jamesclavell.noblehouse-第69部分

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penings　and　transactions　that　were　thought　to　have　been　buried　forever。　In　shock　they　had　thanked　the　writer　and　paid　him　off　with　a　handsome　bonus　and　the　book；　the　only　two　copies；　put　in　the　tai…pan's　safe。
　Dunross　had　considered　destroying　them。　But　then；　he　thought；　life　is　life；　joss　is　joss　and　providing　only　we　read　them；　there's　no　harm。
　〃Hello；　Roger；〃　he　said；　grimly　amused。　〃Can　we　join　you？〃
　〃Of　course；　tai…pan。〃　Crosse　greeted　him　warmly；　as　did　the　others。　〃Make　yourself　at　home。〃
　The　Americans　smiled　politely　at　the　joke。　They　chatted　for　a　moment　about　inconsequential　things　and　Saturday's　races　and　then　Langan；　Rosemont　and　mander　Mishauer；　sensing　that　the　others　wanted　to　converse　privately；　politely　excused　themselves。　When　they　were　alone；　Brian　Kwok　summarized　exactly　what　Dunross　had　told　him。
　〃We　will　certainly　appreciate　your　help；　Ian；〃　Crosse　said；　his　pale　eyes　penetrating。　〃Brian's　right　about　it　possibly　being　quite　dicey　…　if　of　course　AMG's　other　reports　exist。　Even　if　they　don't；　some　nasties　might　want　to　investigate。〃
　〃Just　exactly　how　and　when　did　you　get　the　copy　of　my　latest　one？〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Did　you　get　it　yourselves　…　or　from　a　third　party？〃
　〃Why？〃
　Dunross's　voice　hardened。　〃Because　it's　important。〃
　〃Why？〃
　The　tai…pan　stared　at　him　and　the　three　men　felt　the　power　of　his　personality。　But　Crosse　was　equally　willful。
　〃I　can　partially　answer　your　question；　Ian；〃　he　said　coolly。　〃If　I　do；　will　you　answer　mine？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃We　acquired　a　copy　of　your　report　this　morning。　An　intelligence　agent　…　I　presume　in　England　…　tipped　a　friendly　amateur　here　that　a　courier　was　en　route　to　you　with　something　that'd　interest　us。　This　Hong　Kong　contact　asked　us　if　we'd　be　interested　in　having　a　look　at　it　…　for　a　fee　of　course。〃　Crosse　was　so　convincing　that　the　other　two　policemen　who　remembered　the　real　story　were　doubly　impressed。　〃This　morning；　the　photocopy　was　delivered　to　my　home　by　a　Chinese　I'd　never　met　before。　He　was　paid　…　of　course　you　understand　in　these　things　you　don't　ask　for　a　name。　Now；　why？〃
　〃When　this　morning？〃
　〃At　6：04　if　you　want　an　exact　time。　But　why　is　this　important　to　you？〃
　〃Because　Alan　Medford　Gr…　〃
　〃Oh；　Father；　sorry　to　interrupt；〃　Adryon　said；　rushing　up　breathlessly；　a　tall；　good…looking　young　man　in　tow；　his　crumpled　sacklike　dinner　jacket　and　twisted　tie　and　scruffy　brown…black　shoes　out　of　place　in　all　this　elegance。　〃Sorry　to　interrupt　but　can　I　do　something　about　the　music？〃
　Dunross　was　looking　at　the　young　man。　He　knew　Martin　Haply　and　his　reputation。　The　English…trained　Canadian　journalist　was　twenty…five；　and　had　been　in　the　Colony　for　two　years　and　was　now　the　scourge　of　the　business　munity。　His　biting　sarcasm　and　penetrating　exposés　of　personalities　and　of　business　practices　that　were　legitimate　in　Hong　Kong　but　nowhere　else　in　the　Western　world　were　a　constant　irritation。
　〃The　music；　Father；〃　Adryon　repeated；　running　on；　〃it's　ghastly。　Mother　said　I　had　to　ask　you。　Can　I　tell　them　to　play　something　different；　please？〃
　〃All　right；　but　don't　turn　my　party　into　a　happening。〃
　She　laughed　and　he　turned　his　attention　back　to　Martin　Haply。　〃Evening。〃
　〃Evening；　tai…pan；〃　the　young　man　said　with　a　confident；　challenging　grin。　〃Adryon　invited　me。　I　hope　it　was　all　right　to　e　after　dinner？〃
　〃Of　course。　Have　fun；〃　Dunross　said；　and　he　added　dryly；　〃There　are　a　lot　of　your　friends　here。〃
　Haply　laughed。　〃I　missed　dinner　because　I　was　on　the　scent　of　a　dilly。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Yes。　Seems　that　certain　interests　in　conjunction　with　a　certain　great　bank　have　been　spreading　nasty　rumors　about　a　certain　Chinese　bank's　solvency。〃
　〃You　mean　the　Ho…Pak？〃
　〃It's　all　nonsense　though。　The　rumors。　Just　more　Hong　Kong　shenanigans。〃
　〃Oh？〃　All　day　Dunross　had　heard　rumors　about　Richard　Kwang's　Ho…Pak　Bank　being　overextended。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Have　a　column　on　it　in　tomorrow's　Guardian。　Talking　about　the　Ho…Pak　though；〃　Martin　Haply　added　breezily；　〃did　you　hear　that　upwards　of　a　hundred　people　took　all　their　money　out　of　the　Aberdeen　branch　this　afternoon？　Could　be　the　beginning　of　a　run　and…　〃
