The man with the mole inhaled deeply again and repeated, ‘I’ll deliver. Trust me.’
‘When and how? First the yachting accident, now the car, they’ll have got the message.’
‘During his New Year’s Eve party. Everybody will be standing on his terrace watching the fireworks. It’s the custom. New Year it will be, I promise.’
‘How do you plan to pass security?’
‘Leave it to me, it’s already arranged. I’m good at this…’ A vulgar gesture followed.
The other man looked at him and spat, ‘At least you’re good at something. All right, three more days. That’s all. If you fail again, write your last will.’
He looked at the car. ‘What are you going to do with it?’
‘In two hours it’ll be in China. Tonight only innocent spare parts will remain. Don’t worry.’
‘You should worry, I don’t,’ replied the soft voice.
David watched his guests, a look of surprise on his face. The atmosphere had changed palpably; an uneasy silence hovered over the table whilst Amanda tried feverishly to come to terms with her former boyfriend’s sudden appearance. It didn’t help at all that Susan was trying to suppress a bout of hysterical laughter; her eyes were swimming with tears while she pressed a napkin to her lips.
The silence was interrupted by the ringing of David’s mobile phone.
‘Yes, Peggy? It was a fake number plate? Well, I should probably have expected that. They’ll screen all white Toyotas now? Ok, keep me informed. Thanks, Peggy.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Geoffrey asked, clearly relieved to have found a topic with which to break the awkward silence. ‘Did you have an accident?’
David quickly told the story of the Toyota that had almost run them over.
Geoffrey and Daniel were speechless, then Geoffrey cleared his throat. ‘They’ll never find that car, if you ask me.’
David agreed with a shrug. ‘I’m sure that the car has been reported stolen and is on the way in the form of spare parts to China already.’
‘What the hell is going on?’ Daniel asked, looking horrified.
‘It’s complicated. Let’s order a drink and I’ll tell you the full story.’
The waiter took their orders and withdrew while David recounted their adventure.
‘As a matter of fact, I owe my life to Amanda,’ he finished.
‘To life, then!’ Daniel raised his glass for a toast. ‘It’s never boring when Amanda is around,’ he continued with a wry smile. ‘I have ample experience, believe me.’
‘This has nothing to do with me, that’s unfair,’ Amanda protested, having regained her senses – and her voice.
‘I have to agree with Daniel, my dear. Somehow, things simply tend to happen when you’re around,’ Susan said and continued, ‘but it’s not the only accident that’s happened to David recently. It’s quite worrying, if I’m honest. David, you’re taking this far too lightly, it’s time to think about your safety.’
‘I’m afraid you’re right. I’d thought so far that Mr Wu had been the target but in the light of what’s happened I need to reconsider.’
‘Maybe both of you?’ Geoffrey suggested. ‘The stock markets are being played against both of you, don’t forget.’
‘I noticed that,’ Daniel said. ‘I wanted to ask you what’s going on. You mean someone is trying a bet against you? Why? It’s a huge gamble, I saw the number of shares that have been sold.’
‘If we only knew…’ David answered. ‘I’ve started wondering if someone in China is behind all this?’
‘You mean instead of you and Wu taking over the Chinese company, they might be trying to shoot you down and make you a target?’ Geoffrey was intrigued. ‘A nice little twist to the story I hadn’t thought about. Do you happen to know your Chinese adversaries? They don’t seem to be particularly delicate when it comes to choosing their means.’
‘Let me do some investigating, but now let’s choose lunch.’ David seemed determined to switch the subject and the rest of lunch passed with brave attempts at amiable small talk.
Everybody was pretending very hard to be enjoying lunch but in the end Amanda felt as if David’s invitation had turned into something resembling a social marathon, sapping all her energy. Impeccably polite and smooth on the surface, Daniel and Geoffrey were trying to conceal their hostility. But from time to time the truth surfaced and random remarks, sharp and lethal like poisoned arrows, passed from one side to the other. David and Susan seemed immune to those spiteful exchanges but, after an hour, Amanda felt as if she had been mentally tortured. She glanced at her watch.
