White Tiger

She struggled with that. “And…and he didn’t tell Danny?”

“If your husband never mentioned it, then I would guess not.”

“Then Lin Jong’s family doesn’t know either. That old, reptilian bastard…”

Ryker needed her on course before her temper got the best of her. “Valerie. Valerie, I need you to try and remember something. Did you know what John Lin was in Shanghai for? You said it was for business, but do you know for what, exactly?”

“It was…it was for meetings. He was to help arrange visits for…for Chinese dignitaries, I think…” She went on, but Ryker muted the phone and yelled to Chee Wei.

“What was the name of the guy I said I saw last night?”

“Ren Yun!” Chee Wei shouted back.

Ryker took the phone off mute and interrupted Valerie. “Valerie, I’m sorry, but I need to find out what John Lin was doing in Shanghai. What dignitaries was he working with?”

She paused. “I’m not sure. I’m not that plugged into the business world-”

“Was one of them named Ren Yun?” Ryker pronounced the name terribly, but she got it.

“Yes! Yes, how did you know? He was at my father-in-law’s last night, wasn’t he?”

“He was. And I think he’s someone I’m going to need to talk to. Thanks, Val. You’ve been great.” He paused. “All around great in a way I don’t get to see very often. And I mean that as high praise.”

She snorted softly. “It’s been some time since someone has given me ‘high praise’. Thanks. I’ll accept it.”

Ryker smiled even though Chee Wei was staring at him through the glass like some kind of pervert voyeur. “Great. Can-can I call you later? It’s probably not job-related…” He was aware of his fumbling, but he couldn’t help it. This was all very new to him.

“I’d like that, Hal.”

Ryker said his good-byes and hung up. He glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was 11:30am. As he stepped out of the office, he ran a hand over his face, feeling the razor stubble on his chin.

“So who was that?” Chee Wei asked.

“Valerie Lin.” Ryker tried to keep his voice casual as he walked back to his desk.

“Why you old dog,” Chee Wei said with a huge, shit-eating grin.

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on! I saw you talking to her on the phone. Getting all tender. And wearing a suit on a Saturday morning? Dude, you were out doing some serious partying with the lady, weren’t you? Did you”-Chee Wei rose and pumped his hips-“get your love on?”

Ryker rolled his eyes. “Let’s grab some lunch and then head up to Tiburon. I want to chat with Lin and his house guest.”

CHAPTER 24

The high rise office building was mostly vacant, save for maintenance and janitorial workers. Few tenant employees were about, which made things a bit easier; there were fewer people to see Manning hustle Lin inside through the parking garage. He was stopped at security, and he was surprised to see the same two security guards who had greeted him on his first visit.

“You guys work around the clock?” Manning asked.

“Ha. We work in shifts,” the 20-something said. He looked at Lin and nodded respectfully. “Hello, sir.”

Lin nodded back, but that was it.

“We’re going to forty-five,” Manning said. “We’ll probably have some food deliveries and stuff like that. If anyone else comes in with access to that floor, please let us know. You can call Mr. Lin’s office direct, and I’ll answer the phone.”

“Something going on?” This came from the older guard. He slowly edged toward them from behind the lobby desk, his eyes flat and expressionless. The eyes of an ex-cop.

“Mr. Lin has some serious issues with a business unit in China. He needs access to the corporate network, including secure files and the like which aren’t accessible from his home. And some of that work is classified. He wants to be notified if anyone enters the floor.” Manning looked from one guard to the other. “Is that going to be a problem?”

The older guard ignored Manning and looked at Lin. “Mr. Lin, is everything all right?”

Lin looked properly indignant. “Yes, yes, everything is fine! Please do as my man tells you!” He then turned and marched for the elevator bay.

The older guard nodded sourly and directed Manning toward the metal detector. “You know the drill.”

“I have a building permit allowing me to carry my weapon in the building.” Manning pulled the plastic card from his wallet and showed it to the two guards. The older one examined it critically.

“I’ll be back with this.” He moved to a computer station on the other side of the long lobby desk and started tapping keys. After a time, he was returned and handed the card back to Manning. His expression never changed. “Okay, you’re clear. You expecting any shooting?”

Manning put the card back in his wallet. “I always expect shooting, chief.”

The elevator ride to the 45th floor was uneventful. Manning preceded Lin out of the elevator and ensured everything outside the elevator bay was secure. Lin swiped his access card at the lobby doors, and Manning stepped into the office beyond. He reconnoitered the immediate area, but he couldn’t look in each and every cube and leave Lin alone in the elevator bay. He waved Lin inside, and the lobby doors clicked shut behind him, the magnetic locks doing what they were supposed to do.

“Where’s your office?”

Lin pointed to the far side of the floor. “That way. In the corner.”

Of course. Manning conducted Lin to his office immediately, keeping one hand on the man’s bony shoulder and the other on his sidearm. There was a fair amount of territory to cover, but most of the floor was open; the cubes were up front, where support staff met. Manning ushered Lin down a hallway lined with lustrous mahogany wood and a subtle veined marble-tiled floor. As they passed the darkened executive offices, Manning marveled at the absolute luxury each office embodied. It was obvious that Lin and his people lived life on the high side.

Lin’s office was bordered by a secretary station and a waiting room complete with rich leather chesterfield chairs. Unlike his sumptuous home, Lin’s office was surprisingly minimalist; a small meeting area, a leather couch, a wide desk and a single high-backed leather chair. The furnishings were all top-class, but there was something cold, antiseptic about the office. Manning thought it was an accurate reflection of the man himself. The vertical office blinds were open. He steered Lin toward his desk and looked for a way to close them.

“Here.” Lin pressed a button on his desk, and the blinds automatically closed. Manning nodded and checked the ensuite restroom, noting that it was complete with a shower and bidet in addition to the requisite toilet and sink. He was almost surprised to see the commode wasn’t fashioned out of gold. He went through the linen closet there, and then the coat closet in the office. Despite the size of the office, it didn’t afford an assassin many places to hide. Just the same, he executed due diligence and checked behind the couch and the credenza that sat along one wall.

“Is that completely necessary,” Lin asked.

“It’s your life, Lin Yubo. You tell me.”

Lin sighed and started to pull out his desk chair to sit down, but Manning was at his side in an instant. He pushed Lin away and checked beneath the desk, and then checked the chair itself. Lin watched this with some amusement.

“You think my sons’ killer is inside the chair?”

“I think your sons’ killer is crafty, and might have taken a page or two from the terrorism playbook. Booby trapped furnishings is about as old as dirt.”

“I see,” Lin said.

Manning went through the desk drawers carefully, ignoring Lin’s disapproving stare. He moved quickly but