analysis from accredited universities and scientists.”
“He also told you about dinosaurs on the goddamn place—did he show you proof of them?
Without hesitation, Bai said, “Yes.”
“Be that as it may,” Zhou Zhi said snidely. “All of us must answer to United Bamboo when they ask questions, even Madame White Snake.”
“I answered everyone’s questions over two years ago,” Bai Suzhen retorted, sweeping the three people with a challenging stare. “The notion of owning a piece of a luxury resort and spa on a private island awakened a kind of greed in you that surprised even me. You didn’t care whether the spa delivered what it promised. When you were offered the chance to exploit it in return for start-up capital, none of you hesitated. Particularly you, Zhou Zhi. You wanted to be the first to take the mud bath and put the stick back in your old carrot.”
Zhou Zhi fidgeted, averting his gaze. Bai repressed a smile at even so small a victory.
“Our plans were not realized,” she continued. “The death of the other investors, the legal and political fallout that resulted, the civil lawsuits, the manner in which Flitcroft kept the undertaking a secret…all of that contributed to, in corporate jargon, ‘a lack of alignment.’ ”
Brusquely, Zhou Zhi said, “You’re wrong.”
Bai lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “No one is to blame.”
“Kavanaugh is to blame,” Cao said. “He escorted the investors into the place without proper security. They all died.”
“He nearly did, too,” Bai countered. “It’s a waste of time to go over this again. If you want to sell off our remaining assets of Cryptozoica Enterprises, you don’t need me as your go-between.”
“Yes, we do,” said Lady Hu. “You are the senior shareholder.”
“Flitcroft is the senior shareholder,” Bai Suzhen replied.
“He controls all of the intellectual property and ancillary rights,” the old woman said. “The tangible assets are ours. You will sell them and divide up the proceeds to reduce the White Snake triad’s debt.”
Bai Suzhen did not even try to repress her outrage. “Reduce the debt? It was a risky venture. All of you knew that. Now you react like members of an investment club from Fresno when you didn’t get the big payday you were hoping for?”
“We were not playing the stock market,” Zhou Zhi growled. “This was a loan to build a business. The business did not materialize but the debt remains…with accrued interest.”
Struggling to tamp down her rising fury, Bai demanded, “How much interest are you talking about?”
Jimmy Cao smirked around the cigarette in his mouth. “We haven’t decided yet. But you could start paying it down right now, babe.”
He touched his fly suggestively.
Zhou Zhi chuckled. “I like that idea. You’re older than my usual masseuses, but you could probably be trained.”
Grunting, he pulled off his sock, exposing a tiny foot. The arch was crisscrossed with a livid blue and red network of blood vessels broken by trying to support his ponderous weight. The nails on the nubbins of his toes were thick and brown. Bai was put in mind of a pig’s hoof. The disgust surging within her did not show on her face.
Grinning, Zhou Zhi said, “I suffer from certain decrepitudes, from bad feet to other parts of my body that don’t work as well as they used to. You could help me with that and I could help you with your money problems. It’s only fair.”
Bai Suzhen glanced from the leering face of Zhi to the grin creasing Jimmy Cao’s lips. The cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. Lady Hu’s expression was impassive, all emotions locked away behind a seamed and wrinkled mask.
With a sigh, Bai Suzhen ran a hand over her forehead and whispered, “All right, Jimmy.”
Leaning toward him, she plucked the cigarette from between Cao’s lips and shoved the red, glowing tip up the man’s left nostril.
He howled, clawing at his face, falling over
“He also told you about dinosaurs on the goddamn place—did he show you proof of them?
Without hesitation, Bai said, “Yes.”
“Be that as it may,” Zhou Zhi said snidely. “All of us must answer to United Bamboo when they ask questions, even Madame White Snake.”
“I answered everyone’s questions over two years ago,” Bai Suzhen retorted, sweeping the three people with a challenging stare. “The notion of owning a piece of a luxury resort and spa on a private island awakened a kind of greed in you that surprised even me. You didn’t care whether the spa delivered what it promised. When you were offered the chance to exploit it in return for start-up capital, none of you hesitated. Particularly you, Zhou Zhi. You wanted to be the first to take the mud bath and put the stick back in your old carrot.”
Zhou Zhi fidgeted, averting his gaze. Bai repressed a smile at even so small a victory.
“Our plans were not realized,” she continued. “The death of the other investors, the legal and political fallout that resulted, the civil lawsuits, the manner in which Flitcroft kept the undertaking a secret…all of that contributed to, in corporate jargon, ‘a lack of alignment.’ ”
Brusquely, Zhou Zhi said, “You’re wrong.”
Bai lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “No one is to blame.”
“Kavanaugh is to blame,” Cao said. “He escorted the investors into the place without proper security. They all died.”
“He nearly did, too,” Bai countered. “It’s a waste of time to go over this again. If you want to sell off our remaining assets of Cryptozoica Enterprises, you don’t need me as your go-between.”
“Yes, we do,” said Lady Hu. “You are the senior shareholder.”
“Flitcroft is the senior shareholder,” Bai Suzhen replied.
“He controls all of the intellectual property and ancillary rights,” the old woman said. “The tangible assets are ours. You will sell them and divide up the proceeds to reduce the White Snake triad’s debt.”
Bai Suzhen did not even try to repress her outrage. “Reduce the debt? It was a risky venture. All of you knew that. Now you react like members of an investment club from Fresno when you didn’t get the big payday you were hoping for?”
“We were not playing the stock market,” Zhou Zhi growled. “This was a loan to build a business. The business did not materialize but the debt remains…with accrued interest.”
Struggling to tamp down her rising fury, Bai demanded, “How much interest are you talking about?”
Jimmy Cao smirked around the cigarette in his mouth. “We haven’t decided yet. But you could start paying it down right now, babe.”
He touched his fly suggestively.
Zhou Zhi chuckled. “I like that idea. You’re older than my usual masseuses, but you could probably be trained.”
Grunting, he pulled off his sock, exposing a tiny foot. The arch was crisscrossed with a livid blue and red network of blood vessels broken by trying to support his ponderous weight. The nails on the nubbins of his toes were thick and brown. Bai was put in mind of a pig’s hoof. The disgust surging within her did not show on her face.
Grinning, Zhou Zhi said, “I suffer from certain decrepitudes, from bad feet to other parts of my body that don’t work as well as they used to. You could help me with that and I could help you with your money problems. It’s only fair.”
Bai Suzhen glanced from the leering face of Zhi to the grin creasing Jimmy Cao’s lips. The cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. Lady Hu’s expression was impassive, all emotions locked away behind a seamed and wrinkled mask.
With a sigh, Bai Suzhen ran a hand over her forehead and whispered, “All right, Jimmy.”
Leaning toward him, she plucked the cigarette from between Cao’s lips and shoved the red, glowing tip up the man’s left nostril.
He howled, clawing at his face, falling over
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