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〃The writing could have been a civilized person's； yes … equally it could have been done by a quai loh pretending to be a civilized person。 But if he or she was a civilized person that doesn't necessarily mean that the same person who did the act wrote the letter。〃
〃I know that。 What are the odds that John Chen's dead？〃
〃From the mutilation？〃
〃From the fact that the Werewolf； or more probably Werewolves； sent the ear even before starting negotiations。〃
The little man smiled and said dryly； 〃You mean old Sun Tzu's 'kill one to terrorize ten thousand'？ I don't know。 I don't speculate on such imponderables。 I only estimate odds on horses； Brian； or the stock market。 What about John Chen's Golden Lady on Saturday？〃
〃She's got a great chance。 Definitely。 And Struan's Noble Star … Gornt's Pilot Fish and even more； Richard Kwang's Butterscotch Lass。 She'll be the favorite I'll bet。 But Golden Lady's a real goer。 She'll start about three to one。 She's a flier and the going'll be good for her。 Dry。 She's useless in the wet。〃
〃Ah； any sign of rain？〃
〃Possible。 They say there's a storm ing。 Even a sprinkle could make all the difference。〃
〃Then it better not rain till Sunday； heya？〃
〃It won't rain this month … not unless we're enormously lucky。〃
〃Well if it rains it rains and if it doesn't it doesn't never mind！ Winter's ing … then this cursed humidity will go away。〃 Dr。 Meng glanced at the wall clock。 It was 5：35 p。m。 〃How about a quick one before we go home？〃
〃No thanks。 I've still got a few things to do。 Bloody nuisance this。〃
〃Tomorrow I'll see what clues I can e up with from the cloth； or the wrapping paper or the other things。 Perhaps fingerprinting will help you；〃 the doctor added。
〃I wouldn't bet on that。 This whole operation is very smelly。 Very smelly indeed。〃
Dr。 Meng nodded and his voice lost its gentleness。 〃Anything to do with the Noble House and their puppet House of Chen's smelly。 Isn't it？〃
Brian Kwok switched to sei yap； one of the main dialects of the Kwantung Province； spoken by many Hong Kong Cantonese。 〃Eh； Brother； don't you mean any and all capitalist running dogs are smelly； of which the Noble House and the House of Chen are chief and dung heavy？〃 he said banteringly。
〃Ah； Brother； don't you know yet； deep in your head； that the winds of change are whirling throughout the world？ And China under the immortal guidance of Chairman Mao； and Mao Thought； is the lead … 〃
〃Keep your proselytizing to yourself；〃 Brian Kwok said coldly； switching back to English。 〃Most of the thoughts of Mao are out of the writings of Sun Tzu； Confucius； Marx； Lao Tsu and others。 I know he's a poet … a great one … but he's usurped China and there's no freedom there now。 None。〃
〃Freedom？〃 the little man said defiantly。 〃What's freedom for a few years when； under the guidance of Chairman Mao； China's once more China and has taken back her rightful place in the world。 Now China is feared by all filthy capitalists！ Even by revisionist Russia。〃
〃Yes。 I agree。 For that I thank him。 Meanwhile if you don't like it here go home to Canton and sweat your balls off in your munist paradise and dew neh loh moh on all munists … and their fellow travelers！〃
〃You should go there； see for yourself。 It's propaganda that munism's bad for China。 Don't you read the newspapers？ No one's starving now。〃
〃What about the twenty…odd million who were murdered after the takeover？ What about all the brainwashing？〃
〃More propaganda！ Just because you've been to English and Canadian public schools and talk like a capitalist swine doesn't mean you're one of them。 Remember your heritage。〃
〃I do。 I remember it very well。〃
〃Your father was mistaken to send you away！〃 It was mon knowledge that Brian Kwok had been born in Canton and； at the age of six； sent to school in Hong Kong。 He was such a good student that in '37； when he was twelve； he had won a scholarship to a fine public school in England and had gone there； and then in '39； with the beginning of World War II； the whole school was evacuated to Canada。 In '42； at eighteen； he had graduated top of his class； senior prefect； and had joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in their plainclothes branch in Vancouver's huge Chinatown。 He spoke Cantonese； Mandarin； sei yap； and had served with distinction。 In '45 he had requested a transfer to the Royal Hong Kong Police。 With the reluctant approval of the RCMP； who had wanted him to stay on； he had returned。 〃You're wasted working for them； Brian；〃 Dr。 Meng continued。 〃You should serve the masses and work for the Party！〃
