‘I don’t like being disobeyed, Number Thirty-Nine.’
‘I haven’t disobeyed you. I told you the opportunity hasn’t been there yet.’
Moving his hand so that his fingers encircled the back of her neck, he squeezed again. He enjoyed the power he had over her especially knowing that she could be so deadly. He’d been willing to wait but now that the unexpected had happened, waiting was a luxury he could no longer afford. He still had no idea why the man he should have regarded as his brother was in Hong Kong and now he would never find out: there were people looking for him, strangers wanting to find him.
Adam Harrison must die and he must die soon.
And so must the strangers.
‘You have until midnight tomorrow night and if he isn’t dead by then I will personally enjoy what you have given to so many others. I will then break your beautiful slim neck before cutting you up and feeding you piece by piece to the fish. Do I make myself perfectly clear?’
He increased the grip on her neck.
Leila nodded.
‘Do you have a plan?’ he asked.
‘Yes ... yes, I do.’
‘And what is it?’
‘Now the storm is over he wants to go to Stonecutters Island.’
‘Stonecutters? Why?’
‘He went there as a boy and he wants to revisit.’ He lessened the pressure on her neck.
‘But there’s little more than a sewage treatment works there now. Why would he want to see that?’
‘When he was in school here he played hockey to a good standard, and a couple of the Indian Sikhs employed by the British to guard their ammunition depot on the island were international players. They used to go to his school to train the boys’ team.’
‘You are losing me, Number Thirty-Nine.’ He increased the grip on her neck.
‘He ... he visited the Sikhs on the island and he wants to go back to see what’s left. He said he always had a tremendous admiration for them but one of them died suddenly, he thinks from a snake bite, and he knows where his ashes were scattered. He wants to pay his respects.’
‘And?’
‘There are still many poisonous snakes on the island and at the sewage works. He will disappear forever.’
Patrick Yong thought for a moment. ‘That’s your plan? A lethal snake bite and disposal in the sewage works? How bizarre! It sounds rather contrived to me.’
‘I ... I have my contacts and they can be trusted. They have not let me down yet.’
He lessened the pressure on her neck again. ‘And you haven’t let me down. If it works the Master will be pleased. If you fail you know the penalty.’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘Then meet me at location twenty-three at eight pm in three days time and tell me it is done.’
‘I’ll be there.’
‘You’d better be.’
* * *
‘What a horrid, horrid man,’ Elizabeth muttered as they walked back into their flat. ‘He was so nice to begin with but then he became really beastly.’
Gabrielle had to agree but her mind was concentrating on what they had not been told rather than what they had. She had seen real hate in Patrick Yong’s eyes and it had scared her. How naive she had been. She had travelled so far and yet the very first opportunity of getting some idea of where Adam might be left her more confused than ever. What she’d been told about Patrick Yong was going round and round in her mind but she didn’t know what to make of it, other than the fact that she had gone beyond being out of her depth.
Patrick Yong was horrid; Elizabeth was right, but horrid was an everyday word.
Patrick Yong was evil.
‘I think we all need a stiff drink,’ Eric said.
* * *
‘You look as though the meeting didn’t go too well,’ Adam said as he poured Leila a vodka and tonic from the mini-bar. She had hardly uttered a word since she’d returned although he had caught her looking nervously at him, watching him move about the room.
‘He’s a very nasty man and I wish ... but no, he accepted the plan we came up with. He thought it was rather contrived when compared with the usual methods.’ Leila lowered her eyes. ‘I have until Tuesday evening. That’s when we next meet.’
‘Probably not,’ Adam said. ‘I think we may have a lot longer than either of us realised.’
Lifting her head, Leila looked confused. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Leila, I think you’ve been tricked. I don’t think your master or the 7th Dragon Triad have anything to do with your controller ordering my death.’
Adam had followed Leila.
He had seen his brother.
