Tainted Treasure (China Marine)

by Buzz Harcus

  He laughed. “I suppose you’re a very nice girl—”

  “The best!” she chirped. “You like? I can make you very happy.”

  He laughed again. “I bet you could.” He laid his menu to one side, saying, “But right now, I’ve got to get over to the hospital and visit a sick friend. Maybe some other time.” He downed his beer, then slipped past her, and headed out the door.

  “Hey Yankee!” she called after him, “You come back?”

  Outside, Harry stood irritated with himself. All he wanted was to have a beer and sandwich, and not the company of a bar girl. Besides, he was engaged to Osa, and he’d be true to her. This was no time for hanky-panky with a bar girl. Damned bar girls!

  The thought of Al lying in a hospital bed had come to him while trying to get away from the bar girl. Yeah, the poor guy was probably lying in bed all bandaged up. He better see him before he and Judy flew back to Sydney.

  He hailed a colorful jitney taxi, told Filipino driver the name of the hospital, and in a matter of minutes, hanging on for dear life as the driver drove erratically through the narrow streets, he was at the hospital. Inside, he found the visitor’s desk. Did they have an Albert E. Lazlo registered? Yes. He was admitted around noon today the elderly Filipino woman replied, having checked her files. She pointed down the hallway indicating Mr. Lazlo’s room.

  Al was laying in bed, clean-shaven. his upper chest bandaged. Judy was sitting beside the bed. She had obviously had a chance to freshen up, comb her luxurious blond hair, and put on a simple, but attractive dress. “Harry!” she screeched at seeing him, her face lighting up. “You shaved off your beard,” she laughed. Rushing around the bed she threw her arms around him hugging him. “I was worried we wouldn’t see you again.”

  “Hi Harry.” Al’s voice was a shade weaker, but he wore a big smile as he shook Harry’s hand. “You’ll never know how grateful we are to you and—”

  “Hallooo” came the booming voice of Captain Andress walking into the room at just that moment. Judy was in his arms in a flash hugging him. “You two,” she said, eyes suddenly misting. “We love you, both of you.”

  “Grab a chair and join us,” quipped Al. “What’s happening out there?”

  And just as they were aboard the Devil May Care, the foursome were quickly involved in conversation. Karl reported he’d had no chance to talk to the major embassy person about his ship or the crew as the man was in a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos. Staff personnel said he would be available to talk to him tomorrow. Yes, the maritime authorities were working on the missing ship, but no response as yet, too early. “I called my vife. Nobody answered the phone,” Karl said. “I call her tomorrow.”

  Harry reported that he was waiting for necessary paper work to be completed before he headed home. “I called my son, Jeff,” Harry said, breaking into a grin. “He told me Sissy, my daughter, made me a proud grandpa. Little red-headed, blue-eyed baby girl.”

  “That’s wonderful,” the others chimed almost in unison.

  “I bet you’re anxious to get home and spoil her. Grandpa’s have a special bond with little baby grand daughters,” Judy beamed. “You’re so lucky.”

  “We’re flying back to Sydney tomorrow,” Al said. “I’ve got my plane on the way here now. We’ll go home to our own doctor.”

  “What about you, Judy?” Harry questioned. “Are you okay?”

  “I was checked out when I arrived here at the hospital. They ran tests for any venereal disease. All negative. I’m resilient; I’ll make it okay.” She offered a quick embarrassed smile. “Really, I’m just fine.”

  “She’s a tough one,” Al chuckled. “That’s why I married her. Tough and tender.” Judy eased onto the bed and reached out clutching Al’s hand. “And you’re a tough old bird, and I love you,” she said giving him a peck on his cheek causing him to blush.

  “I want you guys to know we are deeply appreciative of what you did for us,” Al said a moment later, turning his attention to Harry and Karl. “You saved our lives. Anything you want, just name it and I’ll get it for you.”

  “Nothing,” replied Harry. “I’m glad we met, even under those really dumb circumstances. We had a good time saving each other.” He laughed at his remark. “I’m good. I’ll be picking up the pieces and putting the puzzle back together over the next few weeks. No, I don’t need anything, nor do I want anything from you. But thank you.”

