Chapter Forty-six
For a brief moment I hesitated, then went out into the hall and opened the front door. Lee was waiting outside, as I'd expected, and together we returned to the living room. As we entered, Su-mi was picking up her handbag.
'I always knew there would be an end to all this', she said, nodding towards the Inspector. 'But it will be my way, not theirs'.
As Lee Shi-hoo crossed to the bedroom and called to the policeman on the balcony she drew a small automatic from her handbag. 'Don't touch me!' she said, levelling the gun at Lee. The policeman came in from the bedroom, a grizzled, elderly man, in a flat squad-car hat. He was plainly startled at the sight of the gun. 'Stand over by the Inspector', Su-mi ordered, waving it at him threateningly. 'I'll use this, you know'.
'Do as she says, Sergeant', Lee said suavely. 'There's no sense in starting anything'.
Su-mi slid her hand into her bag again and took out a small red-capped phial. 'I'm going into my bedroom now', she said quietly. 'Don't follow me, Han-sang - now or later. I don't want you to see me again'.
I heard a strained voice, which I had difficulty in recognising as my own, saying.
'Su-mi, don't be a fool!' Then she disappeared into her bedroom, closing and locking the door after her.
'Yun warned me about this', Lee said. He sent the Sergeant out to re-enter the bedroom from the balcony.But as soon as the bedroom door opened we knew it was too late. Lee looked at the inert figure on the bed. 'I suppose this will get me a black mark, but I'd rather that than another murder. She'd have used that gun all right'. He held up his hand as I moved towards the bed. 'I wouldn't, sir, if I were you', he said quietly. I hesitated, then with a brief nod went out into the hall.