by Tory Hayward
‘These jewels have practically been proven to have been in the tomb with Buddha’s ashes. Some of them, the pearl ones, are claimed to be part of him—they were found in the remains of his funeral pyre.’ Jack knew it was pointless, but he had to try.
‘Enough,’ roared Wuu Sing Chow. The hench-goons reached inside their jackets, no doubt for weapons. ‘You dare to lecture me?’
He pointed at the hench-goon. ‘Take Mr Jones away and kill him.’
‘I’m trying to save your life.’ Jack forced himself to sound unconcerned, though unease stabbed beneath his heart. ‘I want to warn you that you are putting your daughter in danger. There’s no need to kill me. We can go to China—’
‘And have you contact your friends. No. I don’t think so. I realise how dangerous you are, Mr Jones. You have the power to send many angry people after me.’
Jack glanced around the room. The men were blocking the only door. His eye fell on the jewels.
Grabbing the canister, he pulled out one of the eggs and held it tight in his hand.
‘I will crush it.’ He ignored the weird images that suddenly started dancing into his mind. Fighting, stairs, Merry …
Wuu froze. Horror in his face. ‘You would not. You would not dare.’
Jack heard the hench-goon move and swung around to protect himself, but a blinding blow landed on the back of his head, the world exploded into stars and then blinked out of focus.
Chapter Eighteen
I stepped quietly through the office. There was no one around to stop me, so I followed the low murmur of voices.
I froze when I heard someone shout, ‘enough.’ Then crept forward more cautiously.
Reaching into my jacket for my gun, I peered around a corner. In front of me was a glass door, closed, with three men inside the room. I flattened myself against the wall, but everyone inside was too busy to notice.
I started to move again, but hesitated when a huge, thickset Asian man threw a wooden stool out of the way, reached onto the floor and dragged a body upwards. It was Jack.
They tossed him against the desk in a move that made me flinch. No way that didn’t hurt. Jack tried to push them back, but I could see he was woozy and his movements slow and uncoordinated. His hand reached sideways, and I realised he was trying to grab the canister with the jewels, which sat open on the desk, no doubt to hit one of them with it. I gasped in horror as I realised Jack’s plan wasn’t going to end well for the relics.
In four strides I was at the closed glass door and, knowing surprise was the only defence I had, I raised my gun and shot out the bottom of the door. The glass shattered into a fine mosaic of fragments and dropped away in a shower of shards. The man closest to me, of leaner build than his partner, swung around, gun in his hand, pointing at me. But I knocked his feet out from under him with a sideways kick, snatched the weapon from his hand as he fell and threw it behind me. He hit the ground hard, head meeting the floor with a watermelon thud, and he didn’t move again.
‘It’s you.’ Jack, swaying on his feet, looked at me with hazy admiration. I scowled because he was an idiot and after I got him out of this mess, I was going to kill him.
‘It was you.’ He touched a hand to his forehead, his fingers came away stained red and I saw a trickle of blood make its way down his hairline.
‘Get the jewels, Jack.’ I produced my stinkiest of stink-eyes and directed it at him and the two remaining conscious occupants of the room, both of whom seemed somewhat annoyed.
‘Wuu Sing Chow.’ I levelled a look at the man behind the desk. He had the power in the room, I could sense it. I knew of him, but our paths had, fortunately, not crossed. His businesses were spread over South East Asia, though his interests mostly ran to brothels, gambling and people smuggling. The taint of human trafficking surrounded him like a fog.
‘Meredith Taylor. You do understand if you leave with those I will hunt you down and kill you.’ He nodded at the jewels in Jack’s hands.
‘Your threats don’t bother me, Wuu Sing Chow.’ I spoke politely, with no anger or fear in my voice. It was, after all, the truth. My father, for all his weaknesses, had done a good job expanding the solid network built by my grandfather in Asia. I had close contacts high up in the Chinese government, and amongst the elite of Hong Kong. Wuu Sing Chow was powerful, but the sourness of his business meant that he was not influential. I was not afraid of criminals like him.
