American spy is
sniffing around Shanghai because of it. He cannot be disposed of without
many questions being asked. You have imperiled me, and–worse–you have
imperiled Wei Gaofan. What was secret is no longer secret, and what is
no longer secret can come to the ears of Wei Gaofan’s enemies on the
Central Committee, the Politburo, even on the Standing Committee
itself.”
“Feng will dispose of this American!”
“What comes to the ears of the Politburo will be investigated. You’ll be
investigated.”
Yu Yongfu was desperate. “They’ll learn nothing–”
“They’ll learn everything. It isn’t in you to resist, son-in-law.” Li’s
tone softened. “It’s sad, but it’s true. You’ll reveal everything, and
if you live, you’ll be ruined. Which means the ruin of all of us. All of
the Yu’s. All of the Li’s.”
“No!” Yu Yongfu shuddered. His stomach was a fist. He could hardly
breathe. “I’ll go away. Yes, I’ll leave … ”
Li dismissed him with a wave. “The matter is decided.”
“But–”
“The only question now is how it is to be done. That is your choice.
Will it be prison, disgrace, and ruin for our family? Many questions
asked and answered, and the loss of the favor of Wei Gaofan for all of
us? Without the great Wei, I will go down. Your wife–my daughter–will
fall with me, and there will be no future for my other children and
their families either. Most crucial to you, there will be no future for
your children.”
Yu trembled. “But–”
“But you are right, none of that need happen. The honorable way will
save all of us. The responsibility will end with you. Without you to
speak, and no question as to the manner of your death, nothing can lead
to Wei Gaofan or myself. My position remains secure, because we will
retain Wei’s favor. Your wife and children will still have an unlimited
future.”
Yu Yongfu opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. Fear
paralyzed him as he saw his suicide.
Far to the west of downtown Shanghai, beyond the ring road expressway,
Andy cut his engine and allowed his Jetta to glide to a stop on a
tree-lined suburban street. There were no streetlights. The houses were
mostly dark this late hour. Nothing moved in the blue-steel moonlight.
In the passenger seat, Smith checked his watch. It was after nine
o’clock. Before he had rendezvoused with Andy, he left a message on Dr.
Liang’s answering machine that he was indisposed and unable to join him
and his colleagues for dinner. He hoped that would cover his activities
tonight.
Now he had something far more crucial to worry about. He listened
intently. He heard nothing except the faint noise of traffic back on the
ring. Something was wrong about this street of affluent homes. He gazed
around, trying to understand … then he saw what it was, and inwardly
laughed at himself. He had lived in the Eastern Seaboard corridor so
long he had become culture bound. The answer was, no cars were parked at
the curbs.
“That’s the address over there.” Andy pointed across the street. “Yu
Yongfu’s mansion.”
Smith saw no numbers. “How the hell do you know?”
Andy grinned. “In Shanghai, you just know.”
Smith grunted. There was a high, solid wall right on the edge of the
dark street, occupying the entire block. Through the barred metal gate,
he could make out an impressive compound in the courtyard style of the
long-ago estates of rich landowners. Deep inside, the mansion was barely
visible. Unlike anything he had seen in this Asian metropolis, Yu’s
estate seemed to come straight from the last imperial dynasty.
Smith grabbed his night-vision binoculars and focused on the distant
manse and had a shock. It looked American, as if it had been built
around 1900. It was big, rambling, and airy. So far, the perimeter wall
was the only trace of old China.
He handed the binoculars to Andy, who was as surprised as Smith. “It’s
like one
sniffing around Shanghai because of it. He cannot be disposed of without
many questions being asked. You have imperiled me, and–worse–you have
imperiled Wei Gaofan. What was secret is no longer secret, and what is
no longer secret can come to the ears of Wei Gaofan’s enemies on the
Central Committee, the Politburo, even on the Standing Committee
itself.”
“Feng will dispose of this American!”
“What comes to the ears of the Politburo will be investigated. You’ll be
investigated.”
Yu Yongfu was desperate. “They’ll learn nothing–”
“They’ll learn everything. It isn’t in you to resist, son-in-law.” Li’s
tone softened. “It’s sad, but it’s true. You’ll reveal everything, and
if you live, you’ll be ruined. Which means the ruin of all of us. All of
the Yu’s. All of the Li’s.”
“No!” Yu Yongfu shuddered. His stomach was a fist. He could hardly
breathe. “I’ll go away. Yes, I’ll leave … ”
Li dismissed him with a wave. “The matter is decided.”
“But–”
“The only question now is how it is to be done. That is your choice.
Will it be prison, disgrace, and ruin for our family? Many questions
asked and answered, and the loss of the favor of Wei Gaofan for all of
us? Without the great Wei, I will go down. Your wife–my daughter–will
fall with me, and there will be no future for my other children and
their families either. Most crucial to you, there will be no future for
your children.”
Yu trembled. “But–”
“But you are right, none of that need happen. The honorable way will
save all of us. The responsibility will end with you. Without you to
speak, and no question as to the manner of your death, nothing can lead
to Wei Gaofan or myself. My position remains secure, because we will
retain Wei’s favor. Your wife and children will still have an unlimited
future.”
Yu Yongfu opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. Fear
paralyzed him as he saw his suicide.
Far to the west of downtown Shanghai, beyond the ring road expressway,
Andy cut his engine and allowed his Jetta to glide to a stop on a
tree-lined suburban street. There were no streetlights. The houses were
mostly dark this late hour. Nothing moved in the blue-steel moonlight.
In the passenger seat, Smith checked his watch. It was after nine
o’clock. Before he had rendezvoused with Andy, he left a message on Dr.
Liang’s answering machine that he was indisposed and unable to join him
and his colleagues for dinner. He hoped that would cover his activities
tonight.
Now he had something far more crucial to worry about. He listened
intently. He heard nothing except the faint noise of traffic back on the
ring. Something was wrong about this street of affluent homes. He gazed
around, trying to understand … then he saw what it was, and inwardly
laughed at himself. He had lived in the Eastern Seaboard corridor so
long he had become culture bound. The answer was, no cars were parked at
the curbs.
“That’s the address over there.” Andy pointed across the street. “Yu
Yongfu’s mansion.”
Smith saw no numbers. “How the hell do you know?”
Andy grinned. “In Shanghai, you just know.”
Smith grunted. There was a high, solid wall right on the edge of the
dark street, occupying the entire block. Through the barred metal gate,
he could make out an impressive compound in the courtyard style of the
long-ago estates of rich landowners. Deep inside, the mansion was barely
visible. Unlike anything he had seen in this Asian metropolis, Yu’s
estate seemed to come straight from the last imperial dynasty.
Smith grabbed his night-vision binoculars and focused on the distant
manse and had a shock. It looked American, as if it had been built
around 1900. It was big, rambling, and airy. So far, the perimeter wall
was the only trace of old China.
He handed the binoculars to Andy, who was as surprised as Smith. “It’s
like one
Similar Books
