jamesclavell.noblehouse-第30章
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!
〃It's not the British way; Brian;〃 he had always said to his friend。 〃I'm for a fair; open trial。〃
〃What's it matter? Be practical; Robert。 You know the bastards're all guilty … that they're the enemy; mie enemy agents who twist our rules to stay here; to destroy us and our society … aided and abetted by a few bastard lawyers who'd do anything for thirty pieces of silver; or less。 The same in Canada。 Christ; we had the hell of a time in the RCMP; our own lawyers and politicians were the enemy … and recent Canadians … curiously always British … all socialist trades unionists who were always in the forefront of any agitation。 What does it matter so long as you get rid of the parasites?〃
〃It matters; that's what I think。 And they're not all mie villains here。 There's a lot of Nationalist villains who want to… 〃
〃The Nationalists want mies out of Hong Kong; that's all。〃
〃Balls! Chiang Kai…shek wanted to grab the Colony after the war。 It was only the British navy that stopped him after the Americans gave us away。 He still wants sovereignty over us。 In that he's no different from Mao Tse…tung!〃
〃If SI doesn't have the same freedom as the enemy how are we going to keep us out of the creek?〃
〃Brian; lad; I just said I don't like being in SI。 You're going to enjoy it。 I just want to be a copper; not a bloody Bond!〃
Yes; Armstrong thought grimly; just a copper; in CID until I retire to good old England。 Christ; I've enough trouble now with the god…cursed Werewolves。 He looked back at Crosse and kept his face carefully nonmittal and waited。
Crosse watched him then tapped the file。 〃According to this we're very much deeper in the mire than even I imagined。 Very distressing。 Yes。〃 He looked up。 〃This report refers to previous ones sent to Dunross。 I'd certainly like to see them as soon as possible。 Quickly and quietly。〃
Armstrong glanced at Brian Kwok。 〃How about Claudia Chen?〃
〃No。 No chance。 None。〃
〃Then what do you suggest; Brian?〃 Crosse asked。 〃I imagine my American friend will have the same idea 。。。 and if he's been misguided enough to pass on the file; a copy of the file; to the director of the CIA here 。。。 I really would be very depressed if they were there first again。〃
Brian Kwok thought a moment。 〃We could send a specialized team into the tai…pan's executive offices and his penthouse; but it'd take time … we just don't know where to look … and it would have to be at night。 That one could be hairy; sir。 The other reports … if they exist … might be in a safe up at the Great House; or at his place at Shek…O … even at his; er; at his private flat at Sinclair Towers or another one we don't even know about。〃
〃Distressing;〃 Crosse agreed。 〃Our intelligence is getting appallingly lax even in our own bailiwick。 Pity。 If we were Chinese we'd know everything; wouldn't we; Brian?〃
〃No sir; sorry sir。〃
〃Well; if you don't know where to look you'll have to ask。〃
〃Sir?〃
〃Ask。 Dunross's always seemed to be cooperative in the past。 After all he is a friend of yours。 Ask to see them。〃
〃And if he says; no; or that they were destroyed?〃
〃You use your talented head。 You cajole him a little; you use a little art; you warm to him; Brian。 And you barter。〃
〃Do we have something current to barter with; sir?〃
〃Nelson Trading。〃
〃Sir?〃
〃Part's in the report。 Plus a modest little piece of information I'll be delighted to give you later。〃
〃Yes sir; thank you sir。〃
〃Robert; what have you done to find John Chen and the Werewolf or Werewolves?〃
〃The whole of CID's been alerted; sir。 We got the number of his car at once and that's on a 1098。 We've interviewed his wife Mrs。 Barbara Chen; among others … she was in hysterics most of the time; but lucid; very lucid under the flood。〃
〃Oh?〃
〃Yes sir。 She's 。。。 Well; you understand。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She said it wasn't unusual for her husband to stay out late … she said he had many late business conferences and sometimes he'd go early to the track or to his boat。 I'm fairly certain she knew he was a man about town。 Retracing his movements last night's been fairly easy up to 2:00 a。m。 He dropped Casey Tcholok at the Old Vic at about 10:30… 〃
〃Did he see Bartlett last night?〃
〃No sir; Bartlett was in his aircraft at Kai Tak all the time。〃
〃Did John Chen talk to him?〃
〃Not unless there's some way for the airplane to link up with our phone system。 We had it under surveillance until the pickup this morning。〃
〃Go on。〃
〃After dropping Miss Tcholok … I discovered it was his father's Rolls by the way … he took the car ferry to the Hong Kong side where he went to a private Chinese club off Queen's Road and dismissed the car and chauffeur; 。。。〃 Armstrong took out his pad and referred to it。 〃。。。 It was the Tong Lau Club。 There he met a friend and business colleague; Wo Sang Chi; and they began to play mah…jong。 About midnight the game broke up。 Then; with Wo Sang Chi and the two other players; both friends; Ta Pan Fat; a journalist; and Po Cha Sik; a stockbroker; they caught a taxi。〃 Robert Armstrong heard himself reporting the facts; falling into the familiar police pattern and this pleased him and took his mind off the file and all the secret knowledge he possessed; and the problem of the money that he needed so quickly。 I wish to God I could just be a policeman; he thought; detesting Special Intelligence and the need for it。 〃Ta Pan Fat left the taxi first at his home on Queen's Road; then Wo Sang Chi left on the same road shortly afterwards。 John Chen and Po Cha Sik … we think he's got triad connections; he's being checked out now very carefully … went to the Ting Ma Garage on Sunning Road; Causeway Bay; to collect John Chen's car; a 1960 Jaguar。〃 Again he referred to his notebook; wanting to be accurate; finding the Chinese names confusing as always; even after so many years。 〃A garage apprentice; Tong Ta Wey; confirms this。 Then John Chen drove his friend Po Cha Sik to his home at 17 Village Street in Happy Valley; where the latter left the car。 Meanwhile Wo Sang Chi; John Chen's business colleague; who; curiously; heads Struan's haulage pany which has the monopoly of cartage to and from Kai Tak; had gone to the Sap Wah Restaurant on Fleming Road。 He states that after being there for thirty minutes; John Chen joined him and they left the restaurant in Chen's car; intending to pick up some dancing girls in the street and take them to supper … 〃
