by Ian Hamilton
“Did you mention Hong Kong?”
“I saw no point in doing that until they had agreed to meet.”
“Do you anticipate a problem?”
“If I were in their position, I’d most certainly have a problem with China.”
“But Hong Kong isn’t really China.”
“To Hong Kongers it isn’t, but I think most Europeans would think differently.”
“Ventola and Pandolfo must know the city well. They’ll understand it’s a neutral site.”
“The Camorra doesn’t mix in the same circles.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“Nothing in particular. I’ll tell them Hong Kong is the best location, but if they don’t agree then we need to have a backup proposal.”
“Manila, Jakarta, Singapore . . . any major Asian city.”
“Okay.”
Ava drew a deep breath. “Ban, regardless of where we meet, you’ve done wonders. Changing the story was exactly the right thing to do. You’ve structured it in such a way that it’s almost impossible for them to say no.”
“That still may not get Ventola and Pandolfo along for the ride.”
“Let’s leave it to the Camorra to convince them.”
“Strangely, I’m not sure who has the upper hand in that relationship,” Lam said. “Bianchi was quite cautious and very polite when he spoke about Ventola. The man didn’t build a fifteen-billion-dollar luxury-brand empire by being pushed around.”
Ava leaned against the wall for a few minutes after ending her conversation with Lam. He had surprised her with his decision to tell the Camorra that the factories and triads were linked, and even more so by identifying Xu’s organizations as principals. The surprise had morphed into something approaching shock when he said he’d told them that Xu had an interest in PÖ. Why did he have to mention it at all? If the intent was to coerce the Camorra and VLG to attend the meeting, surely the triad connection with the factories would have been enough. Ava didn’t doubt his intentions —and the fact that Xu had agreed to the strategy mollified her reaction —but she still wished Lam had held back more in reserve. I’m nitpicking, she thought suddenly. I told him to do whatever he had to do to get a meeting, and that’s what he’s done.
“Ava, is anything wrong?” May asked, coming towards her.
“No. I was talking to Lam. He spoke to the Italians and thinks he’s well on the way to getting them to meet.”
“When will we know for certain?”
“He’ll call back within an hour.”
“Then why do you look so preoccupied?”
“He told them more than I wanted them to know.”
“Like what?”
“He told them that Xu controls the factories they’ve been using and has a business relationship with PÖ.”
“Not entirely untrue.”
“No, but strategically it eliminates at least part of the element of surprise I was counting on.”
“I’m not sure I agree with you that it was a wrong thing to do,” May said. “It provides the Italians an immediate and compelling reason to have this meeting. It also gives them time to really think through the potential scope of the problem they have. That might soften their position.”
“I see the sense in both those points,” Ava said. “I just wish he’d discussed things with me first.”
“I can’t help feeling that’s what’s bothering you more than what he actually said,” May suggested. “You do like to be in control.”
( 39 )
The call came two hours later. Ava and May had spent the time working on Suki’s numbers, trying to calculate how much money it would take to support the business’s growth. Or at least they tried to. Thoughts about the VLG crisis kept intruding, and they took turns posing what-ifs.
“I’m hungry,” May said at one point.
“Me too, but I’m not going anywhere until I hear from Lam.”
“Your phone will work in a restaurant.”
“Yes, but I’m half expecting bad news and I want to be able to really vent if I hear any.”
“It isn’t like you to be pessimistic.”
“As you said before, I don’t feel comfortable when I’m not in control.”
“That isn’t exactly what I said.”
“It’s close enough.”
“Ava!”
“Sorry, May,” Ava said. “I’m not myself.”
“Is it just this difficulty that’s bothering you or is it what’s going on with Maria?”
“A bit of both, I think,” Ava said, surprised by the emotion the question triggered in her.
“Both will pass.”
“The sooner the better,” she said, picking up another set of Suki’s numbers.
Ten minutes later, Ava’s phone rang. “This is Lam,” he said. “I just spoke to Bianchi.”
“You sound annoyed,” Ava said, pushing her chair back from the table to create space between her and May Ling.
“He’s not an easy man.”
“But in the end?”
“They’ll meet us in Macau.”
“How did Macau enter the conversation?”
“They started off by asking us to meet them in Milan. When I said no to Milan, they suggested Rome, then Madrid, and finally Marseilles. I told them that none of those sites work for us, and they told me that Guangzhou, Shanghai, Manila, and even Hong Kong aren’t satisfactory to them. Just when I thought we were at an impasse, Bianchi excused himself for a few minutes. When he came back on the line, he said Macau is acceptable.”
“They must have contacts there.”
“I would imagine that is the case.”
“Do we?”
“I don’t personally, but I’ll be shocked if Lop or your old friend Sammy Wing don’t have strong connections.”
Ava felt a slight chill at the mention of Sammy Wing. He was the Mountain Master in Wanchai, a district of Hong Kong. In partnership with Li, he had arranged to have Xu and Ava killed. When that failed, Xu had decimated his gang, took over Wanchai, put Lop in place as the de facto boss, and let Wing continue on as a figurehead.
