White Tiger

Louise raised the album she was looking at. ‘How many dresses did you have for this?’

‘Five,’ April said. ‘One white one for the wedding, one white one for the formal photos. They’re not back yet. One traditional red one for the reception, another white one for the reception. And a going-away dress.’

I leaned over the table to speak closely to her. ‘You know, we usually only have one wedding dress.’

April looked horrified. ‘Only one dress?’

Louise and I both nodded.

‘Your Chinese dress is very pretty,’ Simone said. ‘Is that gold and silver?’

‘Yes,’ April said. ‘Red silk, gold and silver embroidery. Boring traditional style. My grandmother wanted to see me in one.’

Simone suddenly squeaked, clambered out of her chair and pulled herself into Leo’s lap, facing him. He looked around.

‘What?’ I said.

Simone put her hand on Leo’s shoulder and whispered urgently into his ear. He listened carefully, then moved her so that she sat facing the table and wrapped his huge arms around her.

‘We’re okay,’ Simone said, eyes wide.

Three teenage boys walked past our table. They seemed perfectly ordinary, wearing baggy denim jeans and black T-shirts. Simone and Leo didn’t shift their eyes from them as they went between our table and the next one.

One of the boys leered at Simone, and Leo held her tighter and whispered something in her ear. She nodded, her eyes still wide. The boys went out of the restaurant. Leo and Simone visibly relaxed.

‘Are you guys okay?’ I said.

‘What was all that about?’ Louise said.

‘Where the hell are the trolleys?’ Leo said. ‘What sort of yum cha is this without any food?’

‘Here’s one,’ April said. The waitress stopped the trolley next to our table. April read the signs on the front. ‘Har gow, siu mai, cha siu bow, sticky rice, tripes.’ She smiled around the table. ‘Who wants?’

‘Cha siu bow, please, Emma!’ Simone said, and climbed off Leo’s lap and sat in her own chair. ‘Siu mai too. I’m hungry!’

‘Okay now?’ Leo said.

‘Yes.’ Simone grinned broadly.

‘Sticky rice,’ Leo said.

‘So you and Andy have your own place now?’ Louise asked April after the steamers had been set on the table.

‘Yes. Andy spends most of his time in China for his work, so I see him once every six weeks or so.’

Louise stared at her. ‘You only see your husband once every six weeks?’

April nodded through the dim sum. ‘We’ve decided to go and live in Australia. He wants to get Australian citizenship. I’ll go first, do the papers, find us a place to live. He’ll come later.’

‘You’re leaving Hong Kong?’ I said. ‘When?’

‘In about a month, I think,’ April said. ‘September, October.’

‘I’ll miss you.’

‘I’ll be back all the time,’ she said. ‘To visit. And go shopping.’

Another trolley rolled up beside us. Instead of the little bamboo steamers, it had four square pots with lids and ladles. ‘Who wants pig’s blood?’ April said. ‘Congee, mixed beef guts. Anybody?’

Everybody shook their heads. April ordered some pig’s blood anyway: dark red jelly-like cubes in clear broth. She passed the card to the waitress who stamped it with a tiny circular stamp held on a string around her neck.

April stirred the blood. ‘Emma, you have to go and see Aunty Kitty.’

‘Aunty who?’ Louise said.

‘Aunty Kitty.’

‘Kitty Kwok?’ I said.

‘Yes. She wants to see you.’

‘What for?’

‘Don’t go, Emma, she just wants to bully you into working there again,’ Louise said. ‘Business has really gone downhill at the kindergarten since you left.’

‘You have to go and see her,’ April said again.

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Call her then,’ April said. ‘She wants to talk to you.’

I rose and went to the ladies’ room without saying another word. Louise followed me. As soon as we were out of earshot, she was onto me. ‘Quick, tell me all.’

‘About what? Kitty Kwok?’

‘No, silly,’ she hissed with a grin. ‘Your new job.’

‘Nothing much to tell,’ I said. ‘I work as a nanny, I look after Simone, end of story.’

‘What about her dad?’ she said. ‘What’s he like? Are he and Leo…’ She nodded back towards the dining room. ‘You know?’

I smiled. ‘He’s absolutely gorgeous. A total gentleman. And him and Leo? No.’

‘Really?’

‘I’m sure of it. Leo brings guys home all the time. Real man-about-town. Leo even told me himself: not Mr Chen.’

‘But what about Mr Chen? What’s he do?’

‘I have no idea,’ I said. ‘I think he’s a spy. He teaches martial arts to kids, but he says that he works for the government.’

