Richard Kwang shuddered。 Wives really are dragons and all the same； he thought。 Oh oh oh！ And your lies sound false to them even before you've spoken them。 He had not gone home yet to face Mai…ling who would have already been told by at least three very good friends about Venus Poon。 He would let her rant and scream and weep and tear her hair for a while to release her devil wind and would say that enemies had filled her head with bile … how can she listen to such evil women？ … and then he would meekly tell her about the full…length mink that he had ordered three weeks ago； that he was to collect today in time for her to wear to the races Saturday。 Then there would be peace in the house … until the next time。
He chortled at his acumen in ordering the mink。 That he had ordered it for Venus Poon and had； this morning； just an hour ago in the warmth of her embrace； promised it to her tonight so she would wear it to the races on Saturday did not bother him at all。 It's much too good for the strumpet anyway； he was thinking。 That coat cost 40；000 HK。 I'll get her another one。 Ah； perhaps I could find a secondhand one。 。。。
He saw Smiler Ching leering at him。 〃What？〃
〃Venus Poon； heya？〃
〃I'm thinking of going into film production and making her a star；〃 he said grandly； proud of the cover story he had invented as part of his excuse to his wife。
Smiler Ching was impressed。 〃Eeee； but that's a risky business； heya？〃
〃Yes； but there are ways to 。。。 to insure your risk。〃 He winked knowingly。
〃Ayeeyah； you mean a nudie film？ Oh！ Let me know when you set the production； I might take a point or two。 Venus Poon naked！ Ayeeyah； all Asia'd pay to see that！ What's she like at the pillow？〃
〃Perfect！ Now that I've educated her。 She was a virgin when I fir… 〃
〃What joss！〃 Smiler Ching said； then added； 〃How many times did you scale the Ramparts？〃
〃Last night？ Three times … each time stronger than before！〃 Richard Kwang leaned forward。 〃Her Flower Heart's the best I've ever seen。 Yes。 And her triangle！ Lovely silken hair and her inner lips pink and delicate。 Eeeee； and her Jade Gate 。。。 her Jade Gate's really heart…shaped and her 'one square inch' is a perfect oval； pink； fragrant； and the Pearl on the Step also pink。 。。。〃 Richard Kwang felt himself beginning to sweat as he remembered how she had spread herself on the sofa and handed him a big magnifying glass。 〃Here；〃 she had said proudly。 〃Examine the goddess your bald…headed monk's about to worship。〃 And he had。 Meticulously。
〃The best pillow partner I've ever had；〃 Richard Kwang continued expansively； stretching the truth。 〃I was thinking about buying her a large diamond ring。 Poor Little Mealy Mouth wept this morning when I left the apartment I've given her。 She was swearing suicide because she's so in love with me。〃 He used the English word。
〃Eeeee； you're a lucky man！〃 Smiler Ching spoke no English except the words of love。 He felt eyes on his back and he glanced around。 In the next section of the stands； fifty yards away； slightly above him； was the foreign devil policeman Big Mountain of Dung； the hated chief of the CID Kowloon。 The cold fish…eyes were staring at him； binoculars hanging from the man's neck。 Ayeeyah； Ching muttered to himself； his mind darting over the various checks and traps and balances that guarded his main source of revenue。
〃Eh？ What？ What's the matter with you； Smiler Ching？〃
〃Nothing。 I want to piss； that's all。 Send the papers over at two o'clock if you want my money。〃 Sourly he turned away to go to the toilet； wondering if the police were aware of the imminent arrival of the foreign devil from the Golden Mountain； a High Tiger of the White Powders with the outlandish name of Vincenzo Banastasio。
He hawked and spat loudly。 Joss if they do； joss if they don't。 They can't touch me； I'm only a banker。
* * *
Robert Armstrong had noted that Smiler Ching was talking to Banker Kwang and knew surely that the pair of them were up to no good。 The police were well aware of the whispers about Ching and his Prosperity Bank and the narcotics trade but so far had no real evidence implicating him or his bank； not even enough circumstantial evidence to merit SB detention； interrogation and summary deportation。
