For the first time in quite a while, Simon Hunter had lighted a cigarette. He mostly smoked cigars, but right now, he didn"t want to turn around. And he did carry a pack of cigarettes on him, always, just in case. He never needed to touch them though.
The smoke filled the old man"s lungs, and he breathed it out slowly, watching the curls rise up in the air and dissipate. A haunting silence enveloped the room, and neither of them uttered a word.
There was still so much to tell.
Rebecca watched Miya with caution, her heart throbbing painfully as she looked at the younger girl. She had had no idea that Kasu came from such a strong, dangerous background. She hadn"t even known the b.a.s.t.a.r.d had caught up with Miya in her later years. She just knew that while they all ganged up together and created a ruckus in the neighbourhood thirteen years ago, they had met Kasu for the first time. Kasu and Miya had developed a sort of friendship. And Kasu had secretly confessed to Becky that he had a thing for Miya.
Later, the two had even got together, and Becky had supported the relationship. But soon, things had turned b.l.o.o.d.y. Becky had hated Kasu ever since.
How did it turn out like this?
Kang Sung? Did Miya know about him and his background?
And if the couple had borne a child together, why was Miya not part of the Kang family now?
How had Kasu died?
And why had he bargained for her life?
Simon Hunter breathed.
"Kang Sung was trash," he said in a calm, yet harsh voice, almost as if he had heard the silent queries, "He ran away from his family years ago, and lurked around with the small time gangsters that he had formed an a.s.sociation with during the years he was in his family. Granted your rebellious nature back then Ms. Storm, I know you and Miya met him during some prank thirteen years ago. The bodyguard of Carver – the one whose wrist Miya slit –
I got him picked up after he got himself admitted to the hospital. Thankfully for him, it saved him from Kang Sheng"s men who would have killed him anyway. I didn"t know of the possibility then, but I wanted information. He is the man who told me most of the backstory to this so that things make sense now.
Probably just luck, but the man has been closely guarding Carver for long. He knew a lot of internal information. Once he heard Thad had been shot, it was easy for my men to break him. I"ll spell out the necessary details to you two too."
Simon Hunter took in another puff.
"Back when Carver was desperate to save the company that was already going under, and that he had foolishly transferred to his own name, he turned to black marketing. The Kang family, I am a.s.suming were ready to help because they themselves own a lot of black money. Jonathan was a good man, and he and Meera had a pretty good reputation. If Kang Sheng used the Toby-Freeman Publications as a front to launder money, he could easily convert the black money he earned to white, and no one would ever suspect him. Easily, Thad Carver, a distant relative of the Freemans would be the face of the company and the entire drug cartel business. The plan was smooth and ran perfectly for thirteen years straight. In fact, it still runs.
This bodyguard of Thad Carver informed my men of an important fact – Thad wanted to remove you completely, Ms. Storm, and Kang Sheng agreed. It was the third young master, as the guard put it, Kang Sung who negotiated with his father that you not be a.s.sa.s.sinated. So instead, you were sent to Country S, and Karl and Marjorie were set to keep an eye on you. I think the motive Kang Sung suggested to his father, in the guard"s words exactly, was this – "Rebecca Storm, the woman can be used against the old Hunter bag someday, daddy. Let her live."
That brings me to my second conclusion. It wasn"t just the Freemans"s reputation that made Kang Sheng jump at the deal with Carver – it was my personal involvement with your family as well, Ms. Storm. When I withdrew my investment from your father"s company, Kang Sheng would have seen it as a way to get back at me – by saving it. And using your father, my colleague"s good name, for illicit means would have made him gloat with satisfaction that he had beaten me at a match I didn"t know existed.
Thankfully, for us, keeping you alive has come around to bite him in the a.s.s, Ms. Storm.
I don"t know how deep Kang Sung"s involvement in the drug cartel was, but the guard told us it was Kang Sung"s idea to name it Rivqah. He thought it would be fun. This man, however, stands of no importance now. Kang Sung is dead. But the more important question is, why Sheng removed Carver.
This is where my information on the family dwindles. All I have is conjecture, but I"m pretty sure I"m not far away from the truth. I know exactly what kind of man Kang Sheng is, so I wouldn"t be surprised if my guess is spot on. Thad Carver, being the idiot he was, had screwed up many times in the past, but he invited danger when he slept with Karl"s wife Marjorie. You got on to him, Ms. Storm. And a threat that had been minimal to them till now suddenly sprang up again.
It was Kang Sheng who got Marjorie killed. And when Thad made the blunder of being lured out here on the Hunter estate, and actually confessed before Miya, Sheng had no hesitation eliminating him too.
Which, in a nutsh.e.l.l means this: he knows you"re back, Ms. Storm. His only fear is what I have as proof against his cartel, and if Thad Carver actually took Sheng"s name as the man behind the entire drug business in the voice record that Miya collected.
He"s been driven into a potent threat. Not very major for a man like him, but still unwanted and troublesome. That was why I gave you the choice, Ms. Storm. To run, or to stay.
Because Kang Sheng is not everyone"s cup of tea."
Simon Hunter smoked again.