Page 162 of King’s Ransom

I hauled myself up, brushed off the glass shards.

‘You aren’t . . . going anywhere . . . Speedman . . .’ Hooper groaned from beside me, fumbling for his gun.

I couldn’t believe I’d saved this jerk’s life.

‘Yes I am,’ I said. ‘See, I’m not done yet. When the cops and your boss get here, why don’t you take credit for my work again and tell them why Xiao was at this location and also why he has a gunshot wound to his left hand. Tell them all you know about Modern Alchemical Solutions.’

‘What?’ Hooper said.

I stepped over him, heading for the door.

A pained moan made me stop and spin.

Xiao lay on the floor, his face and the whole front of his body a ragged mess of blood and flesh from all the shards that had struck him.

He was in a bad way. I wasn’t sure he’d survive.

He was trying to say something. To me.

I knelt over the Chinese detective.

‘We did . . . use . . . Modern Alchemical Solutions . . .’ he gasped. ‘The man from there . . . He is . . . ruthless . . . He will . . . certainly . . .’—Xiao chuckled as he choked on his own blood—‘. . . kill you. Ha-ha-ha-ha!’

I stood and left, sweeping out onto the street and hurrying away as the first cop cars and FDNY trucks arrived at the other end of the laneway.

I hailed the first cab I saw.

‘Where to?’ the driver asked.

‘Are you okay with a long ride? I’ll pay cash and tip you well.’

‘Hell, yeah.’

‘Southampton, out past Shinnecock Hills.’

‘Buddy, you know that’ll be at least three hundred bucks on the meter?’

‘Fine,’ I said. ‘Let’s go.’

A MANSION IN THE HAMPTONS

Southampton

Long Island, NY

30 December

The cab ride took over two hours, cruising up the Long Island Expressway all the way to the South Fork.

As I sat in the back seat, I made some calls on my burner phone.

First, I rang Audrey to see how she was doing.

‘Much better,’ she said. ‘Heidi’s been taking great care of me.’

‘Hey, little man!’ Heidi called from the background.

Audrey said, ‘Sam, what the hell happened with you and Trey? Something in Chinatown? The FBI have ordered me to come in immediately and they’re full-on hunting for you now.’