When they got back to Pacific Grove later that afternoon, Luke stopped at a little bookstore and purchased a volume put out by the Heritage Society. It was a photographic history of Pacific Grove. Luke felt it would help his friend get a better feeling for the place, and what it looked like at the time Dr. Gilbert penned his journal. There was even a picture of the professor standing with his colleagues and students in front of the old Hopkins Lab at Lover’s Point. Robert, however, seemed far more interested in the photos of the Chinese community.
“You know, Luke, it occurs to me that the only people who could give us a leg up on this problem are these very same Chinese fishermen.”
“But they’ve been gone for generations.”
Robert nodded. “But these people had children, and their children had children, and so forth. The Chinese traditionally pass down their family histories in great detail, either written or in a memorized oral tradition. You’d be surprised how much they can recall about their ancestors going back many generations. To remember their people and their contributions is the most concrete form of devotion and respect one can pay to one’s ancestors. My old man can remember the names and histories of his family going back ten generations. He talks about them as though he knew them all personally. My mother can do almost as well with her family tree. And my point is that if we’re going to make any headway with this mystery, we’re going to have to find someone who recalls their grandparents or great-grandparents having said something about Zhou Man’s marker stone. Perhaps someone who even knew the people involved.”
“And how do we go about that?”
“Well, the Chinese tongs have always kept excellent genealogical records. Even then information was power.”
“But I always thought that the Chinese tongs were like the mafia, just big organized gangs preying on their own people for profit.”
“In some cases that was true, especially in the big cities like San Francisco and Seattle, but in the smaller communities they were relatively benign organizations that operated for the benefit and protection of their constituents. The tongs grew out of the older triad system that flourished in China. But here they became a kind of shadow government that tried to protect their people from the depredations of national authority, just as the triads did in China. The difference being that the tongs, which were built on the more ancient model, kept impeccable records of births, deaths, debts, and vendettas.”
Luke looked confused. “But our Chinese and their local tong have long since disappeared from Monterey Bay.”
“It may appear that way on the surface, but I’ll lay you heavy odds that their scrupulous records, which the Chinese are traditionally loath to destroy for any reason, are still out there somewhere. And if not the records themselves, then at least perhaps some oral tradition that may be of some help.”
“And how do you propose to find those records at this late date?”
Robert smiled with confidence. “My father’s influence has a very long reach within the Chinese community. His name will open doors that would be sealed to all others, especially to non-Chinese inquiries. I think I can make some use of his prestige to cast about for a few innocent facts and names. After all, isn’t that why you brought me on board?”
“I hadn’t thought of it in quite that light. To tell you the truth, my reasoning was far more prosaic than that.”
“And what would that be?”
Luke shrugged and smiled. “I think it was, in the main, because I liked you from the first. And perhaps because I needed someone to confide in who would appreciate what I’m trying to do. Something in the back of my mind kept saying that you were sent as an answer to my dilemma.” He shook his head with slight embarrassment. “I have a tendency to follow my instincts in most things, and I’m not often disappointed in the results.” Luke laughed. “And besides, you’re filthy rich. I’m always impressed with inconsequential things like that.”
“Well, if that’s all it takes, you should meet my father. He’s got a wine cellar that’s five times the size of your whole apartment. And he will always be richer than I’ll ever be. You don’t go into linguistics for the money, old son.”
“I suppose not, but the same can be said for my field, but I do it for the glory.”
Robert found this amusing. “Well, you see, that’s something else we have in common. I think that secretly I hunger for fame more than money. But with the sincere hope, mind you, that the one attracts the other.”
Robert drove back to Atherton that afternoon. He promised to forward anything promising that came his way, but he told Luke not to hold his breath, as there was one elemental drawback to researching such matters. “The older generations of Chinese,” he said, “have a tendency to pretend that everything is a secret, when in fact the secret simply covers their complete ignorance of the subject at hand. It gives them a sense of power and importance that would otherwise be denied them.”
