The Scottish Banker of Surabaya - By Ian Hamilton Page 0,113
the same, flipping this and that? That’s not where my interest lies. I want to build something more permanent, or at least I want to be part of something permanent. That takes working capital and patience and contacts and smarts. And May Ling has all those things.”
“She also has a husband as a partner.”
“That’s the thing,” Amanda said as the wagyu beef puffs arrived. “She keeps telling me she wants to do something separate from him, something for just us girls.”
“Just us girls?”
“Me, you, and her, with the idea of bringing more women on board.”
“She’s never discussed anything like that with me,” Ava said. She bit into the puff, the black-pepper sauce exploding in her mouth, the meat so tender it almost melted on her tongue.
Amanda ignored the food, her chopsticks waving in the air as she became more excited. “And with me she’s been vague about the details, just saying that she wants us to be in business together. When I pressed her for information, she sidestepped the questions, saying she wanted to make sure you were on board first. I just assumed she’d talked to you about it — whatever it is.”
“No, nothing.”
“That’s strange.”
“Not really. I’ve been evasive from my end. Maybe she wanted to wait until she knew she had my attention.”
“Will she get it?”
“Yes, soon enough, I think. I’m beginning to sort things out.”
Amanda reached for the last puff. “Ava, if you go into business with May Ling, I’m going to leave my father’s firm and join you.”
“You’d better not make that commitment until you know what sort of business she has in mind.”
“No, it doesn’t matter. The most important thing for me is the people I’m in business with. Everything else will sort itself out.”
Ava sat back and stared at her. “How can someone so young be so wise?” she asked.
Amanda waved off the compliment, but a smile played at her lips and a slight flush had crept into her cheeks. Then she said, “Ava, do you mind if we change the subject now?”
“What do you mean?” Ava asked, surprised.
“The wedding. We need to talk a bit about the wedding.”
“Of course we do,” Ava said, just as her cellphone rang. It was her mother. Almost without thinking she answered. “Hello, Mummy.”
“Ava, is everything all right?”
Ava could hear voices in the background and the fearsome click of mah-jong tiles. “Yes, I’m fine, but why are you calling me from a mah-jong game?”
“Theresa Ng just phoned. I should say, just phoned again — it’s almost harassment at this point. She says all those Vietnamese people you spoke to are calling her every day to find out what’s going on. At least, that’s the excuse she uses to justify her calls.”
“I told them when I met with them that I don’t give progress reports.”
“I know that, and Theresa is always apologetic about asking for one, but then her apology turns into fifteen demanding questions that I can’t answer. I have to tell you, I’m sorry I ever asked you to get involved in this.”
“It’s a bit late for that.”
“What can I tell her?” Jennie asked, ignoring the mild reprimand.
“Do you mean what can I tell you so she’ll get off your back?”
“You don’t have to put it in such a mean way.”
“I don’t know how else to put it.”
“Look, I’m sorry I asked, but please be a bit more understanding about what it’s like from my side.”
“God.”
“Please.”
“Okay, you can tell her this. I found Lam in Ho Chi Minh City and I’m currently in Hong Kong working on another lead. I expect to have some hard information by the end of the week.”
“She’ll ask me what you mean by hard information.”
“I’ll know by the end of the week whether or not they will get some money back.”
“What chance is there that you will be successful?”
“Ten percent.”
Ava heard her mother sigh and knew she didn’t like that number. “Maybe I’ll skip that part.”
“It’s your choice. But, Mummy, either way, tell Theresa not to call you anymore, because you won’t have anything else to tell her, because I’m not going to tell you any more until this job is finished.”
“I understand, Ava.”
“I’m sorry if it sounds rude.”
“No, don’t be. I know your job is stressful and I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Thank you.”
“Sweetheart, is everything else okay? I have to say I was worried when I got that email from Indonesia.”
“Yes, Mummy, everything is just fine. I’m sitting in the Mandarin having dim sum with Amanda. We’re just about to talk