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pened。 Sinders went in and Crosse began to follow。
〃It's for 1：00 p。m。； Mrs。 Gresserhoff。〃
At once Crosse stopped and bent down as though to tie his shoelace and Sinders； as efficiently and as casually； held the door。
〃Oh that's all right； madam； it's easy to mistake a time。 The table's booked in the tai…pan's name。 The Skyline at the Mandarin at 1：00 p。m。〃
Crosse got up。
〃All right？〃 Sinders asked。
〃Oh yes。〃 The doors closed on them。 Both smiled。
〃Everything es to him who waits；〃 Crosse said。
〃Yes。 We'll have fish and chips for dinner instead。〃
〃No。 You can have them for lunch。 We shouldn't eat at the Mandarin。 I suggest we just peg her secretly ourselves。 Meanwhile； I'll assign surveillance to find out where she's staying； eh？〃
〃Excellent。〃 Sinders's face hardened。 〃Gresserhoff； eh？ Hans Gresserhoff was the cover name of an East German spy we've been trying to catch for years。〃
〃Oh？〃 Crosse kept his interest off his face。
〃Yes。 He was partners with another right rotten bastard； a trained assassin。 One of his names was Viktor Grunwald； another Simeon Tzerak。 Gresserhoff； eh？〃 Sinders was silent a moment。 〃Roger； that publishing business； Dunross's threat。 That could be very dicey。〃
〃Can you read the code？〃
〃Good God； no。〃
〃What could it be？〃
〃Anything。 The pages are for me or the P。M。 so they're probably names and addresses of contacts。〃 Sinders added gravely； 〃I daren't trust them to cables； however coded。 I think I'd better return to London at once。〃
〃Today？〃
〃Tomorrow。 I should finish this business first and I'd very much like to identify this Mrs。 Gresserhoff。 Will Dunross do what he said？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
Sinders pulled at his eyebrows； his washed…out blue eyes even more colorless than usual。 〃What about the client？〃
〃I'd say 。。。〃 The elevator door opened。 They got out and walked across the foyer。 The uniformed doorman opened the door of Crosse's car for him。
Crosse cut into the snarled traffic； the harbor misted and the rain stopped for a moment。 〃I'd say one more session； then Armstrong can begin rebuilding。 Monday sunset is too fast but 。。。〃 He shrugged。 〃I wouldn't suggest any more of the Red Room。〃
〃No。 I agree； Roger。 Thank God the fellow's got a strong constitution。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I think Armstrong's ready to crack； poor fellow。〃
〃He can conduct one more。 Safely。〃
〃I hope so。 My God we've been very lucky。 Unbelievable！〃 The session； at 6：00 this morning； had brought forth nothing。 But just as they were about to quit； Armstrong's probing produced gold： at long last； the who and the why and the what of Professor Joseph Yu。 Of Cal Tech； Princeton； Stanford。 Rocket expert par excellence and NASA consultant。
〃When's he due in Hong Kong； Brian？〃 Armstrong had asked； the whole SI team in the control room breathless。
〃I 。。。 I don't 。。。 let me think； let me think 。。。 ah； I can't remember 。。。 ah yes； it； it's in a we 。。。 at the end of 。。。 of this month 。。。 what is this month？ I can't rem 。。。 remember 。。。 which day it is。 He was to arrive 。。。 and then go on。〃
〃Where from and where to？〃
〃Oh I don't know； oh no they didn't tell me 。。。 except 。。。 except someone said he 。。。 he was sailing in Guam on holiday from Hawaii and due here ten days 。。。 I think it's ten days after 。。。 after Race Day。〃
And when Crosse had called in Rosemont and told him … though not where the information had e from … the American was speechless and in panic。 At once he had ordered the Guam area scoured to prevent the defection。
〃I wonder if they'll catch him；〃 Crosse muttered。
〃Who？〃
〃Joseph Yu。〃
〃I jolly well hope so；〃 Sinders said。 〃Why the devil do these scientists defect？ Damnable！ The only good point is he'll launch China's rocketry into the stratosphere and send shivers of horror down all Soviet spines。 Bloody good if you ask me。 If those two fall out it could help us all immensely。〃 He eased more fortably in the seat of the car； his back aching。 〃Roger； I can't risk Dunross publishing those ciphers or keeping a copy。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He's too damned clever for his own boots is your tai…pan。 If it leaks that AMG sent us a ciphered message and if Dunross has the memory he's supposed to have； he's a marked man。 Eh？〃
〃Yes。〃
They reached the Skyline penthouse restaurant in good time。 Crosse was instantly recognized and at once a discreet table was empty at the bar。 As Sinders ordered a drink and more coffee Crosse phoned for two agents； one British and one Chinese。 They arrived very fast。
At a few minutes to one o'clock Dunross walked in and they watched him go to the best table； maitre d' in advance； waiters in tow； champagne already in a silver bucket；
〃The bugger's got everyone well trained； eh？〃
〃Wouldn't you？〃 Crosse said。 His eyes ranged the room； then stopped。 〃There's Rosemont！ Is that a coincidence？〃
〃What do you think？〃
〃Ah； look over there。 In the far corner。 That's Vincenzo Banastasio。 The Chinese he's with is Vee Cee Ng。 Perhaps that's who they're watching。〃
〃Perhaps。〃
〃Rosemont's clever；〃 Crosse said。 〃Bartlett went to see him too。 It could be Banastasio they're watching。〃 Armstrong had reported Bartlett's conversation about Banastasio to them。 Surveillance on the man had been increased。 〃By the way； I heard he's chartered a helicopter for Macao on Monday。〃
〃We should cancel that。〃
〃It's already done。 Engine trouble。〃
〃Good。 I suppose Bartlett reporting Banastasio rather clears him； what？〃
〃Perhaps。〃
〃I still think I'd better go Monday。 Yes。 Interesting； ah； that Dunross's receptionist had a date with the client。 Good God； there's a smasher；〃 Sinders said。
The girl was following the ma？tre d'。 Both men were taken by surprise when she stopped at the tai…pan's table； smiled； bowed and sat down。 〃Christ！ Mrs。 Gresserhoff's Chinese？〃 Sinders gasped。
Crosse was concentrating on their lips。 〃No Chinese'd bow like that。 She's Japanese。〃
〃How in the hell does she fit？〃
〃Perhaps there's more than one guest。 Per… oh Christ！〃
〃What？〃
〃They're not speaking English。 Must be Japanese。〃
〃Dunross speaks Jap？〃
Crosse looked at him。 〃Yes； Japanese。 And German； French； three dialects of Chinese and passable Italian。〃
Sinders stared back。 〃You needn't be so disapproving； Roger。 I lost a son on HMS Prince of Wales； my brother starved to death on the Burma Road； so don't give me any sanctimonious bullshit； though I still think she's a smasher。〃
〃At least that shows a certain amount of tolerance。〃 Crosse turned back to study Dunross and the girl。
〃Your war was in Europe； eh？〃
〃My war； Edward； is never ending。〃 Crosse smiled； liking the sound of that。 〃World War Two's ancient history。 Sorry about your kin but now Japan's not the enemy； they're our allies； the only real ones we've got in Asia。〃
For half an hour they waited。 He could not read their lips at all。
〃She must be Gresserhoff；〃 Sinders said。
Crosse nodded。 〃Then shall we go？ No point in waiting。 Shall we fish and chip？〃
They went out。 The British and Chinese SI agents stayed； waiting patiently； unable to overhear what was being said； envying Dunross； as many did in the room … because he was the tai…pan and because of her。
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