“You should have called me earlier, Peiqin.”
“She didn’t want me to call at all. I’ve just managed to step outside for a moment.”
“I’m sorry, Peiqin. I really should be thanking you for your help.”
“The doctor said there’s nothing to worry about. He promised me she’ll have a nurse in her room overnight. And I’ll keep you posted.”
Fury gripped him. After saying farewell to Peiqin, he closed the phone forcefully. What could a burglar have tried to steal from an old woman like her? It was hard to imagine why anyone would break in during the morning, not to mention into an old shikumen house with all the neighbors moving about. Unless it had been done by professionals, and for something not related to her at all, but to her son.
If that was the case, then someone seemed to be desperate, for reasons not yet known to Chen.
Or it could have been meant as a warning to him.
For years, he’d been telling himself that, although he wasn’t a good son, he could see to it that his mother enjoyed a comfortable old age. Ironically, the very thing that made the plan feasible-his position in the Party system-was now threatening it. He would never forgive himself if she was hurt because of his problems with the system.
He had to do something-anything-to make sure that it wouldn’t happen again.
But what?
His cell phone rang again with the sound of a wounded bird, startling him. This time it was Old Hunter.
“How did you like the noodles?”
“They were really delicious. Oh, I got the tape, and I’ve been listening to it for the last several hours. Is there anything new?”
“Well, the identity of the car owner was established.”
“Who?”
“Sima.”
That wasn’t news. Qian had already confirmed that Sima was the official in question.
“I have something else for you. But it’ll be at least an hour before I can leave Zhangjiang. And then I’d face all the traffic coming back from Pudong. How about we meet tomorrow morning?”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“You’re still in Shanghai, aren’t you?”
“Yes-” Chen hesitated, thought about his plan to return to Suzhou, and then decided against it. It wouldn’t be a good idea for him to go back to his apartment under the circumstances. Because of his earlier subterfuge about being in Suzhou, if his enemies learned that he was in Shanghai, it would only add to their suspicions.
“Yes, let’s meet tomorrow morning. At the People’s Park as soon as the gate opens. The bird corner.”
“I’ll see you then, at the bird corner.”
FOURTEEN
AROUND SIX THIRTY THAT night, Chen stood in a crowded subway train to Pudong. With people pushing in and out at every stop, he had a hard time holding on to the overhead handrails.
After the call from Old Hunter, Chen had mulled over his decision to spend the night in Shanghai. It was possible to travel to Suzhou and back again, getting in to Shanghai tomorrow morning. But an unexpected delay would wreck the plan, and he couldn’t afford to be late for tomorrow morning’s meeting in the park. The retired cop might be dramatic, but he knew what was at stake.
If Old Hunter had something new, Chen would be able to show Qian that progress was being made. Perhaps in return, she would try to find out more for him.
But that wasn’t the only reason for staying in Shanghai. He was concerned about his mother, and it was reassuring to be in the city, somewhat nearby, in case he was needed.
But it wasn’t advisable to stay at his own apartment, and he couldn’t stay at Yu’s place, for the same reason. A hotel wasn’t an option, given that all hotel registrations were monitored. So he was going to see Overseas Chinese Lu. An old schoolmate and friend, Lu owned a large luxury apartment near Century Park and had invited Chen over several times. Even showing up unannounced, Chen would be a welcome guest at the Lus, who would most likely urge him to spend the night. Also, since Lu knew nothing about Chen’s troubles, there wouldn’t be many questions for him to answer.
He was reminded of an old Chinese simile used to describe a hopeless situation in which one has nowhere to go-like a homeless dog. The Party system, on which he’d once thought he could fall back, now seemed more like an omnipresent, omnipotent surveillance camera, following his every move.
He was then beginning to have second thoughts about the visit to Lu, who could be an overenthusiastic host, which was not something he was looking forward to.
The subway station announcements came every two or three minutes. He glanced up at the blinking station map opposite him. The train was now passing through the tunnel under the river, and the next stop was Lujiazui.
There he found himself moving toward the door.
White Cloud had told him about her new apartment in Lujiazui. He wasn’t going to ask her to put him up for the night, he reassured himself. He just wanted to drop in for a short visit. It was on the way to Lu’s.
What Qian had told him about the Heavenly World’s law firm was a potential lead, and White Cloud might be able to tell him something more about it. She might also know some other details that she hadn’t shared in her earlier phone call. Walking out of the subway in Lujiazui, he thought of a phrase he’d read years earlier-the way up is the way down. Why did he think of that phrase now? He had no idea. Near the exit, he saw an old woman with thread-bound white jasmine sprays in a bamboo basket. Fragrant and yet only one yuan for a single bud. It was something he hadn’t seen for a long while. Perhaps it was too cheap for this new age. Leaning down, he paid for a single white spray. In his childhood, his mother would occasionally pick up a spray of jasmine for ten cents, wear it through a buttonhole in her mandarin dress, and then, one or two days later, put it in a cup of green tea.
At this moment, she was alone in the hospital, frail, frightened. He felt wretched at the thought of it. Once again, he was tempted to turn around and go to the hospital. But what about his meeting with Old Hunter tomorrow morning? From the moment he left his mother’s side, Chen would probably be shadowed, which would then lead his enemies to the retired cop. The “burglary” of his mother’s room could have been arranged simply to smoke him out, as well as those trying to help him.
He looked up to see a lone black crow flying overhead. In a forest of surrounding high-rises, the tiny darksome bird seemed to come out of nowhere. Possibly, it was another omen.
White Cloud had told him that the apartment complex was close to the subway, but the streets were new to him, and tall buildings obstructed the view, so it took him a while to find the Bingjiang subdivision.
Chen walked through the gate to the building. At the entrance, there was a gray-attired doorman sitting in a cubicle. He poked his head out and asked sleepily, “Who are you visiting?”
“3012. Miss Bai.”
“The elevator is just over there, but you have to call up first.” The doorman asked no further questions but simply sat back, grinning, with a cigarette in his hand.
Chen was about to push the intercom when the elevator came down. A young mother stepped out, pushing a red stroller. He got in without bothering to call up.
He got out on the thirtieth floor, found apartment 3012, and pressed the doorbell two or three times. There was no response. But since he was already there, he took out his cell phone and called on the cell he’d given her.
“Who’s there?” she said, having picked up the phone on the first ring.
“Me. You gave me the address in your salon the other day, remember?”