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be enough to neutralize him … even make him an ally。 Of course I realize these papers and the others I have need further documentation to stick in a court of law but I have this already in abundance in a safe place。 。。。〃
Phillip Chen remembered how； panic…stricken； he had searched frantically for the further documentation； his mind shrieking that it was impossible for his son to have so much secret knowledge； impossible for him to have Struan's balance sheets of the prepublic days； impossible to know about Four Finger Wu and those secret things。
Oh gods that's almost everything I know … even Dianne doesn't know half of that！ What else does John know … what else has he told the American？
Beside himself with anxiety he had searched every envelope but there was nothing more。
〃He must have another box somewhere … or safe；〃 he had muttered aloud； hardly able to think。
Furiously he had scooped everything into his briefcase； hoping that a more careful examination would answer his questions … and slammed the box shut and locked it。 At a sudden thought； he had reopened it。 He had pulled the slim tray out and turned it upside down。 Taped to the underside were two keys。 One was a safety deposit box key with the number carefully filed off。 He stared at the other； paralyzed。 He recognized it at once。 It was the key to his own safe in his house on the crest。 He would have bet his life that the only key in existence was the one that he always wore around his neck； that had never been out of his possession … ever since his father had given it to him on his deathbed sixteen years ago。
〃Oh ko；〃 he said aloud； once more consumed with rage。
Dunross said； 〃You all right？ How about a brandy？〃
〃No； no thank you；〃 Phillip Chen said shakily； back in the present now。 With an effort he pulled his mind together and stared at the tai…pan； knowing he should tell him everything。 But he dare not。 He dare not until he knew the extent of the secrets stolen。 Even then he dare not。 Apart from many transactions the authorities could easily misconstrue； and others that could be highly embarrassing and lead to all sorts of court cases； civil if not criminal … stupid English law； he thought furiously； stupid to have one law for everyone； stupid not to have one law for the rich and another for the poor； why else work and slave and gamble and scheme to be rich … apart from all this he would still have had to admit to Dunross that he had been documenting Struan secrets for years； that his father had done so before him … balance sheets； stockholdings and other secret； very very private personal family things； smugglings and payoffs … and he knew it would be no good saying I did it just for protection； to protect the House； because the tai…pan would rightly say； yes but it was to protect the House of Chen and not the Noble House； and he would rightly turn on him； turn his full wrath on him and his brood； and in the holocaust of a fight against Struan's he was bound to lose … Dirk Struan's will had provided for that … and everything that almost a century and a half had built up would vanish。
Thank all gods that everything was not in the safe； he thought fervently。 Thank all gods the other things are buried deep。
Then； suddenly； some words from his son's first letter ripped to the forefront of his mind； 〃。。。 Add to these photocopies the other thing I told you about 。。。〃
He paled and staggered to his feet。 〃If you'll excuse me； tai…pan 。。。 I； er； I'll say good night。 I'll just fetch Dianne and I 。。。 I'll 。。。 thank you； good night。〃 He hurried off toward the house。
Dunross stared after him； shocked。
〃Oh； Casey；〃 Penelope was saying； 〃may I introduce Kathren Gavallan … Kathren's Ian's sister。〃
〃Hi！〃 Casey smiled at her； liking her at once。 They were in one of the antechambers on the ground floor among other ladies who were talking or fixing their makeup or standing in line； waiting their turn to visit the adjoining powder room。 The room was large； fortable and mirrored。 〃You both have the same eyes … I'd recognize the resemblance anywhere；〃 she said。 〃He's quite a man； isn't he？〃
