Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Vol. 46, No. 11, November 1982

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Madame Chen,” Lee said, continuing in Cantonese. “I am Lee Chau from New York and your show is the reason for my visit to your beautiful city.”

“I will look forward to seeing you,” she said. “You have the accent of Northern China.”

He nodded. There was no point in dwelling on the youthful Sing Li so he quickly reverted to English. “I was raised in Singapore and my parents insisted that I learn the mother tongue as well at the King’s English.”

“I see.” She smiled faintly. “Yes — there is some British in your excellent English. Amazing — a Chinese gentleman who talks like a member of the British Foreign Office.”

Lee laughed. A fascinating woman, this Madame Chen. “I must return to my hotel now.” He had decided not to mention the green gem at this point. He must look at it first. “Good evening, Madame Chen.”

He bowed and left.

Madame Chen turned to her son, Fong who had been standing behind the counter and spoke in crisp English. “Mr. Chau speaks Chinese like a native. He didn’t learn that in Singapore.”

“Just as you say,” smiled Fong.

She went into her office and lighted a cigarette.

The next day at one o’clock, Lee Chau walked down to Grant Avenue. After a quick lunch in a small cafe, he went to Madame Chen’s shop. The aisles were crowded with shoppers looking at the displays and bargaining with the two clerks. He was about to light a cigarette when he saw the green elephant.

It was in a satin lined box which was in a glass case under a diamond studded Buddha — just as he remembered it. He dropped the unlighted cigarette on the floor and broke out in a cold sweat. Light from overhead had turned the elephant into an array of colors all riding on top of the green. It was his green elephant! Where had this old woman gotten it?

He walked slowly toward the case and saw the sign.

Of course it wasn’t for sale. It was his — stolen from him.

“Mr. Chau?” Madame Chen was standing behind him. “Welcome to my show.” She was wearing a red gown and two diamond ear rings hung just below her tightly groomed hair.

He turned. “Thank you.” He quickly regained his composure. “Are you sure that green emerald is not for sale?”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t part with it. It’s been in my family for years.”

“Is it from China?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“May I examine it more closely?”

“If you wish.”

She opened the case with a small key and took out the satin lined box that held the gem. “There was a chain attached to it at one time but it was lost.” She held out the box.

Their eyes met and their hands touched as Lee’s fingers circled the box.

It must have been her eyes because Lee suddenly realized that this old woman was the same little girl who had stolen the elephant — and almost plunged a knife into his chest! If he hadn’t awakened when he did — he would never have awakened. She must be the daughter of that shapely young woman he’d caught — the memory flooded back for an instant.

None of this emotion showed on Lee’s face. He smiled and ran his fingers over the surface of the elephant just like he used to do so many years ago. The evil one with the green elephant, they used to call him. As his fingers fondled the gem surface he felt young again — like Sing Li used to feel.

“I will give you ten thousand dollars for it,” he heard himself saying.

She smiled. “It has no price, Mr. Chau.” She gently removed the box from his hands and put it back in the case. “I’m sorry.” She closed the case and locked the door. “You look pale. Are you feeling all right?”

“Oh yes,” Lee said, wiping a few beads of sweat from his forehead. “The beauty of the gem — as they say — got to me. You are certain that it isn’t for sale?”

“Quite certain, Mr. Chau.”

Lee had the feeling that further talk concerning the elephant would be useless. She wouldn’t sell it so he would simply have to take it. “I trust you keep this gem in a safe place at night.”

“Oh yes — I keep it in my office under lock and key. Would you care for a cup of tea? Then perhaps you might like to see my jade collection.”

“It would be a pleasure.”

He followed her through the crowd and into the office. A moment later, a girl brought tea and rice cookies and they sat down, she behind her desk and Chau in a chair.

After a sip of tea, Chau looked at her. “May I ask what part of China you are from?”

“I call Hong Kong my home. I came here to escape the war and decided to stay. It is a fine country.”

“Yes. It is,” agreed Lee. His mind was still on the green elephant. How could he get it? The young Sing Li would have just taken it but the old Lee Chau was lucky to move, much less steal something.

She looked at him closely. “I have the feeling that we have met before.”

He shook his head. “I doubt it. I have never been to Hong Kong. Perhaps we had better look at the jade collection. I must get back to my hotel soon.”

“Certainly.”