by Ian Hamilton
“And taking me from the restaurant tonight was the first step?”
“It could have been, although I still think he knew nothing about it.”
“What did you say to Men when he asked you to get rid of me?”
“I told him that you’re my girlfriend and have been for the past year,” Xu said. “I told him that you know nothing about my business and wouldn’t dare interfere even if you did. I said the Toronto and Hong Kong connections were coincidental, and that there was nothing abnormal about either banks or law firms doing due diligence and running credit checks on Chinese companies.”
“How did he react?”
“Guardedly, but then I told him I’ve just returned from Guangzhou and have cemented a deal with the triad head there to build the designer drug factory. I explained to him that any reluctance I’d had was based on my worries about how that colleague would react to the factory initiative. I told him that colleague is now going to be a partner. At that point he asked if they were expected to give up part of their shares to him. I said no, and he started to relax.”
“I know this may be repetitive, but did he also let go of the idea of getting rid of me?”
“He agreed that might have been an overreaction. He said he is meeting with his father and uncle later tonight and will explain things to them.”
“What are the chances he’ll be successful?”
“Before I saw the two men on the floor I would have said not bad, but now I think he’ll have to be extremely persuasive.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“On the highway heading back to Shanghai.”
“Okay, I get that, but do you think it’s really necessary to place extra men at the house?”
“The Tsais are going to get together for dinner tonight, and they’re going to talk about you and about me. They’ll feed off each other’s paranoia, and by the end of the evening they’ll likely have decided that you’re going to be an even bigger problem and I’m going to be one as well, because no matter what Tsai Men says, I’m defending you, and they’ll be convinced that proves I put you up to it. We’ve done them no harm, but that won’t matter. They see the potential for harm. They don’t take any chances. One way or another, they’ll find an excuse to set the cops or the military on us.”
“Do they know where you live?”
“No, very few people do. Not even Feng. It’s the safest place I can think of, and even though I don’t think they’d try to do anything in Shanghai, it would be foolish not to take extra precautions. I don’t want to be surprised in the middle of the night. Even a ten-minute warning would give us time to prepare.”
“But how?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Ava shook her head. “May warned me about the family. She told me that the old man will strike at shadows. I should have listened to her.”
“She was right,” Xu said.
“This is getting out of control.”
“That’s my sense of it as well, but the problem is that I’m not sure there’s anything we can do to get them to back off. Once you become a target, you are forever one, until you’re gone.”
“We have to respond. We can’t sit back and let this happen.”
“You say that like you have something in mind.”
“We have to move faster than them.”
“What do you mean?”
“We need to give them something else to worry about, something that diminishes our significance,” Ava said. “Are you prepared to go public with some of the information we’ve uncovered?”
“Through those newspapers you’ve been talking to?”
“Yes. We’ve laid the groundwork. Maybe we can find a way to speed the process.”
“Can the papers be connected directly to you?”
“I haven’t communicated with any of them. It’s all been done through our lawyers, and I trust them completely.”
“It would be good to get out in front instead of being chased.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Go ahead.”
“Great. Let me make some phone calls.”
“Before you do, I have one that I need to make,” Xu said. “I want to brief Lop on everything that’s going on with the Tsai family.”
Ava blinked in surprise. “What can he do from Wanchai? Unless of course you’re thinking of bringing him back here to fight.”
“I don’t want to bring him back or to fight — although he would gladly do both if it came down to it,” Xu said. “I don’t know if you remember, but he was a captain in the Special Forces of the PLA, and he’s still well connected enough to get inside information. So if something is going down, he’s our best chance to get an advance warning.”
While Xu called Lop, Ava looked out the window at the passing apartment buildings and office complexes. He was completely matter-of-fact, almost abnormally calm, as he described the situation to Lop. Ava’s one encounter with the ex-military man had been in Wanchai, when he flew into Hong Kong with Suen to take down Sammy Wing, the triad leader in the district. It had been a quick and brutal skirmish, and Lop’s emotions were barely held in check. Ava wondered if that was why Xu was taking such care to speak calmly about the Tsais.
“He’ll make some phone calls to some senior people on the inside who he trusts,” Xu said when he had finished the conversation.
“That’s great. I’m only sorry that it’s necessary.”
He glanced at her. “Is that your way of trying to say you think this is your fault?”
“In hindsight, I involved too many other people. Maybe I wasn’t careless, but I sure wasn’t cautious enough.”
“The only way you could have exercised greater caution would be to have done nothing at all.”
