more pressure. She felt herself slipping back into her old job mode, and when that took a grip, her habit had been to shut out the entire outside world with the exception of Uncle and those directly related to the case.
Maria, I think it’s premature to make a decision about your lease. It’s better to wait until you know for sure about the appointment extension. Now I’m involved in a project here that’s going to keep me occupied, so you may not hear from me for a few days. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll touch base when I can. Love, Ava.
She shut down the computer and went back to bed.
( 12 )
She woke at eight after a peaceful sleep, brewed some coffee, and collected the newspapers from the door and quickly scanned them. It was nine o’clock by the time she had showered and dressed. She checked her mobile phone for voice messages and texts, and then went to her inbox. Both Amanda and May had emailed telling her not to worry about getting together and to just do whatever she had to do.
Ava looked at herself in the mirror before leaving the room. She had opted for a white Brooks Brothers button-down shirt and a pair of black slacks. She wore no makeup and her hair was tied back and fixed with her ivory chignon pin. It was a serious look for a serious meeting. At nine fifteen she exited the hotel carrying her Chanel bag. Inside was the Moleskine notebook that she had designated for the Tsai family.
The red Toyota Reiz was parked three cars down from the hotel entrance. Feng stood by the driver’s-side door reading a newspaper and smoking. He didn’t turn his head until Ava said, “Hey.”
He was wearing grey slacks and a navy blue blazer over a white polo shirt. He somehow looked younger than when she’d seen him at Capo. He was about five foot six and lean, and had a full head of grey hair.
“Ms. Lee.”
“Ava.”
“Yes, Ava, right on time.”
“Let’s go.”
A doorman rushed to the car and opened the passenger door for Ava. She climbed in and then watched Feng give him a healthy tip.
“Please don’t smoke in the car,” she said to him as he got behind the wheel.
“I never do. My wife would kill me.”
“Between Xu and your wife, your life sounds as if it’s in constant danger,” Ava said.
“That’s true enough,” he said, and laughed.
They left the Peninsula and started the drive towards Nanqiao. Ava lost all sense of direction within minutes. Unlike her mother, who was a slave to her GPS, Ava liked to know where she was going without having to depend on a computer. Parts of cities like downtown Boston and London defeated her. The most perplexing was Hamilton, Ontario, where north and south were inverted; Ava had once driven hours trying to get back to a highway. Shanghai had the same effect on her.
“Everything is on schedule,” Feng said a few minutes after they left the Peninsula. “Zheng stayed at the hotel last night, and he’s already heard from Lanfen. She said she’d be there by ten.”
“Perfect. Does she have all the documents I asked for?”
“She told him she has lots of paper, but I can’t speak to the contents.”
The car was now on a highway and moving at a moderate speed. Ava saw a large sign for Fengxian and, underneath, a smaller one for Nanqiao. They were only twelve kilometres away.
“We’ll be there in no time,” she said.
“You can never predict traffic.”
“I don’t mind being early,” Ava said, and then glanced sideways at Feng. His eyes were intently focused on the highway. “How long have you been dealing with the Tsai family?” she asked.
His expression didn’t change. “Directly, for the past five years; indirectly, for another ten.”
“Indirectly?”
“Before I became White Paper Fan — the gang’s administrator — I helped my predecessor cope with them.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re too fond of the family.”
“I’ve only met Tsai Men.”
“What do you think of him?”
“He’s a
Maria, I think it’s premature to make a decision about your lease. It’s better to wait until you know for sure about the appointment extension. Now I’m involved in a project here that’s going to keep me occupied, so you may not hear from me for a few days. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll touch base when I can. Love, Ava.
She shut down the computer and went back to bed.
( 12 )
She woke at eight after a peaceful sleep, brewed some coffee, and collected the newspapers from the door and quickly scanned them. It was nine o’clock by the time she had showered and dressed. She checked her mobile phone for voice messages and texts, and then went to her inbox. Both Amanda and May had emailed telling her not to worry about getting together and to just do whatever she had to do.
Ava looked at herself in the mirror before leaving the room. She had opted for a white Brooks Brothers button-down shirt and a pair of black slacks. She wore no makeup and her hair was tied back and fixed with her ivory chignon pin. It was a serious look for a serious meeting. At nine fifteen she exited the hotel carrying her Chanel bag. Inside was the Moleskine notebook that she had designated for the Tsai family.
The red Toyota Reiz was parked three cars down from the hotel entrance. Feng stood by the driver’s-side door reading a newspaper and smoking. He didn’t turn his head until Ava said, “Hey.”
He was wearing grey slacks and a navy blue blazer over a white polo shirt. He somehow looked younger than when she’d seen him at Capo. He was about five foot six and lean, and had a full head of grey hair.
“Ms. Lee.”
“Ava.”
“Yes, Ava, right on time.”
“Let’s go.”
A doorman rushed to the car and opened the passenger door for Ava. She climbed in and then watched Feng give him a healthy tip.
“Please don’t smoke in the car,” she said to him as he got behind the wheel.
“I never do. My wife would kill me.”
“Between Xu and your wife, your life sounds as if it’s in constant danger,” Ava said.
“That’s true enough,” he said, and laughed.
They left the Peninsula and started the drive towards Nanqiao. Ava lost all sense of direction within minutes. Unlike her mother, who was a slave to her GPS, Ava liked to know where she was going without having to depend on a computer. Parts of cities like downtown Boston and London defeated her. The most perplexing was Hamilton, Ontario, where north and south were inverted; Ava had once driven hours trying to get back to a highway. Shanghai had the same effect on her.
“Everything is on schedule,” Feng said a few minutes after they left the Peninsula. “Zheng stayed at the hotel last night, and he’s already heard from Lanfen. She said she’d be there by ten.”
“Perfect. Does she have all the documents I asked for?”
“She told him she has lots of paper, but I can’t speak to the contents.”
The car was now on a highway and moving at a moderate speed. Ava saw a large sign for Fengxian and, underneath, a smaller one for Nanqiao. They were only twelve kilometres away.
“We’ll be there in no time,” she said.
“You can never predict traffic.”
“I don’t mind being early,” Ava said, and then glanced sideways at Feng. His eyes were intently focused on the highway. “How long have you been dealing with the Tsai family?” she asked.
His expression didn’t change. “Directly, for the past five years; indirectly, for another ten.”
“Indirectly?”
“Before I became White Paper Fan — the gang’s administrator — I helped my predecessor cope with them.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re too fond of the family.”
“I’ve only met Tsai Men.”
“What do you think of him?”
“He’s a
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