The Interior

19

MORE DISHES WERE BROUGHT OUT: STEAMED CARP, STIR-fried egg with sea cucumber, shredded ox stomach stew, Beijing duck, bird's nest soup, and finally rice. Then more tea, more toasts with the mao tai, and a few sweet dumplings for dessert. Sun, as the highest-ranking official, signaled the end of the evening by pushing his chair back from the table exactly at eight. The other Chinese in the room immediately stood. Everyone quickly moved back to the sitting room.

During dinner a rectangular table had been set up in the middle of the room with two chairs on each side. At each seat ceremonial pens made from colorful cloisonne waited to be used. A red banner strung between two poles read KNIGHT BECOMES TARTAN. A photographer was on hand to record not only the signing of the agreement, but also take other posed shots of the people from the Chinese ministries and bureaus before the official signing.

Finally the time came for the four principals to take their seats. Miles and Randall sat on one side of the table, Henry and Doug on the other. David and Miss Quo, who would take notes, took seats just behind Miles and Randall. Governor Sun and Amy Gao sat behind Henry and Doug. The others clustered around while the photographer continued to shoot film.

"Well, Henry," Randall said, "let me first thank you for all of your hospitality here in China. You have certainly made us feel welcome. And now we come to the culmination of months of talk and hard work."

Miles ceremoniously brought out the final contracts from his briefcase. Miss Quo stood and distributed copies to the people seated at the table.

"Henry," Randall said, "I think you'll find everything in order."

But Henry, who'd been so quiet during dinner, just stared at the contract. His face was tinged gray.

"Henry?" Randall asked.

"Dad?"

Without moving his head, Henry turned his eyes to his son. "Doug," he said, "I need to speak you outside."

"Henry, can't it wait?" Randall asked, all friendly concern, as the two men stood.

Henry came around the table, tapped David on the shoulder, and jerked his head toward the door.

As David rose, Miles said in his most senior partner everything-is-under-control voice, "Whatever the problem is, David, I trust you to take care of it right now."

David nodded and followed Henry back into the dining room, where the waitresses were clearing the remains of the banquet. Henry said, "David, I've tried talking to him, but he doesn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. Maybe he'll listen to you."

But before David could speak, Doug said, "That's not what happened. I listened and I told you that it's not as bad as he made it sound."

"You still haven't told me how bad," Henry pressed.

Doug shrugged. "We've had some accidents. Some of the women have quit."

Henry grabbed his son's arm and squeezed. "How bad?"

"Bad," Doug admitted. He looked the picture of a contrite son. Only this time the boy in question was forty-something and he'd been caught with more than a few Playboys tucked under his mattress.

Henry's face crumpled in disappointment and horror. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"We went over this a thousand times today, Dad. I was ashamed."

The dining room door opened, and Miles stepped into the room. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Henry said, "I've just asked my son a question. I'm waiting for the answer."

Doug hurried on. "You were back at home, I was out here, and I didn't want you to worry. I knew you wanted this sale and I wanted you to enjoy your retirement, so I thought we'd just hang on. If I could keep this a secret from you, then I knew I could keep it a secret from Tartan, for several months at least."

"Let's go back to the other room," Miles tried placatingly. Henry stayed focused on Doug. "Do you have any idea what would have happened if the sale went through tonight and tomorrow Tartan discovered what was happening? And what about our shareholders?"

David knew for a fact that Randall Craig already knew some of what was going on in the factory and didn't care. As for the shareholders…

Doug said, "The sale's what I've been counting on. With the influx of cash we'll be able to remedy all of our problems."

"That's right," Miles soothed. "Don't worry so much, Henry. Everyone's nerves get frayed at the conclusion of a big deal like this. And we all appreciate that Knight International is your baby. It's just eleventh-hour jitters."

"He's right, Dad, the sale has to go through. We've all worked so hard!"

Henry looked questioningly at David, but Henry wasn't David's client.

Miles, sensing Henry's indecision, put a companionable hand on the older man's shoulder. "Come, Henry, come back to the table. Once we get this over with, you'll feel a lot better."

Miles led Henry back to the dining room, where the Chinese bureaucrats looked unconcerned. Last-minute negotiations and delays were the norm. Miles, Doug, and his father resumed their seats. David remained standing, positioning himself so that he could see the whole table and not just the back of Miles's and Randall's heads. "Is everything all right?" Randall asked. Henry nodded.

"Good," Randall said. "Miles, we're all familiar with the terms of the sale, but maybe you should take us through them one more time."

