“Hey,” he said as he answered. “We should be there soon.”
“That might not be such a good idea,” Orlando said. “We’re not alone here anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“I went downstairs to grab a newspaper and get a little fresh air,” she said. “As I was heading back up, I passed by the reception desk. Two of the men you took pictures of in Houston were there.”
That stopped Quinn.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. They were checking in.”
“Hold on,” he said. He pulled the phone away from his ear, then leaned forward toward the cabby. “Change of plans. Esplanade Park, please.”
The driver grunted in acknowledgment. At the next intersection, the cab veered off its previous course and headed east toward Esplanade Park.
Quinn brought the phone back up to his ear. “We need to get out of the hotel,” he said.
“Ah, yeah,” she said. “That was kind of the point of my call.”
“Can you pack up our stuff?”
“Already done.”
Quinn smiled despite the situation. “Great. Hold tight. I’ll call you back soon.”
“Wait,” Orlando said. “That wasn’t the only thing I needed to tell you. Jenny sent another message.”
“She’s here?”
“I don’t know. She wants you to call her.” There was a pause. “In eighteen minutes.”
Quinn had Nate carry the leather messenger bag with the gear inside as they walked into Esplanade Park. Located at the northwest corner of Marina Bay, the green public space provided a beautiful view of downtown across the water. A main path went west to east through the entire park and continued into the Marina Promenade. It was a favorite of bikers and joggers and those just out for a peaceful stroll. Quinn and Nate walked along the path for a few minutes until they found an empty bench.
Quinn checked his watch. It was three minutes until 4 p.m., the appointed time for the call.
“You realize if the cops catch me with this bag, I could go to jail,” Nate said.
“This is Singapore,” Quinn told him. “You wouldn’t just go to jail. You’d be hanged within months.”
The thought didn’t seem to sit too well with Nate. “Maybe you should carry it.”
“I’m carrying this,” Quinn said, holding up his cell phone.
At exactly 4 p.m., he dialed Jenny’s number again.
Two rings this time.
“Quinn?”
“Yes. Where are you?”
“I’ll be there tonight. Meet me at the Far East Square. Do you
know it?” “Uh-huh,” Quinn said. It was an outdoor mall in Chinatown. “The Water Gate entrance. Eight-thirty.” “All right. Is there—” He stopped. Apparently, it was becoming
everyone’s habit to hang up on him.
Ne Win looked surprised as Quinn and Nate entered the dress shop. But when he noticed the familiar leather bag hanging from Nate’s shoulder, his demeanor changed from surprised to angry.
“What are you doing here?” he whispered to Quinn. “I need something,” Quinn said. “I already gave you something.” The old man’s eyes couldn’t help
but glance at the bag. “I need a place to stay.” Ne Win held a finger to his lips. He then grabbed Quinn by the
arm and ushered him out of the shop, nodding at Nate to follow. He took them down the hallway toward the back of the building. As they passed one of the small shops, Ne Win called out to a woman inside, then pointed back toward his own store.
“Your daughter?” Quinn asked. “None of your business,” Ne Win said. Stuck between two of the shops at the end of the hall was a metal
door painted the same color as the wall. Using a key from his pocket, Ne Win unlocked it. Beyond was a service corridor, about fifty feet in length, with another door at the far end. The walls were scuffed from being banged against for years.
Ne Win kept moving forward, his pace fast. At the end of the hall, he paused only long enough to pull the door open. He passed through without waiting to see if Quinn and Nate were still following.
The door led outside to a short staircase that descended to a makeshift loading dock at the back of the building. There were trash bins off to the left and several vans parked across the back. Ne Win was already halfway down the staircase. When he reached the bottom, he went from van to van, trying all the doors. He stopped when he finally
found one that was open, then climbed inside.
