Hidden Moon

8

“You’re back.” Min put down the newspaper he wasn’t reading. He stood up and moved around his desk toward me. “Are you alright?”

“Fine.”

“We were worried. You didn’t show up for work, no one knew where you were. I called the Ministry, they called around. SSD said they had no idea where you were, that they didn’t want you for anything. They said they’d check. A few hours later they got back in touch. They said you were out of the system.” Min put his hands up, in a gesture of helplessness. He swallowed hard. “ ‘Out of the system’-what a term. It sounds like a piece of meat that dropped off the table.” Min looked closely at me. “You sure you’re alright?”

“I already told you, I’m fine. They finally figured out they had the wrong person. Made friends with me, took me out for a drink afterward.”

“Sure, I know, you don’t have to talk about it, probably shouldn’t. But the Minister doesn’t like it when they snatch his people like this. We’ll have to send something in, a piece of paper or something saying you’ve reported back on duty. I’ll call and tell them you’re here.” Min picked up the phone.

“Let’s wait a while, okay? Give me a few minutes to get my head clear. Why don’t we review things, just go over what we know. That Blue Paper on Yang, has there been any follow-up?”

“Inspector, you’re in no shape to review anything, and frankly I’m not in the mood.” He put the phone back down. “You shouldn’t even be here. Go home, get some rest.”

“There isn’t time for that. Look, a new unit is out there. First Yang spots them nosing around my apartment, then I get the feeling I’m being watched out on the street, and then I get hauled in.”

“Where? SSD wouldn’t dare do it. Who?”

“I don’t have any idea. I don’t even remember being picked up.”

“They beat you?”

“No, I drank too much.”

“That’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it.” Min started to pick up the phone again. “They hurt your shoulder, didn’t they?”

“It’s not so bad.” He was right, this wasn’t a good time to review. Lying down would be better.

“You look like a man who doesn’t want to move his arm if he can avoid it, Inspector. And your left hand is odd. Like the blood isn’t getting there in normal fashion. Maybe you should see the doctor at the Ministry. I’ll call and tell him you’re coming.”

“No, he’ll make a record of it. Just let this go. I know a doctor. Really, it wasn’t so bad.” I nodded toward a chair. “You mind if I sit for a minute?”

“Sure, sit. Let me get you some tea.” Min hurried out of the room before I could stop him. I put my head against the wall and closed my eyes. My shoulder did hurt now, worse than last night. Maybe I’d go home for the rest of the day.

“Here, it’s good tea. Yang brought in a package, said he got it somewhere. I don’t know.” Min held out the cup, changed his mind, and put it down on his desk. “Forget the damned tea, Inspector; get to a doctor, would you? You won’t be a lot of use to me if you end up having only one arm.” He took a quick step to his file cabinet, opened a drawer, and then slammed it shut. “Bastards.” He stood with his back to me for a moment, then turned around. “They really did that? Apologized, then took you out for a drink, after doing that?” He nodded toward my shoulder. “Get it fixed, Inspector. Don’t come back until you do.”