The Disciple of Las Vegas by Ian Hamilton Page A

order?” Ava asked, a believer in the calming quality of the dim sum ritual.
    â€œI don’t know how much I can eat.”
    â€œWhat would you recommend?” Ava persisted.
    Maggie picked up the dim sum menu. “The sticky rice is good . . . the chicken feet in black bean sauce . . . turnip cake.”
    â€œHow is the har gow?”
    â€œI prefer the shrimp-and-chive dumplings.”
    When their order had been taken, Ava poured tea for Maggie. Maggie tapped her middle finger gently on the table as a sign of thanks. She has manners , Ava thought.
    â€œI’m sorry I had to reach you through Auntie Lily. I tried Edward Ling first.”
    â€œAunt Lily is just about my mother’s closest friend, and my mother can’t stand Edward Ling. Besides, when he called last night, he insisted on talking to my father and didn’t even mention your name.”
    â€œDid he speak to your father?” Ava asked.
    â€œNo. I told you, my father is not in a state to talk to anyone.”
    â€œMaggie, do either you or your mother know what’s happened to your father?”
    â€œMy mother knows that something has gone wrong with the business, but she isn’t interested in all the gory details. She couldn’t handle them anyway. I’m a bit stronger.”
    â€œSo you know something? I mean, you know what happened? You know the details?”
    Maggie closed her eyes, squeezed them tightly, then shook her head. “I’ve spent the last week at my parents’ home trying to keep my father sane and trying to get my mother to stop crying,” she said, waving a hand to indicate her sweatshirt. Ava noticed the cuffs were badly frayed. “I usually don’t dress like this, but I haven’t been getting much sleep and I’ve let myself go. When you called, I was at my condo getting some clean clothes to take back to West Van. That’s where my parents live.”
    â€œThe British Properties?”
    â€œYes. That was my mother’s choice.”
    â€œAnd I hear you’re a student.”
    â€œLaw school. My father’s wish.”
    â€œI’m an accountant.”
    â€œI know; Louis told me. He said you were hired by Uncle Tommy’s company to look into some missing money, and he was shocked when he met you. Young, good-looking, female, capable — not my Uncle Tommy’s normal type of employee. Louis said some of the people in Manila were actually afraid of you, that you have some amazing connections.”
    Ava didn’t want to talk about her connections. Instead she patted the envelope that held her paperwork. There isn’t much point , she thought, in being coy . “The money that’s missing — your father took it. I have all the records here.”
    Maggie’s eyes flicked over the envelope. “I know he did,” she said.
    Ava blinked. “Well, since you know,” she pressed, “I’d like you to tell me why he did it. And I’d like to know where the money is.”
    The turnip cake arrived. Maggie Chew slathered chili sauce on a slice and bit into it. “Why haven’t you gone to my uncle with your information?”
    â€œHow do you know I haven’t?”
    â€œBecause if you had, there’s no force on earth that would keep him from descending on my father, with every ounce of malice and viciousness he could muster. There are only two things he cares about: his position in the family and his money. When it comes to family, my Uncle Tommy talks a good story, but the reality is that he thinks of it as his family. He thinks that everyone should be grateful to him — the oldest son, the trailblazer — for whatever they have in life, and should express their thanks by being obedient, subservient, and loyal as a dog. Then there’s his money — he’s married to it. My father and my uncle in Hong Kong were supposedly partners in the business, but the