David watched Miles weigh the possibilities. If he'd so easily convinced Henry to come back to the table, then maybe Henry would sign right away. But one look at Henry made that seem a dicey proposition.

He was slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the papers before him. David caught an almost imperceptible nod as Miles made his decision. "The first three pages are mainly boilerplate," Miles began, "so if you'll all just turn to page four."

Henry slowly reached out, picked up the papers, and flipped them over to the page Miles had ordered. The reading began. Several of the Chinese glanced at their watches. This was not part of tradition and very rude of their hosts to expect them to stand through this.

A half hour later, they came to the signature page. Randall picked up his pen and signed the original. Miss Quo picked it up and set it in front of Henry. He put the nib of his pen on the signature line, then just as easily lifted it. "I'm sorry, but I can't sign."

"Come on now, Henry," Randall said pleasantly. "Sign and it will all be over."

Henry pushed the contract away. "No."

Murmurs rippled through the room as the Chinese who understood English translated this latest development to those who didn't.

"If this is a last-minute plea for more money, I can tell you that you're way off base," Randall said.

But Henry just sat there.

"Look, Henry," Randall said, "we all know that you love China and think her ways are great. But using Chinese delay tactics is going too far."

Hearing this, a couple of the representatives from the Chinese ministries abruptly left the room. Sun and Amy Gao exchanged looks but kept their seats.

"It's not that. I'm just not prepared to sign at this time."

"Dad!"

"You can't back out now, Henry," Randall said.

"I just did."

"Doug," Randall said, "try talking some sense into your father."

"Dad, do it and it will be done," Doug implored.

Henry shook his head. "Not at this time."

"Look, seven hundred million is a lot of money," Randall said. "I can't guarantee that it will be here tomorrow."

"Then we'll see what happens tomorrow," Henry said. With each word his resolve seemed firmer.

Randall turned to his lead attorney. "Miles?"

Miles sighed heavily, then curled his lips into a disappointed grimace. He held up his hand and shot out a finger. On what was obviously a prearranged signal, the two minions from Tartan rose and began circulating around the room, whispering discretely to the assorted guests that Tartan and Knight were pleased that they had come and they hoped to see them again sometime soon. The rest of the Chinese took their cue and hurriedly left. Amy Gao's heels tapped smartly as she followed Governor Sun. Nixon Chen lingered for a moment, gazing appreciatively at the center table as if memorizing the spectacle for future tellings. Then he bowed formally, swiveled on his heel, and left the room.

One of Tartan's men approached Hulan. "Miss Liu, you'll have to leave as well."

Hulan glanced at David. He nodded and said, "I'll see you downstairs."

As soon as the door closed behind Hulan, Miles said, "I'm sorry to say I anticipated this moment, so of course we're prepared with some alternatives. The easiest thing to do is something my partner suggested. David thinks everything could be resolved if you sign an indemnification letter."

If Henry had read between the lines of that statement, he might have understood that Miles and Randall were aware of problems in the factory. But Henry was not an attorney, nor did he have one present to intervene on his behalf.

Still, anticipating that Henry might see through this, Miles went on. "We understand that this is a family business and that you're quite attached to it. So a second alternative would be for us to buy only your company's assets. You would keep the name of Knight International, and we would purchase your factory and your toy lines." David understood, but again no one was there to tell Henry that in buying only the assets, Tartan would be absolved of any previous wrongdoing.

"Finally, there's a third alternative. We go for a hostile takeover."

"You can't do that," Henry said smugly. "Fifty-four percent of Knight's shares are owned by my son and myself."

Miles shook his head in mock sadness. "As soon as the market opens Monday morning New York time, we're prepared to offer forty dollars for every share that's been selling at the already inflated price of twenty. This, combined with the twenty-two percent that your son has agreed in principle to sell us, will put us in the majority position in forty-eight hours."

"Doug?"

"Just sign the papers, Dad. Like the man said, seven hundred million is a lot of money."

Henry's eyes turned hard, and he turned back to Randall. "When did this happen?"

But Miles answered for his client. "Yesterday on the flight from Taiyuan to Beijing. We confirmed everything this afternoon."

"You bastards," Henry said between gritted teeth.

"Henry, don't take it so personally," Randall said gently, playing the good cop to Miles's bad. "It's only business."

"Knight International has been my life. It's been my family's life."

Randall shrugged. "Then you should have thought of that before. Our offer is still on the table. We're ready to buy. But if you won't sell, then we have to go another way. It's your choice."