‘Any payback from this, and you and your family will spend the rest of eternity in a work camp.’ I spoke with warm sincerity. ‘Ask around. I am not to be messed with.’
Wuu said nothing in reply. Though his face paled at my threat. As well it should. I hadn’t made it lightly.
I swung the gun between Wuu and his accomplice as Jack pulled himself together, reached for one of the jewels that lay hidden under the desk, slid it back into the case, and sealed it shut.
‘Go, Jack.’ I gestured to the shattered door with my gun.
He didn’t need inviting twice.
‘I’m sorry, Wuu.’ I knew that he had lost a lot of face, and sought to make peace. A lifelong enemy who had his own triad was not a sensible thing to cultivate.
Fishing in my pocket, I pulled out the Mandarin Duck. ‘I leave this as a token of my goodwill.’ I took a step towards the desk and placed it carefully on the smooth surface. His eyes, cold and hard, flickered with interest as he realised what it was, and he nodded infinitesimally. He wasn’t happy, but the blow had been softened.
The moment he thought I was distracted, Wuu’s accomplice moved to grab me. But I’d been watching him out of the corner of my eye and reacted the minute he moved. Swinging the gun, almost at reflex speed I stepped into him and pressed it directly between his eyes. He froze, moaning softly in fear. Not so big and scary now. The bully.
‘Step back very slowly. Now.’
Sirens sounded from outside, quickly getting louder as they came closer, making Wuu Sing Chow glance at the window and shift uncomfortably.
As he should.
‘Give it to your daughter, as a wedding gift. It will bring her much good fortune,’ I said, as the henchman crept back from the tip of the gun.
‘And forget the jewels, Wuu. They will not bring you the luck you hope for.’
‘I have lost interest in them.’ He had the hint of a sneer. ‘Please rest assured I will not try for them again.’
I nodded mutely.
The sirens reached a deafening crescendo then suddenly went quiet.
Wuu Sing Chow’s face had turned stony grey.
I stepped out the door, keeping an eye on both men. Jack waited in the hallway with the jewels tucked under his arm.
‘Let’s go,’ I hissed, bending to scoop up the gun that I’d thrown away before. As we ran back through reception, I left it on the desk.
Halfway down the stairs that led to the back of the Perfect Pearl restaurant, Jack halted as three uniformed policemen came up towards us, followed by two more out-of-uniform.
‘Trevor.’ I smiled at one of the out-of-uniform guys. ‘Top of the stairs, through reception, there’s a stolen Xu Beihong painting which the Chinese government would be delighted to have back. And an unsecured weapon on the reception desk, it’s loaded but the safety is on.’
With a grunt of consternation, uniformed police pushed past me and disappeared up the stairs, pulling out their weapons as they went.
‘Thanks Merry, good tip-off.’ Trevor beamed at her. ‘We’ve been investigating Wuu Sing Chow for a long time. Just never been able to catch the slippery bastard.’
‘You owe me one,’ I said.
‘How awful.’ His grin broadened. ‘Let me start making it up to you with dinner.’
‘Oh please,’ muttered Jack beside me, disgust in his voice.
I’d been about to politely put Detective Trevor Jackson off for the thousandth time, but instead I arched an annoyed eyebrow. Jack Jones had no business commenting on who I had dinner with.
‘I’d
like to arrange that, Trevor.’ I slid a glance at Jack to catch his sour expression.
‘Really?’ Trevor looked surprised. Which he probably should be, as I’d been turning down dinner invitations since he’d become head of the federal police’s Art and Antiquities Unit three years before.
‘Of course.’ I smiled in a way that caused a pink flush to creep up Trevor’s cheeks. ‘Call me.’
Jack stamped down the stairs and Trevor, smirking, proceeded up the stairs after his men.
I caught up to Jack easily.
He curled his arm possessively around the jewels and I had to stop myself from ripping them out of his grasp. He had absolutely no right to act like he owned them.
‘You called the Art and Antiquities Unit?’ he asked.
‘Hunch.’ I shrugged. ‘Wuu Sing Chow is not the kind of man to buy retail. Trevor and pretty much every division of the federal police have been after him for years.’
