Chapter Thirty-seven
'Just the place to hear about the events in No Jung-jong's office', I'm said, nodding at the pillars plastered with ancient show bills 'It's got the authentic theatrical atmosphere'.
'Everything went according to plan', I said rather smugly, and went on to tell him all that had happened.
When I'd finished he sipped his soju thoughtfully. 'A bit risky, letting him know you were in Kim Su-mi's apartment on the night of the murder, wasn't it?'
'You think he might inform the police? And have them digging into his business? Not a chance. I was curious to see what it would stir up, apart from any reaction from Bae. If I'm right, and it was Kong So-ra's voice I heard on No Jung- jong's telephone, he's certain to pass everything on to her. And it also gave me an opportunity to try out Kim Su-mi's name on him'.
'Was there any reaction?'
'None. I'm positive he'd never heard her name before'.
'That must have given you a nice, warm glow', I'm said with a smile.
'Incidentally, what do you intend to do if Bae does come round to your apartment tonight?'
'From the hints I threw out to No Jung-jong about my adventures with Doyle in America, Bae will assume he's dealing with a crook', I said, doing some quick thinking out loud. 'So I can talk quite freely. My idea is to mention Chang Chu-chu's name as a man who'd bought North Korean diamonds from me. How Bae reacts to that should definitely either prove that Chang was working for Bae, or confirm Na's belief in him'.
'It all sounds very simple over a glass of soju', I'm said dubiously. 'But you're up against a tough crowd, you know, Moon'. As though to emphasise his point, he added: 'I've just left one of their victims'.
'Zhong? How is he?''He has an even chance of pulling through - that is, if there are no complications'.
'You had a talk with him?'
'I was allowed fifteen minutes. He's a Chinese investigator. He's been on to this Bae set-up for some time. Doyle was known to be smuggling diamonds over for them, and Zhong had been trailing him for weeks. He'd followed him to Kim Su-mi's apartment on the night of the murder'.
I smiled grimly. 'He thought I was the murderer, then?'
I'm nodded. 'He also concluded that you had Doyle's diamonds. Hence the search at your apartment'.
'That's understandable. But what beats me is why he should have put that note in my cigarette case to send to World Cup Buk-ro. And why tip me off to the code words?'
'It's that fatal charm of yours, Moon!' I'm laughed. 'Seriously, when they found no diamonds in your apartment, and no evidence there of your being mixed up in that sort of business, they came to the conclusion you were investigating the smuggling ring. So, having got no further than No Jung-jong and come up against a brick wall themselves, they decided to let you in on what information they had, and see what happened'.
'M'm . very big of them - though they needn't have been quite so violent', I said, rubbing the back of my head. 'Did Zhong see anyone else that night at Su– mi's apartment?'
'Nobody. But there's another way out of Seoul Tower, across the inner courtyard. So the murderer obviously came down via the balconies and left that way'.
I sipped my drink, which reminded me to ask whether Zhong had given any explanation of his odd remark about the tea.
'He said it was meant as a warning that crooks often make use of glamorous women'. He added, slyly: 'Your activities with the video-camera in Shanghai didn't go unnoticed'.
'He's definitely not my favourite detective', I said shortly. 'Is Kim Su-mi on his list of suspects?'
'Doyle stayed at her hotel. She was seen with him in Shanghai; he went to her apartment. It makes an interesting dossier'. I'm glanced at me sharply. 'You're not by any chance falling for her, are you, Moon?'
'Oh, come off it, I'm! The girl's engaged. And, anyway, apart from the fact that my job is to check up on her, I don't entirely trust her myself since that telephone call of Kong So-ra's'.
'And if that had some reasonable explanation?' he persisted.
'I'm always open to conviction', I grinned at him. 'By the way, how has the avuncular I'm been filling in his spare-time? Have you checked up on Yun's prospects as a husband-to-be?'
'Not a hope there, Moon. He's on the Stock Exchange recommended list. His bank manager asks him out to lunch'. He finished his drink. 'Talking of food, I'll stand you lunch today; a reward for enterprise! They do you very well here'.