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。〃
〃That's probably put out by Jason Plumm to boost his shares before their annual meeting。 You know what a canny bastard he is。〃
〃Our stock's gone up ten cents； perhaps on the strength of it。〃
〃Good。 Buy me 20；000 at once。〃
〃On margin？〃
〃Of course on margin。〃
〃All right。 Second rumor： We've closed a multimillion…dollar deal with Par…Con Industries … huge expansion。〃
〃Pipe dreams；〃 Dunross said easily； wondering furiously where the leaks were。 Only Phillip Chen … and in Edinburgh； Alastair Struan and old Sean MacStruan … was supposed to know about the ploy to smash Asian Properties。 And the Par…Con deal was top secret to the Inner Court only。
〃Third： someone's buying large parcels of our stock。〃
〃Who？〃
〃I don't know。 But there's something smelly going on； tai…pan。 The way our stock's been creeping up the last month 。。。 There's no reason that I know of； except a buyer； or buyers。 Same with Rothwell…Gornt。 I heard a block of 200；000 was bought offshore。〃
〃Find out who。〃
〃Christ； I wish I knew how。 The market's jittery； and very nervous。 A lot of Chinese money's floating around。 Lots of little deals going on 。。。 a few shares here； a few there； but multiplied by a hundred thousand or so 。。。 the market might start to fall apart 。。。 or to soar。〃
〃Good。 Then we'll all make a killing。 Give me a call before the market closes。 Thanks； Alan。〃 He put the phone down； feeling the sweat on his back。 〃Shit；〃 he said aloud。 〃What the hell's going on？〃
In the outer office Claudia Chen was going over some papers with Sandra Yi who was her niece on her mother's side … and smart； very good to look at； twenty…seven with a mind like an abacus。 Then she glanced at her watch and said in Cantonese； 〃Superintendent Brian Kwok's downstairs； Little Sister； why don't you fetch him up … in six minutes。〃
〃Ayeeyah； yes； Elder Sister！〃 Sandra Yi hastily checked her makeup and swished away。 Claudia smiled after her and thought Sandra Yi would be perfect … a perfect choice for Brian Kwok。 Happily she sat behind her desk and began to type the telexes。 Everything's done that should be done； she told herself。 No； something the tai…pan said 。。。 what was it？ Ah yes！ She dialed her home number。
〃Weyyyyy？〃 said her amah； Ah Sam。
〃Listen； Ah Sam；〃 she said in Cantonese； 〃isn't Third Toiletmaid Fung at the Vic your cousin three times removed？〃
〃Oh yes； Mother；〃 Ah Sam replied； using the Chinese politeness of servant to mistress。 〃But she's four times removed； and from the Fung…tats； not the Fung…sams which is my branch。〃
〃Never mind that； Ah Sam。 You call her and find out all you can about two foreign devils from the Golden Mountain。 They're in Fragrant Spring suite。〃 Patiently she spelled their names； then added delicately； 〃I hear they have peculiar pillow habits。〃
〃Ayeeyah； if anyone can find out； Third Toiletmaid Fung can。 Ha！ What peculiars？〃
〃Strange peculiars； Ah Sam。 You get on with it； little oily mouth。〃 She beamed and hung up。
The elevator doors opened and Sandra Yi ushered the two police officers in； then left reluctantly。 Brian Kwok watched her go。 He was thirty…nine； tall for a Chinese； just over six feet； very handsome； with blue…black hair。 Both men wore civilian clothes。 Claudia chatted with them politely； but the moment she saw the light on line two go out she ushered them in and closed the door。
〃Sorry to e without an appointment；〃 Armstrong said。
〃No sweat； Robert。 You look tired。〃
〃A heavy night。 It's all the villainy that goes on in Hong Kong；〃 Armstrong said easily。 〃Nasties abound and saints get crucified。〃
Dunross smiled； then glanced across at Kwok。 〃How's life treating you； Brian？〃
Brian Kwok smiled back。 〃Very good； thanks； Ian。 Stock market's up … I've a few dollars in the bank； my Porsche hasn't fallen apart yet； and ladies will be ladies。〃
〃Thank God for that！ Are you doing the hill climb on Sunday？〃
〃If I can get Lulu in shape。 She's missing an offside hydraulic coupling。〃
〃Have you tried our shop？〃
〃Yes。 No joy； tai…pan。 Are you going？〃
〃Depends。 I've got to go to Taipei Sunday afternoon … I will if I've got time。 I entered anyway。 How's SI？〃
Brian Kwok grinned。 〃It beats working for a living。〃 Special Intelligence was a pletely independent department within the elite； semisecret Special Branch responsible for preventing and detecting subversive activities in the Colony。 It had its own secret ways； secret funding and overriding powers。 And it was responsible to the governor alone。
Dunross leaned back in the chair。 〃What's up？〃
Armstrong said； 〃I'm sure you already know。 It's about the guns on Bartlett's plane。〃
〃Oh yes； I heard this morning；〃 he said。 〃How can I help？ Have you any idea why and where they were destined？ And by whom？ You caught two men？〃
Armstrong sighed。 〃Yes。 They were genuine mechanics all right … both ex…Nationalist Air Force trained。 No previous record； though they're suspected of being members of secret triads。 Both have been here since the exodus of '49。 By the way； can we keep this all confidential； between the three of us？〃
〃What about your superiors？〃
〃I'd like to include them in … but keep it just for your ears only。〃
〃Why？〃
〃We have reason to believe the guns were destined for someone in Struan's。〃
〃Who？〃 Dunross asked sharply。
〃Confidential？〃
〃Yes。 Who？〃
〃How much do you know about Lincoln Bartlett and Casey Tcholok？〃
〃We've a detailed dossier on him … not on her。 Would you like it？ I can give you a copy； providing it too is kept confidential。〃
〃Of course。 That would be very helpful。〃
Dunross pressed the inter。
〃Yes sir？〃 Claudia asked。
〃Make a copy of the Bartlett dossier and give it to Superintendent Armstrong on his way out。〃 Dunross clicked the inter off。
〃We won't take much more of your time；〃 Armstrong said。 〃Do you always dossier potential clients？〃
〃No。 But we like to know who we're dealing with。 If the Bartlett deal goes through it could mean millions to us； to him； a thousand new jobs to Hong Kong … factories here； warehouses； a very big expansion … along with equally big risks to us。 Everyone in business does a confidential financial statement … perhaps we're a bit more thorough。 I'll bet you fifty dollars to a broken hatpin he's done one on me。〃
〃No criminal connections mentioned？〃
Dunross was startled。 〃Mafia？ That sort of thing？ Good God no； nothing。 Besides； if the Mafia were trying to e in here they wouldn't send a mere ten M14 rifles and two thousand rounds and a box of grenades。〃
〃Your information's damn good；〃 Brian Kwok interrupted。 〃Too damn good。 We only unpacked the stuff an hour ago。 Who's your informant？〃
〃You know there're no secrets in Hong Kong。〃
〃Can't even trust your own coppers these days。〃
〃The Mafia would surely send in a shipment twenty times that and they'd be handguns； American style。 But the Mafia would be bound to fail here； whatever they did。 They could never displace our triads。 No； it can't be Mafia … only someone local。 Who tipped you about the shipment； Brian？〃
〃Tokyo Airport Police；〃 Kwok said。 〃One of their mechanics was doing a routine inspection … you know how thorough they are。 He reported it t