Shanghai is a city of excess. It 's the richest center of China, there lies, in fact, the highest number of billionaires in the world but at the same time, the majority of the population lives on less than seventeen dollars per month: nearly as in the countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The annual growth rate is impressive, skyscrapers arise from day to day and change the look of the city. Whole lilong (the historic districts of Shanghai) are expropriated, demolished and rebuilt in a few months. Small plots of land are disputed and purchased millions of euro. Shanghai is the most populous city of the world's most populous nation: find a person here is how to find the classic needle in a haystack.
I had never been to Shanghai but I like to walk on the night of his ways. I am familiar, I seem to be born. Near the central square Chinese young people meet and then shaman from place to place with the i-pod at peak. Do not talk to each other, not even watching, always intent on staring at the screen of the phone or enter at breakneck speed, a text message. Entering and leaving nell'immancabile McDonald. Tourists come by the Museum of Modern Art, designed by the famous round, open at all hours of every day of the week, dubiously, some did not understand almost nothing of the works exhibited but happy to be able to tell your friends been there then, with a smile, come in Apple Store-in and out with the latest model of phone not yet on the market in their country.
Way on a clean off the sidewalk, no litter on the ground. They are polite and respectful of the rules the Chinese. Neon lights illuminate the road per day. I am close to dozens of people but no one notices me. Turned the corner and everything changes. The darkness is almost complete, the road becomes a narrow bumpy lane, all but a few people staring at me. Every inhabitant of a lilong knows every single resident, knows that work is, where he lives and where it is also quite old, he was born and attended his wedding.
No indication of streets and house numbers. I pull a ticket from his pocket and hands it to a young man who does not seem to take care of me, I actually watched for ten minutes. She looks at him then stretches out his hand em'indica the area. He does not speak, takes for granted that I do not know Mandarin. He understood that I am an American. The Americans do not speak other languages, if you want to understand them, you need adequate. A few shops on the road, most are doors leading to individual apartments. On the right a sign indicates that you sell within shu, rat meat. Only if the richest people can afford and buy it only for children or for some ill.
M'inoltro by the way, is now almost deserted. An old man watches from the window, I notice goes out, comes up and drags me into a doorway. I'm not afraid is not a criminal, I do not want to kill or not rob, probably wants to sell me something. Do not resist, by. A girl of about ten years, badly dressed, his face visibly undernourished and pale dirty looks shyly from the door of the house. He wants to smile, really is about to burst into tears. The man shows me, is his daughter. \u0026lt;\u0026lt;$ 1,000>>. In broken English tells me she wants to sell his daughter to a thousand dollars. Grabs his arm then opens her mouth and she shows me, as if it were a horse, which is healthy. For him it is a weight can not keep it. With that money to be able to survive the rest of the family for a year. Selling his daughter. One less mouth to feed.
I shake my head in denial, I show that I do not care. He insists, handing me. The girl shakes my hand. Refusal. \u0026lt;\u0026lt;$ 100>>. Hundred dollars for one night and then I can do what I want. I open the book I extract a bill and do a hundred men. I make him understand that I do not want her daughter, the money used to buy food and clothes to the family of the child. The man thanked me, bows, comes into the house. The girl is now smiling, he knew, greets me. Two red lanterns signifying that I have arrived. Busso, two raps in quick succession and then another, after a pause. A blonde, tall, probably Russian, opens the door, watching me and makes me sign that I can get. I'm in yè z ǒng hui (nightclub) more popular in the area. Through, accompanied by his girlfriend, a narrow corridor and reach a large room. Soft lights, cigarette smoke. The bar is crowded. At the tables, most customers are men over fifty years, Western, alone or accompanied by a woman. Clearly it is not their wife, but a high-class prostitute or a stripper. On either side of local dancers writhing half-naked lap dance. Disco music nineties, wraps and homogenize everything. Rare are the Chinese present, very few single women.
I approach the bar, order a j the ǔ . The man who is sitting next to me gets up and finally known. I'd imagined it. Bella had to be and it was. Physical scream, but boobs by a surgeon in the leg, not a butcher who adds Silicon second hand just to inflate a bit 'chest. He looked sad but her eyes were awake. He was not stupid.
