Wing Ko patted the child on the head. "She is the delicate flower that brings great joy to an old man." He spoke to the girl in Chinese, and she set the tray on a low table and began pouring tea from the pot into the cups. Turning to Cole and Annabel, Wing Ko went on in English, "Now we must discuss business."
"I thought I made it plain weeks ago that you and I don't have any business to discuss," Cole said.
Wing Ko inclined his head. "Indeed you did. But perhaps I accepted your answer too easily. That is why I chose to ally myself with the one called Ingersoll." The tong leader added solemnly, "On reflection, that may have been a mistake. Ingersoll is not one to be trusted. He would betray a business associate if there were more profit in it for himself."
"So you double-crossed him before he could double-cross you."
A faint smile curved Wing Ko's thin lips. "Fate presented me with the key to a more suitable arrangement in the lovely personage of Miss Lowell."
"I'm not the key to anything," Annabel said.
"Oh, but you are," Wing Ko insisted. "Mr. Brady is in love with you, and unless he wishes to see great harm befall you, he will cooperate with my wishes."
So that was it, Annabel thought Cole had been right. Wing Ko intended to use her as a hostage to make Cole agree to whatever the tong leader wanted. She suddenly felt anger welling up inside her.
"Forget it, Cole," she said; "Don't listen to a thing this second-rate Fu Manchu has to say I'm not afraid of him."
Cole frowned deeply, clearly confused, as of course he would be, Annabel realized. He had never heard of Fu Manchu, and the sort of tough-guy movie talk she was spouting hadn't been invented yet. She stumbled on, "I mean, I don't think you should cooperate with him."
"I don't intend to " Cole said, looking at Wing Ko rather than Annabel.
"You are making a mistake, Mr. Brady," Wing Ko said. "I do not wish to see anyone come to harm-—except, of course, for the enemies of the Feathered Dragon Society. Do not cast yourself in that lot"
"I don't need a silent partner," Cole snapped. "Or any other kind, for that matter. Why do you want to move onto the waterfront? Aren't opium dens and prostitution enough for you?"
Wing Ko smiled again. "There can never be enough when it comes to riches, Mr. Brady. I have learned that from you Americans."
Cole slumped back against the cushions of the divan. "I guess I don't have any choice, then."
"Yes, you do," Annabel said. She sprang to her feet. "Go to hell, Wing Ko. You can threaten me all you want—I don't care."
Cole reached up, caught hold of her arm, and pulled her down beside him again. "You're not helping," he said under his breath.
Wing Ko folded his arms, slipping each hand inside the robe's opposite sleeve. "I believe I should leave the two of you alone to think on this matter. I shall return in the morning for your decision, Mr. Brady. If you cooperate, Miss Lowell will remain here as my guest for the time being, until our business arrangements are completed, with her every need attended to. Should you not, however"—he shook his head—"it will go very hard for her, I am afraid. Very hard, and very painful." Again he smiled, then gestured at the silver tray and its cups of tea. "In the meantime, please accept my hospitality. I bid you good night."
With a bow, he backed out of the room, the hatchet men opening the door behind him. The little girl smiled at Cole and Annabel, clearly not understanding anything that had gone on, and followed her grandfather. The boo how doy left this time, too, and closed the door behind them. Annabel heard the click of a key being turned in the lock.
Cole lifted his hands and wearily rubbed his face. As he lowered them, he asked in a bleak voice, "Well, what do we do now?"
After a moment, Annabel said, "I know one way we could pass the time, but considering that Wing Ko probably has spies watching us through peepholes, I doubt that you'd want to."'
Cole stared at her in amazement for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed. "My God, you never give up, do you?" he asked as he slipped an arm around her shoulders and snuggled her against him.
"You can't just give in to Wing Ko's demands," Annabel said without looking at him.
"I don’t see that I have any choice."
"You can't trust him. Look how quickly he turned on Ingersoll."
"That's true. But as long as he has you . . ." Cole shrugged and left the rest unspoken as he reached up with his other hand to stroke Annabel's hair.
She rested her head against his shoulder, and to her great surprise, had to stifle a yawn. In such desperate circumstances as these, how could she be getting sleepy? And yet there was no denying that she was. She closed her eyes, telling herself it was just for a moment . . .
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