John Ball - Five pieces of jade

"All right, but why didn't you tell me that?"

Again she lowered her head. "I don't know."

He left her alone after that until he pulled up in front of her house. "Here you are," he said.

She laid a hand on his arm. "Please to come in one minute," she asked. "I have reason."

He followed her up the steps and through the foyer after she had unlocked the door. "Chin Soo is gone," she explained.

"Permanently?"

"No, not yet."

She patted her hair into place and stole a glance in the hall mirror; then she led the way toward the rear of the house. From her purse she extracted the ring of keys that had been Mr. Wang's and opened the door to the jade room. It looked very much as it had before as soon as she turned the lights on; the serenity of the rare objects that it contained behed the violence that had happened there.

She fitted a cabinet key and slid back the glass panel. Then she took out the mutton fat vase with the intertwined branches and flowers that she had used when she had lectured to him about jade. She held it out. "This is for you," she said.

Virgil shook his head clearly and at once. "No, police officers cannot accept gifts. It's magnificent and thank you, but no."

Yumeko did not move. "I know this, so I ask McGowan sensei and he give special permission. You can ask him."

"Yumeko, thank you again, but I'm afraid that I can't."

"You accept picture of beautiful naked girl. Also valuable."

Because she was still holding it out he took the magnifi-

cent carving from her and held it in his hands for several seconds. Then he set it down carefully on the table beside him and moved a step away.

"A police oflBcer cannot accept a gift," he repeated.

She picked up the jade and moved until she was directly in front of him. "It is not a gift," she said. "It is bribe."

"Bribe! Do you know what that means?"

"Yes, I know. I also tell Mr. Chief McGowan that I bribe you."

"I don't get it," Tibbs said.

She lifted his hand and laid it against the jade. "This is bribe and you take it. I want you to become my boyfriend."

"But you don't have to bribe me to do that." StiU slightly upset, he spoke without thinking.

She smiled at him. "Good you say so!"

He looked at her-at her Japanese features and her dark Negro skin. Then he made the mistake of looking at her eyes and was held there. "You will do?" she asked.

"Put down the jade," he answered, "and we'll see.'*