‘Sorry, boss. I got carried away. But, boss – Peter Farringdon – the surgeon – he’s clean. Can’t find a thing on him.’

‘Keep looking, Shrimp. Everyone’s got something on them.’

Mann stepped outside into the corridor and made his way down the stairs. He was going to see the brothers for the last time.

Max didn’t move as Mann approached his cell. Only when Mann called his name did he slowly turn his head.

‘Did you find her – Miss Geor-gi-na?’

‘Yes. I found her, Max. She is safe. We also found your stepmother.’

Max grinned, and nodded his head, satisfied.

‘She came back one day, to demand more money from my father. We argued. She had a heart attack and died right in front of me. After she was dead, I let Man Po skin her.’ He looked up sharply. ‘They won’t let me see him – my brother!’

‘He’s all right. You’ll be moved soon.’

Max nodded. ‘I know.’ He had accepted his fate. He turned away from Mann and lay down on his bunk. He was finished with conversation.

On his way out, Mann stopped to speak to the sergeant in charge of the prisoners.

‘Move Max in with his brother. Make sure they stay together now, and pass on instructions that they should remain so till they face the bullet, till the last minute – together.’

117

Big Frank awoke with a smile on his face. He bounced out of bed and sang his way into the shower. The maid came and put his breakfast tray on the table. He shouted his thanks from the bathroom and emerged, his hair extensions dripping and a flapping hand towel slung around his waist. He just missed the maid as she disappeared at bullet-speed out of the door.

Big Frank was in the best of moods; everything felt right about the day. He strapped himself into his corset and, while humming the Wedding March, sat down to eat his hash browns and grits and wait for Lucy.

Lucy gave up packing. She called Max’s number again – he didn’t answer. She hadn’t seen him since she stopped working at the club. Where was he? Sleeping? It wasn’t like him not to answer her calls. She would have liked to have said goodbye to him, but it wasn’t to be.

She called another cab and while she waited she sat back, staring out of the window at the Hong Kong she would not see again for a long time. She was moving to Florida with Frank. She would be his wife, and they would have children and she would be the best-kept hostess on the planet. She shook her head sadly. How ironic: the dream – marry a passport, get a ticket out – only now it wasn’t a ticket for two; her beloved Ka Lei was dead and now she must go alone.

She sniffed, wiped her nose, stood and straightened the creases from her trousers. She looked towards the door. For a moment she thought she heard a key turn. She listened again. Nothing. She was getting jumpy. The sooner she got out of Hong Kong, the better.

Frank was waiting for her. His bags were packed – he was ready. He squeezed her so hard that she squealed in pain. She was still feeling the effects of the attack.

‘Flank, you gonna kill your little Hong Kong girl before we get married?’

‘I’m gonna eat you, honey.’ He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.

‘We gonna miss the flight, Flank!’

But he didn’t answer – his mind was elsewhere…

They arrived at the airport late. Lucy raced Frank through to check in. She stood nervously by Frank’s side, tucking herself as close to him as she could get, as they waited for their tickets and passports to be checked. She looked furtively around her. She didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone, but she was searching for small groups of smart-looking men. It didn’t even have to be a Wo Shing Shing member. Rival triad societies made pacts with each other in order to carry out a crime more effectively. She might never be safe from Chan. Wherever there were Chinese businesses there were triads.

Lucy hurried Frank through to Departures and straight to the boarding gate. She clung to his arm the whole way. They wouldn’t dare take Frank out too, she thought. They would have to separate them first, and there was no way she was going to let that happen.

Twenty minutes later they boarded an American Airways flight to Miami. Lucy’s eyes were fixed on the window. The minute the plane took off she knew she would be able to relax. They fastened their seatbelts and Lucy sighed gratefully as the plane began its taxi down the runway. Phew – that was it. She smiled at her reflection. She was safe, for now at least. She turned back from the window and smiled sweetly at Frank.

‘Not long, Flank. We gonna be husband and wife. Did you make the arrangements?’

‘I sure did, honey, you gonna be mine forever.’

Lucy smiled at him. ‘You’re so sweet. Yes, I am, Flank. I’m never gonna leave you.’

‘I know that, honey. You know why?’

Lucy shook her head.

‘Becoz,’ Big Frank slid his massive hand beneath Lucy’s fleshy bottom, ‘I’m gonna brand you. That’ll stop you runnin’ off. I’m gonna put a big fat F brand here.’ He pinched her hard.

Lucy tried to wriggle away. ‘Oooh! That’s enough, Flank! You’re hurtin’ me.’

Frank leaned across. ‘Enough? Enough, honey? I’m just gettin’ started.’

Lucy noticed that Big Frank’s left eye had gone into spasm again.

118

Georgina awoke three hours after Mann had left. It was lunch time. She got up and showered. She was starving. She rummaged through his kitchen cupboards and found a lonely Pot Noodle and a pack of Earl Grey tea. That would do for now. She sat in the lounge and waited for Mann. She really hoped that he would come back soon. She wanted the chance to talk to him properly.

The mid-afternoon sun stretched in through the lounge window and warmed Georgina through. She waited. Mann would be back soon, she was sure, and yet the day was trickling away. She turned on the TV and waited.

Dusk came, and she found herself still sitting alone. She began to feel panicky. Surely if Mann wanted her to stay he would be back soon? She got up and walked around the flat. The evening’s shadows made her shiver. The flat felt suddenly cold and unwelcoming. Then she realised it wasn’t just the flat. She didn’t really belong in Hong Kong. Hong Kong hadn’t been kind to her. It had chewed her up and spat her out. Maybe, she thought, it was time to go home. She wished Mann would come back and reassure her, provide her with the answers, tell her what she should do. But then she wasn’t sure he could or would do that.

Mann called in to the Albert. As he walked into the bar he saw Peter Farringdon. The surgeon didn’t see Mann – he was in the midst of greeting an elderly Chinese. The way they clasped one another’s hand struck Mann as slightly awkward, and then he saw it – the surgeon tapped his little finger three times on the outside of the other man’s hand.

‘How is she, Johnny?’ Mandy left the busy bar and came around to see him.

‘Georgina has been through such a lot, Mandy. It’s going to take time but I think she’ll be all right in the end. I have faith in her.’

‘Is she going to stay in Hong Kong?’

‘It’s for her to decide.’

‘Do you want her to?’

‘She knows I will be there for her if she needs me but she must make up her own mind. She’s a grown woman. She’s been through a lot but she’s survived. Her strength will see her through, I’m positive of that.’

‘But what do you want her to do?’

‘I want her to be the woman she is meant to be.’ He stood and kissed Mandy goodbye. As he made his way out he turned back and nodded in the direction of the surgeon who had been watching him. Mann held his gaze a few seconds longer than was comfortable for the surgeon. Did he know what he’d got himself into? Mann doubted it.