‘Yes, I have. All the European estate managers I have met have warned me against it. Why is it bad?’
‘It is dominated by three powerful Chinese, nicknamed the Killer, the Blood Sucker and the Collector who live there. They rule the place and are preparing for some armed action. If you are willing to investigate the arms dump, it means a roundabout approach march to keep well away from the Boonoon squatter area. In the dark it will take a good five hours from the road. The guides only want to approach the area in the small hours, around 2 a.m. Any sentry there, they think, will be asleep or if not asleep, not alert. Working back, that means leaving the road leading into the far edge of the estate at 10 p.m. and that means we should leave here at 9 p.m. They would like to move off as soon as you are ready to take them in transport as far as … give me your map and I’ll show you. Is tomorrow, Tuesday, too early?”
‘Yes, give me a couple or so days, please. I’ll let you know in good time when I’m ready.’
After a bit more talk and declining a mug of tea, Ah Wong left.
Captain Rance called his NCOs together. ‘You’ll be wanting to know why this Cheena came to see me. Bring a tot of rum each and I’ll have a mug of tea.’
As they sat on the floor with their tot Rance briefed them on what the detective had told him and the NCOs listened carefully, sipping their rum from time to time. ‘We must go and search for these weapons. It’ll be pitch black as there’s no moon. I have been promised two Sumatran guides. They were part of the group that shifted the arms and ammo from near the village we went to and took them way behind Boonoon Estate and once they had finished their last trip they were not allowed to leave but were bound and blindfolded for a whole day and a night. Uncomfortable.’
‘Yes. They probably wet their pants,’ said Sergeant Ruwaman.
‘I didn’t ask but none of us can hold it that long. Now, back to that shambles in Tanjong Sepat when we dug up those houses. I wasn’t too keen on it myself and I did wonder if that Malay Police Inspector was trying to get his own back on the villagers, a sort of private quarrel.’
He looked at Sergeant Ruwaman and the three lance bombardiers. I still think of them as havildar and lance naiks.
‘Saheb, we don’t know enough about these people yet to say “yes” or “no” to that but you may well be correct.’
‘Anyway, the arms and ammunition, I don’t know types or totals, have been moved to the back of Boonoon Estate and I have been told that that estate is a bad one. Apart from being owned by a Cheena it is completely dominated by three daku. The Cheena who came here told me that the guides want to leave tomorrow after dark. I have told him that is too early and I’ll let him know when we’re ready.’
A flicker of interest showed on each Gurkha face. Rance moved his legs: sitting on the floor was not his favourite position. His next question changed tack. ‘How did the Gurkha workforce on Bhutan Estate strike you when we went for that visit and had a sing-song? In any way as good as you from Nepal?’
‘Hard to tell,’ said the Sergeant. ‘Anybody, even the lazy and a coward can look happy at a party. Why are you asking us, Saheb?’
‘Did any of you see me talking to a Kamal Rai?’
Jason and Kamal had had a heart-warming encounter, neither having ever expected to see the other again. After opening questions – health, family, circumstances generally – Jason had wandered around the labour force, introducing himself and cracking jokes. Later, after darkness fell and they’d had their meal, the estate workers put on a dance. While that was happening Kamal came and sat next to Jason and said, ‘Saheb. It’s wonderful meeting you again at that party after all those years. I have something I must tell you.’
Jason interrupted him. ‘First I must tell you that Hutton saheb has told me all about you, your having met my friend Ah Fat and my ability to talk Malay and Chinese, which you knew already. That was not long ago. He asked me to give you his remembrances. He also has a message for you which I’ll tell you in a minute.’
‘Oh thank you. He is a good and brave man. I was with him during the war. It is a privilege to be with you, Saheb,’ and he bowed his head with his hands joined together.
Jason, both pleased and embarrassed, did the same. ‘Did Hutton saheb mention anything about a Chinese guerrilla named Lee Soong?’
‘Yes, he did and how you disliked him and how and why you so bravely went to Calcutta that time and that there is a possibility that Lee Soong intends to meet up with the guerrillas in this district.’
‘Quite right, Saheb, I have met him. Hutton saheb sent me to Calcutta when the Cheena went on some conference to find out what was said. That was about six months ago. I came back to Singapore but Lee Soong told me he was going first to Bangkok.’
Again there had been an interruption when Jason was hauled out to dance …
‘… Yes, we saw you two talking together. He looked good enough to be a soldier,’ answered Sergeant Ruwaman. ‘Did you see our Mandhoj Rai and him talking together? No? It was when you were dancing. Apparently they found out their great-great grandfathers were one and the same. And they look like each other!’
