Page 122 of The Killer’s Mark

‘He does. And we’re both fast writers. We can converse.’

‘Thank you for getting in touch, Kai,’ Poe said. ‘And more importantly, I’m sorry for having to go through your mother. The man who spoke to her on my behalf holds her in high regard.’

He waited for Greta to write down what he’d said and for Kai to write his response.

‘Everyone does, Mr Poe,’ Greta replied. ‘She’s an honourable woman. I have shamed her, but she holds her head high anyway. A lesser woman would not be able to do that.’

‘I need to tell you something, Kai. It might be hard to hear.’

‘Impossible to hear, I would say,’ Greta replied.

‘Of course. Sorry.’

‘Say what you need to say, Mr Poe. I won’t coat it in sugar.’

Poe didn’t think Kai knew about the murderous side of the Red Chamber business. If he did, he wouldn’t have called.

‘I’m going to put you on speakerphone, Greta,’ Poe said. ‘There is stuff you need to know that’s better coming from someone else.’

‘Kai doesn’t have long, Mr Poe.’

‘This won’t take long.’

Poe made his way back into Indica’s studio. He explained who was on the other end of the call. The mood in the room changed. Estelle wiped her eyes and stared at the phone as though she could reach into it and pull Esmerée to safety. He pressed the speakerphone function.

‘Including me, there are five people in the room,’ he told Greta. ‘I’ll introduce them if you need me to, but I can assure you, four of us at least are on the same page.’

‘What do you need to tell Kai, Mr Poe?’ she said.

‘Our understanding is that you incurred debts with the Forty-Fours, debts that the Red Chamber bought,’ Poe said slowly. ‘They needed a brilliant artist to tattoo the soles of their concubines’ feet and you were the man they chose. They did this to get round the problem of other criminals imitating their business model. Red Chamber women had an extraordinarily beautiful tattoo; everything else was a cheap knock-off. They stopped your career before it got off the ground and forced you to work for them. Is that accurate?’

After a minute’s pause, Greta said, ‘Kai says this is not … inaccurate.’

‘How much does he owe them?’

‘I don’t think that really matters any more, Mr Poe,’ Greta read out. ‘My life didn’t turn out the way I had hoped, but how many do?’

‘But you must have repaid the debt by now?’ Poe said. ‘Which begs the question – why are you not making art again?’

‘Kai says he is making art.’

‘He knows what I mean.’

‘What does it matter?’

‘It matters.’

‘Why?’

‘Because if he knew what the Red Chamber did, what they really did, that would make him complicit. And a complicit person might feel like he had no choice but to stay. To see it out.’ He glanced at Susan Hawksworth. ‘Like a corrupt cop being forced to do more and more things against their will. But he’s returned my call. So I don’t think he is complicit. But I do need to know why he’s still tattooing their women.’

Greta didn’t immediately respond. Poe got the impression she and Kai were having a private discussion. When she eventually did, her voice was heavy with regret. ‘Shame, Mr Poe. He shamed his mother by gambling then shamed her further by getting into debt with criminals. Can you imagine how she would feel if what he has done to repay these shameful debts became common knowledge?’

‘They threatened to out him?’

‘I don’t understand. “Out” – what do you mean by this?’

‘They said they would tell the Chinese community what Kai had been doing for them?’