THOUGH LUKE AND ROBERT COMMUNICATED two or three times a week by e-mail, and sometimes by phone, nothing of any value had come to light. The weeks passed into months and still neither one of them could discover any trace of information concerning the objects of their search. Luke was beginning to believe that the “toys” had disappeared off the face of the earth forever.
On the other hand, Luke had found plenty of time to finish his master’s thesis, which was very well received, and he was subsequently awarded his degree. However, he decided not to apply for a doctoral program until he’d made some progress in his private search for the Zhou Man artifacts. He believed the subjects of his search, if discovered, would make one hell of a doctoral thesis, and in this Robert concurred completely. Robert even owned up to having some ambitions of his own along those lines. He suggested that a paper authored by them both would have a remarkable impact on their careers.
Then one day in late December Luke received an e-mail message from Robert. It asked, in the most insistent terms, if it was possible for Luke to take a few days off and visit him in Atherton. He even e-mailed a map showing how to find his house. Luke e-mailed back and asked what the urgency was all about, but Robert demurred and said he’d rather speak to Luke in person, as the matter was of some importance and required security for several valid reasons. He requested that Luke bring all his files on the “toys.” Then he added, “Do you own a presentable suit and tie?”
Luke laughed to himself and responded, “Are you kidding? I can’t even remember the last time I owned a tie, much less a suit. Why do you ask?”
“Never mind, I’ll take care of all that at this end. Just get your butt up here Friday afternoon early. E-mail me your fitting sizes, and include your shoe size as well.”
Robert logged off, leaving Luke in the dark, but Luke did what was requested in the forlorn hope that his friend knew what he was doing.
THAT FOLLOWING FRIDAY, AFTER FIGHTING the northbound weekend traffic, Luke arrived at the address indicated on the map. He was stunned to find a whopping great edifice that looked like it had been transported brick by brick from Versailles. The Palace, as Robert referred to it, was situated on six acres of land that included numerous fruit trees, vast raised rose beds, and even a half-acre fishpond that Luke passed on the way up the long drive from the automated gates. When he pulled up to the house there was a middle-aged Hispanic gentleman dressed in overalls waiting to take Luke’s open Jeep to the garage. When Luke appeared confused, the man pointed to the graying sky that soon promised rain. Luke nodded, handed over the keys, and grabbed his bags.
The expression on Luke’s face when Robert greeted him at the front door caused his host to break into a broad grin. “I’ve been waiting in gleeful anticipation of this moment. Just to see the look on your face is reward enough, but in fact this pile of vanity isn’t mine. My father acquired it in lieu of a very substantial debt, and I live here more as a live-in caretaker than anything else. In fact, the only part of this place that’s furnished is the north wing, but it has three bedrooms, two baths
, a living room, dining room, and its own kitchen. There’s even a marble-trimmed swimming pool out back. Come on in, put up your feet and stay awhile.”
Luke saw at once that what Robert said was true. The foyer and the south wing were naked, but Robert’s apartments in the north wing were handsomely furnished with expensive copies of fine antiques, which Robert said came with the house. And knowing his son’s busy schedule, Robert’s father had also employed a housekeeper named Mrs. Martinez, two gardeners, and a Chinese cook who made the best green chili con carne and shoestring fries Luke had ever tasted.
After supper the rain started to come down in buckets. Robert and Luke retired to the living room, where Mrs. Martinez had set a comforting blaze in the ornate-mantled fireplace. When he was sure they were alone, Robert began to discuss the purpose of their meeting.
“I hate to say this, Luke, but I’ve come up with nothing at all useful. And the sad fact is that I know why. Despite my family name, I just don’t have the rank or chops to get anyone to cooperate with me. It’s going to take the efforts of someone far more powerful than myself to loosen sealed tongues.”