〃We think so；〃 Kathren replied with a ready smile。 She was thirty…eight； attractive； her Scots accent pleasing； her flowered silk dress long and cool。 〃This water shortage's a bore； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Must be very difficult with children。〃
〃No； chérie； the children； they just love it；〃 Susanne deVille called out。 She was in her late forties； chic； her French accent slight。 〃How can you insist they bathe every night？〃
〃My two are the same。〃 Kathren smiled。 〃It bothers us parents； but it doesn't seem to bother them。 It's a bore though； trying to run a house。〃
Penelope said； 〃God； I hate it！ This summer's been ghastly。 You're lucky tonight； usually we'd be dripping！〃 She was checking her makeup in the mirror。 〃I can't wait till next month。 Kathren； did I tell you we're going home for a couple of weeks leave … at least I am。 Ian's promised to e too but you never know with him。〃
〃He needs a holiday；〃 Kathren said and Casey noticed shadows in her eyes and care rings under her makeup。 〃Are you going to Ayr？〃
〃Yes； and London for a week。〃
〃Lucky you。 How long are you staying in Hong Kong； Casey？〃
〃I don't know。 It all depends on what Par…Con does。〃
〃Yes。 Andrew said you had a meeting all day with them。〃
〃I don't think they went much for having to talk business with a woman。〃
〃That is the understatement；〃 Susanne deVille said with a laugh； lifting her skirts to pull down her blouse。 〃Of course my Jacques is half French so he understands that women are in the business。 But the English 。。。〃 Her eyebrows soared。
〃The tai…pan didn't seem to mind；〃 Casey said； 〃but then I haven't had any real dealings with him yet。〃
〃But you have with Quillan Gornt；〃 Kathren said； and Casey； very much on guard even in the privacy of the ladies' room； heard the undercurrent in her voice。
〃No；〃 she replied。 〃I haven't … not before tonight … but my boss has。〃
Just before dinner she had had time to tell Bartlett the story of Gornt's father and Colin Dunross。
〃Jesus！ No wonder Adryon went cross…eyed！〃 Bartlett had said。 〃And in the billiard room too。〃 He had thought a moment then he had shrugged。 〃But all that means is that this puts more pressure on Dunross。〃
〃Maybe。 But their enmity goes deeper than anything I've experienced； Linc。 It could easily backfire。〃
〃I don't see how … yet。 Gornt was just opening up a flank like a good general should。 If we hadn't had John Chen's advance information； what Gornt said could've been vital to us。 Gornt's got no way of knowing we're ahead of him。 So he's stepping up the tempo。 We haven't even got our big guns out yet and they're both wooing us already。〃
〃Have you decided yet which one to go with？〃
〃No。 What's your hunch？〃
〃I haven't got one。 Yet。 They're both formidable。 Linc； do you think John Chen was kidnapped because he was feeding us information？〃
〃I don't know。 Why？〃
〃Before Gornt arrived I was intercepted by Superintendent Armstrong。 He questioned me about what John Chen had said last night； what we'd talked about； exactly what was said。 I told him everything I could remember … except I never mentioned I was to take delivery of 'it。' Since I still don't know what 'it' is。〃
〃It's nothing illegal； Casey。〃
〃I don't like not knowing。 Not now。 It's getting 。。。 I'm getting out of my depth； the guns； this brutal kidnapping and the police so insistent。〃
〃It's nothing illegal。 Leave it at that。 Did Armstrong say there was a connection？〃
〃He volunteered nothing。 He's a strong； silent English gentleman police officer and as smart and well trained as anything I've seen in the movies。 I'm sure he was sure I was hiding something。〃 She hesitated。 〃Linc； what's John Chen got that's so important to us？〃
She remembered how he had studied her； his eyes deep and blue and quizzical and laughing。
〃A coin；〃 he had said calmly。
〃What？〃 she had asked； astounded。
〃Yes。 Actually half a coin。〃
〃But Linc； what's a coi… 〃
〃That's all I'm telling you now； Casey； but you tell me does Armstrong figure there's some connection between Chen's kidnapping and the guns？〃
