Part 2 (1/2)

chapter three.

I.

On the way up the Boulevard Tran Hung, Jaffe was boxed in on either side by motor cycles, pousse-pousse, enormous American cars driven recklessly by rich Vietnamese and small taxis driven with equal recklessness by amateur taxi drivers who had no idea where they were going, but were quite happy so long as they kept their cars in motion.

For the unwary, the boulevard was full of menace. The multicoloured Chinese signs were dazzling. The older generation of the Vietnamese residents, dressed entirely in black, refused to walk on the sidewalks and marched steadily in the road. It was only when your headlights picked them out, a few yards ahead of you, you realized you were on the point of running them down. Quick braking meant the chance of another car slamming into your rear.

As you approached Cholon, the Chinese district, the street narrowed. The vast, loitering population spilled off the pavements and into the street, offering suicidal hostages to fortune.

Jaffe had been driving in this district for months and he had no difficulty in weaving his car through the congested traffic and avoiding the wandering pedestrians. The distraction of driving took his mind off his immediate problems.

Finally, and not without some difficulty, he managed to park his car within a hundred yards of the Paradise Club. He waved aside three ragged Chinese children who had rushed up to open his car door and help him wind up the windows in the hope of earning a piastre or two, then he walked down the narrow, stifling street, brilliantly lit by Chinese neon signs to the entrance to the Paradise Club.

As he climbed the stairs that led to the club, he heard the Philippine dance band blasting and a girl screeching: the music and her voice trebly magnified by microphones to a nerve shattering volume that delights the Chinese who believe the louder the sound the better the music. Jaffe lifted aside the curtain that screened the entrance to the dance hall. Immediately a tall Chinese girl her face whitened by powder, her figure under a white Cheongsam provocative, came tip to him. She was Blackie Leeas wife, Yu-lan, and as soon as she recognized Jaffe she smiled at him.

aKhan hasnat come yet,a she said, caressing his arm with her slim fingers. aShe will be here very soon.a Her welcome relaxed Jaffe. He went with her into the dance hall. The place was crowded, but the lighting was so dim it was impossible to see more than a crowd of silhouetted heads outlined against the light from the bandas dais.

She led him to a table, away from the band, and in a corner. She pulled out a chair for him.

aTu va bien?a she asked, smiling at him. She always tu-toied him.

aCa va,a he said and sat down. aBlackie around? Iall have a Scotch on the rocks.a aToute de suite,a she said, and he was aware she looked quickly at him and he realized he had spoken more sharply than he had intended.

She went away and he sat there, his mind dulled by the violent sound of the dance music and the impact of the woman singing into the microphone. The power of her lungs was shattering to Western nerves.

With scarcely any delay, Blackie Lee appeared out of the shadows and eased his fat body gently on to the chair next to Jaffeas.

Blackie Lee was a squat shaped man of thirty-six with broad shoulders, black oiled hair, parted in the middle and a broad yellow face that at any crisis remained expressionless.

One shrewd glance at Jaffe told Blackie that something was wrong. His alert mind quickened to attention. He liked Jaffe. He was a free spender, a non-trouble maker, and it was good for Blackieas business to have non-trouble making Americans for clients.

aWhat contacts have you in Hong Kong?a Jaffe asked abruptly.

Blackieas face remained expressionless and sleepy-looking.

aHong Kong? I have many friends in Hong Kong,a he said. aWhat kind of contacts do you mean?a Jaffe felt like a man standing on the edge of a swimming pool, preparing to dive in. Could he trust this fat Chinese? he asked himself and hesitated.

Seeing him hesitate, Blackie said encouragingly, aBesides my many friends, my brother also lives in Hong Kong.a There was another long pause while Blackie probed his teeth with a gold toothpick and ,Jaffe stared out across the crowded dance floor while he tried to make up his mind whether to trust Blackie or not.

Finally, he said, aA situation has arisen: itas tricky and strictly confidential. A friend of mine may need a false pa.s.sport.a Blackie gave an imperceptible start but enough to puncture his gum with the sharp point of the toothpick.

aA pa.s.sport?a he repeated as if he had never heard of the word.

aI guess it would be easier to get a pa.s.sport in Hong Kong than here,a Jaffe said, trying to speak casually. aI was wondering if you knew someone who could get it.a aAn American pa.s.sport?a aA British pa.s.sport would be better.a aIt is an illegal and dangerous business meddling with pa.s.sports,a Blackie said softly. He was frankly worried. He didnat believe Jaffeas friend existed. This big man wanted a British pa.s.sport for himself. Why? Obviously he planned to leave Vietnam, but why a false pa.s.sport?

aI know all that,a Jaffe said impatiently. aHave you any contacts who could get me a British pa.s.sport?a aFor your friend?a Blackie asked.

aThatas what I said. Heall be willing to pay for it.a aIf it could be arranged it would be expensive,a Blackie said.

aBut can it be arranged?a Blackie put his toothpick into his s.h.i.+rt pocket.

aIt is possible. I would have to make inquiries. It would cost a lot of money.a aItas urgent,a Jaffe said. aHow soon could you know?a aI would have to write to my brother. As you know letters are often censored here. I would have to find someone I could trust to take the letter personally to my brother. He would have to find someone to bring his reply personally to me. This would take time.a Jaffe suddenly realized how difficult it was all going to be. His estimate of ten days before he could get away suddenly seemed ridiculously optimistic. He might have to remain in hiding for a month; even longer.