Silence fell over the room, with all attention focused on Henry. Then he said, "I have some thinking to do. Give me till the market opens."

"Agreed," Randall said. "I'm off to Singapore tomorrow. Miles and Doug will go back to the factory and wait for your decision there, but don't misunderstand me. I don't need your agreement on this. We'll go ahead with or without your approval. You can call it a merger, you can call it a sale, you can call it a hostile takeover, but in forty-eight hours Tartan will own Knight."

Henry nodded again, then stood. He looked at the faces in the room as if measuring them for the first time. Then his eyes settled on his son. "Doug, let's go." When his son didn't move, Henry's face and body sagged in further disappointment. Then he turned and walked toward the door.

"Any way you slice it, Henry," Randall called out after him, "you're out."

The words stopped Henry in his tracks. Then his back straightened, and without another word he left the room. Once he was gone, Miles said, "I think that went well. I bet he comes around by tomorrow."

Randall added, "Doug, I think you should go after him. Work on him. Make him understand. Whatever's happened in the factory is no concern of ours. We're happy to rectify his problems. You accomplish that, Doug, and I promise, I'll never forget it."

Doug didn't say a word. He simply stood and left the room to follow his orders.

"That Doug's a good soldier," Randall observed. "He's just stupid enough to obey without question." He looked around. "Let's get out of here. I'm bushed."

Making a point to ignore David, Randall, Miles, and the Tartan entourage left together.

David stayed in his chair, deep in thought. Miles Stout and Randall Craig had prepared for this evening in exactly the way it played out. They'd been at least one step ahead of David all along. More important, this only confirmed that they didn't care about the factory's problems. They'd been aware of them-as Randall had said-and were going ahead full bore. For David, the question was, what happened next? In one sense the hostile takeover solved some problems, because David wouldn't have to worry about illegally filed SEC or Foreign Corrupt Practices papers. As for what had happened in the factory, Henry Knight would be off the hook and David could get clear of this mess with a clean, if slightly tarnished, conscience. This still left the bribery and the deaths of Miaoshan, Keith Baxter and Xiao Yang. But it wasn't David's job to prove Sun's guilt, and there wasn't a scrap of proof of murder, only theory. If in fact those had been murders, whoever had committed them could walk away and there was nothing that David could do about it.

He went downstairs and found Hulan leaning against a pillar, staring into the bar. When she saw him, she took his hand and pulled him behind her. "Look," she whispered and gestured with a slight tip of her head into the bar's darkness.

Whatever relief he'd felt moments before evaporated when he saw sitting at a back table against the wall Pearl Jenner and Guy Lin, who looked as miserable as ever in a loose suit that hung baggily on his thin shoulders. They were talking to another man.

Hulan said, "While I was waiting, I took a walk. I thought I'd take a peek at the weddings. Just curious, you know. But, David…"

"They followed us to Beijing," David said, stating the obvious.

"It's much worse than that," Hulan said. "They're talking to a reporter from the People's Daily."

"How do you know?"

"Bi Peng has written the worst articles about me and my family. Whatever he writes, the others follow."

David groaned, then asked, "Do you know what they're talking about?"

"I didn't go in there, if that's what you mean."

"Have they seen you?"

Hulan gave him a look which conveyed something along the lines of: Have you forgotten what my job is, you idiot?

Inside the bar the three rose. Bi Peng threw some money on the table. When he turned, David and Hulan could see his big smiling teeth. The trio came forward; David and Hulan edged around the pillar, staying out of sight. As Pearl passed, she said, "We're staying at the Holiday Inn on Beilishi Lu. If you need more information, just call. I'll be happy to answer any other questions."

David and Hulan spoke little on the way back to the hutong. Hulan was pale with fatigue, and David felt wrung out, exhausted from travel, mind-numbing puzzles, and the stress of not knowing what would happen to his life. Once they reached Hulan's home, they stopped for a moment to look at the three-by-five cards that she'd written earlier today. There was nothing to add or change. They went to the bedroom, peeled off their clothes, and slipped under the sheet.

Hulan curled into David's shoulder as he filled in what had happened after she and the others left the room. He understood that parts of this story, because of the way she'd exposed her father's criminal actions, would be especially painful to Hulan, but there was no point in trying to protect her. She was in this with him, and maybe her own experience would provide insight into what had happened. When he came to the part about Doug selling his father down the proverbial river, David felt Hulan press herself even closer into his chest. He tightened his arms around her in response.

