Chapters 17-18 Summary

Staples entertains John Nelson, a nervous 32-year-old American attachy, whose career she rescued years ago by finding and destroying staged, kiddie-porn photographs. She mentions Marie's name and sees no sign of recognition, while Havilland's name elicits wonder over why he is in Hong Kong. Staples reveals the secure mansion on Victoria Peak that has been diplomatic scuttlebutt since a corporal created a scene when a restaurant rejects a check because the military attachy refused to vouch for his ID. Nelson can say only that they have been instructed to say, "No comment" about that incident. Nelson tries to justify the cover story, but Staples will not buy the "hogwash;" still he guesses Havilland's presence must be related to this Marie. For both their sakes Staples declines to expand on her "yes." She knows only one side of the hole-filled story. Nelson...