Luke nodded. “I haven’t made any progress either. Every thread I follow leads nowhere.” Luke changed the subject. “But that’s enough bad news; I must assume you wouldn’t have invited me all the way up here if you didn’t have something more interesting in mind.”
“Well, I don’t know how viable this suggestion will sound, but I’m serious all the same. I just couldn’t make a move without consulting you first.” Robert paused to gather his thoughts. “I think we need to bring in a third party. Someone who just might have as strong an interest in this affair as we do. And since the search, if it goes on much longer, is going to start costing us some serious bucks, we’re also going to need someone with deep pockets as well as deep interest.”
Luke nodded. “I know you well enough to assume you have someone in mind.”
“I do in fact. I think we should talk to my father. He’s a man of legendary discretion with a passion for Chinese history. I’ve refrained from mentioning anything about this to him, per our agreement, but I believe he can help us if he has a mind to. In addition, my father has the ability to help us set up an appropriate corporation to secure our interests. But most important of all, no one in the Chinese communities or the existing tongs would dare refuse any request made in his name.”
“That sounds most convenient.”
Robert shrugged self-consciously. “I haven’t mentioned this before, I suppose because I foolishly believed I could do this all on my own. I thought my old man would be really impressed if I could pull this off, but that proved little more than conceit on my part. Even so, this entails a subject very close to his heart. Let me tell you a little something about my father. His company is the largest Asian import-and-export concern in the United States. They handled three and a half billion dollars worth of trade last year alone, and even more than that the year before. He gives fortunes to domestic Chinese charities, and every Chinese of any importance refers to him as Grand Master Wu. They deny him nothing. If anyone can help us, he can. So what do you say? Do you feel okay about talking to him about all this?”
Luke sat back and thought for a few moments. He tried to flash through all the possible scenarios and pitfalls. He’d speculated about arriving at just such an instance, but he hadn’t bothered to carry on the daydream because it seemed patently improbable. Finally, with no handy negatives on which to hang an objection, he gave in to the moment. “Well, we’re just spinning our wheels right now. The whole thing seems to hang in expectation of acknowledgment from somebody. So okay, I’ll go along for the ride if you think it’s in our best interest, but only if you and I get the intellectual credits. Otherwise we’d just be doing all the legwork for somebody else’s benefit, and I’m not up for that.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. I know my father pretty well. You’d be surprised how many spectacular things he could have taken credit for if he’d wanted to, but that’s just not in his nature. He’s a quiet and modest fellow at heart, which is why so many people trust him with their fortunes.”
“Okay, I’m in. But what’s all this business about a suit?”
Robert smiled. “I’ve already taken care of that. You’ll find everything you need in the closet of your room.”
“Why do I need a suit?”
Robert blushed slightly. “Well, there’s something about my father you’ve got to understand. He’s a man of great formality. Do you know that in my whole life I’ve never seen him without a suit and tie? When I was a kid he once took me to the beach to watch a surfing competition. It was eighty-five degrees in the shade, and he wore a three-piece blue pin-striped suit and a black fedora. My father believes that one doesn’t dress well from a standpoint of self-respect, but out of respect for others. He also taught me that if you’re looking for money or influence, dress like you’re in need of neither. People with money and power rarely invest time or effort in those who look like they’re in desperate need of it.”
“I suppose that makes sense, but then I’ve never had either, so I wouldn’t know.”
“Well, tomorrow you’re going to look like you’ve got both. Now, did you bring all the paperwork?”
“Yes, of course I did.”
“Good. And if my father wishes to see the originals, how long would it take for you to get your hands on them?”
“One day at the most. The material is relatively close by. But what have you got planned?”
Robert got up and went to warm himself by the fire. “I took the liberty of inviting my father to come down here for lunch tomorrow. After lunch we’ll make our pitch. I bought a display easel today. We’ll set it up in the south wing with a couple of chairs and no distractions from household interruptions. We can show him what you’ve discovered and tell him what we believe is needed to further the search. Now, I warn you, my father is a cunning and circumspect fellow, and he chooses his words very carefully, so you probably won’t see any appreciable reaction at first. He’ll mull things over in his head for a while, and then get back to us when he’s made a decision.”
