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y for immediate possession could not get through his rough manner。 So they had left。
The rotten dogmeat foreign devil slave； she thought disgustedly。 Nothing will be left after the dance hall collects their debts。 Nothing。 Ayeeyah！
But never mind； she told herself as she lay down in the bath with glorious contentment。 Never mind； the secret of the letters will be worth a fortune to Noble House Chen。
And Noble House Chen has more red notes than a cat has hairs。
Casey was curled up in the window of her bedroom； the lights out except for a small reading lamp over the bed。 She was staring gloomily down at the street five stories below。 Even this late； almost 1：30 a。m。； the street was still snarled with traffic。 The sky was low and misty； no moon； making the lights from the huge neon signs and columns of Chinese characters more dazzling； reds and blues and greens that reflected in the puddles and turned ugliness into fairyland。 The window was open； the air cool and she could see couples darting between buses and trucks and taxis。 Many of the couples were heading for the foyer of the new Royal Netherlands Hotel and a late…night snack at the European coffee shop where she had had a nightcap coffee with Captain Jannelli； their pilot。
Everyone eats so much here； she thought idly。 Jesus； and so many people here； so much work to provide； so few jobs； so few at the top； one at the top of each pile； always a man； everyone struggling to get there； to stay there 。。。 but for what？ The new car the new house the new ensemble the new refrigerator the new gimmick or whatever。
Life's one long bill。 Never enough of the green stuff to cope with the everyday bills let alone a private yacht or private condo on the shores of Acapulco or the C？te d'Azur； and the means to get there … even tourist。
I hate going tourist。 First's worth it； worth it to me。 Private jet's better； much better but I won't think about Linc。 。。。
She had taken Seymour Steigler to dinner upstairs and they had settled all the business problems； most of them legal problems he kept bringing up。
〃We gotta make it watertight。 Can't be too cautious with foreigners； Casey；〃 he kept on saying。 〃They don't play the game according to good old Yankee rules。〃
As soon as dinner was finished she had feigned a load of work and left him。 Her work was all done so she curled up in a chair and began to read； speed…read。 Fortune； Business Week； The Wall Street Journal and several specialized business magazines。 Then she had studied another Cantonese lesson； leaving the book till last。 The book was Peter Marlowe's novel； Changi。 She had found the dog…eared paperback in one of the dozens of street bookstalls in an alley just north of the hotel yesterday morning。 It had given her great pleasure bargaining for it。 The first asking price was 22 HK。 Casey had bargained her down to 7。55 HK； barely 1。50 U。S。 Delighted with herself and with her find she had continued window…shopping。 Nearby was a modern bookshop； the windows stuffed with picture books on Hong Kong and China。 Inside on a rack were three more paperbacks of Changi。 New； they cost 5。75 HK。
At once Casey had cursed the old woman street seller for cheating her。 But then the old hag wasn't cheating you at all； she had reminded herself。 She outtraded you。 After all； only a moment ago you were chortling because you'd trimmed her profit to nothing and God knows these people need profit。
Casey watched the street and the traffic on Nathan Road below。 This morning she had walked up Nathan Road to Boundary Road； a mile and a half or so。 It was on her list of things to see。 It was a road like any other； snarled； busy； gaudy with street signs； except that everything north of Boundary Road to the border would revert to China in 1997。 Everything。 In 1898 the British had taken a ninety…nine…year lease on the land that extended from Boundary Road to the Sham Chun River where the new border was to be； along with a number of nearby islands。 〃Wasn't that stupid； Peter？〃 she had asked Marlowe； meeting him by chance in the hotel foyer at teatime。
〃Now it is；〃 he said thoughtfully。 〃Then？ Well； who knows？ It must have been sensible then or they wouldn't have done it。〃
〃Yes； but God； Peter； ninety…nine years is so short。 What possessed them to make it so short？ Their heads must've been 。。。 must've been elsewhere！〃
〃Yes。 You'd think so。 Now。 But in those days when all the British prime minister had to do was belch to send a shock wave around the world？ World power makes the difference。 In those days the British Lion was still the Lion。 What's a small piece of land to the owners of a quarter of the earth？〃 She remembered how he had smiled。 〃Even so； in the New Territories there was armed opposition from the locals。 Of course it fizzled。 The then governor； Sir Henry Blake； took care of it。 He didn't war on them； just talked to them。 Eventually the village elders agreed to turn the other cheek； providing their laws and customs remained in effect； providing they could be tried under Chinese law if they wished and that Kowloon City remained Chinese。〃
〃The locals here are still tried under Chinese law？〃
〃Yes； historic law … not PRC law … so you have to have British magistrates skilled in Confucian law。 It's really quite different。 For instance； Chinese law presumes that all witnesses will naturally lie； that it's their duty to lie and cover up； and it's up to the magistrate to find out the truth。 He has to be a son of legal Charlie Chan。 Civilized people don't go in for swearing to tell the truth； all that sort of barbarism … they consider us mad to do that； and I'm not sure they're wrong。 They've all kinds of crazy or sensible customs； depending how you look at it。 Did you know it's quite legal here； throughout the Colony； to have more than one wife … if you're Chinese。〃
〃Bully for them！〃
〃Having more than one wife really does have certain advantages。〃
〃Now listen； Peter；〃 she had begun hotly； then realized he was merely teasing her。 〃You don't need more than one。 You've got Fleur。 How are you both doing？ How's the research？ Would she like lunch tomorrow if you're busy？〃