She started to respond and then stopped. Mistakes had been made and they were on her. She’d not only involved too many people, she’d also sent them off in too many directions. She had been uncharacteristically undisciplined, something that Uncle would never have allowed. There were times when she sorely missed his judgement, and this was one of them. But there wasn’t much point in rehashing errors. The only thing that mattered now was getting to a different place, and that was going to take some work.
She reached for her phone.
( 31 )
Johnny Yan was quick to pick up the line.
“I was hoping you’d call,” he said.
“What’s going on?”
“We’ve been getting bombarded with requests from the Chinese banks we contacted, and some of the companies that you wanted us to look into have come at us as well, all of them wanting to know who requested the bank-to-bank inquiries.”
“They communicated with Felix?”
“Yeah.”
“What is he telling them?”
“Nothing right now. He’s referring all their emails directly to me, as I asked, but he sure as hell is nervous that this is going to find its way up the corporate ladder here.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’ve been telling them the information is confidential.”
“I can’t imagine that’s working very well.”
“You guessed right.”
“And I imagine you’re getting as worried as Felix about them going over your head.”
“The thought doesn’t thrill me.”
“You need a plausible story.”
“And I don’t have one.”
“Johnny, does your bank have customers in Hong Kong?”
“Yes.”
“Good. So what you say is that one of your Hong Kong–based customers is considering expanding their business in China and sent you a list of more than a hundred companies they wanted some basic information about. Tell them it was a laundry list of companies; that way they won’t feel so targeted.”
>
“And if that doesn’t satisfy them?”
“Tell them you’ll give them the name of the customer if they agree to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”
“And if they agree to do that, where the fuck am I going to find that agreement?”
“You’re not, because you won’t have to. I’ll give you the name of a large trading company in Hong Kong you can send to them, and I’ll arrange for the company to back up your story.”
“Jesus, Ava, this is getting too complicated.”
“Johnny, all we’re doing is buying time. Given the time difference, it will take at least two days before you get anywhere near having to send them a name. By then, no one should care.”
He sighed.
“I owe you another one, and I know this one is particularly big,” Ava said.
“If I need to contact you, I can use your cell number or email address?”
“You can, and I’ll get right back to you. I won’t leave you hanging out to dry.”
“Okay. Let the stalling begin,” he said.
She looked at Xu as she ended the call. His eyes were closed and his head was resting against the back of the seat. He was either trying to sleep or creating space for her to feel unrestricted about what she had to say during her conversation with Johnny. Whichever it was, she appreciated it.
It was the middle of the evening and the only number she had for Brenda Burgess was at the office. Predictably, she was greeted by an automated receptionist, and accessing Brenda’s line didn’t get her any closer to making contact. A call to directory services was next, and she was given a home number. To her surprise, Brenda answered it.
“I’m sorry for calling you at home and so late,” Ava said.
“I assume there’s a reason.”
“The Tsai family.”
“What else?”
“Our Canadian bank is under siege from the Chinese banks and some of the Chinese companies. They’re trying to find out who’s been asking questions,” Ava said.
“We’ve had more calls ourselves.”
“Sorry for that.”
“It isn’t anything we can’t handle.”
“The thing is, the family has been doing some digging on their own and they’ve decided I’m the culprit.”
“How did they arrive at that conclusion?”
“It was a stretch, but however limited the facts, we can’t ignore the end result.”
“Is that why they invited you to Nanjing?”
“Yes.”
“Did they threaten you?”
“They did. I believe I was supposed to have been taken into custody.”
“But you weren’t?”
“No.”
“Are you still there?”
“I’m in a car heading out of Nanjing. My friend thinks we need to lie low for a little while.”
“I can’t say he’s wrong.”
“The thing is, Brenda, we also think we need to be proactive. Staying out of sight isn’t the answer. We need to blunt their aggression.”
“How?”
“I want to speed up the process with Richard and Michael Dillman, and with Vanessa and her man in New York. Could you get in touch with them for me and find out where we’re at, and if there’s anything we can do to move things along more quickly?”
“It’s early afternoon in London, and Richard was going to a rugby match during the day, but I’ll see if I can get hold of him,” she said. “And I’ll have Vanessa call New York. It’s morning there, so we have an entire day.”
“One more thing,” Ava said.
“Yes?” Brenda said cautiously.
“Could you ask Richard and Vanessa if they would mind if I dealt directly with the journalists?”
“Why do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Events are moving faster than I anticipated and are becoming increasingly messy,” Ava said. “I’m not sure that having all these people in the middle serves our purpose that well, and I don’t want your firm being fingered by the Tsai family if things go badly.”
“I don’t care about the Tsai family,” Brenda said. “You are correct, though, that communications are rather complicated right now and could benefit from being streamlined.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s too soon for that. I have to call Richard and Vanessa, and they’ll have to call their contacts and confirm that they’re willing to take this approach. I assume I can reach you on your cell?”
