Page 92 of Behind Frenemy Lines

He blew a stream of smoke in my face.

I didn’t react. Sort of stupid thing they used to do at school. Showing you what they thought of you.

Shaw: “Funny how things work. My dad’s so strict, always keeps to the straight and narrow. You want to ask him to bribe somebody, forget about it. Even if it’s something small, to avoid a saman or what. And he got a son like me. Meanwhile, your dad’s a wide boy, and he gets you.” He snorted. “But oppositesattract, right? I think you and me could be good friends. We could help each other. Like my dad helped your dad when he got in trouble. Remember that?”

Wasn’t sure why he was asking. Shaw used to bring it up whenever he spoke to me at school—which, to be fair, hadn’t been that often.

Remembered, suddenly, how much I’d dreaded running into him, when it was all going down with Ba. Lived in terror of Shaw telling everyone Ba was a criminal, giving them yet another reason to despise me, on top of me being small, swotty, weird, and foreign.

Shaw never did tell anyone, so far as I knew. But he’d held that secret over me until we left school.

Hadn’t thought about that in years. To be fair, there had been so much going on in those days, it was hardly surprising if I’d forgotten one of the many things that used to upset and terrify me then.

CG: “I remember. It was good of your dad.”

Shaw: “We got in touch with your dad, you know. He’s not doing so well, is he? He told us about this latest business venture of his. It’s hard on a man at his stage in life, a failure like that. He was very happy when we offered him the job.”

CG: “What job?”

Shaw: “We haven’t decided on the title yet, but we’ll figure something out. It won’t come with too much responsibility, don’t worry. Your dad will want to take it easy, at his age. But we’ll make sure it’s a good package. He’ll be able to put the kids through uni, take his pension when he retires. Won’t have to worry about the future.”

He surveyed me, smiling faintly. “You can’t keep him going forever. You’ve got your own life to worry about. You’ll want to get married, have a family, buy a house. How are you going to do that if you’re throwing all your money at your dad’s debts?”

CG: “Who told you my dad’s in debt?”

Shaw: “He did. You know, Charlie, we’re not that different, at the end of the day. We’re Chinese, we know family is the most important thing. And we both take our jobs seriously, yeah? My job is to make my boss’s life easy. This Helen Daley, she’s making it complicated.”

He shook his head. “I’ll tell you something, between friends. It wasn’t easy, getting lawyers on board. We approached another firm at first, but they passed. That’s not the kind of thing my boss expects. He expects the best, and he’s not used to being told no. I’ve put my name on the line for Swithin Watkins. I told him, this is the right firm for us. I’m keen for us to have a good relationship. You want that too, right?”

CG: “We hope to maintain good relationships with all our clients.”

Shaw grabbed my shoulder, shaking it gently, then let it go. “That’s right. If this Daley woman comes to you with her allegations, you’ll know what to do, yeah? And if anybody else brings anything to your attention, you let us know. There’s a lot of troublemakers out there—so-called whistleblowers, activists, all these busybodies. But you don’t worry about them. Remember who pays the bills, and we’ll be able to work together. All right?”

CG: “Was there anything else? I’ve got a meeting I need to get back for.”

Shaw pushed off the wall. “I’ll walk with you. I’m headed that way anyway.”

Didn’t feel I could refuse his company.

As we were approaching the entrance to the firm, Shaw said: “I’m sure you’ve been to Tuscany.”

CG: “No.”

Bone of contention with both Loretta and Farah, that I never go on holiday. Don’t see the point, unless I’m going to see Ma.

Need to do that some time. Haven’t been back to HongKong in a while. Maybe after I’ve paid off Ba’s debt and built my savings back up.

Maybe if Kriya ends up there…? But she would have said if she wanted to see me in Hong Kong, wouldn’t she? She knows I’ve got family out there.

Shaw: “I’ve got a villa outside Siena. Two pools, stunning views. I’m not there much, so my friends are always welcome to use it. You should go some time.”

Made the noise I make when Farah or Loretta suggests I take some of the ten weeks’ worth of annual leave I’ve accrued. It sounds a bit like “yes,” but means “no.”

Shaw: “You could bring Kriya. Better not to have her on our case, but that’s business. It doesn’t need to interfere with pleasure.”

CG: “I’m sorry?”

Shaw: “You’re sleeping with her, no? Come on, Charlie, do you think I’m stupid or what? Why else would you be getting out of an Uber with her on a Monday morning?”

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