‘Oh dear, it’s already so late! I have an appointment at the hairdresser’s. I completely forgot – I’m so sorry but I have to hurry now. Will you excuse me if I leave right now?’
David allowed himself a quick smile. ‘Apologies accepted, of course. See you tomorrow?’
‘David has invited us to attend his famous New Year’s Eve party. We’ll be watching the fireworks at midnight from his terrace. It’ll be a very much toned-down version of his normal parties though, no dancing and a minute of commemoration for his deceased sister. But the show must go on, as they say. I took the liberty of accepting the invitation,’ Geoffrey added quickly.
‘Thank you. Well, that confirms that I absolutely need to rush to the hairdresser’s.’ Amanda smiled back at him. ‘I’ll guess we’ll come with pleasure – am I right, Susan?’
‘I’ve told Neil already that we’ll go. His convention ends today anyhow. He’ll have no excuse not to attend.’ She grinned back.
David looked pleased. ‘That’s settled then. You may tell Neil that I’ve invited plenty of toxic toads. That might cheer him up. It’ll only be when he arrives that he’ll discover it’s the human species of toad, also known as the leading members of Hong Kong high society. I’ll send my car to pick Amanda up tomorrow evening at eight. All right?’
‘Thanks, David, that’s very kind of you.’
Geoffrey tried to seize the opportunity. ‘Do you want me to give you a lift to your hotel?’
‘Thanks a lot, Geoffrey, but I’ll have walked over to my hotel even before the valet downstairs will have had time to turn up with your car. Next time with pleasure, of course.’
Amanda smiled apologetically and before Daniel could grasp the opportunity to offer his company, she quickly left the restaurant, careful not to slip or sway on the thick carpet.
Only once Amanda had left the grand entrance doors behind and she had made sure she was alone did she breathe deeply. What a mess! She needed a walk now to clear her head. She didn’t head straight back to her hotel but turned right and made a grand detour along the scenic waterfront. The fresh air made her feel better but her mind was still in a state of acute overload.
As soon as she entered the hotel lobby her mobile phone started buzzing, displaying various messages:
Need to talk to you, darling, urgently, Daniel.
OMG! What a mess, take my advice and better stay clear of Daniel. Geoffrey is such a sweet guy. Love, Susan.
Sorry to bother you, Amanda. It may sound silly, but do I still have a chance? Can we meet and talk? Geoffrey.
She entered her spacious suite where a bottle of champagne had been placed in a silver ice bucket, awaiting her return. David’s call had catapulted her into VIP status and the hotel manager clearly didn’t want to leave anything to chance. It would have been tempting to open the bottle but she needed to keep a clear head. A glass of water would have to do, but she’d settle for sparkling water, to at least get a zest of bubbles.
There was no doubt that she must meet and talk with Daniel. It would be grossly impolite to ignore his message. Her reaction had seemed entirely well founded and logical back in Hamburg, when she had been seething with anger. But now, two weeks later and having met up with him, she must explain why she had taken her decision and ended their relationship. She at least owed him an explanation.
But she must also
talk to Geoffrey. She had never flirted openly with Geoffrey but she had – willingly – accepted that they had become a bit more than just best friends. She must have been encouraging him, she realized this now. Geoffrey was certainly not the incarnation of a Prince Charming – like Daniel. But he was funny, reliable, protective. Not the kind of man who would invade her dreams at night, but the kind of man she’d gladly have at her side in case of any problem. Wasn’t that a much better basis for a relationship than a romantic fling?
Amanda sipped her water and made face. Champagne would probably have been the better choice.
There was just a small problem. This stupid heart of hers, this treacherous being, had started to flutter when Daniel had suddenly appeared at their table.
‘Don’t be stupid, it’s over.’ She spoke to herself aloud. It was good to listen to the voice of reason.
‘I must finish this!’ she repeated. ‘Even if it hurts…’ she added in her mind.
Where should she meet Daniel? Certainly not in her hotel; he might interpret the suggestion as a veiled kind of invitation. A Chinese restaurant – maybe a good culinary choice, but the ones she had visited so far were incredibly crowded and noisy.