Louise stared incredulously at me. I nodded, reinforcing the point.

‘Can you invite me up?’ she said as we went through the doors. ‘I’d love to check him out, Emma. Sounds unreal.’

‘You have no idea.’ I lowered my voice. ‘You know he only ever wears black? Everything. Sometimes he even wears a black shirt with his suits.’

‘You have to get me up there,’ Louise whispered. ‘I have to see. Please, Emma.’

‘I’ll see what I can do.’

She reached out and squeezed my arm. ‘Please.’

We walked out from City Hall and back along the waterfront.

‘Can we go to the shops in Central before we go home, Emma?’ Simone said.

‘Is that okay, Leo?’

‘Yeah, no problem.’

We walked towards the pedestrian underpass that would take us across the road to the shops. The concrete walls were black from car exhaust fumes. Advertising billboards blanketed the underpass, and a beggar crouched under one of the columns, displaying his withered limbs.

On the other side of the underpass we stopped at the kerb to cross Chater Road. The pedestrian light turned green, and I went to lead Simone across the road, but she wouldn’t move.

‘Leo!’ she called loudly.

Leo had taken a few steps to cross the road, but quickly returned to us. He bent to Simone. ‘What, sweetheart?’

Simone cast around, her eyes unseeing. ‘Take me home, Leo, now.’

Leo scooped her up and hurried back to the underpass. ‘Come on, Emma,’ he called.

‘Hurry, Leo,’ Simone said.

Leo strode down the underpass, pushing through the crowd. ‘How many, sweetheart?’

I struggled to keep up with him.

‘I don’t know, Leo. Hurry,’ she said, desperate. ‘It’s the same ones!’

‘Where? Where?’

‘I don’t know!’ she wailed.

We raced out of the underpass, into the Star Ferry car park, and stopped at the Shroff Office to pay the parking ticket. Leo gently lowered Simone and she clung to his massive leg.

‘You know how far away?’ he said as he pushed the ticket to the cashier.

Simone’s eyes were still unfocused. ‘Close, Leo, hurry.’

I looked around. Three teenagers were approaching us from the Star Ferry terminal.

‘If it’s the same guys as in the restaurant, they’re over there,’ I said, pointing.

‘For God’s sake don’t point at them!’ Leo hissed. He grabbed the parking ticket and the change, hoisted Simone into his arms, and took off towards the stairs. ‘Quick, Emma!’

He raced up the stairs to the car and I trailed behind him.

I looked back. The teenagers were running towards us. One of them held out his hand and a Chinese cooking chopper appeared in it. No, not possible. I turned and ran after Leo.

Simone squealed. Leo had reached the top of the stairs and pelted towards the car. I sprinted to keep up with him, my handbag flapping.

He unlocked the car with the remote and gently dropped Simone into the back seat. ‘Buckle her up, Emma. We need to get out of here.’ He pulled himself into the driver’s seat and started the engine before I had my door closed. I slammed it shut as he took off.

Leo drove out of the car park dangerously fast, the tyres of the Mercedes squealing as he took the corners. He had to slow to ease the car down the ramp, then put the paid ticket into the machine and charged straight out of the car park lane into the street, ignoring the other furious drivers who sounded their horns and yelled at him. He ran an amber light and turned into Connaught Road, five lanes wide with concrete dividers on both sides. The traffic flowed smoothly and he raced up the hill towards the Peak.

‘Okay, Leo, you can slow down now,’ Simone said.

Leo slowed the car and relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief.

‘What the hell was all that about?’ I demanded loudly.

‘Bad people,’ Simone said. ‘I need to go home and tell Daddy. He’ll be really sad.’

‘What’s going on, Leo?’

‘I recognised one of them. They’ve tried to kidnap her before. Good thing I saw them.’

‘I saw them, silly Leo,’ Simone said. ‘You can’t even tell the difference most of the time.’

‘What difference?’ I said.

‘Between normal people and bad people,’ Simone said patiently. ‘Only Daddy and me, and special people like Jade and Gold, can tell the difference.’

‘Who are Jade and Gold?’

‘We’ll be home soon, sweetheart, and then you can tell Daddy all about it,’ Leo said gently. ‘Until we get there it’s not a good idea to talk about it.’

‘You have to explain for Emma,’ Simone said.

‘Yeah, explain for me,’ I echoed.

‘Not right now. Maybe later.’

‘Tell me!’

‘No.’

I crossed my arms over my chest and glowered at him. I shouldn’t be kept in the dark like this. I could handle any spy business they threw at me.

