The Goddess of Yantai

by Ian Hamilton

  “Why would we do anything?” Mo said. “As far as we’re concerned, this is a private matter between the three of you and Xia. If he’s broken the law — and it seems obvious to all of us that he has — then you should either go to the Security Bureau and report him or hire a lawyer and take action against him in a civil court.”

  “We have no first-hand knowledge of what he’s done or hasn’t done,” Fong interjected. “He’s an important man in our industry and, as much as we might like to, we can’t just unilaterally take action against him. We have to be neutral. We can’t take sides.”

  “Besides, he has a large number of clients — directors and actors — who are colleagues and friends of Fai. Hurting Xia would only end up punishing them as well. I’m sure Fai wouldn’t want that to happen,” Mo said.

  “This is all so neat and tidy,” Ava said, and smiled at Mo. “Very well done.”

  “The truth is usually simple. It’s lies that get complicated,” Mo said.

  “So you’re telling us that you just mumbled something or other to Ms. Hua, and she decorated it a little and said something or other to Xia, and he did absolutely everything else by himself?”

  “There is bad blood between Xia and Chen. Perhaps he saw it as an opportunity to strike at an enemy while mistakenly thinking it would ingratiate him with us.”

  “It is a rationale, although it seems a bit far-fetched, given the lengths he went to,” Ava said, and then turned back to the woman. “Ms. Hua, when did Xia Jun last contact you?”

  “Last night, around the middle of the evening.”

  “What did he say that alarmed you enough to call Mr. Mo?”

  “You have to understand that, after my initial conversation with him about Mr. Mo’s concerns, I didn’t talk to him again until last night. I had no idea what he had done or was thinking of doing.”

  “What did he say?” Ava pressed.

  Hua took a deep breath and looked at Fong.

  “Go ahead,” he said.

  “Well, he told me that our project had run into some problems. He said that you and Pang Fai had gone to his office and that you were closing in on who was blackmailing her. He said that if he had been able to put you out of circulation, Ms. Pang would crumble, but that the men he’d used had turned out to be useless. He told me to expect you to contact Mr. Mo. When he said that, I panicked. I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. He then claimed that I’d asked him, on Mr. Mo’s behalf, to discredit Ms. Pang any way he could. I told him I hadn’t. At that point he said he’d speak to Mr. Mo directly.”

  “Which prompted you to call Mr. Mo yourself?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did Xia call you?” Ava asked Mo.

  “No.”

  “And if he does, what will you tell him?”

  “I’ll tell him I’ve been told that he’s been doing things I find personally disturbing, and that I strongly recommend he stop,” Mo said. “But I will also stress that I can’t involve myself or the Syndicate in a private vendetta.”

  “Do you understand our position?” Fong said.

  “It’s clear enough.”

  “So, is there anything else we need to discuss?”

  “There are a couple of things. First, if we decide to pursue legal action against Xia, I would like you to guarantee the co-operation of Ms. Hua. I would never ask her to lie on our behalf, but I would expect her to reiterate everything she’s told us today.”

  “That’s up to Ms. Hua,” Fong said.

  “No, it isn’t,” Ava said. “It’s up to you and Mr. Mo. If you give her the order, I have no doubt she’ll obey. Anyway, that’s how I read it. If she doesn’t co-operate, I’ll blame it on you and act accordingly.”

  “I guarantee her co-operation,” Mo said quickly.

  “Thank you.”

  “Is there anything else?” Fong said.

  “Yes, I’d like everyone but Mr. Mo to leave the room. He and I need to have a personal discussion.”

  ( 53 )

  While everyone filed out of the boardroom, Ava went to the side table and poured herself a cup of coffee. When the door closed, she returned to the table and took the seat next to Mo. He didn’t recoil, but he did ease his chair back a few feet.

  “That was a terrific performance,” she said.

  His face impassive, he stared at her through hooded eyes. “I’ve found out some things about you since our last meeting,” he said. “A wealthy young woman, smart, tough, difficult if not impossible to scare, and very well connected — in fact, even better connected than your man Lop.”

  “Is there a point to this?”

  “I don’t want to fight with you and those powerful friends of yours. I don’t want to end up like the Tsai family in Nanjing, although you might find me harder to put down. But I don’t see any reason to take the chance. I want to put our misunderstanding behind us.”

  “When did you reach that conclusion? After you knew I’d met with Xia or after the man with the meat cleaver failed?”

  “Those are silly questions. You’ve been given an explanation for what happened. There won’t be any other.”

  “Tell me, do Fong or Hua know about Xia’s video of Fai?”

  “What video?”

  “Mr. Mo, if this is going to end well, if we’re going to put our misunderstanding behind us, there has to be a measure of honesty. I understand that I won’t get a confession, but there are some things I need to know.”

  His stare intensified, and Ava felt the strength in the man.

  “They don’t know,” he said.

  “Have you seen it?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if it was made public?”

  “We’d never again be able to finance or distribute any film she was in. It would completely ruin her.”

  “So, let’s agree that it won’t be made public.”

  “That’s not under my control.”

