Inner Truth

by Philip Dole

  “But if you know where he is, why don’t I just call Mr. Hacker?”

  “On a speakerphone I suppose.”

  He chose to ignore her sarcasm because she was correct. Hacker would laugh again. “Lei, the government has personnel trained to track people down.” He wasn’t sure if they did, but he supposed they must. To him the whole thing had smacked of “cloak and dagger” from the first time she’d said they intended to track Wu down.

  She wrinkled her nose and asked, “Do you really think Hacker can persuade the CIA to send people to search the mountains of Morocco based on information from a European no one knows?”

  “Yes, maybe it’s not such a good idea to call him just yet. But at some point we should let him know what you’ve found out. Wu’s general current location is at least something we should share with Hacker. But are you sure even if you pinpoint Wu’s location, that will satisfy Hacker?”

  “How can I be sure of that? You are the expert. But I do know if I do not lead the authorities to Wu, there is no chance they will ever believe Niko is not involved.

  “And why should they? I admit it looks suspicious. He was carrying documents about Wu’s business, and they are both Chinese. Why should they believe my brother is working against Wu and not working for him?

  “And how long will they keep Niko if they don’t believe him? We both know they will never transfer him to the Dutch until they are persuaded he was not working for Wu. That could be a very long time. Fingering Wu may not be enough, but it is our best chance. No, it is our only chance, pure and simple. Do you not see that, Tyler? I must find Wu, take his photo and give the authorities his exact present location.”

  Tyler agreed providing Hacker Wu’s present location was the best thing they could do. But would Hacker consider a real-time photograph the ironclad evidence he said he required? He had to. Niko’s freedom depended on it. And as dangerous as her manhunt would be, Tyler couldn’t see another way. Wu was the person the feds wanted, and they would have a good reason to credit Niko’s story if Lei led them to him.

  “But who can go with you?”

  Lei looked straight into his eyes. He got her message. But he realized she was trying to manipulate him like Arnold did so well. So he added, “Other than me?”

  “Do you think one of the staff is up to it? Do you think I will be safe with our butler or the chauffeur?” Her dark eyes mocked him, and he cringed. A chill ran up his spine. She would be risking her life.

  “Lei, I’m serious. It’s dangerous. Don’t you see that?”

  She didn’t seem flustered by the prospect of conducting this manhunt. “I know it is dangerous, but don’t you see? I must go. I must try. He’s my brother.”

  “What about the Moroccan police? Sunny can ask his old friend for help.”

  “He has already asked. But they will not go nosing around that area. It is a no-man’s land run by the hashish farmers.”

  “And you’re going to go there?” Tyler was incredulous.

  “I must. We don’t know how long Wu will be there. It took a long time to find him this time, and who knows when we’ll get another chance?” Lei looked at him. “If I don’t finger Wu, Niko will rot in jail. And who knows what will happen to him? I hear terrible things happen in jail.”

  Tyler made no reply. He heard Arnold’s voice as clearly as he had that day long ago with Beth. Chicken. Fat big chicken. No guts. Coward. Those were insults he’d never forgotten.

  Lei stood and blew him a kiss as she left, saying “I have a lot to do. Ring the staff as soon as you are dressed. And do not forget your flight leaves at twelve-thirty. It is through Chicago and L.A. and gets to Maui at twelve-thirty tomorrow.”

  “I should call my father to let him know I’m coming home.”

  Tyler slammed his arms down on the covers after Lei left. He wanted to earn the additional $40,000. It would assure he had enough to launch the kind of practice he wanted. He had given his word. And he didn’t want Lei to think he was a coward. But he was struggling to come up with a plan that made more sense than her crazy one.

  He looked up Ketama on the Internet and didn’t like what he found. Not only was she going to try to track down a dangerous arms dealer, she would be going into a region so lawless the government did not even exercise control.

  The obvious question was whether he should go with her. So using his customary analytical approach, he gathered the pertinent facts. There wasn’t any point in going with her unless he could help But what could he do?

