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s sure he was not followed。 He let his mind consider the money and he beamed。 Let's see； what will I do with my 50；000！ I'll put 40 down on an apartment and rent it out at once。 Ayeeyah； I'm a property owner！ I'll buy a Rolex and a revolver and a new throwing knife。 I'll give my wife a bracelet or two； and a couple to White Rose at the Thousand Pleasure Whorehouse。 Tonight we'll have a feast。
Happily he continued on his way。 At a street stall he bought a small cheap suitcase and； in an alley； secretly transferred the money into it。 Farther down the street in another side alley he sold Phillip Chen's good leather attaché case to a hawker for a handsome sum after haggling for five minutes。 Now； very pleased with himself； he caught a bus for Kowloon City where his father had rented a small apartment in an assumed name as one of their havens； far away from their real home in Wanchai near Glessing's Point。 He did not notice Goodweather Poon board the bus； nor the other two men； nor the taxi that followed the bus。
Kowloon City was a festering mess of slums and open drains and squalid dwellings。 Smallpox Kin knew he was safe here。 No police ever came； except in great strength。 When China had leased the New Territories for ninety…nine years in 1898 it had maintained suzerainty over Kowloon City in perpetuity。 In theory the ten square acres were Chinese territory。 The British authorities left the area alone provided it remained quiet。 It was a seething mass of opium dens； illegal gambling schools； triad headquarters； and a sanctuary for the criminal。 From time to time the police would sweep through。 The next day the Kowloon City would bee as it had always been。
The stairs to the fifth…floor apartment in the tenement building were rickety and messy； the plaster cracked and mildewed。 He was tired now。 He knocked on the door； in their secret code。 The door opened。
〃Hello； Father； hello； Dog…eared Chen；〃 he said happily。 〃Here's the cash！〃 Then he saw his younger brother。 〃Oh good； you escaped too？〃
〃Of course！ Dung…eating police in civilian clothes！ We ought to kill one or two for their impertinence。〃 Kin Pak waved a 。38。 〃We ought to have vengeance！〃
〃Perhaps you're right； now that we've got the first money；〃 Father Kin said。
〃I don't think we should kill any police； that would send them mad；〃 Dog…eared Chen said shakily。
〃Dew neh loh moh on all police！〃 young Kin Pak said and pocketed the gun。
Smallpox Kin shrugged。 〃We've got the cash th… 〃
At that moment the door burst open。 Goodweather Poon and three of his men were in the room； knives out。 Everyone froze。 Abruptly Father Kin slid a knife out of his sleeve and ducked left but before he could throw it Goodweather Poon's knife was flailing through the air and it thwanged into his throat。 He clawed at it as he fell backward。 Neither Dog…eared Chen nor the brothers had moved。 They watched him die。 The body twitched； the muscles spasmed for a moment； then was still。
〃Where's Number One Son Chen？〃 Goodweather Poon said； a second knife in his hand。
〃We don't know any Num… 〃
Two of the men fell on Smallpox Kin； slammed his hands outstretched on the table and held them there。 Goodweather Poon leaned forward and sliced off his index finger。 Smallpox Kin went gray。 The other two were paralyzed with fear。
〃Where's Number One Son Chen？〃
Smallpox Kin was staring blankly at his severed finger and the blood that was pulsing onto the table。 He cried out as Goodweather Poon lunged again。 〃Don't don't；〃 he begged； 〃he's dead 。。。 dead and we've buried him I swear it！〃
〃Where？〃
〃Near the Sha 。。。 the Sha Tin Road。 Listen；〃 he screeched desperately； 〃we'll split the money with you。 We'll … 〃 He froze as Goodweather Poon put the tip of his knife into his mouth。
〃Just answer questions； you fornicating whore's turd； or I'll slit your tongue。 Where's Number One Son's things？ The things he had on him？〃
〃We； we sent everything to Noble House Chen； everything except the money he had。 I swear it。〃 He whimpered at the pain。 Suddenly the two men put pressure on one of his elbows and he cried out； 〃All gods bear witness it's the truth！〃 He screamed as the joint went； and fainted。 Across the room Dog…eared Chen groaned with fear。 He started to cry out but one of the men smashed him in the face； his head crashed against the wall and he collapsed； unconscious。
Now all their eyes went to Kin Pak。 〃It's true；〃 Kin Pak gasped in terror at the suddenness of everything。 〃Everything he told you。 It's true！〃
Goodweather Poon cursed him。 Then he said； 〃Did you search Noble House Chen before you buried him？〃
〃Yes； Lord； at least I didn't； he 。。。〃 Shakily he pointed at his father's body。 〃He did。〃
〃You were there？〃
The youth hesitated。 Instantly Poon darted at him； moving with incredible speed for such an old man。 His knife knicked Kin Pak's cheek a deliberate fraction below his eyes and stayed there。 〃Liar！〃
〃I was there；〃 the youth choked out； 〃I was going to tell you； Lord； I was； there。 I won't lie to you I swear it！〃
〃The next time you lie it will be your left eye。 You were there； heya？〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes； Lord！〃
〃Was he there？〃 he said pointing at Smallpox Kin。
〃No； Lord。〃
〃Him？〃
〃Yes。 Dog…eared was there！〃
〃Did you search the body？〃
〃Yes； Lord； yes I helped our father。〃
〃All his pockets； everything？〃
〃Yes yes everything。〃
〃Any papers？ Notebook； diary？ Jewelry？〃
The youth hesitated； frantic； trying to think； the knife never moving away from his face。 〃Nothing； Lord； that I remember。 We sent all his things to Noble House Chen； except； except the money。 We kept the money。 And his watch … I'd forgotten his watch！ It's； it's that one！〃 He pointed at the watch on his father's outstretched wrist。
Goodweather Poon swore again。 Four Finger Wu had told him to recapture John Chen； to get any of his possessions the kidnappers still had； particularly any coins or parts of coins； and then； equally anonymously； to dispose of the kidnappers。 I'd better phone him in a moment； he thought。 I'd better get further instructions。 I don't want to make a mistake。
〃What did you do with the money？〃
〃We spent it； Lord。 There were only a few hundred dollars and some change。 It's gone。〃
One of the men said； 〃I think he's lying！〃
〃I'm not； Lord； I swear it！〃 Kin Pak almost burst into tears。 〃I'm not。 Pl… 〃
〃Shut up！ Shall I cut this one's throat？〃 the man said genially； motioning at Smallpox Kin who was still unconscious； sprawled across the table； the pool of blood thickening。
〃No； no； not yet。 Hold him there。〃 Goodweather Poon scratched his piles while he thought a moment。 〃We'll go and dig up Number One Son Chen。 Yes that's what we'll do。 Now； Little Turd； who killed him？〃
At once Kin Pak pointed at his father's body。 〃He did。 It was terrible。 He's our father and he hit him with a shovel 。。。 he hit him with a shovel when he tried to escape the night 。。。 the night we got him。〃 The youth shuddered； his face chalky； his fear of the knife under his eye consuming him。 〃It； it wasn't my fault； Lord。〃
〃What's your name？〃
〃Soo Tak…gai； Lord；〃 he said instantly； using their prearranged emergency names。
〃Him？〃 The finger p