Divorce Lawyer Pt. 03

An adult stories – Divorce Lawyer Pt. 03 by TryAnything,TryAnything They caught a flight to San Francisco, then had a 3-hour wait before boarding the 171/2-hour flight to Singapore, arriving just before 6am Singapore local time. They checked into the Marina Bay Sands hotel, three 57-story towers topped and connected by a huge platform that looked like a large ship, containing restaurants, shops, and a rooftop, infinity swimming pool.

“Wow, this is what I call luxury,” Penny said as she explored the large, 2-bedroom suite on the 54th floor.

“Our body clocks are going to be totally out of whack,” Grant said. “I suggest trying to sleep for a few hours, then I’ll give Mrs. Wang a call at a more civilized hour.

Even though she had slept for a great portion of the flight from San Francisco, Penny managed to fall asleep, waking when Grant knocked on her door.

“It’s 10am local time,” Grant informed her as she sat up, the sheet falling away to reveal her naked breasts. “I called Mrs. Wang and we’re going to meet her at 2:00. Hungry?” he asked.

“Starved,” Penny replied, getting out of bed and stretching, Grant shaking his head as he looked at her. “Let me take a shower and wake up first.”

They went up to the Spago Bar & Lounge restaurant on the roof next to the infinity swimming pool where Penny found that she wasn’t just hungry, but ravenous, delighting in the buttermilk pancakes with fresh maple syrup and honey butter, along with two glasses of carrot, pineapple, celery, ginger, and lime juice.

“I cannot believe this view,” Penny marveled, looking out over Singapore and the Straits of Molucca as they drank coffee.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Grant agreed.

Going back to their suite, Grant suggested that she dress in something less revealing, explaining that Singapore was very conservative in that regards. They took a taxi to the Bank of Singapore Centre at Market Street, which was located in the heart of Raffles Place, practically in the center of the central business district. When Grant presented his business card at the reception desk, they were escorted to a conference room and offered coffee, with an explanation that Mrs. Wang would be with them shortly.

When a tiny Chinese woman wearing a body-hugging black cheongsam entered, slit up one side to her upper thigh, Penny almost gasped at her beauty, her sloe eyes exotic and her long black hair hanging down almost to her knees.

“Mr. Studder, welcome to Singapore,” she said, looking up at him towering over her at 6’5″ as they shook hands. “I’m Mai Li Wang.”

“This is my co-counsel, Penny Lane, Mrs. Wang,” Grant introduced, Penny smiling as they shook hands.

“If you don’t mind, I prefer Mai Li,” she said, taking a seat. “Thank you for coming all this way. I felt that we needed to speak in person, as any form of electronic communication is susceptible to eavesdropping. You received the retainer?” she asked.

“I did,” Grant replied. “Thank you.”

“I know that it sounds paranoid, but in certain matters, paranoid is your best bet,” Mai Li explained. “We are meeting here at the bank so that your presence won’t be immediately noticed, though it will shortly be noted by anyone curious about new arrivals, especially one as renowned as yourself. I’d like to avoid our being connected in any way for as long as possible, for your safety and mine.”

“Are we in any danger?” Penny asked.

“Not necessarily, but once things start progressing, you certainly could be,” Mai Li replied. “My husband and those that I suspect are behind him are extremely ruthless. For the purposes of this visit, I don’t think that you need to worry. You are staying at the Marina Bay Sands as I suggested?” she asked.

“That’s correct,” Grant replied.

“You’ll be fine there,” Mai Li said. “It’s also a wonderful place. It’s possible to have an entire vacation here and never leave the resort.”

“What can you tell me about the situation?” Grant asked.

“I recently noticed that $120 million was transferred from my family trust account,” Mai Li explained. “It appears to have been sent to an account at the Bank of China in Hong Kong. We have long suspected that the Chinese government is secretly behind certain triad activities and they own the Bank of China. Nobody but me should be able to make a transfer of that sort and I certainly didn’t. The only possible suspect is my husband, I’m afraid,” she said, frowning. “Ours is mostly a marriage of convenience; I have money, he has political connections. Now I suspect that his connections go beyond Singapore to one of the Hong Kong triads, and that is extremely worrisome. I have my own political connection here and have privately discussed the matter with the Minister of Security, who advised me that they had been keeping an eye on my husband for some time. The Minister of Security and myself are both interested in finding out about the transfer and what ramifications that it might portend.”

“I’m a divorce attorney, Mai Li,” Grant said. “This sounds to be far outside my scope of expertise.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mr. Studder,” Mai Li said, laughing. “I’ve had you extensively checked out and I believe that you are uniquely qualified to look into this, as well as helping me obtain a divorce. The convenience of my marriage is no longer and I wish it to end. Because you are known as a divorce attorney, you are less likely to arouse suspicions about matters unconnected to divorce.”

“If I’m to call you Mai Li, my name is Grant,” he said, smiling, “and this is Penny. How would you like me to proceed?” he asked.

“Just as you would with any other divorce,” Mai Li replied, “and under that guise to look into other matters. Using anyone local is a non-starter. We have no idea how deeply the triads have penetrated our banking or governmental systems. As an outsider, you’re less likely to raise any red flags. I’ll be arranging a meeting for you with the Minister of Security, probably tomorrow, and he’ll fill you in as he sees appropriate. I have total faith and trust in him, but if I’m wrong, then Singapore is already doomed and there’s nothing to be done for it.”

“It sounds like a bad spy movie,” Penny said.

“Indeed,” Mai Li agreed, smiling. “You will help me?” she asked.

“We will,” Grant replied firmly.

“Thank you,” she said, exhaling deeply. “I’m not afraid to admit that my wa, Chinese for harmony, has been disturbed by everything. It’s a great relief to me to know that you’ll be helping. How do you imagine that you’ll proceed?” she asked.

“I won’t really know until I meet with the Minister of Security,” Grant replied, “but I’ll start by having my research staff look into things as unobtrusively as possible. If it’s possible, I’d like a detailed transaction history of the $120 million. That’s the best place to start.”

“I can arrange for you to have that before you leave the bank today,” Mai Li agreed. “In fact, let me arrange that now,” she said, picking up the phone on the table and speaking rapidly in Chinese before hanging up.

“Any thoughts, Penny?” Grant asked.

“Is your husband involved with anyone?” Penny asked.

“It wouldn’t surprise me in the least,” Mai Li replied. “Perhaps more than just one. Ours is not a relationship based on intimacy, so I don’t begrudge him finding that elsewhere. As a member of the government, some degree of discretion is required on his part in that regard.”

“Are you in any personal danger?” Penny asked.

“Always, though not necessarily because of this particular situation,” Mai Li replied. “Any person of great wealth in Singapore is always in danger, primarily from kidnappers, but also from those trying to get their hands on said wealth. I pay a small fortune for a world-class security team, which will be extended to you. Some of the protection will be overt, but most of it you won’t even notice.”

“Wow!” Penny said, shaking her head.

“Anything else you’d like to know?” Mai Li asked.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but are you involved with anyone other than your husband?” Grant asked.

“Not as such,” Mai Li replied. “I take my pleasure as I see fit, but it is only that, nothing involved.”

“Just so that you understand, I need to know that you will always be totally honest with me and not withhold any information that I need to know,” Grant said. “I can’t protect you or your interests in the dark.”

“I understand,” Mai Li said, nodding.

Just then the door opened and a man entered, bowing slightly as he approached and handed Mai Li some papers before turning to leave.

“Here are the financial records you requested,” she said, passing them to Grant after quickly glancing at them.

“Thank you,” Grant said, slipping them into his briefcase.

“Anything else?” Mai Li asked.

“I can’t think of anything,” Grant replied. “Penny?” he asked.

“Me, either,” Penny said.

“Then I suggest you go back to the resort,” Mai Li said. “Someone will contact you there with the necessary information about meeting the Minister of Security.”

“Can we find a taxi in front of the bank?” Grant asked.

“It’s not allowed in the CBD, Central Business District,” Mai Li replied, “only those you call on a smartphone app. But I have something for you,” she said, once again picking up the phone and having a quick conversation in Chinese. “If you go downstairs, you will see a blue ComfortDelGro taxi with the license number 5088. It’s part of my security team. It will be at your disposal while you’re here. Just for your information, it has bulletproofed windows and doors.”

“Jesus,” Penny muttered.

“It’s a necessary sad fact of life,” Mai Li said, smiling. “Don’t let it bother you. If anything, take comfort from the fact. Remember, 5088. Never get into any other car unless I specifically tell you to. Enjoy the resort. You’ll only be staying there for a couple of nights, then I’ll be moving you to a more secure place that my security team controls.”

“Jesus, Dad,” Penny said as they made their way from the bank.

“Pretty crazy, huh?” Grant asked.

“Is it worth it?” Penny asked.

“Actually, this sounds like fun,” Grant replied, laughing. “Most divorce cases are boring as hell and mostly the same. At least this one is really different, a new challenge.”

“You are nuts,” Penny laughed. “Oh, there it is,” she said, pointing to the blue ComfortDelGro taxi with the license number 5088.

“Mr. Studder, Miss Lane, I am Chang, your driver,” the young man said when they approached his car, opening the rear door for them. “Where would you like to go?” he asked.

“Back to the Marina Bay Sands,” Grant replied.

“Very good,” Chang said. “I will be here if you have need of a ride,” he informed them after the 20-minute ride to the resort.

“Thank you,” Grant replied.

“Dad, I want to go try that incredible swimming pool,” Penny said, “but I don’t have a suit and I don’t think that they’re going to let me swim naked.”

“No, I doubt that they would,” Grant laughed. “I need to call the office, so why don’t you go shopping. Figure on being here for a while, so don’t scrimp. It’s all for business, so the office will pick up the tab.”

Penny returned to the room almost two hours later, laden with bags.

“Did you leave anything for anyone else?” Grant laughed.

“The clothes here are just out of this world,” Penny said. “I even bought a bra.”

“God forbid!” Grant laughed.

“And I got you a bathing suit, too,” Penny said, tossing him a colorful pair of surfing baggies. “I’m sure that you don’t have one with you. Come up to the pool with me.”

“Why not?” Grant agreed.

“What do you think?” Penny asked several minutes later when she appeared in his bedroom wearing her new bikini and a thin white beach jacket to cover herself, opening it to show the tube top that just barely contained her full breasts and the almost non-existent bottom, just a small piece of material that didn’t do much to hide her pussy, a simple thong going up the crack of her ass.

“That should be illegal,” Grant said, shaking his head when he saw her prominent camel-toe, her huge clit visible pressing against the material.

They went up to the roof and ordered mai-tai cocktails at the rooftop bar, then found chaise lounge chairs by the pool.

“This is the life,” Penny sighed as she sat back, sucking her drink through a straw.

“We could do worse,” Grant allowed.

“So, what’s up with the office?” Penny asked.

“I told Amy to be on the next plane out,” Grant replied.

“Amy? The frizzy redhead with the big glasses?” Penny asked. “Why her?”

“Besides being one of our best lawyers, she’s got a PhD in computer science and is a world-class hacker,” Grant replied. “If anyone can figure this mess out, it’s Amy.”

“I don’t really know her,” Penny said.

“Now you’ll get your chance,” Grant said.

“Let’s go for a swim,” Penny said, getting to her feet. “Come on!” she urged, Grant reluctantly getting to his feet.

“Hey!” he shouted when Penny pushed him into the water, then jumped in after.

“Oh, this feels good,” Penny said, moving to the edge of the pool so that she could look out over Singapore. “I could get used to this,” she said.

“You’d never want to work,” Grant groused, though he enjoyed the view.

After spending half an hour in the water, they got out and lay back on their chaise lounges, Penny wearing a new pair of sunglasses as much to shield her eyes from the sun as to afford her some privacy.

“I like the way people are looking at me,” she said, turning to smile at her father.

“They’re only checking to see if you’re actually wearing anything,” Grant said. “Maybe you should close your legs,” he suggested, seeing how she was sitting with her feet flat on the chaise lounge as wide apart as it would allow.

“Well, you’re the first guy who ever said that to me,” Penny laughed.

“Why don’t we go take a nap, then see about dinner?” Grant suggested. “I’m feeling my body clock.”

“I wouldn’t mind a nap myself,” Penny agreed.

They returned to their suite and showered, Penny falling asleep within minutes of hitting her bed. When she woke up, it was dark outside. Going to her father’s room, she gently shook his shoulder to wake him.

“Wha…Jesus, Penny,” Grant gasped when he awoke, looking up to see her standing naked next to his bed, the long inner lips of her pussy pouting apart beneath her huge clit right above his face.

“I’m hungry,” she said, smiling at the look on his face.

“Maybe you should get dressed,” he suggested.

“How about an appetizer first?” she asked.

“Go get dressed,” Grant said as he sat up, reaching for her and spinning her around and slapping her on her naked ass. “Christ on a crutch,” he muttered, shaking his head as she left the room.

“You like?” Penny asked when they met in the living room. “I got it this afternoon when I went shopping,” she explained turning around so that he could see her new dress, a pale green strapless dress that hugged her breasts just above her nipples and came down to her upper thighs.

“I can just see some woman slapping her husband when he drools when he sees you,” Grant said. “You look wonderful.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “I checked and there’s a seafood restaurant here, DB Bistro & Oyster Bar. It looks scrumptious.”

