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〃 '。。。 meanwhile prepare the ransom money in used 100…dollar notes。 。。。' 〃 Irritably Phillip Chen glanced at his watch。 〃I don't have much time to get to the bank。 I'll have … 〃
〃Finish the letter！〃
〃All right； be patient； my dear；〃 he said placatingly； his overtaxed heart skipping a beat as he recognized the edge to her voice。 〃Where was I？ Ah yes；' 。。。 notes。 If you obey my instructions faithfully； you may have your son back tonight。 。。。' Oh God I hope so；〃 he said； breaking off momentarily； then continued； 〃 'Do not consult the police or try to trap us。 Our eyes are watching you even now。 Written by the Werewolf。' 〃 He took off his glasses。 His eyes were red…rimmed and tired。 Sweat was on his brow。 〃 'Watching you even now' ？ Could one of the servants 。。。 or the chauffeur be in their pay？〃
〃No； no of course not。 They've all been with us for years。〃
He wiped the sweat off； feeling dreadful； wanting John back； wanting him safe； wanting to strangle him。 〃That means nothing。 I'd 。。。 I'd better call the police。〃
〃Forget them！ Forget them until we know what you have to do。 Go to the bank。 Get 200；000 only … you should be able to settle for that。 If you get more you might be tempted to give it all to them if tonight 。。。 if they really mean what they say。〃
〃Yes 。。。 very wise。 If we could settle for that 。。。〃 He hesitated。 〃What about the tai…pan？ Do you think I should tell the tai…pan； Dianne？ He； he might be able to help。〃
〃Huh！〃 she said scornfully。 〃What help can he give us？ We're dealing with dog…bone triads not foreign devil crooks。 If we need help we have to stay with our own。〃 Her eyes began boring into him。 〃And now you'd better tell me what's really the matter； why you were so angry the night before last and why you've been like a spiteful cat with a thorn in its rump ever since and not attending to business！〃
〃I've been attending to business；〃 he said defensively。
〃How many shares have you bought？ Eh？ Struan shares？ Have you taken advantage of what the tai…pan told us about the ing boom？ Do you remember what Old Blind Tung forecast？〃
〃Of course； of course I remember！〃 he stuttered。 〃I've； I've secretly doubled our holdings and have equally secret orders out with various brokers for half as much again。〃
Dianne Chen's abacus mind glowed at the thought of that vast profit； and all the private profit she would be making on all the shares she had bought on her own behalf； pledging her entire portfolio。 But she kept her face cold and her voice icy。 〃And how much did you pay？〃
〃They averaged out at 28。90。〃
〃Huh！ According to today's paper Noble House opened at 28。80；〃 she said with a disapproving sniff； furious that he had paid five cents less a share than she had。 〃You should have been at the market this morning instead of moping around here； sleeping your life away。〃
〃I wasn't feeling very well； dear。〃
〃It all goes back to the night before last。 What sent you into that unbelievable rage？ Heya？〃
〃It was nothing。〃 He got up； hoping to flee。 〃Noth… 〃
〃Sit down！ Nothing that you shouted at me； me your faithful wife in front of the servants？ Nothing that I was ordered into my own dining room like a mon whore？ Heya？〃 Her voice began rising and she let herself go； knowing instinctively that this was the perfect time； now that they were alone in the house； knowing that he was defenseless and she could press her advantage。 〃You think it's nothing that you abuse me； me who has given you the best years of her life； working and slaving and guarding you for twenty…three years？ Me； Dianne Mai…wei T'Chung who has the blood of the great Dirk Struan in her veins； who came to you virgin； with property in Wanchai； North Point and even on Lan Tao； with stocks and shares and the best schooling in England？ Me who never plains about your snoring and whoring or about the brat you sired out of that dance…hall girl you've sent to school in America！〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Oh I know all about you and her and all the others and all the other nasty things you do； and that you never loved me but just wanted my property and a perfect decoration to your drab life。 。。。〃
Phillip Chen was trying to close his ears but he could not。 His heart was pounding。 He hated rows and hated the shriek to her voice that； somehow； was perfectly tuned to set his teeth on edge； his brain oscillating and his bowels in turmoil。 He tried to interrupt her but she overrode him； battering him； accusing him of all sorts of dalliances and mistakes and private matters that he was shocked she knew about。
〃。。。 and what about your club？〃
〃Eh； what club？〃
〃The private Chinese lunch club with forty…three members called the 74 in a block off Pedder Street that contains a gourmet chef from Shanghai； teen…age hostesses and bedrooms and saunas and devices that dirty old men need to raise their Steamless Stalks？ Eh？〃
〃It's nothing like that at all；〃 Phillip Chen spluttered； aghast that she knew。 〃It's a pi… 〃
〃Don't lie to me！ You put up 87；000 good U。S。 greenbacks as the down payment with Shitee T'Chung and those two mealy…mouthed friends of yours and even now pay 4；000 HK…a…month fees。 Fees for what？ You'd better 。。。 Where do you think you're going？〃
Meekly he sat down again。 〃I … I was … I want to go to the bathroom。〃
〃Huh！ Whenever we have a discussion you want the bathroom！ You're just ashamed of the way you treat me and guilty。 。。。〃 Then； seeing him about to explode back at her； she switched abruptly； her voice crooningly gentle。 〃Poor Phillip！ Poor boy！ Why were you so angry？ Who's hurt you？〃
So he told her； and once he began the telling he felt better and his anguish and fear and fury started to melt away。 Women are clever and cunning in these things； he told himself confidently； rushing on。 He told her about opening John's safety deposit in the bank； about the letters to Linc Bartlett and about finding a duplicate key to his own safe in their bedroom。 〃I brought all the letters back；〃 he said； almost in tears； 〃they're upstairs； you can read them for yourself。 My own son！ He's betrayed us！〃
〃My God； Phillip；〃 she gasped； 〃if the tai…pan found out you and Father Chen…chen were keeping 。。。 if he knew he'd ruin us！〃
〃Yes； yes I know！ That's why I've been so upset！ By the rules of Dirk's legacy he has the right and the means。 We'd be ruined。 But； but that's not all。 John knew where our secret safe was in the garden an… 〃
〃Wat？〃
〃Yes； and he dug it up。〃 He told her about the coin。
〃Ayeeyah！〃 She stared at him in absolute shock； half her mind filled with terror； the other half with ecstasy； for now； whether John came back or not； he had destroyed himself。 John would never inherit now！ My Kevin's Number One Son now and future pradore to the Noble House！ Then her fears drowned her excitement and she muttered； aghast； 〃If there's still a House of Chen。〃
〃What？ What did you say？〃
〃Nothing； never mind。 Wait a moment； Phillip； let me think。 Oh the rotten boy！ How could John do this to us； we who have cherished him all his life！ You 。。。 you'd better go to the bank。 Get 300；000 out … in case you need to barter more。 We must get John back at all costs。 Would he keep the coin with him； on him； or would it be in his ot