The Risk Agent Read Free

the kidnappings. With so little to go on and so little time, that’s one area we intend to explore.”
    “There are many other avenues we’ll pursue,” Primer hastened to add. “But Lu Hao’s records are our best lead. Equally important, everything Rutherford Risk does in Shanghai has to be done virtually invisibly. So while we’re searching for Mr. Lu’s records, it can’t look like we’re involved. For one thing, it would put the hostages at added risk. The kidnappers’ demand is for no police, and that includes us. For another, we can’t legally operate in China. The Chinese authorities have not been notified of the kidnapping, as you know.”
    Marquardt nodded. “I understand and agree.”
    “What we need,” said Primer, “is someone level-headed and preferably Chinese to act as our Berthold Group contact and lead this search.” He paused.
    “We have someone in mind,” Dulwich said.
    Marquardt looked anxiously between the two.
    “This person,” Primer said, “happens to be the one who recommended Mr. Lu Hao’s services to your company in the first place. Which means she has a personal connection to Mr. Lu. You need to know that, to approve that, going in. It’s not SOP for us, but China presents us with…unusual difficulties and restrictions.”
    “You’re forbidden from doing business there. Yes. I’m well aware of that,” Marquardt said.
    “Of having any professional presence whatsoever within the PRC,” Dulwich said. People’s Republic of China.
    “David will put together a freelance team—people not on any security company payrolls, including our own—to try to find Mr. Lu’s accounts, and to perform the ransom drop and/or extraction. You need not know, and should not know, the details. It’s imperative that you trust us and, more than anything, that you cooperate fully with us.”
    “Of course.”
    “With the help of your HR division, David is prepared to put our person in position today. You may communicate with her as you wish, but only where and when she determines it appropriate.”
    “I understand. Who is she?”
    “Grace Chu. She’s a Chinese national. Convenient for our purposes. She took her undergraduate in Shanghai, a master’s in economics at Berkeley and another in criminology at UC Irvine. She works here in Hong Kong as a forensic accountant. Technically, as far as the Chinese are concerned, she is a private contractor, not our employee, and untraceable to us. But she’s one of the best forensic accountants we’ve worked with. You will meet her in a moment.”
    Primer gestured to Dulwich, who left the room. Little was done by telephone inside Rutherford Risk—interoffice communication was accomplished through runners.
    “We have never officially signed an employment agreement with Ms. Chu,” Primer continued, “nor has she ever been on our payroll. Ms. Chu can enter China as a recent hire of The Berthold Group with no one the wiser. She can lead the search for Mr. Lu’s records, as well as aid your accounting department as necessary. She can also make adjustments to correct ‘discrepancies’ in your public accounts. She’ll know what to do with Mr. Lu’s books as well, when they’re found.”
    “You sound so…confident,” Marquardt said.
    “David should have a second person on the ground in Shanghai by tomorrow. Ms. Chu will be in place by this evening. Noon tomorrow, at the latest.”
    “The sooner, the better,” said Marquardt. “After all, we only have until—”
    “The first of the month,” came a woman’s melodic voice.
    Grace Chu entered the room with Dulwich, who closed the door. Her gray, tailored business suit complimented a figure that for most Westerners needed some help up top. Marquardt rose and the two shook hands. She took a chair immediately to Primer’s left.
    “Honestly,” she said, “I would have thought the eighth. We Chinese believe in the power of numerology. Eight is good yunqi—good luck.”
    She had a wide