“Lead the way,” Grant said.

“We should have champagne,” Penny suggested when they were seated and the server came to take their drink order.

“A bottle of Krug Grand Cuvée,” Grant ordered.

“Mmm, delicious,” Penny said when it was served. “You order for both of us. Impress me.”

Grant ordered Beluga caviar, blue crab salad with avocado, cucumber and sauce Louie, and a Royal seafood platter that contained a dozen raw oysters, Maine lobster, giant prawns, and tuna tartare.

“God, that was without a doubt the best meal I’ve ever had,” Penny said when they finished. “I wish I had room for more.”

Returning to their suite, they found a sealed envelope that had been pushed under the door containing an invitation to meet with Minister of Security Freddy Chung the following morning at 10:00, informing them that a car was being sent for them.

Grant said good-night and went to his room to undress. He was just getting into bed when Penny appeared, naked.

“Penny!” Grant said, shaking his head in exasperation.

“We didn’t have any dessert and I thought that you’d let me suck your cock,” Penny said, smiling.

“We’ve been over this already, Penny,” Grant said.

“I know, but you’ve let me suck your cock twice,” Penny said. “What does it matter now that I’ve done it? If I wasn’t your daughter, would you let me suck you?” she asked.

“But you are my daughter,” Grant pointed out as she approached him, one hand between her legs rubbing circles around her huge clit.

“And I want to suck your cock,” Penny said, reaching out and grabbing it through his boxer shorts, feeling it immediately begin to harden in her hand, the head sticking up out of the waistband of his boxers.

“Penny,” Grant sighed as she sank to her knees in front of him, pulling his boxers down and releasing his cock.

“Why can’t you just enjoy it?” she asked, taking the head of his cock into her mouth.

“Jesus!” Grant gasped as she went all the way down on him, her nose pressing against his belly as his cock throbbed deep in her throat.

Penny didn’t waste the opportunity, voraciously attacking his cock, determined to get him off as quickly as possible. Groaning, Grant sat down on the bed and watched as his daughter devoured his cock, constantly taking all of it into her mouth and down her throat. It wasn’t long before he erupted in her mouth, blasting cum as she gulped it down, siphoning his cock, slurping at the slit as the last bits oozed from it before once again going all the way down on him and milking him dry with her mouth and throat before finally sitting back licking her lips, a big smile on her face.

“That was great!” she gasped, smiling up at him, her tongue darting out to probe the slit of his cock for the bubble of cum that appeared there. “Do you like my cocksucking?” she asked, rolling her tongue around the head of his cock.

“You’re every bit as good as your mother, and she’s the best,” Grant replied, shaking his head in disbelief as he watched her softly sucking on the head of his cock.

“Mom sucks cock?” Penny asked.

“Your mother was born to suck cock,” Grant replied.

“That’s what I always felt about myself, ever since I sucked my first one,” Penny said, smiling. “I can’t explain it, but I love the feel of a cock in my mouth, and nothing is better than when it cums. God, I love cum, and you cum buckets.”

“Maybe you’ll go to bed now?” Grant suggested as she got to her feet, unable to avoid staring at her pussy right in front of him, seeing the moisture riming her long inner lips and dripping down onto the floor.

“Can I suck you whenever I like now?” Penny asked.

“Will I be able to stop you?” Grant asked.

“I’ll let you figure that out,” Penny laughed, turning and leaving the room.

“Christ on a crutch,” Grant muttered as he got into bed.

After enjoying breakfast once again the next morning at Spago Bar & Lounge restaurant on the roof next to the infinity swimming pool where Penny gorged herself on the delicious buttermilk pancakes, they returned to their suite to dress to go meet Minister of Security Freddy Chung.

“Well?” Penny asked, turning in a circle so that her father could see her new outfit, a black, mid-thigh-length skirt and a black blouse.

“Are you actually wearing a bra?” Grant asked, smiling.

“Well, I didn’t think that it would be a good idea to meet the Minister of Security with my nipples sticking out,” Penny replied.

“There’s hope for you yet,” Grant said.

“I’m not totally crazy,” Penny said with a laugh, flipping her skirt up to show that she wasn’t wearing any panties.

“I hope that you won’t be showing him that,” Grant said, sighing as he looked at her pussy.

“Only if he asks to see it, for security reasons, of course,” Penny replied, laughing.

Going downstairs, they found a black government SUV waiting for them, all of the windows except the windshield blacked out. It was a short ride to government house where they pulled into an underground parking area and stopped by an elevator where another security official escorted them up to the minister’s office.

“Mr. Studder, welcome,” Minister of Security Freddy Chung greeted them, shaking hands. “And you, Miss Studder,” he said, Penny’s eyes widening as she shook his hand. “I know that you go by your first and middle names, and I don’t care why, but I wanted you to know that I was aware of your relationship,” he explained. “Your secret is safe with me. Come, sit and we’ll have coffee and talk,” he said, leading them over to a comfortable sofa and chairs surrounding a coffee table.

“I’m fully aware of your conversations with Mrs. Wang,” he explained as his secretary served coffee. “She’s not just one of Singapore’s wealthiest women, she’s also a family friend, so her happiness and security are personal to me. I explain this so that you’ll know how much trust we have in one another.”

“That’s gratifying to hear, Minister,” Grant said.

“Can you give me an idea of how you plan to proceed?” Mr. Chung asked.

“One of my people, a specialist, should be arriving tonight or tomorrow,” Grant explained. “She has unique…talents. If it won’t violate any of your laws, I plan on having her hack and clone Mr. Wang’s smartphone so that we can find out exactly who he’s talking to and what electronic communications he’s having and with whom.”

“Well, normally that would be totally against the law,” Mr. Chung said, laughing, “but security concerns override that, especially in this case. Our biggest problems here in Singapore are drugs and the Chinese communists, not necessarily in that order. The drugs trade is controlled by Hong Kong triads and we’re pretty certain that the Chinese government is tacitly abetting them in the endeavor. As a major beacon of democracy in SE Asia, we’re a threat to the totalitarian type of government that China represents and they’re doing everything that they can to undermine us. That’s why we, I, have taken a personal interest in this case. We’ve had our eyes on Jimmy Wang for a couple of years, but we haven’t been able to conclusively prove anything to the point where we can arrest, prosecute, and execute him.”

“Execute?” Penny gasped.

“Both drugs possession and sales and treason are punishable by death here in Singapore,” Mr. Chung explained. “They both serve to undermine our society and our system and we have zero tolerance for either. We’re grateful for your help. As outsiders, you’ll be uniquely situated to operate under the radar, whereas we have no idea to what degree our government has been penetrated by front people for the Hong Kong triads, and by extension, the Chinese government. My personal belief is that Jimmy Wang is one of those people.”

“I wasn’t aware that the stakes were so high,” Grant said.

“Does that bother you?” Mr. Chung asked.

“It’s not my place to judge or be bothered by your government’s policies,” Grant replied. “My job is to assist Mrs. Wang in obtaining a divorce, and in the process, possibly expose any of the things which you have suggested.”

“A wise and diplomatic position to take,” Mr. Chung said, smiling. “If you have need of anything that my office can provide, you have only to ask. Here is my business card with my personal number on the back. Feel free to call me at any time of the day or night if you have such a need.”

“We appreciate that, sir,” Grant said, accepting the card.

“Is there anything else that I can help you with at the moment?” Mr. Chung asked.

“Not that I can think of,” Grant replied.

“Then if you’ll excuse me, I must brief the prime minister on our talk,” Mr. Chung said, getting to his feet.

“The prime minister?!” Penny said as she stood.

“As I said, our government is taking this matter very seriously,” Mr. Chung replied.

Penny started to speak when they were in the government car to take them back to the Marina Bay Sands resort when Grant gently squeezed her hand, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. Only when they were safely ensconced in their suite did she speak.

“Dad, do you think Mai Li is aware that her husband could be executed?” Penny asked.

“I’d be very surprised if she weren’t,” Grant replied.

“I wonder how she feels about that,” Penny mused.

“I think that might be something that you don’t ask her,” Grant cautioned.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Penny asked.

“I’m going to make some phone calls,” Grant replied. “Why don’t you take the day for yourself? You’ve certainly earned it after Texas and Montana. My guess is that Amy will be here in the morning and you’ll both have your plates full then. Might as well take it easy while you can.”

“I was thinking about checking out the Banyan Tree Spa on the 55th floor,” Penny said.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Grant approved. “Consider it my treat. When you’re done, we can have lunch.”

“Really!?” Penny exclaimed, her eyes glowing. “Thanks. You’ll be here?” she asked.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Grant said, taking off his jacket and removing his tie.

When Penny returned to the room almost 31/2 hours later, she was walking on air.

“Oh, Dad, that was the most incredible experience,” she gushed. “Two therapists working on me the whole time; body scrub, full-body massage, body conditioner, facial, this incredible bath with exotic scented oils. My body has never felt like this before.”

“You look radiant,” Grant said, smiling. “I’m glad that you enjoyed it.”

“But I’m starved now,” Penny said. “Can we go eat lunch? There’s this Italian restaurant on the roof that one of the therapists told me is just fantastic.”

“My stomach is telling me that I need to eat, so let’s do it,” Grant agreed, getting to his feet.

They went to the roof and found LAVO, an Italian-American restaurant.

“My god, look at these appetizers,” Penny said, her eyes as big as saucers. “I don’t want anything big. Why don’t we just order all of the appetizers and see what they’re like?” she suggested.

“A couple of them are meat-based,” Grant pointed out as he looked at the menu.

“You can eat those and we’ll share the rest,” Penny said.

“Why not?” Grant agreed, smiling.

“Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” Penny said, her smile ear-to-ear.

The server was also smiling broadly when Penny ordered the entire menu of appetizers; grilled octopus with celery, endive, fennel, and a red wine vinaigrette, Wagyu beef carpaccio with arugula, parmigiano, and a black truffle vinaigrette, prosciutto San Daniele with black mission figs and aged balsamico, eggplant marinara, fried calamari with cherry peppers, zucchini, and a spicy marinara, yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado, crispy garlic, and a black olive dressing, and scallops alla Livornese with gaeta olives, cherry tomatoes, capers, and basil oil. They opted for a bottle of sauvignon blanc/semillion from the Cape Mentelle winery in Margaret River, Australia.

“You’re just like your mother,” Grant said as they ate. “She can eat anything and never put on a pound.”

“You have no idea how grateful I am for that genetic gift,” Penny said, savoring a mouthful of wine. “Food is the only thing I like as much as sex, and in a way, they’re both food to me. I can never get enough of either.”

“How wonderful,” Grant commented drolly.

“Okay, that was incredible,” Penny said, sitting back with a sigh. “The food here is just amazing. I think that between the spa and the wine, I’m ready for a good nap.”

“I still have work to do,” Grant said as they made their way back to the suite.

Penny slept like a rock, finally waking up close to 8pm. Wandering from her room naked, she found her father in the living room on the phone, papers scattered on the coffee table in front of him.

“Haven’t you taken a break?” Penny asked when he ended his call, flopping down on the sofa next to him, one foot on the floor, hugging the other to her chest.

“Jesus, Penny!” Grant said when he took a look at her, her pussy spread apart.

“Most guys like seeing my pussy,” she said, smiling.

“I’m trying to work here,” Grant said, shaking his head.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Penny said with a laugh. “Is it too late to get anything to eat?” she asked.

“You’re hungry after that lunch?” Grant asked, gathering his papers.

“Not starved, but I’d like to eat something,” Penny said. “How about that DB Bistro again? We can eat some oysters and stuff, nothing too much.”

“We’ll need to make it an early night,” Grant said. “Amy’s plane gets in around 7am tomorrow.”

“That’s okay,” Penny agreed. “I don’t have much energy anyway. I’m ready for a good night’s sleep.”

“Go put some clothes on,” Grant said, shaking his head.

They were just in time to have a quick bite, which turned out to be some more beluga caviar, a dozen oysters on the half shell, and roasted tomato soup with mozzarella, sun-dried tomato, and basil pesto.

“That was perfect,” Penny sighed, finishing her Perrier, the bottle of wine at lunch more than enough alcohol for one day. “I think the whole jet lag thing is catching up to me,” she said as they returned to their suite. “Thanks for a wonderful day,” she said, hugging him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best.”

“We need to be up early to go collect Amy,” Grant reminded her.

“Wake me,” Penny said as she made her way to her room, undressed, and climbed into bed, falling asleep with a smile on her face.

“Rise and shine!” Grant said the next morning, shaking her foot to wake her, handing her a cup of coffee when she sat up, the sheet falling down to reveal her naked breasts.

“God, it’s still dark out,” Penny complained, accepting the coffee. “Thanks,” she said, taking a sip. “Let me take a quick shower to wake up.”

They found Mr. Chang waiting for them downstairs and made it to Changi Airport just as Amy’s plane was arriving.

“Hi, Grant,” Amy waved as she exited the arrivals hall, Penny needing to force herself not to gape at the track-suit clad woman with the frizzy red hair and black Nike tennis shoes. “That was 30 hours too much,” she said, shaking her head. “My body clock is so screwed and I slept most of the way.”

“You two haven’t been formally introduced yet,” Grant said. “Amy Harrison, Penny Lane.”

