Page 124 of Roberto

He smiled in self-satisfaction, then held out his hand. “Need money now.”

“No. You’ll get the money when I have the product.”

He started yelling at Mei-ling.

She snarled back at him in Cantonese, then turned to me. “He’ll need at least 500 upfront.”

“And the rest is your finder’s fee,” I said sardonically.

“Know right people cost money,” he shot back.

I couldn’t argue with that.

I pulled out the rest of my cash.

He watched greedily as I counted out 500 bills and placed them in his palm.

“Come back two hours, I have it.”

“Thank you.”

He and Mei-ling exchanged words in Cantonese, and she led me out of the office.

“That went well,” I said.

“Moderately well,” she agreed. “We’ll see what happens in two hours, though.”

52

We locked the pistol in the Bentley’s glove compartment and then found a more upscale restaurant than the noodle shop.

Though it was only 11 AM, we ordered fried rice with pork belly and wok-fried beef with vegetables.

As we ate, Mei-ling asked, “What’s the plan?”

“I don’t know yet.”

She looked stunned. “You asked him to get youTHAT,and you don’t have a plan to use it?!”

“It’s the nuclear option. In case everything else fails.”

“Well,yes,I’d ratherhopedit wouldn’t be your opening gambit.”

I chuckled. “Definitely not the opening gambit.”

“So what’s the opening gambit, then?”

“I’ll call Lau and see if he’s arranged the meeting yet.”

“When did you check with him last?”

“About a week ago.”

“What?! I thought this was urgent!”

“It is.”

“Then why haven’t you talked to him in – oh,” she said, suddenly realizing the answer:

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