Recognition was not immediate as he was a good fifty yards away mingling with a crowd of tourists who were enjoying the tranquillity that always followed a typhoon. No, recognition did not happen straight away but when Patrick turned so that his face was in profile he could not have been anybody else. He saw Patrick’s arm round Leila’s shoulders and his hand on her neck. He was not able to see Leila’s face so he couldn’t determine how she was reacting.
Adam’s mind flashed back twenty years to the last time he saw Patrick and suddenly one of his questions was answered. The hatred, the loathing he’d seen in his brother’s eyes then must have festered for all those years. It was revenge; his brother wanted retribution after letting the hate accumulate. Adam now realised the threat to his life was very personal. It was nothing to do with any Triad. Leila was being used and deceived into believing she was obeying the Master’s orders, but she wasn’t.
He wondered how Patrick knew he was in Hong Kong.
As he watched, the answer to his question slowly permeated his mind.
The only people who knew where he was going were his parents and Jeremy Jacobs, and there was no reason why Jeremy would have contacted Patrick. It had to have been either his mother or father or both.
A week ago Adam had seen the hate in his father’s eyes.
It must have been his father, their father.
But Adam couldn’t believe their father would want him dead.
‘I’m sorry, Adam, but I don’t understand what you’re saying. What do you mean you think I’ve been tricked?’
Adam looked into Leila’s eyes for a few seconds before answering. He picked up his drink. ‘Because I was there, Leila, and because I saw you talking to your controller.’
‘You were there? But we agreed … What on earth -?’ Leila stopped. ‘You followed me?’
‘I did and I saw you talking to my brother.’
‘Your … your brother?’ Leila’s face went ashen. ‘You saw me talking to your ... your brother?’ She sat down on one of the chairs in front of the window, her eyes never leaving Adam’s.
‘The man you met by the waterfront was my brother, Patrick Yong,’ he told Leila. ‘I don’t think your orders to kill me come from anywhere else but him. He wants me dead, nobody else.’
‘But ... but why?’ Leila’s eyes were wide open and glaring at Adam. Her mind was in turmoil, but she had already accepted she’d been tricked. The man she had known as Number Sixty-Six for over twenty years was Adam Harrison’s brother and his name was Patrick Yong. It had to be a trick because it was the only explanation: an explanation neither she nor Adam could possibly have previously been able to come up with.
‘Why?’ she heard Adam repeat. ‘Because I now believe he has hated me for thirty years and he’s using you to satisfy his need for revenge.’
‘But why does he hate you?’
‘Because I was accepted into his family, because I loved and married his sister and we had children and because his mother and father lived in England with us and not here with him.’
‘Those are reasons to want you dead?’ Leila asked, not believing what she was being told.
‘Hate can manifest itself into murder quite easily, especially hate that has festered for so long.’
‘Adam,’ Leila said, shaking her head slightly. ‘I had no idea.’
> ‘Of course you didn’t. Nor did I, until just over an hour ago.’
Leila sat wide-eyed as Adam explained how the unusual relationship had come about.
* * *
Number Seventy-Five’s mobile phone vibrated with a new text message. ‘Change of plan,’ the message said. ‘Mt me outside bldg in 45 mins. Do not go in until we have met.’
Number Seventy-Five replied with, ‘Ack.’
* * *
The phone was ringing.
Elizabeth Elliott excused herself and went into the hall.
‘Hello.’
‘May I speak with Miss Brooks please?’
Elizabeth thought she recognised the voice. ‘Who is speaking?’
‘It’s Patrick Yong.’
‘Mr Yong, I would have thought enough had been said already. You made it perfectly -’
‘Yes, I want to apologise for my rudeness. My brother and I didn’t always see eye to eye but that should not have been an excuse for speaking to you the way I did. I’m sorry.’
Elizabeth was quite taken aback by Patrick Yong’s apology. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘you were rather … but that’s in the past. Do I understand you may have some news for Miss Brooks?’
‘I did speak to a few of my brother’s old friends and yes, I think I may have located him.’
‘Oh, that’s wonderful. I’ll fetch her.’
Walking into the room, Elizabeth smiled at Gabrielle. ‘It’s a very contrite Patrick Yong and he wants to speak to you, Gabrielle. He thinks he may have found your Adam.’
