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ll be for someone else； remembering the last time the phone had rung； two days ago。 For Jacques。 Then another time last month； for Gavallan； his mother was dying。 They had all had calls； over the years。 All bad。
Andrew Gavallan was sure the call was for him。 His wife； Kathren； Dunross's sister； was at the hospital for the results of exhaustive tests … she had been sick for weeks for no apparent reason。 Jesus Christ； he thought； get hold of yourself； conscious of others watching him。
〃Weyyyy？〃 Lim listened a moment。 He turned and offered the phone。 〃It's for you； tai…pan。〃
The others breathed again and watched Dunross。 His walk was tall。 〃Hello？ 。。。 Oh hel… What？ 。。。。 No 。。。 no； I'll be right there。 。。。 No； don't do anything； I'll be right there。〃 They saw his shock as he replaced the phone in the dead silence。 After a pause he said； 〃Andrew； tell Claudia to postpone my afternoon board meetings。 You and Jacques continue with Casey。 That was Phillip。 I'm afraid poor John Chen's been kidnapped。〃 He left。
8
2：35 P。M。：
Dunross got out of his car and hurried through the open door of the vast； Chinese…style mansion that was set high on the mountain crest called Struan's Lookout。 He passed a glazed servant who closed the door after him； and went into the living room。 The living room was Victorian and gaudy and overstuffed with bric…a…brac and ill…matched furniture。
〃Hello； Phillip；〃 he said。 〃I'm so sorry。 Poor John！ Where's the letter？〃
〃Here。〃 Phillip picked it up from the sofa as he got up。 〃But first look at that。〃 He pointed at a crumpled cardboard shoebox on a marble table beside the fireplace。
As Dunross crossed the room he noticed Dianne； Phillip Chen's wife； sitting in a high…backed chair in a far corner。 〃Oh； hello； Dianne； sorry about this；〃 he said again。
She shrugged impassively。 〃Joss； tai…pan。〃 She was fifty…two； Eurasian； Phillip Chen's second wife； an attractive； bejeweled matron who wore a dark brown chong…sam； a priceless jade bead necklace and a four…carat diamond ring … amid many other rings。 〃Yes； joss；〃 she repeated。
Dunross nodded； disliking her a little more than usual。 He peered down at the contents of the box without touching them。 Among loose； crumpled newspaper he saw a fountain pen that he recognized as John Chen's； a driving license； some keys on a key ring； a letter addressed to John Chen； 14A Sinclair Towers； and a small plastic bag with a piece of cloth half…stuffed into it。 With a pen that he took out of his pocket he flipped open the cover of the driving license。 John Chen。
〃Open the plastic bag；〃 Phillip said。
〃No。 I might mess up any fingerprints that're on it；〃 Dunross said； feeling stupid but saying it anyway。
〃Oh… I'd forgotten about that。 Damn。 Of course； fingerprints！ Mine are 。。。 I opened it of course。 Mine must be all over it … all over everything。〃
〃What's in it？〃
〃It's… 〃 Phillip Chen came over and before Dunross could stop him pulled the cloth out of the plastic； without touching the plastic again。 〃You can't have fingerprints on cloth； can you？ Look！〃 The cloth contained most of a severed human ear； the cut clean and sharp and not jagged。
Dunross cursed softly。 〃How did the box arrive？〃 he asked。
〃It was hand delivered。〃 Phillip Chen shakily rewrapped the ear and put it back in the box。 〃I just 。。。 I just opened the parcel as anyone would。 It was hand delivered half an hour or so ago。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃We don't know。 He was just a youth； the servant said。 A youth on a motor scooter。 She didn't recognize him or take any number。 We get lots of parcels delivered。 It was nothing out of the ordinary … except the 'Mr。 Phillip Chen； a matter of great importance； to open personally；' on the outside of the package； which she didn't notice at once。 By the time I'd opened it and read the letter 。。。 it was just a youth who said； 'Parcel for Mr。 Phillip Chen；' and went away。〃
〃Have you called the police？〃
〃No； tai…pan； you said to do nothing。〃
Dunross went to the phone。 〃Have you got hold of John's wife yet？〃
Dianne said at once； 〃Why should Phillip bear bad tidings to her？ She'll throw a temperament that will raise the roof tiles never mind。 Call Barbara？ Oh dear no； tai…pan； not 。。。 not until we've informed the police。 They should tell her。 They know how to do these things。〃
Dunross's disgust increased。 〃You'd better get her here quickly。〃 He dialed police headquarters and asked for Armstrong。 He was not available。 Dunross left his name then asked for Brian Kwok。
〃Yes tai…pan？〃
〃Brian； can you e over here right away？ I'm at Phillip Chen's house up on Struan's Lookout。 John Chen's been kidnapped。〃 He told him about the contents of the box。
There was a shocked silence； then Brian Kwok said； 〃I'll be there right away。 Don't touch anything and don't let him talk to anyone。〃
〃All right。〃
Dunross put the phone down。 〃Now give me the letter； Phillip。〃 He handled it carefully； holding it by the edges。 The Chinese characters were clearly written but not by a well…educated person。 He read it slowly； knowing most of the characters：
Mr。 Phillip Chen； I beg to inform you that I am badly in need of 500；000 Hong Kong currency and I hereby consult you about it。 You are so wealthy that this is like plucking one hair from nine oxen。 Being afraid that you might refuse I therefore have no alternative but to hold your son hostage。 By doing so there is not a fear of your refusal。 I hope you will think it over carefully thrice and take it into serious consideration。 It is up to you whether you report to the police or not。 I send herewith some articles which your son uses every day as proof of the situation your son is in。 Also sent is a little bit of your son's ear。 You should realize the mercilessness and cruelty of my actions。 If you smoothly pay the money the safety of your son will be ensured。 Written by the Werewolf。
Dunross motioned at the box。 〃Sorry； but do you recognize the； er 。。。 that？〃
Phillip Chen laughed nervously and so did his wife。 〃Do you； Ian？ You've known John all your life。 That's 。。。 how does one recognize something like that； heya？〃
〃Does anyone else know about this？〃
〃No； except the servants of course； and Shitee T'Chung and some friends who were lunching with me here。 They 。。。 they were here when the parcel arrived。 They； yes； they were here。 They left just before you arrived。〃
Dianne Chen shifted in her chair and said what Dunross was thinking。 〃So of course it will be all over Hong Kong by evening！〃
〃Yes。 And banner headlines by dawn。〃 Dunross tried to collate the multitude of questions and answers flooding his mind。 〃The press'll pick up about the； er； ear and the 'Werewolf' and make it a field day。〃
〃Yes。 Yes they will。〃 Phillip Chen remembered what Shitee T'Chung had said the moment they had all read the letter。 〃Don't pay the ransom for at least a week； Phillip old friend； and you'll be world famous！ Ayeeyah； fancy； a piece of his ear and Werewolf！ Eeeee； you'll be world famous！〃
〃Perhaps it's not his ear at all and a trick；〃 Phillip Chen said hopefully。
〃Yes。〃 If it is John's ear； Dunross thought； greatly perturbed； and if they've sent it on the first day before a