He hesitated. “In three days. To Hong Kong.”
“So soon? I was going to ask you a favor.”
“What favor?”
Sassoon’s shrewd eyes locked on him. “You know my hobby. The photos in my studio are a treasure to me. I developed them in the darkroom myself. In usual circumstances, I wouldn’t worry about leaving the city for a month, but with the Japanese and the talk of war, I fear the security won’t be as tight as it should be. So, Ernest, I was hoping you’d keep an eye on my collection for me.”
Her photos. Fury balled in his stomach. “You shouldn’t have taken them in the first place. You put all the women’s lives and their reputations at risk.”
“Do not judge me. I never thought of this day. This is my penthouse, my building, my Shanghai.”
Ernest wanted to smack him. If war broke out, no place would be safe. Even this penthouse.
“I have an obligation to keep these photos safe. When I return, I’d like to see them again. I could take them with me, but transferring all the albums to the plane will put them in the hands of crass movers. I’d rather not risk it.”
Ernest took a drag of his cigar. No matter how angry he was at Sassoon, he still cared for Aiyi and her reputation. “Even if I’d like to, I don’t know how to keep them safe, sir.”
Sassoon smiled, limped across the sitting area, and disappeared behind the cabinet with shelves of whiskey bottles. When he returned, he held out a key. “This is the key to my studio. Come to check the penthouse once in a while if you decide to stay in Shanghai. I’ll give you the permission to access the penthouse. You don’t need to open the studio unless it’s necessary. Make sure not a single photo is damaged. If one is damaged or missing, I’ll hold you responsible. Agree?”
Ernest stubbed the cigar in the ash tray and took the key. It was golden, cold, like a frozen fish. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best.”
“That’s good enough.” Sassoon picked up a decanter on the side table and poured some whiskey into two glasses. “I hear you were using the hotel’s phone to call Miss Shao.”
“There was a shooting incident in her club.”
“There was a shooting in Ciro’s too. Two men were shot by the Japanese. Unbelievable. I would never have imagined the Japanese attacking my property years ago. But the Japanese want control of the Settlement, and I fear there’s nothing we can do. Your photos are disturbing. My fellow businessmen have vowed to do all they can to protect the Settlement. Maybe it’s not too late. How’s she doing?” The Briton had the steady gaze he must have had when seated among the members of the Shanghai Club, though something in his sharp black eyes betrayed him for a fleeting moment.
The thought of telling Sassoon of their elopement crossed Ernest’s mind. “I don’t know.”
“I shall call her. Perhaps she would fly to New York with me.”
Ernest looked up. “She won’t do that.”
Sassoon handed him a glass of whiskey. “You seem to have strong feelings for her, Ernest. I’m not surprised. She’s an attractive woman. But I have a plan. A good plan.”
It was irritating to hear the confidence in the old man’s voice. Ernest drained the whiskey in one gulp. “God laughs when man plans, sir.”
43
AIYI
I felt sick on my bed. The bullet hadn’t penetrated me and barely touched my skin, but it seemed it had left a hole in my soul. In my twenty-one years of life, I had witnessed plenty of deaths, driven by the bloody execution stage, stepped over littered bodies, wept at the funerals of my parents and my brother, and heard stories of deaths at dinner. But I had never thought I would die.
I heard Ying’s voice, close by yet distant. He had saved me just before Yamazaki fired and brought me home. Ying was still talking about the shooting. He sounded proud, bragging about his skill, regretting that he’d only killed the soldier and missed Yamazaki.
So Yamazaki was still alive. Would he be enraged now, seeking revenge, or perhaps become more reasonable, letting Ernest and me go?
“Sassoon called. He said it was urgent. Since when did you become friends with that foreigner?” Ying said, opening my wardrobe, searching for cash, mumbling that he would pay me back once he won a poker game.
“Take my purse.” I buried my face in the soft silk quilt. Sassoon was the last thing on my mind. “Can you stay with me?” Never in my life had I been so frightened. My body ached, and I felt chilled.