Flower Net (Red Princess 1)

“This isn’t about the triads.”

“I disagree. Everything points to them. The immigrants. The body found on the China Peony.”

“But the triads are sophisticated. If they wanted someone to disappear, he would. Why was it so easy to find the bodies of Watson and Guang?”

“I wouldn’t say it was easy. I’d say it was an accident, and accidents are how murderers get caught.”

Hulan shook her head. “Try looking at this through my eyes. Ask yourself some simple questions. Why was I given this case? Why were you asked to come here?”

“You already had the case—”

“No! I was assigned to look into Billy Watson’s death. I had hardly begun my investigation when I was pulled off of it, and I wasn’t involved at all with the disappearance of Guang Henglai. All I knew about that case was what I had read in the newspaper or heard on television.”

“But it still makes sense. These murders are connected. As for me, who else would they ask?”

“You don’t understand. You don’t know what you’re seeing.”

“All right then. What am I missing?”

Hulan sighed. “Guang Mingyun is a powerful man—”

“I know that,” he said impatiently.

“I’m not talking just about money.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to say. Guang Mingyun also has ties to the U.S. You must find it suspicious that he owns the bank where the Rising Phoenix keeps its money.”

“Suspicious, perhaps. Conclusive, absolutely not. And besides, that’s not what I’m talking about.” She wondered how blunt she should be, then decided on: “His kind of power can be dangerous in this country.”

“Power corrupts.”

“It’s more than that, David. He can make things happen. He has strong affiliations with the army, which makes him a very influential man in our government.”

“Your point?”

“I’ll say it again. You don’t know what you’re seeing.”

David leaned back against the bench. “Then explain it.”

“In China, we hide behind etiquette and formality. Even given these extraordinary circumstances, I would have expected to pass through many layers of bureaucracy before meeting Guang in person. Did you notice how he immediately asked if we drank tea? Guang wasn’t content with my polite refusal. He continued to press the tea on us. Remember?”

David nodded. It had seemed unimportant at the time.

“The longer this ritual is protracted, the greater the honor bestowed on the guest, which, in turn, reflects on the host. Conversely, when the vice minister offered you nothing, he insulted you.”

“I didn’t notice.”

Hulan smiled. “I know, and I’m sure he didn’t like that at all.”

“So this whole tea thing tells you what?”

“It tells me that Guang isn’t blocking us. He wants us asking questions. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”

“I guess I botched it,” he said after a few seconds.

“It’s not your fault, David.”

He thought for a moment. “So when you switched to Chinese, what did you say to him?”