Chapter Eleven
'Cosy apartment, isn't it, sir?'
I'd been following Kim Su-mi with my eyes, and I now turned to find Lee watching me, a slight smile on his thin lips. 'Very', I said tersely.
'First time you've been here, isn't it, sir?'
With some effort I replied unemotionally: 'I made it quite plain this morning that I'd never been invited here until last night'.
He raised one eyebrow quizzically. 'And you couldn't keep that appointment, could you, Mr Moon?'
Before I could answer, Kim came back. She closed the door carefully, then turned to us. 'Oh, please, do sit down both of you'.
Lee took a hard-backed chair, facing the two Kim and I had occupied a few minutes before. 'Miss Kim', he said, resting his hat on his knees, 'does the name Bae mean anything to you?'
I inhaled cigarette smoke, waiting for her reaction. But it was no more than you'd expect from somebody suddenly confronted with a name completely strange to them.
'No', she said blankly. 'I'm afraid it doesn't'.
Lee glanced at me. 'And you, sir?'
I shook my head. 'It doesn't ring a bell with me, either. Should it?''Not if Doyle was just a casual acquaintance', he told us. 'It would have been helpful in our efforts to check Doyle's background if you had known the name. It was written in a diary we found on his body. Apparently he had appointments with this Bae Yeon-seok for today, tomorrow, and the day after'. Lee's tone sharpened. 'Miss Kim . I'd like you to tell me again how many times you met Doyle in Shanghai'.
'Oh, really!' she said with exasperation. 'I've already told you - the only occasion was when we were with Mr Moon at the Chinese Dragon'.
Lee drew the edge of hand along the dent of his hat. 'Would you like to think that over, Miss Kim, and answer the question again?'
She retorted, rather too dramatically: 'Are you accusing me of lying, Inspector?' He gave a little shrug, then after a moment said calmly: 'We have definite proof that you met him on another occasion, Miss Kim'.
I stiffened as she queried in a more uncertain tone: 'What sort of proof, Inspector?'
He leaned forward. 'A video film, Miss Kim. A video film that we found on the dead man. I ran it through an hour ago. There are some shots of Shanghai - with yourself in several of them. One in particular is of the Chinese Dragon cafe. It shows Doyle joining you at a table'. He cleared his throat. 'You appeared to be more than a casual acquaintance, if I may say so'.
I suppose I must have betrayed some reaction to hearing that my video had been found in Doyle's possession. The Inspector's slightly malicious smile suggested that he'd put a different interpretation on my expression. 'You don't appear to have been present on that occasion, Mr Moon'.
'It may surprise you to know, Inspector', I said unpleasantly, 'that the video was taken by me'.
For once his urbanity deserted him. 'You took it, sir?'
Kim Su-mi sat up, her eyes shining. 'Han-sang Moon! But of course you took it! I remember now'.
'Just a minute', Lee said, the sceptical expression on his face once again. 'If you took that video, sir, what was it doing in Doyle's pocket?'
I thought I knew the answer, but didn't want to get involved with Lee over the video. 'That's your pigeon, Inspector', I said. 'I lost that video somewhere along the line - probably in Shanghai'.
Lee frowned at this unexpected development, then said quietly. 'Let me know if anything more definite occurs to you. You can always leave a message for me at the station'. He stood up. 'Well, that's all for the moment, I think. By the way, Miss Kim, you're not planning to go to Shanghai again in the near future?'
'Heavens, no!' she exclaimed. 'What put that thought in your head?''I just wanted to be sure you'd still be here if I wanted you'.
He stood looking down at her, then with an, 'I'll see myself out', left so abruptly that we were both a little surprised.
As the front door closed Kim gave a sigh of relief. 'Thank goodness he's gone!' she smiled. 'I didn't know you were taking pictures of me all over Shanghai, Moon Han-sang'.
'I saw you once or twice', I said, off-handedly. 'I thought I'd like to include an attractive girl on my Chinese backgrounds'.
'That's sweet of you', she said warmly. 'Where did you see me?'
'Oh . coming out of museums . on bridges . getting off boats', I replied rather lamely.
She smiled again. 'I remember that one', she said softly.
I rose. 'I must be getting along now', I said, feeling vaguely ill at ease.
'It's been nice having you here to give me your moral support', she said gratefully. 'How like Yun to walk out on me just when I need him'.
At the front door I said, 'You will let me know if there's any developments, Kim?'
'Of course'. She looked up into my face. 'You'll be the first to know, Han– sang'.