  First, he knew nothing about Morocco, and of course, he didn’t speak Arabic.

  Second, to be honest she was more cosmopolitan than he. She’d traveled more and was more worldly.

  Third, although he might have a bodyguard’s body, the last person he’d hit in anger was a smart ass in the ninth grade who’d laughed at him.

  And lastly, although he’d hunted with his father, he’d enjoyed shooting clay pigeons more than shooting live ones. His only experience with handguns had been one afternoon firing a .44 Magnum, “the most powerful handgun in the world,” while he did an awful imitation of Clint Eastwood playing detective Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry. So gunplay was not one of his skills.

  On the other hand, the Rif Mountains were wilderness, and he did have outdoor survival skills. He was an Eagle Scout and considered the pinnacle of his Boy Scout experiences his two trips to Philmont, scouting’s wilderness ranch in the mountains of New Mexico. His second time at Philmont he completed the twenty-day backpacking challenge called the Rayado Trek. He’d enjoyed that challenge of body and soul so much he’d turned down the new car Arnold had offered for his high school graduation present. Instead Tyler had asked to go to the National Outdoor Leadership School [N.O.L.S.] in Chile. There he completed the most grueling survival training not conducted by nations’ militaries.

  While those thoughts percolated in his consciousness, he called Arnold to let him know where he was. He expected Arnold to approve of him having taken the initiative to help Niko by flying to Amsterdam to gather crucial evidence personally. After all, it was such an Arnold move. He was positive if his father had been in his shoes, he would have jumped at the chance.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi. It’s Tyler. When did you get home?”

  “This afternoon. It’s ten-thirty, and I was almost asleep. Where are you?”

  “Guess.”

  “I’m in bed. For pete’s sake, knock off the fun and games, Son.”

  “Amsterdam.” He dropped his bomb, expecting Arnold to react with curiosity and interest.

  “Amsterdam. What are you doing there? You didn’t say anything about taking a vacation. That isn’t smart after you just opened such a disgraceful office. I drove by that hippie hangout on my way back from the airport. It’s a good thing I missed it on my way to the airport in my rush. If I’d seen it before I left, I couldn’t have kept my mind on my golf game. And I played damn well if I don’t say so myself.

  “We’re going to discuss that office when you return, Son. But is this the right time to goof off? You’re trying to get your new practice off the ground although I doubt you’ll be successful going about it that way.”

  “I’m not goofing off. I’m on business. All expenses paid. And with a big retainer.”

  “In Amsterdam? Big retainer? Make some sense for a change. What business could you possibly have in Europe?”

  “The case is actually in Hawaii. It’s a mistaken identity case. So I’m here gathering evidence. The Chang family lives here, and I have to prove my client’s identity. They’re helping me, and I’m coming home tomorrow.”

  “Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You flew to Europe on a case of mistaken identity.”

  “But they’re paying for everything. Don’t worry. They’re rich Chinese, and the feds have their grandnephew confused with a really bad guy named Peng
. Get this. The feds think my client is some hard-core arms dealer. But they got the wrong guy. It’s just a …”

  “Just a what, you bloody idiot? You’re messing with Chinese arms dealers. Do you have any idea what you’re getting into? They’re dangerous. Believe me. Drop this case before you get in a lot of trouble. Big time trouble.

  “What the hell were you thinking? I had no idea you were that dumb. Face it, Son. You’re a meathead, dead from the neck up. A total meathead.”

  “Father, I’m…”

  “Oh, I get it. You’re imitating me.”

  “Why are you so upset? I’ll be home tomorrow. I’ve done what I need to do here.”

  “Get this straight, Son. You’re just a snot-nosed kid with absolutely no idea what the hell you’re getting into.

  “Apologize to these people, give them back the retainer and get your ass on the first plane out of there. Do you understand me, mister? The very first plane! You’ve…”

  Tyler didn’t hear anything more because he hung up. Arnold was ordering him around again, and he didn’t like it. He wasn’t trying to be a big shot. He was trying to get Niko out of jail. He sure wasn’t trying to be a flashy attorney like Arnold. In fact, it was the flashy jet-set overtone that almost kept him from accepting the case. He’d heard Arnold’s order loud and clear. But it wasn’t his father’s decision to make and not his place to give orders.