〃The Party murdered my father and my mother and most of my family in '43！〃
〃There was never proof of that！ Never。 It was hearsay。 Perhaps the Kuomintang devils did it … there was chaos then in Canton。 I was there； I know！ Perhaps the Japanese swine were responsible … or triads … who knows？ How can you be certain？〃
〃I'm certain； by God。〃
〃Was there a witness？ No！ You told me that yourself！〃 Meng's voice rasped and he peered up at him myopically。 〃Ayeeyah； you're Chinese； use your education for China； for the masses； not for the capitalist overlord。〃
〃Up yours！〃
Dr。 Meng laughed and his glasses fell on to the top of his nose。 〃You wait； Superintendent Kar…shun Kwok。 One day your eyes will open。 One day you will see the beauty of it all。〃
〃Meanwhile get me some bloody answers！〃 Brian Kwok strode out of the laboratory and went up the corridor to the elevator； his shirt sticking to his back。 I wish it would rain； he thought。
He got into the elevator。 Other policemen greeted him and he them。 At the third floor he got out and walked along the corridor to his office。 Armstrong was waiting for him； idly reading a Chinese newspaper。 〃Hi； Robert；〃 he said； pleased to see him。 〃What's new？〃
〃Nothing。 How about you？〃
Brian Kwok told him what Dr。 Meng had said。
〃That little bugger and his 'could possiblys'！ The only thing he's ever emphatic about's a corpse … and even then he'll have to check a couple of times。〃
〃Yes … or about Chairman Mao。〃
〃Oh； he was on that broken record again？〃
〃Yes。〃 Brian Kwok grinned。 〃I told him to go back to China。〃
〃He'll never leave。〃
〃I know。〃 Brian stared at the pile of papers in his in tray and sighed。 Then he said； 〃It's not like a local to cut off an ear so soon。〃
〃No； not if it's a proper kidnapping。〃
〃What？〃
〃It could be a grudge and the kidnapping a cover；〃 Armstrong said； his well…used face hardening。 〃I agree with you and Dunross。 I think they did him in。〃
〃But why？〃
〃Perhaps John was trying to escape； started a fight； and they or he panicked and before they or he knew what was happening； they or he'd knifed him； or bonked him with a blunt instrument。〃 Armstrong sighed and stretched to ease the knot in his shoulders。 〃In any event； old chap； our Great White Father wants this solved quickly。 He honored me with a call to say the governor had phoned personally to express his concern。〃
Brian Kwok cursed softly。 〃Foul news travels quickly！ Nothing in the press yet？〃
〃No； but it's all over Hong Kong and we'll have a red hot wind fanning our tails by morning。 Mr。 Bloody Werewolf Esquire … assisted by the pox…ridden； black…hearted； uncooperative Hong Kong press … will； I fear； cause us nothing but grief until we catch the bastard； or bastards。〃
〃But catch him we will； oh yes； catch him we will！〃
〃Yes。 How about a beer … or better； a very large gin and tonic？ I could use one。〃
〃Good idea。 Your stomach off again？〃
〃Yes。 Mary says it's all the good thoughts I keep bottled up。〃 They laughed together and headed for the door and were in the corridor when the phone rang。
〃Leave the bloody thing； don't answer it； it's only trouble；〃 Armstrong said； knowing neither he nor Brian would ever leave it。
Brian Kwok picked up the phone and froze。
It was Roger Crosse； senior superintendent； director of Special Intelligence。 〃Yes sir？〃
〃Brian； would you please e up right away。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Is Armstrong with you？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Bring him too。〃 The phone clicked off。
〃Yes sir。〃 He replaced the receiver and felt the sweat on his back。
〃God wants us； on the double。〃
Armstrong's heart jumped a beat。 〃Eh？ Me？〃 He caught up with Brian who was heading for the elevator。 〃What the hell does he want me for？ I'm not in SI now。〃
〃Ours not to reason why； ours just to shit when he murmurs。〃
Brian Kwok pressed the up button。 〃What's up？〃
〃Got to be important。 The Mainland perhaps？〃
〃Chou En…lai's ousted Mao and the moderates're in power？〃
〃Dreamer！ Mao'll die in office … the Godhead of China。〃
〃The only good thing you can say about Mao is that he's Chinese first and mie second。 God…cursed mies！〃
〃Hey； Brian； maybe the Soviets are hotting up the border again。 Another incident？〃
〃Could be。 Yes。 War's ing … yes； war's ing between Russia and China。 Mao's right in that too。〃
〃The Soviets aren't that stupid。〃
〃Don't bet on it； old chum。 I've said it before and I've said it again； the Soviets are the world enemy。 There'll be war … you'll soon owe me a thousand dollars； Robert。〃
〃I don't think I want to pay that bet。 The killing'll be hideous。〃
〃Yes。 But it'll still happen。 Aga