　〃Sorry；　Father　。。。　e　on　Martin；　can't　you　see　Father's　busy。〃
　She　leaned　up　and　kissed　Dunross　lightly　and　his　hand　automatically　went　around　her　and　hugged　her。
　〃Have　fun；　darling。〃　He　watched　her　rush　off；　Haply　following。　Cocky　son　of　a　bitch；　Dunross　thought　absently；　wanting　tomorrow's　column　now；　knowing　Haply　to　be　painstaking；　unbribable　and　very　good　at　his　job。　Could　Richard　be　overextended？
　〃You　were　saying；　Ian？　Alan　Medford　Grant？〃　broke　into　his　thoughts。
　〃Oh；　sorry；　yes。〃　Dunross　sat　back　at　the　table；　partmentalizing　those　problems。　〃AMG's　dead；〃　he　said　quietly。
　The　three　policemen　gaped　at　him。　〃What？〃
　〃I　got　a　cable　at　one　minute　to　eight　this　evening；　and　talked　to　his　assistant　in　London　at　9：11。〃　Dunross　watched　them。　〃I　wanted　to　know　your　'when'　because　it's　obvious　there'd　be　plenty　of　time　for　your　KGB　spy　…　if　he　exists　…　to　have　called　London　and　had　poor　old　AMG　murdered。　Wouldn't　there？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Crosse's　face　was　solemn。　〃What　time　did　he　die？〃
　Dunross　told　them　the　whole　of　his　conversation　with　Kiernan　but　he　withheld　the　part　about　the　call　to　Switzerland。　Some　intuition　warned　him　not　to　tell。　〃Now；　the　question　is：　was　it　accident；　coincidence　or　murder？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Crosse　said。　〃But　I　don't　believe　in　coincidences。〃
　〃Nor　do　I。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Armstrong　said　through　his　teeth；　〃if　AMG　hadn't　had　clearance　。。。　Christ　only　knows　what's　in　those　reports；　Christ　and　you；　Ian。　If　you've　got　the　only　existing　copies　this　makes　them　potentially　more　explosive　than　ever。〃
　〃If　they　exist；〃　Dunross　said。
　〃Do　they？〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　tomorrow。　At　10　o'clock。〃　Dunross　got　up。　〃Will　you　excuse　me；　please；〃　he　said　politely　with　his　easy　charm。　〃I　must　see　to　my　other　guests　now。　Oh；　one　last　thing。　What　about　Eastern　Cloud？〃
　Roger　Crosse　said；　〃She'll　be　released　tomorrow。〃
　〃One　way　or　the　other？〃
　Crosse　appeared　shocked。　〃Good　Lord；　tai…pan；　we　weren't　bartering！　Brian；　didn't　you　say　we　were　just　trying　to　help　out？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　〃Friends　should　always　help　out　friends；　shouldn't　they；　tai…pan？〃
　〃Yes。　Absolutely。　Thank　you。〃
　They　watched　him　walk　away　until　he　was　lost。
　〃Do　they　or　don't　they？〃　Brian　Kwok　muttered。
　〃Exist？　I'd　say　yes；〃　Armstrong　said。
　〃Of　course　they　exist；〃　Crosse　said　irritably。　〃But　where？〃　He　thought　a　moment；　then　added　more　irritably　and　both　men's　hearts　skipped　a　beat；　〃Brian；　while　you　were　with　Ian；　Wine　Waiter　Feng　told　me　none　of　his　keys　would　fit。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　bad；　sir；〃　Brian　Kwok　said　cautiously。
　〃Yes。　The　safe　here　won't　be　easy。〃
　Armstrong　said；　〃Perhaps　we　should　look　at　Shek…O；　sir；　just　in　case。〃
　〃Would　you　keep　such　documents　there　…　if　they　exist？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　sir。　Dunross's　unpredictable。　I'd　say　they　were　in　his　penthouse　at　Struan's；　that'd　be　the　safest　place。〃
　〃Have　you　been　there？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Brian？〃
　〃No　sir。〃
　〃Neither　have　I。〃　Crosse　shook　his　head。　〃Bloody　nuisance！〃
　Brian　Kwok　said　thoughtfully；　〃We'd　only　be　able　to　send　in　a　team　at　night；　sir。　There's　a　private　lift　to　that　floor　but　you　need　a　special　key。　Also　there's　supposed　to　be　another　lift　from　the　garage　basement；　nonstop。〃
　〃There's　been　one　hell　of　a　slipup　in　London；〃　Crosse　said。　〃I　can't　understand　why　those　bloody　fools　weren't　on　the　job。　Nor　why　AMG　didn't　ask　for　clearance。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　didn't　want　insiders　to　know　he　was　dealing　with　an　outsider。〃
　〃If　there　was　one　outsider；　there　could　have　been　others。〃　Crosse　sighed；　and；　lost　in　thought；　lit　a　cigarette。　Armstrong　felt　the　smoke　hunger　pangs。　He　took　a　swallow　of　his　brandy　but　that　did　not　ease　the　ache。
　〃Did　Langan　pass　on　his　copy；　sir？〃
　〃Yes；　to　Rosemont　here　and　in　the　diplomatic　bag　to　his　FBI　HQ　in　Washington。〃
　〃Christ；〃　Brian　Kwok　said　sourly；　〃then　it'll　be　all　over　Hong　Kong　by　morning。〃
　〃Rosemont　assured　me　it　would　not。〃　Crosse's　smile　was　humorless。　〃However；　we'd　better　be　prepared。〃
　〃Perhaps　Ian'd　be　more　cooperative　if　he　knew；　sir。〃
　〃No；　much　better　to　keep　that　to　ourselves。　He's　up　to　som