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of raised voices was； like diesel exhaust； always in the air。
〃It's the same；〃 Nicholas said。 〃Day or night； nothing's changed。〃
〃No；〃 Van Kiet said； 〃it changes minute by minute。 Every day there are more Japanese； Americans； Koreans； and Thai。 The entrepreneurs and their representatives … factors； agents； and lawyers … flood Saigon； falling over themselves to set up shop。〃
〃You sound bitter。〃
〃Do I？〃 Van Kiet peered through the flyblown window glass； then turned back。 〃I can't imagine why。 In addition to having to struggle with encephalitis； yellow fever； and meningitis； we now have AIDS and hepatitis epidemics on our hands。 Little of our own culture has survived the wars and the superpowers； and our home is again invaded by those who swear they know what's best for us。 The Party； who have led us； is dissolute； and the capitalists； who will lead us； are corrupt。 There's not much to differentiate the two these days。 But I apologize if I have offended you with my tone。〃
〃e on。 It's almost dinnertime。 Let's go out and get drunk。〃
Van Kiet took him to My Canh； one of several floating restaurants on the Saigon River。 It was an unfortunate choice； Nicholas was reminded of his boat ride with Bay； leading to the ill…fated foray into the Cu Chi tunnels。
Lights from the city were cast across the muddy water like ghostly craft； only to be split apart by the wakes of their real counterparts。 As he watched； the lights winked out in one quan； a mon enough occurrence here。 But in his current mood it was a melancholy sight。 For all the capital flowing into Saigon it was still a miserable little third…world backwater。 Its sweaty aspirations toward being a low…cost free…market manufacturing hub were made wretched by its inability to master even the rudimentary services mandatory in any city。
Nicholas thought of the dead woman Bay and the battered child prostitute who had propositioned him and Tachi at the Temple of the Whales。 Somehow these two symbolized all the failed hopes of the populace here； dazed by historical betrayals and abrupt shifts in ideology and economy。 Saigon was itself a floating city； cut adrift from both Vietnamese tradition and munist cant； infected by foreign infusions of greed and lust that were poisoning its already unstable infrastructure。 Business would survive … even prosper … of that he had no doubt But what about the people？ How would they survive？
Van Kiet； red…eyed and saturnine； said nothing before he had downed three shots of liquor。 Then he spat over the side of the boat。 〃I'm going to spend the night on the road； look for someone to shoot； and I won't care； seeing the poor bastard's face in the dust； covered with blood； because I won't be seeing him； I'll be seeing Tachi's back with a bolt right through it。〃
Nicholas let him talk because that was what Van Kiet needed now。 He was a violent man； given to wild swings of temperament； with an anger burning inside him that was expiated a little bit every time he pulled the trigger。 He was barely civilized in a country that had never fully caught the concept of civilization。 Vietnam was a warrior nation。 Born in blood； it had feasted upon the indigenous Chams； the neighboring Cambodians and the Laotians。 It was not a place where peace had been allowed to alight； let alone flourish。
Now Vietnam was reaping what it had sowed。 If one believed in the concept of sin and punishment； this would be a perfect place to abide。
Nicholas waited patiently until Van Kiet's rambling homicidal diatribe had run its course。 〃Seiko was convinced that Tachi would eventually have killed me。〃
〃What？〃 That startled Van Kiet out of his drunken torpor。 〃She was a liar。〃
〃Maybe not。〃 Nicholas told him the story of Tachi's vulnerable position inside the Yakuza。 〃She was right about one thing；〃 he concluded。 〃With the continuing police crackdown on the Yakuza； if you're passed over for power； you're nothing。 You might as well join a powerful clan as a street thug。〃
〃I guess it's impossible to know any man's heart；〃 Van Kiet said； staring bleakly out at his half…darkened city。
〃I need to speak to her father。 Do you know where he currently is？〃
A bottle of liquor had been placed on their table。 Van Kiet knocked back another shot； filled his glass。
〃He has an apartment here but it's rarely occupied overnight；〃 Van Kiet said。 〃He uses it almost exclusively for business meetings in the city。 He lives on a large estate outside My Tho； the capital of Tien Giang Province。 It's quite a magnificent residence； about fifty minutes by fast car south of here。〃
〃Will you drive me？〃
Van Kiet nodded 〃First thing in the morning。〃
Huynh Van Dich's estate overlooked the Tien River。 It was surrounded by banana plantations straddling the river； which were owned by one of his many panies。 He had leathery skin the color of mahogany； a handsome man even at the age of seventy…three； with silver hair and the eyes of a hawk。 He had remained unaffected either by ideology or by politics。 His cudgel was economics and he wielded it with ruthless authority。 He made so much money for the country that no politician； military tactician； or ideologue was prepared to cross him。 Perhaps that was as much because of his self…imposed neutrality in all matters。 He wouldn't threaten their maneuvering if they would keep their noses out of his business。
In its own way； the arrangement had worked； it had made him a wealthy man； though hardly influential in the succession of administrations that had e and gone in Hanoi and Saigon。
He was small and pact； leaning perpetually forward as if he were hard of hearing。 In fact； he was in a hurry。 When he walked； he ran； and when he ran； he sprinted tike a deer。 He seemed not at all to feel his seventy…three years。
He was not happy to see Van Kiet but was curious to meet his panion。 He invited them in for a breakfast of fried bananas and rice with fish paste。 They ate at a long wooden table that looked out on a terrace and； beyond； a stand of coconut palms on the slope down to the river。 The sun； breaking through layers of blue…gray cloud； shimmered on the water like gold dust strewn in the shallows。
There was no sign of his new wife and family。 All was still； save for the sounds of the birds and insects； the clatter of the wind through the palm fronds。 Perhaps he liked to dine alone。
The three men said little through the meal。 When the plates had been cleared and French…roast coffee had been served； Dich said； 〃What brings you all the way out here； Chief Inspector？〃
Van Kiet said nothing。
〃Chu Dich；〃 Nicholas said slowly； 〃I am sorry to have to tell you your daughter is dead。〃
Dich looked at him inscrutably。 〃The body？〃
〃I've arranged for it to be flown back to Saigon；〃 Van Kiet said。
〃Do you wish to know the circumstances of her death？〃 Nicholas asked。
〃I never knew the circumstances of her life； so I doubt I could understand how or why she died；〃 Dich said with implacable logic。
Van Kiet stared out at the line of narrow dikes。 A slender figure was crossing a pole bridge； its back bent beneath a heavy weight。 He rose； excusing himself。
When they were alone； Nicholas said； 〃If it's of any consolation；