Barbara Faith - Kiss of the dragon Read Online Free

end of the room there was a stairway.
    "The stairway leads to a lounge," Tiger said. "It's a pleasant place to watch television and have a drink when the weather is bad. The dining room is up there too, but if it's warm tonight we will eat outside on the aft deck. The sunsets in this part of the world are spectacular."
    Everything's spectacular, Bethany thought.
    "May I fix you a drink?" Chang asked.
    "No, thank you."
    "Then why don't we have coffee?" Tiger took Bethany's hand and led her to the sofa. "What do you think of my home?" he asked with a smile.
    "It's beautiful! How long have you lived here?"
    "For almost three years. I bought it at a very good price from one of my customers who was having a streak of bad luck. I didn't plan to live on it. Then when I did I thought it would be only for a month or two, until I sold it. Chang and Lee were on the boat when I bought it and I asked them to stay on." He smiled at Bethany. "They spoiled me. I found that this was a haven, far enough away from the club to give me a feeling of escape. I keep an apartment in Macao, but this as my home."
    "Do you take trips... cruises, I mean?"
    "Once in a while. The Dragon's a sixty-three-foot Hatteras, built to go anywhere, but so far I've only taken short cruises. Sometime I'd like to take a longer trip."
    Chang brought a silver tray and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. "I brought the Spanish brandy and some fruit that I thought Miss Adams might enjoy."
    "Thank you, Chang," Tiger said as the Chinese man bowed and left the salon. When they were alone he poured Bethany's coffee and turning to her said, "Now, why don't you tell me the real reason you came to Hong Kong?"
    Bethany's eyes widened. Tiger had taken her off guard and for a moment she was too surprised to answer. She studied Tiger over the rim of her coffee cup. She didn't know him very well, but there was something about him that inspired trust. Her father had told her to give the letter and the key to Bill Malone. Bill Malone was dead, but his son was alive.
    "My father wrote a letter to your father," she said at last. "That's why I came to Hong Kong. He wanted me to give the letter to him." She hesitated, then she opened her purse, took out the letter and handed it to Tiger.
    He held it for a moment, then slit the letter open with his thumbnail. When he saw the gold key his hand tightened around it and he shot a quick look at Bethany. "Would you like to read the letter, or shall I?"
    "You read it, please." Bethany's hands were shaking.
    Tiger nodded and began to read aloud:
    "Dear Bill,
    "It's been a long time. I've been meaning to write for a year but I kept waiting for things to get better. But things aren't getting better so before my time runs out I'd better tell you how it is.
    "I told you the last time I wrote that my flying school was doing real well. But a year ago a big outfit from Chicago came to town and damn near ruined me. I might have been able to hold out if it hadn't been for liability insurance. That broke my back, Bill, and I had to throw the towel in. Then six months ago , Mary Elizabeth had surgery and just as she started feeling better she had a stroke. She's in a nursing home now and the doctors say it's only a matter of time for her."
    Tiger glanced up at Bethany. "That's your mother?"
    She nodded, unable to speak as she clasped her hands together.
    Tiger covered her hands with one of his, then continued.
    "When things start going downhill they seem to pick up speed, old buddy. I started feeling like hell right about the time I found out about Mary Elizabeth. A couple of weeks ago the doc told me I had about three months left. That's why I'm writing this letter. I'm giving it to my daughter and I want her to take it to you.
    "Bethy's a real good girl, Bill. But her mother and I have overprotected her and I just don't know how she's going to do on her own. One thing for damn sure, she's going to be stone-cold broke. That's why I'm sending her to