Page 87 (2/2)

“Maybe,” Ho with nicotine, “and e between our office, Bashan’s problems, and the people”

If this were so, then Su had h the recoh political activities that helped maintain the status quo that junior officers earned proal, the purpose for which Hoh the outco the masses

“This invitation shows an open heart,” Hom remarked “Do you want to join us? It would make Officer Su happy”

She shook her head She walked doo steps, then turned back to Hoo”

“My subordinate invited me, Inspector”

Old custo manners reached deeply, even in the Public Security Bureau Of course he would go She waved again and continued down the stairs She went back to the hotel and asked the desk clerk to find a driver to take her to Site 518

While in town the dock’s concrete steps, which disappeared each day under the Yangzi’s swelling volume, seee The quiet banks were no longer a cradle against which the river eased on its incessant course to the sea The current had picked upthe watersas they frothed, billowed, chopped, and lurched The canyon resounded with the roar of gravel and boulders rolling against the riverbed, of trees grating and shredding, of waves sainst shoals, rocky shoulders, and massive abutments Hulan knew that up in the hills peasants still worked the terraces, clearing ays and opening irrigation channels Here the archaeologists toiled in pits barely protected fro tarps

Hulan walked to the cave shared by the five men from the municipal ether around their little table, wearing grubby undershirts, s tea The fifth hovered over a hotplate stirring congee

“You look like you just washed down fronized as the ive you warmth”

The other ave them a look that should have shriveled their balls to the size of peanuts, but the men were unrepentant

“Are you looking for your husband? We don’t have hiht, Mr Hu?”

Thethe dark recesses of the cave “No yang guizi here”

The five chortled, coughed, choked on their tea, spat on the ground They thought it was all very funny; she thought that in this one regard Ma had been right These men were vultures

“Do you knohen Dr Ma will return fro?” she inquired as pleasantly as possible

“No time soon,” Li answered “He said he went to buy back what Brian and Lily stole, but he’s probably down on Hollywood Road right now selling precious antiquities that should go to our museums He calls us vultures We say he is a shark!”