‘He’s not my Adam, Elizabeth,’ Gabrielle said as she went into the hall and picked up the phone. ‘Hello,’ she said tentatively.
‘Miss Brooks?’
‘Yes.’
‘It’s Patrick Yong, and as I told Mrs Elliott, I want to apologise for my behaviour this afternoon.’
‘I -’
‘No, please let me finish. My outburst was more to do with my brother being in Hong Kong and my not knowing rather than how we were many years ago. I didn’t mean any implied threats towards him. I would not wish him any harm whatsoever. Time is a great healer and after giving it some thought I’m now as keen as you are to find my brother. I would like to make amends.’
Gabrielle thought that Patrick Yong was being over-polite but if it meant her journey had not been in vain she was willing to play along with him. ‘Mrs Elliott said that you think you may have found Adam.’
‘Yes, I rang round some of his old friends who he’d stayed in touch with and one told me that Adam had called him. They hadn’t met up yet but they’d arranged to meet in Adam’s hotel tomorrow evening.’
‘And which hotel is that?’ Gabrielle felt her heart pounding with anticipation. It had not all been in vain.
‘The Kowloon.’
‘And where’s that?’
‘On Nathan Road. I hope you don’t think I’ve been presumptuous Miss Brooks, but I rang the hotel and Adam will meet us in the bar at nine o’clock.’
Gabrielle looked at her watch. It was just after seven-forty-five. ‘But how …?’ Knowing she could be seeing Adam in just over an hour threw her into a dither.
‘Miss Brooks, I’m speaking from my mobile and I’m on my way to collect you. It’s the least I can do.’
‘You’re coming to collect me?’
‘Yes, I’ll be with you in about twenty minutes.’
‘Well … right … I must get ready.’
‘And Miss Brooks?’
‘Er … yes.’
‘Adam was very surprised to hear you were in Hong Kong but he told me to tell you he is looking forward so much to meeting you again. I’ll be outside waiting for you at ten past eight.’
‘I’ll be there,’ Gabrielle said.
She went straight to her bedroom to get changed. The bible her parents had given her was on the bedside table. She picked it up and holding it firmly, she closed her eyes.
‘Please God, let this adventure have a happy ending,’ she whispered before putting the bible in the drawer.
* * *
Outside Plantation Court but away from direct street lights, Patrick Yong looked up at the block of apartments and smiled.
‘Hook, line and sinker,’ he said to himself. He glanced at Number Seventy-Five who was watching him through the other car’s windscreen and nodded. The man got out of the car and joined Patrick Yong on the sidewalk.
‘Hook, line and sinker,’ Patrick Yong repeated.
‘What?’ the man said. He was dressed all in black and looked like the killer he was.
‘It’s a gweilo expression,’ Patrick Yong told him. ‘It means that she has taken the bait. You know what you have to do?’
‘It will look like a simple burglary. Have I ever let you down, Number Sixty-Six?’
‘Never,’ Patrick Yong said ‘Wait until you see the blonde gweilo girl get into my car,’ he added over his shoulder, as the two men returned to their separate cars.
* * *
Still completely confused by what she’d been told, Leila followed Adam closely through the back streets of Mongkok. She sensed that many eyes were watching them. She was used to being looked at but walking with a gweilo in an area gweilos rarely walked in, she felt unnerved. There were men, and some women, in areas like this who would slit your throat for the price of a week’s supply of opium. Leila didn’t even stop to consider the irony of her thoughts.
‘You do know where you’re going?’ she said, staying close to Adam. She wanted to take his hand but that would only have given their watchers more reason to disapprove. She was also concerned about how Adam would react.
He had changed.
‘I know these streets like the back of my hand. As a child this area was one of our playgrounds.’
Leila wanted to ask whether the use of the word our included his brother or just friends. Instead she said, ‘He’s a very dangerous man.’
‘I’m well aware of that,’ Adam told her as he turned into Tai Po Street. This one was well lit, and being nearer Argyll Street, the main road through Mongkok, there were more tourists about.
