A Lotus For Miss Quon Part 4

One of the peasants pulled the pin from a grenade and was about to lob the grenade at the car when his companion grabbed his arm.

Unfortunately for them both, the one who had caught hold of the other was a slave to orders. He had been told to kill the three policemen but to avoid hurting anyone else. His instinctive reaction was to stop the other from throwing the grenade. His panic-stricken jerk on the otheras arm caused the grenade to drop from his hand into the ditch where it exploded, riddling the two men with shrapnel and killing them.

Shrapnel flew over the top of the Chrysler and Jaffe ducked. He heard a soft moaning sound close to him and cursing, he swung his gun around only to remember that Nhan was by his side and it must be she who was moaning.

aShut up!a he snarled at her. aThere may be more of them out there!a He waited for five painful minutes, then seeing and hearing nothing, he cautiously opened the car door and slid out onto the ground. He listened for several moments, then decided the danger was over and stood up surveying the scene.

He picked up the torch that was still alight and lying by the dead policeman and moving cautiously, he walked down the road until he came upon the two dead peasants. He made sure they were dead, then he came back.

aItas all right,a he said shakily. aYou can come out,a and he opened the off-side door and helped Nhan on to the road. He had to support her. She leaned heavily against him and she was s.h.i.+vering with terror. aOkay, okay,a he said impatiently. aItas all right. Pull yourself together. Weave got to get out of here.a But her legs werenat able to support her, and when he released her, she slumped in the road.

Leaving her, Jaffe went over to the Chrysler and inspected the damage. When he saw the condition of the back tyres, he realized so far as he was concerned, the car was a complete write-off, and he cursed.

He was seventeen kilometres from Thudaumot and was now without transport. Although his head had stopped bleeding, it ached violently. He was badly shaken and shocked by the force of the exploding grenades. The thought of having to walk that distance made his heart sink.

But he knew they would have to leave immediately. Any moment someone might arrive to investigate. The sounds of the exploding grenades would have carried far in the quiet stillness of the night.

He went back to where Nhan was sitting in the road, holding her head between her hands, whimpering. He squatted down beside her.

aThe caras out of action,a he said. aWeall have to walk. Come on, Nhan, pull yourself together. Weave got to get going. Someone may come along any moment.a He put his hand under her arm and hoisted her to her feet. She leaned against him, trembling.

aItall take us the best part of three hours to get to your grandfather,a he went on.

aThere will be bicycles at the post,a she said, her voice quavering.

He stared at her: wondering why he hadnat thought of that.

aDo you think so? Iall see.a He hurried over to the shattered police post. At the back he found three bicycles, lying in the long gra.s.s. He wheeled two of them onto the road. aThat was a brainwave of yours. Theyall save us a h.e.l.l of a walk. Do you feel like riding or would you like me to take you on the bar?a Moving shakily, she came over to him and took one of the machines.

aIam all right.a He felt a surge of love for her run through him. He thought: d.a.m.n it! Sheas got guts! Iam a lucky sonofab.i.t.c.h to have her with me!a aWell, letas go,a he said, and collecting his holdall from the car, he swung his leg over the cycle.

He watched her mount her cycle, expecting her to fall off, but although she wobbled perilously for the first six or seven yards, she got the machine under control and seemed fairly steady.

He caught up with her and together they began to pedal down the road to Thudaumot.

aIf we see any car coming,a he said to her, awe get off at once and lie in the ditch.a She didnat say anything. He could see by her strained expression, it was as much as she could do to ride the machine.

As they rode along, he switched his mind from her to his own problems, He thought: Iam making a bad start. When Sam finds his caras missing, heall charge around to my place. He said he wanted it by seven a.m. When he finds Iam not there at that hour, heall imagine Iave had an accident. Heall go to the police and tell them I borrowed the car to go to the airport, but will he tell them I was with a girl?

He glanced at Nhan who was pedalling away, the split sheath of her tunic floating behind her.

