by Mark Arundel
‘No,’ I said, ‘but I’m glad we didn’t have to test it.’
Her eyes darkened. She shrugged again. ‘I don’t want to kill you,’ she said. Her voice was conversational.
I finished my coffee.
‘We’re going to need a plan.’ I said.
‘A cunning plan,’ she added.
‘Yes,’ I agreed, ‘a cunning plan.’
Outside, back on the street, the daylight had begun to disintegrate. It looked like we’d stepped into a silent movie from the Twenties.
We walked north, up the sloping concrete towards the horizon, and a mountain range of tall buildings.
Xing had chosen a new hotel for us. ‘It’s one of the best in Hong Kong,’ she said. ‘It’s very expensive, but you’re paying.’
I’d made the mistake of telling her about my company credit card. ‘How much do you get paid for killing people?’ I asked.
‘That all depends,’ she said. ‘Is it a job for the Chinese or a triad boss or...’ she paused for effect, ‘...Bartholomew Meriwether?’
Xing had a mischievous side. I was getting to know her. Exposure must have been affecting my judgement. I had agreed to the new hotel.
‘It’s close to the waterfront,’ she said.
I stared up at the tall, silver building. Even in the gloom, it shone. In front of me was a wide entrance. Inside, the lights were bright and welcoming.
‘Bazzer isn’t paying you to kill anybody,’ I said.
‘Not yet,’ she said. ‘Come on, let’s go in.’
The doorman nodded a greeting. It was a long walk to the desk. The vast lobby had the air of a chapel of worship. Our feet were no match for the burnished marble floor. It barely noticed our presence. Thick marble pillars gave their uncomplaining support. The monolith seeped opulence. Xing saw me look up at the soaring architecture. The marble floor enjoyed enough headroom to keep a base jumper happy.
‘The height of luxury,’ she said. ‘You will like the view from the room.’
‘Have you stayed here before?’
‘I did a job here once, a couple of years ago.’
‘We only have a Harbour Suite available, sir,’ said the woman behind the desk.
‘How much is it?’
She gave me the price in HK Dollars.
Before I could respond Xing said, ‘we’ll take it.’
I passed over the company credit card.
‘Thank you, sir,’ the desk woman said. She smiled at me as her glossy thumb and forefinger closed around the plastic.
The suite was a modern shrine of tidy edges and smooth surfaces. A bank of solid rectangular glass brought the harbour into the room. Daylight had faded away and the lights across the water shimmered like fireflies on a summer’s night.
‘Do you like it? Is it worth the money?’
Xing walked to the window. She almost had her nose pressed against the glass.
‘The harbour looks like a Van Gogh painting,’ she said. ‘I could stare at it all night. Is luxury always expensive?’
‘Extravagance is always expensive,’ I said.
Our K106s both sounded within a few seconds of each other. We looked at the screens. It was a message from Meriwether. I checked my wristwatch. If you’re wondering which one I was wearing, it was the one Xing had given me. I’d put it on and left it on.
‘He’s up early,’ I said. We read our messages. Mine was typical Meriwether:
Dear Boy, attached is the provisional report on Missouri, not sure it’s of much help, have a read and let me know your thoughts.
Xing had received the same report. I didn’t ask her what her message said.
‘Meriwether’s funny,’ she said.
‘Yes, very funny,’ I said.
We both read the report. It contained standard personal details, details regarding his criminal organisation, known associates, addresses, believed contacts within the police force, other suspected political connections, criminal record details, and a sketchy family tree. Meriwether was right; it wasn’t much to work with.
‘Did Jonathan Puddles put this together?’ Xing asked.
‘It was the HK office, whoever that is, so yes, he probably worked on it.’
‘What do you think?’
‘It doesn’t tell us much,’ I said.
‘No, it doesn’t,’ she agreed, ‘but it does tell us one important thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘It tells us how we’re going to persuade Missouri to give us back the money,’ she said.
Xing finished telling me her plan. I’d listened without interrupting. Now, there was silence. We were by the glass, sitting comfortably with a low table between us. I looked away from her and gazed out at the harbour. The coloured lights still painted the water like the hair of a punk rocker.