Well； he'll slip sometime； Robert Armstrong thought calmly； and turned his binoculars back on to Pilot Fish； then to Noble Star； then to Butterscotch Lass； and then to Golden Lady； John Chen's mare。 Which one's got the form？
He yawned and stretched wearily。 It had been another long night and he had not yet been to bed。 Just as he was leaving Kowloon Police HQ last night there had been a flurry of excitement as another anonymous caller phoned to say that John Chen had been seen out in the New Territories； in the tiny fishing village of Sha Tau Kwok which bisected the eastern tip of the border。
He had rushed out there with a team and searched the village； hovel by hovel。 His search had had to be done very cautiously for the whole border area was extremely sensitive； particularly at the village where there was one of the three border checkpoints。 The villagers were a hardy； tough； unpromising bellicose lot that wanted to be left alone。 Particularly by foreign devil police。 The search had proved to be just another false alarm though they had uncovered two illegal stills； a small heroin factory that converted raw opium into morphine and thence into heroin； and had broken up six illegal gambling dens。
When Armstrong had got back to Kowloon HQ there was another call about John Chen； this time Hong Kong side in Wanchai； down near Glessing's Point in the dock area。 Apparently John Chen had been seen being bundled into a tenement house； a dirty bandage over his right ear。 This time the caller had given his name and driver's license number so that he could claim the reward of 50；000 HK； offered by Struan's and Noble House Chen。 Again Armstrong had brought units to surround the area and had led the meticulous search。 It was already five o'clock in the morning by the time he called off the operation and dismissed his men。
〃Brian； it's me for bed；〃 he said。 〃Waste of another fang…pi night。〃
Brian Kwok yawned too。 〃Yes。 But while we're this side； how about breakfast at the Para and then； then let's go and look at the morning workouts？〃
At once most of Robert Armstrong's tiredness fell away。 〃Great idea！〃
The Para Restaurant in Wanchai Road near Happy Valley Racecourse was always open。 The food was excellent； cheap and it was a well…known meeting place for triads and their girls。 When the two policemen strode into the large； noisy； bustling； plate…clattering room a sudden silence fell。 The proprietor； One Foot Ko； limped over to them and beamed them to the best table in the place。
〃Dew neh loh moh on you too； Old Friend；〃 Armstrong said grimly and added some choice obscenities in gutter Cantonese； staring back pointedly at the nearest group of gaping young thugs who nervously turned away。
One Foot Ko laughed and showed his bad teeth。 〃Ah； Lords； you honor my poor establishment。 Dim sum？〃
〃Why not？〃 Dim sum … small chow or small foods … were bite…sized dough envelopes packed with minced shrimps or vegetables or various meats then steamed or deep…fried and eaten with a touch of soya； or saucers of chicken and other meats in various sauces or pastries of all kinds。
〃Your Worships are going to the track？〃
Brian Kwok nodded； sipping his jasmine tea； his eyes roving the diners； making many of them very nervous。 〃Who's going to win the fifth？〃 he asked。
The restaurateur hesitated； knowing he'd better tell the truth。 He said carefully in Cantonese； 〃They say that neither Golden Lady； Noble Star； Pilot Fish or Butterscotch Lass has 。。。 has yet been touted as having an edge。〃 He saw the cold black…brown eyes e to rest on him and he tried not to shudder。 〃By all the gods； that's what they say。〃
〃Good。 I'll e here Saturday morning。 Or I'll send my sergeant。 Then you can whisper in his ear if some foul play's contemplated。 Yes。 And if it turns out one of those are doped or cut and I don't know about it on Saturday morning 。。。 perhaps your soups will addle for fifty years。〃
One Foot smiled nervously。 〃Yes；