re these days。 On a hunch I told him to wait around and if she came out； to follow her。 What do you think？〃
〃A twenty…four…carat lead！〃
〃What's your pleasure？ Wait； or pull her in for real questioning？〃
〃Wait。 I'll bet the Werewolf never es back but it's worth waiting until tomorrow。 Keep the place under surveillance and keep me posted。〃
〃Good。 Oh very good！〃
Armstrong heard Smyth chortle down the phone and he could not think why he was so happy。 Then he remembered the huge reward that the High Dragons had offered。 〃How's your arm？〃
〃It's my shoulder。 Bloody thing's dislocated and I lost my favorite sodding hat。 Apart from that everything's fine。 Sergeant Mok's going through all our mug shots now and I've got one of my lads doing an Identi…Kit on him … I think I even saw the sod myself。 His face is quite pockmarked。 If we've got him on file we'll have him nailed by sundown。〃
〃Excellent。 How's it going down there？〃
〃Everything under control but it's bad。 The Ho…Pak's still paying out but too slowly … everyone knows they're stalling。 I hear it's the same all over the Colony。 They're finished； Robert。 The queue'll go on till every last cent's out。 There's another run on the Vic here and no letup in the crowds。 。。。〃
Armstrong gasped。 〃The Vic？〃
〃Yes； they're handing out cash by the bagful and taking nothing in。 Triads are swarming 。。。 the pickings must be huge。 We arrested eight pickpockets and busted up twenty…odd fights。 I'd say it's very bad。〃
〃Surely the Vic's okay？〃
〃Not in Aberdeen it isn't； old lad。 Me； I'm liquid。 I've closed all my accounts。 I took every cent out。 I'm all right。 If I were you I'd do the same。〃
Armstrong felt queasy。 His life's savings were in the Victoria。 〃The Vic's got to be all right。 All the government funds're in it。〃
〃Right you are。 But nothing in their constitution says your money's protected too。 Well； I've got to get back to work。〃
〃Yes。 Thanks for the info。 Sorry about your shoulder。〃
〃I thought I was going to have my bloody head bashed in。 The sods'd just started the old 'kill the quai loh' bit。 I thought I was a goner。〃
Armstrong shivered in spite of himself。 Ever since the '56 riots it was a recurring nightmare of his that he was back in that insane； screaming mob again。 It was in Kowloon。 The mob had just overturned the car with the Swiss consul and his wife in it and set it afire。 He and other policemen had charged through the mob to rescue them。 When they got to the car the man was already dead and the young wife afire。 By the time they'd dragged her out； all her clothes had burned off her and her skin came away like a pelt。 And all around； men； women and young people were raving； 〃Kill the quai loh 。。。〃
He shivered again； his nostrils still smelling burned flesh。 〃Christ； what a bastard！〃
〃Yes； but all in the day's work。 I'll keep you posted。 If that bloody Werewolf es back to Aberdeen he'll be in a net tighter than a gnat's arsehole。〃
30
2：20 P。M。：
Phillip Chen stopped flipping through his mail； his face suddenly ashen。 The envelope was marked； 〃Mr。 Phillip Chen to open personally。〃
〃What is it？〃 his wife asked。
〃It's from them。〃 Shakily he showed it to her。 〃The Werewolves。〃
〃Oh！〃 They were at their lunch table that was set haphazardly in a corner of the living room of the house far up on the crest of Struan's Lookout。 Nervously she put down her coffee cup。 〃Open it； Phillip。 But； but better use your handkerchief in 。。。 in case of fingerprints；〃 she added uneasily。
〃Yes； yes of course； Dianne； how stupid of me！〃 Phillip Chen was looking very old。 His coat was over his chair and his shirt damp。 There was a slight breeze from the open window behind him but it was hot and humid and a brooding afternoon haze had settled over the Island。 Carefully he used an ivory paper knife and unfolded the paper。 〃Yes； it's 。。。 it's from the Werewolves。 It's 。。。 it's about the ransom。〃
〃Read it out。〃
〃All right： 'To Phillip Chen； pradore of the Noble House； greetings。 I beg to inform you now how the ransom money is to be paid。 500；000 to you is as meaningless as a pig's scream in a slaughterhouse but to us poor farmers would be a heritage for our star … '〃