‘Have you ever done it before?’ I said.
‘No, but it does happen. Triad gangs have used it as a way of getting money. I know this. It’s not frequent here because it’s dangerous and difficult to arrange, but it can be done.’
‘Let me think about it,’ I said. There wasn’t anything easy about Xing’s plan but then, getting the money back from Missouri was never going to be easy.
I decided it was time to call Little Miss Marple and get that out of the way. I called her using my phone.
‘Detective Superintendent Foley,’ she said. Hannah Foley tried to sound serious, but I could sense her anticipation.
‘We’ve found him,’ I said.
‘That’s great news, where is he?’
‘He’s in Switzerland. He’s staying in a ski resort with his wife and daughters. He must have gone ahead and then met up with them when they arrived.’
‘That’s why you were in Switzerland. Have you seen him?’
‘Yes, I’ve seen him. He’ll be returning to the UK in the next few days. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to intercept him for questioning.’ I gave her the address details of the chalet and the flight details of Mrs. Casanova.
‘You’ve been great,’ she said. ‘I owe you for this; perhaps I can buy you a drink sometime?’
‘Yes, very well, I’ll call you when I’m next in London,’ I said.
I ended the call to the continued sound of her thanks.
Xing had been watching me while I made the call. When I finished she continued to watch me, but she didn’t say anything.
‘I’m going to call Meriwether,’ I told her. I used my K106.
Meriwether answered, ‘dear boy, it’s lovely to hear from you.’
‘I’ve spoken to Little Miss Marple,’ I said. ‘Casanova has been put in the pot.’
‘Good,’ Meriwether said, ‘I’ll keep an eye on that this end. Now, how is everything going? Are you both safe?’
‘Yes, we’re in a hotel. I’m using the new identity the HK office provided.’
‘Oh, yes, Jemima is a very helpful chap,’ he said.
‘...Jemima?’ I asked.
‘That’s what I call him, the young man who brought you your new things. Yes, Jemima is a useful fellow; he’s very good at following people, although, of course, you already know that. It’s quite a valuable talent, especially in a city like HK. You’d be surprised how many people require following. I mentioned it to Hoagy and he said it was because there was such a mix of people and that we’d been too lenient with them because of us enjoying all that trade. Anyway, whatever the reason it keeps Jemima busy. So, what did you make of the initial report on Missouri?’
‘Jackie has an idea for a plan,’ I said.
‘Does she, already? She is a hard worker. Growing up in a multi-cultural city can have that effect.’
I didn’t know about multi-cultural, all I’d seen were Chinese looking people.
‘So, tell me,’ Meriwether said.
‘Why don’t I let the worker tell you herself?’ I said.
‘What a good idea,’ he agreed.
I passed my K106 to Xing. ‘Tell him exactly what you told me,’ I said. S
he nodded and took the K106.
Xing told Meriwether her plan. I listened and waited. I could tell Meriwether didn’t interrupt. When she had finished she passed back my K106. ‘He wants to talk to you again,’ she said.
‘Jackie is quite a girl,’ Meriwether said. ‘I shall have to give it some thought. Keep in touch.’ He ended the call.
Xing didn’t need me to say it, but I said it anyway. ‘He’s going to think about it.’
‘Where shall we eat dinner?’ she asked.
Before I could answer, “Rule, Britannia!” piped up. It was a call from the maniac skier.
‘We’re returning to London tomorrow,’ she said. ‘Grandfather has lost his enthusiasm for Switzerland. He’s been very upset by the death of Ulrich.’
‘Did he know him?’
‘Yes, apparently they were old friends.’
He probably introduced Ulrich to Casanova, I thought. ‘What’s happening with the investigation?’ I asked. ‘Have you heard anything?’
‘It’s the gossip of the village, of course. Apparently, detectives from Geneva are here and the word is they’re baffled. They think the most likely scenario is a professional killing, but they have no idea why or who.’
‘What about Casanova?’ I asked. ‘The police don’t know about him, do they? They haven’t spoken to him?’
