Susan sounded suspiciously cheerful – who the hell had Susan dug up as a surprise guest? Hopefully not someone to take Daniel’s place, she certainly didn’t need that.
The hotel limousine was now crossing a gigantic bridge spanning the harbour and Amanda was diverted from further depressing thoughts about her relationship. The first sight of the skyline of Hong Kong opened up from the bridge, though partially shrouded by a layer of thin clouds. Hovering at the horizon like a mirage, the city was still a good twenty miles away.
Dusk was starting to fall and the last rays of sunshine breaking through the low-hanging veil of clouds made the myriad glass panes glitter like a distant treasure trove. Amanda had seen many pictures of the famous Hong Kong skyline before, but here it was, the real thing – and it was so much more impressive and beautiful than she had imagined.
As the car drew closer the daylight faded away fast and darkness took over. One by one the skyscrapers lit up in the most daring of colours. Not only were they ablaze with lights, but they were blinking with changing colours creating a colourful festival of light. It was Christmas time, of course, and soon Amanda saw a fat grinning Santa riding in a gigantic sleigh. The sleigh was drawn by decidedly overfed reindeers with Rudolf and his red blinking nose having a prominent place right in the middle. More Santas were speeding into the night sky while gigantic bells and bunches of mistletoe were clinging to the very top of various skyscrapers in a breathtaking orgy of colours.
With its Christmas mantle, Hong Kong made Amanda think of a gigantic night-time theme park. Blinking season’s greetings were welcoming the approaching visitor and, although her own taste might be more sober, Amanda took an immediate liking to a city that indulged in such a cheerful and almost childlike orgy of colours and decoration.
Half an hour later they reached their final destination, downtown Kowloon, as the driver explained to her, adding with pride that the hotel was located on the very end of the Chinese mainland – just opposite Hong Kong Island.
Dignified and at the slowest speed to allow Amanda to take in the hotel’s illuminated façade and grand fountain, the Bentley now glided up the short driveway. Tiny fairy lights were sparkling in the palm trees adding a festive air. Amanda gasped with delight; this was truly beautiful.
As soon as the Bentley came to a halt, two uniformed young bellboys sprang to attention.
Feeling like royalty, Amanda was guided by the bellboys through large glass doors into the high-ceilinged lobby that gave view onto the harbour and the Island of Hong Kong through gigantic windowpanes. The view was simply breathtaking – the lobby seemed to be floating just above the harbour.
Subtle piano music was playing in the background mixing with the sounds of clinking glasses, cutlery and china while elegantly dressed people enjoyed cocktails in the bar, just as if she had had landed on board a gigantic cruise ship rather than a hotel.
All formalities accomplished, Amanda finally slumped onto a chair in her room, facing the window. It was very tempting to stay up and watch the busy harbour bathed in the ever-changing lights of Hong Kong, but she was dead tired. She forced herself to write a quick message to her mother, took a long hot shower and, like a travelling zombie, she steered towards the inviting bed. Amanda had barely touched her pillow when her eyes closed.
The next morning Amanda was awakened by her alarm clock. In her slumber, she was convinced that she must have set the wrong time. But the clock kept ringing, growing louder and more insistent. Still half asleep, Amanda cursed; she didn’t agree at all with this brutal intrusion into the realm of her dreams. All Amanda longed to do was to turn over and go back to sleep, but Susan, Neil and, as she remembered all of a sudden, a surprise guest would be waiting for her. Groaning aloud she heaved herself out of the bed, but she couldn’t possibly meet them in her pyjamas and looking so dishevelled.
Reluctantly, and fervently regretting arranging to meet Susan for breakfast, Amanda spent the next thirty minutes in the bathroom trying to resurrect her complexion. A last glance into the mirror convinced her that she had been able at least to create a semblance of her normal self and that she was ready to go.
