Chapter One: A Gathering of Friends
The lobby of the Peninsula Hotel on Hong Kong Island had the aspect of a cathedral with its high arched ceiling adorned with gilded Rococo flowers and elegant natural designs. To that iconic hall of commerce and industry came the elite of the world, for it was a hub of activity on the island, with the cream of the oriental world journeying to the “finest hotel East of Suez” to meet and greet their peers in the arts, sciences, and government.
The hotel first welcomed the public on December 11, 1928, but it had been taken over by British troops rushed to Hong Kong for possible military action against the Kuomintang. With its structural work complete, it was an ideal location for a temporary barracks for the next fourteen months.
The armed troops were long gone, replaced by the upper crust guests, but there was a subtle scent of fear in the air. The bombing of Shanghai by the Japanese caused an influx of over six hundred thousand refugees in the streets of the Crown Colony. All of the refugees and the locals were now uncertain of the future and fearful of the past.
It was with that background that the members of the Gordon Archeological Expedition met in the lobby of ‘The Pen.”
“You are looking most lovely, Miss Gordon,” Professor Ishi Yamashita said.
“You are a charmer as usual, Professor,” said the pretty red head woman accepting his deep bow of hello. The professor was a slight Japanese with the white hair of age but the vitality of youth. He inclined his head in a slight bow and extended his hand to the red head’s father in a very western shake.
“He’s a baron, Nyoka,” Henry Gordon said as he accepted the handshake with gusto. “He has hereditary charm in every blood vessel of his body.” The balding Englishman smiled warmly as he and his professional correspondent of many years enjoyed the moment.
“And very good to see you again, Doctor Gordon,” the Japanese said in a restrained tone.
The two men of science were of a kind, academics in well-tailored suits, an air of nobility both by blood and manner in which they lived their lives. Each had admired the other’s work from a distance for years and had met first on the expedition to the fabled ruins of Angkor Wat the previous season.
“I see ve are a bit late for the reunion,” said Doctor Gunter Von Schultz as he entered the lobby. He was a tall, athletic, and Nordic in the extreme with a perpetual smirk on his face. His features were cruelly handsome and his hair cut short into little more than a ghost of white-blonde hair.
“On the contrary, Herr Doctor Von Schultz,” the Japanese said, “we were a few moments early. You are, as usual, precisely on time.”
“Only because I nag my brother,” the beautiful woman at the German’s side said. She was sharp featured like he was but with a hint of playfulness in her cat-like green eyes. “Otherwise he would never take his face out of his stuffy books and be social at all.”
“I think Chan is the one who is lost in his books,” Doctor Gordon said. He checked his pocket watch, snapped the lid closed, and made a clucking noise. “I know he will not miss our last night in Hong Kong so I think we had better go into the restaurant and keep our reservation. He can join us there.”
The others agreed and the little group went across the lobby to the restaurant beyond the bank of elevators. They were an odd group but as such were a microcosm of the Crown Colony, individuals from many countries meeting for commerce and communication.
The restaurant was as elegant as the rest of the hotel. Few others were in the dining room at the hour the five entered. The Chinese maitre de conducted the group to a table by the broad windows that allowed them to look out onto Salisbury and Nathan Roads and Kowloon Park beyond.
“I think we should at least wait to order dinner until Chan joins us,” Doctor Gordon said when they were seated. “We can all have toast at his expense before he comes.”
“A toast is always an excellent idea,” Gunter said as he waved a waiter over.
“Brother!” Lila said, “You will make me a liar about you being unsocial.” She smiled at the group and playfully punched her sibling on the arm.
“Youth is wasted on the young,” Doctor Gordon said as he accepted a glass of champagne the waiter poured for him.
“Father,” Nyoka said, “Be careful—don’t use up your daily allotment of alcohol before the meal gets here.”
“I will be a good boy, dear,” he said, “and save my real drinking to thank Chan for his hospitality here in Hong Kong.”
“I’m afraid you may not get to have that drink, Doctor Gordon.” A new voice drew the attention of the group at the table.
The speaker had an American accent and was a tall man, dressed impeccably in a charcoal grey suit. His features were handsome in a movie star way with piercing grey eyes and sharp cheekbones. His skin, in apparent opposition to his athletic physique, was an ashen grey that should have marked him as unhealthy but was the result of herbal baths that had restored his health when he had been paralyzed years before. “I think you will all not feel very much like celebrating when you’ve heard what I have to say.”
“I beg your pardon,” Gunter asked. “Do you have something to say to us?” He looked the individual up and down with a cold eye.
“I am afraid I have very bad news for you all.” The new arrival said. “May I sit?”
