Part 8 (1/2)

He found a clump of shrubs behind which he could hide and yet have an uninterrupted view of the main road and the road to the temple.

Punctually at one oaclock, he saw the headlights of a car coming. Blackie Leeas big American car jolted and bounced slowly up the narrow road.

Jaffe could see he was alone and he relaxed, suddenly aware that as the car had been approaching, his hand had been gripping the b.u.t.t of his gun.

He watched the car drive through the gateway into the courtyard, then he got to his feet and walked across the gra.s.s and joined Blackie as he was getting out of the car.

aWeall talk in the car,a Jaffe said and walking around to the far side, he got into the pa.s.sengeras seat while Blackie, after a momentas hesitation, got back under the driving wheel.

Blackie had decided to listen and not talk too much. He wouldnat let the American know he already had some knowledge of this affair. It would be more interesting and possibly more profitable to hear what the American had to say and to find out if he was going to lie or not.

He said, aMr. Jaffe I donat understand what is happening. Nhan came to me this evening and said you wanted to talk to me here. Why could we not have met at the club or at your villa? This is all very mysterious and puzzling. I would be glad if you would explain.a aThatas what Iam here for,a Jaffe returned. aIam in trouble. Iam the guy who wants a false pa.s.sport. I have to get out of the country, and fast.a aI hope I am not a stupid man,a Blackie said smoothly. aI guessed the pa.s.sport was for you. I think I can help you. It will cost money, but providing you havenat committed a capital or a political crime, the matter wonat be difficult to range.a Jaffe took out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. He offered a cigarette to Blackie who shook his head. He lit one for himself and Blackie who was watching him saw his hand was steady as he held the match flame to his cigarette.

aI have accidentally killed my houseboy,a Jaffe said.

This came as a shock to Blackie. It was the last thing he had expected to hear.

He remembered what Tung Whu had told him. Both the Vietnam and the American police believed the houseboy had been murdered by bandits. Now here was the American saying he had killed the boy.

He managed to say calmly, aI donat understand, Mr. Jaffe. What you are telling me is very serious. How does anyone accidentally kill a man?a aI caught him stealing from my wallet. He tried to get away. He was in panic. I guess I donat know my own strength. While he was struggling, I somehow broke his d.a.m.n neck.a Blackie looked directly at Jaffe, his eyes running over his muscular frame.

aYou are a very powerful man,a he said, a note of respect in his voice. aYes, it could easily have happened.a aWell, there I was with a body on my hands,a Jaffe said, relaxing slightly as Blackie seemed to be accepting his story. aA tricky set-up. I decided to clear out. You know what the police here are like. I could get a jail sentence. Iam relying on you to get me to Hong Kong.a Blackie couldnat accept such a story. It didnat make sense.

aYou considered going to the police and explaining the situation, Mr. Jaffe? Houseboys are notorious thieves. If you had told them . . .a aI thought of all that,a Jaffe said curtly. aThese Vietnamese donat like Americans. They might have shoved me in jail. I wasnat taking the risk.a This still didnat make sense to Blackie, but he decided to go along with the American.

aAnd the body?a he asked: aWhat happened to it?a aI left it in a closet in my villa,a Jaffe said. aThe police have been to see you, havenat they?a Blackie nodded. He was intrigued and puzzled. If Jaffe had left the body in the villa, how had it turned up in the ditch with the dead bandits? Who had moved it from the villa to the ditch? The police? Why had they given out to the newspapers that Haum had been killed by the bandits?

aThey called on me,a he said. aThey told me you had been kidnapped by Viet Minh bandits. They wanted to know if you had any particular girl. Naturally I said I knew of no girl.a aNhan had nothing to do with this. It happened before we met last night. She has nothing whatsoever to do with it.a Blackie didnat say anything. This was an acceptable lie. He was sure Nhan knew a great deal about this business. He couldnat understand why the police had moved Haumas body. There was no point in keeping this secret from Jaffe. He would read about it in the morningas paper. He decided to tell him.

aI spoke to a newspaper reporter this afternoon,a he said. aHe tells me the police are saying Haum was killed by the bandits. His body was found near the wrecked car you were driving.a For a long moment Jaffe sat motionless, not quite sure if he had heard correctly. Then he suddenly realized that if this were true he had put himself into Blackieas hands by prematurely admitting he had killed Haum. He cursed himself for not waiting to read the papers before seeing Blackie. He realized at once why the police had moved Haumas body. Someone in authority wanted the diamonds!

