 〃
〃Seymour； you're fired！ Get your ass out of here an… 〃
〃What the hell's with you？ I'm only thinking of your legal rights an… 〃
〃Don't you hear； Seymour？ You're fired！〃
〃You can't fire me。 I've got rights。 I got a contract！〃
〃You're a son of a bitch。 You'll get top dollar to settle your contract but if you take after me or Linc or Linc's affairs I'll see to it you get nothing。 Nothing。 Now get the hell out of here！〃
Casey wiped away her tears； remembering her exploding rage。 Well he is a son of a bitch。 I was never sure before but I am now。 I'm glad I fired him。 I'll bet any money he'll e sniffing around like a hyena。 Sure。 I'll bet he'll go see the ex…Mrs。 Bartlett if he hasn't already called her and work her into a frenzy； to represent her brood to attack Par…Con and Linc。 Sure； I'll bet any money I'll see him in court； one way or another。 Well； God help me； I swear he won't beat me。 I'll protect Linc whatever。
Forget that bastard； Casey。 Forget the battles you're going to fight； concentrate on the now。 What about Orlanda？ Linc； Linc liked her … loved her maybe。 Did he？ I don't know for sure。 And never will； not now。
Orlanda。
Should I go see her？
91
8：05 P。M。：
Orlanda was sitting in the dark of her room at the Mandarin Hotel staring out at the night。 Her grief was spent。
Joss about Linc； she told herself for the ten thousandth time。 Joss。 Now everything's as before。 Everything has to start again。 The gods laughed at me again。 Perhaps there'll be another chance … of course there'll be another chance。 There are other men 。。。 Oh God！ Don't worry； everything will be as it was。 Quillan said not to worry； my allowance would contin…
The phone jangled； startling her。 〃Hello？〃
〃Orlanda？ It's Casey。〃 Orlanda sat bolt upright； astonished。 〃I'm leaving tonight but I wanted to see you before I go。 Is that possible？ I'm downstairs。〃
Her enemy calling her？ Why？ To gloat？ But they'd both lost。 〃Yes； Casey；〃 she said hesitantly。 〃Would you like to e up？ It's more private here。 363。〃
〃Sure。 363。〃
Orlanda switched on a light and hurried to the bathroom to check her face。 She saw sadness and recent tears … but no age。 Not yet。 But age is ing； she thought； a shiver of apprehension taking her。 A b to her hair and a little makeup on her eyes。 Nothing else needed。 Not yet。
Stop it！ Age is inevitable。 Be Asian！ Be aware。
She slipped on her shoes。 The waiting seemed long。 Her heart was grinding。 The bell rang