  Tyler felt confident that coming to Amsterdam had been right even if Lei had conned him. He had given his word to turn over every stone, and it was clear that promise now included tracking Wu down. He reminded himself to be careful. Her manipulation unsettled him, but she was correct that the only way to show the feds were wrong was to finger Wu. And that meant first finding him.

  If feeding Hacker Wu’s real time location convinced Hacker to free Niko, Tyler would get a payday big enough to set up his practice. With that money Tyler could proceed on his terms, not Arnold’s. And showing Arnold he was wrong would be an enjoyable bonus.

  His stomach growled, reminding him to ring the staff. He slipped on the house slippers and tramped downstairs. “What’s for breakfast?” he asked of the first staff person he saw. She averted her face, covering her mouth with a hand as she giggled. He made his way to the den where another fire burned. Lei was there, staring blankly at the fire. He approached her smiling.

  “You seem very happy to be leaving us.”

  “You’re right, Lei. I am happy but not about leaving. If you want me to go with you, I shall. The feds need convincing proof Niko’s not working with Wu or else he rots in jail. I gave you my word I’d do everything I could to help Niko, and I keep my word. I don’t know how helpful a monkey with a head like a penis will be in Morocco, but maybe I can keep you out of trouble.”

  She hitched up her long dress, hopped off the sofa, and jumped into his arms. She clung to him with her face buried in his shoulder.

  “I hope this isn’t a big mistake. But I’ll go. If we find him, you take his photo and tell Hacker where he is. That’s it. A week tops. If we don’t find him, then adios.” He lifted her head and kissed her.

  Chapter Ten

  The Chang Residence

  Prinzengracht 45

  Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  Tuesday, December 7, 2005

  9:12 a.m.

  Lei took Tyler by the arm and led him to the staircase. “How was breakfast?”

  “Excellent. I like French press coffee. It’s never bitter. Where are you taking me?”

  “To Granduncle’s sitting room. He is holding audiences like he does almost every morning.”

  “Audiences? With whom?”

  “Hing Ling villagers who want advice or a loan or help resolving a fight or maybe just a blessing. Anything and everything.”

  “And they come to Sunny because he’s an elder?”

  “Yes. He has serious rheumatoid arthritis but is sharp as a tack, especially for an eighty-five-year-old.”

  “Hing Ling is also where the Pengs come from, right?”

  “Correct.”

  “I make it a point to remember what you say. But before we fly off to no-man’s land on this wild goose chase, tell me more how you got messed up with these arms dealers.”

  “It is not a wild goose chase. If Sunny says he has reliable information, you should believe it.”

  “I’ll take that on faith.”

  “And as I have told you, the Changs and the Pengs come from the same village, Hing Ling, in Canton and were partners providing villagers to be stevedores on Rotterdam’s docks. During World War II they helped the Dutch Resistance smuggle weapons in and people out. Back then the Changs and the Pengs had pledged fealty to the village and to each other. Then after the war, as Europe struggled to recover, the Pengs quit the docks because they could make more money dealing war surplus, mainly arms.”

  They topped the stairs and turned into Sunny’s sitting room. Several people were already there. A staff person entered, clapped his hands, and everyone stood. Sunny appeared from behind a colorful screen and approached an imposing settee upholstered in pink silk brocade. Its legs were milk chocolate sardonyx stone with cream tones swirling throughout and carved into four foo dogs. The settee’s high back was crowned with a matching pair of reclining dragons, facing in different directions.

  Sunny slid one foot ahead of the other across the bare hardwood flooring and accepted the assistance of the staff person to mount the low platform on which the settee sat.

  Lei whispered to Tyler, “I was honored Granduncle came to my birthday celebration. He hardly ever comes down any longer. The stairs are just too much.

