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〃How should I know？〃 Rosemont knew he had to bluff this one through； but he was still furious that whoever was in the apartment had escaped without identification。 His rage over the carrier leak； Metkin's not being available for questioning； the whole Sevrin mess and Crosse's perfidy； had prompted him to order the raid。 One of his Chinese informants had picked up a rumor that though the apartment was empty most of the time； sometimes it was used by munist enemy agents … of gender unknown … and there was a meeting tonight。 Connochie； one of his best agents； had led the raid and thought he caught a glimpse of two men going out the back but he wasn't sure； and though he searched diligently； they had vanished and he found nothing in the apartment to prove or disprove the rumor； just two half…empty glasses。 The glasses were brought back and tested for fingerprints。 One was clean； the other well marked。 〃I've never been to 32 Sinclair Towers； for chrissake！〃
〃Maybe； but your Keystone Kops were there。 Several tenants reported four tall； meaty Caucasians charging up and down the stairs。〃 Armstrong added even more sourly； 〃All fat…arsed and fat…headed。 Have to be yours。〃
〃Not mine。 No sir。〃
〃Oh yes they were and that mistake's going to backfire。 Crosse's already sent two pretty foul cables to London。 The pity of it is you failed to catch anything and we catch hell because of your continual screw…ups！〃
Rosemont sighed。 〃Get off my back。 I've got something for you。〃 He told Armstrong of his conversation with Casey about Banastasio。 〃Of course we knew his connection with Par…Con but I didn't know he was arriving tomorrow。 What do you think？〃
Armstrong had seen the arrival recorded on Photographer Ng's calendar。 〃Interesting；〃 he said nonmittally。 〃I'll tell the Old Man。 But you'd better have a good explanation for him about Sinclair Towers and don't mention that I told you。〃 His fatigue was almost overwhelming him。 This morning at 6：30 a。m。 he had begun the first real probe of Brian Kwok。
It was an orchestrated set piece： while still drugged； Brian Kwok had been taken out of his clean white cell and put naked into a filthy dungeon with dank walls and a stinking thin mattress on the mildewed floor。 Then； ten minutes after the wake…up drug had jerked him into parched； aching consciousness； the light had blazed on and Armstrong had ripped the door open and cursed the SI jailer。 〃For chrissake； what're you doing to Superintendent Kwok？ Have you gone mad？ How dare you treat him like this！〃
〃Superintendent Crosse's orders； sir。 This client's b… 〃
〃There must be a mistake！ I don't give a damn about Crosse！〃 He had thrown the man out and put his full； kind attention onto his friend。 〃Here； old chum； do you want a cigarette？〃
〃Oh Christ。 Thank 。。。 thanks。〃 Brian Kwok's fingers had trembled as he held the cigarette and drew the smoke deep。 〃Robert； what 。。。 what the hell's going on？〃
〃I don't know。 I've just heard； that's why I'm here。 I was told you'd been on leave for a few days。 Crosse's gone mad。 He claims you're a munist spy。〃
〃Me？ For God's sake 。。。 what's the date today？〃
〃The thirtieth； Friday；〃 he had said at once； expecting the question； adding seven days。
〃Who won the fifth race？〃
〃Butterscotch Lass；〃 he had said； caught off guard； astonished that Brian Kwok was still functioning so well and not at all certain if his own slight hesitation had been read for the lie it was。 〃Why？〃
〃Just wondered 。。。 just 。。。 Listen； Robert； this's a mistake。 You've got to help me。 Don't you s… 〃
On cue Roger Crosse had e in like the wrath of God。 〃Listen； spy； I want names and addresses of all your contacts right now。 Who's your controller？〃
Weakly Brian Kwok had stumbled to his feet。 〃Sir； it's all a mistake。 There's no controller and I'm no spy an… 〃
Crosse had suddenly shoved blowups of the photos in his face。 〃Then explain how you were photographed in Ning…tok in front of your family pharmacy with your mother Fang…ling Wu。 Explain how your real name's Chu…toy Wu； second son of these parents； Ting…top Wu and Fang…ling Wu 。。。〃
They had both seen the instant of shock on Brian Kwok's face。
〃Lies；〃 he had mumbled； 〃lies； I'm Brian Kar…shun Kwok and I'm … 〃
〃You're a liar！〃 Crosse had shouted。 〃We have witnesses！ We have evidence！ You are identified by your gan sun； Ah Tam！〃
Another gasp； covered almost brilliantly； then 〃I 。。。 I have no gan sun called Ah Tam。 I h… 〃
〃You'll spend the rest of your life in this cell unless you tell us everything。 I'll see you in a week。 You'd better answer everything truthfully or I'll put you in chains！ Robert！〃 Crosse had whirled on him。 〃You're forbidden to e here without permission！〃 Then he had stalked out of the cell。
In the silence Armstrong remembered how nauseated he had been； having seen the truth written on his friend's face。 He was too well trained an observer to be mistaken。 〃Christ； Brian；〃 he had said； continuing the game； hating his hypocrisy even so。 〃What possessed you to do it？〃
〃Do what？〃 Brian Kwok had said defiantly。 〃You can't cheat me … or trick me； Robert 。。。 It can't be seven days。 I'm innocent。〃
〃And the photos？〃
〃Fake 。。。 they're fake； dreamed up by Crosse。〃 Brian Kwok had held onto his arm； a desperate light behind his eyes； and whispered hoarsely； 〃I told you Crosse's the real mole。 He's the mole； Robert 。。。 he's a homo … he's trying to frame me an… 〃
On cue； the brittle； officious SI jailer jerked the cell door open。 〃Sorry； sir； but you've got to leave。〃
〃All right； but first give him some water。〃
〃No water's allowed！〃
〃Goddamn you； get him some water！〃
Reluctantly the jailer obeyed。 While they were momentarily alone； Armstrong had slipped the cigarettes under the mattress。 〃Brian； I'll do what I can 。。。〃 Then the jailer was back in the room with a battered cup。
〃That's all you can have！〃 he said angrily。 〃I want the cup back！〃
Thankfully Brian Kwok had gulped it and with it the drug。 Armstrong left。 The door slammed and the bolts shoved home。 Abruptly the lights went out； leaving Brian Kwok in darkness。 Ten minutes later Armstrong had gone back in with Dr。 Dorn。 And Crosse。 Brian Kwok was unconscious； deeply drugged again and dreaming fitfully。 〃Robert； you did very well；〃 Crosse had said softly。 〃Did you see the client's shock？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Good。 So did I。 No mistake about that； or his guilt。 Doctor； step up the sleep…wake…up every hour on the hour for the next twenty…four 。。。〃
〃Christ；〃 Armstrong burst out； 〃don't you th… 〃
〃Every hour on the hour； Doctor； provided he checks out medically … I don't want him harmed； just pliable … for the next twenty…four。 Robert； then you interrogate him again。 If that doesn't work； we put him into the Red Room。〃
Dr。 Dorn had flinched and Armstrong recalled how his heart had missed a beat。 〃No；〃 he said。
〃For chrissake； the client's guilty； Robert；〃 Crosse snarled； no longer playacting。 〃Guilty！ The client shopped Fong…fong and our lads and has done us God knows what damage。 We're under the gun。 The orders e from London！ Remember Metkin； our great missar catch from the Ivanov？ I've just heard the RAF transport's vanished。 It refueled in Bomba