The chances are, he went on thinking, the police will find the car before Sam knows itas missing. Theyall get onto the Emba.s.sy. h.e.l.l! This is really going to start something. The Emba.s.sy will try to find Sam. Theyall jump to the conclusion it was Sam driving the car. When he does turn up, maybe heall have to tell the police he spent the night with that Chinese girl. Heall love that! How heall curse me!

Then with a slight pang of regret, he realized it now didnat matter what Sam would think of him. He would probably never see Sam again if he had any luck. Then he had another thought that excited him.

When itas known I was in the car and the caras found, he reasoned, theyall all jump to the conclusion Iave been kidnapped by the Viet Minh. Itas the most obvious conclusion they could jump to.

He remembered two American tourists, some months ago, who had driven to Angkor and had never been heard of since. Their car had been found, but there had been no trace of them. The Vietnamese authorities had said they had been kidnapped by Viet Minh bandits and had regretfully told the Emba.s.sy there was nothing they could do about it.

Jaffe suddenly felt much more cheerful. This could mean the hunt for him would be very half-hearted. Once the Vietnam police had convinced themselves he was in the hands of the Viet Minh, they werenat likely to exert themselves, looking for him. They would put on a face-saving show for the benefit of the American Emba.s.sy, but it wouldnat last long. For the first time since he had found the diamonds, he felt quite light-hearted.

chapter five.

I.

Ann Fai Wah woke with a start and sat up abruptly in bed. She could hear the front doorbell ringing loudly and persistently.

She groped for the switch of the bedside lamp and turned on the light, looking at the travelling clock under the lamp as she did so. The time was twenty minutes to five.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened in alarm and she shook the fat sleeping form of Sam Wade, digging her long fingernails into the flesh of his arm.

Wade cursed sleepily, then raised his head and blinked at her.

aWhatas the matter? What the h.e.l.l . . .?a Then he too heard the continuous ringing of the bell and he sat up, his mind suddenly awake and alarmed.

aWhatas that?a aSomeone is ringing the front doorbell,a Ann Fai Wah said.

aThatas nothing to do with me,a Wade said, but the persistent and continuous sound of the bell was alarming him. Had this girl a lover or a husband? Was this the first move of the Badger game? He cursed himself for having spent the night with her. It had been a d.a.m.n flop anyway: she had been as pa.s.sionate and as active as a sack of rice. aWhatas the time?a Ann Fai Wah told him as she slipped out of bed. She looked deceptively beautiful in her nakedness, but Wade was far too alarmed even to look at her.

aIt will wake up the whole block,a she said as she put on a silk wrap. aPlease come with me.a aTo h.e.l.l with that,a Wade said. aYou stay right where you are!a But she had already crossed the room and, after a momentas hesitation, she disappeared into the sitting room.

Cursing, Wade scrambled out of bed and got into his trousers. He looked around wildly for something he could use for a weapon, but found nothing substantial enough. He was pulling on his s.h.i.+rt when the bell abruptly ceased ringing.

Tucking in his s.h.i.+rttails, he tiptoed to the bedroom door to listen.

He could hear a manas voice, then Ann Fai Wah said something, and there was a long pause.

Judas Priest! he thought, sheas let the punk in!

He was dragging his shoes on as the bedroom door pushed open and Ann Fai Wah came in. Her face was frozen into an expression of such fury that Wade quailed.

aWhat is it?a he said thickly, backing away from her.

aItas the police!a she hissed at him and for a moment he thought she was going to scratch his eyes out. aThey want you!a He couldnat believe he had heard aright.

aThe police?a he stammered, turning hot, then cold. aMe?a With a furious gesture, she waved him to the door.

aGet out of here!a The police! he thought. They canat pinch me for sleeping with a c.h.i.n.k, can they? I must have been out of my mind to have come here! Thereall be an awful stink!