‘No, not that I know of, he’s still shaken up. I don’t think he’s left his chalet.’
‘When’s he going back to London?’
‘He’s returning tomorrow, the same as us.’
‘I’ve called Little Miss Marple,’ I said. ‘She’s going to pick him up for questioning as soon as he gets back. She’ll probably be waiting for him at the airport. Will he keep his mouth shut?’
‘I’m sure he will,’ she said. ‘He’ll deny having anything to do with the girl’s murder in Soho and hope he can ride out the scandal. After questioning, the police will have to let him go. He has a top solicitor lined up, so he’ll be all right. He won’t say anything about Ulrich or us, I’m sure of it. It’s just not in his interest to do so.’
Charlotte sounded confident. Her faith in Casanova was commendable. I hoped she was right. I knew Meriwether would be considering this too. I’d let him and Charlotte sort it out. My job was now the money, I’d concentrate on that.
‘How’s everything with you?’ Charlotte asked.
‘We may have a plan,’ I said.
‘What is it?’
‘I’ll let Bazzer tell you.’
‘How’s Jackie, has she ravished you yet?’
I knocked that away with a huff that I hoped contained the right amount of scoff. I think it worked.
‘Why did you get Jemima to follow us?’ I asked.
‘Bazzer told me about your trouble at the apartment, so I thought you might like some help,’ she said.
I wasn’t sure that was the real reason, or what help Jemima might be able to give. I let it go.
‘Okay,’ C said, ‘we’ll talk again soon.’
Xing had continued to watch me. ‘C is jealous, I told you,’ she said. ‘What did she say?’
‘I thought you wanted to get some dinner,’ I said.
15
WEDNESDAY, 21:00—24:00
Xing chose. She picked from one of the many restaurants in the hotel. The interior designer had lavish tastes. A man wearing a white jacket coaxed Chopin from the grand piano. The waiters all had black, shiny hair and silver trays. Some kind of exotic tree grew out of the floor. The lighting gave the room an orange glow as if a fire was raging just outside in the entrance lobby.
‘Tomorrow, the work begins,’ Xing said.
I stuck my fork in a tiger prawn and dipped it in the bright green sauce.
‘We will start with reconnaissance,’ she continued, ‘the eyes are the workmen of the brain.’
‘Please don’t quote Confucius, it makes you sound like a fortune-teller,’ I said.
‘It’s not Confucius. I made it up myself.’
‘Why do you keep ordering local food for me?’
‘Eat it—it’s lovely. You need to acclimatise so you can know your enemy. Only with knowledge comes wisdom.’
I stuck my fork in something that looked like an eyeball. Yellow goo oozed out.
‘We’ll leave early,’ she said. ‘The ferry terminal isn’t far from here. We have to decide whether to stay there tomorrow or return and go back again when we need to. What do you think?’
‘Let’s take a look at the place first,’ I said. I still didn’t know if Xing’s idea was Marilyn Monroe or the Elephant Man. I took a big gulp of Coke. I rolled the eyeball away and stuck my fork in another tiger prawn.
‘Why won’t Casanova tell the police what he knows?’ she asked.
‘He’s in enough trouble,’ I said. ‘He won’t want to make it worse. He’ll keep quiet.’
Xing didn’t seem convinced. ‘Wouldn’t it be better if he was dead?’
‘Not for him,’ I said.
‘I think it’s risky. He should be dead. May be someone else will think so too.’
I stared at her. Killing was so easy. Her words made it seem natural.
‘Dead people don’t talk,’ she said.
‘Who would kill him?’
‘I could have done it,’ she said. She shrugged. ‘Meriwether will arrange it, I think. Casanova will be dead soon. I predict it.’ She deepened her voice to sound like the voiceover on an old horror movie.
A waiter passed by and I stuck out an arm. ‘Can you bring me some beef?’
‘...sir?’ the waiter questioned.
‘Beefsteak,’ I said.
‘Certainly, sir,’ he said and sped away.
‘If you wanted steak you should have been more specific. He’ll probably bring you strips of beef with a selection of sauces,’ she said.