Leo and Simone went into Mr Chen’s office and spoke to him for a long time. They all emerged grim-faced, even Simone. I waited for them in the hallway.

‘Are you people going to tell me what’s going on?’ I demanded.

‘Come into my office, Emma,’ Mr Chen said.

I sat down across from him. He pulled up his chair and leaned on the papers strewn all over his desk.

‘You know that Simone is a kidnapping target?’

‘I know,’ I said impatiently. ‘But what was all that about in Central?’

‘Leo spotted some criminals who would be interested in her–’

‘No, he didn’t,’ I said quickly. ‘Simone saw them. Leo didn’t see anything.’

He remained silent, carefully studying my face.

‘Tell me!’ I snapped.

He took a deep breath, still calm. ‘Simone had seen one of those people before. They have tried to take her in the past. She warned Leo.’

I waited for more, but it wasn’t forthcoming. He just sat watching me.

‘If you don’t tell me what is going on, I will resign.’

He studied me closely, then shook his head. ‘You’re really not frightened at all, are you?’

I glared defiantly at him. ‘Of course not. And I will find out what is going on here.’

He leaned back. ‘We’ll explain it all soon. But right now, Simone’s Chinese teacher is here. Go and let her in.’

The doorbell rang and I jumped. ‘How do you know it’s Simone’s Chinese teacher?’

He just watched me.

‘I’m not finished yet,’ I warned, and opened the door to go out.

‘I sincerely hope not,’ he said softly behind me.

Monica was ahead of me and had already let the Chinese teacher in. I sighed with exasperation and went into my room. I lay on the bed and opened one of the books on Chinese gods. I was certain now that they’d been left there for me.

That couple on the beach had disappeared completely. The kid today had made a chopper magically appear in his hand. Both Simone and Mr Chen could tell who was in the house without seeing them.

I did another internet search on Xuan Tian Shang Di and was referred to a page about Xuan Wu. I clicked the link and the screen filled with information about the Dark Lord of the North, Xuan Wu. Something to do with snakes and turtles – he either defeated them or he was one or even both of them. Controlled water; brought rain.

Xuan Wu, also called the Dark Emperor Zhen Wu, and Chen Wu and Pak Tai in Southern China. Pak Tai, who had a temple on Cheung Chau devoted to him. Boring Pak Tai.

God of Martial Arts, Emperor of the Northern Heavens. Always in black; dishevelled hair, bare feet. Destroyer of demons.

Could it be a codename?

But spy things wouldn’t explain all the weird stuff in the Chen household…

I stared at the screen with disbelief. Dark Lord Xuan Wu?

No way.

CHAPTER SEVEN

We had the usual Chinese vegetarian meal that evening. Simone chatted about the yum cha and the wedding photos, but didn’t mention our mad rush home.

‘I have arranged a trip for us to Paris,’ Mr Chen said.

Leo let out his breath in a long hiss, but didn’t say anything. ‘Can we see Aunty Kwan?’ Simone said.

‘That’s why we’re going – I need to meet with Aunty Kwan.’

‘I wanna go to the Eiffel Tower!’

‘You always want to go to the Eiffel Tower,’ he said, smiling indulgently.

Simone screwed up her face. ‘I like it. Can I go to the Science Museum as well?’

‘You want to go to London too?’

Simone nodded, wide-eyed. ‘Yes, please, Daddy. I want to see James and Charlie.’

He sighed. ‘All right. But only for a couple of days. I can’t stay away for too long, you know that.’

‘Okay, Daddy.’

‘Leo, ask Monica to take Simone and we’ll discuss the details.’

After Monica had taken Simone out of the dining room, Mr Chen became much more businesslike. I listened carefully; this would be my first trip overseas with them and I didn’t want to screw up.

‘Out of Macau as usual, Leo,’ he said. ‘We’ll stay with Ms Kwan in Paris, and in the house in Kensington in London.’

‘Understood, sir,’ Leo said.

‘Have you ever been to Europe, Miss Donahoe?’ Mr Chen said. ‘Do you speak French?’

‘No. Australia and Asia only.’ I grimaced with embarrassment. ‘My French is pathetic.’

‘Not a problem. Leo’s French is perfect, and he will escort you and Simone while I meet with Ms Kwan.’

‘How long will you meet with her, sir?’ Leo said.

‘Five days.’

Leo nodded.

‘Then three days in London, and back here. Guard them well, Leo, we will be a long way from the Mountain.’

‘Sir.’

Mr Chen turned to me and put his palms firmly on the table. ‘Any questions, Emma?’ He saw my face. ‘What?’