“Why would Sammy Wing do anything to help me?”
“Fear of what Lop might do to him if he doesn’t.”
“Even if Lop and Wing do help, I still find Macau an odd choice.”
“It doesn’t make me entirely comfortable, but it’s better than Marseilles or Milan.”
“True.”
“That also wasn’t the oddest part of the conversation.”
“What else was said?”
Lam cleared his throat, and Ava’s unease increased. “They want to have the meeting tomorrow.”
“How is that possible? I mean, how could they get there that fast?”
“According to Bianchi, they have a private jet that can get them from Milan to Macau without a stop.”
“It’s probably VLG’s jet.”
“I don’t know who it belongs to. All I know is that he said it was available and ready to leave within a few hours’ notice.”
“Why such a rush?”
“I asked the same question. I was told that every day the factories aren’t producing goods is costing them millions of dollars.”
“Did he mention the containers that have gone missing? Did he mention any of the other things we’ve done to create havoc with their business?”
“No, but he did raise your name,” Lam said quietly.
“In what way?”
“He asked me if I’m one hundred percent sure that you and May Ling Wong have been taken care of. The question surprised me, and I have to say I was flustered for a second. I’m not used to having my word doubted, especially when I was quite specific with Ricci,” Lam said. “I asked him why we were still talking about it.”
“He doesn’t believe you, does he.”
“No, I don’t think he does. He said VLG arranged to send a buying agent not directly linked to them to the PÖ factory in Pudong first thing this morning. The
agent pretended to be interested in acquiring the PÖ line for distribution in Switzerland. He probably went to see if you were there, or maybe just to get a sense of the mood of the place. He expected the atmosphere to be grim. Instead, everyone seemed quite cheerful. Bianchi said he can’t understand how that could be the case if you and May Ling are as badly hurt as I made out. The agent even asked about the partners in PÖ, and your names were casually mentioned. Bianchi said he found that reaction odd. He said that at the very least there should have been some hesitation and apprehension.”
“Shit,” Ava said.
“Do your other partners know what our plans are and the stories we’ve been spinning?”
“Only Amanda Yee. I didn’t share them with the others.”
“Was Amanda at the factory this morning?”
“Yes, but I don’t know when she arrived. She might not have seen the agent.”
“Find out,” Lam said. “We need to know who met with the agent and what was discussed. I have a feeling that Bianchi was holding some things back from me.”
“I’ll call as soon as we finish our conversation.”
“The good thing is that I haven’t lied to them directly. I keep saying that I’ve been told the deed was done, so if the shit hits the fan I’ll pin the blame on some anonymous third party.”
“They are a paranoid bunch, aren’t they.”
“They are indeed, and I think we need to take that into account when we go to Macau.”
“How many of them are coming?”
“Bianchi didn’t say.”
“But you told him that Ventola and Pandolfo should be there?”
“I did, and he said that VLG will be well and properly represented.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know, and I can only push so hard. Remember, they think they’ve hired me and that I’m working for them. I don’t want them to raise any more questions. I’m certain I’ve already lost some credibility with them.”
“I understand,” Ava said. “So where does this leave us?”
“I told Bianchi I’ll get back to him to confirm that Xu is available tomorrow. If he is, then we’ll fix a time and location for the meeting.”
“Have you spoken to Xu?”
“Not yet.”
“Do you want me to do it, since the favour being requested is mine?”
“I think that’s best.”
“I’ll do it now.”
Ava ended the call. May was looking anxiously at her from across the table. “It looks like our Hong Kong flight schedule is well timed. We could be meeting with them in Macau as soon as tomorrow, but I need to confirm with Xu that he can be there then.” Before May could ask any questions, Ava called him.
“Mei mei, what’s going on?” he answered.
“Does something have to be going on for me to call you?”
“That’s normally the case.”
“And it is again.” Ava laughed. “I just spoke to Lam. The Italians have agreed to meet with us, but in Macau, and they’re proposing that it happen tomorrow. They have a private jet, so logistically they’re flexible.”
“And eager.”
“I said the same thing to Lam. He doesn’t find it unusual.”
“So, Macau tomorrow,” Xu murmured.
“Is that a problem?”
“I can clear my schedule, but I can’t say I’m crazy about the idea of meeting them there. Macau still has too many local guns for hire who are easy to contact and will work for anyone.”
“We’re expecting a business meeting, not a pitched battle.”
“You know I’ve never dealt directly with the Camorra, but I’ve had dealings with other Italian gangs and they were always volatile. They switch moods in a heartbeat. One minute they’re your best friends, the next they’re trying to cut your throat.”
“Uncle felt the same way, but I don’t think we have any choice about where the meeting will be held. Macau was the best compromise Lam could get.”
“How many men does he expect will be there?”
“We don’t know. We assume there will be several from the Camorra, and we’ve asked that Ventola and Pandolfo be there as well.”
“Even if they don’t enlist local support, we need to be cautious. The problem is we don’t have any men on the ground in Macau.”
