“The secret fund. The corruption money. It is the property of the state now. You must never have been involved in the feuds that always arise over the allocation of such windfalls. Colonel Tan will want to make a claim, of course, since it relates to a project in his county. The old veterans from the early days in Tibet called them gate fees. You know, the way warlords used to charge a toll for passing through their territory. No bribe may be received without sharing a piece with the warlord.”

Huan studied him with a treacherous gleam, then shrugged. “You have only a year or two but I doubt you’ll survive that long.”

“A year or two?

“The master development plan, Constable.”

“You mean the work the Institute is doing for Deputy Director Jiao.”

“Exactly. Yangkar is the closest town to the project. It is to become the administrative center for the dam. Hundreds of immigrants. New office blocks and dormitories. Deputy Jiao will be in charge, the mayor if you will. He will want his own constable.” Huan laughed at the stunned expression on Shan’s face. “Let’s do the cell then. No one will be able to release you without my approval. It’s such a busy time for Public Security in Lhasa. I may not be available to the jailers for two or three days.” As he unlocked the door it flew open, pushing him back.

“Lieutenant Huan!” came a worried voice from the corridor. “There are some—”

“Fool!” Huan interrupted. “You were not to interrupt me, Sergeant! Do you not understand that—” Huan’s own words were cut off as his sergeant stumbled into the room, shoved from behind. His nose was bleeding. The pocket of his tunic was torn.

“There you are, Inspector Shan!” Lieutenant Zhu exclaimed as he pushed past the stunned Huan. “What a difficult man you are to locate!”

Two soldiers in fatigues, holsters at their waists, stepped in behind Zhu, who himself now wore his uniform and a weapons belt. Two more mountain commandos were visible in the corridor.

“Inspector, you must have forgotten your appointment with Colonel Tan!” Zhu continued and nodded to Huan. “Gratitude for keeping him in one place for more than an hour,” he added, then grabbed Shan’s arm and pulled him out of the room.

Shan smiled at the furious Huan as he left. The surly knob did not understand that he had provided a new piece for Shan’s puzzle.