"What would make Doug do that?" she asked. "What does he get out of it?"

"Money, I suppose."

"But to do that to your own father? It's too cruel. There must be more about them that we don't know, something in their past that would make Doug want to disgrace his father."

"I don't think so. They're just Americans from New Jersey. There's nothing life-threatening in that, and I don't take Henry for one of those secretly abusive fathers."

"What do you think he'll do?"

"About the sale?"

"That, and about his son. If his son wants the sale that much, will Henry let it go through?"

"I don't know."

"You're going to be a father," she said. He could feel her body tense against his. "What would you do if our child tried to ruin you?"

"That won't happen," he said, trying reassurance.

"But if it did," Hulan insisted, "what would you do?"

He nudged her away so he could look at her face. Even in the darkness of the bedroom, he could see it was taut and anxious. He put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her. "Our child will never do anything to harm us. I'm not saying he won't torture us with worry or drive us crazy when he's a teenager. But he'll have two parents who'll love him, and nothing will ever change that."

"What if it's in the blood-"

"And even if for some strange reason," David spoke right over her, "he grows up to be some mad rapist hatchet murderer, I will always love him and his mother no matter what."

Hulan buried her head back into his chest.

After a moment she said, her voice brave, "Who says it's a boy anyway?"

They were awakened several hours later by the front gate buzzer. Hulan got up and put on her robe. David pulled on jeans and tennis shoes. Together they made their way through the various courtyards, lit only by the beam of Hulan's flashlight. She pulled back the bolt to the front gate, opened the door a crack, and found Governor Sun Can standing on the step. Hulan opened the door just enough to put her head out into the alley. She looked both ways. The alley was deserted, but in another hour her neighbors would begin to rise with the pre-dawn light. She held the door open and said, "Come in."

Sun stepped over the old imperial threshold, saw David bare-chested in his jeans, extended his hand, and said smoothly, "I'm sorry to call so late. I hope you will forgive me."

David shook the governor's hand, and together they followed Hulan back through the courtyards to the main living quarters. Hulan motioned for Sun to sit, then put water on for tea. Sun watched Hulan, then leaned forward and whispered to David, "I think we should speak alone. I'm not here as a guest but as your client."

Hulan nodded, and David and the governor ducked outside to sit on two porcelain stools close enough to the house so that they might have light from the window.

"Have you had a chance to look at what I sent you?" Sun asked.

"Yes," David said cautiously, ready for the confession he didn't want to hear.

"They show deposits in the bank.accounts of several businesses."

"I know."

"Those papers were sent to my office here in Beijing along with a note suggesting I check my personal accounts. The accounts on those papers are the same as my personal accounts. I think someone is trying to make it look like I've accepted payments from Knight."

"And you're saying you haven't?"

Sun let his breath out heavily. "Those are not my accounts. They aren't my papers. And that certainly isn't my money."

"It's a little late for an outright denial-"

"You have to believe me!"

David regarded Sun. Any pretext at his being a polished politician was completely gone now, but it could have been an incredible act.

"If they aren't your accounts, whose are they?"

"What I mean is, the numbers match my accounts, but the bajances are not mine. That's the problem. I want you to know that I went to my bank here and wired my banks in America. My accounts show the proper numbers." He unfolded several pieces of papers. "See? These are my accounts and my actual balances. You can use these to prove my innocence."

But instead of looking at the papers, David glanced at his watch. It was 3:10 in the morning. "I thought we had a meeting tomorrow at ten. Couldn't this charade have waited until then?"

"Charade? What is that word?"

"Didn't you send me those reports so that when I discovered that you'd accepted bribes-and not just a little bit of money, but hundreds of thousands of dollars-that I wouldn't be able to turn you in because you were my client?"

"Is that what you think?"

"Isn't it the truth?"

"No." Sun thrust his papers at David. "Just look at these."

David took them reluctantly. From the light of the window he could see that Sun's balances were quite modest. "This means nothing to me," David said. "You could have moved the money-"

"But I'm an honest man."

"Then you've never accepted money from Knight International?"

"That's right."

"Then how do you explain papers with Knight's letterhead and a list of businesses with your account numbers? How do you explain how there's another set of papers showing other deposits and your name spelled out in code?"

"If I were guilty, would I come to you?"

David didn't answer the question. Instead he said, "When I first got here and opened my office, I was surprised at all the extra fees I had to pay as a foreigner. Are you telling me that you have never received money from Henry since he decided to open the factory?"