“Can you send some from Hong Kong, from Wanchai?”
“I’ll talk to Lop.”
“I’m bringing Sonny with me.”
“That’s a good start. I’ll have Suen with me, and I’ll tell Lam to bring one or two of his people along,” Xu said. “I’ll ask Lop to provide anything else we need, once he figures out how many men we’re dealing with and if they’ve hired any Macanese muscle.”
“I can’t imagine them doing that.”
“Maybe not, but Lop will make sure we’ve got them covered no matter what happens.”
“How will he do that?”
“I’ve learned that it’s better to just give him an order and not worry about how it’s carried out,” Xu said. “Like you, he always finds a way to get things done.”
“I’ll call Lam and let him know that we’re on for tomorrow,” she said.
“When will you leave?”
“May, Amanda, and I are flying to Hong Kong tonight.”
Xu paused. “Ava, are you thinking of bringing your partners to the meeting?”
“I was, before the meeting place changed to Macau.”
“I don’t think they should be there,” he said. “We have no idea what’s going to happen. It could get dangerous. No one doubts your ability to look after yourself, but May and Amanda are civilians. I’d be concerned about their safety and, on top of that, their well-being becoming a distraction for the rest of us. We don’t want them to get hurt, and we don’t want them to witness whatever happens if things go wrong.”
“You’re right.”
“I’m glad you agree, because I was prepared to be insistent,” Xu said. “Besides, I don’t doubt for a second that they trust you to represent their interests. There is nothing they can add.”
“I’ll talk to them. I’m sure they’ll understand,” Ava said. “Now, when do you intend to leave Shanghai?”
“I’ll fly into Hong Kong sometime tomorrow afternoon. I’ll let you know the details when I have them. I’m assuming you’ll take the jetfoil to Macau.”
“It’s my plan.”
“I’m sure I’ll land in time to travel to Macau with you.”
“That would be ideal. You can reach me at the Mandarin Oriental or on the cellphone you gave me,” Ava said. “Although I’m beginning to think that phone is irrelevant.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Lam thinks the Camorra suspects he’s been lying to them about May and me being assaulted.”
“He said that?”
“He did.”
“And the Camorra is still prepared to meet?”
“I guess whatever reservations they have are outweighed by the amount of money involved. May and I are small potatoes compared to that.”
“Still, after a day of thinking about the possibility that Lam lied to them, they might decide on a change in priorities,” Xu said. “Now I have even more reason to call Lop.”
( 40 )
At 7:45 p.m. the Cathay Pacific jet began its slow descent over the South China Sea into Chek Lap Kok airport. It had left Shanghai on time at 5:35 and Ava expected to be at the arrivals gate by 8:15. If the airport operated at its usual level of efficiency, they would clear Customs and Immigration, collect their bags, and be in Sonny’s Mercedes half an hour later.
Ava and May had left the Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai at mid-afternoon, after Lam had confirmed arrangements with Franco Bianchi. The meeting was set for seven the following night in the Don Pietro restaurant, close to the Hotel Lisboa.
“They want to meet in a restaurant?” Ava said when Lam informed her.
“An Italian restaurant at that, but I
don’t think there’s any intention to meet over dinner,” Lam said. “Bianchi told me that one of his people knows the manager. Arrangements will be made to block off a large part of the restaurant, so we’ll have privacy and still have the security of being in a public place.”
“I guess there’s no point in arguing about it,” Ava said. “We’re flying into Hong Kong tonight and will be staying at the Mandarin Oriental. Xu is arriving tomorrow. We’ll jetfoil to Macau together.”
“Are your partners coming with you?”
“Yes, but they won’t be attending the meeting.”
“Good. I’d be concerned if they were.”
“Ban, when will you be arriving in Macau, and where do you want to meet?”
“I’ll drive directly to Macau from Guangzhou tomorrow morning. I’ve booked rooms at the Grand Hyatt in the City of Dreams. Why don’t you come there.”
“We’ll do that.”
“Ava, has Xu mentioned how many men he’s bringing?”
“Only Suen, but he’s told Lop to provide as many more as are required.”
“How will Lop know how many are needed?”
“I have no idea, but Xu seems certain that he’ll figure it out.”
“Lop is a piece of work,” Lam said, “but I wish I had someone with even half his contacts.”
“Are you coming alone?”
“No, I’m bringing two men.”
“And did Bianchi tell you who’s going to be with him?”
“I asked and he put me off. I reminded him that we expect senior people from VLG to attend the meeting. He repeated that the company will be well represented.”
After her conversation with Lam, Ava called Sonny and gave him her flight schedule. She then quickly briefed May, and the two women went to their rooms to pack. May had been understanding when Ava told her she wouldn’t be going to the meeting. She didn’t have the stomach for violence and understood that there was potential for it. Ava didn’t have to mention Xu’s other reservations.
Ava phoned Amanda at the factory in Pudong to give her their departure details. Before she could, Amanda said, “Wait a moment, I want to go into a private office.”
“Is this about the purchasing agent who was at the factory this morning?”