responsible for tracking The Berthold Group’s new arrival in the finance department, the division in which the recently departed Lu Hao had worked. Feng Qi was deeply concerned by the woman’s long absence andcould only hope she was working late on her first night on the job. He continued into the phone: “I want full transcripts and video delivered by e-mail each night before midnight.”
“You will have it. Transcripts cost extra.”
“That is to be negotiated,” Feng said. He got no argument and ended the call. In Shanghai, everything was negotiable.
6:30 P.M.
ZHABEI DISTRICT
SHANGHAI
As Knox and Grace rode the Metro toward Lu Hao’s apartment building, Knox reviewed for her his search of Danner’s apartment. Grace told him of Lu Hao’s apparent need for medication, which Knox took as progress. The kidnappers might be forced to return for the medication, providing them an opportunity to identify one or more.
Together, they entered a corner tea shop with a view of Lu Hao’s apartment building and Knox bought Grace a green tea.
“The intel on the medication,” he said. “Is it from a trustworthy source?”
She blushed.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Lu Hao,” she answered, “is the second son in a family close to my own. I recommended him for the consulting job at Berthold. This information about his medication…it comes from my mother. Unfortunately, I do believe it is reliable. Your mother is alive?”
“Dead.”
“I am sorry.”
“Sarge hosed us,” Knox said, irritated.
“Excuse me?”
“Mr. Dulwich. This op is personal for me, too. Clete Danner, the other hostage, is a close friend of mine. He’s my younger brother’s godfather—his caretaker in the event anything should happen to me.” The newsclearly surprised her. “Our personal relationships with the hostages ensure that we will make our best effort at recovery, and—”
“If we are caught by police there is an explanation for our involvement. Yes. Convenient for Rutherford Risk.”
“Very.”
“I assure you, Mr. Knox, I will not allow this to interfere with the execution of my duties.”
She sounded like she was reading it from a manual.
“I’m not worried about you,” Knox said. “The point is, if the stuff hits the fan, Rutherford Risk may not exactly have our backs.”
“I cannot believe that,” she said.
“Good. Let’s hope I’m wrong.”
She hesitated. “There is one thing more.” The skin around her eyes tightened. “I received a message from Lu Hao on the seventeenth of September. A voice mail, to be precise.”
By all means, let’s be precise,
he nearly said.
Who was this robot?
“He sounded panicked. He said he had seen something. That he was not sure where to turn.” Now, she pleaded with Knox. “The thing is, Lu Hao has an active imagination, and is always looking for others to take care of problems he started. I was not going to get any more involved than I already was. So typical Lu Hao. High drama. I was exceptionally busy at the time, a job for Rutherford Risk. I never returned the call.”
He said, “Don’t beat yourself up over it,” though he could see she was.
Knox changed the subject, detailing his search of Danner’s apartment with mention of the missing laptop and GPS.
“You think the police were there first?” she asked.
“A
waiguoren
, according to the security guy. I’m thinking it’s a guy I know at the U.S. Consulate. Makes sense for him to chase something like this. I can’t ask him outright, but I can nibble around the edges.”
“Nipple?”
“Nibble. Small bites.”
“Ah…” No blush from her, no embarrassment, he noted. “And us, Mr. Knox? Our cover. Professional, or something more intimate?”
“Meet your new client,” he said. “I operate an import/export company.For real. You just became my Chinese tax advisor and accountant.” He held out his hand and she stared at it. He withdrew his hand.
“Import/export always struck me as a
“You will have it. Transcripts cost extra.”
“That is to be negotiated,” Feng said. He got no argument and ended the call. In Shanghai, everything was negotiable.
6:30 P.M.
ZHABEI DISTRICT
SHANGHAI
As Knox and Grace rode the Metro toward Lu Hao’s apartment building, Knox reviewed for her his search of Danner’s apartment. Grace told him of Lu Hao’s apparent need for medication, which Knox took as progress. The kidnappers might be forced to return for the medication, providing them an opportunity to identify one or more.
Together, they entered a corner tea shop with a view of Lu Hao’s apartment building and Knox bought Grace a green tea.
“The intel on the medication,” he said. “Is it from a trustworthy source?”
She blushed.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Lu Hao,” she answered, “is the second son in a family close to my own. I recommended him for the consulting job at Berthold. This information about his medication…it comes from my mother. Unfortunately, I do believe it is reliable. Your mother is alive?”
“Dead.”
“I am sorry.”
“Sarge hosed us,” Knox said, irritated.
“Excuse me?”
“Mr. Dulwich. This op is personal for me, too. Clete Danner, the other hostage, is a close friend of mine. He’s my younger brother’s godfather—his caretaker in the event anything should happen to me.” The newsclearly surprised her. “Our personal relationships with the hostages ensure that we will make our best effort at recovery, and—”
“If we are caught by police there is an explanation for our involvement. Yes. Convenient for Rutherford Risk.”
“Very.”
“I assure you, Mr. Knox, I will not allow this to interfere with the execution of my duties.”
She sounded like she was reading it from a manual.
“I’m not worried about you,” Knox said. “The point is, if the stuff hits the fan, Rutherford Risk may not exactly have our backs.”
“I cannot believe that,” she said.
“Good. Let’s hope I’m wrong.”
She hesitated. “There is one thing more.” The skin around her eyes tightened. “I received a message from Lu Hao on the seventeenth of September. A voice mail, to be precise.”
By all means, let’s be precise,
he nearly said.
Who was this robot?
“He sounded panicked. He said he had seen something. That he was not sure where to turn.” Now, she pleaded with Knox. “The thing is, Lu Hao has an active imagination, and is always looking for others to take care of problems he started. I was not going to get any more involved than I already was. So typical Lu Hao. High drama. I was exceptionally busy at the time, a job for Rutherford Risk. I never returned the call.”
He said, “Don’t beat yourself up over it,” though he could see she was.
Knox changed the subject, detailing his search of Danner’s apartment with mention of the missing laptop and GPS.
“You think the police were there first?” she asked.
“A
waiguoren
, according to the security guy. I’m thinking it’s a guy I know at the U.S. Consulate. Makes sense for him to chase something like this. I can’t ask him outright, but I can nibble around the edges.”
“Nipple?”
“Nibble. Small bites.”
“Ah…” No blush from her, no embarrassment, he noted. “And us, Mr. Knox? Our cover. Professional, or something more intimate?”
“Meet your new client,” he said. “I operate an import/export company.For real. You just became my Chinese tax advisor and accountant.” He held out his hand and she stared at it. He withdrew his hand.
“Import/export always struck me as a
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