Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha by Dorothy Gilman Read Free Book Online Page A

frustrated by his new English he turned and spoke to Lotus in Chinese.
    “He says,” continued Lotus for him, “that he did not mind stealing back in Turfan, in mainland China, because it was to keep alive, but as you know he hoped by leaving China he could go to school and learn.”
    Mrs. Pollifax nodded. “Yes, and what is his new job?”
    “Stealing,” Lotus said. “For two months he was taught by a man named Hoong to pick pockets and now they have put him to work stealing from people’s pockets.”
    “They
what?
” gasped Mrs. Pollifax.
    Sheng Ti nodded. “Everything hell now, bloody hell. Mr. Detwiler hit me. Very nasty all the time. Mr. Feng has to run things more and nasty, too. Mr. Detwiler take heroin now,” he said. “I see once—the long needle and white powder. He hit me
again
when I see.”
    “Oh dear!” murmured Mrs. Pollifax with feeling.
    “Yes.”
    “But what do they have you stealing?” she asked.
    “Passports,” he told her.
    This was unexpected. “Passports?” she repeated. “Not money?” He shook his head, and fumbling for the rationale behind this she said, “How many? What kinds? From whom?”
    Lotus answered for him. “He does not tell me all he does but I know this: they give him a very elegant suit and shoes and tie and they send him to the Government House or sometimes to the airport and twice I have seen the passports he stole. One was Bulgarian, one Canadian.” Sheng Ti spoke and she nodded. “He says he’s stolen eleven of them now for Mr. Detwiler.”
    “Eleven,” murmured Mrs. Pollifax, frowning over this.
    “I would not know anything if Sheng Ti and I had not spoken,” confided Lotus. “Everything is hidden, concealed from me, for I do invoices, letters, and dust the shop. But I have heard the quarrels between Mr. Feng and Mr. Detwiler, heard the sound of them at least, and—” She shook her head. “There is something very wrong. Sheng Ti would like to run away but they’ve taken all his papers and how can he go anywhere without papers?”
    Mrs. Pollifax leaned forward and said earnestly, “Don’t let him run away, ask him please to stay and help. Because the people who sent him to Feng Imports
know
something is wrong—it’s why I’m here.
    “And they will help you,” she said, turning to Sheng Ti, “if you help
them
.” She was remembering Bishop saying,
We’re prepared to offer him immigration to the United States but only if he gives fair value in return, it has to be earned, there has to be enough
. She dared not speak of it, for there was not enough, not yet. “Could you learn more?” she asked of Sheng Ti. “Could you follow Mr. Detwiler, find out where he goes, whom hesees? If you can get information for me I promise you that you’ll have your papers back, and a new job, and schooling … I’ve been told I may promise you this. But first—first it has become terribly important to find out what’s happening at Feng Imports, and only you can do this.”
    Sheng Ti frowned; he looked at Lotus, his eyes questioning, and then he gave a bitter laugh. “Why do I stop to think? I would do anything to get away, anything. And you give me hope?” He spoke to Lotus in Chinese and she nodded.
    “He will do this. And I too if I can.”
    “Good. They don’t suspect me—I don’t think—except why did they have me followed this morning after I left the shop?”
    Immediately she was sorry she had mentioned this because Sheng Ti leaped to his feet looking terrified. “You were followed? Followed
here?
” he cried.
    “No, this morning, after leaving the shop. I promise you no one followed me here tonight,” she told him.
    “But they may still—I must go,” he said desperately. “Oh my God. Please—what is to be done?”
    “Do sit down,” begged Mrs. Pollifax.
    “No—let him go,” Lotus said. “Go back to number 40, Sheng, you haven’t slept for two nights, I will tell you later what she says.”
    He managed a wan smile, but he