“You can.”
“I’ll get back to you when I have some answers.”
The car was on the outskirts of Shanghai when an hour later Ava’s phone rang. Xu was still sleeping.
“This is Brenda.”
“Hi.”
“Richard hasn’t been able to reach Michael Dillman, but he’s left messages and will make himself available whenever Dillman calls back,” Brenda said. “Vanessa did speak to Sam Curry at the Tribune. He’s prepared to talk to you, but he’s still doing fact-checking and has asked if he can get actual copies of the bank records instead of just summaries of the transactions.”
“He’ll want electronic copies?”
“I assume so.”
“I only have paper. I’ll have to convert them.”
“Obviously the sooner the better.”
“Where do I send them when I’m done?”
“I’ll ask Vanessa to send you Sam’s contact info. She’s already given him your coordinates. I’m sure he’ll be in touch with you at some point.”
“Sooner rather than later, I hope.”
“Vanessa did stress the need for speed.”
“Thank her for me.”
“And I’ll stay on top of things with Richard.”
Ava saw Xu stirring. They were in the city now, nearing the French Concession.
“Hey,” she said, nudging his arm.
“Hey yourself,” he said, opening his eyes.
“I’ve been working on the newspaper stories.”
“I know, I heard some of your conversation. How much progress do you think you made?”
“Not much, but it’s early and I’m still waiting for some people to call me back,” she said. “In the meantime, I have to scan a raft of documents and email them to New York. Do you have what I need at the house?”
“No, all I have is a computer. Does Feng have copies of the documents?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll have him do it.”
“Perfect,” Ava said, turning to her phone again to find Feng’s number.
“Hello,” he answered.
“This is Ava. I have something I need you to do for me.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to scan all the Tsai company bank records and email them to me,” she said.
“Okay.”
“Can you do it right away?”
“The records are at the office. I’m at home right now, so it will take about an hour.”
“That’s not a problem, as long as it’s done tonight.”
“I’ll leave right way.”
Ten minutes later, the car turned into an alleyway and drove past a fruit vendor. Ava knew they were almost home.
( 32 )
Auntie Grace was standing in the doorway when the car pulled into the courtyard. Ava wondered how she had known they were arriving, and then realized that the fruit vendor must have alerted the house.
The housekeeper was all smiles, and if Xu’s phone call had alarmed her she showed absolutely no sign of it. “Ava’s room is ready and the food can be served whenever you want to eat.”
“I’ll eat now. I’m starving,” Xu said.
“Leave your travel bag here. You can bring it in later,” Auntie Grace said to Ava. “Xu, where is yours?”
> “I had to leave it in Nanjing. Someone will get it for me.”
“No matter. Let’s go to the kitchen.”
Ava had smelled a faint aroma coming from the doorway, but in the kitchen the scent was powerful, a combination of black bean sauce, garlic, and at least one other flavour she couldn’t identify. She sat at the table and looked at the two woks on the stove. Next to them was a platter of scallions, sliced cucumber, small translucent pancakes, and a bowl of hoisin sauce.
“Peking duck,” Ava said.
“Yes,” Auntie Grace replied. She opened the oven door and took out a baking sheet covered in thin slivers of golden brown skin. She placed the sheet on the table and then turned back to the stove. “I also made dou miao and scallops steamed in black bean sauce with noodles. I know Xu will eat both. How about you?”
“Please.”
“And what do you want to drink?”
“Tea for me.”
“I’ll start with that as well,” Xu said.
As Auntie Grace prepared their plates, Xu glanced at Ava. “Is your phone with you?” he asked.
Ava reached behind her and took it from her Chanel bag. She put it on the table next to her plate. “There it is. I wasn’t going to miss any calls.”
She ate slowly, relishing the food. Xu was a fast eater, a trait he shared with Uncle. It had always seemed to Ava that the way Uncle ate was a clue to his character. He was always calm and in control on the surface, but she guessed that fires were raging underneath. She wondered if Xu hid his tensions as well as Uncle had. Or maybe she was overthinking things and both men simply liked to eat quickly.
Auntie Grace’s dou miao was especially good. Dou miao — snow pea shoots fried in garlic with chicken stock — had been a particular favourite of Uncle’s until he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.
“Did you ever make this for Uncle?” Ava asked.
“I did a few times, but it became too much for him.”
“I’ve eaten it many times, but there’s something different about yours,” Ava said.
The old woman smiled. “Guess.”
“I can’t.”
“I use duck fat instead of oil.”
“So you made the Peking duck yourself as well?”
“Where do you think I got the fat?”