  “Same for me,” piped Karl. “I’ll be putting der pieces of my puzzle togedder, as Harry says. Yah, dere is nothing I need, but tank you anyvays.”

  Judy looked at Al and gave him one of those quick knowing “we will do something for them” looks, ending with a wink. Sliding off the bed, she stopped before each man, gave each a kiss on the cheek, and softly thanked them from the bottom of her heart. “I‘m really going to miss our afternoon cocktail parties,” she quipped, which brought a round of laughter.

  “And don’t forget what I told you about investing,” Al added. “I mean it. There’s a lot of changes coming, a lot of money to be made.”

  “Hold hands,” Judy said grabbing Harry’s hand and Al’s hand. Karl, with a quizzical look at her, grabbed Harry’s other hand, and Al’s other hand. “Bow your heads,” whispered Judy. In the quietness of the room, she said, “Dear Lord we thank you for sending these two to our rescue; they are truly good Samaritans. We love them, and we shall always be friends. Amen.”

  Through tears, she broke into a big smile. “Now we’ll be friends always.”

  Side by side Harry and Karl walked down the darkening streets of Manila. The bars and cantinas were raucous and rowdy, the blare of music, the shrill voices of girls, and laughter. The older section of Manila was rife with small shops, touristy-type places and bars, and the noise was loud. It was hard to believe that only a few nights ago the two were adrift in a small raft on a very large ocean with only the sound of lapping waves. It was good to have people around.

  CHAPTER 38

  A Persistent Chinese Detective

  Detective Liu Chang stood stiffly before his superior. He had just informed him that the Swedish grain carrier, Otto J. Nurad, had run aground in the Philippine Islands just outside of Manila. The ship had been hi-jacked by pirates—the same four men that Colonel Pui and Shen Lee Ma had insisted the Swedish captain take aboard his vessel.

  The ship has been abandoned as unsalvageable. The crew has been flown from Manila back to Stockholm. However, and of particular interest to himself, the American, Harry Martin, and the ship’s Swedish captain, Captain Karl Andress, arrived in Manila just yesterday aboard a private yacht. An investigation is now underway by Philippine authorities into the report that the two, the American and the Captain, had been thrown overboard by the pirates at the time the ship was hi-jacked.

  Chang stated that an investigation is now underway into the operation of the Qingdao Harbormaster Office. Thus far it has shown Mr. Ma, his son, Shen Lee, and Colonel Pui have been unscrupulous in their operation of the office. Further, Chang said, he still believes others were involved in the deaths of Mr. Ma and the other American, Stan Drezewski.

  Taking a deep breath, he boldly asked for permission to fly to Manila to interrogate the American, Harry Martin, before he gets on a ship going back to America.

  Detective Chang was dismissed, asked to come back in an hour while his superior discussed his request, and all elements of the case with other top authorities. Chang nodded, gave a click of his heels, turned and left the office. From the brusqueness of his superior’s voice, Chang felt he’d lost his chance to pursue and interrogate the American. And he knew Harry Martin was the key to solving the case.

  A lengthy discussion about the murders, the operation of the harbormaster office, and whether the cost of sending a Qingdao police detective to Manila would be of any benefit in solving the case was reviewed by his superior with several top police administrators and, of course, Communist party hierarchy. A lengthy, often animated, discussion ensued with many
remarks about the young detective’s audacity to make such a request. After all, another superior said, it looked like a clear cut case of double murder, one of the other. Was that not the case?

  Finally, throwing up his hands, Chang’s superior, told the others that, in order to silence the young detective who was so adamant in his fervor to pursue the case, and in hopes that he might truly solve the case, permission to send him to Manila should be granted. Send him. The vote was unanimous, although there several notable chuckles.

  “Outside,” said Chang’s superior leading the way out of the building and not stopping until they arrived at a small garden with daffodils growing in abundance. The superior, satisfied they were away from prying eyes and listening ears, said, “You are permitted to go to Manila.”

  Chang’s face brightened at the good news.

  “However, grandson, I don’t want this case turned into an international incident,” he warned. “Our Communists leaders are working hard now to build a good working relationship with the

  United States.”