“I think we need to know who is so abrasively inserting himself into our gathering,” Professor Yamashita said. He drew himself up to his full-seated height and spoke with the full weight of a hundred generations of nobility behind his indignation.
“My apologies for the abruptness,” the intruder said, his voice deep and resonant as one who was used to speaking to groups. “I am Anton Chadeaux, Ph.D.”
“The one the papers call Doctor Shadows?” Nyoka said with a bit of awe in her voice.
He nodded. “I had some time here on- uh- business and have been consulting to the Hong Kong Police for the International Criminal Police Organization.”
The grey figure sat unbidden in the empty chair that had been left for the group’s absent colleague. “I have some questions for all of you,” the American said. “In that professional capacity.”
“I say,” Doctor Gordon exclaimed, “you are a brash fellow.”
“A natural consequence of my job, I’m afraid.”
“And just what is your job?” said Gunter Von Schultz. He leaned forward, his nostrils flaring and his eyes narrowing in challenge.
“I thought I had stated that. I work with the police and I need to ask you all some very important questions. I promise I shall not take up too much of your time.”
“Let the tall gentleman speak, Gunter,” the blonde haired woman said. Her voice was a purr and she licked her lips seductively. “He certainly seems determined to bend our ears whether we want it or not.”
“It is just rude,” Nyoka said with finality.
“Another reality of the job,” Dr. Shadows said. “I find I am positively coming to embrace being a social pariah.” He smiled at Lila. “Lovely perfume. Jasmine?”
“Well, get on with it, young man,” Doctor Gordon said. “What do you want to ask us? We do have plans, you know.”
“Right to it then,” Dr. Shadows said. “First to confirm some facts. All of you went to the Cambodian ruins together?”
“I was not with my brother,” Lila said. She sipped at a glass of wine, somehow managing to make the act a challenge as well, but not as aggressive like her brother’s. “I was home in Berlin. I met him there when he returned home briefly and decided to come out here with him for the trip to exhibit the findings in San Francisco.”
“San Francisco?” the Dr. Shadows asked.
“I have been able arrange to show some of our findings at an exhibition,” Doctor Gordon said. “Unfortunately, science is not enough a reason for people to contribute to archeology. Knowledge alone is not the draw for backers. They all hope for treasure. And the type of work we do does require a great deal of funding. Publicity such as this exhibition
will provide is what can raise that funding.”
“Why is this exhibit newsworthy?” the American asked.
“The Eye of Darkness!” Professor Yamashita said.
“Excuse me?” the Dr. Shadows asked. “What is that?”
“It is a find with the potential of the King Tut discoveries,” Doctor Gordon said. “A new temple complex outside the developed digs at Angkor Wat, rich with artifacts of the ancient and mysterious Khmer people. The name is derived from a local legend of a goddess who was able to see into the darkness of any man’s soul and always find the truth.”
“We know so little about them and their gods and goddesses except by word of mouth legends; so little actual physical evidence.” The Japanese nobleman continued, “We have found many tantalizing clues, but we must raise money to mount a detailed and elaborate dig.”
“That is why ve all returned here,” Gunter said, “so that we could all sail to America together. There is still a great deal to be done on the dig site and we hope to find enough financing before the next season.”
“I will go with my brother, if that is the case,” Lila said. “I think it will be exciting to see ancient secrets revealing themselves from the dust and dirt.”
“What’s so exciting about working in that sweatbox?” A new harsh voice drew the eyes of those at the table.
“Carson!” Doctor Gordon said. The man who stepped up to the table was a rough sort with a cauliflower left ear and the stubble of a red beard. His gabardine suit was wrinkled and his hands were clearly those of a man who did rough work with them. “What do you want?”
“My share,” the rough man said. “Just fair dinkum is all.”
“You were paid for your work,” Gunter said, “and paid well.”
“It was me that done most of the hard work. I should be getting more of the swag.”
“You were hired to lead us to the site and supervise the workers and were caught concealing and attempting to sell some of the artifacts,” Yamashita said. “You are not a scientist and did nothing to facilitate any discoveries. And your drunken behavior was a great embarrassment to us all.”
“Embarrassment?” the rumpled man said with a shrill tone. “You self righteous slant eyed Toff!” He tottered forward toward the older man, but Dr. Shadows sprang up to block his path.
“You need to leave now,” Dr. Shadows said. His features took on the aspect of a stone-carved figure and he seemed to ripple beneath his perfectly tailored suit. In that moment those at the table saw why the tabloids had also christened him ‘The Granite Man. “Leaving would be the smart thing to do.” Shadows concluded.