She remembered the small Swiss-style restaurant tucked into the corner of the mezzanine where she had just had lunch. Meeting there would be a nice touch as Daniel had studied for some years in Switzerland. Better tackle this quickly. Hadn’t her father always said that the future was for the brave and not the timid? Quickly she typed a message to Daniel:
Yes, we need to talk. What about meeting tonight for dinner in the Chesa restaurant in the Peninsula at 8 p.m? Amanda.
She hoped that her text message wouldn’t raise too many hopes of reconciliation but she couldn’t possibly be more formal. If Daniel was smart enough, he’d certainly notice the absence of any mention of ‘darling’ or ‘dear’ in her reply.
Only seconds the answer appeared on the screen:
Perfect, darling, reserved two places for tonight. Good choice. I’m staying in the Peninsula overnight, love, Daniel.
Amanda made a face; so much for Daniel noticing that she had omitted the world ‘darling’. The fact that Daniel was staying at the Peninsula made things even more problematic. A difficult dinner was looming – why did life have to be so complicated?
The next hurdle was waiting. She must talk to Geoffrey. But it was impossible to do that immediately – she had to see Daniel first.
‘You must decide what you really want – you’re heading straight for disaster,’ her inner voice warned her.
Regrettably this was so true…
She typed a short message:
Geoffrey, let’s meet the evening after David’s party and talk.
The reply came instantly:
Let’s have dinner, will book a restaurant and let you know place and time. You’ve made me a happy man.
Amanda stared in disbelief at the two answers. She had intended to clarify things and move out of this mess – and what had she succeeded in doing? She had created an even bigger mess.
Dear me! There was only thing she could do now – go the hairdresser’s and look her best for the encounters that lay ahead.
Breaking up is hard to do
A last glance in the mirror and Amanda was ready to go. Nervously she patted her hair, trying to tame a stubborn strand, knowing full well that this effort was doomed to be futile. She had dressed with care, much more formal than her usual style, and buttoned up her blouse.
‘I look like Mary Poppins.’ She grimaced at her image in the mirror, but the message to be conveyed to Daniel must be clear: this was by no means intended to be a romantic date.
The Chesa restaurant was a cosy, old-world hideaway tucked into the corner of the hotel’s mezzanine. Amanda was deliberately running late and therefore wasn’t surprised to find Daniel sitting at a table waiting for her.
Entering the restaurant she stepped into a world that she thought had long since disappeared: the world of the jet set of the nineteen sixties. A world when the beautiful and rich would celebrate Christmas by spending champagne-laced skiing holidays in their chalets dotting the Swiss Alps. Here in the Chesa restaurant, every detail was authentic, from the heavy silver cutlery to the old-fashioned upholstered oak furniture, the subtle decoration and the folkloric cittern music that was playing in the background.
Only the alert Chinese waiters – wearing Swiss costumes with embroidered edelweiss flowers – reminded Amanda that she was far, far away from Switzerland, on the opposite side of the globe in fact.
Daniel looked as glamorous as ever; dressed in a dark blue suit he could have been modelling for Armani. Amanda had the impression that he was relieved; maybe he had been worried that she might decide to defect at the last minute. This thought somehow comforted her and she greeted Daniel with a sympathetic smile and a quick kiss on his cheek as he rose from his chair.
‘You look marvellous, my darling!’
‘Let me pay back the compliment – you look very smart.’
‘I remember that this was your favourite blazer.’ Daniel smiled back.
For a minute they sat in awkward silence, but luckily the head waiter chose this moment to present the menu and the task of choosing a starter and entree helped to steer their conversation into safe territory. They discussed at length the pros and cons of a light Swiss Fendant wine compared to French Chablis and agreed to settle for the Swiss – it seemed a natural choice.
As soon as the waiter withdrew, the awkward silence returned. Daniel cleared his throat. ‘I guess I need to apologize…’
‘There’s no need to apologize, Daniel!’ Amanda protested. ‘Although, to be honest, I was a bit upset when I spotted those photos in the newspaper… I’d have preferred not to see them,’ she added lamely.
