Chapter Twenty-nine.
Back in my apartment I felt a good deal less confident than I must have appeared to Na. That I had to see No Jung-jong again was certain, for he was the obvious link in the chain that might lead me to Bae; and in order to get at the truth about Chang Chu-chu my best bet was to force a showdown with the top man in the diamond smuggling organisation. What Bae's reaction would be in such a situation I had no idea; except that it would probably be highly unpleasant. My concern at the moment was to concoct a story that would persuade No Jung-jong to pass me on to Bae. It would have to be a convincing one.
After pacing the carpet aimlessly for half an hour I gave up.
It was well after six o'clock and the light was fading. I switched on the table lamp, and as I did so my heart missed a beat. Had I turned off the light in Kim Su-mi's apartment last night? I had a nasty feeling I hadn't done so, in my excitement at finding the diamonds.
I decided to phone her. She would be almost certain to mention it if she'd found the light on when she got back the night before. I thumbed through the telephone directory to find the number of the gallery, trying as I did so to think of a pretext for ringing her. I smiled a little guiltily as I dialled the number. If I'm had been there he'd have certainly made a caustic comment.
Kong So-ra answered the telephone. I told her who I was and asked to speak to Su-mi. Without replying I heard her call: 'It's the Moon man, Su-mi'.The receiver changed hands almost immediately and I heard Su-mi speaking, almost in a whisper. 'Han-sang . I was just about to go out and ring you'.
So the light must have been on, I thought! 'Anything important, Su-mi?' I said aloud.
'Well, yes'. She went on in rapid, low tones: 'I can't tell you now. Could you meet me this evening?'
'How about dinner tonight?'
She hesitated. 'Can you make it somewhere quiet, where we can talk?'
'Meet me at Cate Paris . You know it? . It's in Yeoksam-dong . I'll be there at seven-thirty'.
We said good-bye and I hung up. As I did so I noticed that the address pad, which I always kept beside the telephone had disappeared. It was a leather-covered pad with an alphabetical thumb index. I hadn't had occasion to use it for a couple of days, so I couldn't estimate exactly how long it had been missing. I wondered if the man I'd caught searching my bureau had slipped it into his pocket, intending to check up on my telephone list later. I recalled that the last number I'd jotted down was Kim Su-mi's. That would account for her apartment having been searched. Otherwise the names and addresses would be of no interest. Fortunately, Na's was not among them.
Then the telephone rang. Picking up the receiver, I gave my number and heard a precise voice said. 'Am I speaking to Mr Moon?'
I gripped the receiver as I recognised the voice. It was undoubtedly the man who had slipped the note into my cigarette case. 'Yes', I said.
'My name is Zhong', the precise voice continued. 'You do not know me'.
'Bronze Dragon in the four-nineteen - best tip of the week, guv!' I said, mimicking his barrow boy impersonation. Then: 'I must compliment you on your Seoul accent, Zhong'.
He laughed. 'I have picked it up in your Seoul bars'. His tone changed. 'You have given your card to my barrow boy friend. You wish to see me, perhaps?'
'Very much', I said, tenderly fingering the back of my head. 'I still have a painful recollection of our first meeting'.
'You have guessed it was me? It is as well. I can now apologise to you. We made a serious mistake about you, Mr Moon'.
'We?' I queried.
'I cannot explain the situation over the telephone. But when I do so you will realise that I, and my companion, had a legitimate reason for searching your apartment'.
'And for stealing my telephone pad?' I suggested.
'I do not understand you, Mr Moon. Nothing was taken from your apartment by us'. His tone became thoughtful. 'Yes . I think it is very important that we meet as soon as possible. At once, perhaps?'
'I'm afraid I can't manage that. I've a dinner date for seven-thirty'.'Ah! Where is this dinner date, please?'
I hesitated. But there was an urgency in his tone which suggested I'd be satisfying more than curiosity by meeting him that night. 'Yeoksam-dong, I answered. 'I'm dining there'.
'And the number of your car?' I shrugged, but told him.
'When you leave your friend after dinner you will drive, please, to City Hall and stop just before you come to the main door', he instructed in businesslike tones. 'I will be on the kerb there at eleven o'clock'.
'Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?' I asked irritably. 'Why can't we meet for a drink somewhere?'
'It is better that we are not seen together', he said gravely. 'I must warn you, Mr Moon, these people that we are concerned with will not hesitate at violence - or worse'.
That 'we' again. 'I'd feel more comfortable if I knew who you were, Zhong', I said sharply.
'I will set your mind at rest later, after you have dined with Miss Kim'.
'Just a minute!' I exclaimed. 'I didn't say .'
'It was a shot in the dark, Mr Moon', he interrupted with a short laugh. 'It is as well that you are not dining with Miss Kim in her apartment. Now you will be able to enjoy your tea with peace of mind'.
'What the devil are you getting at?' I demanded heatedly.
Then I heard a gasp and the sound of splintering glass, and the clatter of the receiver falling.
'Zhong!' I called out. 'Zhong - what's happened?'
There was a strange choking sound and then a jumble of voices and a woman's scream. I kept calling, 'Hello', but there was no answer, and finally someone slammed down the receiver at the other end.
I replaced my receiver and hesitated. It would be impossible to trace the call. Perhaps the police should be notified?
Eventually I decided to take no action, as putting through an emergency call would involve me in explanations of more than passing interest to the police. I didn't want Lee to start questioning me again.
In any case, I was at a loss for an explanation of Zhong. From the little he had told me I had the impression that he was on the law and order side of the fence. And from the noises on the other end of the phone it seemed highly unlikely that he would be keeping our appointment at eleven. I glanced at my watch. I had twenty minutes to get to Yeoksam-dong.