Emerald (23 page)

Dr. Yang told his receptionist that he would take a rest for half an hour in his office and did not want to be disturbed. Then he would take the next patient. Chen Yang lay down on the couch in his office, his mind wandered back to those days when he won his so-called freedom from the Triad, at least in Hong Kong. His freedom, however tenuous it seemed, was still better than living and working under the Triad’s thumb in Hong Kong. Dealing with Tam was a small part of the price he paid for that hard-earned freedom, and taking care of the man now also defined the constraints of his freedom.

He could remember back almost ten years ago as if it were yesterday. Chen held the position of one of the five directors of the Triad. The pay and power proved not as fulfilling as he had supposed, even though he obtained enough money for a lifetime. After serving four years, he wanted out, but he wanted to live too. Until now, all Triad members were in for life. No one left alive. He studied for quite some time how he could get out. Chen finally came up with a proposition that worked. He convinced the others that he needed to be back in public practice. He knew each of the directors well enough and was trained so highly that he could convince them that this was the best way to go and even would strengthen their position and that of the Triad. Chen was tired of doing only gunshot wounds and patching up stab wounds. That was a waste of his skill and talent as a physician. In addition, he secretly knew that in a few years, he would not be able to do much more surgery, at least not the highly technical kind, because of the beginning slight tremor in his left hand that so far, no one had noticed.

He wanted to move back into internal medicine and enlarge his diagnostic skills, maybe even do some firsthand lab work for research because of his personal preferences, and the field was so wide open with the advent of new drugs. He wanted to continue his studies in Germany, so he made them the offer. He would be their contact physician for any Triad members in Europe or other continents if the patient could come to him, if they allowed him to set up his practice in Munich and live there. There were other physicians in China they could use and who wanted the opportunity to work with the Triad. He had to feed this idea to them in bits to get them to accept it. He convinced them this gave the whole organization better protection and increased their scope, and finally they had agreed…but he was still a Triad member. Almost a year had gone by since his last Triad patient, but he would keep to his word and the bargain they had made. He got up from the couch and placed the call to Mercy Hospital and arranged to have Tam airlifted to his Munich Municipal Hospital after forty-eight hours.

Back in his chalet, Hans awoke early the next morning still furious at losing his emerald, turned on the TV hoping see details about the accident, especially where the emerald might be. But the accident wasn’t even mentioned and that made him suspicious. He telephoned the Hospital posing as Dr. Julius Wong, Tam’s personal Physician calling from Hong Kong and convinced the resident in ICU to share Mr. Stratton’s condition and prognosis. Han’s learned that Tam was out of surgery and seemed to be doing as well as expected. Then the resident mentioned that there seemed to be some urgency to transfer the patient to a hospital in Munich, Germany, and was that all right with Dr. Wong? Thinking quickly, Han’s thought that probably meant Dr. Yang’s already involved and answered, “Yes that would be a very good thing as Dr. Yang has dealt with a number of Mr. Stratton’s medical situations in the past. He thanked the resident for his professional help and quickly hung up.

He was pleased with the news because he was ready to return to Munich anyway. He would be better able to kill the man named Tam Stratton in Munich, after he got his emerald from him. He was sure the man’s personal effects would come with him. Things were beginning to come together again. He quickly packed and left for Munich.

“I
can’t believe we’re going back to Munich already, we just left there a couple of days ago.” Miriam said as she began packing.

“Well, at least this time we’re flying.” David responded.

“What time is our flight?”

“Servette’s secretary said it a Lufthansa flight at 7:10 tonight. We can either get a early dinner at the airport or wait and get a late supper in Munich. It’s only about an hour flight. She said we have reservations at the Sheraton, near the airport. It has a good restaurant and bar and even an indoor swimming pool, if you’re so inclined.”

David dropped their bags on the floor, knelt down, and unzipped one of the black Samsonite cases.

“What are you doing, David?”

“Getting my handy-dandy TSCM room sweeper to see if anyone is trying to listen in on our bedtime stories.”

Miriam laughed and started to unpack as David swept the room. “I think we should check out the Cobra club again. It’s getting late and I’m bushed. How about checking in with Bruno’s secretary in the morning to see if she has anything new for us about her boss or Hans?”

