“And I’d better go to Party Secretary Li now,” he said, smiling as he arose.

On the corner of Sichuan Road they had to stand in the street as the sidewalk was filled by illegally parked bikes. They shook hands, ready to part, when she suddenly became aware of a motorcyclist dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt, his face covered with a black helmet, on a powerful cycle heading straight at her at high speed. The rumbling monster would have crashed right onto her but for Chen’s reaction. Still holding her hand, he yanked her onto the pavement and spun himself around to shield her. At the same time, his right leg kicked out backward, pivoting like in a Kung Fu movie. Missing Chen by a hair’s breadth, the motorcycle dodged, swayed, but did not fall. With its tires screeching, it kicked up a cloud of dust and sped onto Nanjing Road.

The whole thing was over in a few seconds. The motorcycle disappeared in traffic. Several passersby gaped at them and moved on.

“I am so sorry, Inspector Rohn,” he said, letting go of her hand. “Those reckless motorcyclists are dangerous.”

“Thank you, Chief Inspector Chen,” she said. They walked on.

Chapter 7

On his way to Party Secretary Li’s office, Chen checked the bureau fax folder. There were several for him from the Fujian Police Bureau-additional information about the Flying Axes. He was pleased to find a cellular phone number for Detective Yu on the cover sheet as had been promised by Superintendent Hong the previous night. He also found a page with a picture of a shabby house, beneath which ran a line in Yu’s handwriting, “Wen’s House in Changle Village.”

Qian came over with a broad smile on his face and a large envelope in his hand. “I have had the information about Wen circulated, Chief Inspector Chen. Also, I’ve had a talk with Dr. Xia about the Bund Park case. The formal autopsy report will takes some time, but here is an informal summary.”

“Good job, Qian,” Chen said, going to his own small, Spartan office cubicle. The summary had been typed. Qian was proficient in Twinbridge, a Chinese software, but perhaps not as familiar with medical terms.

The Body in Bund Park

1) The time of death: Around one o’clock on the night of April eighth.

2) The cause of death: Head injury with fractures of the skull. Extensive damage to the lining of the brain. Bleeding from multiple wounds, eighteen of them. He could have received the fatal head blow before some of the wounds were inflicted. A general absence of bruises on his arms and legs shows he had not struggled before his death.

3) The body: The victim was in his mid-forties. Six feet tall, one hundred eighty pounds. He was strongly built with well-defined arm and leg muscles. His hands were well manicured. Good teeth, except for three gold ones. There was an old scar on his face.

4) He had had sexual intercourse shortly before death. There were still traces of semen and vaginal fluid on his sex organ. There was a deep cut two inches above his penis.

5) Needle tracks on his arms indicate he was a possible I.V. drug user. In addition, there were traces of some unknown drug in his body.

6) His silk pajamas are of excellent quality. There’s no label; it had been removed, but its material seemed to be imported, with a V design woven into the material.

It was a clear report, which further pointed to the possibility of triad involvement, especially the evidence of the unknown drug in the body.

Something else caught his attention. If the victim had been murdered at home, having just had sex, there should have been two bodies in the park-his and his wife’s. But if he had been with somebody else, and his sex partner-whoever that might have been-left immediately after the act, it suggested that the murder might have taken place in a hotel.

Chen made himself a cup of tea and dialed Qian’s extension. “Send out a detailed description of the victim together with a picture, to hotels as well as neighborhood committees.”

That was about all Qian could do at this stage.

However, Chief Inspector Chen wanted to do more. And to use somebody else for the job. There was no accounting for his mistrust of Qian. Perhaps it was merely a whim, a personal prejudice.

His cell phone started ringing. The LCD displayed Inspector Rohn’s number. He pushed the button. “Is everything okay with you, Inspector Rohn?”

“I’m fine, thanks to your excellent kung fu this morning.”

“Don’t mention it. What’s up?”

“The content of the phone conversation has been translated.”

“What did Feng say?”

“It’s a short conversation. According to our translator, Feng’s message was: Some people have got wind of it. Run for your life. Contact me when you’re at a safe place.”

“What did he mean?”

“Wen asked the same question. Feng just repeated the message,” she said. “Now Feng tells my boss that he had gotten a warning on a slip of paper inserted in his grocery bag before he phoned his wife.”

“What did it say?”

“Don’t forget your pregnant wife in China.”

“Your supervisor must look into it. If Feng’s so well hidden, how did they get to him?”

“That’s what he is investigating.”

“Those secret societies are powerful,” he added, “even in the United States.”

“True,” she agreed. “What about our investigation here?”

“I’m on my way to Party Secretary Li’s office. I’ll call you soon.”

Chief Inspector Chen was not sure what Party Secretary Li’s response would be. But he knew that interviewing potential contacts of Wen’s would be monotonous. The company of an American partner would at least provide an opportunity for him to practice his English.

“How’s everything, Chief Inspector Chen?” Li said, rising from his chair.

“Searching for this woman is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“You are doing your best.” Li poured a cup of jasmine tea for him. “How is Inspector Rohn getting along in Shanghai?”

“Fine. And she’s quite cooperative too.”

“You are the right person to handle her, Chief Inspector Chen. Any leads so far?”

“Detective Yu has found one. Wen got a phone call from Feng on April fifth and went into hiding because of the call.”

“That’s very important. In fact, that’s great. I will pass the information to the leading comrades in Beijing today.” Li did not attempt to conceal the excitement in his voice. “You have done an excellent job.”

“How?” Chen was surprised. “I’ve not done anything yet.”

“It’s the Americans’ carelessness that has caused Wen’s disappearance. They should not have permitted anyone to get close enough to Feng to threaten him. They should not have allowed Feng to make that call,” Li said, rubbing his hands. “The Americans’ responsibility. That’s it.”

“Well, as for responsibility, I’ve not yet discussed it with Inspector Rohn. She said the U. S. Marshals would investigate.”

“Yes, that’s the way to go. The gang must have found out about Feng’s witness status and whereabouts through some leak on the American side.”

“That’s possible,” Chen said. He was thinking of what Yu had told him about the local Fujian cops’ poor work. “But there could also be a leak on our side.”

“Well, any other information from Inspector Rohn?”

“The Americans want to have the trial as scheduled. They are anxious about our progress.”

“Any other news from Fujian?”

“No. Detective Yu has a difficult job there. The Flying Axes seem to be popular, and the local police are no match for them. They have no clue whatsoever. Nor are they eager to crack down on the gangsters. So what can Yu do-except knock on one unfriendly door after another?”

“The popularity of the triad tradition in the area, I understand. You did the right thing to send Detective Yu there.”