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In the bar on the top floor she ordered a martini and he a beer and when the drinks had been silently consumed； he ordered another round。 All the while their minds had been sifting； pitting facts against theories； changing the theories。
Bartlett shifted in his chair。 She looked across at him。 〃Ready for what I think？〃 she asked。
〃Sure； sure； Casey。 Go ahead。〃
〃There's always been a rumor he's Mafia or connected with Mafia and after our little talk I'd say that's a good bet。 Mafia jumps us to narcotics and all sorts of evil。 Theory： maybe it also jumps us somehow to the guns？〃
The tiny lines beside Bartlett's eyes crinkled。 〃I reached that too。 Next？〃
〃Fact： if Banastasio's scared of being bugged that jumps us to surveillance。 That means FBI。〃
〃Or CIA。〃
〃Or CIA。 Fact： if he's Mafia and if the CIA or FBI're involved； we're in a game we've no right to be in； with nowhere to go but down。 Now； as to what he wan… 〃 Casey stopped。 She gasped。
〃What？〃
〃I just 。。。 I just remembered Rosemont； you remember him from the party； Stanley Rosemont； the tall； good…looking； gray…haired man from the consulate？ We met on the ferry yesterday； yesterday afternoon。 By chance。 Maybe it's a coincidence； maybe not； but now that I think of it he brought up Banastasio； said his friend Ed someone； also at the consulate； knew him slightly … and when I said he was arriving today he was knocked for a loop；〃 She recapped her conversation。 〃I never thought much about it at the time 。。。 but the consulate and what he said adds up： CIA。〃
〃Got to be。 Sure。 And if 。。。〃 He stopped too。 〃e to think of it； Ian brought up Banastasio out of the blue too。 Tuesday； in the lobby when you were at the phone； just before we went to the gold vaults。〃
After a pause she said； 〃Maybe we're in real deep shit！ Fact： we got a murder； kidnapping； guns； Banastasio； Mafia； John Chen。 e to think of it； John Chen and Tsu…yan were very friendly with that bum。〃 Her eyes widened。 〃Banastasio and John Chen's killing。 Does that tie？ From what the papers've said； the Werewolves don't sound like Chinese … the ear bit。 That's； that's brutal。〃
Bartlett sipped his beer； lost in thought。 〃Gornt？ What about Gornt？ Why did Banastasio go for him and not Struan's？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Try this for size； Casey。 Say Banastasio's end play is guns； or narcotics； or both guns and narcotics。 Both panies would be good for him。 Struan's have ships and a huge plex at the airport that dominates inward and outward cargoes； great for smuggling。 Gornt has ships and wharfing too。 And Gornt's got All Asia Airways。 An in with Asia's major feeder airline would give him … them … what they need。 The airline goes to Bangkok； India； Vietnam； Cambodia； Japan … wherever！〃
〃And connects here with Pan…Am； TWA； JAL and all places east； west； north and south！ And if we help Gornt to smash Struan's； the two panies together give them everything。〃
〃So； back to the sixty…four…dollar question； what do we do？〃 Bartlett asked。
〃Couldn't we play a waiting game？ The Struan…Gornt contest will be solved next week at the latest。〃
〃For this skirmish； we need information … and the right counter…forces。 Different guns； big guns； guns we don't have。〃 He sipped his beer； even more thoughtful。 〃We'd better get some top…level advice。 And help。 Fast。 It's Armstrong and the English cops … or Rosemont and the CIA。〃
〃Or both？〃
〃Or both。〃
Dunross got out of the Daimler and hurried into police headquarters。 〃Evening； sir；〃 the young Australian duty inspector on the desk said。 〃Sorry you lost the fifth … I heard Bluey White was carpeted for interference。 Can't trust a bloody Aussie； eh？〃
Dunross smiled。 〃He won； Inspector。 The stewards ruled the race was won fair and square。 I've an appointment with Mr。 Crosse。〃
〃Yes sir； square but not fair dinkum。 Top floor； third on the left。 Good luck next Saturday； sir。〃
Crosse met him on the top floor。 〃Evening。 e on in。 Drink？〃
〃No thanks。 Good of you to see me at once。 Evening； Mr。 Sinders。〃 They shook hands。 Dunross had never been in Crosse's office before。 The walls seemed as drab as the man and when the door was shut on the three of them the atmosphere seemed to close in even more。
〃Please sit down；〃 Crosse said。 〃Pity about Noble Star … we were both on her。〃
〃She'll be worth another flutter on Saturday。〃
〃You're going to ride her？〃
〃Wouldn't you？〃
Both men smiled。
〃What can we do for you？〃 Crosse asked。
Dunross put his full attention on Sinders。 〃I can't give you new files … the impossible I can't do。 But I can give you something … I don't know what； yet； but I've just received a package from AMG。〃
Both men were startled。 Sinders said； 〃Hand…delivered？〃
Dunross hesitated。 〃Hand…delivered。 Now； please； no more questions till I've finished。〃
Sinders lit his pipe and chuckled。 〃Just like AMG to have a bolt…hole； Roger。 He always was clever； damn him。 Sorry； please go on。〃
〃The message from AMG said the information was of very special importance and to be passed on to the prime minister personally or the current head of MI…6； Edward Sinders； at my convenience … and if I considered it politic。〃 In the dead silence； Dunross took a deep breath。 〃Since you understand barter； I'll trade you … you directly； in secret； in the presence of the governor alone … whatever the hell 'it' is。 In return Brian Kwok is allowed out and over the border； if he wants to go； so we can deal with Tiptop。〃
The silence deepened。 Sinders puffed his pipe。 He glanced at Crosse。 〃Roger？〃
Roger Crosse was thinking about it … and what information was so special that it was for Sinders or the P。M。 only。 〃I think you could consider Ian's proposal；〃 he said smoothly。 〃At leisure。〃
〃No leisure；〃 Dunross said sharply。 〃The money's urgent； and the release is clearly considered urgent。 We can't delay past Monday at 10：00 a。m。 when the ban… 〃
〃Perhaps Tiptop and money don't e into the equation at all；〃 Sinders interrupted； his voice deliberately brittle。 〃It doesn't matter a jot or a tittle to SI or MI…6 if all Hong Kong rots。 Have you any idea the sort of value a senior superintendent in SI … especially a man with Brian Kwok's qualifications and experience … could have to the enemy； if in fact Brian Kwok is under arrest as you think and this Tiptop claims？ Have you also considered that such an enemy traitor's information to us about his contacts and them could be of great importance to the whole realm？ Eh？〃
〃Is that your answer？〃
〃Did Mrs。 Gresserhoff hand…deliver the package？〃
〃Are you prepared to barter？〃
Crosse said irritably； 〃Who's Gresserhoff？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Sinders told him。 〃Other than that she's the vanished recipient of the second phone call from AMG's assistant； Kiernan。 We're tracing her with the help of the Swiss police。〃 His mouth smiled at Dunross。 〃Mrs。 Gresserhoff delivered the package to you？〃
〃No；〃 Dunross said。 That's not a real lie； he assured himself。 It was Riko Anjin。
〃Who did？〃
〃I'm prepared to tell you that after we have concluded our deal。〃
〃No deal；〃 Crosse said。
Dunross began to get up。
〃Just a moment； Roger；〃 Sinders said and Dunross sat back。 The MI…6 man tapped the pip