The Project 01 - White Jade

"
    He parked on the grave l in front of the house. When he shut down, the only sounds were the river going past below and a dog barking in the distance.
    Selena walked onto the porch, took out her keys and opened the door. She disappeared inside for a moment and reappeared.
    " I thought I might as well turn everything on. We ' ve got lights and power. Nothing in the fridge, but there ' s canned food and spaghetti, and wine if we get thirsty. The well ' s good, so we ' ve got water too. "
    She came off the porch and stood by the corner of the cart . She rested her hand on the rusty edge.
    " I used to put thi ngs right here, under the rocks. I n a metal lunch box. It might even still be here. "
    The cart was deep. Carter took off his jacket . He started lifting out rocks and stacking them on the ground. He got to the bottom without finding anything.
    " Nothing here. "
    " Try another corner. "
    He dug out some more rocks. Nothing. He started emptying the cart in earnest . A glint of plastic caught the afternoon light . He pulled out two more rocks and a rectangular package and held it up in the air.
    " No lunch box . I think we just found what we came for. "
    " Let ' s go inside. "
    Carter put his jacket back on and they went into the house. On her way in, Selena plucked a blood red flower from the bushes. She set it on the table in a bowl of water.

Chapter Twelve

    Choy was in a bad mood. The Mercedes was old, the motor pool mechanic slow . When the car was ready, one of his men rushed to the toilet complaining about food from the night before. The passenger seat would not move all the way back. Choy crammed in as best he could, knees up against the dash, his head touching the roof of the car.
    The men in the car sensed his mood and kept quiet. The driver was named Li . E veryone called him " noodles " because of his long, thin looks. He clenched the wheel, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar exit signs and heavy freeway traffic. Twice he made a wrong turn and had to backtrack for miles before they could continue.
    The second man, Chung, squirmed in the back seat, trying to control his uncooperative intestines. They stopped twice more so he could relieve himself, using up more time. But for the last two hours there had been no more delays . Now they were past Marysville, heading for the house marked on Choy ' s directions. Li kept to the speed limit, watching for the Highway Patrol.
    Choy hoped they would find the book quickly so he could get back to the Consulate. There was a woman who worked there, cleaning halls and meeting areas. He would make her pay another visit to his bed. She had been satisfying, if uncooperative at first. He was sure she secretly wanted what he had done to her. When they got back he would bring her to his room. Choy settled into the uncomfortable seat, his mood improving as he thought about her.
    They swept across a long, curving bridge over a river. The highway narrowed and began to wind about.
    Choy peered out the window. " Slow down, we should be getting close. "
    " There ' s a truck behind me. "
    " Never mind him. The place should be up here somewhere on the left. "
    Li looked in his rear view mirror and began to slow. Choy wasn ' t sure where they had to turn.
    " Look for a bridge, " he said. " There should be a bridge on the left. "
    " There it is! " said Chung. Just then the truck following behind blasted his horn and the Mercedes shot forward as Li floored the gas pedal. They missed the turn.
    " Fool! That was it. "
    " Yes, Sergeant. "
    " Keep going until we get rid of this dung behind us and turn around. "
    Soon they saw a marker pointing to the town of Smartsville .
    " Take that road. "
    They pulled off the highway toward the town. As the truck roared by the driver stuck his arm out the window and lifted his finger in salute.
    Choy controlled his rage. " Fucking Americans," he said. " Turn around. "
    Back on the highway, Li drove slowly until they came to the turnoff. He pulled in and stopped.
    " Why are you stopping? "
    " The bridge, Sergeant. It doesn ' t look safe. "
    " Just drive over it. It has to be strong enough. There ' s a house back there. "
    The car crept over the bridge and onto the road. They crested the rise and saw the house below. Parked in front was a silver pickup .
    " Pull over behind those rocks , " Choy said.
    " Do you think they saw us? "
    " I don ' t know. Maybe the woman is there. That would be good. Out here no one will notice if we have to question her.