They found the hole in the wall, he thought, and they knew the villa once belonged to the generalas woman. They have guessed I found the diamonds and I killed Haum to shut his mouth. They are setting the stage so when they catch me, they can shut my mouth and grab the diamonds.

Blackie was saying, aThis is a puzzling business, Mr. Jaffe. How do you explain that Haumas body was found in a ditch?a aMaybe they donat want to make an international incident out of it. After all I am an American,a Jaffe said cautiously.

aI donat think that explanation is likely,a Blackie said. aA few months ago an American sailor murdered a prost.i.tute in Cholon. The police didnat hesitate to arrest him. Why should they hesitate to arrest you? Why should they arrange matters to look like a Viet Minh outrage?a aMaybe they didnat move the body. Maybe the girl and my cook moved it.a aIf you mean My-Lang-To,a Blackie said, athat suggestion is quite out of the question. How could they take the body so far? It may interest you to know your cook and the girl were taken to headquarters for questioning. As she was leaving headquarters she was knocked down and killed by a hit-and-run driver. This has happened before from time to time to people arrested for questioning. It is an efficient method of getting rid of people who could be embarra.s.sing.a Jaffe felt a drop of sweat fall onto his hand. He realized he was suddenly scared.

aNothing has been seen of Dong Ham,a Blackie went on. aIt would not surprise me if he too was dead by now.a And if they catch me, Jaffe thought, theyall kill me too.

aI donat understand anything of this,a he said. aThe thing is as much a mystery to me as it is to you.a That, my friend, is a lie, Blackie thought. Is this thing political? Could this American be working with an opposition group to overthrow the regime? Did Haum find this out and the American killed him to silence him. No, it couldnat be that. He wouldnat be asking me for help if he had been working for a group. They would get him out of the country. Then what was the explanation?

aI donat like mysteries,a he said. aI like to know all the facts before committing myself. When you took your friendas car, Mr. Jaffe, you were planning to escape?a aThatas right. I thought I might bluff my way into Cambodia with C.D. plates. As I arrived at the police post, the attack started and the car was put out of action.a aWas Nhan with you?a aNo.a Jaffe paused, then went on, his voice hardening, aWeare wasting time. Can you or canat you get me out?a aAs much as it would please me to help you,a Blackie said, awhat you ask is an impossibility. There is no way to get you out of the country: every exit by now has been sealed off. Security police are extremely efficient. Apart from the impossibility, Mr. Jaffe, I have myself to consider. I have a wife and a very good business. If it were discovered that I have even talked to you, they would close down my club. If it were found out I had helped you escape, I would go to jail.a Jaffe knew the Chinese character well enough to know this wasnat the final word.

aThat I understand,a he said, abut nothing is ever impossible providing there is a big enough incentive. I have got to get out. Iam willing to pay.a Blackie shook his head.

aEven if I could think of some method of getting you out, Mr. Jaffe, the cost would be prohibitive.a aThatas for me to decide. Suppose you had unlimited funds, could you fix it?a aUnlimited funds? I suppose something could be arranged, but we are wasting time. Who has unlimited funds these days?a aI put a pretty high price on my life,a Jaffe went on. aI admit Iam not wealthy, but I have funds in America. I could stretch to ten thousand American dollars.a Blackie remained slumped behind the steering wheel, but his mind alerted. This was the kind of money he was hoping to lay his hands on.

aI could get you out for half that sum, Mr. Jaffe,a he said, aif this wasnat a capital charge, but unfortunately it is. Iam afraid it would cost a lot more than that.a aHow much more?a Jaffe asked who expected to haggle with Blackie.