‘Are you sure you know where he lives?’ Leila asked.
‘Unless he moved in the last year, then yes, this is where he lives.’ Adam didn’t feel he needed to add an explanation but in his mind’s eye he could still see Charlotte and Timothy addressing birthday cards to their Uncle Patrick in far-away Hong Kong.
‘What are you going to say to him?’ Leila slipped her hand on to Adam’s arm as they crossed the road.
He looked up at the building in front of them. ‘At the moment I don’t know. It’s more a question of what I will do to him, not what we’ll talk about. I don’t think he’ll be ready for a chat for old time’s sake.’ He shifted his gaze to Leila’s face. ‘This isn’t a social call. He wants me dead and I want to know why he harbours such a grudge.’ He pulled Leila towards the doorway, ran his finger down the numbers next to the bells and then pressed number sixteen.
‘I still think it’s too dangerous,’ she said nervously.
‘If you’re as good as you say you are, he is the one who is now in danger.’
* * *
‘I’m not happy about you going out on your own,’ Eric told Gabrielle as she put on her lightweight coat.
‘I’ll be all right,’ she said, looking at Elizabeth for support.
‘Eric doesn’t say a lot but I have to agree with him. Going out on your own is one thing but meeting that man on your own is another. He may have apologised but we all agreed he’s a ghastly man. Why would he suddenly change?’
Gabrielle was disappointed. ‘I think turning up the way we did put him on the defensive. He -’
‘But he threatened …’
‘I know, but he has also apologised for that. He didn’t mean it. Look, Elizabeth, I’ll be all right. I’ve got my mobile and if I need help I’ll ring you straight away.’
‘I’m still not happy,’ Eric chipped in.
Gabrielle smi
led at them both. ‘I’ll be all right.’
* * *
‘Hello,’ the female voice said as the speaker crackled into life.
‘I wish to see Patrick Yong,’ Adam told the voice. His Cantonese was rusty but adequate.
‘He’s not here,’ the voice said. The girl sounded very young and very scared.
‘May I come and speak with you?’ Adam asked.
‘He is not here,’ the girl repeated.
‘We understand,’ Leila said from behind Adam, ‘but may we talk to you for a few minutes.’
The girl hesitated. ‘Who are you?’
‘We appreciate it’s late but it is very important we speak with Patrick Yong. Do you know where he is?’
‘No, he went out about an hour ago.’
‘Is it possible we could wait for him?’
‘You sound all right.’
‘We are all right,’ Leila said softly. ‘What is your name?’
‘I am Mai Ling.’
There was a short pause and then the buzzer went on the door.
Adam and Leila exchanged looks before entering the building.
* * *
Walking out of the front door of Plantation Court, Gabrielle tried not to look as apprehensive as she felt. The Elliotts’ concern was unfounded; she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but she was still uneasy.
As she looked around for Patrick Yong she heard a car engine start up. Seconds later, with its headlights full on, it appeared from behind a white van and accelerated towards her. With a screech of tyres it pulled up in front of her.
Patrick Yong leant across from the driver’s seat and opened the passenger door. ‘Miss Brooks,’ he said, smiling, ‘please get in.’
Gabrielle climbed into the car, which smelt of new leather and an expensive aftershave. He was dressed casually in cream chinos and a blue shirt. ‘You are looking very attractive,’ Patrick told her, ‘Adam is a lucky man.’
Taken aback by his informality, Gabrielle looked down and smoothed her skirt over her knees. She’d had little time to decide what she should wear but had settled on a cotton skirt with matching blouse, and high-heeled sandals. A single pearl necklace hung round her neck and on her little finger she wore the small gold ring that bore the Brooks family crest. As an afterthought she put the ring Christina Yong had given her in her bag. She’d applied a little more make-up and perfume than usual and yes, she thought she did look attractive, but she wasn’t so keen on being told so by a man she was still so uncertain about. ‘Thank you,’ she said demurely.
In Denial Page 32