Blackie went on, aYour friend is in trouble I suppose?a aNever mind the details,a Jaffe said curtly. aThe less you know about it, the safer for you.a aThat isnat entirely correct. If it is very serious trouble and it is discovered I had something to do with it, I could also get into trouble,a Blackie said quietly. aIt is unwise to walk into something you donat know about. Besides, if the trouble was very bad, it would effect the cost of the pa.s.sport. Naturally, your friend would have to pay more.a Out of sight, under the table, Jaffeas big hands turned into fists. G.o.ddam it! he thought, this is going to be a h.e.l.l of a complicated thing! As soon as he reads the paper tomorrow, heall know Iam up against a murder rap. Heall either be too scared to help or heall jack up the price to some hopeless figure. Then he remembered he had the diamonds. He could pay for the pa.s.sport with a diamond or two, but if he did that, he would be tipping Blackie off he had the stones. That could be dangerous. If Blackie once discovered he had General Nguyen Van Thoas diamonds, he might be tempted to steal them. He would have to be very careful. He was rus.h.i.+ng into this without thinking the thing out.

aIall have to talk to my friend again,a he said, not looking at Blackie. aI would have to get his permission before I could tell you more about this business.a aThat I understand,a Blackie said. aA good friend doesnat betray confidences recklessly.a Jaffe looked sharply at him, but the fat yellow face told him nothing. Jaffe thought: heas no fool. He guesses the pa.s.sport is for me. Should I admit it? Heall certainly know when he reads the papers tomorrow. Better not. Iave still got a little free time. I better talk to Nhan first.

aI suppose your friend wants to leave the country?a Blackie said mildly. aHe must know it is a very complicated business. The pa.s.sport to be of any use would first have to have an entrance visa stamp and then an exit visa stamp would have to be obtained. There would have to be photographs of your friend for the Immigration authorities. It would be necessary to bribe a number of people. This can, of course, be arranged, but not if the trouble is serious. For instance if your friend is in trouble with the police for issuing bad cheques or for molesting some girl or for taking something that doesnat belong to him or for running someone over, then it could be arranged, but if it is a political or a capital crime your friend has committed, then it could not be arranged.a Well, thatas that! Jaffe thought and he felt a restriction around his throat.

aIall talk to him,a he said and Blackie recognizing the finality in his voice, got to his feet.

aYou can, of course, rely on me to help where I can,a he said, abut naturally I must avoid any trouble.a aThatas okay,a Jaffe said. aI understand.a When Blackie had gone away, Jaffe looked at his watch. The time was half past nine. It was unlikely Nhan would arrive before ten-thirty. He suddenly realized he was hungry.

He pushed back his chair, got to his feet and moved around the dance floor to the exit.

Across the street, was a Chinese restaurant where he often ate. He went in, nodding to the proprietor who was flicking the beads of his calculator with that incredible swiftness that made the whole operation a complete mystery to any European mind. He paused, bobbed his head and revealed big yellow teeth in a smile.

A Chinese girl, wearing what looked like an air hostessas uniform, led Jaffe behind screens to a single table.

Every table in this restaurant was hidden by screens from which came the raucous sound of Chinese laughter and the clatter of numerous dishes.

Jaffe ordered Chinese soup, sweet sour pork and fried rice. He wiped his face and hands on the hot towel offered to him by the girl who handed him the steaming towel in a pair of chromium tongs.

While waiting for the meal to be served, Jaffe considered his problem. He was nervous of Blackie in spite of his wifeas a.s.surance. He saw now that the problem of getting out of Vietnam would be even more complicated if he tried to buy a pa.s.sport.

So what was he going to do? He felt sure that if he had enough ready cash, he would be able to get out of Vietnam. To get the necessary cash, he would have to sell some of the diamonds. But who would buy them in Saigon?

He was still brooding over this problem when the meal Was served. He ate hungrily, was.h.i.+ng the food down with warm Chinese wine. When he had finished, the girl gave him another hot towel and he wiped his hands, then asked for the bill.

The girl went away, leaving his screen half open. While he waited for the bill, he saw Sam Wade and a Chinese girl come out from behind a screen and move to the head of the stairs.

Jaffe studied the girl with Wade. She was tall, with an exceptional figure. She was wearing a scarlet Cheongsam that accentuated the curves of her figure. She was sophisticated and looked very bored and sharply aware of her physical attractions. Jaffe decided she wasnat the kind of woman who would appeal to him. She would be complicated. Comparing her to Nhanas simplicity, he was suddenly very thankful and grateful that he had been lucky enough to have found Nhan.

He waited until the two had disappeared down the stairs, then he paid his bill and went down into the street to find Nhan.

II.

It was just on ten-thirty oaclock when Jaffe saw Nhan coming briskly along the sidewalk, weaving her way through the jostling crowd, a slightly worried expression on her delicately-featured face. She was wearing white silk trousers and a red wine-coloured tunic sheath.

Jaffe tapped his horn b.u.t.ton three times, paused then tapped it again. It was their understood signal. She immediately looked in his direction and when she saw the red Dauphine her face lit up and she smiled. She started towards the car as Jaffe got out.