aTwenty thousand would be closer to the mark.a aI havenat got it, but maybe I could borrow a little more from a friend. Twelve thousand would be the best I could manage.a aFor me, twelve thousand would be satisfactory, but I would have to ask my brother to help and he would have to be considered.a aThatas up to you. You must make your own arrangements with him.a Blackie shook his head sadly.

aIam sorry, Mr. Jaffe. For twelve thousand I would be prepared to risk my business, but not for less. My brother would want five thousand. Without him, it would be impossible to get you out of the country.a aBut with him, you could?a Blackie hedged.

aIt is something I would have to think about and discuss with my brother.a Jaffe pretended to think for some moments, then he said, aI will pay your brother four thousand: a total of sixteen thousand and thatas final.a aSeventeen thousand,a Blackie said, sure now that he would get it and wondering how much Charlie, his brother, would take.

Jaffe was deliberately bargaining for the next move in the haggle.

aWell, okay,a He said, with a gesture of defeat. aSeventeen thousand, but Nhan comes with me for free.a This surprised Blackie.

aYou want the girl?a aYeah. Is it a deal?a Blackie hesitated.

aShe could complicate things, Mr. Jaffe.a aIs it a deal?a Blackie shrugged.

aItas a deal, but I canat promise anything. For seventeen thousand American dollars I will do my best for you, but I canat guarantee anything.a aYou wonat get the money until I reach Hong Kong,a Jaffe pointed out. aI havenat got it here. So if you donat get me out, you wonat get the money.a Blackie had expected that.

aThere will be some preliminary expenses. I shall need some money now. Frankly, I donat intend to advance any money myself for such a risky proposition. Unless you can supply me with a thousand American dollars immediately to take care of incidental expenses and my brotheras air pa.s.sage, then I very much regret I canat consider helping you.a aBut if I gave you this sum,a Jaffe pointed out, aAnd you canat find a way to get me out, I will be the loser.a aThat is to be regretted,a Blackie said, abut we should be realistic. If we canat get you out, you wonat need the money a”you wonat ever need any money. Have you thought of that?a Jaffe moved uneasily. He had thought of that.

aI havenat got a thousand American dollars, but I have got a couple of diamonds here. I bought them in Hong Kong some years ago. I was going to have them made up as a ring for a girl I once knew. They are worth at least a thousand.a Blackie looked surprised.

aI would prefer cash.a Jaffe took out the screw of paper and handed it to Blackie. aI havenat got cash. You can sell these anywhere.a Blackie turned on the dashboard light and leaning forward, he carefully undid the paper and examined the diamonds. He didnat know a great deal about precious stones, but he could see these were good diamonds: whether or not they would be worth a thousand American dollars, only Charlie could tell him.

This was a tense moment for Jaffe. He could tell nothing from Blackieas bland, fat face. Had he believed the story about the diamonds? He seemed to have. Was he going to accept them?

Blackie looked up.

aVery well, Mr. Jaffe. I will return now and I will send a cable to my brother. Nothing can be done until I have talked to him.a aHow long will that take?a aI suggest we meet here at this time on Wednesday. By then I shall know if we can help you or not.a aIall be here.a Jaffe got out of the car.

aIam relying on you,a he said and extended his hand through the open window.

aI will do my best,a Blackie said and shook hands.

He watched Jaffe disappear into the darkness, then he again leaned forward to the light to examine the diamonds, a thoughtful expression clouding his face.

II.

During the past twelve hours there had been ceaseless activity in the search for the missing Jaffe.

While Jaffe was cycling to his rendezvous with Blackie Lee, a meeting was breaking up at Security Police Headquarters. Colonel On-dinh-Khuc and Inspector NgocLinh sat on one side of the table and Lieutenant Harry Hambley of the U.S. Military Police on the other.

The meeting had lasted an hour and the three men were no nearer to finding Jaffe than they had been when they had sat down.