‘I don’t think Meriwether will kill him,’ I said, ‘but someone else might.’ I was thinking about the ST. Bradshaw already wanted him dead.
Xing shrugged again. ‘Yes, someone,’ she said. ‘Can your girlfriend do it?’
‘...my girlfriend?’ I asked.
‘Yes, Charlotte, does she kill?’
I didn’t answer. The waiter came back. He held his silver tray high before placing two dishes on the table. One contained strips of cooked beef and the other contained three sauces. The sauces were green, orange and black.
‘Does she kill?’
‘No, I don’t think Charlotte kills,’ I said.
Xing lifted a strip of beef with her chopsticks and dipped it in the black sauce.
‘Umm, it’s good,’ she said. ‘Try some.’ She collected the sauce by pulling the chopsticks through her closed lips.
I tried it.
‘It’s traditional Chinese,’ she said, and then helped herself to more.
My body needed sleep.
The jetlag didn’t seem to have affected Xing. She didn’t protest though when I suggested bed.
It was dark in the suite except for a single light. The bedside lamp on Xing’s side warmed like poured custard. She stood by the window and gazed out across the harbour. Reflected features in the glass told me nothing. The curve of her naked body was impossible to ignore.
‘Turn the light out, I need to sleep,’ I said. I closed my eyes. She was silent. I felt her return to the bed. The light went out. Some time passed and then she spoke.
‘Why didn’t you kill me?’
‘Go to sleep,’ I said.
‘If you could go back and do it again, knowing what happened, would you kill me then?’
I didn’t know the answer.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ I said, ‘neither of us has a time machine.’
‘What if you had to decide again, sometime in the future, what then?’
‘This time, we’re on the same side, it won’t come up.’
‘Do you always have an answer?’ she said.
‘I never have the answer,’ I said.
There was silence again.
Eventually, I spoke.
‘When I chose not to kill you it was because I thought I needed you alive, I wasn’t expecting you to recover and then to beat me.’ I really didn’t want to remember Tenerife.
I felt her arm come across my chest. Her body pressed against mine.
‘Why can’t we be lovers now?’ she said.
I’d forgotten what the answer was. I tried to remember. It took considerable effort.
Then I said, ‘I don’t know the answer to that question.’
Involuntary is the word to describe it. My body is a trained machine, purpose built to perform at the outer edges of human ability and endurance. Self-discipline and physical control are innate attributes of the elite soldier. In the arms of Xing, I was a caveman. I functioned only at the base level. The impulse to multiply directed my being. My body was a self-governing organ. It performed with evolutionary zeal. I was a thirsty man. Xing offered me water. I drank. Consequences were an unknown thought. Reason did not trouble the caveman. The beast bellows because he must. I bellowed.
Afterwards, existence flooded my core. Reformation lifted my being. I was alive. I knew life and it was good.
Xing verbalised. ‘Can we do that again tomorrow?’ she asked.
I closed my eyes.
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘we can.’
16
THURSDAY: 06:50—21:00
The ferry to Macau ran every fifteen minutes starting at seven in the morning.
‘It takes an hour or a little longer,’ Xing said. ‘Are you a good sailor?’ She paused and then said, ‘Yes, you are, of course, you are, I remember...’ she saw my face and stopped. She was thinking back to Tenerife again. We had made an agreement about Tenerife. ‘As a soldier, you must have gone in a boat,’ she said.
Low cloud pressed down on Victoria Harbour and mixed with the smog like secret lovers holding hands. We stood on the wharf and the salty air slapped our faces. The water rose and fell. ‘It’s a bit choppy,’ I said.
‘...like an executioner’s axe,’ Xing said.
The ferry terminal was in Sheung Wan, they left from something called the Shun Tak. At least I think that’s what Xing told me.
The vessel was probably older than my partner was. I doubted it was a smooth ride or very attractive to middle-aged women in hats. Rust stains had given it ginger highlights. The white paint below the deck line was yellow. Seabirds had done their best to fertilise the water rings that hung from the railing.