‘Now, that’s really something, ‘said Jason, then told his men about Kamal Rai. ‘We were schoolboy friends and he secretly fought the Japanese. He has been offered to help us if we feel we need him. I think we do. I’ll tell you why.’ Rance had already informed them about the Killer, Blood Sucker and Collector. Now he told them of the possibility of Lee Soong and his escort being in the area and Kamal Rai recognising him. As he did an idea had started to grow in his mind and his gaze unfocussed as he pondered. His men waited in silence. At last Jason said, ‘I have an idea. I want to go on a recce with Kamal Rai to where one of those three Cheena lives before we take these two Sumatrans to that dump. I’ll talk as though I were Lee Soong’s representative, find out where they will meet and try to ambush them. Any views?’
‘Saheb, is this wise? What if you get lost?’
Jason smiled at them. ‘As you know I was born in Kuala Lumpur, KL to us, and in my school holidays would come to this area and play in the jungle with a Chinese friend and Kamal Rai. Of course I don’t know how much it has changed as it’s ten years since I was last here but so far, looking around, there have not been many changes and a lot of memory of places has returned. What I’ll do is ask for Kamal to come here, unseen, and we’ll make a plan, taking two of you with us. You, Sergeant Ruwaman and Kulé.’
As a result of a phone call to the chief clerk, John Theopulos drove up to the ADO’s bungalow in his estate jeep shortly after midday on the morrow, Tuesday. He had driven through Sepang and was duly noted: Tei Po Lo-Si and a uniformed and armed Malay special constable sitting beside him. Rance happened to be outside the house as he drove up. ‘You can come out from under the tarpaulin now,’ Theopulos said, turning his head round as he did.
The tarpaulin was pushed back and another armed and uniformed man sat up, blinked in the light, smiled at Rance and jumped out.
‘I’ve enlisted Kamal Rai as a special constable. It makes a lot of sense for him and his family if anything were to happen to him,’ explained Theopulos.
‘Essential, John, I’d say,’ countered Rance, not letting on that they knew each other. ‘Are you staying long enough for me to brew you a cup of tea?’
The manager of Bhutan Estate looked around and decided he would have to sit on the floor as he could see no chairs. He had heard of the ADO’s place being denuded of furniture and wondered how Rance could put up with it. I know I couldn’t. ‘No thanks. I’ll get back right away. You’ll arrange for Kamal’s safe return whenever it suits you. As soon as possible, please.’
‘Right ho! That’s for sure. Kamal will be of great use to us and we’ll look after him as one of ours.’
‘Before you go anywhere I have had a message from Reggie Hutton, an old friend of mine who knows both you and Kamal. It was in veiled speech. “Kamal’s ‘best friend’ is due to meet the local leaders near where they fire on their own range on Saturday,” was the message and he asked that I try and get it to you,’ he said with an automatic lowering of voice.
‘Thank you, John. Reggie has told me it might happen.’
‘Where are you making for?’ asked Theopulos.
‘The far end of the squatter area where I have been told the Chinese have cached some arms and ammunition taken from where they were hidden after the war somewhere near Tanjong Sepat. We are due to meet up with that Chinese detective and some guides well this side of Boonoon Estate. Then we move through the squatter area where we hope to find some, if not all, of the arms. I have already made a recce of the approach road, dressed as a civilian in a private car.’
‘I know where you’re talking about. A difficult place to reach at the best of times, even by day. None of us Europeans ever go there if possible. Good trip and good luck.’
Rance took him to his Jeep and saw him drive off. Again eyes followed him through Sepang. Only the dedicated few wondered why the tarpaulin in the back was not stretched as it had been on the way to the camp. What has been left behind? What did that manager bring that the troops needed?
Rance and Kamal sat together, both with a drink of tea. ‘I’ll tell you why I asked for you, Kamal. It was as a result of our talk at that party. I have had a message from Hutton saheb telling me that Lee Soong is to visit the local Communist leaders near the range on Saturday. Do you know anyone I can ask where the local leaders actually live, somewhere in the squatter area? A shop where we can ask the shopkeeper?’
Kamal thought. ‘Yes, there’s a shop …’ and he explained where it was. ‘We can ask there.’
Jason asked if it belonged to a Chinese who had a boss eye. ‘“Fighting-cock eyes” as I remember you teaching me. If so I know him from when I was a boy.’