“Does he speak English well?”
Robert laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s an honors graduate of Harvard Law and pulled second billing in a class of ninety-three. And like that lovely friend of yours at the aquarium, he speaks better English than I do. And you know something odd, in my whole life I’ve never seen him lose his temper or swear. Not once. Not even in Chinese.”
“And your point is?”
“My point is, think before you speak. My father believes that lazy or haphazard use of language indicates lazy and disordered thinking. He once fired one of his top men because he overheard him swearing on the phone to a supplier.”
“Well, perhaps you should do all the talking.”
“Not at all. He’ll want to ask you questions. Just answer him as simply and succinctly as you can, and never embroider your sentiments for his consumption. He hates flattery and glib responses, and can spot a hustle while it’s still over the horizon. Would you believe it, I never got away with a single thing as a kid. It was like he had eyes in the back of his head, and he was always five steps ahead of me in everything. But no matter what I did, he never once raised his hand or his voice to me. He didn’t have to. I lived in terror of his lectures. All he had to do was say that I had disappointed him, and dishonored my ancestors, and I would break down in tears and confess to everything. Hell, I’d even confess to things I didn’t do, just in the hope he’d let up on the lecture.”
Luke sniggered. “Well, I do hope you’ve learned a few new moves since then. I didn’t drive all this way just to witness your long-suffering father administer corporal punishment for the first time.”
Robert let the comment pass with a nod and suggested that they make an early night of it. He said that they would have to be on their toes in the morning to make plans for the presentation, something best don
e with a clear head and sharp perception. Luke agreed and said that he could really use the sleep. The day had been long and the weekend traffic like a slow parade of escaped mental patients.
The bedroom reserved for Luke was large and beautifully appointed. It had an attached bathroom that was bigger than his kitchen at home. Robert said that Mrs. Martinez had taken the liberty of unpacking his bag and that he would find everything neatly hanging in the closet. Luke would also find a suit, shirt, tie, and shoes to wear at the meeting. He then bid his friend good night and retired to his own room across the hall.
Luke found all his things had been laid out neatly. His shaving kit had been placed in the bathroom, and when he checked the closet he found all his clothes had been placed on hangers. But he was even more surprised to find a beautiful pearl-gray Armani suit hung up there as well. On the floor of the closet he discovered a handsome pair of expensive oxblood dress shoes. Out of curiosity Luke tried them on, and they fit as though they had been custom-made for him.
The next morning at eight thirty, Mrs. Martinez awakened Luke with a tray of coffee and the morning paper. She said that breakfast would be served in thirty minutes.
Over generous portions of bacon and eggs, Robert told Luke how he believed the meeting should be conducted. He would make the introductory remarks, and then Luke would take over. He should explain how and when the discovery of the papers had taken place, and how he had come to seek out Robert at Stanford for help. He cautioned his friend to answer all questions honestly, but to volunteer nothing beyond what was asked, and to voice no unfounded opinions, as it would sound like a sales pitch. Robert said his father was in the habit of making up his own mind without encouragement to believe things one way or the other.
Next, Robert would take over and contribute his own translation of the inscriptions, as his father would be unfamiliar with many of the more esoteric characters in the ancient text. Though he was fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, Wu senior was not versed in ancient forms of either dialect. Finally they would show Dr. Gilbert’s old photographs of the artifacts, which would stand as proof that the rubbings had come from the artifacts themselves. In closing, they would state what they believed was needed to further their search by way of information, tong cooperation, and financial assistance. Lastly, Robert said they should leave his father alone to read Dr. Gilbert’s journal for himself, as he preferred privacy when reading. He was also in the habit of making his own notes, so a notebook would be supplied.
In The Shadow of The Cypress Page 17