  Chang was quick to assure him he was only after the truth.

  His grandfather eyed him for several seconds, then asked, “What do you know about America and the great war they fought with the despicable Japanese?”

  Surprised at the question, Chang stammered, “Nothing, really. I know our great Communist leaders fought the Japanese many years ago, but—”

  “In 1937 the Japanese declared war against China,” the superior began. “They bombed Shanghai. They sank an American gunboat. They bombed, raped and murdered thousands of our people in Nanjing. Thousands more were murdered during the following years. In 1941 the Japanese declared war on America with the bombing of the military base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian islands. In the meantime, thousands upon thousands of Japanese troops and civilians had already invaded our country. Soldiers killed, raped and pillaged our lands. We Chinese were nothing to them, vermin to be killed as they saw fit. Our young women were kidnapped and made to satisfy the debauchery of Japanese soldiers as there so-called “comfort women.” Even to this day the Japanese deny this. Their despicable acts will weigh on their children for centuries to come.

  “In 1945 the Americans dropped two atomic bombs on Japan—one on Hiroshima, the other on Nagasaki. The war suddenly ended. Those American troops who had been fighting and killing the hated Japanese troops during island warfare across the Pacific Ocean were ordered to sail to China.

  “In October, 1945, American sea soldiers, those we know as United States Marines, arrived in Cheefoo, Qingdao, Tientsin, Shanghai and other ports to accept the surrender of all Japanese forces in China. There were over 250,000 soldiers and 300 thousand Japanese civilians that had to be shipped back to Japan. Those that were not killed by our angry people were all shipped back to Japan by the Marines and U.S. Navy.

  “During the time the Marines were here in Qingdao, I started up a laundry service to serve the Marines and other American services. It soon became a prosperous time for me. One day two Nationalist soldiers came to me demanding money. They wanted me to pay tribute to them each and every week for their protection. I said no. It became an ugly confrontation. I did not want to give them my hard earned money. One of them pulled a gun, cursed me, and shot me in the leg. An American Marine had witnessed the shooting and, without hesitation, shot the man dead. When the other man raised up his machine gun, the American shot him, too.

  “He saved my life. If he hadn’t done what he did that day, you would not be here, and you would not be the great detective you are.”

  Chang looked at his grandfather in awe.

  With a sad smile, the superior said, “Things may not always be what they appear to be. When you talk to the American, Harry Martin, give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  CHAPTER 39

  A Sad Farewell to NURAD

  Harry was chewing on a steak sandwich and washing it down with beer at the Yellow Bar the next day when he spotted Karl hurrying down the street, obviously headed for his hotel. Stepping to the doorway, Harry hailed him. Karl stopped, turned, saw who it was, and immediately raced across the busy street to join him.

  “What’s up?” asked Harry, noting the sweaty face of his captain as he joined him at his table. “Is something wrong?”

  Karl waved away a bar girl who, seeing a new face, had bheaded for him wearing a big warm smile. “Harry,” Karl said, controlled anger in his voice. “Dose damned pirate bastards ran der Nurad up on a reef—”

  “No shit!”

  “No shit is right!” Karl exclaimed. “Dey vas going to use der ship for some kind of crooked deal here in der Philippine islands, but in dere haste, dey ran it aground—at high tide, mind you! Der damned ship broke in two, broke dere keel.”

  “NO!” gasped Harry. “How’d you find out about it?”

  “Der damned embassy idiot! He chust now told me my crew had come in dere several days ago. He said First Officer Sigmund Helmstrund reported der loss of der ship to der embassy ven dey came to town—”.

  “What about Osa and the crew?” Harry interrupted. “Are they okay?”

  “Safe. All safe. Dey ver flown back to Stockholm. Two of der pirates are dead, and two escaped. George Alward and Doyle Masters are still at large. By golly, if I had dat man George Al-ward here right now, I vould strangle him to death!”

  “Kilgrew and Dingman are dead?” asked Harry in disbelief.

  “Yah. I don’t haf all der details. Just dead.”

  Harry shook his head. Of the foursome, those two had worried him the most regarding Osa’s safety, especially Bert Kilgrew! At least now she was safe and that was what Harry wanted to hear. Soon they would be together again.

