Wild Prey--An Inspector Lu Fei Mystery by Brian Klingborg

Author:Brian Klingborg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

* * *

Cho tells Bullethead to fetch a round of beers from a cooler out front. While they drink, Cho confirms that he can procure whatever Alex Ho is looking for. Tiger, civet, pangolin, every kind of snake and bird, bamboo rat, fox, wolf pup, alligator, otter, ostrich—the list goes on and on.

“The thing is,” Lu says, “Alex wants me to visit the source myself.”

“Why?”

“He’s particular about yewei. He wants me to vet the quality and confirm he’s not being sold substandard fare from a meat mill.”

“I can’t take you to Myanmar.”

“Why not?”

“For one thing, perhaps you’re not aware, but it’s another country, Mr. Long.”

“I’m sure you have ways of crossing the border without a visa.”

“The suppliers there rely on me to service customers in China. They don’t work direct.”

“But you’ll vouch for me. We’re friends now, right?”

Cho smiles. “Why don’t you just give me a shopping list and I’ll handle everything? You can stay here in Kunming and sample all the pleasures the city has to offer.”

“Alex told me to personally vet the source. End of story. If you can’t take me to Myanmar, I’ll find someone who can.”

“Mr. Long…” Cho shakes his head. “You don’t want to go there. It’s not a place where outsiders are welcome. It’s extremely dangerous, especially now.”

“You’re an outsider.”

“No, I’m not,” Cho says. “I’m Burmese.”

“Well, Alex was very specific. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“It would be too complicated to make arrangements.”

“Gei wo mianzi, Mr. Cho.” Give me face. In other words, show me some respect. A request that cannot be refused without grave insult.

Cho sighs dramatically. The magic words have been spoken. Now he’s in a bind.

Lu swallows the rest of his beer. “Either I go to Myanmar personally or there’s no deal.” He stands. “I’m tired. Take me back to my hotel.”

Cho and Bullethead escort Lu to the mouth of the alleyway, where the SUV awaits. Cho opens the back door. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“You know where to reach me.”

The driver wordlessly returns Lu to the Crowne Plaza. Lu walks on unsteady legs through the lobby. He rides the elevator up to his floor.

It’s nearly three in the morning. He has never felt more worn out. He enters his room and locks the door behind him, then goes into the bathroom and takes a long piss and splashes scalding-hot water on his face. He strips off his shirt and dumps it on the floor.

He stumbles out of the bathroom with one goal in mind—bed.

He finds two men sitting in the dark, waiting for him.

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