The Red Pole of Macau by Ian Hamilton

Author:Ian Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: House of Anansi Press Inc.
Published: 2012-07-25T21:00:00+00:00

( 16 )

It was past six o’clock when she got back to the hotel, just enough time to shower and check her emails. The guy at Citadel had already sent the specifications. She downloaded them onto a USB drive to print later at the business centre.

She got to the lobby early but Uncle was already sitting on one of the plush couches, his feet dangling above the ground.

“You look grim,” he said, standing.

“It’s bad.”

He put his arm through hers. “We will talk at the restaurant.”

Uncle had called ahead and booked his normal table. There was no host at the front of the restaurant. Uncle walked past the stand and led her directly to the table. Two pots — one spicy, the other milder — were already bubbling away, and a cart laden with trays of food sat alongside.

“I don’t have much appetite,” she said.

“Eat what you can,” he said. “Now I am going to have a beer. Do you want some white wine?”

“Sure.”

He waved at the owner, who ran over. “San Miguel and the house white wine. Make sure they are both cold.” As they waited for their drinks he began to fill the pots with fish balls, oysters, thin slices of beef, mushrooms, strips of bean curd. He poured soy sauce into her bowl and added mixed green and red chilis.

Their drinks arrived, cold and glistening.

“Before you say anything, you need to know that I made some more phone calls today. I talked to Lok’s old Mountain Master twice, asking him to intervene. He finally called me back about an hour ago.”

She knew from his demeanour that it hadn’t gone well. “Thanks for trying.”

“Uncle Tong said you cannot reason with Lok. In his own crazy way he has convinced himself that your brother and his partner really do owe him money. He also told Uncle Tong that the partner started the violence in the restaurant, and that while Wu was trying to calm things, you attacked him from behind.”

“That’s bull.”

“I know, but it shows his state of mind.”

“Does Uncle Tong think he’ll kill Simon?”

“Yes — pay or don’t pay, the result will be the same. He said Lok is really amused that your brother is actually trying to negotiate and seems willing to pay.”

Ava plucked a fish ball from the pot. “I have to get him out of there.”

Uncle grimaced. “I knew you would say that.”

“What choice do I have?”

“I spoke to Andy when he got back. He told me about the house.”

Ava gazed into the spicy pot just as a large, plump oyster bobbed to the surface. She offered it to Uncle. “Thank you,” he said as she put it on his plate.

“The house is difficult,” she said.

“Andy thought it was nearly impossible.”

“You can’t get over the walls unless you parachute in. They’re too high, and the way they’ve strung the electric wire makes it almost suicidal to try.”

“He was as impressed with the gate.”

“Well, again, we can’t go over it, but maybe we can go through it.”

“This

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