Sun looked at him in bewilderment. "I never took money from Henry, except…" A tortured look crossed his face, and he moaned in anguish. "But it wasn't a bribe. I took money, yes, but it was a fee paid straight to the contractor through me. I wanted Henry to have someone good. No delays. No bad materials. How was Henry going to find a reputable construction company? So I interviewed people, I got recommendations, I went out and looked at various work sites-some under construction, some completed. When I found the right company, I negotiated the contract and Henry's money was the first payment. I did all this as a friend. I received nothing, not one of your American pennies."

"Can you prove it?"

"Brilliant Construction is in Taiyuan. You can call them when they open. They'll have the records." Seeing David's skepticism, Sun said, "I'm telling you the truth. Why would I lie?"

"To cover up the other payments."

"That is not my money!"

There was a gentle tapping at the window. David looked up. Hulan had a tray with teacups and tea. David nodded and she brought it out, set it on the table, and left.

"Someone is trying to frame me," Sun said.

"Who?"

"Henry, but why would he do that to me?"

The conversation had become circular.

"Let's assume for a minute that what you say is true," David said, changing tactics. "What would someone get out of it?"

"I don't know why Henry-"

"Forget Henry. Look bigger, smaller, wider. Who out there would do this to you and for what gain?"

"To destroy me."

David shook his head impatiently. "That doesn't mean anything. That's vague. Why? Why?"

"I don't know."

The more Sun denied the charges, the more David was convinced of his guilt. David said, "I want you to understand that you can find another attorney-"

"I want you."

"Look, I don't know enough about Chinese law. This is a Chinese problem and you're in serious trouble."

"I'm aware of that." For the first time a small smile came to Sun's lips. "Attorney Stark, you haven't asked me why I came here in the middle of the night. I'm here because I am trying to avoid being arrested."

David looked at him in shock.

Sun seemed glumly pleased at David's reaction. "Someone has spoken to the press. Tomorrow there will be an article. I'm in it. You and Liu Hulan are in it. I'm not sure of all the details, but my friends say it's very bad."

David opened his mouth to speak, but Sun cut him off. "I don't want to be arrested in Beijing. I don't want to be arrested anywhere in China. As you perhaps know, justice moves very quickly here."

David did know. A trial with few if any defense witnesses, sentence, and punishment within a week. If Sun was found guilty of corruption, he would be executed and his family would be billed for the bullet.

"But if I'm to be arrested," Sun continued, "I'd prefer to go-"

"No, don't tell me! If you tell me, I might be obligated to tell the authorities, because I don't know if my American privilege will be respected here."

"What about Liu Hulan?" Sun asked. "She works for the MPS."

"You are my client," David said. "What we've spoken about is between us."

Sun looked out into the darkness. "I've worked my whole life to better myself, to better the lives of the people of China. I sit here now and I'm lost. I have friends in the government who are protecting me, but even they are sometimes powerless against outside forces. Still, I'm grateful to them. But there is another kind of friend, someone who is close to your heart, who understands you, who you would give your life for. I thought Henry was that kind of friend." Sun shifted his gaze back to David. "I know you're an honest man. I know your reputation and what you've done for China in the past. These things that are on those papers are a lie. I don't know how to prove it to you, but I hope you can accept my word." Sun took a last sip of tea, then stood. "I should go before it gets light."

David saw Sun to the front gate, where he mounted a bicycle and began pedaling. When the governor disappeared around the alley's corner, David locked the gate and made his way back to the last courtyard. Hulan sat at the little round table. Her bandaged hand rested palm up before her. She looked tired, more tired perhaps than he had ever seen her. Weren't pregnant women supposed to need, want, and get a lot of sleep? He thought he could remember reading something like that or seeing it in a movie.

"He's innocent, isn't he?" she said.

"My logical mind says he can't be, but when he speaks, I want to believe him."

"He's a politician," Hulan reminded him. "You're supposed to believe him."

"He also gave me these." David handed Hulan Sun's bank records. In his mind they proved nothing, but he had a duty to turn evidence over to the authorities if it might help his client.

Hulan saw that the names of these banks matched those in the dan-gan and that these were official documents dated yesterday, but she said none of this. Instead she picked up the index card that had Sun's name on it and corresponded to the columns which read ACCEPTING BRIBES and CHINESE jurisdiction. Without saying a word, she tore the card into pieces and put them in the trash. Then she said, "I need some sleep." With that she left the room, leaving David to stare at her chart and wonder if she really believed Sun was innocent.