When Emily finished, she handed Wong a cordless telephone with which to call Rathbone. True to his work ethic, Rathbone was in his office eating a sandwich. Wong set up the meeting for two-thirty with Rathbone, Savile and Watson, the Australian commercial partner, and Ng, the Chinese litigation partner. Then he had Emily’s maid bring him a Bloody Mary. He took a pad and pen out of his briefcase.

“I’d better write down the names of the companies you mentioned. And those people you talked about-I’d had no idea.”

Without referring to any documents Emily recited the names of more than one hundred companies and personnel without a pause.

“And they’re all owned by or work for these sixteen men who own Zedfell?”

“All of them. I think you’ll find that something in the region of sixty percent of your turnover last year was generated one way or another in the PRC and came through one or more of these companies. You’re right to say that I don’t own your firm. They do.”

As Wong rose to leave, Emily put the tip of her sunglasses in her mouth and said, “By the way, I have a confession. I think I really do fancy the pants off your brother-in-law.”

Wong forced a smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”