“Hi,” Penny said, shaking hands. “Welcome to Singapore.”

“Thanks. Isn’t it Penny Lane Studder, though?” Amy asked, smiling.

“Did you tell her?” Penny asked.

“No need,” Grant laughed. “Let’s go collect your baggage,” he said.

“This is it,” Amy said, indicating the backpack hanging from one shoulder. “I checked you out when I heard that Grant had hired a drop-dead gorgeous walking wet dream as his right hand,” she explained as they made their way to Mr. Chang and the car.

“A what?” Penny gasped.

“I like to know who I’m going to be working with,” Amy shrugged as they got into the car. “Grant’s movie-star hot, so when he hires someone like you, I want to know why.”

“Mr. Chang, could we have some privacy, please?” Grant asked.

“Certainly,” Mr. Chang replied, pressing a button on his dash to raise a smoked-glass window separating the passenger compartment from the driver.

“You…you checked me out?” Penny asked, stunned.

“That’s what I do,” Amy replied, shrugging.

“Amy vets all of our prospective clients, then does the deep digging to learn as much about them and their acquaintances as possible,” Grant explained. “She spent two years with the NSA before joining me.”

“The NSA?” Penny asked. “I thought that you were a lawyer.”

“Oh, I am, but I spent a couple of years working in cyber counter-espionage with the NSA,” Amy explained.

“Which is why we need her for this client,” Grant explained. “If anyone can find out the information we need, it’s Amy.”

“What did you find out about me?” Penny asked, curious.

“Oh, nothing too salacious,” Amy replied, laughing. “I just wanted to know the basics. Dual degrees in political science and business administration from Vassar, graduated top of your Columbia law school class summa cum laude in just two years. Enough to know that he hired you for your brains. It’s not your fault that you’re so hot looking. I figured you weren’t using your last name because you didn’t want anyone thinking that you got the job based on nepotism.”

“Well, you certainly are direct, aren’t you?” Penny asked, laughing.

“That’s the bane of my life,” Amy replied, smiling. “I don’t snoop into people’s lives because I want to, I do it because that’s my job. Grant tells me who to snoop and to what degree and that’s all that I do.”

“How could you come all this way with only that small backpack?” Penny asked.

“I’m here to snoop,” Amy replied. “I’ve got a change of clothes and my toys.”

“Toys?” Penny asked.

“Laptop and some other goodies,” Amy explained. “Here are the files that you wanted,” she said, reaching into her backpack and extracting a folder which she handed to Grant.

“Give me a quick synopsis,” Grant said. “I’ll read it later.”

“Okay,” Amy said. “Lady Hawthorne, 48, 3rd cousin to the King, formerly a spinster until she met Nicolai ‘Nicky’ Sirotkin, a Russian émigré, 56. He styles himself an industrialist, but the origins of his money, almost a billion pounds sterling, are murky. He married her for her connections to the royal family, she married him because nobody else had ever asked. She’s had/has a few lovers, both men and women, and he’s strictly into men, the younger the better, which is where the problem is. Apparently there’s a photo of him in a compromising situation with one of his younger friends and the Palace is having a hissy fit trying to control the situation. He’s desperate for a knighthood, thinks that it will open doors to people with connections to the royal family that have deep pockets. She’s trying to avoid the embarrassment of having married him at all.”

“The other one, our Hollywood A-list couple…why do these people even bother to get married?” she asked, shaking her head. “They seem to be competing with one another to see who can fuck the most people. They’re both into recreational drugs; marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine, and they like orgies, both together and separately. They’re of approximately the same net worth. The problem is that they own a lot of stuff jointly, houses, art, even a vineyard in France. Good luck trying to unravel that mess.”

“Here’s the other thing that you wanted,” she said, handing him an envelope.

“This is for you, Penny,” Grant said, extracting a black credit card from the envelope and handing it to her. “It’s a corporate credit card so that you don’t have to use your own and put in for reimbursement anymore. Your first job is going to be to take Little Orphan Annie here shopping for some appropriate clothes.”

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Amy protested. “I’m into comfortable, not fashion.”

“I would have never guessed,” Grant laughed. “I can’t have you meeting the Minister of Security dressed like some vagabond. Make sure that she has enough outfits so that she won’t stand out like some homeless person.”

“This is going to be fun,” Penny laughed.

“Where are we going?” Grant asked, looking out, then rapping his knuckles on the partition window which lowered. “Mr. Chang, where are we going?”

“Mrs. Wang is moving you to a more secure accommodation,” Mr. Chang explained. “Some of our people have already collected your things from the Marina Bay Sands.”

“Well, you’ve got to admire her organizational efficiency,” Grant said.

“If triads are involved, you can’t have enough security,” Amy said.

“You know about triads?” Penny asked.

“When I worked for NSA, I was assigned to the China desk,” Amy replied. “They’re about as ruthless as they come.”

“Hey, this looks pretty nice,” Penny commented when they turned into Scotts Square, nestled between the Grand Hyatt and the Marriott off of Orchard Road.

“Armed guards?” Amy asked as they pulled up to the portico.

“This is a level-3 secure facility,” Mr. Chang explained. “Nobody can access the property above the 4 levels of shops and restaurants without proper clearance. There are a lot of families living here and they don’t want to have to worry about their children being kidnapped for ransom, so the armed security guards help ensure that. There has never been a security breach that I’m aware of.”

“Works for me,” Amy said as they alighted.

“You need to get registered with security first,” Mr. Chang explained, leading them into the building, then to an office clearly marked SECURITY where their palm prints and retinal scans were recorded. He then led them to a bank of elevators. Your palm prints will call for an elevator,” he explained, indicating that Grant should place his palm against the reader. “Once you enter the elevator, built-in optical scanners will further verify your right to access. Only then will the controls be activated so that you can choose the floor that you want to access.”

“Nice system,” Amy said, smiling.

“Mrs. Wang owns the top two floors of the Orchard wing,” Mr. Chang explained, pressing the button for the 34th floor. “She lives on the 35th floor where the sky pool is located. The main swimming pool is located on the 5th floor, which is level 8.”

Exiting the elevator, Mr. Chang led them to one of three doors marked only by the letter A, the others labeled as B and C respectively.

“Any of your palm prints will open the door,” he explained, Amy reaching out and placing her hand on the reader, the door making a slight snicking sound as it released, then opened. “Mrs. Wang is occupied with business right now, but she asks that you join her for dinner at 7:00 this evening. If you wish to travel anywhere, I can be reached by dialing 888 from the house phone,” he explained, pointing to it next to the front door. “By the time you get downstairs, I will be waiting.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chang,” Grant said as they looked around at the spacious unit.

“That’s what I call service,” Amy said.

“I’m starved,” Penny said. “I’m not used to waking up before the sun rises.”

“I need a shower first,” Amy said, leading the way into the unit. “Looks like you and I are going to share a bathroom,” she observed. “Grant gets the master bedroom, I guess.”

“I don’t mind,” Penny said. “Looks like this bedroom is mine,” she said, entering the one closest to the master bedroom and finding her clothes hanging in the closet.

“Doesn’t matter to me,” Amy said, going into the far one and tossing her backpack on the bed. “Give me 10 minutes, okay?”

“It looks like there’s a good place to get some breakfast, Wild Honey,” Penny said as she perused the book of amenities available. “It’s open all day. And the shopping looks every bit as good as at the Marina Bay Sands. There’s Damiani, Hermes, and even Michael Kors.”

“Okay, I’m ready,” Amy said when she appeared, wearing yet another track suit.

“You are definitely going shopping for something to wear after we eat,” Grant said, shaking his head.

“Does he give you grief about how you dress?” Amy asked.

“Only that I don’t wear a bra and I like sheer material,” Penny replied, smiling.

“I’ve never heard you complain about Cindy dressing like that,” Amy said.

“Cindy’s not my daughter,” Grant pointed out.

“Oh, lord, you can’t be serious,” Amy laughed, rolling her eyes.

“You and I are definitely going to be friends,” Penny laughed.

They took the elevator down to the shops area and easily found Wild Honey.

“Nice menu,” Amy commented as she looked it over. “I’ll have the Boulevard St. Michel,” she ordered, a savory French toast with double baked cheese and spinach souffle, parmesan-crumbed poached egg, slow-roasted tomato, grilled bacon, and tomato chutney.

“I’ll have the Norwegian,” Penny ordered, avocado with grilled asparagus and poached eggs wrapped with Norwegian smoked salmon, with Hollandaise sauce and pearls of salmon eggs on brioche bread.

“The Delancy for me,” Grant ordered, pastrami with poached eggs, tomatoes, and mustard Hollandaise on a sesame bagel.

“That was delicious,” Penny declared when they finished and were having coffee. “It’s nice to have somewhere close by to have breakfast.”

“I’m going to leave the two of you to go shopping,” Grant said. “I’ve got some phone calls to make. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Why don’t you go shopping and I’ll make phone calls?” Amy suggested.

“Nice try,” Grant laughed, leaving them.

“What do you have against shopping, or nice clothes?” Penny asked as they made their way out to the shops.

“I only wear clothes when I leave home, because I’d get arrested if I didn’t,” Amy replied. “I’ve never sought the limelight or attention, so dressing up never really interested me. I don’t begrudge those who like to dress nicely, it’s just not a priority for me.”

“I grew up with nice clothes, so I never really thought about it,” Penny said. “Working with Grant now, I have to maintain some sort of an image because I have to interact with the clients.”

“Do you always refer to him as Grant?” Amy asked.

“Unless I’m talking to him privately, or Mom, yeah,” Penny replied. “That’s so I don’t accidentally slip up when I’m talking to someone else and give myself away. What do you call your father?” she asked.

“I don’t,” Amy replied. “I haven’t had any contact with my parents since I graduated high school and left home.”

“I’m sorry,” Penny said.

“Don’t be,” Amy assured her. “I was as big a disappointment to them as they are to me. I don’t lose any sleep over it. Are you close to your mom?” she asked.

“Yes and no,” Penny replied. “She still tries to treat me like I’m her little girl. It’s…frustrating.”

“I can imagine,” Amy laughed. “But you live at home with them, right?”

“Yes, but I’m not sure how long that’s going to last,” Penny replied. “I’ve been living on my own for 6 years, now suddenly I’m living with Mom and Dad again. It’s sort of stultifying.”

“I guess that makes it hard to bring someone home for the night, doesn’t it?” Amy asked.

“No kidding,” Penny sighed. “I can just see coming down for breakfast with the guy I spent the night with and introducing him.”

“Why don’t you get your own place?” Amy asked. “Surely you can afford it.”

“I haven’t had the time yet to even look into it,” Penny replied. “First, I was trying to get used to having a job and fitting in, then we’ve been traveling. When I get home, it’s on the top of my list.”

They spent the next couple of hours shopping, purchasing several nice outfits for Amy, who had to be painstakingly convinced to try them on, then reluctantly agreed that they all looked good.

“Now for a bathing suit,” Penny said.

“Can’t we swim naked?” Amy asked.

“Not in Singapore,” Penny laughed. “They’re really conservative. I had to actually buy a bra to wear when we met the Minister of Security. I hadn’t worn one since I was 14. I hated it.”

“I don’t even own any underwear,” Amy said.

“Me, either,” Penny laughed.

They went into a shop that had bathing suits and looked through the selection.

“How about this?” Amy asked, holding one up.

“That looks like two Band-Aids and a postage stamp,” Penny laughed.

“Will I get arrested if I wear this in public?” Amy asked the saleslady.

“No, but people will stare,” she replied, smiling.

“Let them,” Amy said. “I’ll take it, and one for her, too.”

“Are you serious?” Penny laughed.

“This will be my payback to Grant for making me dress up,” Amy said, smiling.

They returned to the condo and Grant’s eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw Amy, wearing one of her new outfits, a silky material that gathered around her chest just above her smaller breasts, gathered at the waist, then fell to her upper thighs, leaving her long slender legs bare. Instead of her Nike’s, she was wearing delicate flat sandals that showcased her long straight toes.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Grant said, grinning. “Cinderella is really a princess after all. I approve, wholeheartedly.”

“Do you need us to work on anything?” Penny asked. “We thought that we’d go up to the pool for a bit. You can join us.”

“No, nothing for you to do yet and I still have some things to go over,” Grant replied. “Enjoy the day, you’ll be working starting tomorrow.”

“Now for payback,” Amy said when they were in her bedroom, picking up her new bathing suit.

“He’s going to have a fit,” Penny laughed, undressing along with Amy.

“That’s an unusual tattoo,” Amy said when she saw it, reaching out and lightly running her finger over it. “Are you into black cocks?” she asked.

“Mmm, yeah,” Penny replied, blushing slightly.

“I love black cock,” Amy said.

“You do?” Penny gasped.

“What? Did you think that just because I dress the way I do that I’m not into sex?” Amy asked, struggling to get the material of the top of her bathing suit to cover the large, thick cherry nipples of her smaller breasts.

“I-I never really thought about it at all,” Penny confessed.

“Is there a story behind the tattoo?” Amy asked.

“Yeah, I guess there is,” Penny replied, laughing. “I was in my sophomore year at college. I had never been with a black guy before. I met this really nice one at a party and the next thing I knew, I was in bed with him. Then two of his friends joined us.”