〃I don't know。〃 She had shrugged。 〃I don't think so； Linc。 I couldn't even give you odds。 He's too cagey that one。〃 Again she had hesitated。 〃Linc； have you made a deal； any deal with Gornt？〃
〃No。 Nothing firm。 Gornt just wants Struan out and wants to join with us to smash them。 I said we'd discuss it Tuesday。 Over dinner。〃
〃What're you going to tell the tai…pan after dinner？〃
〃Depends on his questions。 He'll know it's good strategy to probe enemy defenses。〃
Casey had begun to wonder who's the enemy； feeling very alien even here among all the other ladies。 She had felt only hostility except from these two； Penelope and Kathren Gavallan … and a woman she had met earlier in the line for the toilet。
〃Hello；〃 the woman had said softly。 〃I hear you're a stranger here too。〃
〃Yes； yes I am；〃 Casey had said； awed by her beauty。
〃I'm Fleur Marlowe。 Peter Marlowe's my husband。 He's a writer。 I think you look super！〃
〃Thanks。 So do you。 Have you just arrived too？〃
〃No。 We've been here for three months and two days but this is the first really English party we've been to；〃 Fleur said； her English not as clipped as the others。 〃Most of the time we're with Chinese or by ourselves。 We've a flat in the Old V and A annex。 God；〃 she added； looking at the toilet door ahead。 〃I wish she'd hurry up … my back teeth are floating。〃
〃We're staying at the V and A too。〃
〃Yes； I know。 You two are rather famous。〃 Fleur Marlowe laughed。
〃Infamous！ I didn't know they had apartments there。〃
〃They're not； really。 Just two tiny bedrooms and a sitting room。 The kitchen's a cupboard。 Still； it's home。 We've got a bath； running water； and the loos flush。〃 Fleur Marlowe had big gray eyes that tilted pleasingly and long fair hair and Casey thought she was about her age。
〃Your husband's a journalist？〃
〃Author。 Just one book。 He mostly writes and directs films in Hollywood。 That's what pays the rent。〃
〃Why're you with Chinese？〃
〃Oh； Peter's interested in them。〃 Fleur Marlowe had smiled and whispered conspiratorially； looking around at the rest of the women； 〃They're rather overpowering aren't they … more English than the English。 The old school tie and all that balls。〃
Casey frowned。 〃But you're English too。〃
〃Yes and no。 I'm English but I e from Vancouver； B。C。 We live in the States； Peter and I and the kids； in good old Hollywood； California。 I really don't know what I am； half of one； half of the other。〃
〃We live in L。A。 too； Linc and I。〃
〃I think he's smashing。 You're lucky。〃
〃How old are your kids？〃
〃Four and eight … thank God we're not water rationed yet。〃
〃How do you like Hong Kong？〃
〃It's fascinating； Casey。 Peter's researching a book here so it's marvelous for him。 My God； if half the legends are true 。。。 the Struans and Dunrosses and all the others； and your Quillan Gornt。〃
〃He's not mine。 I just met him this evening。〃
〃You created a minor earthquake by walking across the room with him。〃 Fleur laughed。 〃If you're going to stay here； talk to Peter； he'll fill you in on all sorts of scandals。〃 She nodded at Dianne Chen who was powdering her nose at one of the mirrors。 〃That's John Chen's stepmother； Phillip Chen's wife。 She's wife number two … his first wife died。 She's Eurasian and hated by almost everyone； but she's one of the kindest persons I've ever known。〃
〃Why's she hated？〃
〃They're jealous； most of them。 After all； she's wife of the pradore of the Noble House。 We met her early on and she was terrific to me。 It's 。。。 it's difficult living in Hong Kong for a woman； particularly an outsider。 Don't really know why but she treated me like family。 She's been grand。〃
〃She's Eurasian？ She looks Chinese。〃
〃Sometimes it's hard to tell。 Her maiden name's T'Chung； so Peter says； her mother's Sung。 The T'Chungs e from one of Dirk Struan's mistresses and the Sung line's equally illegitimate from the famous painter； Aristotle Quance。 Have you heard of him？〃
〃Oh yes。〃
〃Lots of； er； our best Hong Kong families are； well； old Aristotle spawned four branches 。。。〃
At that moment the