Ridley Pearson - The Risk Agent

“I need…a favor.”

“Anything!” He bordered on euphoric.

“You are an important civil servant-if my mother does not spread foul rumor.”

“She exaggerates, as always. I am of little consequence, I am afraid.” His ambition, or lack thereof, had been a sticking point for her father.

“I hear you have risen quickly.” She had heard more, much more, but wasn’t sure how to play her cards.

“I have the benefit of unusual motivation,” he said, his eyes boring into her. His ambition was now to show her father wrong.

“Lu Hao was over here in September.”

“Yes.”

“Visiting the family?”

“My mother’s birthday.”

“You must congratulate her for me.”

“What of this visit?”

“Lu Hao saw a man. He followed him to a remote location.”

“Did he?”

“He spoke nothing of this with you?”

Lu Jian shook his head.

“This man he followed met with a prominent official. Did Lu Hao mention such a man to you?”

“I am sorry, Youya.”

“This place-it is a large blue building. Old. Like a factory. Chongming is in its title.”

“As in so many companies,” he said. “I do not know of such a place.”

“This official,” she said. “I believe it is possible that he may be connected to the construction industry. That he may oversee or be connected to, in some way, such projects. Projects in the billions of yuan.”

“Indeed, with the selection of Chongming as the seventh city, it is entirely possible. I do not doubt it. Such powerful men visit our city often these days.”

Fifteen years before, the Party authorities had identified seven cities, all suburbs of Shanghai, to be incorporated into the city by rail, highway and commerce, thereby expanding Shanghai’s territory. Chongming was the final area to be developed in the master plan.

“It is important I identify the man Lu Hao observed at this meeting.”

“You have asked Lu Hao, of course.”

“Just a face to him. Nothing more.” She hesitated. “A life depends upon this information. The life of a man who helped win Lu Hao’s freedom. My immediate superior.”

He sucked in air sharply. His eyes lingered on her and she felt like a flower in the sun. But then he looked off, concentrating.

“Construction?” he echoed. “So much of it now in planning.”

“This is large. Very large. Something worthy of deception and betrayal. Of fierce competition among the heavyweights.”

“A hotel? An office building? What?”

“Bigger. My sense is land development. Something in the tens of billions of yuan.”

His eyes flared. “Tens of billions?”

“If you could ask around. I need a lead to follow. Quickly. I need to know what project might attract the attention of foreign construction companies.”

“Foreign?”

“I have evidence that supports this.”

“You saved my brother. I will do anything.”

“I do not wish you to take any risks. These people…we suspect them of serious crimes.”

“We?”

“A co-worker.”

“Are you still betrothed?” he said, as if the words simply escaped. His eyes told her he wanted to take the question back.

She hung her head. “Yes.”

“Six years this man waits for you.”

“Yes. And sixty more.”

“You shame your parents.”

“It is true.”

“Why?”

“Must you ask?” she said.

He looked away. “I will make inquiries. My brother’s life is a debt I cannot ever repay.”

“There is no debt between us,” she said. “Only the past.”

He recoiled. She’d overstepped her bounds.

“How do I reach you?”

She wrote down the number for Knox’s iPhone. “You should not call from your phone. Buy a new SIM card before you call. For safety’s sake.”

He nodded. “You are in trouble.”

“I take precautions. So should you.”

“You have come here at personal risk.”

“It is now a risk for both of us, I am afraid. Your efforts must be quiet, Jian. You must take great care. Trust no one.”

“The police?”

“Not them either.”

“You can stay here. With me.”

Her heart nearly burst. “This is very kind of you. But sadly, I cannot. Many know our history-yours and mine. If inquiries were made, authorities would look here first.”

“Is it that bad?”

“I am afraid so. If questioned, you must take great care, Jian. Do not deny my visit. Tell them you sent me away. Tell them I came out of love, not business. That you sent me away.”

“Never.”

“You must not incite their interest in you.”

“I have much guanxi here. I have made many friends.”

“I would never believe otherwise.” Tears threatened. “I must leave,” she said.

“You have not touched your tea.”

She reached out her hand and placed it onto his. “I have not touched you.”

He allowed their touch to linger. Then he withdrew his hand and eased back his chair.

“If such a project exists, there will only be one that size. I will look into it.”

“Carefully.”

He stood from the chair.

She walked to the door, waiting for him to stop her.

Instead, she found herself awkwardly fumbling with her shoes. She located her purse and stepped into the hall. He closed the door behind her without a goodbye.

11:30 A.M.

CHONGMING

Knox knew it wasn’t easy stealing something in China-there were too many eyes everywhere, both human and electronic. Ignoring Grace’s plea to stay in the car, he hunted down side lanes where closed-circuit cameras were unlikely to be. From there he stole two sets of license plates and slipped them up the back of his shirt.

Speed-trap cameras routinely captured license plates. If the Toyota had been reported as stolen, a data trail might already exist. What Brian Primer said was true: it wasn’t worth having two or three people wind up in Chinese jails in an effort to save one. He had no intention of giving Primer the satisfaction of being right.

Because of this, even after switching plates, the Toyota would have to be abandoned. Accommodations would need to be found. With each challenge, the probability of mistake escalated. The longer they remained on the island-by definition, a place with limited egress-they increased their chances of capture.

Grace approached the car looking like she’d been mugged. Knox kept quiet, eyeing her from the back seat as she drove.

“He will call if he uncovers anything,” she finally said.

“Providing he tries to uncover anything.”

“Of course he will try. Face demands this of him. We have rescued his brother. He cannot repay this debt.”

“If he passed on you, he’s an idiot,” Knox said.

Her eyes flicked to the mirror.

“Marquardt’s driver?” Knox asked. He wasn’t as convinced as she that Marquardt’s secret trip to the island connected to the Party member seen in the video, the one whose name they needed. But Marquardt was connected to the Mongolian through Lu Hao’s deliveries, and the Mongolian was connected to the heavyset government man, so it wasn’t impossible that Marquardt’s trip here was related. And they had nowhere else to turn.

“He is to meet us in front of a men’s club,” she said. “It is known to be frequented by the influential. It is therefore one of very few places we can be sure has no cameras.”

“Clever of you.”

“One of the advantages of island life. Very few secrets.”

“What about you, Grace? What are your secrets? And you’re not allowed to say that, if you told me, they wouldn’t be secrets anymore.” He’d hoped he might win a smile from her; he got nothing.

“I will park the car. We will leave separately and meet inside the club.” She turned a corner and slowed. “Keep your head down. You go first.”