Down in the lobby Susan and Neil were already waiting for her. Standing next to them was a man she assumed was the surprise guest. He had a face she immediately found likeable and he welcomed her with a big smile. His age was difficult to judge, as his expression and general air had a boyish appeal, but he had grown a bit stout and his hairline showed an undeniable tendency to recede. He must be in his mid-thirties, late thirties maybe, Amanda concluded. He had affable blue eyes but was definitely no male model and no macho-style Prince Charming – he looked like the ideal best friend. Amanda felt relieved; she was in no mood to ward off the unwanted amorous attentions of another man. She might have decided to break up with Daniel – but regrettably she hadn’t forgotten him…
Susan rushed forward and embraced her warmly – it felt so good to be back among friends. Neil followed and to her great surprise the stranger didn’t hesitate a second to follow Susan’s example and kiss her cheeks. She kissed back – smelling his eau de toilette. It smelled good. Luckily it was not the same brand that Daniel preferred – that would have been vastly irritating.
The stranger introduced himself with a broad smile. ‘I’m Geoffrey – welcome to Hong Kong!’
‘He’s Neil’s old friend and simply a darling!’ Susan interrupted the introduction immediately. ‘Geoffrey’s invited us to stay in his flat – wasn’t that kind?’
Amanda smiled back to find Geoffrey’s appraising glance locked on to her, with an expression that didn’t fit the ‘best friend’ role she had intended to give him. He grinned as if he’d read her mind and winked at her.
‘I have to thank all of you then!’ Amanda replied. ‘I’m so happy to be here for Christmas. What a wonderful idea, and the hotel is simply fabulous. I have a wonderful harbour view room – I could sit there watching the skyline and the ships in the harbour for hours.’
‘Yes, it’s fascinating. It’s one of the best views in town.’ Geoffrey shared her enthusiasm. ‘But let’s go downstairs to the coffee shop. You wouldn’t believe it when you see my waistline but I’m positively starving and they serve a great buffet.’
Amanda laughed. ‘I’m starving as well.’
‘That’s the spirit!’ Geoffrey grinned before guiding them downstairs to the coffee shop; he seemed to know the hotel inside out. Soon the four were chatting as if they had been friends forever. It certainly helped that Geoffrey had a great sense of humour. The two men made a hilarious combination. Neil wasn’t talking nearly as much as Susan, but whenever he did, he came right to the point.
Eyes sparkling with mischief he whispered, ‘Look at that man over there. The one who’s piling loads of food onto his plate right now. He reminds me of the kleptomaniac monkey we had in our lab in Cambridge. Have a closer look, he’s got identical dentition and see his nose – a wonderful example of primate evolution.’
Neil kept a straight face as the target of his remarks passed their table balancing a plate loaded to the brim.
‘Impressive how he managed to pile up his food. I especially admire this daring combination of salmon topped with Swiss muesli and vanilla sauce. It has all the hallmarks of becoming a great classic,’ Geoffrey added.
Amanda almost dropped from her chair with laughter, fighting to keep the coffee inside her mouth.
‘That was so mean,’ she finally managed to say as soon as she had swallowed her coffee.
‘No idea what you’re talking about!’ Both men feigned all innocence.
Susan laughed. ‘The poor man, he must be hungry. But let’s change the subject. We have great plans and we’ll keep you very busy, Amanda. No excuses allowed, no time for rest, I’m afraid. Tonight we’re already invited to a Christmas party by one of Geoffrey’s business friends. I hope you don’t mind us dragging you along on your first night? For Christmas Day itself Geoffrey has organized a small party at home a
nd the day after we’ll do some sightseeing. I’m sure we’ll be totally exhausted by the time New Year arrives, but it’ll be great fun.’
‘That sounds fabulous – why should I be resting when I can explore Hong Kong? I can sleep back at school. But I must do some shopping today,’ said Amanda. ‘I simply have buy some gifts for Christmas, that’s a must.’
She forced herself to smile as she remembered only too well how much she had been looking forward to going shopping with Daniel.
‘Let me be your guide,’ Geoffrey offered. ‘I’m a shopping specialist.’
‘But you always told me that you hated shopping.’ Neil seemed stunned.
‘That’s my father’s heritage – he’s a Scot, and the mere thought of having to open his wallet sent shivers down his spine. But my mum is Irish, she likes to spend. Her parties are legendary.’
