The Trafficked

84

‘Mum?’

Mann rang his mother whilst standing with Ng in Lantau Airport. It was mid-afternoon and Shrimp’s flight from London had already landed, they were just waiting for him to clear customs. At the other end of the phone Molly answered with the cat in her arms.

‘Are you home now, Johnny?’

‘I’m back. I’ll be over to see you tomorrow, if you’re free.’

‘Of course-I look forward to it…’

Molly hesitated. There was concern in her voice. ‘I’m sorry about last time.’

‘Don’t be. I think you’re right, it’s about time I learned about Dad, warts and all. I can’t keep hanging on to this childish memory. I’m a grown man, after all. David White sends his love, by the way.’

‘I bet he misses the cat.’

‘Ha…I told him he misses it a lot more than it misses him. See you tomorrow, Mum, love you…’

‘And you, son.’

* * *

Shrimp emerged from behind the arrivals screen.

‘Did you have a good flight?’ Mann asked, and pointed to the enormous case he was pulling behind him. ‘What have you got in there?’

Ng chuckled and shook his head.

Shrimp rolled his eyes skyward. ‘Had to pay excess-bummer.’

Mann lifted Shrimp’s case and groaned. ‘I am not surprised.’

‘I spent a fortune in the vintage clothes markets. Anyway, wassup? What are you two doing here? I was making my way in to do my report now. You didn’t have to escort me.’

‘We need to have a meeting before we face the Super,’ said Mann. ‘We thought we might as well have it here.’

They made their way over to sit on an empty row of seats in the huge open and airy terminal. Shrimp sat between Ng and Mann.

‘There are a few things we need to get straight, to clarify,’ said Mann.

‘…to make sure we all understand it the same way…’ said Ng.

‘We need to leave someone who was involved out of the equation,’ said Mann. ‘We have to forget the role that someone took in this and look past it.’

‘Ah…yes…’ said Shrimp. ‘…Gotcha. I wasn’t sure whether we would all come to the same conclusion…’

‘At the same time…Yes.’ Mann finished his sentence for him. ‘We know that this person is fundamentally good, and I think we have to overlook this one incident.’

‘A diamond with a flaw is preferable to a common stone,’ said Ng.