They stepped out onto the street.
Jack glanced across the road to where his jeep was parked.
‘Can we go somewhere? There is so much I have to say to you.’ There was agony in his face, but I didn’t care. He deserved to feel vile.
‘You’ve behaved like a total shit. There is nothing else to be said.’ The words should’ve been satisfying to say, but they weren’t. I wished, deep down, that he had chosen some other path so there would be some small chance of my being able to forgive him.
But there wasn’t.
‘Can you ever forgive me?’ He dipped his chin to his chest and hunched his shoulders, in a world of pain.
‘How?’ I genuinely wanted to know.
‘By understanding I didn’t have any choice. He was going to kill me and Dan, his wife and baby. I never meant you any harm. I never wanted to hurt you.’
‘You handcuffed me and sprayed me in the face. How could you do that?’
‘Because I was desperate and afraid.’ He spoke softly, but with steadiness, not shrinking from admitting his fear. Taking full responsibility for what he’d done. ‘If it makes it any better, I tried the spray out on myself first. I would never have used it if I hadn’t.’
‘No, it doesn’t make it any better.’
‘I’m so sorry, Merry.’
‘Are you going back to England?’
He nodded his head. ‘Yes. There’s a flight in a couple of hours.’ He looked down at the canister.
‘If only you had explained at the beach house what was going on. You didn’t need to force me.’ I looked down at the pavement and kicked at a ridge in the concrete. I did understand why he’d acted how he did, and was keenly aware that my father’s actions had bought the situation about. ‘I apologise for my father’s involvement in this.’
‘Do you?’ He dropped his gaze to the pavement as well. ‘Merry, I just want to make it up to you. I’ve been such a dick.’
‘You were doing what you thought you needed to do.’ I held my hand out for the jewels.
‘I don’t deserve your understanding.’
I shook my head. ‘Don’t think I’m not pissed. Because I’m so pissed at you. There are not enough words in the world to fully describe my anger.’
‘I know.’ Guilt darkened his eyes; the blue had turned almost indigo.
‘You are safe from Wuu Sing Chow, so is your partner and the baby. I’ve made sure you are safe.’
He scowled. ‘And you would’ve if I’d told you the story in the beginning. I get it.’
I snorted in agreement and rolled my eyes. Stupid man. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
‘Goodbye, Jack Jones.’ I held out my hands for the jewels and then sighed when he hesitated. He handed them over with more than a hint of reluctance.
‘They belong to the Buddhists. They are stolen.’ He lifted his chin defiantly.
‘Shut up,’ I snarled. For the first time letting him see a hint of my fury. How dare he remind me of that, after I’d just saved his sorry arse. ‘Go away. I never want to see you again. Never. Do you understand?’
He nodded. His face set.
I tucked the jewels under my arm, turned on my heel, and stalked off to my car.
Chapter Nineteen
The Mosman house was as still and silent as ever when I let myself back in. I trudged upstairs to my messy office and its baskets of pot shards and artefacts, and slumped down at my desk.
Pulling out my phone, I remembered with a start when it had rung. It felt like many hours before, but had only been two. Just as I’d regained consciousness, and had chased after Jack as he left the house.
I checked the number, my heart racing. No caller ID, but a voicemail had been left. I put the phone on speaker.
‘Merry?’ My father’s voice filled the room, warm and reassuring. ‘Merry?’
‘I’m not there, Dad.’ I spoke out loud, torn between anger and relief. He was alive. I wasn’t an orphan. Not yet anyway. Now I’d get the chance to kill him myself, when I got my hands on him. Stealing stolen artefacts. Getting himself kidnapped. Leaving Jack’s mate Dan in the shit. There was going to be one hell of a father-daughter conversation when this mess was over.
‘My hosts tell me you have the jewels,’ he continued. ‘Clever girl. I knew you’d find them. They’ve realised if the jewels are exchanged in Australia they won’t make it out of the country before the police catch up with them.’
He coughed, a rattling unhealthy cough that made me wince. I needed to get to him.