‘Thanks for being my guide. I accept with pleasure.’ Amanda couldn’t possibly decline such a kind proposal but secretly she was a bit concerned that Geoffrey might read her acceptance as a willingness to get far better acquainted with him than she intended. ‘Will you join us?’ she quickly asked Susan and Neil. That would help to avoid any unwanted intimacy.
‘I’m sorry, darling, but we can’t,’ Susan answered, a bit too fast for Amanda’s taste. ‘Neil and I have to attend a cocktail reception hosted by the British Consulate and there was no way to decline.’
That sounded convincing enough and Amanda relaxed; for a moment she had thought her friend had been matchmaking.
‘You’re excused then. Let’s have another cup of coffee and then let’s go.’
‘Tea for me,’ Susan replied immediately. ‘But otherwise I agree.’
Once Susan and Neil had left, Amanda was alone with Geoffrey. She had been afraid that the situation might become awkward but luckily she was proven totally wrong. Geoffrey continued to chat as if they had known each other forever and didn’t show any signs of wanting to flirt. Soon she relaxed and her initial tension disappeared.
‘Where can we go shopping – is it far from here?’ she asked.
‘Everything you might possibly wish for is within walking distance. We’re right in the commercial heart of Kowloon. I propose we start with the Ocean Centre – a big mall close by – and if you feel like spending a small fortune, Canton and Nathan Road are located a mere five to ten minutes from there. I don’t think there’s any luxury brand in the world that won’t have an outlet on either road. Gucci, Versace, Vuitton, Armani, Dior…’
‘Not really my budget, I’m afraid.’
‘There’s always Marks & Spencer, or we could go to Ladies’ Market – a Rolex watch there will cost you only between one and three bucks. No three year warranty though, and it may be doubtful that this watch has ever seen Switzerland at all.’ Geoffrey winked.
‘Hmm, I’m afraid you’re on the right track now. Regrettably this sounds much more like my kind of budget. But I’m not tempted to buy a copy watch. Let’s have a look in the respectable shops first before we attack the Ladies’ Market. I need something for Susan. That should be easy enough to find, but any idea what I could buy for Neil? Why is it always so difficult to find a gift for a man?’
‘It’s only a question of budget. A new Porsche would be fine for me, I’m easy.’ He laughed.
‘Let’s hope that they sell copy cars at the Ladies’ Market, then. I’ll have a look, it’s a promise.’ She smiled back.
Geoffrey scratched his head. ‘But back to the task of finding a gift for Neil… that’s a true challenge. He wouldn’t even recognize a Porsche if he’d sat in one. What about a rare, preferably poisonous toad? The kind of animal with a name no normal human being could ever pronounce correctly.’
‘True, that’s probably the only kind of gift that may trigger some kind of enthusiasm in Neil.’ Amanda groaned. ‘But that’s not on my list either, and I would imagine that the hotel wouldn’t like the idea of keeping poisonous toads in their bathtubs.’
‘Somehow I don’t seem to be of great help to you. Let’s go and have a look in the Ocean Centre, you should be able to find something there. No toads though – maybe some human ones. One should never give up hope!’
Geoffrey had been right; the hotel was located right in the heart of the downtown shopping area and the choice was simply overwhelming. But soon Amanda lost one illusion: until today she had been under the impression that Hong Kong must be a place for bargains. She quickly realized that Hong Kong was anything else but cheap.
‘Gosh, it’s bloody expensive here!’ she complained as soon as they had left a promising-looking shop where they had been received by a stylish shop assistant. But assessing her potential customers with raised eyebrows she quickly made it clear to Amanda that she didn’t appreciate wasting her time on a tourist who had the audacity to ask for prices before she’d looked properly at the selection of t-shirts that were on display.
‘I liked the t-shirt with the stripes but at home I can buy ten shirts for the price she was asking for one – maybe even more,’ said Amanda.
‘That’s the effect of mainland China,’ Geoffrey explained.
‘What do you mean?’
‘The Chinese entrepreneurs from the mainland come to Hong Kong and pay any price asked. First they gamble in Macau where a guy can easily lose a million dollars or two in one night, then they move on to Hong Kong and the wife – or most likely the much younger mistress – will receive some fancy jewellery and a new wardrobe as compensation. They never discuss a price. If they like it, they just pay.’