He went past her into the sitting room and she slammed the door after him. He expected to find the room full of white-uniformed policemen, but the one small man who was standing apologetically in the middle of the room came as a ridiculous anti-climax.

This man was very small and thin and shabbily dressed. His brown skinned face was typically Vietnamese. His black hair was cut in a bad imitation of a crew-cut. His shoes were dusty, his white s.h.i.+rt soiled and his wine-coloured tie frayed from constant knotting and re-knotting.

Wade stared at him as he ran his sweating hand over his dishevelled hair. He knew he must look pretty awful. He never did look much until he had had a shower and a shave.

aMr. Wade?a the little man asked politely.

aYeah,a Wade said. aWho are you? What do you want?a aI am Inspector NgocLinh of Security police. Please excuse this visit. I would not have disturbed you, but the matter is very urgent.a Security police! Wade thought. That jolted him. This could be serious. To cover up his agitation, he moved over to an occasional table and helped himself to one of Ann Fai Wahas cigarettes.

aHow the h.e.l.l did you know I was here?a he demanded. The Inspector made an apologetic gesture.

aOne of my men saw you last night with the Chinese woman. Having tried to find you at your house, I came here.a d.a.m.n yellow spies! Wade thought. You canat even blow your nose without them knowing!

aWell, what do you want?a he asked, glaring at the Inspector.

aYour car has been stolen.a Wade felt a rush of blood to his head. He was suddenly so angry he could have taken the little man by his throat and thrown him out of the window.

aDo you mean you came here and woke me up to tell me that?a he bellowed. ah.e.l.l! Iall report you, for this! aIall . . . Iall . . .a aThe car has been found wrecked on the Bien Hoa road,a the Inspector said quietly.

aMy car?a Wade stared stupidly at the Inspector. His rage oozed out of him like air out of a p.r.i.c.ked balloon. aWrecked?a aThat is so,a the Inspector said, his flat black eyes never leaving Wadeas face.

That d.a.m.ned Jaffe! Wade thought. Wrecking my car! I must have a hole in my head to have lent it to him!

aYouave got it all wrong,a he said angrily. aThe car wasnat stolen. I lent it to a friend of mine. Where is the car? Iall collect it sometime today.a Then a sudden thought struck him and he stiffened. aWas anyone hurt?a aThere was no one in the car,a the Inspector said. aIt was abandoned.a Well, for the love of mike! Wade thought, las.h.i.+ng himself into another rage. The sonofab.i.t.c.h wrecks my car and then calmly walks off. He hadnat even the decency to telephone me!

aI canat do anything about it now,a he said. aNot at this hour. You donat expect that, do you?a aWho was the person you lent the car to, Mr. Wade?a Wade scowled at him.

aThatas none of your d.a.m.ned business. I lend my car to whoever I want.a aThere has been a bad accident and it hasnat been reported. That is a serious offence, Mr. Wade.a That was a fact, Wade thought. All members of the diplomatic corps had been repeatedly warned that any infringement of the traffic regulations unless reported could be a serious offence. He thought viciously: serves the punk right! Smashes my car and then walks off! Theyall chew his d.a.m.n cars off!

aI lent it to Steve Jaffe,a and he gave Jaffeas address.

aThank you, Mr. Wade,a the Inspector said and wrote the address in his notebook. aI regret having to trouble you. I may have to trouble you again later. May I call at the Emba.s.sy?a aOh, sure,a Wade growled, abut not before half past ten, and donat try to drag me into this! I just lent my car. If Jaffe was mug enough to have had an accident, you canat blame the...a aMay I ask why you lent him your car, Mr. Wade?a aBecause his own car had broken down and he had to go to the airport.a The black eyes staring so intently, flickered slightly.

aThe airport? Are you sure about that, Mr. Wade?a aThatas what he told me.a aThe accident took place on the Bien Hoa road. As you know it is the wrong direction for the airport.a Wade moved impatiently.