“Oh, my god!” Amy laughed. “Lucky you. What happened?”

“The three of them fucked my brains out all night long,” Penny laughed. “I could barely walk the next day. My mouth, pussy, and ass were all a bit sore. To celebrate, or commemorate it, I went and got this tattoo.”

“Did you ever see them again?” Amy asked.

“Lots of times, and a lot of their friends,” Penny replied.

“You constantly surprise me,” Amy said. “I keep expecting this spoiled princess and then you tell me something like that. I don’t suppose that you’re into women, too, are you?”

“Sure, but I prefer cock,” Penny replied.

“Wow!” Amy reacted, shaking her head. “I prefer women. If men didn’t have cocks, I’d have little to do with them, but I do love cock.”

“Really?!” Penny exclaimed, smiling.

“Maybe later we can…” Amy suggested.

“I’d like that,” Penny said, feeling her nipples hardening.

“Does Grant know, about any of it?” Amy asked as she tried to get the thin strip of material between her legs to cover her pussy adequately.

“Yes,” Penny replied, having even less luck than Amy, her huge clit and long inner lips making it even more difficult, “but not my Mom. She’d have a fit, then kill me.”

“You’re going to tell me how he found out, right?” Amy asked, smiling broadly, her cerulean blue eyes sparkling.

“Later, sure,” Penny replied, grinning. “Come on, let’s go see if we can’t make Grant have a heart attack.”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Grant exploded when he saw them. “You can’t seriously be considering going out in public like that.”

“The saleslady said that it’s perfectly legal,” Penny replied, laughing, looking down at herself and seeing the fiery patch of red hair sticking out above the top of the material of her suit. “Pretty hot, huh?” she asked. “I’ll bet you never knew that Amy was so sexy, did you?”

“Whose idea was this?” Grant asked, looking from one to the other.

“Mine,” Amy replied, laughing. “This is what you get for forcing me to go shopping and dress up.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” they heard him swear as they left and made their way up to the sky pool.

“I’d say that had the desired effect,” Amy laughed as they sat down on one of the chaise lounge chairs that were by the pool. “I can’t believe that we have this all to ourselves.”

“It’s the middle of the day,” Penny pointed out. “Most people are probably working.”

“So, tell me how Grant found out that you’re into black cock and women,” Amy urged, so Penny related what had happened with Senator Caruthers, leaving out the part where she had sucked Grant’s cock.

“He fucked the Senator right in front of you!?” Amy gasped, laughing. “And you watched?”

“Well, I wasn’t going to close my eyes,” Penny laughed.

“Oh, my god, what I wouldn’t have given to see that,” Amy laughed. “And you…you ate her pussy while Grant watched?” she asked, shaking her head.

“Senator Caruthers is a very hard woman to say no to,” Penny replied.

“My head is literally spinning,” Amy said. “Did Grant say anything to you afterwards?” she asked.

“Only that Senator Caruthers is a very hard woman to say no to,” Penny replied, laughing.

“I’ll admit that I’ve wondered what it would be like to fuck Grant,” Amy said.

“You and me both,” Penny agreed.

“You’d fuck your own father?” Amy gasped, then burst out laughing.

“Why not?” Penny replied. “Like you said, he’s movie-star gorgeous and he’s got a really big cock. I don’t buy into the incest is forbidden thing. I’m an adult. Nobody should have the right to tell me who to fuck as long as we all agree on it.”

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Amy said. “Oh, man, are you and I going to be great friends.”

“I tease him, try to get him interested, but he keeps using the fact that I’m his daughter as an excuse,” Penny explained.

“How do you tease him?” Amy asked, fascinated.

“By being naked around him as much as possible,” Penny replied, smiling broadly. “I’ve even sucked his cock a few times,” she said, deciding to confess all.

“No fucking way!” Amy gasped, her mouth dropping. “What’s that like? How did you get him to let you?” she asked.

“Dogged persistence,” Penny replied, smiling. “I called him a hypocrite, pointed out the fact that if I wasn’t his daughter, that he’d have no objection. And it’s amazing. He’s not just big, but he cums more than any man I’ve ever sucked, and I love eating cum.”

“Wow! Wow, wow, wow!” Amy laughed. “Eating cum is the whole reason for sucking a cock.”

“I agree,” Penny said, smiling broadly. “Why don’t you try to fuck him?” she suggested.

“That’s a non-starter,” Amy replied, shaking her head. “I work for him. It would be totally inappropriate for me to approach him or vice versa. It would ruin our ability to work together. It would have to happen spontaneously. I love my job. I get to do what I do best and I get paid crazy money for it. I’ve already earned more than I could ever possibly spend. Until now, he’s never said anything about how I dress, but I can understand his point in this situation. Working in the boiler room – that’s what we call our office – it doesn’t matter what anyone wears. We’re there to do research. Each person has their own specialty. We make sure that Grant has all of the possible information he could need so that when he deals with the clients, he can do what he does best, which is to negotiate, or litigate when all else fails. Do you realize that he’s never lost a case?”

“I didn’t, but it doesn’t surprise me after the way I’ve seen him deal with things,” Penny replied. “He’s like Perry Mason on steroids. He knows exactly what’s going to happen and how it’s going to end. It’s just a matter of making everyone else see what he already knows. I’ve learned so much in just a few short weeks.”

“Are you going to tell me how you cracked the Akins case?” Amy asked. “Even I didn’t find out the information that you came up with. I was pretty impressed.”

“It really wasn’t that hard,” Penny replied, smiling, then related what had happened with Charlie and Pedro.

“Does Grant know?” Amy asked, laughing.

“He might suspect, but I didn’t tell him,” Penny replied. “Same with the Bradford case in Bar Harbor,” she said, then explained how she had approached Mrs. Bradford. “He told me that he knows that I had something to do with the fact that they suddenly reconciled. I let him think what he wants. I really liked her and she and her friend were fun in bed. The fact that it all helped to resolve everything was just icing on the cake.”

“You are a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover,” Amy said. “I am totally impressed.”

“I don’t know about you, but all of this talk is making me hungry,” Penny said.

“Yeah, and not just for some food,” Amy agreed, smiling.

“Tonight,” Penny promised. “It will give us something to look forward to.”

“Do you have any idea how much I want to stick my tongue between your legs?” Amy asked with a sigh.

“Probably about as much as I want to do the same to you,” Penny replied with a smile. “Come on, let’s go tease Grant and get him to take us to lunch.”

They went down to the condo and found Grant in the living room on the phone. He froze in mid-sentence when he saw them, then quickly ended the call.

“We’re hungry,” Penny said.

“I could use something, too,” Grant agreed, trying not to stare at their pussies as they stood side-by-side in front of him. “You’re going to put on some clothes, right?” he asked.

“How boring,” Penny laughed, Amy joining her as they turned and went to their respective bedrooms.

They both dressed in shorts and T-shirts, then joined Grant in the living room.

“I suppose that’s an improvement,” he said, shaking his head as he saw their nipples sticking out against the material of their T-shirts. “I wish I knew which one of you was the worst influence.”

“Maybe it’s a toss-up,” Amy suggested with a laugh.

“Where do you want to eat?” Grant asked, getting to his feet.

“There’s a pizza place downstairs,” Penny said.

“That sounds great,” Grant said.

They went down and found Pizza Express, Penny ordering a Leggera superfood salad made with rocket and mixed mesclun salad, cucumber, avocado, lentils, fresh mozzarella, butternut squash, beetroot, fresh basil, balsamic syrup and pine kernels. Amy ordered a beetroot & goat’s cheese salad made with rocket, walnut, dried cranberries, honey balsamic dressing, avocado, beetroot and goat’s cheese, and they decided to share a Giardiniera pizza, made with asparagus, butternut squash, mushrooms, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, olives, passata, mozzarella, and garlic oil, finished with fresh basil and pesto Genovese. They each opted for a bottle of local Tiger beer.

“Anything new?” Penny asked as they ate.

“I’m afraid that I’m going to have to fly to Los Angeles in the morning, then on to London,” Grant replied. “I’ll be gone 4-5 days, maybe a week.”

“I wonder how Mai Li’s going to feel about that,” Penny said.

“Unless she has some information that totally changes things, my skillset isn’t needed here, at least not yet,” Grant replied. “The two of you are more than capable of carrying on. Penny, you need to start looking into Singaporean law with respect to divorce, embezzlement, and treason. Put together a good synopsis for me. Amy, what do you think are the chances of you being able to hack the Bank of China?” he asked.

“Slim and none,” Amy replied, shaking her head. “Even NSA would have a problem. Their security is top-level. The best I’m going to be able to do is trace that $120 million and see the path it took.”

“I was afraid of that,” Grant said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to come up with a plan with Mai Li about getting access to Jimmy Wang’s smartphone.”

“Get me within 10′ of it with it on and active and I’ll be able to clone it and leave a backdoor for future monitoring,” Amy said. “I won’t have to be in proximity to it to do that. Cloning it will give us everything on the phone at the moment I clone it, his IMs, emails, video chats, all of his photos, things like that.”

“Will he know that it’s been done?” Grant asked.

“Not the cloning, no,” Amy replied. “But the backdoor that I’d leave, any top level scan of his phone would reveal it, but not where it came from. He’d only know that he’d been accessed.”

“Which might not be a bad thing,” Grant mused. “Might induce a panicked reaction and that could be helpful. We’ll have to see what Mai Li has to say tonight.”

“If he does access the account at Bank of China, and I was actively monitoring his phone, I’d be able to piggyback his access and get into their system,” Amy said thoughtfully, smiling. “I’d get caught, and probably fairly quickly, but I might be able to be there long enough to see if there are any other monies being deposited and where they came from.”

“That would be very useful,” Grant said, smiling. “Would they be able to trace it back to you?” he asked.

“No,” Amy replied firmly. “I’ve got a little toy from my NSA days that will alert me if they’re trying to backtrace my signal. Of course, they’d know that his phone had been hacked and they’ll sweep it and we’ll lose the ability to monitor him. You’ll have to decide what’s more valuable to you.”

“We might need to have a talk with Minister of Security Chung about that,” Grant mused. “We can’t forget that the Singaporean government has a major interest in this.”

“You or Mai Li should be the one to call him,” Penny said.

“Why?” Grant asked.

“Face,” Penny replied. “It would be demeaning to him if I said I have to see him. If you or Mai Li does it, then he doesn’t lose any face, even if it’s only me and Amy that he meets with, since you won’t be here.”

“Good point,” Grant conceded. “It’s a good thing that I hired you, keep me up on my social niceties,” he said with a smile.

“And here I thought that it was because I was…how did Amy put it… a drop-dead gorgeous walking wet dream,” Penny said, laughing, then Amy and Grant joined in.

“Well, you are,” Amy said.

“You both are,” Grant said diplomatically, lifting his bottle of Tiger beer in a salute.

“Are we making progress?” Penny asked, turning to look at Amy. “I think that we’re making progress.”

“We should be so lucky,” Amy said, smiling at a suddenly disconcerted Grant.

“Uh, what are the two of you going to do for the rest of the day?” Grant asked, desperate to change the subject.

“You want to go to the spa?” Penny asked. “I went yesterday and it was just amazing. I could do it again, no problem.”

“Sure, why not?” Amy agreed. “I’ve never been to a spa.”

“Oh, boy, are you in for a surprise,” Penny laughed.

Going back up to their condo, Penny found the telephone number of the Banyan Tree Spa on her receipt from the previous day and called to see if she could get them appointments, then dialed 888 and asked Mr. Chang for a ride.

“You two look like you’re walking on air,” Grant said when they showed up almost 4 hours later.

“Nothing outside of sex has ever made my body feel so good,” Amy said, shaking her head, “and it beat the hell out of a lot of the sex.”

“What she said,” Penny agreed, laughing at the expression on her father’s face.

“I’m glad that you enjoyed it,” Grant finally managed to say. “Your timing couldn’t be better. We’re supposed to meet Mai Li in an hour.”

“Then we’d better go get ready,” Penny said.

“Well, I’ll be,” Grant gasped when they finally showed up, getting to his feet, his eyes wide. “You look, both of you, just fantastic.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about that exquisite cheongsam that Mai Li was wearing the other day,” Penny said. “I felt so dowdy. We got these today and I convinced Amy to let me put a bit of makeup on her.”

‘These’ were identical dresses of sheer silk, Penny’s a pale green for her eyes, and Amy’s a pale blue for hers. Spaghetti straps held them up, draping perfectly across their breasts just above the nipples, which were clearly visible as the material draped off of them down to mid-thigh, tapering at the waist, the right side slit almost up to the waist, leaving the entire leg and side of their ass cheek exposed. The back was open down to the very top of the crack of their asses. They were both wearing 3″ open-toed heels and their long straight toes were painted to match their dresses.

“I am absolutely blown away,” Grant said, a big smile on his face. “Let me take a picture of the two of you. Your mother will just love it.”

“She won’t and you know it, but I want a picture of us, too,” Penny laughed.

“How about out on the balcony with Singapore all lit up behind you?” Grant suggested.

“I want one with you, Dad,” Penny said after he had taken one of her with Amy, “and then I’ll take one of you with Amy.”

Standing with her arm around her father’s waist and his around her shoulders, Penny could never remember feeling so happy as Amy took a picture.

