trouble in this house."
"If you don't tell this lie," Nhan said desperately, "there will be bad trouble in this house."
Her uncle put his hand under his coat and scratched his ribs.
"If the police question me," he said obstinately, "I shall say you were out all night. In this way I shall not become involved in your trouble. Your mother must also tell the truth. I have always thought that American would get you into trouble. I wish to have nothing to do with the matter."
"If you don't do what I am asking you to do," Nhan said hopelessly, "I shall lose my job and go to prison. There will be no money in the house at the end of the week and my mother will have to sell flowers again."
Her uncle blinked. This he hadn't thought of. He might even have to leave this comfortable home.
"No matter how wicked your daughter is, it would not be right for her to lose her job," he said after some thought, addressing Nhan's mother. "Besides, you have your sons to consider. If there is no money, who will feed them? Perhaps, after all, it would be better to tell this lie."
Her mother had no wish to sell flowers again. With a show of reluctance, she agreed that perhaps her brother was right.
Watching them, Nhan saw with relief she had used the right tactics.
"Then if the police ask you you will tell them I returned at eleven and remained in bed all night?" she asked.
"If it will save this house the disgrace of you going to prison," her uncle returned, "then we are compelled to tell this lie." He turned to his sister. "Bring me the bamboo stick. This girl has a wicked devil in her. It is my duty to you and to your sons to drive this devil out of her."
Her mother got up and went to the cupboard where the bamboo stick was kept. Her brother used the stick often on her three sons. She felt it was right for him now to use on her daughter.
2
Colonel On-dinh-Khuc bit into an apple while he studied the typed questionnaire Lam-Tham had handed to him.
The time was fifteen minutes past eight a.m. Much had been done since he had returned to headquarters. Dong Ham and My-Lang-To had been questioned. Haum's body had been taken to the shattered police post and had been planted in the ditch near where the two Viet Minh bodies had been found. The President's private secretary had been informed that the American had been kidnapped. The American Ambassador in his turn had been informed. Three officers of the U.S. Military Police had gone to the scene of the outrage where they busied themselves taking photographs, examining the Chrysler and consulting with the Vietnam police.
The Colonel munched his apple as he studied Dong-Ham's replies to the questions put to him by Lam-Than.
"Not much here," he said finally, putting the paper down on his desk. "We had better find this girl he mentions. She "probably knows nothing, but we'd better make sure. Someone is bound to know who she is and where she lives. Tell Ngoc-Linh to inquire at this club. They'll probably know her name."
Lam-Than inclined his head.
The Colonel dropped the apple core into the waste paper basket.
"Nothing of any value in the girl's report," he went on. "It is unfortunate she insists that the houseboy is still in the villa. The old cook seems to think so too." He looked up at Lam-Than. "When it is known the boy went with the American and was killed by the Viet Minh, these two could make difficulties. If the American police have an opportunity to question them, the situation could become involved."
Lam-Than had already thought of this difficulty.
"The old man has no relations," he said. "There would be no complications if he met with an accident. The girl has a mother and father, but providing the matter is handled with care she could also be removed without difficulty."
The Colonel stroked his fleshy jowls.
"I'll leave it to you," he said. "Arrange something. It is better for the State to have no complications."
Lam-Than inclined his head. He picked up the
"If you don't tell this lie," Nhan said desperately, "there will be bad trouble in this house."
Her uncle put his hand under his coat and scratched his ribs.
"If the police question me," he said obstinately, "I shall say you were out all night. In this way I shall not become involved in your trouble. Your mother must also tell the truth. I have always thought that American would get you into trouble. I wish to have nothing to do with the matter."
"If you don't do what I am asking you to do," Nhan said hopelessly, "I shall lose my job and go to prison. There will be no money in the house at the end of the week and my mother will have to sell flowers again."
Her uncle blinked. This he hadn't thought of. He might even have to leave this comfortable home.
"No matter how wicked your daughter is, it would not be right for her to lose her job," he said after some thought, addressing Nhan's mother. "Besides, you have your sons to consider. If there is no money, who will feed them? Perhaps, after all, it would be better to tell this lie."
Her mother had no wish to sell flowers again. With a show of reluctance, she agreed that perhaps her brother was right.
Watching them, Nhan saw with relief she had used the right tactics.
"Then if the police ask you you will tell them I returned at eleven and remained in bed all night?" she asked.
"If it will save this house the disgrace of you going to prison," her uncle returned, "then we are compelled to tell this lie." He turned to his sister. "Bring me the bamboo stick. This girl has a wicked devil in her. It is my duty to you and to your sons to drive this devil out of her."
Her mother got up and went to the cupboard where the bamboo stick was kept. Her brother used the stick often on her three sons. She felt it was right for him now to use on her daughter.
2
Colonel On-dinh-Khuc bit into an apple while he studied the typed questionnaire Lam-Tham had handed to him.
The time was fifteen minutes past eight a.m. Much had been done since he had returned to headquarters. Dong Ham and My-Lang-To had been questioned. Haum's body had been taken to the shattered police post and had been planted in the ditch near where the two Viet Minh bodies had been found. The President's private secretary had been informed that the American had been kidnapped. The American Ambassador in his turn had been informed. Three officers of the U.S. Military Police had gone to the scene of the outrage where they busied themselves taking photographs, examining the Chrysler and consulting with the Vietnam police.
The Colonel munched his apple as he studied Dong-Ham's replies to the questions put to him by Lam-Than.
"Not much here," he said finally, putting the paper down on his desk. "We had better find this girl he mentions. She "probably knows nothing, but we'd better make sure. Someone is bound to know who she is and where she lives. Tell Ngoc-Linh to inquire at this club. They'll probably know her name."
Lam-Than inclined his head.
The Colonel dropped the apple core into the waste paper basket.
"Nothing of any value in the girl's report," he went on. "It is unfortunate she insists that the houseboy is still in the villa. The old cook seems to think so too." He looked up at Lam-Than. "When it is known the boy went with the American and was killed by the Viet Minh, these two could make difficulties. If the American police have an opportunity to question them, the situation could become involved."
Lam-Than had already thought of this difficulty.
"The old man has no relations," he said. "There would be no complications if he met with an accident. The girl has a mother and father, but providing the matter is handled with care she could also be removed without difficulty."
The Colonel stroked his fleshy jowls.
"I'll leave it to you," he said. "Arrange something. It is better for the State to have no complications."
Lam-Than inclined his head. He picked up the
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