  “If it isn’t, you have to take the necessary steps to ensure that it is.”

  “What about those photos of my son?”

  Ava heard the anger in his voice. “What about them?”

  “Do Fai and Chen know they exist?”

  “No,” Ava lied. “The only people who know are Lop and three friends who don’t live anywhere near Beijing and have no connection to this industry or Fai or Chen or anyone but me. And my understanding with them hasn’t changed. They won’t release the photos unless something unfortunate happens to me or Lop. That’s something that should have been considered before Xia sent those men after me. If they’d succeeded, the photos would be on every website in China that my friends could access, and sent the old-fashioned way to a large number of people in power.”

  “I knew nothing about the attacks, and if I had I would have stopped them. It was stupid.”

  “Yes, it was. It forced me to reconsider the agreement we made at the Kempinski.”

  “Why? I’ll still do everything I can to get Mao’s Daughter released. I’ll support Fai.”

  “That’s fine, but I also need you to add Chen and Fai to my ‘no harm, no foul’ list.”

  “You don’t need a list. But if it makes you more comfortable, I can promise you I’ll do nothing to hurt either of them in any way.”

  “Including not releasing that video.”

  “I told you, I don’t control it.”

  “Just to be clear — since you like clarity so much — if Fai’s video is made public, I won’t care how, when, or where it happened or who was directly responsible for doing so. I’m holding you accountable, completely and personally accountable. And your son will pay the price for your inability to stop it happening.”

  “How can I possibly know how many copies there are and who has them?”

  “I am reasonably confident that the only copies in existence —
at least, as of a few days ago — are the one that was sent to Fai and the one in Xia’s possession. Fai will destroy her copy. You have to persuade Xia to do the same.”

  “If there are more copies?”

  “Then they originated with Xia. Get him to retrieve them,” Ava said. “Mr. Mo, you need to motivate Xia to make every effort to do what’s right. I’m sure you have all the leverage you need to make it happen.”

  “I’ll talk to him.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  “But if there’s a problem —”

  “Then it’s your problem, not mine. I don’t want to hear about it.”

  “Even if it involves Fai’s video?”

  “Especially if it does.” She leaned towards him. “Mr. Mo, you may be listening to me, but you’re not hearing very well. That video is no longer my problem. I have no way of knowing or controlling who has it and what they choose to do with it. You do have that ability, and I expect you to exercise it. When I leave this room, I’m not going to think about it again, and I’m going to tell Fai that she has no worries where it is concerned. If it pops up in a week, a month, or even a year from now, then I’ll figure that you didn’t care enough to stop it.”

  “I understand.”

  “Good.”

  “And you’ll understand that I’ll find a way to reciprocate in kind if the photos you have make an unwelcome appearance.”

  “Absolutely. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  “Then we seem to have reached an agreement. I won’t say that it makes either of us particularly happy, but on the surface it seems workable.”

  “One last thing. I’d like you to tell your friend Xia that if he or any of those incompetent thugs he hired come anywhere near me or Fai again, I’ll take his fucking head off.”

  “You wouldn’t have to. I’d do it myself.”

  ( 54 )

  The middle-aged woman escorted them to the elevator and rode with them down to the lobby. The Bentley was waiting for them at the curb in a no-parking zone. It seemed that even in the capital of a Communist country a Bentley had special privileges.

  “What did you and Mo talk about?” Chen asked as soon as they had settled into the car.

  “I congratulated him on a fine performance.”

  “Performance?”

  “What went on in that boardroom was mostly bullshit. He knew about Xia and Fai’s video, and I’ve no doubt that he signalled what he wanted Xia to do just as you described. He might have gone through the assistant, but she wouldn’t have done it without his permission.”

  “Then why did she take the blame, and why did she look so miserable?”

  “She failed. She let down the mighty Mo.”

  “He admitted all that?”

  “Not precisely, but close enough that I don’t doubt it’s true.”

  “Has he seen the video?” Fai asked.

  “Yes, and he claims that Fong and Hua haven’t. I don’t believe him. But then I told him you and Chen don’t know about his kid’s photos. So we traded a few lies.”

  “How did you leave it?” Fai asked.

  “We’re at a stand-off. If anyone releases the video, we release the photos. If anyone releases the photos, he’ll release the video. It isn’t actually a bad deal. Self-interest has a way of prevailing.”

  “What about Xia?” Chen said.

  “He’ll be told to cease and desist. We’ll have to assume that he only did what he thought would please Mo. I can’t imagine he’ll be punished for it.”

  “So, back to the status quo?”

  “Probably.”

  “That’s crap.”

  “You’re right. But Chen, it’s crap you’re going to have to live with, because we have a deal. Don’t do anything to disrupt it.”

  He shook his head. “So now what? What do we do?”

  “You should make sure that Mao’s Daughter is released and properly promoted.”

  “What about you and Fai?”

  “I’m going to Shanghai to see a friend, and I’ve asked Fai to come with me.”

  “I am going with her,” Fai said.

  “You’re both deserting me.”

  “There’s something called a cellphone, with which you can call and text. Use it if you need us,” Ava said.