“You look like two strangers,” Penny said when she tried to take a photo of her father with Amy. “There’s space between you. Just do it like you did with me,” she directed, smiling as she took the shot. “Send them to both of us, okay?” she asked, handing him back his phone.

“We’d better go,” Grant said. “I’d hate to be late.”

As it turned out, they were perfectly on time. Mai Li’s was the only unit on the floor, spanning the building, with beautiful Chinese furnishings and lighting, along with spotlit porcelain vases on pedestals at various points around the room.

“Grant, Penny, I’m so glad that you came,” Mai Li said when she appeared, wearing another of her spectacular cheongsams, this one in a deep red.

“Mai Li, you are absolutely stunning,” Grant said as they shook hands. “Please allow me to introduce you to Amy Harrison,” he said.

“Are you the computer genius that I’ve heard so much about?” Mai Li asked, smiling as she shook hands.

“I’ve been accused of that,” Amy said, smiling. “Grant is right, you are really beautiful. Such a gorgeous cheongsam.”

“Thank you,” Mai Li said, turning to shake Penny’s hand. “The two of you are going to steal the show, though, I’m afraid. You look wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Penny said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Shall we go?” Mai Li asked.

“Aren’t we here for dinner?” Grant asked.

“Assuredly, but not here,” Mai Li replied, laughing. “I’ve arranged something very special for tonight.”

They went downstairs where they got into Mai Li’s candy-apple red Bentley Mulsanne Grand limousine.

“Is there anything that we need to discuss where eavesdropping would be a problem?” Mai Li asked as they pulled away. “We won’t be able to discuss business where we’re going.”

Grant quickly filled her in on the issue with her husband’s smartphone.

“Jimmy uses whatever the latest iPhone is,” Mai Li said. “It’s my understanding that they’re not hackable.”

“That’s what Apple would like you to believe,” Amy said, laughing. “The NSA cracked the iPhone years ago. Neither organization is in a hurry to let anyone know that.”

“And you can do that, hack his iPhone?” Mai Li asked.

“Yes,” Amy replied, then explained the specific circumstances that she’d need to be able to accomplish that.

“That won’t be a problem,” Mai Li said. “I’ll invite him to dinner tomorrow. He’ll be delighted. I’ve been ignoring him for weeks. I’ll also arrange for someone to call him at a specific time and keep him engaged long enough for you to do whatever it is that you’re going to do. Of course, you’ll be having dinner at a table near us at the same time. Will that suffice?”

“That would be perfect,” Amy replied.

Grant then explained that he felt they should consult with Minister of Security Chung to see what he felt was the most important, trying to take a peek inside of the Bank of China’s system to learn what other monies might have been deposited in the account, or maintaining the ability to monitor her husband’s phone.

“I’ll call Freddy in the morning and ask him,” Mai Li said, nodding. “He might want to talk with you. Would that be okay?” she asked Amy.

“I don’t mind, as long as it doesn’t get me arrested,” Amy replied.

To Penny’s delight, they arrived at the Marina Bay Sands and went to Waku Ghin on the second level.

“Nice, two Michelin stars,” Amy said to Penny as they entered.

They were led through the dining room, every head in the place turning to stare, then into a private dining room with rosewood flooring and Japanese cedar walls, except for the glass wall facing the waterfront. A round table with four chairs, all of Burmese blackwood, was in the center of the room beneath a large crystal chandelier.

“What a beautiful room,” Amy said as she looked around.

They hadn’t been seated for a minute before an older Japanese man with a big smile hurried into the room, bowing slightly to Mai Li before taking her hands in his.

“Mai Li, you do me great honor to grace my restaurant this evening,” he said.

“It’s been too long, Chef Wakuda,” Mai Li said, smiling. “I’ve missed you and your delicious food. You have something special prepared for us this evening?” she asked.

“I do,” he replied, his smile even bigger. “I have a special surprise that I’m sure that you’ll appreciate,” he said just as the door to the dining room opened and a server rolled a food trolley over to the table. There was a bottle set in crushed ice in a wine bucket and another bucket with four small glasses pressed down into the crushed ice. “I was able to get several bottles of Reikyo Crystal 0.”

“You’re too kind,” Mai Li said, but her smile belied her words.

Standing aside to let the server open the bottle and pour, Chef Wakuda smiled broadly.

“What is it?” Penny asked when the small glass was placed in front of her.

“It is the rarest of Japanese sake,” Chef Wakuda explained. “It is almost never available outside of Japan, and even in Japan, it is very difficult to obtain.”

“To health,” Mai Li said, raising her glass, everyone else doing the same.

“Oh, my!” Penny said, rolling her eyes. “That is delicious.”

“Smooth,” Amy said, smiling. “What a treat.”

“I will leave you to enjoy your meal, though of course I will check back to answer any questions,” Chef Wakuda said.

“Thank you,” Mai Li said.

Almost immediately another server arrived with a food trolley and placed covered bowls in front of each of them, the delicious aroma of miso soup rising when he removed the covers.

“Oh, wow, what incredible miso soup,” Amy said after tasting it.

“Do you know Japanese cuisine?” Mai Li asked.

“I’m hesitant to say yes, but I will say that it’s my favorite,” Amy replied.

When the soup was finished and cleared, the server minding the sake trolley quick to refill their glasses whenever one was drained, another server appeared with a food trolley and placed small bowls in front of each of them, along with an ivory spoon.

“This is Ossetia caviar with uni, sour cream, onions, cornichons, capers, and chives,” he explained.

“I’m afraid I don’t know Japanese food that well,” Penny said. “What is uni?”

“Sea urchin eggs,” Amy said, laughing at the expression on Penny’s face. “They look like cat tongues, I think. They have a wonderful, musky flavor.”

“I’ve never tasted anything like that before,” Penny said after tasting it. “It’s delicious, though, especially with the caviar.

When they had finished the caviar appetizer, the next dish was comprised of three raw oysters on a bed of ice.

“These oysters are tarbouriech and royal from France,” the server explained, pointing them out, “and karatomari ebisu from Japan.”

“Mmm, they practically melt in your mouth,” Penny sighed. “So creamy.”

As the next dish was served, a second bottle of the Reikyo Crystal 0 sake was opened, their glasses filled.

“This is an assortment of sashimi,” the server explained, “three pieces each of awabi, hirame, tai, hotate, uni, kinki, aori ika, akaza ebi, maguro otoro, and anago,” pointing at each. “In English, abalone, flounder, snapper, scallop, sea urchin, thornhead, big reef squid, scampi, supreme-fat tuna belly, and conger eel.”

“I can’t believe that I’ve never had this before,” Penny said, watching and copying the others by pouring some soy sauce into the small shallow bowl that they were each given, then some of the green paste, mixing it with her chopsticks until it was a muddy light-brown color. “I love seafood.”

“That green paste is a kind of horseradish called wasabi,” Amy warned. “It’s spicy, and if you eat too much of it at once, you’ll have smoke coming out of your nose and ears.”

“I’ve just discovered my new favorite food,” Penny sighed as she dipped a piece of fish into the sauce, then ate it. “This is so delicious.”

When Chef Wakuda appeared as they ate, they were all full of compliments and praise for the quality of the meal, which he clearly appreciated.

“And I just love this ginger,” Penny said.

“The whole idea is that the ginger cleanses your palette so that you can taste the difference between the various seafoods,” Amy explained. “I’ve never in my life had such high-quality sashimi. This is quite a treat.”

“It pleases me so much that you enjoy it,” Mai Li said, smiling.

“I can’t believe that some pieces of raw fish can fill me up like this,” Penny sighed, sitting back. “I can’t eat another bite and I want to, it’s so good.”

“If you finished everything, I would have to order more, thinking that I hadn’t provided enough,” Mai Li said.

“Oh, no, please don’t,” Penny pleaded. “This is the best meal of my life.”

“Then all is well,” Mai Li said.

At a signal, the servers cleared the table, then green tea was served and they were each given warm moist towels scented in rose water to wash their hands and mouths.

“Mai Li, I don’t mean to talk about…things, but a question occurred to me,” Penny said.

“One moment,” Mai Li said, waiting until the servers left the room. “What is it?” she asked.

“What if all of our investigations show that your husband has nothing to do with the missing funds or any of the other stuff?” Penny asked. “Do you still want a divorce?”

“It never even crossed my mind that he was anything but guilty,” Mai Li replied. “But let’s say that he is innocent, I still wish to end the marriage. It is a sham that has no further use for me. I do not need my husband for political connections any longer. I have my own now and they will suffice.”

“Are you aware that if he should be guilt of working with the triads, that that would be treason and that he could be sentenced to death?” Penny asked.

“Yes,” Mai Li replied after a significant pause. “And if he is so, then that is what he deserves. I have nothing but contempt for disloyalty.”

“I-I’m sorry to have mentioned any of that,” Penny said.

“You have only done your job,” Mai Li said, once again smiling. “You would be remiss had you not. Do not feel guilty.”

“Thank you,” Penny said.

“I cannot believe that you asked Mai Li those questions after dinner,” Grant said when they were safely back in their condo. “What were you thinking?”

“I was worried that she was divorcing him because of the money disappearing and I wondered if she had other reasons for wanting a divorce,” Penny replied. “The death penalty is so final. I wanted to make sure that she was aware of what could occur.”

“She did the right thing and you know it, Grant,” Amy said. “It might not have been the best time and place to ask those questions, but they needed to be asked and better they were asked while you were here.”

“I wasn’t expecting that from you, Amy,” Grant said.

“I’ll admit that it hadn’t occurred to me,” Amy said. “Had you thought about it?” she asked.

“No,” Grant replied, exhaling. “No. This is why I avoided criminal law. I don’t want the actual lives of people on my hands. Their circumstances I can live with, but like Penny rightfully pointed out, the death penalty is very final.”

“Do you not agree with a death penalty?” Amy asked.

“For certain crimes, yes,” Grant replied. “My problem is that too many people are convicted and sentenced with only circumstantial evidence. I have an instinctive distrust of the police. They have their own vested interests and I’ve seen too many instances where they have lied to cover their own shortcomings. My personal feeling is that most police come from the shallow end of the gene pool and have serious psychological issues that make them want to carry arms and enforce laws against their own neighbors. I know that they’re a necessary evil, but…I’d have to be 100% certain of a person’s guilt before I’d agree to a death sentence. Beyond a reasonable doubt doesn’t cut it for me in that regard.”

“Fair enough,” Amy said.

“My flight is early in the morning,” Grant said. “No need for either of you to have to get up or see me to the airport. I’ll say good-bye before I leave. If you have any questions, you can always get hold of me. You know what to do.”

“No problem,” Amy said. “Good night.”

“Yeah, good night, Dad,” Penny said, kissing him on the cheek.

Going to her room and undressing, Penny went to the bathroom and found Amy there naked, scrubbing the makeup from her face.

“I’ve been waiting all day for this,” Penny said, leaning up against Amy’s ass and reaching around her to cup her breasts, her fingers easily finding and capturing her thick cherry nipples and squeezing them.

“Mmm, me, too,” Amy agreed, turning around to face her, her hands sliding up her body to fill with Penny’s breasts, pinching her hard ruby nipples as Penny leaned down to softly kiss her, which deepened into a tongue-sucking kiss full of passion, their lower bodies pressing against each other, the fiery brush of hair above Penny’s pussy tickling Amy’s stomach.

“Let’s go to my bed,” Penny suggested when they broke their kiss, both of them smiling. “I’m just dying to eat you.”

Falling onto the bed in a 69, Penny sank her tongue into Amy, moaning as she tasted her tangy juices cascading onto her questing tongue, delighting in sucking on her delicate inner lips as she felt Amy’s mouth on her, her body spasming in orgasm as she sucked on her huge clit. After 15 minutes, they fell apart, both gasping for breath.

“God, you taste so good,” Penny said, rolling over between Amy’s legs and pushing them up towards her chest. “Now let me please you,” she said, smiling up at Amy before lowering her attention to her spread pussy, sliding a couple of fingers into her as she sucked on her fat clit, teasing it with the tip of her tongue, then lapping up the tangy juices that flowed as she moaned in orgasm. “You have a beautiful pussy,” she murmured, sucking on her delicate pink inner lips, then sinking her tongue into her.

“God, your tongue should be illegal,” Amy gasped after several minutes, reaching down to push Penny’s face away from her pussy as her body continued to spasm in orgasmic aftershocks. “Now it’s my turn,” she said, the two of them rolling over and reversing positions, Penny trapping her knees behind her elbows as she looked down at Amy’s face between her thighs, her eyes wide as she licked her lips, staring at her pussy. “What a sexy pussy,” she said, flicking her tongue out and dragging it up through it. “Such long lips, so much fun to suck on,” she said, demonstrating, Penny moaning as she came. “And you cum so easily,” she said, sinking her tongue into her and audibly slurping at the juices that flowed onto it.

“Don’t stop,” Penny begged, Amy smiling as she had no intention of stopping, sucking on her huge clit, feeling Penny bucking beneath her as she came uncontrollably.

“I’ve never tasted a more delicious pussy,” Amy said, looking up at Penny as she slid a couple of fingers in and out of her, her tongue continuing to flick out and swipe across her huge clit, causing her to moan as each time it triggered another orgasm. “And you are so wet,” she said, adding a third finger, then a fourth, pumping them in and out of her pussy between her long inner lips.

