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d he keep the coin with him； on him； or would it be in his other safety deposit box？〃
〃It'd be in the box … or hidden at his flat in Sinclair Towers。〃
Her face closed。 〃How can we search that place with her in residence？ That wife of his？ That strumpet Barbara！ If she suspects we're after something 。。。〃 Her mind caught a vagrant thread。 〃Phillip； does it mean； whoever presents the coin gets whatever they want？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Eeeeee！ What power！〃
〃Yes。〃
Now her mind was working cleanly。 〃Phillip；〃 she said； in control again； everything else forgotten； 〃we need all the help we can get。 Phone your cousin Four Fingers 。。。〃 He looked at her； startled； then began to smile。 〃。。。 arrange with him to have some of his street fighters follow you secretly to protect you when you pay over the ransom； then to follow the Werewolf to his lair and to rescue John whatever the cost。 Whatever you do don't tell him about the coin … just that you want help to rescue poor John。 That's it。 We must get poor John back at all costs。〃
〃Yes；〃 he replied； much happier now。 〃Four Fingers is the perfect choice。 He owes us a favor or two。 I know where I can reach him this afternoon。〃
〃Good。 Off you go to the bank； but give me the key to the safe。 I'll cancel my hairdressing appointment and I'll read John's papers at once。〃
〃Very good。〃 He got up immediately。 〃The key's upstairs；〃 he said； lying； and hurried out； not wanting her prying into the safe。 There were a number of things there he did not want her to know about。 I'd better hide them somewhere else； he thought uneasily； just in case。 His euphoria evaporated and his overwhelming anxiety returned。 Oh my poor son； he told himself near tears。 Whatever possessed you？ I was a good father to you and you'll always be my heir and I've loved you like I loved your mother。 Poor Jennifer； poor little thing； dying birthing my first…born son。 O all gods： let me get my poor son back again； safe again； whatever he's done； let us extract ourselves from all this madness； and I'll endow a new temple for all of you equally！
The safe was behind the brass bedstead。 He pulled it away from the wall； opened the safe and took out all of John's papers； then his very private deeds； letters and promissory notes which he stuffed into his coat pocket and went downstairs again。
〃Here are John's letters；〃 he said。 〃I thought I'd save you the trouble of moving the bed。〃
She noticed the bulge in his coat pocket but said nothing。
〃I'll be back by 5：30 p。m。 sharp。〃
〃Good。 Drive carefully；〃 she said absently； her whole being concentrated on a single problem … how to get the coin for Kevin and herself。 Secretly。
The phone rang。 Phillip Chen stopped at the front door as she picked it up。 〃Weyyyy？〃 Her eyes glazed。 〃Oh hello； tai…pan； how're you today？〃 Phillip Chen blanched。
〃Just fine thank you；〃 Dunross said。 〃Is Phillip there？〃
〃Yes； yes just a minute。〃 She could hear many voices behind Dunross's voice and she thought she heard an undercurrent of covered urgency which increased her dread。 〃Phillip； it's for you；〃 she said； trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice。 〃The tai…pan！〃 She held up the phone； motioning him silently to keep the earpiece a little away from his ear so she could hear too。
〃Yes； tai…pan？〃
〃Hello； Phillip。 What're your plans this afternoon？〃
〃Nothing particular。 I was just leaving to go to the bank； why？〃
〃Before you do that； drop by the exchange。 The market's gone mad。 The run on the Ho…Pak's Colony…wide now and the stock's teetering even though Richard's supporting it for all he's worth。 Any moment it'll crash。 The run's spilling over to lots of other banks； I hear … the Ching Prosperity； even the Vic 。。。〃 Phillip Chen and his wife glanced at each other； perturbed。 〃I heard the Vic's got problems at Aberdeen and at Central。 Everything's down； all our blue chips： the V and A； Kowloon Investments； Hong Kong Power； Rothwell…Gornt； Asian Properties； H。K。L。F。； Zong Securities； Solomon Textiles； us 。。。 everyone。〃
〃How many points are we off？〃
〃From this morning？ Three points。〃
Phillip Chen gasped and almost dropped the phone。 〃What？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dunross agreed pleasantly。 〃Someone's started rumors about us。 It's all over the market that we're in trouble； that we can't pay Toda Shipping next week … nor the Orlin installment。 I think now we're being sold short。〃
31
2：45 P。M。：
Gornt was sitting beside his stockbroker； Joseph Stern； in the exchange watching the big board delightedly。 It was warm and very humid in the large room that was packed and noisy； phones ringing； sweating brokers； Chinese clerks and runners。 Normally the exchange was calm and leisurely。 Today it was not。 Everyone was tense and concentrating。 And uneasy。 Many had their coats off。
Gornt's own stock was off a point but that did not bother him a bit。 Struan's was down 3。50 now and Ho…Pak tottering。 Time's running out for Struan's； he thought； everything's primed； everything's begun。 Bartlett's money had been put into his Swiss bank within the hour； no strings … just 2 million transferred from an unknown account into his。 Seven phone calls began the rumors。 Another call to Japan confirmed the accuracy of the Struan payment dates。 Yes； he thought； the attack's begun。
His attention went to the Ho…Pak listing on the board as some more sell offerings were written up by a broker。 There were no immediate buyers。
Since he had secretly started selling Ho…Pak short on Monday just before the market closed at three o'clock … long before the run had started in earnest … he was millions ahead。 On Monday the stock had sold at 28。60； and now； even with all the support Richard Kwang was giving it； it was down to 24。30 … off more points than the stock had moved ever since the bank was formed eleven years ago。
4。30 times 500；000 makes 2；150；000； Gornt was thinking happily； all in honest…to…God HK currency if I wanted to buy back in right now which isn't bad for forty…eight hours of labor。 But I won't buy back in yet； oh dear no。 Not yet。 I'm sure now that the stock will crash； if not today； tomorrow； Thursday。 If not then； Friday … Monday at the latest； for no bank in the world can sustain such a run。 Then； when the crash es I'll buy back in at a few cents on the dollar and make twenty times half a million。
〃Sell 200；000；〃 he said； beginning to sell short openly now … the other shares hidden carefully among his secret nominees。
〃Good God； Mr。 Gornt；〃 his stockbroker gasped。 〃The Ho…Pak'll have to put up almost 5 million to cover。 That'll rock the whole market。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said jovially。
〃We'll have a hell of a time borrowing the stock。〃
〃Then do it。〃
Reluctantly his stockbroker began to leave but one of the phones rang。 〃Yes？ Oh hello； Daytime Chang；〃 he said in passable Cantonese。 〃What can I do for you？〃
〃I hope you can save all my money； Honorable Middleman。 What is Noble House selling for？〃
〃25。30。〃
There was a screech of dismay。 〃Woe woe woe； there's barely half a dog…bone hour of trading left； woe woe woe！ Please sell！ Please sell all Noble House panies at once； Noble House； Good Luck Properties and Golden Ferry； also 。。。 what's Second Great pany selli