‘You called me Emma. You usually call me Miss Donahoe.’

‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Sorry.’

‘No, no.’ I waved my hands in front of me. ‘Please. Emma. Call me Emma. Miss Donahoe is so formal.’

He smiled and his eyes wrinkled up. ‘Very well…Emma.’

‘Don’t even think about it, girlie, you don’t have a chance,’ Leo growled as we walked together down the hallway.

‘Don’t worry, Leo, he’s far too old for me,’ I said, still thinking about those eyes.

‘You’re not wrong there.’

‘How old is he anyway? He looks mid-forties, but sometimes he seems older, sometimes younger – he’s hard to pick.’

‘You’re in your late twenties, right?’

I nodded.

‘Well then, let’s just say that he’s a hell of a lot older than you and you really don’t have a chance. So just forget it.’

‘Jealous?’

Leo stopped. ‘Mr Chen’s wife was a truly wonderful human being. I knew her for a long time before she met him, and I loved her like a sister. His heart is still broken, Emma. He’ll never love anybody again the way that he loved her.’

‘What happened to her?’

‘She died.’

‘I know she died, Leo,’ I said gently. ‘What happened?’

‘None of your goddamn business.’ He stomped into his room and slammed the door.

We travelled to Macau in a fifteen-metre Chinese-style junk. It had an air-conditioned central lounge with a large-screen TV. Simone and I sat in deckchairs on the open-air back of the boat and watched the scenery go past.

It was fascinating to see the sudden change as we left Hong Kong Harbour. We moved from the densely packed highrises on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon to the sparsely populated Outlying Islands. We went in close past Lantau Island, its rocky crags extending right to the edge of the water. Most of Lantau was deserted, its steep hillside covered in scrub and wild azaleas. The new airport was on the other side of the island.

‘Why do we have to go to Macau?’ I shouted to Mr Chen, who sat in the lounge reading a Chinese book.

‘Private jets aren’t allowed in Chek Lap Kok, it’s too busy.’

I was thrilled. I quickly rose and went into the cabin to speak to him. ‘We’re going in a private jet?’

He nodded and returned to his book.

I sat down. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

He shrugged without looking up from his book.

‘Hey,’ I said sharply, and he glanced up at me. ‘You need to tell me what’s going on, Mr Chen.’

Leo snorted with amusement from the other side of the cabin and I rounded on him. ‘You too. Tell me what’s going on!’

Mr Chen opened his mouth to say something, then obviously changed his mind and smiled. ‘Very well. We will take my jet from Macau airport to Paris. We will stay in Paris for five days, then fly to London. London for three days, where I have a house in Kensington. Then we’ll take the jet back here. Is that acceptable, Miss Donahoe?’

I bobbed my head and spoke with mock appreciation. ‘Thank you for explaining, Mr Chen.’

He smiled over the top of his book. ‘You are most welcome.’

‘Do you own this boat?’

‘Yes. I need to buy a bigger one. It’s very slow; it takes nearly two hours to travel to Macau.’

‘Hey, it’s fun to go slow. There’s a lot to see.’

‘It’s not safe,’ Leo said.

‘We’ll be fine,’ Mr Chen said.

‘We shouldn’t leave Simone in the back by herself like that! It’s not safe!’

Mr Chen sighed with exasperation. ‘Leo, we’re on the water.’

‘Oh,’ Leo said. ‘Sorry.’ He went to the back of the boat and sat with Simone anyway.

Mr Chen smiled over the top of his book, as if to say: He worries too much.

I smiled back: Yes, he does.

The jet was ready for us when we arrived at Macau.

Simone behaved perfectly through all of the customs and immigration procedures. She seemed experienced in the rush-and-wait of the airport paperwork. Fortunately Macau airport wasn’t terribly busy and we reached the customs checkpoint reasonably quickly.

Leo nodded to Mr Chen as he lifted the large carry-on bag onto the conveyor belt for the safety inspection. As the bag went through the X-ray machine, the two security staff shot to their feet and stared at the monitor. Mr Chen went rigid and concentrated on them. They waved us through.

I glared at Leo as we walked towards the plane and he pointedly ignored me. Mr Chen seemed oblivious, and Simone chatted about visiting Aunty Kwan. It was as if nothing had happened.

I held Simone’s hand as we walked up the small staircase into the jet. It was about the size of a bus, with large comfortable seats inside and a couch against one wall. Leo almost had to crouch to go through the door.

We sat in the seats and buckled up. The ground staff closed the door and rapped on the side. Mr Chen went up to the cockpit to talk to the pilots.