“Wha…what are you…oh, god,” Penny groaned, releasing her legs and looking down to see Amy’s arm sticking out of her spasming pussy, her entire hand inside of her, slowly rocking back and forth as she continued to cum, her pussy clamping down on her hand. “I-I’ve never…” she gasped, pushing up onto her elbows to watch, moaning when she saw Amy’s hand emerge from her now-gaping pussy.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Amy asked, licking her hand as she smiled at a stunned Penny.

“Nobody has ever done that to me before,” Penny gasped, staring. “I never came so hard in my life.”

“I thought that your pussy was going to squeeze my hand to death,” Amy said, leaning down and sliding her tongue into her, slurping up the tangy juices that flowed as though from a broken fountain.

“Do it again,” Penny begged, watching wide-eyed as Amy slid four fingers into her, then moaning when she saw the rest of her hand follow, groaning as her whole body spasmed in orgasm. “Oh, god, that feels so, so good,” she said as Amy rocked her hand back and forth, her knuckles rubbing against her G-spot, orgasm after orgasm rippling through her body as she came.

“You’re even more fun than I imagined,” Amy said after withdrawing her hand from Penny’s pussy and crawling up her body, stopping to suck and chew on her nipples before engaging in a searing, tongue-sucking kiss as they pressed their pussies against one another.

“It’s never been this good before,” Penny gasped, rolling Amy over and leaning down to suck on her thick cherry nipples. “These are so made for sucking,” she said, smiling up at her, then returning to the task at hand.

The night seemed to go on forever with only short cat naps before they’d attack one another. At one point Amy encouraged Penny to push her entire hand into her, moaning in delight as her body was wracked with orgasms. Then they were in a 69, fisting one another while sucking on their respective clits. Penny was on top of Amy in a 69 when she heard a soft knock on the door. Lifting her head, she saw the door open, followed by her father stepping into the room, then freezing when he took in the scene, Penny’s wild-eyed look, her mouth and chin glistening with Amy’s pussy juices, her pussy spread apart beneath her.

“I-I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Grant said, stunned at the sight. “I’m leaving now. I’ll be in touch,” he said, stepping back and closing the door.

“Oh, well,” Penny sighed, then lowered her face back to Amy’s pussy.

“What an awesome night,” Amy sighed as they showered together, washing each other.

“The best ever,” Penny agreed, reaching down to rub Amy’s pussy. “I never knew that it could be that good.”

“I’ve never been with a woman as hot as you,” Amy said, smiling. “No regrets?” she asked.

“Not a chance,” Penny laughed. “We should spend the whole day in bed together.”

“What we should do is get to work,” Amy admonished, “after having some breakfast, of course. I’ve worked up one hell of an appetite. Your pussy is amazing, but it doesn’t fill me the way I need. It would be nice to be able to show that we’ve actually done some work if Grant checks in on us. I can’t believe he saw us like that.”

“I’ve never seen him look that shocked,” Penny said, laughing. “Maybe the sight of your pussy will inspire him to check it out.”

“It didn’t work for you,” Amy pointed out.

“You’re not his daughter,” Penny laughed.

“You really wouldn’t mind if I fucked him?” Amy asked.

“Gosh, no,” Penny replied. “Especially if I get to watch. You fuck him and I’ll eat you after he cums in you.”

“Mmm, that sounds perfect,” Amy sighed.

Reluctantly dressing in shorts and T-shirts, they went down to Wild Honey and had breakfast, then went back up to the condo.

“Since I don’t really have anything to do, I’ll help you,” Amy suggested. “You look into the Singaporean divorce and embezzlement laws, I’ll check out the treason.”

“Sounds good,” Penny agreed, going to her bedroom for her laptop and at the last moment removing her T-shirt, smiling as she gave her breasts and nipples a squeeze, remembering how it had felt to have Amy doing it, before going out to the living room where she found Amy already with her laptop open on her lap.

“Are you trying to distract me?” Amy asked, smiling when she saw her, her naked breasts swaying on her chest.

“Yes,” Penny replied, as she sat down and opened her laptop.

“Well, fair’s fair,” Amy said, peeling her own T-shirt off.

“God, I just love your nipples,” Penny said, reaching for her.

“Don’t get me started,” Amy laughed, slapping her hand away. “Let’s get some work done.”

They worked, though they took frequent breaks to kiss and play with each other’s breasts and suck on each other’s nipples. They had been working for a few hours when they heard the doorbell.

“I wonder who that could be?” Penny asked, grabbing her T-shirt and going to the door, holding it over her breasts as she opened the door a crack and peeked out, surprised to see Mai Li. “Mai Li! Come…come in,” Penny said, stepping aside for her, flushing when she saw Mai Li’s eyes raise as she took in her state of dress, or undress. “We…we were working,” she explained, starting to put her T-shirt on.

“Please don’t, not on my account,” Mai Li said, reaching out and stopping her, stunning her when she gently cupped one of her breasts, her thumb sliding across her rapidly hardening ruby nipple. “You have extraordinarily beautiful breasts,” she said, continuing to gently caress her. “It was impossible not to notice them last night. You don’t mind?” she asked when Penny made no move to stop her.

“N-no, not at all,” Penny replied, smiling. “I just never expected…”

“That I might like women?” Mai Li asked, smiling.

“Well, yeah,” Penny replied.

“Far more than men, though they have their uses,” Mai Li said, dropping her hand.

“C-come in, please,” Penny said, leading the way to the living room where Amy looked up startled when she saw Mai Li.

“Mai Li!” Amy gasped.

“Good morning,” Mai Li said, smiling as she took a seat. “I like your choice of work attire.”

“We weren’t expecting any visitors,” Amy said. “You don’t mind?” she asked.

“If anything, I appreciate it,” Mai Li replied. “You’re both even more beautiful without clothes.”

“Thank you,” Amy said as Penny sat down.

“I know that Grant left this morning and I thought that perhaps you’d like to join me for some lunch at my place,” Mai Li said.

“Actually, that sounds great,” Penny replied. “I was starting to get hungry.”

Pulling their T-shirts on, Penny and Amy accompanied Mai Li up to her condo.

“Wow, he’s huge!” Penny gasped when she saw the extremely black man who was waiting in the foyer when they entered, not so much tall as wide and hugely muscled.

“This is Hamid,” Mai Li introduced. “Part of my personal security team.”

“Hi,” Penny said, smiling.

“Good morning,” Hamid said in a deep, mellifluous voice.

“Hamid is from Uganda and is a former member of the British SAS,” Mai Li explained.

Mai Li led them to the dining room which overlooked a spectacular vista of Singapore, sitting at the head of the table with Penny and Amy on either side, facing each other.

“I saw how much you enjoyed the oysters last night, so I arranged to have some sent for lunch today,” Mai Li explained as a large platter with half a dozen were placed in front of each of them. “Would you like some wine?” she asked.

“Just a glass,” Penny replied. “Today’s a work day.”

Hamid disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a bottle and three glasses which he placed on the table, then poured.

“Delicious!” Penny said after taking a sip.

“It’s one of my personal favorites,” Mai Li said, smiling. “A Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.”

“I taste citrus, smoke, and it almost seems like pears,” Penny said, taking another sip.

“You’ve got a discerning palate,” Mai Li said.

The oysters finished, their empty platters were cleared to be replaced by large bowls filled with a colorful salad with a chilled fork placed next to them.

“This is a king crab salad,” Mai Li explained. “What is the dressing today, Ahmad?” she asked.

“A cloudberry vinaigrette, Ma’am,” he replied.

“I thought that his name was Hamid,” Amy said.

“This is his twin brother,” Mai Li explained, her smile ear-to-ear.

“How do you tell them apart?” Penny asked, staring in fascination as Hamid also came from the kitchen, standing next to his brother to the side of the table.

“Oh, there are ways,” Mai Li replied enigmatically, her eyes sparkling.

“Mmm, delicious,” Amy said after tasting her salad. “What are cloudberries?” she asked.

“They’re only found up near the arctic circle growing in the tundra in Finland,” Mai Li explained. “They’re not farmed, only growing wild and harvested by hand.”

“Such a wonderful flavor,” Penny said.

“If I’m not being too nosy, are you two lovers?” Mai Li asked.

“Well, uh, I guess we are now,” Penny replied, flushing. “I mean, last night was our first time together.”

“Do you not like men?” Mai Li asked.

“We love them, but with none available, we made do,” Penny replied, smiling at Amy.

“As an Asian woman, I find your coloring, the red hair, pale freckled skin, to be quite exotic,” Mai Li said. “All Asians have black hair and eyes. The way your dresses showed your bodies and matched your eyes last night was quite enchanting. I envy you your night together.”

“Mai Li,” Amy said after quickly exchanging glances with Penny, “we find you to be exotic. You’re like this perfect China doll.”

“Have either of you ever been with an Asian woman?” Mai Li asked.

“No,” they replied in unison, shaking their heads.

“But I’d like to know what it’s like,” Penny said, smiling. “Am I being too forward?” she asked.

“No,” Mai Li replied, smiling. “You beat me to it. I was going to ask if you’d like to spend the night with me this evening.”

“Which one of us?” Amy asked.

“Both of you, of course,” Mai Li replied with a laugh.

“God, I’d love to,” Amy said, smiling broadly.

“Me, too,” Penny agreed.

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Mai Li said, beaming a smile. “It will give me something to look forward to after I have dinner with Jimmy.”

“You’re having dinner with your husband?” Amy asked.

“Yes, at CÉ LA VI,” Mai Li replied. “It’s on the rooftop at the Marina Bay Sands. I’ve also made a reservation for the two of you. You’ll be at a table next to us. Are you prepared to access Jimmy’s phone?” she asked. “I’ve arranged for him to receive a call that will occupy him for several minutes.”

“I am,” Amy replied. “It will go much quicker if I know his telephone number, otherwise my system will scan for all of the active phones within an approximate 10′ radius.”

“I’ll make sure you have it before you leave today. I know this will sound silly, but please don’t dress as provocatively as you did last night,” Mai Li said. “I wouldn’t want Jimmy to notice you as much as he would if you were dressed like last night. If you hadn’t noticed, every eye in the house was on you.”

“I thought that they were looking at you,” Amy said. “You were just exquisite in that red cheongsam. It perfectly set off that amazing jade necklace and earrings that you wore.”

“Do you always notice such details about life?” Mai Li asked.

“It’s my forte,” Amy replied.

“That’s not the only forte you have,” Penny said, smiling as Amy blushed and Mai Li laughed.

“Mr. Chang will call for you at 7:00,” Mai Li explained. “You’ll get to the restaurant about 15 minutes before us. I’ll make sure that Jimmy is sitting with his back to you.”

“That would be perfect,” Amy said.

They finished their lunch and Penny and Amy reluctantly said good-bye after thanking her for the wonderful meal. At the last moment, Penny impulsively bent over and hugged Mai Li.

“I can’t wait for tonight,” she said, smiling at the diminutive woman. “And I’m not talking about the dinner.”

“I feel the same,” Mai Li said, patting her on the cheek. “Until later, then,” she said, seeing them to the door.

“Holy shit!” Amy gasped when the door closed behind them, turning to hug Penny, then kiss her, sucking on her tongue.

“This is like the world’s best dream,” Penny laughed as they made their way back to their room, then forced themselves to continue working.

Mr. Chang was waiting for them when they went downstairs at 7:00. Arriving at the Marina Bay Sands, they went to the roof and found CÉ LA VI. When Penny gave her name and said that they had a reservation, they were escorted to a table.

“This place is great,” Amy said as she looked around. “I can’t wait to taste the food.”

“I can’t wait for dessert,” Penny said, both of them bursting into laughter. “All afternoon I’ve wondered what she’s going to taste like.”

“You’re not alone,” Amy agreed, “though I’m just as eager to get my tongue between your legs again.”

“God, stop it already,” Penny laughed as they looked at the menus that they were handed. “The other day I had lunch with Grant and we just ordered a bunch of appetizers so that we could taste a lot of different things. You want to do that now?”

“What a great idea,” Amy agreed. “You order.”

Looking up, Penny caught the server’s eye and he came to the table.

“Can we just order a bunch of appetizers?” Penny asked.

“Of course,” the server replied. “What would you like?”

“Let’s start with half a dozen oysters each – I can’t get enough of these oysters,” Penny said to Amy. “They’re just so creamy. And then the Hokkaido scallop, yellowfin tuna, maitake mushroom, Japanese kingfish collar, channa dhal hummus – I just love hummus – and the tempura zucchini flower,” she ordered.

“What would you like to drink with your dinner?” the server asked.

“Let’s see,” Penny mused, quickly perusing the wine list. “We tried the Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc and it was wonderful,” she said, seeing it on the menu. “Are any of these other sauvignon blancs as good?” she asked.

“If you enjoyed the Cloudy Bay, I highly recommend the Pascal Joulivet Sancerre,” the server said. “It has hints of gooseberries, green herbs, and grapefruit, with a slight mineral flintiness on the finish.”

“We’ll have a bottle of that, then,” Penny said, handing him her menu just as the hostess was leading Mai Li and her husband to the table behind them. “What do you think?” she asked Amy, arching her eyebrows.