Cloe was called, was twenty-seven years and an engineering degree. He also made the model and also appeared on several fashion magazines. Because in that round was over, it was an unanswered question.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Quanti are needed than to forget this città?>> I asked, pointing to his glass.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sometimes it takes only one. Today, however, not able to forget by drinking a cask of Shanghai>> replied.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Forse is better ricordare>> I said, then turning to the bartender continued: \u0026lt;\u0026lt;Due of those who are drinking signorina>>.
The boy leaned over the counter two glasses half-full of ice and the remainder of a red liquid is not well defined. I tasted it. Good, but as strong as the poison.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Grazie for drink>> she said \u0026lt;\u0026lt;Should I make a jump to the toilet. It might take a look at the jacket, in the meantime?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Certamente>> said. I watched her get up from his stool and walk to the bathroom. She knew how to attract attention, I would not have forgotten his ass even after a hundred years. The door closed behind her and I went back to paying attention to the glass.
Fifteen minutes. \u0026lt;\u0026lt;Ragazzo, There is an exit on the back in this locale?>> I asked.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Certamente, is accessed from Services>>. I paid in the blink of an eye, grabbed I had my jacket and ran outside into custody.
Right or left? A group of young people leaving the knot was night, most likely were intent to purchase a large quantity of cocaine. Agree on the price.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Avete saw a blonde with an ass headache that came out a few minutes fa?>> asked.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Do not break my balls old. But yes we saw it went from there. We sent in white eh?>> The boys laughed. The girl was not stuff for them and see the failure of another man makes them happy. To trust or not trust? All those guys had indicated to the left in unison. Possible that in the group of those toxic there was a joker who would send the wrong side? Imboccai the right and began to run.
I reached after five minutes. When he heard my footsteps, he stopped. He turned disconsolately. End of the line.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;has forgotten questa>> I said. She looked at me astonished.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Forza uccida, me do his dirty work in fretta!>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I'm not who you think. Quite the opposite. They are paid to protect>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Cosa?>> color shots, maybe it was time to leave this damn life. I handed her my business card. Ben Wilson - Private Investigator - 4041 Harney St - San Diego - California.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Who? ... Who pays and why?>>
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not the best place to talk. Accompanies the hotel>>.
foot lilong then we came out with the taxi reached his room. The room was in order, closed the suitcase on the bed, perhaps getting ready to go. If I had not found today, I had to start from scratch with the job. A month of research spared.
From mini-bar pulled out a bottle of rum, filled a glass, took it to his mouth and swallowed it in a blink of an eye. He repeated the operation for the second time, then began looking for a second cup and handed it to me. I agreed. Asked me to sit in a chair, she stood up, gave me his back and began to observe what was happening outside the window.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Lei must come to testimoniare, can not run for sempre>> said.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I can not, knows it too. I will not ever get into a courtroom, living>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Yes that can make it if there is someone who will protect you round the clock>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;one as lei, for esempio?>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sì, me> as a>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Chi the paga, who want to make sure I come to testimoniare?>>.
pulled out from the jacket photo. He took it and looked at.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Seventeen years old, he was only seventeen. He has never done anything wrong>> I stopped talking and looked at her, not take his eyes from the photo. He was intrigued wanted know the rest of the story.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;It was a Thursday afternoon. He was coming home from school when he realized he had forgotten something. Stuff for nothing. What do you want to have important for a girl? Maybe a ticket that gave her a mate - she takes back her - she said to her friends - you go ahead, I'll join you. Tuner was alone when he saw her. She knows Tuner, was his wife for more than a year. He knows what kind of man he is when he sees a girl, he loses his head. With some excuse did it get in the car. They found raped and slaughtered two days later. Her name was Angie was the daughter of Judge Connor. Connor wants to be done Justice, wants to nail down once and for all Tuner, wants to see the electric chair. There is no evidence to convict him for the death of Angie Connor, indeed there is a mythomaniac who is accused of murder. Everyone knows who did it but really do not have enough evidence.