  “That’s not funny. When will you leave?”

  “We should be able to get out of here today.”

  “I was just starting to appreciate you.”

  “With any luck, you’ll have many more opportunities,” Ava said.

  He started to respond, but Ava’s phone rang and she saw Sonny’s number. “Sonny,” she answered.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m still in Beijing,” she said, surprised by his abruptness and the sense of urgency in his voice.

  “Have you heard from Xu?”

  Ava couldn’t remember if she’d told Sonny that Xu was seriously ill. She decided that if she hadn’t, there was no reason to do it now. “No, but I’m planning on flying to Shanghai later today. I’ll see him tonight,” she said. “Sonny, what in hell is going on?”

  “Lop’s just been shot.”

  “What!”

  “I’m told he isn’t dead, but it isn’t good. They’re rushing him to Dr. Lui’s private clinic in Kowloon, the one where Xu was.”

  “Good god, what’s next?”

  “I’m told that what’s next has already been decided,” Sonny said. “There’s going to be a war in Wanchai, and I’d guess it’s going to spill over into other parts of the city and the Territories.”

  “Sammy Wing?”

  “Sammy and his nephew want Wanchai back, and if that means taking on Xu, they’ll do it. The other local gangs are sitting on the sidelines for now, but they’re going to have to take sides sooner or later. The only good thing about that is they’ll wait as long as possible. They’ll want to be as certain as they can be about who’s going to win.”

  “That fucking Sammy Wing, he can’t leave well enough alone. He can’t leave Xu or me alone,” Ava said.

  “Will you call Xu?” Sonny said.

  “Does Suen know about this?” she said, not too subtly sidestepping his question.

  “He might not.”

  “You should tell him.”

  Sonny hesitated, and Ava knew he was confused by her request. She also knew he wouldn’t ask why she had made it.

  “Okay, boss, I’ll call him right now.”

  “When you talk to him, tell him I’ll be in Shanghai tonight. I’m staying at Xu’s house. And you call me as soon as you know more about Lop,” Ava said, ending the call and slumping back into her seat.

  “Is there a problem?” Fai asked.

  Ava nodded.

  “In Shanghai?”

  “Hong Kong.”

  “Will you have to go there?”

  “I hope not,” Ava said. “But there’s a man in Hong Kong who tried to kill me twice and tried to kill Xu, and now he’s shot our friend Lop. He may not be giving me a choice.”

  Coming Soon

  From House of Anansi Press

  in July 2019

  Read on for a preview of the next thrilling

  Ava Lee novel, The Mountain Master of Sha Tin.

  ( 1 )

  Ava Lee looked out of the window of the first-class cabin as the China Eastern Airways jet began its descent into Shanghai. It was a city she normally loved to visit, but on this occasion she was filled with apprehension.

  “Are you okay?”

  Ava turned towards Pang Fai, her friend and lover. “I’m worried sick about Xu. If he has bacterial meningitis, we have to hope they caught it in time.”

  Fai squeezed Ava’s hand. “At least he’s in a hospital. I’m sure he’s receiving the best care. You’ll see him soon and th
en you can relax.”

  Xu was Ava’s closest male friend. He was also, significantly, the head of the Triads in Shanghai, chairman of the Triad Society in Asia, and a silent partner in the investment business that Ava co-owned with May Ling Wong and Amanda Yee. “I keep telling myself the same thing, but as soon as I manage to convince myself that he’s going to recover, I find myself thinking about Lop and the mess that might create,” Ava said. Lop was one of Xu’s key lieutenants, and he had been shot in Hong Kong the day before.

  “You told me Hong Kong isn’t your problem,” said Fai.

  “I said I don’t want it to be my problem. If Xu is incapacitated, it could create a situation that I may not be able to avoid.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s complicated,” Ava said. Then, realizing that she might have sounded condescending, she quickly added, “By that I mean I played a role in Xu’s takeover of the Wanchai Triads. I am at least partially responsible for deposing — in fact, if not officially — Sammy Wing as Mountain Master, and for the appointment of Lop as the de facto boss. So, whether I like it or not, I have ties to Wanchai that some people will not forget.”

  “What will happen if Xu’s health improves?”

  “He could still find it difficult dealing with a problem that’s twelve hundred kilometres from his hospital bed in Shanghai. And I can guarantee that the last thing he’ll want anyone to know is that he’s unwell. His rivals — and for Triad gang leaders, everyone is a potential rival — would be quick to pounce.”

  “What if he’s not in the hospital and is well enough to travel?”

  “That’s very optimistic. But if he can travel, he’s the best person to restore equilibrium in Hong Kong. Although there would still be the question of what to do about Sammy Wing, and the fact that Lop has been shot can’t be easily ignored. If Lop dies, it’s going to be almost impossible for Xu to turn the other cheek without appearing weak,” Ava said.

  “Who is this Sammy Wing?”

  “He’s a lifelong Triad, now in his seventies or maybe even eighties. He ran the Wanchai gang for years. I first encountered him about five or six years ago, when he took out a contract on me for a conman I’d pissed off —”