She held up the ring. “In the States, there’s a tradition among university graduates. To mark the occasion they have special graduation rings made that bear the crest of their university. In this case, the University of Wisconsin.” She handed the ring to Professor Xie. “You can see the crest carved in the stone. Even if it hadn’t actually said University of Wisconsin on it, I’d have known the university because . . .” Li saw a cloud, like a cataract, come across her eyes and the skin darken around them “. . . because someone I knew well graduated from there.” The moment was past, and she was back on her roll. “The thing is, they very often get them engraved on the inside. A name, a date, initials. In this case, if you look carefully, the initials C.H. and the date, 1972.”

Professor Xie peered at the engraving and passed it to Li.

“We’re lucky it wasn’t completely melted.” She shrugged. “So fate was kind to us. Anyway, it’s half past ten at night over there, so I couldn’t call the university. I did the next best thing; spoke to a friend on the Chicago force. He goes on-line to the Internet, pulls up the alumni register for Wisconsin, and checks out the initials on all the graduates from ’72. There’s only one Chinese name with the initials C. H. Chao Heng. Graduated in microbial genetics.”

Li clenched his fist around the ring, a gleam in his eye which when he turned it on her might have held a hint of admiration, albeit grudging. She felt a flush of pleasure. She remembered reading something somewhere, once, a very long time ago. She knew it was Chinese. “Women hold up half the sky.” She shrugged it off as if it were nothing.

Li raised an eyebrow, and she saw pure mischief in those dark eyes. “Ah,” he said. “You are quoting from Mao Zedong.” She nodded. So that’s who had said it. “Of course,” Li continued, “he meant the lower half of the sky.”

There was a moment’s stand-off, before a wide grin slashed his face. It was irresistibly infectious, and she found herself smiling back when what she really wanted to do was punch him. She turned to Professor Xie. “Professor, if I may, I would very much like to assist you in the autopsy. I am sure there is much I could learn from an experienced pathologist like yourself.” Credentials established, she had no problem with restoring Professor Xie’s mianzi.

He responded immediately with a small, dignified bow. “It is my pleasure,” he said.

V