  “Tyler, you must understand how important the allegiance to Hing Ling is to us and our small community. Hing Ling is home to the last twenty-three generations of Changs according to the temple records. Sunny brought many people from that village to new lives in Europe, and through the years he has remained the revered elder of the expatriated Hing Ling villagers’ extended families.”

  Sunny focused on Lei and Tyler. “Young man, I understand you have given your word to do everything possible to help my esteemed grandnephew.” The patriarch of the Chang family had a high-pitched, almost shrill, voice. He was stout and round, a compact Buddha. His long gray hair was woven in a braid, and surprisingly for an eighty-five year old he didn’t have a receding hairline.

  The room where Sunny held court was replete with dragons of every shape.

  Tyler bowed deeply to the patriarch. “Yes, sir, I have given my word.”

  “That may be, my young guest, but to choose a man according to his unproven word is like buying a horse without riding it.”

  All his life Tyler had glibly attributed every proverb, adage, and cliché he’d ever uttered to “an ancient Chinese philosopher.” And now he was in the presence of the genuine article. He struggled to keep a straight face.

  “Respectfully, sir, I assure you my word is my bond, and I have given my word to your grandnephew and your grandniece. Now I give my word to you.”

  “Young man, a good horse only needs to be touched with the whip once, and a good man’s word needs to be given only once. But you must still prove yourself with deeds.”

  “I assure you there will be no reason to doubt my word. I shall do my best to return your grandniece safely and help your grandnephew convince my government’s authorities he opposes the Pengs.”

  “This endeavor will entail more than keeping my beautiful grandniece company. It will be dangerous, do you realize that?”

  “Yes sir, I do.”

  “And what do you know about Peng Fu, my brave young man?”

  “Very little, sir. Just what Lei has told me. I know he’s in retirement in Yangon.”

  “I was once the close friend of Peng Wu’s grandfather, Peng Hu. We were like brothers. We come from the same village, a
nd he was the first to follow my footsteps. He had the good fortune to buy passage as a cabin boy with the gold I had sent back to the village.

  “Here in Europe, he was a hard worker, and he obeyed orders. So we prospered. We sent gold back to our village for others to come, and our numbers grew. We worked on the docks. I took a wife from Hing Ling, Hung Ho’s mother. May she be blessed.”

  Sunny raised both arms as high as he could. Tyler saw him wince. He spoke a phrase in Cantonese, and all present except Tyler replied in unison. Sunny bowed his head silently.

  “I was ready for a wife, but Hu passed up taking a wife just then. He brought his sickly mother instead. And when the Nazis came, she was too weak to leave. So Hu stayed here, and we fled to England. I never saw Hu’s mother again.

  “Between the bombing and the Gestapo, Hu’s life here was hard. But we knew how to smuggle cargo, and Hu volunteered to unload secret cargoes for the Dutch Resistance. I hid the contraband in England, and Hu unloaded it in Rotterdam.

  “After the war I returned here and went back to the docks. But Hu had married and had a son, Fu. He lost interest in stevedoring. He just wanted to buy and sell weapons. More and more people wanted out of China before the Communists took over, and I had plenty of Chinese stevedores. I organized them and negotiated better contracts. It was honorable work, and Hu had sworn to be my partner always.

  “But our honest work did not pay as well as buying and selling surplus weapons. So Hu broke his word to me.

  That he should have never done. It made him a traitor. I understand you value your word as a solemn bond.”

  “Yes, sir. My word is my bond.”

  “Be certain that always is true. Betraying another’s trust by breaking your word is inexcusable. And never sell your honor for money as Hu did. A man who breaks his word for riches is no man at all.

  “To his eternal shame Hu’s motive was money. He wanted wealth and decided to sell weapons to whomever was making war. I needed him to help me with my new dry cleaning business, but he did not want to be involved with that kind of enterprise when he could get rich selling death. So he went his way, and I went mine. I now consider the Pengs a disgrace to Hing Ling.”