‘I’m sorry, my darling. She’s the daughter of a business friend in Rio… and I know, it’s not good to beat around the bush. I confess that I took her out to quite a wild party in a nightclub, but please believe me, Amanda, we didn’t… I mean, I know the limits. She could be my daughter.’
‘It’s okay, Daniel, no need to go into details.’ An awkward silence ensued while Amanda reduced the piece of bread in her hand to a sorry heap of crumbs. Finally she spoke up. ‘I think it’s time for me to put my cards on the table.’ She sighed.
But now she was interrupted by the waiter who approached the table with the bottle of Fendant they had ordered. While Daniel went through the venerated ritual of wine tasting, Amanda had time to rehearse her speech. She hadn’t intended to tell Daniel the full truth, but sitting so close to him, she changed her mind. Although deep in her heart she knew she must be firm, she also knew that she was far from unreceptive to his charms. But she had to end this, tonight.
‘Be careful,’ her inner voice warned her, ‘I can feel you wavering…’
Why was her inner voice so tiresome?
The wine was poured into the crystal glassed adorned with the restaurant’s emblem and Daniel raised his glass. ‘To you, my love, with my apologies. Santé!’
‘Thanks, Daniel, but no need to apologize. Santé to you.’
She tasted the wine; it was fresh with just the right note of fruitiness. ‘Excellent.’
‘Yes, the wine is good, but you were just telling me something about putting cards on the table?’
Amanda sighed. ‘Yes, Daniel, confession time for me now. I was very upset and probably a bit too emotional when I saw the pictures.’ She had to grin. ‘She looked gorgeous, radiant, but you, my dear…’
‘I looked damn stupid! A silly much older man next to a beautiful girl. I know, just rub it in.’ Daniel was all remorse.
‘Yep, sort of… But that’s not really why I freaked out. That story was the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. I realized I had been lying to myself all the time. Our relationship was wonderful, a dream. But you’re a ladies’ man, Daniel – even here in the restaurant the lady to our left can’t keep her eyes o
ff you. She’d gladly drag you to her room tonight. You’re simply not made for a boring relationship with a woman like me. Let’s face the truth.’
He made a face of denial and looked as if he wanted to protest wildly but Amanda only smiled and made a sign to hush him.
‘Daniel, both of us have to wake up and face reality. Our relationship was a wonderful dream, but the dream is over. I don’t want to be fighting all the time against a battalion of women ten years younger and more glamorous than I could ever be. I don’t want that kind of relationship.’
Daniel went to protest but once again she cut him short.
‘I’m sorry. I guess I’m terrible at explanations. Let me be frank: I’d been feeling ill at ease with our relationship for some time but I ignored it, I closed my eyes. I couldn’t stomach the ugly truth. But you and I know that I simply don’t belong in your world. I love my job and I’m afraid I’ve discovered what I really want is an ordinary life, with a boyfriend who’s at my side most of the time, not just some weekends, however fantastic those might be. It’s not easy for me to say all this – I still care for you, Daniel, very much – but it’s better we end our relationship before it turns sour.’
Daniel looked at her and slowly raised his glass, sampling the wine, apparently playing for time. Amanda wondered if he had expected allegations, tears, maybe a tantrum – but that was not how she intended the evening to turn out. Had he ever invested a single thought about the future of their relationship? She knew that, in truth, he had been entirely happy to live and enjoy every moment.
‘I understand…’ he said at last, ‘but I’m not sure I have a clear answer. You love your life, I love mine, but my job sends me around the globe. I love you – but I love my style of life as well. I’d be a hypocrite to pretend I didn’t. I guess we face a genuine problem here…’
Amanda smiled, trying very hard not to burst into tears. ‘Yes, Mr Greenfield, we do have a problem. And we both know that if you have to choose between me and your job – the winner will be your job. At least in the long term. Our relationship was wonderful and part of my heart will always be reserved for you – but the dire truth is that there’s no future for us. Let’s remain friends – let’s not spoil the memory of the wonderful time we spent together.’
Death in Hong Kong Page 13
