按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ome framed photographs； all of a beaming Chinese leading in a garlanded racehorse； and one of the same Chinese in dinner jacket shaking hands with the governor； Dunross nearby。
〃That's Mr。 Ng？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Top…quality hi…fi and record player were to one side； and a tall cocktail cabinet。 Another doorway let off this room。 He pushed the half…opened door aside。 An elegant； very feminine bedroom with a huge； unmade king…sized bed； mirror…lined ceiling and a decorator's bathroom off it； with perfumes； aftershave lotions； gleaming modern fittings and many buckets of water。
〃Interesting；〃 he said and looked at her。
She said nothing； just waited。
Armstrong saw that she had nylon…clad legs and was very trim with well…groomed nails and hair。 I'll bet she's a dragon； and expensive。 He turned away from her and looked around thoughtfully。 Clearly this self…contained apartment had been made out of the adjoining suite。 Well； he told himself with a touch of envy； if you're rich and you want a private； secret flat for an afternoon's nooky behind your office there's no law against that。 None。 And none against having an attractive secretary。 Lucky bastard。 I wouldn't mind having one of these places myself。
Absently he opened a desk drawer。 It was empty。 All the drawers were empty。 Then he went through the bedroom drawers but found nothing of interest。 One cupboard contained a fine camera and some portable lighting equipment and cleaning equipment but nothing suspicious。
He came back into the main room satisfied that he had missed nothing。 She was still watching him； and though she tried to hide it； he could sense a nervousness。
That's understandable； he told himself。 If I were her and my boss was out and some rotten quai loh came prying I'd be nervous too。 No harm in having a private place like this。 Lots of rich people have them in Hong Kong。 His eye was caught by the rosewood cocktail cabinet。 The key in the lock beckoned him。 He opened it。 Nothing out of the ordinary。 Then his sharp； well…trained eyes noticed the untoward width of the doors。 A moment's inspection and he opened the false doors。 His mouth dropped open。
The side walls of the cabinet were covered with dozens of photographs of Jade Gates in all their glory。 Each photograph was neatly framed and tagged with a typed name and a date。 Involuntarily he let out a bellow of embarrassed laughter； then glanced around。 Virginia Tong had vanished。 Quickly he scanned the names。 Hers was third from the last。
Another paroxysm of laughter was barely contained。 The policeman shook his head helplessly。 What some buggers'll do for fun … and I suppose some ladies for money！ I thought I'd seen it all but this 。。。 Photographer Ng； eh？ So that's where the nickname came from。
Now over his initial shock； he studied the photographs。 Each of them had been taken with the same lens from the same distance。
Good God； he thought after a minute； astounded； there's really quite a lot of difference between 。。。 I mean if you can forget what you're looking at and just look； well； there's a fantastic amount of difference in the shape and size of the whole； the position and protuberance of the Pearl on the Step； the quality and quantity of pubicity and 。。。 ayeeyah there's one piece bat jam gai。 He looked at the name。 Mona Leung … now where have I heard that name before？ That's curious … Chinese usually consider lack of pubicity unlucky。 Now why 。。。 oh my God！ He peered at the next name tag to make sure。 There was no mistake。 Venus Poon。 Ayeeyah； he thought elatedly； so that's hers； that's what she really looks like； the darling of the telly who daily projects such sweet； virginal innocence so beautifully！
He concentrated on her； his senses bemused。 I suppose if you pare hers with； say； say Virginia Tong's； well she does have a certain delicacy。 Yes； but if you want my considered opinion I'd still rather have had the mystery and not seen these at all。 None of them。
Idly his eyes went from name to name。 〃Bloody hell；〃 he said； recognizing one： Elizabeth Mithy。 She was once a secretary at Struan's； one of the band of wanderers from the small towns in Australia and New Zealand； girls who aimlessly found their way to Hong Kong for a few weeks； to stay for months； perhaps years； to fill minor jobs until they married or vanished forever。 I'll be damned。 Liz Mithy！
Armstrong was trying to be dispassionate but he could not help paring Caucasian with Chinese and he found no difference。 Thank God for that； he told himself； and chuckled。 Even so he was glad the photographs were black and white and not in color。
〃Well；〃 he said out loud； still very embarrassed； 〃there's no law against taking photos that I know of； and sticking them in your own cabinet。 The young ladies must've cooperated。 。。。〃 He grunted； amused and at the same time disgusted。 Damned if I'll ever understand the Chinese！ 〃Liz Mithy； eh？〃 he muttered。 He had known her slightly when she was in the Colony； knew that she was quite wild； but what could have possessed her to pose for Ng？ If her old man knew； he'd hemorrhage。 Thank God we don't have children； Mary and I。
Be honest； you bleed for sons and daughters but you can't have them； at least Mary can't； so the doctors say … so you can't。
With an effort Armstrong buried that everlasting curse again and relocked the cabinet and walked out； closing the doors after him。
In the outer office Virginia Tong was polishing her nails； clearly furious。
〃Can you get Mr。 Ng on the phone； please？〃
〃No； not until four；〃 she said sullenly without looking at him。
〃Then please call Mr。 Tsu…yan instead；〃 Armstrong told her； stabbing in the dark。
Without looking up the number； she dialed； waited impatiently； chatted gutturally for a moment in Cantonese and slammed the phone down。 〃He's away。 He's out of town and his office doesn't know where he is。〃
〃When did you last see him？〃
〃Three or four days ago。〃 Irritably she opened her appointments calendar and checked it。 〃It was Friday。〃
〃Can I look at that please？〃
She hesitated； shrugged and passed it over； then went back to polishing her nails。
Quickly he scanned the weeks and the months。 Lots of names he knew： Richard Kwang； Jason Plumm； Dunross … Dunross several times … Thomas K。 K。 Lim … the mysterious American Chinese from next door … Johnjohn from the Victoria Bank； Donald McBride； Mata several times。 Now who's Mata？ he asked himself； never having heard the name before。 He was about to give the calendar back to her then he flipped forward。 〃Saturday 10：00 a。m。 … V。 Banastasio。〃 His heart twisted。 This ing Saturday。
He said nothing； just put the appointment calendar back on her desk； and leaned back against one of the files； lost in thought。 She paid no attention to him。 The door opened。
〃Excuse me； sir； phone for you！〃 Sergeant Yat said。 He was looking much happier so Armstrong knew the negotiation must have been fruitful。 He would have liked to know how much； exactly； but then； face would be involved and he would have to take action； one way or another。
〃All right； Sergeant； stay here till I get back；〃 he said； wanting to make sure no secret phone calls were made。 Virginia Tong did not look up