〃He wouldn't even go to the dance hall and buy the girls out?〃 Crosse asked thoughtfully。 〃What's the going rate; Brian?〃
〃Sixty dollars Hong Kong; sir; at that time of night。〃
〃I know Phillip Chen's got the reputation of being a miser; but is John Chen the same?〃
〃At that time of night; sir;〃 Brian Kwok said helpfully; 〃lots of girls start leaving the clubs if they haven't arranged a partner yet … most of the clubs close around 1:00 a。m。 … Sunday's not a good pay night; sir。 It's quite usual to cruise; there's certainly no point in wasting sixty; perhaps two or three times sixty dollars; because the decent girls are in twos or threes and you usually take two or three to dinner first。 No point wasting all that money is there; sir?〃
〃Do you cruise; Brian?〃
〃No sir。 No need … no sir。〃
Crosse sighed and turned back to Armstrong。 〃Go on; Robert。〃
〃Well sir; they failed to pick up any girls and went to the Copacabana Night Club in the Sap Chuk Hotel in Gloucester Road for supper; getting there about one o'clock。 About 1:45 a。m。 they left and Wo Sang Chi said he saw John Chen get into his car; but he did not see him drive off … then he walked home; as he lived nearby。 He said John Chen was not drunk or bad…tempered; anything like that; but seemed in good spirits; though earlier at the club; the Tong Lau Club; he'd appeared irritable and cut the mah…jong game short。 There it ends。 John Chen's not known to have been seen again by any of his friends … or family。〃
〃Did he tell Wo Sang Chi where he was going?〃
〃No。 Wo Sang Chi told us he presumed he was going home … but then he said; 'He might have gone to visit his girl friend。' We asked him who; but he said he didn't know。 After pressing him he said he seemed to remember a name; Fragrant Flower; but no address or phone number … that's all。〃
〃Fragrant Flower? That could cover a multitude of ladies of the night。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Crosse was lost in thought for a moment。 〃Why would Dunross want John Chen eliminated?〃
The two police officers gaped at their superior。
〃Put that in your abacus brain; Brian。〃
〃Yes sir; but there's no reason。 John Chen's no threat to Dunross; wouldn't possibly be … even if he became pradore。 In the Noble House the tai…pan holds all the power。〃
〃Does he?〃
〃Yes。 By definition。〃 Brian Kwok hesitated; thrown off balance again。 〃Well yes sir … I 。。。 in the Noble House; yes。〃
Crosse turned his attention to Armstrong。 〃Well?〃
〃No reason I can think of; sir。 Yet。〃
〃Well think about it。〃
Crosse lit a cigarette and Armstrong felt the smoke hunger pangs heavily。 I'll never keep my vow; he thought。 Bloody bastard Crosse…that…we…all…have…to…carry! What the hell's in his mind? He saw Crosse offer him a packet of Senior Service; the brand he always used to smoke … don't fool yourself; he thought; the brand you still smoke。 〃No thank you sir;〃 he heard himself say; shafts of pain in his stomach and through all of him。
〃You're not smoking; Robert?〃
〃No sir; I've stopped 。。。 I'm just trying to stop。〃
〃Admirable! Why should Bartlett want John Chen eliminated?〃
Again both police officers gawked at him。 Then Armstrong said throatily; 〃Do you know why; sir?〃
〃If I knew; why should I ask you? That's for you to find out。 There's a connection somewhere。 Too many coincidences; too neat; too pat … and too smelly。 Yes it smells of KGB involvement to me; and when that happens in my domain I must confess I get irritable。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Well; so far so good。 Put surveillance on Mrs。 Phillip Chen … she could easily be implicated somewhere。 The stakes for her are certainly high enough。 Tail Phillip Chen for a day or two as well。〃
〃That's already done; sir。 Both of them。 On Phillip Chen; not that I suspect him but just because I think they'll both do the usual … be uncooperative; keep mum; negotiate secretly; pay off secretly and breathe a sigh of relief once it's over。〃
〃Quite。 Why is it these fellows … however well educated … think they're so much smarter than we are and won't help us do the work we're paid to do?〃
Brian Kwok felt the steely eyes grinding into him and the sweat trickled down his back。 Control yourself; he thought。 This bastard's only a foreign devil; an uncivilized; manure…eating; dung…ladened; motherless; dew neh loh moh saturated; monkey…descended foreign devil。 〃It's an old Chinese custom which I'm sure you know; sir;〃 he said politely; 〃to distrust all police; all government officials … they've four thousand years of experience; sir。〃
〃I agree with the hypothesis; but with one exception。 The British。 We have proved beyond all doubt we're to be trusted; we can govern; and; by and large; our bureaucracy's incorruptible。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Crosse watched him for a moment; puffing his cigarette。 Then he said; 〃Robert; do you know what John Chen and Miss Tcholok said