“Who the bloody hell do you think you are, yank?” The red headed pug took a left-handed swing at the granite man who deftly ducked aside and caught the man’s arm to lock it behind him. By this time the uniformed security guard from the hotel had entered the room.
“He needs to leave the hotel, officer,” the American said, “but I don’t think he needs to go to jail.” He whispered to the angry man, “Does he?”
“I’ll leave,” Carson hissed, “but you ain’t seen the last of me.”
While he was escorted away Professor Yamashita addressed Dr. Shadows. “I state again, sir, why have you accosted us with these questions?”
“I am sorry to say I must inform you that Lee Liu Chan is dead.”
There was general disbelief around the table and the Japanese Baron rose to face the American. “What do you have to substantiate this outrageous statement?”
The tall American produced identification and said, “You may call police headquarters in the New Kowloon district if you wish. I went to the home of Professor Lee to visit him and discovered the police presence. When I saw this meeting marked on his calendar, I asked to be the one to make the notification. I sniffed around the crime scene as long as I could but finally came here. Believe me, it was not my wish to deliver such news.”
“But how did he die?” Nyoka asked. Her voice was shaking and her father placed a hand on hers.
“He fell or was pushed from his terrace, as far as we can determine so far. The fall appeared to have caused his death. A full autopsy will be conducted later tonight.”
“Or was pushed?” Gunter asked. “Are you suggesting there was foul play involved?”
“It is under investigation,” the American said.
“By your presence here you imply we are involved in some way,” Professor Yamashita said. “Is this not so?”
“It is too early in the investigation to rule anything out,” Dr. Shadows said. His expression was stony and it was once again easy to see how he had gotten his sobriquet.
“Why are you here?” said Nyoka, her voice stronger now that the reality of her friend’s death was sinking in. “You are not a Hong Kong policeman?”
“No, I asked the detective inspector in charge to allow me to conduct these interviews as a favor. I was a friend of Chan’s. I met him several years ago when I was living in the New Territories studying with a mutual friend, Master Lee.”
“What is the purpose of these ‘interviews?’?” The Japanese nobleman’s expression became angular and his tone was cold bordering on angry.
“To ask those who knew him well if anyone might have a grudge or cause to bring him harm. Or if you knew anything of value he might have had in his possession someone would have cause to steal?”
“The Medallion!” Nyoka gasped.
“That’s ridiculous,” Gunter said. “It has cultural significance, but no commercial value.”
“What is this medallion?” Dr. Shadows asked.
“An artifact that was recovered at the Eye of Darkness,” Doctor Gordon said. “One of five that were located grouped around the statue of a one-eyed female deity. They were of the most unusual type and quite unique.”
“Where are the other four?”
“We each took one,” Gordon said. “Myself, Ishi, Gunter, and Lee Liu Chan.”
“That makes four,” the American said, “or are my math skills slipping?”
The Englishman looked uncomfortable and chagrined. “One was stolen before we left the dig. We suspected and accused Carson. He denied it, but he was caught with other artifacts. We chose not to press charges as the adverse publicity could affect future financing.”
“So much of this archeology thing seems to be about money, Professor,” Dr. Shadows said. “Seems like a lot of motive.”
“But the medallions have no value in and of themselves,” Nyoka said. “True they are unique and for that are rare but to think that his medallion is worth Chan’s life…”
“You would be appalled at what little reason some people need to kill, Miss Gordon,” the granite man said. “But that is all you can think of value he might have had?”
“Wasn’t it at his residence?” Professor Yamashita asked.
“Not that I recall seeing anywhere,” Dr. Shadows said. “We spoke to his housekeeper and she seemed to think nothing was taken, but she might have missed something that small. I will put in a call to Detective Inspector Whorl and see if the evidence logs show such a medallion.”
“This is pointless,” Gunter said rising from the table. “Come, Lila. I do not propose to spend our last night in Hong Kong listening to this prattle.”
“Will there be a service for Chan?” Gunter asked.
“Yes, nine in the morning at his home.”
The German gave a formal bow to the others at the table. “Good evening, my friends, I shall see you at our colleague’s home in the morning.”
He took his sister’s hand and the two of them went off through the restaurant.
“I believe that is an excellent idea,” Professor Yamashita said when the siblings had left. “This has no value. We know nothing about the death of the esteemed Professor Lee. Until the morning, good evening Doctor, Miss Gordon.” He pointedly said nothing to the American before he turned and headed for the exit.
“I really don’t seem to be a very popular fellow, do I?
” Dr. Shadows said. He smiled with a tight-lipped expression. “Or was it something I said?”