Page 55 - Brokenclaw - John Gardner

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chair. Through sobs he kept muttering that he was sorry, shaking his head, his

body trembling.
After a while he seemed to regain possession of his emotions, but still had
difficulty speaking.
James Bond OO7 - printing disabled on, Father. Tell me what it’s all about. Maybe I can help, after all, James Bond OO7 - printing disabled
‘Come
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like a daughter should.’
This brought on a worse reaction than before. Her father moaned and
sobbed, his whole body swaying from side to side.
‘It can’t be that bad. Pull yourself together, Father. Just tell me.’ She spoke

very firmly. ‘Tell me!’
He pushed her away, wiped his face with a handkerchief and asked for a
drink.
‘More coffee?’
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‘Something . . . something stronger . . . Please.’
Drinking had never been a problem, so she went into the kitchen and poured
bourbon into a shot glass. He took the whole glass straight and sat looking at
her.

‘Is it debt?’ she asked. ‘Is it the damned gambling again?’
Slowly he nodded.
‘Bad?’
‘Very bad. Even if I sold the store, I’d still owe him the best part of a

million.’ His voice was almost that of an old man. ‘I’m a fool, Wanda. I’ve
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seen him do it to others. He gives and gives, then slowly hauls in on the rope.’
‘Who’re we talking about?’
‘Who d’you think? Lee. Brokenclaw Lee.’

For the second time that morning her stomach turned over. After all, they had
spent ten hours during the previous day trying to formulate some kind of
strategy against Lee.
‘You owe Brokenclaw a great deal of money. Okay, Dad, you came to me,

laying down the law, telling me I should obey you like an old Chinese father.
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What were you thinking? What did you want of me?’
He looked away, whispering that he was sorry. Eventually, ‘I’m a doomed
man, Wanda. I’ve lost everything this time. The store . . .’

‘Your life? Will he have you killed?’
He gave an unamused laugh. ‘Oh, no. No, that’s not Brokenclaw’s way,
though I might as well be a dead man.’

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