“I think that everything is perfect,” Amy said, reaching out and squeezing her hand. “Let’s just enjoy ourselves. This is going to be a special night,” she said, deliberate pitching her voice enough so that Mai Li would hear.

The server showed up with the bottle of wine, then opened it, Amy placing her own iPhone on the table next to her as he poured.

“Oh, that is just delicious!” Penny said, watching with delight as the server poured their glasses, then tasting it.

“Cheers!” Amy said, raising her glass to Penny and clinking rims. “Here’s to the good life.”

“Amen!” Penny agreed.

Not 10 minutes later they heard the phone ring at Mai Li’s table. Penny saw the small smile on Amy’s face when Jimmy answered his phone, then pressed a button on the screen of hers, looking up and smiling at Penny just as the server showed up with their oysters. By the time Jimmy’s call had ended, Amy had already replaced her phone in her bag.

“I can’t believe I never thought of ordering a bunch of appetizers like that,” Amy said when they finally sat back, sated as the table was cleared. “It makes so much more sense. I’ll be doing it from now on.”

“I’d never done it, either,” Penny said. “It just occurred to me at that moment. It’s definitely going to be what I do in the future, too.”

When Penny asked for the check after they had coffee, she was stunned to be told that it had been taken care of. They went downstairs and found Mr. Chang and rode back to Scotts Square. Amy checked her phone during the ride back and announced that everything had worked perfectly. They debated about changing clothes while they waited anxiously to hear from Mai Li, then decided to just remain as they were. When the house phone finally rang, Penny quickly answered it.

“We’ll be right up,” she said, a big smile on her face as she hung up.

Going up to Mai Li’s, the door was opened by one of the twins.

“Good evening, Miss,” he said, smiling as they entered.

“Which one are you?” Penny asked.

“I am Ahmad,” he replied.

“Good evening, Ahmad,” Penny said, smiling.

“Mrs. Wang is waiting in her boudoir,” he said. “If you’ll follow me.”

Mai Li’s boudoir turned out to be a huge bedroom with an 8′-diameter round bed on a pedestal against a glass wall overlooking the sparkling lights of Singapore below and in the distance. Mai Li was sitting in an embroidered chair at a coffee table that was heavily inlaid with mother of pearl and abalone. There were two matching chairs on either side, all of them facing the glass wall and the spectacular view.

Standing as Ahmad led them in, they could see that she was wearing an elaborately embroidered silk robe that came down to her upper thighs. Penny smiled to herself when she saw that Mai Li was barefoot, as they had decided at the last minute to leave their shoes behind and come barefoot.

“Mai Li, what an incredible robe,” Penny said, leaning over and hugging her. “And thank you for dinner. That wasn’t necessary.”

“Did you enjoy your meal?” Mai Li asked, her eyes sparkling. “I wholly approved of your choice of wine, by the way.”

“It was delicious, all of it,” Penny said.

“You were successful?” Mai Li asked Amy, indicating that they should sit with her.

“Completely,” Amy replied, smiling. “I’ll take a look at what I have tomorrow, but I cloned his phone and left the backdoor so that he can be monitored at any time. I’m sure that the security people here will know how to do that.”

“You’ll explain it to them yourself so that there is no doubt,” Mai Li said. “Freddy is sending a car for both of you tomorrow at 2pm.”

“I should be able to give him a preliminary report of what’s in the phone by then,” Amy said. “Mai Li, that robe that you’re wearing, it looks like a copy of a Ming royal robe from the late 1500s.”

“I’m astonished that you know that,” Mai Li gasped, her eyes wide. “It’s an exact copy of the one in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.”

“Exact? Gold thread and beading, all the gemstones?” Amy gasped.

“It should be, as much as it cost to have made,” Mai Li replied, smiling. “It took them two years to make it.”

“And you wear it?” Amy asked, stunned.

“Not often, but for special occasions like this…” Mai Li replied smiling.

“Fill me in?” Penny said, shaking her head. “I mean, it’s beautiful.”

“Everything that’s glittering are gemstones; red is rubies, blue is sapphires, yellow and white are diamonds, green is emeralds,” Amy explained. “The five-taloned red dragon motif is unique to the Ming dynasty, though Qing tried to adopt it, far less effectively, in my opinion. They colored their dragons yellow or gold.”

“You’re not serious!” Penny gasped, peering more closely at the stunning silk robe.

“Before you tell me how you know that, would you like an after-dinner aperitif?” Mai Li asked. “I have a wonderful Japanese Fu-ki umeshu. It’s a plum wine.”

“That sounds lovely,” Penny replied.

Out of nowhere, one of the twins appeared and Mai Li asked him to bring the wine.

“Now, please tell me how you know so much about my robe,” Mai Li insisted.

“I did a PhD comparing the clothing of the Ming and Qing dynasties,” Amy explained.

“Really?” Penny gasped, staring at her open-mouthed. “Why?”

“I was going to ask the same,” Mai Li said, smiling as one of the twins appeared with a wooden tray and a bottle and three small glasses on it.

“It seemed interesting at the time,” Amy replied, shrugging.

“What is the difference?” Mai Li asked. “I’m not sure that I know.”

“Well, in a nutshell, the Ming are ethnic Han and they liked their clothing loose with elaborate embroidery,” Amy explained. “They pre-date the Qing, who toppled them to rule China for the next 300 years in the mid-1600s. The Qing are essentially Mongols, warrior horsemen of the northern plains. Because of that, they liked their clothing to be tight-fitting. It was also far less elaborate.”

“I never knew that,” Mai Li said, shaking her head. “But let’s drink to our mutual pleasure,” she said, lifting her glass.

“Amen,” Amy said, gently touching rims with the other two.

“Oh, wow, is that delicious,” Penny sighed after tasting it. “So good!”

“Shall we go to the bed and enjoy ourselves?” Mai Li asked when they had finished their glasses of wine, standing up and loosening the cinch of her robe and letting it slide from her body onto her chair, leaving her naked, her breasts small with dark, berry-like nipples, the dark inner lips of her clamshell pussy furled beneath a fat dark clit which was just peeking out.

“Oh, Mai Li, you are so beautiful,” Penny said as she got to her feet, quickly undressing, as did Amy.

“Such an amazing color,” Mai Li said, reaching out and running her fingers through the tuft of fiery hair above Penny’s pussy. “What does this represent?” she asked, running her finger over the tattoo.

“It’s a black rooster,” Penny replied, flushing. “They’re also known as cocks. I like black ones.”

“Oh, my, how…wonderful,” Mai Li said, laughing, then turning and going to the bed and climbing up onto it to lie back in the center, Amy and Penny quickly following. “I’ve thought about this all day,” she sighed as she took them both into her arms, one on each side, both of them leaning over to capture one of her dark nipples between their lips, their hands meeting between her legs, their fingers finding her wetness together, each sliding a finger into her at the same time.

When Penny moved up to tentatively kiss Mai Li, which didn’t remain tentative long as Mai Li reacted, Amy trailed her tongue down her body to lie between her legs, pushing them up as she leaned forward and dragged her tongue up through her pussy, tasting her musky juices as she moaned into Penny’s mouth, one of Penny’s hands on her small breasts, kneading them and pinching and pulling on her nipples.

“I’d like to taste you,” Mai Li breathed, her eyes wide as she and Penny looked at each other nose to nose.

“Yes, I’d like that, too,” Penny agreed, moving up and straddling her face, then lowering herself as Mai Li wrapped her hands around her thighs and pulled her down, her tongue sliding into her sopping pussy.

Reaching forward, Penny wrapped her hands around Mai Li’s ankles and held them up and apart, making it easier for Amy to eat her and also to facilitate being able to watch Amy’s tongue in Mai Li’s pussy as Mai Li ate hers. After several minutes, Amy lifted her face and smiled at Penny.

“You’re just going to love eating her,” Amy said.

“Let’s trade places,” Penny suggested, rising up off of Mai Li’s face, then bending over to kiss her, tasting herself on her mouth and tongue. “That was just what I needed,” she said.

“Such a special taste,” Mai Li sighed, smiling. “You never stop cumming.”

“I think that you had a lot to do with that,” Penny said, laughing. “Now I get to return the favor.”

Crawling between Mai Li’s spread thighs, Penny could see that her inner lips had unfurled, pouting apart beneath her fat dark clit. Glancing up before leaning over, she smiled when she saw Amy lowering her pussy onto Mai Li’s extended tongue. Sliding her tongue into Mai Li, Penny moaned when she tasted her delicious musky juices that cascaded over her tongue. She quickly realized that Mai Li’s clit was extremely sensitive and had her cumming over and over again, writhing on the bed beneath her, gasping into Amy’s pussy as she tried to eat her.

“Oh, stop, stop,” Mai Li gasped from beneath Amy, reaching down and trying to push Penny’s head away from her pussy. “Too much.”

“Eating you could become addicting,” Penny said, licking her lips as she smiled at Mai Li, who had pushed up onto her elbows to look down at her.

“I’d be dead first,” Mai Li said, then laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I had to beg someone to stop giving me pleasure.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Amy agreed, laughing. “Penny’s tongue should be considered a lethal weapon.”

“Eating the two of you inspires me, what can I say?” Penny said, laughing.

“I’d like to see you together,” Mai Li said, her eyes sparkling.

“Mmm, yummy,” Amy said, reaching for Penny, and in a trice they were wrapped in a 69, slurping on each other as Mai Li watched.

“You fit well together,” Mai Li said when they finally fell apart, gasping for breath.

“That goes for all three of us,” Penny said, reaching for Mai Li and pulling her over on top of her, smiling into her eyes.

“Ohhhh!” Mai Li gasped, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping as Amy fastened her mouth onto her from behind.

“Isn’t she great?” Penny asked, pulling Mai Li’s face down for a kiss, gasping into her mouth when Amy lowered her attentions to her own pussy.

“Would you like me to invite Hamid and Ahmad to join us?” Mai Li asked a couple of minutes later as they all lay snuggled together with Mai Li in the middle.

“Really?!” Penny gasped, pushing up onto an elbow to look down at Mai Li.

“They’re very useful in that way,” Mai Li said, smiling. “They have something that we can’t offer one another.”

“Having fun with you is more than enough, but there’s no way I could say no to such an offer,” Penny said.

“I enjoy sharing with special friends,” Mai Li said, “and I confess that I’d like to see them with you, the contrast in your colors. I think that it would be very erotic.”

“I’d like you to see that, too,” Amy said, laughing.

Somehow, Hamid and Ahmed appeared, standing by the bed and looking down on the three naked women.

“Please join us,” Mai Li said, smiling.

The two brothers looked at each other, big smiles splitting their ebony faces, then they began to undress, Amy and Penny wide-eyed as they saw their sculpted muscles appear, their mouths dropping when they saw their cocks, long and thick, one curving to the right, the other to the left.

“I will watch for now,” Mai Li said as they crawled up onto the bed with them Penny and Amy each reaching for one, the four of them ending up in 69s on either side of Mai Li.

“Oh, I have missed that,” Penny moaned when her twin climbed on top of her and filled her hungry pussy with his cock, her legs reaching to wrap around his waist, as Amy did the same on the other side of Mai Li.

When Mai Li leaned over and began to lick and suck on Penny’s huge clit while she was being fucked, she pushed up onto her elbows to watch, smiling when she saw her twin’s cock pull out from her pussy and disappear into Mai Li’s mouth for a few seconds before it returned to her pussy and continued to fuck her. When she turned to do the same thing to Amy and her twin, Penny reached out, sliding her fingers into Mai Li from behind, pumping them in and out.

“Gonna cum,” Penny’s twin gasped.

“Not…not in me,” Penny said, wriggling out from beneath him and sitting up, then leaning over and taking his glistening ebony cock into her mouth, moaning when it began to pulse and thick cum shot into her mouth and coated her tongue.

Penny saw out of the corner of her eye that Mai Li had turned to watch as she sucked her twin off, gasping when she saw her go all the way down on him, milking him with her mouth and throat before sitting back and gasping for breath as she licked her lips, a smile on her face.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling up at him, her hand still wrapped around the shaft of his cock.

“It was a pleasure,” he said, grinning at her.

“You did that so easily,” Mai Li said. “I can never take all of him into my mouth like that.”

“It’s a gift that I’ve worked very hard to cultivate,” Penny said gaspingly, then laughed, Mai Li joining in.

They both turned to look when they heard Amy’s twin groan, watching as she knelt in front of him, her tongue extended and her mouth open as he jacked himself off into her mouth, finally wrapping her lips around him and swallowing before finishing sucking him dry.

“That’s what I’ve been missing,” Amy said, turning to smile as she licked her lips. “A nice mouthful of cum.”

“It was beautiful, watching you,” Mai Li said.

“Now we want to watch you,” Penny said.

“I’m certainly ready,” Mai Li said, pulling one of the twins down onto his back and mounting him, facing his feet as she reached down beneath herself and guided his big ebony cock to her pussy and sank down onto it.

Both Amy’s and Penny’s eyes widened when the other twin squatted behind her and began working his cock into Mai Li’s ass, seemingly pressing it into her with little effort.