“That’s all right with me. Flip a coin to see who showers first, or why not join me?”

Over a late breakfast in the hotel coffee shop, they looked at some pictures Malcolm had sent by email of Hans, bald, with full beard, several other disguises, and a full stature version based on the teen-age enhanced photo RESEARCH had put together.

“Well, these certainly will help. It’s really amazing what Malcolm and his buddies have been able to come up with, using their computers.

David signaled the waiter for another cup of coffee and said, “I hope so since we haven’t been able to find him yet. Why don’t you call Liliane and see if there is a time and place we can meet with her.”

Finishing his breakfast and grabbing an uneaten piece of toast from Miriam’s plate David pushed his chair back and looked around at the few people in the chrome and neon coffee shop, and wondered why they were in this Sheraton in Munich.

Miriam put her cell phone down, smiled at David, and waved for more coffee.

“Liliane says that besides the murders of Herzog and Marvin there have been other strange things going on in the department. She didn’t want to discuss them over her office phone, but she hung up and called me right back on her cell. She said that two days before Marvin and Herzog were shot another shooting had taken place that quite clearly was an assassination. She didn’t know why the Chief was keeping the lid on that killing but she knew he was into things that seemed very strange if not down right illegal. She said that she would help us if she could, but she knew she was being watched and she would have to be very careful. She has my cell number and would call me if she found out anything more. She also said for us to be very careful because the Chief was a very ruthless and dangerous man.

Later that evening David was sitting in on the sofa in their hotel room reading an English newspaper he had found in the hotel lobby when Miriam walked out of the bathroom. David whistled.

“Gad, Miriam, you could make a fortune in that outfit! Turn around.” David stared at the tight black mini-skirt that barely covered the cheeks of her ass. “God, but I’m afraid to let you out of my sight, Miriam, in that.” He observed her open cleavage in the thin white low-scooped top with similar words.

“Why, thank you, David. Would you like to come up and see me sometime?” She grinned, obviously pleased. “Sometimes our job can be fun, can’t it, David?”

“No joke, I guess you know you’re going to have to handle a lot of guys ogling you tonight, and you may have to rough up a few who try to manhandle you. But if any gal can take care of herself, it’s you, Miriam. Hell, you can still get me in Karate half the time, and that just slays me.”

“I’ll look out, David. Don’t worry. Now don’t you go manhandling all those prostitutes either? You know what you can pick up, but I don’t have to tell you that. If I get busted, I hope Bruno’s boys will get me out, but I don’t know about him anymore. Do you think we should tell him where we’re going tonight?”

“Definitely not. Are you ready? We’ll park the car not too close and walk into the area. You have your set of keys, don’t you? Just in case. Remember we don’t know each other, but we’ve got the codes straight. How much are you going to charge me if I try to pick you up,” David said as he snuggled Miriam’s neck.

“I’m not sure I even want to go clubbing anymore.”

“Remember it’s work, David. Maybe when we get home, well, we’ll see.”

“That feels good, David, but I think you’d better concentrate of getting us to the club.”

“I’ll take a credit card and get the cash when I get home, okay? Let’s get out of here. I’m full of adrenalin and ready to rock.”

The multi-colored neon signs and flashing lights in shop windows cast a colorful flashing surrealistic nightclub atmosphere in the pre-midnight darkness along the boulevard where David lingered and Miriam sauntered. Tattoo parlors, curio shops, liquor and tobacco stores and tourist businesses were all still open and flourishing. Miniature sidewalk cafes spotted the area and were packed. The streets were full of people milling between each other as they strolled down the sidewalks in the area that everyone knew was full of whorehouses. Skimpily-clad girls of all sizes and colors walked along swaying their hips and showing their stuff. Young college-aged men talked loudly, gave the girls catcalls and made blatant comments. Their laughter and questionable sobriety created a party atmosphere along the popular Vin Avenue district. Older men gazed wishfully, and the wealthy ones made offers to the prostitutes they stopped passing by. However, the most booming business going on appeared to be drugs, both using and selling.