Chapter Thirty-five
The next morning, as I wandered into the living room, Mrs Kim was standing by the telephone, duster in hand. As I entered she started to polish the telephone with unnecessary vigour. This, I knew only too well, was a cover for some seemingly innocent probing.
'I meant to ask you, Mr Moon', she began, 'have you put the telephone pad away somewhere?'
I seated myself behind the tea jug. 'It's in my desk drawer. Did you want it for anything?'
She was slightly taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered, and started polishing a speckles brass candlestick. 'Did you find out who the lady was that phoned?'
Of course, it had been Su-mi; I'd remembered, some time afterwards, that she'd mentioned it when we'd met in the tea shop. But I wasn't going to enlighten Mrs Kim on that point. I shook my head and poured myself some tea.
'There was a police car at the top of the mews this morning when I come in', she went on persistently. 'I suppose they're keeping any eye on somebody'.
I supposed they were. I was mentally cursing Lee; my plans for the morning didn't include having fun and games evading a trailing police car. I decided it would be as well to check which end of the street, in Mrs Kim's devious mind, was the top.
I adopted the oblique approach. 'Did you notice whether the blossom was out in the square as you came in this morning, Mrs Kim?'
It no more deceived her than a pill in a piece of meat fools a dog. 'If I was you, Mr Moon', she said, with a flick of the duster, 'I'd use the bottom end of the street today'. Then the front door bell rang and really made her day. 'Shall I say you're out, sir?' she inquired in an eager whisper.
I overcame my irritation and laughed. 'You're a treasure, Mrs Kim! Answer the door, then bring another cup and saucer'.
As I'd expected, it was I'm. He came in carrying a small leather case. 'Good morning, Moon. I've brought what you wanted'.
'Splendid! You'll join me in a tea, won't you?'
He nodded, smiling. 'Talking of tea .' he began, obviously alluding to my appointment with Su-mi the previous evening.
'Forget it!' I said. 'That was a false alarm. I switched the tea cups'. I then went on to describe what had happened. 'Kim Su-mi reacted perfectly normally. And Kong So-ra certainly showed no sign of being drugged. In fact, her mind was exceptionally active'.
'It sounds as though Zhong was just trying to throw a scare into you'.
'Seems like it', I agreed. 'Though perhaps he doesn't trust Kim Su-mi any more than you and Na do'.
I'm pulled his nose. 'And you think she is to be trusted?'
'With one reservation, yes'. I changed the subject quickly. 'By the way, how is Zhong?'
'I phoned the hospital this morning. He's recovered consciousness and they think there's a good chance that he'll pull through. I'll have a talk with him this afternoon, if they'll let me'.
Mrs Kim came in with the extra cup and saucer, eyed I'm covertly, obviously decided he was just a business acquaintance, and retired somewhat disappointed'.
I poured I'm a tea. 'You didn't have any difficulty in persuading Na to hand over the things I asked for?'
I'm opened the small case on his lap. 'He was a bit worried about the diamonds'.
'I imagined he might be. But don't worry - I shan't lose them'.
I opened the jewellery box he handed me and examined the two diamonds, which looked very impressive against their black plush background.
I'm delved in the case again. 'And here's the metronome you took from No Jung- jong'. He put it on the table.'Just what was I supposed to say when No Jung-jong produced this?' I rubbed my finger over the polished surface. 'I've a hunch that it's the key to everything we want to know'.
'Which is simply', I'm said warningly, 'the problem of Chang Chu-chu. Was he the reputable person Na thinks he was? Or was he mixed up in the blood diamond racket? That's all'. He regarded me shrewdly for a moment. 'Don't get too ambitious, Moon'.
'I'll keep that in mind, I'm', I replied, not altogether sincerely. I was too deeply involved in a personal way to be satisfied with anything less than the full answers to the side issues that had cropped up in the Chang Chu-chu case.
'And here's the other thing you wanted'. I'm brought out a small black automatic and balanced it on the palm of one hand. 'Na looked down his nose when I told him you wanted a loan from the armoury'. He handed it to me, butt first. 'Don't expect the department to give you a medal if you use it'.
I slipped the gun into my jacket pocket. 'For persuasive purposes only', I explained.
I'm Sun-taek smiled back at me, closed the case, and snapped the locks. 'Have you decided what line you'll take with No Jung-jong?'
'My own special brand of persuasion', I said.
'Fact - or fiction?'
'Maybe a little of each', I told him.