‘They’ve decided you’ll deliver the jewels to Myanmar in person.’ There was a short pause. ‘I know it’s dangerous, but we don’t have an alternative. Well, not one I want to contemplate. They want you to come alone.’ He sighed. ‘So I’ll see you soon, love.’ It was an assumption, not a question.
There was a rustle and a man’s voice came on the line; he had a cold English accent, the ends of words clipped, the pronunciation precise and measured, arrogant and authoritative. ‘Travel to Yangon, in Myanmar. Take a room at the Holiday Inn. I will contact you there. Bring the jewels and come alone. I think you understand your father’s life depends on it.’
With a click, the message ended.
I leaned back in my chair, pressed my palms to my eyes and contemplated, for a moment, not jumping on the next plane to Yangon, and not tearing off to find my father.
I checked my watch, swore and grabbed my car keys. I’d need help for this. Myanmar was not a tough place to travel for a woman who had nous and expected conditions to be basic. But my reception there would be slightly more intense than the usual warm welcome a hapless tourist received.
Minutes later I was back in my Jag, speeding across the Sydney Harbour Bridge towards the airport.
***
I found him in the Qantas lounge. In a quiet corner in an armchair, his laptop on his knees, staring steadily at the screen. A burst of nerves rippled over me, and I hesitated. Even though I had nothing to be nervous about. If he didn’t agree to help me, then I’d find someone else. Pay someone. It’d be fine.
A plane rumbled distantly down the runway and he looked up, almost as if he’d been expecting me, squinting slightly. A nasty purple bruise surrounded the cut on his forehead.
He put the laptop on the small coffee table by his knee, and stood with a quizzical frown.
‘Is something wrong?’ he asked as I walked over, real concern in his voice.
‘I need your help.’ I didn’t try to sound gracious. He was my last resort, but I didn’t want to admit I needed him.
‘Anything. Name it.’ He watched me closely, more curious than surprised. I met his eyes silently, trying to control the anger that squirmed in my stomach, begging to make me do something stupid, like strangle the one man who could help me.
‘I hardly think you need me for anything.’ He tipped his head slightly to one side as he surveyed me, mocking admiration in his eyes.
I wanted to slap the arrogant expression off his face.
‘Do you mean it?’ I asked, I didn’t want him to hea
r the anger in my voice, but it was obvious to me, and it must’ve been to him.
He reached out a hand then dropped it to his side when I stood like stone. ‘I can’t imagine a situation where you would need my help.’ He shook his head slowly with a half smile. ‘You are the most independent, self-sufficient—’
‘Zip it, Jack.’ I snarled. ‘There are some places I have to go. Places it’s too dangerous for me to go alone. You owe me. I saved your life today. Now I’m calling in that favour.’ I held my breath, waiting for his response.
‘I sure owe you. If I can help you I will. Then I’d feel less like dick-of-the-week.’
‘Just the week?’ The roar of a plane surrounded us. I wondered if he’d help if I told him we were going to rescue my father. The whole awful situation with his business partner, Dan, had come about because of my father. I doubted very much that he’d help if he knew the truth.
‘No questions?’ I asked. ‘You’re just going to drop everything and come with me without asking details?’
‘One hundred per cent yes, Merry.’ He nodded, as casual as if I’d asked him if he wanted a cup of tea.
‘Oh.’ I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. I felt a little of my anger ebb away and hardened my heart against him. He’d sprayed me in the face and stolen the jewels.
‘Where is it then, this place?’
‘Myanmar.’
I waited for him to react. For his refusal. But he considered what I’d said for a moment and then asked, ‘To do with the jewels?’
I nodded. ‘To deliver them.’
‘Any more details I need to know?’
‘Just that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important. Trust me.’
‘I do,’ he said quietly. Goosebumps prickled on my arms at the sincerity in his voice, and a tiny trickle of guilt crept down my spine.
He turned and pushed the screen of his laptop shut and shoved it into his bag. ‘I know a guy, in Yangon, knows everything that’s going on with the antiquities trade. How about I take you to him, you can start there?’