“This is what I love,” Mai Li sighed as the two cocks began fucking her. “Come sit in front of me,” she gasped to Penny, leaning over and gluing her mouth to her pussy when she did so. Amy quickly caught on, squatting over the twin on his back and lowering her pussy onto his extended tongue.

The sounds and smells of sex filled the room as the five of them panted and moaned as they enjoyed themselves. Both Amy and Penny watched with interest when Mai Li sucked off each successive twin when they finally announced that they were going to cum.

“You’re incredible,” Penny said when she and Amy had Mai Li snuggled up between them.

“I haven’t had this much fun in a while,” Mai Li confessed. “Never both twins and female friends at the same time. I’ve always contented myself with one or the other. Shall we have some champagne?” she asked.

“Why not?” Amy replied, smiling. “This is worth celebrating.”

The twins got up from the bed, returning shortly with a bottle of Roederer Cristal Rosé and three flutes.

“Won’t they join us?” Penny asked as the glasses were filled.

“They’re devout Muslims,” Mai Li explained. “They don’t drink alcohol.”

“Well, thank god, or Allah, that pussy isn’t forbidden to them,” Penny said, everyone bursting out in laughter.

“Give us a couple of hours, then come do it again,” Mai Li said to the twins, who left.

“Again?” Penny asked, her eyes sparkling.

“You did plan on spending the night, didn’t you?” Mai Li asked. “Wouldn’t you like some more?”

“We hadn’t planned on anything except some fun with you,” Penny replied. “And I’d like as much as I can get.”

“Amen to that,” Amy agreed.

They drank their champagne, then fell into a daisy chain, eating one another. And so the night went, every two or three hours the twins would show up and fuck the three of them, Amy and Penny both enjoying them the way Mai Li did, one cock in their pussy, the other in their ass. By the time dawn was breaking, they were all exhausted, entwined together on the bed.

“Oh, what a perfect night,” Mai Li sighed as they came awake to the smell of coffee and looked up to see one of the twins with three cups on a wooden tray for them, now dressed normally. “Thank you, Ahmad,” she said as she took a cup, Amy and Penny taking the other two.

“Thank you, Ahmad, for everything,” Penny said, smiling. “Tell Hamid that we thank him, too. It was a pleasure and we enjoyed both of you.”

“Maybe you’d like to do this again,” Mai Li suggested as they sat cross-legged facing one another to drink their coffee.

“Whenever you’d like,” Penny said.

“Well, until Grant returns, you’re welcome to spend your nights here with me,” Mai Li said. “I’d like it and you’d be very welcome. We could include as much of Hamid and Ahmad as you’d like.”

“I’d feel like we were invading your space,” Penny said.

“You’d be doing me a great favor,” Mai Li said, shaking her head. “Soon you’ll be leaving Singapore. I’d like as many memories like this as I can get with both of you.”

“How can we possibly refuse such an offer?” Penny asked.

“I don’t know about you, but I can’t,” Amy said, laughing.

“Then that’s settled,” Mai Li said, beaming. “This is going to be a wonderful week.”

“We should probably go,” Penny said with a sigh when they had finished their coffee. “Work to do and then we need to meet with the Minister of Security. I’m sure that you have things that you need to do also.”

“As long as you promise to come back later this evening,” Mai Li said.

“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” Amy said, smiling.

“Me, either,” Penny said. “This was great, Mai Li. I can’t thank you enough, for all of it.”

They pulled their clothes on, then made their way down to their own condo.

“Shower to wake up, then breakfast?” Penny asked.

“Sold,” Amy agreed, joining her in the shower, which took a long time as they got sidetracked and distracted by one another.

“I love sex with you,” Penny said as they ate breakfast at Wild Honey.

“Great minds, thinking alike,” Amy replied, smiling broadly. “In all honesty, Penny, you’ve got the tastiest pussy I’ve ever eaten. Just thinking about eating you makes my head spin.”

“Thinking about you eating me spins my head plenty,” Penny said, both of them laughing. “It sure was nice to get some mouthfuls of cum again, too, nice thick cum.”

“I’ll say,” Amy agreed. “Mai Li seems to have a taste for it, too.”

“She’s amazing,” Penny said, shaking her head. “You’d never expect that sweet-looking little China doll to be so sexually voracious.”

“She’s great,” Amy said. “I can’t wait to eat her again.”

“I’ll say,” Penny agreed.

“Poor Grant,” Amy said, smiling, then both of them bursting out laughing.

Sitting in the living room naked when they got back from breakfast, Penny continued working on Singaporean law while Amy looked through the clone of Jimmy Wang’s phone that she had captured the previous evening, making notes on a legal pad as she went.

“Holy shit, he did it, he really did it,” Amy gasped after a few hours, sitting back.

“What?” Penny asked.

“Stole the money,” Amy replied. “Come look.”

Penny moved over next to her and looked at her laptop’s monitor where a text message was displayed.

“The only thing I recognize is the numbers 120,” Penny said. “The rest is Chinese.”

“It says confirming 120,” Amy said. “And it’s sent to one of three phone numbers in Hong Kong that he regularly has contact with. This is the proverbial smoking gun,” she said, quickly scribbling on her legal pad.

“How do you know that it says confirming 120?” Penny asked. “Can you read Chinese?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“Yes,” Amy replied, smiling thinly. “Courtesy the State Department Language School when I was at NSA.”

“Do you speak it, understand it?” Penny asked.

“Yes,” Amy replied.

“You mean you’ve understood everything everyone has said around us in Chinese this whole time?” Penny asked, aghast.

“Yes,” Amy replied.

“Damn, Amy,” Penny laughed. “You’re like Jane Bond or something.”

“Do I still get to eat your pussy?” Amy asked.

“You’d better!” Penny laughed. “It makes me sad for Mai Li, though. That’s got to feel so shitty to know that someone who you’re supposedly close to, in whatever weird way they were close, has screwed you like that. At least she can afford it. Any chance of her getting it back?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Amy replied, shaking her head. “I guess it will depend upon how much the Bank of China wants to cooperate after one of China’s spies – that’s the only word for it – gets busted. The Chinese government is going to have egg on its face, even though they’ll disclaim it as the actions of a criminal triad organization. They’ll just leave out the part about them supporting that organization.”

“Why don’t we order something delivered for lunch?” Penny suggested.

“Great idea,” Amy agreed. “We can go out for dinner or something.”

“Pizza?” Penny asked.

“Sure, and get them to send us some beers, too,” Amy suggested.

When the doorbell rang 30 minutes later, Penny ran for the bathrobe on the back of the bathroom door before answering.

“Okay, time for a break,” she said, putting the pizza box down on the table and two of the four Tiger beers that she had ordered, taking the other two to the kitchen and putting them in the refrigerator.

“What is it?” Amy asked, opening the box. “Looks interesting.”

“They call it the carprina rossa,” Penny replied, reading from the menu. “Goat’s cheese, red onions, beetroot, garlic oil, mozzarella, passata, rocket, lemon, pesto Genovese, and parmesan.”

“It’s delicious,” Amy said from around a huge bite, reaching for one of the beers and twisting the cap off. “I didn’t realize that I was so hungry,” she said after taking a big gulp of the beer.

Once again an SUV with blackened windows picked them up.

“This is far too familiar,” Amy said to Penny as they pulled to a stop at the underground, guarded elevator entrance at Government House and were then escorted up to Minister of Security Chung’s office after Amy’s backpack with her laptop and ‘toys’ were thoroughly checked.

“Miss Studder, welcome again,” Minister Chung said, getting to his feet when they were escorted into his office and shaking hands. “And you must be the infamous Miss Harrison,” he said, offering a hand to shake and smiling.

“Infamous is good,” Amy said, smiling.

“Coffee?” Minister Chung offered.

“We just ate,” Penny replied, shaking her head. “We won’t waste your valuable time.”

“When will your father return from his trip?” Minister Chung asked.

“You know that he’s not here?” Penny asked, then blushed at the inanity of her question.

“I could tell you what you ate for dinner last night,” Minister Chung replied, smiling.

“Make him tell you,” Amy said, smiling.

“Miss Harrison, you are no fun,” Minister Chung said, laughing.

“You…you were bluffing me?!” Penny gasped, then turned beet red.

“This is the clone I made of Mr. Wang’s phone last night,” Amy said, sliding a memory stick across the desk to him. “I did a quick scan to see what was there and made some notes that I think will be helpful to your people,” she added, sliding a folded yellow piece of paper from her legal pad across the desk. “You’ll see it all yourself, but Mr. Wang definitely took and sent the $120 million. There are three phone numbers that he frequently contacts in Hong Kong. One of them he sent an SMS text message ‘confirming 120’. I didn’t really look any further than that. I was mostly looking for things relevant to our case with Mrs. Wang.”

“I’m both impressed and depressed,” Minister Chung said, sighing. “I’m impressed that you were so easily able to hack an iPhone. I’m depressed because I don’t know how you did it and I imagine that’s something that you can’t share with me, just like what some of those interesting things in your bag do.”

“I’m glad that you understand,” Amy said, smiling wanly.

“I’m also depressed to think that a member of our government has been compromised,” Minister Chung added. “Is there anything else that you can tell me?” he asked.

“I left a backdoor on Mr. Wang’s phone so that it can be monitored,” Amy said.

“I see,” Minister Chung said, clearly rattled.

“I’m happy to share with, show your people exactly how to do that monitoring, if they don’t already know,” Amy said.

“Let me have someone come meet with us and we’ll find out,” Minister Chung said, reaching for his phone.

“One minute, Minister,” Amy said. “That backdoor can be used to follow a banking transaction. In other words, if Mr. Wang makes another transaction with Bank of China using his phone, in theory, if his phone was being actively monitoring at that time, you could ride his access into their system and see what other activity had taken place with the account that he’s accessing. The only problem with that is it would be very quickly discovered and blocked and we’d lose the ability to monitor his phone further, as someone would realize that it had been compromised. My experience is that things don’t happen in a vacuum. Mr. Wang is not working alone. You might be able to discover who else is sending money to that account in the time you have to snoop before getting caught. Now, that information might be in the other phone data that I cloned, but that would be unlikely. It’s a choice that you’re going to have to make.”

“I’m going to invite someone so that you can explain in his language, which means your language, exactly what the capability is and how to do it,” Minister Chung said. “I’ll make a decision on how to proceed after I hear what he has to say about your proposal.”

“Fine with me,” Amy agreed.

Minister Chung made a call, then asked for coffee. Just as the coffee arrived, so did another man.

“I want you to hear what this young lady is proposing and then you tell me if it makes sense and can you do it,” Minister Chung said, not introducing the man and indicating that he should take a seat.

Penny had no idea what Amy said to him, only understanding every third or fourth word, but she could see the excitement and joy building on his face as Amy talked.

“That…that’s brilliant!” he finally blurted. “How did you…oh, well, I guess you can’t tell me that. But never mind. Minister, this is absolutely possible. If Miss…she can give me 10 minutes to help set up the monitoring…the possibilities are vast.”

“Take this with you,” Minister Chung said, handing him the memory stick and the folded piece of legal pad paper. “It’s a clone of the iPhone that our…friend here managed to acquire last night. Go through it with a fine-toothed comb.”

“You…you cloned an iPhone?” the man said, staring at Amy like she was from another planet, who returned a semi-sickly smile.

“Can you spare us the time?” Minister Chung asked, smiling.

“That’s why we’re here, Minister,” Amy said, getting to her feet. “Be back shortly.”

“I think that I’d like to know a lot more about your friend,” Minister Chung said when they had gone.

“You’re not the only one,” Penny said, shaking her head. “I’ve only been working with my father for a month or so. I just finished passing my bar exams. Amy’s been working for him for…well, I don’t know how long, a few years anyway, I’d guess. We’ve never really met until we met here on this case, other than seeing each other in the office once. But I like her. She’s…interesting.”

“She most certainly is,” Minister Chung agreed.

A few minutes later, Amy reappeared.

“They’ll have no trouble with whatever you decide to do,” Amy said. “Good people, sharp minds.”

“I certainly thank you for your help,” Minister Chung said, getting to his feet and coming around his desk to shake hands. “If you ever get tired of working in divorce, I’m sure that we’d be interested in having a conversation.”

“Thanks, Minister, but I’ve been there, done that, and it’s not for me,” Amy said with a smile. “Divorce is so much cleaner.”

“You’re probably right,” Minister Chung laughed. “Someone will see you to the car and we’ll return you to Scotts Square. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday,” he said.

“You never know,” Amy said, smiling. “Nice to meet you, Minister. I’m glad that we were able to be of some help.”

“Say hello to your father for me when you see him,” Minister Chung said as he shook hands with Penny.

“I will,” Penny assured him. “Bye.”

They didn’t speak until they were back at Scotts Square.

“God, I do not miss that world,” Amy said, shaking her head. “Those are the scariest people in the world.”

“Minister Chung seemed pretty nice,” Penny said.

“Those are the worst ones,” Amy said. “They’ll hold your baby and smile while they’re slicing its throat if that suits their agenda, and the reality is, there is no law that really controls them. If they want to do a thing or make it happen, they will. I’ll take nice dirty divorce work any day.”

“Should we tell Mai Li?” Penny asked.

“I’d say no, because of the whole national security thing, but she’s our client first and foremost and she knows what’s going on,” Amy said. “She has a right to know and we have a duty to tell her.”