‘Been on a private jet before?’ Leo said.

‘No,’ I said. ‘Pretty cool.’

‘Yeah. Mr Chen had this one specially fitted. Behind the kitchen there’s a little bunk for Simone.’

‘He owns this plane outright?’

Leo hesitated, then, ‘Yes.’

‘How much money does he have anyway?’

‘Let’s just say that if he wanted his own 747, he could buy one tomorrow.’

‘But I’ve never seen his name on the Richest Men list.’

‘That’s because he doesn’t want to be,’ Leo snapped, and turned away.

Mr Chen returned from the cockpit. ‘Brian says we should have smooth flying most of the way.’

After we’d taken off, Mr Chen rose and touched Simone’s shoulder. ‘Are you tired, darling?’

‘No, Daddy, I’d like to draw.’

‘Leo, show Emma where everything is. I’ll go up the back and rest. If anything happens, call me immediately.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Make sure Simone drinks plenty of water, please, Emma.’

‘Sure, Mr Chen.’

He nodded and went towards the back of the plane.

Leo pointed at the back wall. ‘There’s a little kitchen in there. Behind that is the bunk room. Anything you need, it’s in the kitchen.’

‘Can you turn on the video for me, Leo?’ Simone said.

‘Sure, sweetheart.’ Leo went to the television which was set into the wall. ‘There’s a few videos in the cupboard here, Emma – just put something on for her, it’s a long flight.’ He showed me where the videos were, turned on the unit, then went into the galley and returned with a soda for himself and an apple juice for Simone.

Simone watched some of the videos then fell asleep in my lap. I must have fallen asleep as well, because the sound of their quiet voices woke me. I heard my name mentioned so stayed still to listen.

‘You should tell her, my Lord. She won’t stop pestering both of us until we do. And if we don’t tell her soon, she’s going to resign. You’ll have to tell her, and prove it.’

Mr Chen’s voice was full of pain. ‘I can’t do anything to prove it, Leo. I am too weak.’

‘It’s really that bad?’

Mr Chen didn’t reply.

‘Damn,’ Leo said softly. ‘You left it too long. But you still have to tell her, otherwise she’s going to lose her goddamn temper again and leave us anyway.’

‘I don’t want to lose her,’ Mr Chen said, wistful. ‘If we tell her the truth, she may be scared away.’

‘She won’t be scared away. She doesn’t seem to be frightened by anything.’

‘You’re quite right, she’s remarkable.’

‘You should tell her.’

‘I know.’ Mr Chen groaned. ‘She keeps pushing me to tell her, she knows something’s going on. We’ll do it in Paris. I was planning to tell her there anyway, with Mercy present. No, I have a better idea. You do it. Mercy can help you if she takes it badly.’

‘As long as somebody tells her,’ Leo said. ‘She’s been working here for months without knowing who you really are.’

‘I’ve had staff who worked for me for years without knowing who I was,’ Mr Chen said. ‘Look at Monica.’

‘Monica knows all about it. She just ignores it because it freaks her out.’

‘I don’t want to lose her,’ Mr Chen said. ‘I’d love to teach her. She moves with natural grace and would probably be a formidable warrior.’

‘Teach her then. She wants to learn.’

‘She’s agile and fearless. She’s intelligent too, it sparkles in her eyes.’ His voice became wistful again. ‘She has wonderful eyes.’

‘Well then, teach her.’

Mr Chen dropped his voice. ‘I will discuss the possibility with Mercy, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to spend so much time in close physical contact with Emma.’

Leo was silent for a moment. Then he spoke again, his voice a soft growl. ‘No way. I do not believe this. No way.’

Mr Chen was silent.

‘Tell me it’s not true,’ Leo said.

Mr Chen sighed loudly.

‘This is all we need,’ Leo said. ‘You should dismiss her now, my Lord. Don’t even think about starting something you can’t finish.’

‘Simone adores her.’

‘And you?’

Mr Chen was silent for a moment. Then, ‘I don’t want to lose her. I love being with her, having her around.’ His voice softened. ‘I wish things could be different.’

My heart leapt.

‘Well, they can’t, so both of you will just have to get over it,’ Leo said. ‘If you really feel that way then you should let her go.’

They fell silent again. I was about to make a display of waking when Mr Chen spoke. ‘There are some interesting weather patterns over the Mediterranean.’

‘Mess with the weather and Ms Kwan will rip your shell off,’ Leo growled. ‘How long before they’ll come after us? They know how weak you are.’