t flat for an afternoon's nooky behind your office there's no law against that。 None。 And none against having an attractive secretary。 Lucky bastard。 I wouldn't mind having one of these places myself。
Absently he opened a desk drawer。 It was empty。 All the drawers were empty。 Then he went through the bedroom drawers but found nothing of interest。 One cupboard contained a fine camera and some portable lighting equipment and cleaning equipment but nothing suspicious。
He came back into the main room satisfied that he had missed nothing。 She was still watching him； and though she tried to hide it； he could sense a nervousness。
That's understandable； he told himself。 If I were her and my boss was out and some rotten quai loh came prying I'd be nervous too。 No harm in having a private place like this。 Lots of rich people have them in Hong Kong。 His eye was caught by the rosewood cocktail cabinet。 The key in the lock beckoned him。 He opened it。 Nothing out of the ordinary。 Then his sharp； well…trained eyes noticed the untoward width of the doors。 A moment's inspection and he opened the false doors。 His mouth dropped open。
The side walls of the cabinet were covered with dozens of photographs of Jade Gates in all their glory。 Each photograph was neatly framed and tagged with a typed name and a date。 Involuntarily he let out a bellow of embarrassed laughter； then glanced around。 Virginia Tong had vanished。 Quickly he scanned the names。 Hers was third from the last。
Another paroxysm of laughter was barely contained。 The policeman shook his head helplessly。 What some buggers'll do for fun … and I suppose some ladies for money！ I thought I'd seen it all but this 。。。 Photographer Ng； eh？ So that's where the nickname came from。
Now over his initial shock； he studied the photographs。 Each of them had been taken with the same lens from the same distance。
Good God； he thought after a minute； astounded； there's really quite a lot of difference between 。。。 I mean if you can forget what you're looking at and just look； well； there's a fantastic amount of difference in the shape and size of the whole； the position and protuberance of the Pearl on the Step； the quality and quantity of pubicity and 。。。 ayeeyah there's one piece bat jam gai。 He looked at the name。 Mona Leung … now where have I heard that name before？ That's curious … Chinese usually consider lack of pubicity unlucky。 Now why 。。。 oh my God！ He peered at the next name tag to make sure。 There was no mistake。 Venus Poon。 Ayeeyah； he thought elatedly； so that's hers； that's what she really looks like； the darling of the telly who daily projects such sweet； virginal innocence so beautifully！
He concentrated on her； his senses bemused。 I suppose if you pare hers with； say； say Virginia Tong's； well she does have a certain delicacy。 Yes； but if you want my considered opinion I'd still rather have had the mystery and not seen these at all。 None of them。
Idly his eyes went from name to name。 〃Bloody hell；〃 he said； recognizing one： Elizabeth Mithy。 She was once a secretary at Struan's； one of the band of wanderers from the small towns in Australia and New Zealand； girls who aimlessly found their way to Hong Kong for a few weeks； to stay for months； perhaps years； to fill minor jobs until they married or vanished forever。 I'll be damned。 Liz Mithy！
Armstrong was trying to be dispassionate but he could not help paring Caucasian with Chinese and he found no difference。 Thank God for that； he told himself； and chuckled。 Even so he was glad the photographs were black and white and not in color。
〃Well；〃 he said out loud； still very embarrassed； 〃there's no law against taking photos that I know of； and sticking them in your own cabinet。 The young ladies must've cooperated。 。。。〃 He grunted； amused and at the same time disgusted。 Damned if I'll ever understand the Chinese！ 〃Liz Mithy； eh？〃 he muttered。 He had known her slightly when she was in the Colony； knew that she was quite wild； but what could have possessed her to pose for Ng？ If her old man knew； he'd hemorrhage。 Thank God we don't have children； Mary and I。
Be honest； you bleed for sons and daughters but you can't have them； at least Mary can't； so the doctors say … so you can't。
With an effort Armstrong buried that everlasting curse again and relocked the cabinet and walked out； closing the doors after him。
In the outer office Virginia Tong was polishing her nails； clearly furious。
〃Can you get Mr。 Ng on the phone； please？〃
〃No； not until four；〃 she said sullenly without looking at him。
〃Then please call Mr。 Tsu…yan instead；〃 Armstrong told her； stabbing in the dark。
Without looking up the number； she dialed； waited impatiently； chatted gutturally for a moment in Cantonese and slammed the phone down。 〃He's away。 He's out of town and his office doesn't know where he is。〃
〃When did you last see him？〃
〃Three or four days ago。〃 Irritably she opened her appointments calendar and checked it。 〃It was Friday。〃
〃Can I look at that please？〃
She hesitated； shrugged and passed it over； then went back to polishing her nails。
Quickly he scanned the weeks and the months。 Lots of names he knew： Richard Kwang； Jason Plumm； Dunross … Dunross several times … Thomas K。 K。 Lim … the mysterious American Chinese from next door … Johnjohn from the Victoria Bank； Donald McBride； Mata several times。 Now who's Mata？ he asked himself； never having heard the name before。 He was about to give the calendar back to her then he flipped forward。 〃Saturday 10：00 a。m。 … V。 Banastasio。〃 His heart twisted。 This ing Saturday。
He said nothing； just put the appointment calendar back on her desk； and leaned back against one of the files； lost in thought。 She paid no attention to him。 The door opened。
〃Excuse me； sir； phone for you！〃 Sergeant Yat said。 He was looking much happier so Armstrong knew the negotiation must have been fruitful。 He would have liked to know how much； exactly； but then； face would be involved and he would have to take action； one way or another。
〃All right； Sergeant； stay here till I get back；〃 he said； wanting to make sure no secret phone calls were made。 Virginia Tong did not look up as he left。
In the other office Bucktooth Lo was still moaning； nursing his hand； and the other man； Big Hands Tak； was pretending to be nonchalant； going through some papers； loudly berating his secretary for her inefficiency。 As he came in both men started loudly protesting their continued innocence and Lo groaned with increasing vigor。
〃Quiet！ Why did you jam your fingers in the drawer？〃 Armstrong asked and added without waiting for a reply； 〃People who try to bribe honest policemen deserve to be deported at once。〃 In the aghast silence he picked up the phone。 〃Armstrong。〃
〃Hello； Robert； this is Don； Don Smyth at East Aberdeen 。。。〃
〃Oh； hello！〃 Armstrong was startled； not expecting to hear from the Snake； but he kept his voice polite though he loathed him and loathed what he was suspected of doing within his jurisdiction。 It was one thing for constables and the lower ranks of Chinese police to supplement their ine from illicit gambling。 It was another for a British officer to sell influence； and to squeeze like an old…fashioned Mandarin。 But though almost everyone believed Smyth was on the make； there was no proof； he had never been caught； and had never been investigated。 Rumor had it that he was protected by certain VIP individuals who were deeply involved with him as well as in their own graft。 〃What's up？〃 he asked。
〃Had a bit of luck。 I think。 You're heading up the John Chen kidnapping； aren't you？〃
〃That's right。〃 Armstrong's interest soared。 Smyth's graft had nothing to do with the quality of his police work … East Aberdeen had the lowest crime rate in the Colony。 〃Yes。 What've you got？〃
Smyth told him about the old amah and what had happened with Sergeant Mok and Spectacles Wu； then added； 〃He's a bright young chap； that； Robert。 I'd remend him for SI if you want to pass it on。 Wu followed the old bird back to her fairly filthy lair； then called us。 He obeys orders too； which is rare these days。 On a hunch I told him to wait around and if she came out； to follow her。 What do you