  “Yah, Osa and der rest of the crew all got home safely,” Karl repeated.

  “That’s good news,” Harry said offering a notable sigh of relief. He’d get in touch with Osa as soon as he could, maybe yet tonight. Yeah, as a matter of fact, he could fly from Manila to Stockholm in the next couple of days and surprise her in person! He gave a shake of his head; nope, not that easy. The embassy people were still working to process his paper work. He had to stay here until they released him.

  “I know ver der Nurad is,” said Karl, taking a map from his jacket pocket and unfolding it. Laying it across the table, he pointed to a spot. “Olongapo,” he said. “Stuck on a damned reef. I vant to drive out und see it.”

  “I’ll rent us a car and we’ll drive out there right now,” replied Harry.

  “Yah. As soon as possible. Dere is a big storm heading dis vay, a hurricane, or a typhoon, I tink dey call it.”

  In an old Ford rental car they drove out of Manila through Quezon City and on out to Olongapo. Beyond the town they traveled a dirt road for several miles. Then, suddenly, there was the Nurad before them sitting forlornly on a huge ragged reef. It shook Captain Andress to the core to see his beloved ship in that condition.

  At seeing Nurad, Harry was reminded of the old rusted schooner sitting on that reef just outside the Qingdao harbor. Parking the car, they walked across a sandy spit of beach then onto the reef. Approaching Nurad, Andress squatted and peered under the ship. The keel had been breached. They could see where plates had cracked sending a large gaping split up the side of the ship. She was listing at least fifteen degrees to starboard. The aft section of the ship already sat low in the water.

  “Dat typhoon could move it off der reef und she vould be lost,” Andress said, as they climbed up the ship’s gangway. They made their way up to the wheelhouse first. Inside they found the room stripped. No charts. No ship’s log book. Nothing. Anything that could be unscrewed, unbolted or cut with a torch was gone.

  Swearing under his breath, Andress led the way down to his quarters. Nothing. No furniture at all. Thieves and scavengers had done their job well. To his surprise, the two pictures of his previous ships were still in their frames hanging on the wall although the glass facings had been smashed out. Gently removing the photos from the frames, K
arl rolled them up and tucked them under his arm.

  Leaving Karl, Harry hurried down to his quarters. He choked: stripped bare. His prized banjo records lay smashed to pieces on the deck, the covers torn and ripped. No more Happy Sounds of the Flint Banjo Club, no more Johnny Ford, not even Harry Reser. Nothing. The bunk beds and mattresses were gone, every stick of furniture gone, the clothes locker empty, not one item of clothing. Stripped bare! The scavengers did their job well. A sick feeling overcame him; someone was two million dollars richer!

  A sudden lurch of the ship startled him. “Ve must leave der ship right now,” said Captain Andress, who had stopped at the doorway looking aghast into the room. “Der tide is coming in and dat damned storm is growing in intensity.”

  At his insistence, they hurriedly moved down the gangway and jogged off the reef and across the sand spit. Already the tide had risen at least a foot. Beyond Nurad the skies had turned dark with storm clouds scurrying along before a driving wind; a bad storm was approaching.

  Reaching the safety of their car, the two stood looking back at Nurad. Tears blurred Captain Andress’s eyes. His beloved ship was dead. Harry stood stoically, all his damned effort to get the money wasted; someone got his jacket and all that tainted blood money, two million dollars gone. With heavy hearts both men climbed into the car. No words were spoken on the return trip to Manila.

  Captain Andress asked to be dropped off at the Swedish Embassy. He thanked Harry for all his help and said he’d catch up to him later. “Beer at the Yellow Bar, at four,” Harry called as he drove away.

  Instead of returning the loan car, Harry spun around and headed back to the Nurad. His seabag was unaccounted for—and there was a lot of money in it!

  The tide was rising, forcing him to wade through calf-high waves to get up on the reef. Wind screamed through the ship’s rigging. Moving hastily up the gangway, Harry sensed a more pronounced swaying movement of the ship under his feet; the vessel could slip off at any damned moment!