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“No, sa corrected himself

“A current?”

“Waves of a current, exactly Chuan It is the character for river”

“No, it isn’t,” Hulan objected “The strokes should be straighter”

Fong poked an elbow into David’s side “As a child, our inspector spent too many years abroad This is why she knows only the polite customs of our country She asks you to dinner, she puts you in the seat of honor at the north side of the table But you ask her about our culture and she is as stupid as a water buffalo I can say this because I’ve known the inspector for many years”

Hulan gave the pathologist a disapproving grimace

“Three lines all waving in a current,” Fong continued, giving an indebted nod to David “This is the ancient character for river We are in the province of four rivers, no? Sichuan means ‘Four Rivers’”

“Thank you for the education, Pathologist Fong,” Hulan said tartly “I shall report your helpful attitude to the vice minister”

“Hao, hao, good, good,” Fong replied, absolutely unabashed “Because this is not the only ner, the one named Brian McCarthy, had this same chuan”

“Are you sure? His face was a mess, and you said yourself that his flesh was torn on river rocks”

Hulan usually did such a good job of hiding her feelings fro chinks in her wall Once again, David felt deep pain—for hiedies that had brought them to this room

“Yes, I have spentcontinued in theat the wounds you speak of for research before he goes back to his hoht, Who would knohat I do to his body now? It is good for our country to study the effects of the river, and here is an opportunity to study them Perhaps I rite a paper and send it abroad”

“You’re telling me that you know for certain that Brian McCarthy was killed by the same person who killed Lily Sinclair?” Hulan queried “You have hard proof?”

“Hard proof? Ha! How can I possibly have that after the journey he took? I only know that when he was branded the burning went past his flesh and into the bone, and that this woman here has the same brand on her forehead It’s up to you, Inspector, to deterether and looked about “Investigator Lo proiven a tour of the Three Gorges I have alanted to see our special heritage”

BEFORE THEY LEFT, FONG GAVE HULAN A MANILA ENVELOPE, which she took without opening Then, while David dropped his satchel in their roo and Ge Fei, the policeated the eiven her their notes and a synopsis of what they’d ascertained