Only she can do justice. If you testify in the trial against Tuner and spoke of his trades, women who rapes and company would be doomed. The judge Connon not care for what offense will be punished if this happens. He hired me to find her and get her to talk. It 'also willing to shoulder all the expenses for his protection. It will be safe with me not going to happen>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I'm afraid, Ben. I have a fear of the devil>> he said. I saw the tears wetting her cheeks. I got up and walked over to her. He embraced me as if I were a friend or a lover. I understood her condition. It 's hard to live alone and hunted. Afraid of every person who comes close. Living on the move. Do not have a fixed abode. They can not trust anyone. Do not trust anyone. Stroked her hair. Silk. They were gold colored silk threads. I pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears. I kissed her. I felt his hands gripping my shoulders and then sank her long nails into his back. He did not want me bad, do not even realize it. He was clinging to me. I was entrusting his life.
We ended up in bed. I realized immediately that this was not a good thing. Never mix work with feelings. You risk making a mistake. The first rule of a good detective is not to be emotionally involved in the work that is taking place. I know of a detective who has complied with this rule. That's why some of my colleagues are gone bad. Some have married the woman he fell in love and then they changed jobs. Others have become their accomplices. John Smith for example.
was a smart guy, even the best on the square. When a case was very difficult customers, after trying every other way, came to him. High rate of course. Could afford it. Many things, the tricks of the trade, I learned from him. I was one of his employees. I was in its infancy when he was already a legend. It robbed the house of an Arab billionaire on Sunset Boulevard. The prize is a fairy tale. The police do not know how to get on and then the billionaire is assured, the work is all - What the fuck cares ce of an Arab billionaire, we have other things to think - they said those of the police. Instead interested in insurance that would pay out a staggering figure, such as to send the company in red, and given that the investigations were at a standstill, charged Smith. - Ten percent of the stolen property is yours if the recovery - said the insurer. - Col dick - Smith answered - at least twenty - he replies. Agree to the fifteenth.
Within ten days is the band but does not call the police immediately, keeps an eye on them, to understand where they hid the loot. Among the gang members was also a girl, a scared pussy. Every night this girl came out and went to a nightclub. Smith shows up and knows it. The two begin dating regularly. Smith thinks that in this way be able to have first-hand information. Fall in love. And you know, in love, no lies. He confesses everything. Then what? How to live happily with a bunch of grain? The two decide to escape with the loot, leaving entire the rest of the gang, the police and insurance-handed.
happens, however, that the Police will assign the case to a new hire, someone who wants to work and get ahead. This brings out the practice and began to investigate. Swoops on Smith and the woman just as the two were about to leave the United States with all the loot. They end up in jail and they peck thirty years each. If you were in love, now Smith would be rich and free. I was thinking about this while I was lying on the bed and looked at Chloe to take a shower, behind the glass fogged by the steam.
knock on the door \u0026lt;\u0026lt;servizio in camera>> make an entry. I get up, get dressed and look as best by peephole. A young man in livery with a fork:
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;dinner for two>> says the young man staring at the door knowing that someone was watching him. I do not open.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Cloe you have ordered the cena?>> ask. As soon as I get a response. A flurry of devastating blows the door. I run into the shower I take Chloe, still naked, and pull out of weight, I put in the closet, I make the sign of not saying a word and close the door. I think we should draw the attention of the man and make him leave the room. I opened the window and go out the fire escape. Delay just enough to make me feel. If Chloe is not bait dead.
get down to the speed of light. I hear the hiss of the bullets that touch me. First objective achieved. Now how to get rid of him? I run through the alleys now deserted. I try to count the shots fired. I can not return fire, do not have with me the gun. Luckily I find a door of an old building open. I climb up the stairs to the roof. The man saw me em'insegue. Is coming, it still has two shots. Nowhere to run. End of the games. Die with a gun or jumping? Run. Salto. BUM. I land still alive and my pursuer has a pistol in less. The man did not give up, look down from ledge then takes a running start and here he is with me.
another round. Few meters separate me from him, were it not for a wall, I'd be dead already, I would shoot him. Salto. I land. The man jumps. Slips. Not lands and dies. End of its run. I look at it from above. Black blood mixes with water from a puddle. I hear a woman scream. Police sirens. Group of people around the corpse. No one note. I come back to Chloe. It 's still there, he sees me and throws himself on me. She hugs me.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Sei vivo?> still> asks me, as if the view is not enough to prove it. Reassure her.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Not want to live così>> tells me.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;You testify. Tuner must end in the electric chair>> the answer \u0026lt;\u0026lt;Only so everything can finire>>.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;I'll be next?>> Ask me.
\u0026lt;\u0026lt;Ti vicino> will always be> the answer.
END