〃Liars！〃 Dianne hissed； her lovely gold and jade necklace glittering in a shaft of muted sunlight。 〃As if farmers would kidnap John or mutilate him like that。 Dirty stinky foreign triads！ Go on； Phillip。〃
〃 '。。。 would be a heritage for our starving grandchildren。 That you have already consulted the police is to us like pissing in the ocean。 But now you will not consult。 No。 Now you will keep secret or the safety of your son will be endangered and he will not return and everything bad will be your own fault。 Beware； our eyes are everywhere。 If you try to betray us； the worst will happen and everything will be your own fault。 Tonight at six o'clock I will phone you。 Tell no one； not even your wife。 Meanw… ' 〃
〃Dirty triads！ Dirty whores' sons to try to spread trouble between husband and wife；〃 Dianne said angrily。
〃 '。。。 meanwhile prepare the ransom money in used 100…dollar notes。 。。。' 〃 Irritably Phillip Chen glanced at his watch。 〃I don't have much time to get to the bank。 I'll have … 〃
〃Finish the letter！〃
〃All right； be patient； my dear；〃 he said placatingly； his overtaxed heart skipping a beat as he recognized the edge to her voice。 〃Where was I？ Ah yes；' 。。。 notes。 If you obey my instructions faithfully； you may have your son back tonight。 。。。' Oh God I hope so；〃 he said； breaking off momentarily； then continued； 〃 'Do not consult the police or try to trap us。 Our eyes are watching you even now。 Written by the Werewolf。' 〃 He took off his glasses。 His eyes were red…rimmed and tired。 Sweat was on his brow。 〃 'Watching you even now' ？ Could one of the servants 。。。 or the chauffeur be in their pay？〃
〃No； no of course not。 They've all been with us for years。〃
He wiped the sweat off； feeling dreadful； wanting John back； wanting him safe； wanting to strangle him。 〃That means nothing。 I'd 。。。 I'd better call the police。〃
〃Forget them！ Forget them until we know what you have to do。 Go to the bank。 Get 200；000 only … you should be able to settle for that。 If you get more you might be tempted to give it all to them if tonight 。。。 if they really mean what they say。〃
〃Yes 。。。 very wise。 If we could settle for that 。。。〃 He hesitated。 〃What about the tai…pan？ Do you think I should tell the tai…pan； Dianne？ He； he might be able to help。〃
〃Huh！〃 she said scornfully。 〃What help can he give us？ We're dealing with dog…bone triads not foreign devil crooks。 If we need help we have to stay with our own。〃 Her eyes began boring into him。 〃And now you'd better tell me what's really the matter； why you were so angry the night before last and why you've been like a spiteful cat with a thorn in its rump ever since and not attending to business！〃
〃I've been attending to business；〃 he said defensively。
〃How many shares have you bought？ Eh？ Struan shares？ Have you taken advantage of what the tai…pan told us about the ing boom？ Do you remember what Old Blind Tung forecast？〃
〃Of course； of course I remember！〃 he stuttered。 〃I've； I've secretly doubled our holdings and have equally secret orders out with various brokers for half as much again。〃
Dianne Chen's abacus mind glowed at the thought of that vast profit； and all the private profit she would be making on all the shares she had bought on her own behalf； pledging her entire portfolio。 But she kept her face cold and her voice icy。 〃And how much did you pay？〃
〃They averaged out at 28。90。〃
〃Huh！ According to today's paper Noble House opened at 28。80；〃 she said with a disapproving sniff； furious that he had paid five cents less a share than she had。 〃You should have been at the market this morning instead of moping around here； sleeping your life away。〃
〃I wasn't feeling very well； dear。〃
〃It all goes back to the night before last。 What sent you into that unbelievable rage？ Heya？〃
〃It was nothing。〃 He got up； hoping to flee。 〃Noth… 〃
〃Sit down！ Nothing that you shouted at me； me your faithful wife in front of the servants？ Nothing that I was ordered into my own dining room like a mon who