Ian Hamilton - The water rat of Wanchai

“You’ll need to pass that message along to your brother too.”

“When he’s functioning again, I will.”

“They found him?”

“Oh yes, they have him. When I didn’t hear from you by nine, I sent in some of his men.”

“Is he okay?”

There was a long silence. “He may be blind in one eye.”

“Yes, perhaps,” Ava said.

“He can’t hear out of one ear.”

“That may pass.”

“And he’s not going to be walking for a while.”

Ava thought about Jack Robbins standing over her with the belt and the baton, and moved on. “How was Seto?”

“Groggy, confused. He says he can’t remember how he got there or who brought him.”

“What do the police think happened?”

“They can’t get anything out of him that makes sense.”

“Captain, I think it’s best that your brother be equally confused. I don’t want to have to deal with long-distance police enquiries.”

“My brother won’t talk to anyone unless I tell him to, and then he’ll be following my advice.”

“And what kind of advice do you think you’ll give him?”

“Seto has set an example that I think he should emulate.”

Ava looked out the limousine window as they exited the Parkway onto Bloor Street. The snow was falling harder now, the wind picking up. “It seems we have an understanding, Captain.”

“Yes, I think we do, Ms. Lee… But tell me — humour me, please — where is the money that was supposed to have been sent?”

“There is no more money, you know that. You were paid $300,000 for services rendered. Be content with that.”

“Did you ever intend to send it?”

“You know, there was a chance that it would have been sent,” Ava said slowly. “I honestly hadn’t decided what to do until your brother tipped the scales. In effect, he — in reality, you — made that decision for me.”

“You were never going to send it. It was always a game with you,” he said.

“I don’t see any value in second-guessing each other, Captain. You are $300,000 richer and I have a happy client. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Yes, Ms. Lee, maybe we should.”

“There is one last thing, Captain. I would very much like to have my Canadian passport back. I hate the idea that it’s in someone else’s possession and could be used for mischief.”

“Give me your address and I’ll — ”

Ava laughed. “Yeah, sure. Look, have it sent to the bank in Kowloon to be held for pickup. And considering that I’ve already paid you $300,000, don’t send it COD.”

Robbins hesitated and then said slowly, “Ms. Lee, I have to tell you that I wish our business relationship had ended on a more congenial note.”

“The only way that would have been possible from your end is if you had gotten your two million dollars. Me, I’m happy enough with the result as it is,” Ava said.

“You aren’t entirely wrong about the money — ” he began.

“Goodbye, Captain.”

“Ms. Lee, if you’re ever back in my neck of the woods — ”

“Not a chance, Captain. Not a chance,” she said, closing the phone.

Ava saw the limo driver looking her in his rear-view mirror, and she realized that her end of the conversation must have sounded strange. “What’s the weather forecast?” she asked him.

“More of this,” he said.

She opened the window far enough to be able to stick her hand out. It was turning colder, the snow sticking to the ground. She tossed the phone out onto Bloor Street. It bounced twice before the back flew off. Traffic would take care of the rest.