“You mean get these bastards off our backs?” Dick’s expression changed. He wrinkled his brow and looked at Annie.
“We’d like to hear what you have in mind,” Annie replied firmly.
“Good — in that case just give us some time.” Oscar looked at his watch as he stood up, “and let’s see what we can come up with eh?” They moved up to the cockpit. “Thanks for the coffee. We’ll get back to you this evening. Will you be here on the boat?”
“Yes we will,” Annie confirmed, still with a reassuring hand on Dick’s shoulder.
Oscar and Marion headed back to their bungalows.
“I’m sorry not to have consulted you first partner, but I just felt that if we had left the boat to confer, it would have sent out the wrong sort of message. As it is now, I think we’ve developed a reasonable level of confidence with them.” He looked at Marion. “The other thing I have to say is that I now feel quite sure both Dick and Annie are genuine people, trapped, as so often happens, by their own naivety.”
Oscars mind flashed back to that fateful day when he and his old partners had also been so easily persuaded, in their case by their bank, to sign those unconditional personal guarantees on their massive development loan. “Just a routine procedure Gentlemen, if you don’t mind?” Those signatures would haunt them and eventually bring their lifetimes’ effort to nought.
“Do you agree?” Oscar asked Marion, shutting off his image of the past.
“Yes I do,” Marion replied sympathetically, “but his poor wife makes it a double tragedy doesn’t it?”
“Yes of course and that’s going to be a big problem, but let’s put that aside for a moment while we try to dispassionately assess the overall situation.” They walked in silence for a while. “Now let’s see,” Oscar started talking again. “In order to find the gold we have to have divers and a boat.” He looked straight ahead. “Hopefully Greg will sort out the divers.” He looked at Marion. She did not reply. “As for boats, we have two choices: either we take advantage of Dick and Annie or we look elsewhere, which will of course take time but should be cheaper and less complicated yes?” h proposed, looking at Marion.
“I’m not a tough businessman like you and my feelings are all in here,” she held her hand to her heart. “I just think there is something honest about those two, so I say let’s go with them. I know it’ll give us an extra problem, especially with his wife and child, but I still feel it’s the best way,” she smiled.
Oscar was silent for a few moments and sensed the confidence radiating from her determined expression.
“Actually I agree with you. It’s not logical but I still agree. I’m sure that I can organise the finances but somehow we also have to rescue the wife and child and keep the brother off our tail at the same time. Quite a tall order but I think I have the solution!” he exclaimed, grabbing Marion by the hand. “This is undoubtedly a Greg special!” he decreed and strode out across the beach towards the bungalows. She held on tightly and followed, the excitement of the reflexive physical contact pushing all other thoughts from her mind.
Greg met them on the terrace.
“Ah the very man! We have a little conundrum for you to solve eh?” He looked at Marion; it was only then that he realised that he was still holding tightly onto her hand. They each let the grip go but their eyes stayed in contact for that extra fleeting moment.
“Right, sit yourself down and listen!” Oscar turned back to Greg and told him their story.
6
The cargo boat edged her way, with the benefit of the Hong Kong harbour pilot, through a throng of sampans and other smaller vessels, until she arrived at the inner harbour basin where she moored starboard side to, with her bow pointing towards the narrow exit.
She had been due two days previously but the near typhoon conditions in the South China Sea had forced her to take shelter.
The men endlessly patrolling the fenced perimeter of the warehouse were visibly relieved when the ship finally tied up.
“Thought I’d go dizzy if I had to take another turn around that bloody fence!” one of the temporary dog handlers commented to his companion. “I wonder what’s so important that they needed a double shift security patrol?”
“Just collect your money and don’t ask awkward questions. You’ll last in the job much longer,” was the curt reply.
Ming-Ho watched the vessel manoeuvre up to the quay then walked back to the café and telephoned Alex.
Taking advantage of the delayed arrival of the ship, Alex had been able to persuade Big J to play along with his plan to disable the ship and eventually destroy the cargo. Big J however was still opposed to sinking it with all hands.
“I’m sorry but it goes against the fundamental principle of seamanship!” he declared defiantly.
Alex decided not to push the matter any further; for the moment he was happy enough to have solicited Big J’s agreement to help to disable the vessel. In addition Big J had readily accepted Alex’s proposal to let Ling and his wife stay on the tug and travel with him back to Australia.
“Well at least he’s taking the first step. Let’s see how things pan out,” Alex told John philosophically.
Ling and Mui had left their apartment in such a hurry they only had enough time to throw a few things into an overnight bag. The rented apartment was fully furnished but Mui wanted to go back to collect the rest of their personal clothing and a their few ornaments.
“It’s far too dangerous to return to the apartment now,” Alex reasoned. “I’m sorry but the next move must be to the tug”.
Mui, however, was tearful and pleaded to be able to collect her keepsake and mementoes.
“I’m sure it won’t take long,” Ling tried to persuade Alex, desperate to calm his near hysterical wife.
“OK Ling but you and I will go. Mui, I’m sorry but you must stay here. Is that understood?” Alex insisted.
He hated being so tough but he knew that there was a strong possibility that the apartment would be being watched.
“They may even be on to Alex by now so I’m not entirely convinced that this hotel is safe either,” Ling smiled trying to convince her.
“That could be true, none the less we’re all moving onto the tug this afternoon. Only then will we be amongst friends and completely safe,” Alex concluded and picked up the small haversack resting by the door. “Let’s go! We have very little time.”
They left the hotel and headed to wards Ling’s apartment.
“Here.” Ling handed Alex a holstered .32 calibre revolver and two extra clips of ammunition. “You may feel more comfortable with one of these.”
Alex took the weapon, slipped it under his jacket and clipped it onto his trouser belt.
“Thank you — you must be a mind reader.” He patted the lump through his jacket confidently. “I don’t feel quite so naked now.”
They stopped several times, searching ahead trying to spot any observers but failed to identify anyone suspicious. As they waited at the rear of the apartment block Alex extracted the contents of his haversack. “Forgive the implication, but I think this is more appropriate for you.” Alex passed over a rough material coat together with a small coolie hat.
Ling looked at the garments for a few seconds and then smiled with understanding.
“A new vocation eh?” he muttered as he placed the hat on the back of his head and slipped into the coat.
He looked very much like any real rickshaw boy.
Alex took the bushy false moustache from an envelope and stuck it under his nose.