09.07.2008 / EP. 37
Are We All Happy Yet?
Lin called Milly a few days after he’d shot at her. “You have a stalker,” he said.
Fred, Milly thought. “A secret admirer,” she said.
That’s the spirit, Lin thought. “Someone who carries a detective’s badge,” he said.
They’re on my trail, thought Milly. “A training run for someone else,” she said.
“We should talk.”
“We’re talking.” It was the crack of dawn. Milly took her phone to the dolls’ room.
“Where no one can overhear us. Wireless phones aren’t secure.”
“Neither are we.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
“Don’t hang up,” Milly shouted too late. “Or I’ll kill you,” her voice trailed away into an empty line. The faces of her dolls lashed her with silent reproach. You can’t keep your cool, manage a five minute phone call, or live without us. What can you do? Milly buried her face in her hands. The dolls looked on with compassion. Or was it contempt?
Lin called Milly the next day at her office. He presented himself to the switchboard as a pharmaceutical rep, which he was, wanting to talk to the Governor’s campaign team, which he did. Milly said she wasn’t the right person; Lin should try the Governor’s executive assistant, Fred Beaudine. Lin offered to take Milly to lunch regardless.
“Do you really want me to talk to Fred?” Lin asked, after they sat down.
“Are you tormenting me?” Milly asked.
“And how is your husband?”
Does everyone know this marriage is dead? Milly asked herself. “We have an accommodation.”
“You don’t bother him, and he doesn’t bother you. Sensible. Everyone benefits. Well done.” With a smile bright enough to light a thousand candles.
Milly read notes off a napkin. “The medication committee, narcotics panel, and Asian affairs. You’ll want to be in those three groups.”
Lin took the napkin. There was nothing written on it. “Funnily enough, after nosing around for a week, I concur. Those are the important ones for my industry and personal interests.” He handed Milly a cheque. “For the campaign.”
Milly glanced at the number. One million. Other Brull supporters would match it, a beautiful jumpstart to the last leg of the campaign.
Milly presented the cheque, and it didn’t do her own career any harm. The Governor thanked her in person and naturally wanted to meet Lin. The place of first encounter between Brull and Lin isn’t recorded, but they got along famously. Lin was a lot like Ernest Carrera, Milly decided: rich, flexible, smart. The Governor was happy to appoint Lin to his policy committees.
Some time later, Lin suggested again that he and Milly combine to eliminate Pam. Her imported White Gold and Resurrection, he argued, were saturating the market. She was growing stronger by the day. “Pam will realize you’re standing in her way,” Lin argued.
“Why do you care?”
“Your access to the Governor’s camp.”
If there were war, Lin continued, it would best be now. Unfurl the flags and shoot the foe. Lin understood that Milly wanted to stay clean. He implied that he’d do the job.
Milly said she’d think about it. She undertook a closer inspection of Lin. She asked the voice about him. The voice came back two days later, hoarse as ever, with the sound of rifle fire in the background, saying Lin checks out. “A lot of people in Hong Kong like him. He’s rolling in cash. His father has a finger in every pie on the mainland. Lin is genuinely employed by Litton Barr. A formidable firm, good solid executive team. Lin, bless his predictable Chinese mind, wants a get-rich-quick scheme, which will be our point of attack. We pretend to be his friend, then undermine him. Though we may stay friends for months, even years, before we make a move. You hear me, Milly?”
“I hear.”
“You be this man’s friend.”
A few days later, Lin told Milly again that Pam had to go. “There isn’t enough room in the north east. She’s digging into my profit.” He didn’t explain.
Milly asked the voice what Lin really wanted. The voice replied money, but they didn’t have to understand. Lin wanted something, they lent a hand. Next afternoon she gave Lin the go-ahead. “An accident,” said Milly. “Agreed?”
“A tragic accident,” Lin replied.
