pressed.
“You remember that little hotel we passed on the way to Lantau Peak?” Archibald replied, now fairly sure that his story held together.
“No, but keep talking” Willow said, knowing what was probably coming next.
Fairly sure that he had concocted a story of what could have happened, Archibald concluded his tall tale, saying, “Jockabeb will stay at the clinic, and Robert will get a room at the hotel. It all fits perfectly, don’t you think?”
“How did you think all that up,” Willow asked, shaking her head in amazement.
“Well, I’ve had some practice over the years,” Archibald answered, cracking a humorless smile. “Listen,” he continued, “I have my driver’s license, so I think I can handle the Mercedes and get us back to Jade Place. From then on, May, you’re taking the lead with your mother and with Wu Feng. Okay?”
Even though she knew that everything was far from being okay, May answered as confidently as she could, “Okay, if you say so.”
A Plan for the Night Takes Shape
With more than a bit of difficulty driving on the right hand side of the road, and after narrowly avoiding several crashes while May navigated, Archibald let out a sigh of relief when he finally parked the Mercedes in the Jade Place garage at a quarter to eight that night. Not surprisingly, May’s mother was waiting patientlyin the living room for her daughter and guests to return.
“Where is your brother?” Mrs. Chen immediately asked Archibald.
“He fell when we were climbing Lantau Peak,” May quickly answered. “Even though he twisted his ankle and bumped his head, he’s fine.” She then proceeded to tell her mother the story Archibald had fabricated on the ferry.
When May had finished, Mrs. Chen looked both worried and a bit skeptical when she asked, “Should we call the clinic and talk to him now?”
“No,” May replied calmly. “The doctor was very specific that he didn’t want Jockabeb disturbed until tomorrow morning.”
“Perhaps I should call the doctor and speak with him,” Mrs. Chen continued, clearly concerned.
“Mother, I don’t think you need to do that,” May quickly answered. “Robert is with Jockabeb. He said he would call us if anything else happens. From the way everything sounded when we left, they’ll probably be home tomorrow morning, or by midday at the latest.”
“Well, the three of you should go back to Lantau Island first thing in the morning so you can accompany Robert and Jockabeb back here. I’d join you, but I am hosting a luncheon for twenty patrons of the Museum of History tomorrow.”
Knowing that they’d need to be back on the ferry tomorrow anyway, with or without the elixir, May said,“You’re absolutely right, Mother. We’ll definitely do that.” Then she added, “I think we’d all like to freshen up a bit before dinner, so if you’ll excuse us, we’ll go to our rooms now.”
“Certainly,” Mrs. Chen said. “I’ll tell Kuang Jianguo that we’ll dine at half past eight.”
When May, Willow, and Archibald reached the top of the stairs, May stopped and whispered, “Come with me to my father’s study. He has a private phone line that my mother can’t access from downstairs. We can use it to call Wu Feng.”
Ten minutes later, May hung up the phone. Smiling, she told Willow and Archibald that Wu Feng had agreed to help, and that he was going to make a call to someone he thought just might have a solution to their problem. Since time was short, he had asked if May and her friends could be outside Jade Place at a little after midnight. If so, he said he would pick them up in his car. May told Archibald and Willow that she had agreed and that she had a plan.
Explaining what would happen next, May said, “After dinner, we’ll immediately go to our rooms. I’ll set my alarm clock to ten minutes before midnight. Once I’m up, I’ll come to your rooms and get you. Mother takes a sleeping pill every night, so she won’t wake
“You remember that little hotel we passed on the way to Lantau Peak?” Archibald replied, now fairly sure that his story held together.
“No, but keep talking” Willow said, knowing what was probably coming next.
Fairly sure that he had concocted a story of what could have happened, Archibald concluded his tall tale, saying, “Jockabeb will stay at the clinic, and Robert will get a room at the hotel. It all fits perfectly, don’t you think?”
“How did you think all that up,” Willow asked, shaking her head in amazement.
“Well, I’ve had some practice over the years,” Archibald answered, cracking a humorless smile. “Listen,” he continued, “I have my driver’s license, so I think I can handle the Mercedes and get us back to Jade Place. From then on, May, you’re taking the lead with your mother and with Wu Feng. Okay?”
Even though she knew that everything was far from being okay, May answered as confidently as she could, “Okay, if you say so.”
A Plan for the Night Takes Shape
With more than a bit of difficulty driving on the right hand side of the road, and after narrowly avoiding several crashes while May navigated, Archibald let out a sigh of relief when he finally parked the Mercedes in the Jade Place garage at a quarter to eight that night. Not surprisingly, May’s mother was waiting patientlyin the living room for her daughter and guests to return.
“Where is your brother?” Mrs. Chen immediately asked Archibald.
“He fell when we were climbing Lantau Peak,” May quickly answered. “Even though he twisted his ankle and bumped his head, he’s fine.” She then proceeded to tell her mother the story Archibald had fabricated on the ferry.
When May had finished, Mrs. Chen looked both worried and a bit skeptical when she asked, “Should we call the clinic and talk to him now?”
“No,” May replied calmly. “The doctor was very specific that he didn’t want Jockabeb disturbed until tomorrow morning.”
“Perhaps I should call the doctor and speak with him,” Mrs. Chen continued, clearly concerned.
“Mother, I don’t think you need to do that,” May quickly answered. “Robert is with Jockabeb. He said he would call us if anything else happens. From the way everything sounded when we left, they’ll probably be home tomorrow morning, or by midday at the latest.”
“Well, the three of you should go back to Lantau Island first thing in the morning so you can accompany Robert and Jockabeb back here. I’d join you, but I am hosting a luncheon for twenty patrons of the Museum of History tomorrow.”
Knowing that they’d need to be back on the ferry tomorrow anyway, with or without the elixir, May said,“You’re absolutely right, Mother. We’ll definitely do that.” Then she added, “I think we’d all like to freshen up a bit before dinner, so if you’ll excuse us, we’ll go to our rooms now.”
“Certainly,” Mrs. Chen said. “I’ll tell Kuang Jianguo that we’ll dine at half past eight.”
When May, Willow, and Archibald reached the top of the stairs, May stopped and whispered, “Come with me to my father’s study. He has a private phone line that my mother can’t access from downstairs. We can use it to call Wu Feng.”
Ten minutes later, May hung up the phone. Smiling, she told Willow and Archibald that Wu Feng had agreed to help, and that he was going to make a call to someone he thought just might have a solution to their problem. Since time was short, he had asked if May and her friends could be outside Jade Place at a little after midnight. If so, he said he would pick them up in his car. May told Archibald and Willow that she had agreed and that she had a plan.
Explaining what would happen next, May said, “After dinner, we’ll immediately go to our rooms. I’ll set my alarm clock to ten minutes before midnight. Once I’m up, I’ll come to your rooms and get you. Mother takes a sleeping pill every night, so she won’t wake
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