‘Hmm, maybe I should be looking for a rich Chinese boyfriend?’ Amanda suggested. ‘That would make shopping so much easier.’
‘Just a reminder… the size of a fortune doesn’t always match age and looks…’
‘I knew that there must be some catch somewhere.’ Amanda sighed. ‘Let’s go on then and see if we can find a shop that caters for ordinary people like me.’
‘Fishing for compliments?’
‘Was it so obvious? What woman wouldn’t be fishing for a compliment from time to time?’
‘You know, of course, that you’re not ordinary at all.’
‘That was the only suitable answer. Now, let’s tackle the next shop, I can’t stand under the Christmas tree empty handed.’ She stopped and frowned. ‘I hope that you have Christmas trees in Hong Kong?’
‘Of course I have one, Amanda! Guaranteed freshness and looks year after year. After Christmas I fold it neatly and store it in my little storage room. When I’m in the mood I add a good dose of fir tree scent…’
‘That sounds very authentic and extremely romantic. I hope it’s not blinking constantly – blinking Christmas trees tend to make me nervous.’
Geoffrey creased his brow, looking suddenly contrite. ‘It does blink, Amanda, it blinks all the time… but will you show mercy and do me the favour of joining our party all the same?’
She laughed. ‘I might consider… I can always turn my back to your Christmas tree when it’s getting a bit too much and my eyelids start moving in the same rhythm.’
Geoffrey put his hand to his heart. ‘Accept my solemn promise – one word from you, Amanda, and I’ll pull the plug.’
‘That’s a deal! Now look at this shop, they sell fitness and workout clothing – maybe I can find something for Susan here at a price that won’t totally ruin me.’
Two hours later and equipped with plenty of shopping bags with fancy logos, they interrupted their shopping spree for a long coffee break, but neither of them felt like having a real lunch after their extensive breakfast. By now Amanda was treating Geoffrey like a brother and felt as if they had known each other for ages.
Anecdotes from her life at school were exchanged with colourful stories of his experiences of working and travelling extensively in Asia. Geoffrey apparently had some valuable connections in Hong Kong high society. He was a member of the Royal Yacht Club which, as he explained to her, had remained exclusive to the upper ten thousand even a
fter Hong Kong had lost its status of a British colony.
‘I’m not that keen, but I admit, it’s helpful for business.’ He shrugged. ‘Some members are very snobbish, bordering on the bizarre. No idea how I managed to get accepted. I guess my friend David spoke up for me. We’ll be meeting him tonight, by the way, he’s what they call a tycoon here. Very well connected… and filthy rich. David is fun and a decent chap whereas his sister is simply odious. They hate each other – I’ve never seen siblings at odds like that before. If she could kill him and get away with it, she’d murder him on the spot.’
‘That sounds dreadful – and not precisely like a fun party,’ Amanda remarked.
‘Not as bad as it may sound, don’t worry. They’d never clash in public. Anyhow, the music, food and drinks will be first class. David is a fascinating guy, you’ll like him. Just stay clear of his sister when she starts dripping her poisonous remarks into your ear.’
‘Why would she do that?’
‘It’s a habit. She glues herself like a leech to any newcomer who might be talking to her brother and starts complaining about him – it’s become an obsession.’
‘And what’s the reason for this rift?’ By now Amanda was intrigued.
‘Money, lots of money – an old dispute about their father’s will. His sister is from their father’s first wife. David is almost ten years younger and from his father’s second marriage – after a very dirty divorce. To make things worse, he’s got an illegitimate brother, Lewis, who was only adopted by David’s father on his deathbed. David inherited most of the real estate and factories that the family owned in China. His sister and brother are very well off, they received shedloads of valuable Hong Kong property and shares. In China sons are all important but Cynthia had been extremely well catered for, although she was “only” a girl. David proved to be a business genius and by now has become a billionaire. His sister is very erratic, she never knows what to do and how to invest – she often changes her mind, panics and loses money. Sometimes she’s far too conservative and sometimes she’ll pump millions into a shady business just because a good “friend” tipped her off.’
Death in Hong Kong Page 3