aIam telling you what he told me!a Was he with someone?a Wade was quite sure it was no business of the Saigon police whether Jaffe had a girl with him or not. He was d.a.m.ned if he was going to give them any information not relating to the accident.

aHe might have had a car full of Chinese coolies for all I know.a Again the little black eyes flickered.

aDid he in fact have Chinese coolies with him, Mr. Wade?a aI donat know who he had with him and I donat give a d.a.m.n!a aThen he did have someone with him?a aI tell you I donat know! Iave had enough of this! I want to go back to bed!a The Inspector bowed. aI understand. Iam sorry to have disturbed you. I will see you later in the day. Thank you for your a.s.sistance,a and turning he left the room.

When Wade heard the front door close, he drew in a long breath of relief. He turned to the bedroom to find Ann Fai Wah standing in the doorway, glaring at him.

aYou bring the police to my home!a she said viciously. aNever will you come here again! Get out!a aWho would want to come here again?a Wade snarled.a aWho are you kidding, you yellow fake?a She began to scream abuse at him, half in Chinese, half in French, but Wade was too tired and angry to care. He pushed past her into the bedroom, collected his coat, and with her still screaming at him, he stamped out of the apartment.

When he reached the street, he realized he had to walk home. When he finally reached home, he discovered Ann Fai Wah had stolen all his money from his wallet.

It certainly had been one h.e.l.l of a night.

II.

A police car pulled up outside Jaffeas villa and Inspector NgocLinh got out. He signed to the uniformed driver to remain where he was and then walked up the drive to the front door.

He didnat expect to find Jaffe there. He had already formed an opinion as to what had happened to the driver of the wrecked Chrysler, but he had to make sure.

The outrage at the police post had been discovered fifteen minutes after Jaffe and Nhan had ridden away.

Hearing the sound of the distant explosions, two policemen on road patrol had ridden fast to the post. Fortunately, they found the telephone was still working, and in less than twenty minutes, a number of Security police, including Inspector NgocLinh, had arrived on the scene.

Apart from the wrecked Chrysler, it seemed to be a typical Viet Minh demonstration although it was unusual for the bandits to leave any of their own dead behind in an attack of this kind.

The presence of the Chrysler baffled the Inspector, but now that he knew Wade had lent the car to Jaffe, he was satisfied that Jaffe was either dead or had been kidnapped.

He rang on the front doorbell and it didnat surprise him that there was no answer. He was turning away when he saw Dong Ham come around the side of the villa from the cookhouse.

He listened to the old manas anxious story with attention and interest.

This story intrigued the Inspector who could make neither head nor tail of it.

aAnd Mr. Jaffe?a he asked. aDid he go out?a aHe went out at six, taking his car.a Dong Ham said, his wrinkled face screwed up with alarm.a The Inspector turned over in his mind what he had heard, but he still couldnat understand what it was all about.

aYou have the key to the villa?a he asked finally.

Dong Ham handed him a key.

aYou havenat been in there?a aNo. I am the cook. I have no business inside the villa.a The Inspector balanced the key on the palm of his hand while he considered what to do. Entering property rented by an American could cause a diplomatic incident, but in view of what he had learned, he decided he was justified in seeing if the houseboy was in the villa or not.

He told Dong Ham to remain where he was, then walked around to the back door, unlocked it and entered the kitchen. He saw the stepladder leaning against the wall. He then entered the sitting room and looked around. Everything there seemed in order except a broken drinking gla.s.s and a damp patch that could be whisky on the floor.

He went into the hall, opened the front door and beckoned to Dong Ham who came up the steps reluctantly.

aHave you ever been in here before?a the Inspector asked.

Dong Ham said he had been in twice to help Haum move some furniture.

aGo in there and tell me if you see anything unusual in the room.a Dong Ham entered the sitting room and looked around.

Immediately he pointed to the picture on the wall. That, he said, he hadnat seen before.