〃Sorry to say but she's in the hospital。〃
〃Oh God； what's the matter？〃
He had told her about this morning and Doc Tooley。 〃I've just seen her。 She's 。。。 she's not too good。〃
〃Oh I am sorry。 Is there anything I can do？〃
〃No thanks。 I don't think so。〃
〃Just ask if there is。 Okay？〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃Linc was right to jump into the water with her； Peter。 Honestly。〃
〃Oh of course； Casey。 Please don't think for a moment 。。。 Linc did what I 。。。 he did it better than I could。 You too。 And I think you both saved that other girl from lots of trouble。 Orlanda； Orlanda Ramos。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She should thank you forever。 Both of you。 She was panicked … I've seen too much of it not to know。 Smashing…looking bird； isn't she？〃
〃Yes。 How's the research ing？〃
〃Fine； thanks。〃
〃Sometime I'd like to swap impressions。 Hey； by the way； I found your book … I bought it … haven't read it yet but it's on top of the pile。〃
〃Oh！〃 Casey remembered how he had tried to sound offhand。 〃Oh。 I hope you like it。 Well； I've got to be off； it's the kids' teatime too。〃
〃Remember； Peter； if there's anything； just call me。 Thanks for tea； and say hi to Fleur 。。。 。〃
Casey stretched； an ache now in her back。 She got off her perch and went back to bed。 Her room was small and did not have the elegance of their suite … his suite now。 He had decided to keep the second bedroom。 〃We can always use it as an office；〃 he had said to her； 〃or keep it as a spare。 Don't worry； Casey； it's all tax deductible and you never know when we might need a spare。〃
Orlanda？ No； she wouldn't need that bed！
Casey； she ordered herself； don't be bitchy； or stupid。 Or jealous。 You've never been jealous； so jealous before。 You set the rules。 Yes； but I'm glad I moved out。 That other night was tough； tough on Linc and tough on me； worse for him。 Orlanda will be good for him 。。。 oh shit on Orlanda。
Her mouth felt dry。 She went to the refrigerator and got a bottle of iced Perrier and the nice tang of it made her feel better。 I wonder how the earth makes those bubbles； she thought idly； getting onto the bed。 Earlier； she had tried to sleep but her mind was jumbled and would not stop working； too much of the new … new foods； new smells； air； mores； threats； people； customs； cultures。 Dunross。 Gornt。 Dunross and Gornt。 Dunross and Gornt and Linc。 A new Linc。 A new you； frightened of a pretty piece of ass 。。。 yes； ass if you want to be vulgar and that's new for you too。 Before you came here you were assured； dynamic； in charge of your world； and now you're not。 All over her； not just over her； over that bitch Lady Joanna too with her so upper…class English accent； 〃Don't you remember； dear； it's our Over Thirty Club Lunch today。 I mentioned it at the tai…pan's dinner。 。。。〃
Goddamn old bitch。 Over thirty！ I'm not even twenty…seven！
That's right； Casey。 But you are all riled up like a mashed cat and it's not just her or Orlanda； it's also Linc and the hundreds of available girls you've already seen and you haven't even looked in the dance halls and bars and houses where they specialize。 Didn't Jannelli wind you up too？
〃Jesus； Casey；〃 he had said with a great beam； 〃it's like being back on R and R in my Korean days。 It's still only 20 bucks and you're the top banana！〃
That evening around ten； Jannelli had called to ask if she'd like to join him and the rest of the crew at the Royal Netherlands for a night snack。 Her heart had turned over when the phone rang； thinking it was Linc； and when she had found it wasn't she had pretended that she still had lots to do but had gratefully allowed herself to be persuaded。 Once there she had had a double order of scrambled eggs and bacon and toast and coffee that she knew she did not want。
As a protest。 A protest against Asia； Hong Kong； Joanna and Orlanda； and oh Jesus I wish I'd never got interested in Asia； never suggested to Linc we should go international。
Why did you？
Because it's the only way for U。S。 business to go … the only way … the only way for Par…Con。 Export。 Multinational but export。 And Asia's the biggest； most teeming untapped marketplace on earth and this is the century for Asia。 Yes。 And the Dunrosses and Gornts've got it made … if they go with us … 'cause we've the greatest market in the world to back us； all the cash； technology； growth and expertise to do it。
But why did you go for Hong Kong so hot and heavy？
To get my drop dead money and to fill the time between now and my birthday … the end of the seventh year。
The rate you're going； she told herself； soon you'll have no job； no future； no Linc to say yes or no to。 A sigh took her。 Earlier； she had gone to the master suite and had left Bartlett a batch of telexes and letters to sign with a 〃hope you had a good time〃 note。 When she had e back from her night snack she had gone there again and taken back everything she had left him。 〃It's Orlanda that's really got you going。 Don't fool yourself；〃 she said out loud。
Never mind； tomorrow's another day。 You can dump Orlanda easy； she told herself grimly； and now； having zeroed in on her enemy she felt better。
Peter Marlowe's dog…eared paperback caught her eye。 She picked it up； plumped the pillows more fortably and began to read。 The pages slid by。 Abruptly the phone went。 She had been so engrossed she jumped and a sudden； vast happiness flooded her。 〃Hi； Linc； did you have a good time？〃
〃Casey； it's me； Peter Marlowe； I'm terribly sorry to call so late but I checked and your room boy said your light was still on。 。。。 I hope I didn't wake you？〃
〃Oh； oh no Peter。〃 Casey felt sick with disappointment。 〃What's up？〃
〃Sorry to call so late but there's a slight emergency； I've got to go to the hospital and I've 。。。 you said to call。 I ho… 〃
〃What is it？〃 Casey was pletely zeroed in now。
〃I don't know。 They just asked if I'd e at once。 The reason I called was about the kids。 There'll be a room boy looking in every so often but I wanted to leave a note for them with your number in case they wake up； just in case they wake up； a friendly face to call so to speak。 When we all met yesterday in the foyer； they