Angel in the Full Moon. Don Easton

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СКАЧАТЬ spent much of her time watching back-to-back episodes of CSI. A cube van arrived one morning and the women who had been selected to go to the United States were called.

      H

ng collected her clothes and turned to hug Ngc Bích, but the fisherman touched her shoulder and said, “Not yet. You must stay here with these other women until more arrangements are made.”

      H

ng felt happy. The longer she was with Ngc Bích, the better.

      Later that night, another cube van arrived and the fisherman came downstairs with a young Vietnamese man. The fisherman pointed to H

ng and the young man immediately approached her.

      “You speak English?” he asked.

      “Yes,” replied H

ng.

      “My name is Tommy. I was born in Canada. My Vietnamese is not so good. Explain to the others that we must leave here at midnight tonight. We have to catch a ferry at quarter after five in the morning.”

      “Another boat?” asked H

ng.

      “Not long. Only two hours. Everyone will ride in the back of the truck. Tell them to be quiet. I do not want anyone to know there are other people in the truck.”

      “And after this ferry ride I go to United States?” asked H

ng.

      “I do not know. I work for

c. He told me and Cng to bring everyone, so you’re coming to.”

      “C

ng.

      “He is driving the truck. He works for my boss, too.”

      “Mister

ng.

      “Yes,

c has two brothers in business with him.”

      “Now I understand,” said H

ng. “Mine is a special situation. I will not be working in the hotel business. Your boss is going to take me to live with a family in the United States.”

      “Lucky for you.”

      H

ng gestured at the CSI show on the television and said, “Lucky—only if I do not get caught by the police. The American police are very smart. They are scientists.”

      H

ng believed her worry was justified and was startled when Tommy started laughing.

      “You laugh that I may get caught? After what I have been through!” she said angrily.

      “No ... this is just television,” Tommy said with a smile. “You need not be afraid. What you are watching ... that is not all the police in the States. CSI are a special type. They only work on dead people. Believe me, if my boss is looking after you, you will not have to worry about the police.”

      “You are certain?”

      “Yes. My boss does not take chances.”

      Their midnight truck ride, followed by the trip on the ferry, went without incident.

      It was eight o’clock in the morning when H

ng accepted Ngc Bích’s helping hand as she climbed out of the truck. The truck had been backed up to a garage where a man ushered everyone to the rear of the garage. The overhead door was shut as the truck drove away.

      The man inside the garage said his name was Giang. He said they would only have to wait a few minutes and would be on their way once more.

      As they waited, H

ng saw Giang leering at the women. His eyes settled on Ngng knew Ngc Bích was perhaps the prettiest, but to be so bold as to stare ...

      “I do not like that man,” whispered H

ng, while clutching Ngc Bích by the hand.

      “If he were an animal,” said Ng

c Bích, “he would be a pig.”

      H

ng smiled and said, “You think of people as animals or birds?”

      “Sometimes.”

      “On our voyage, did you see a bald ape and a long-billed vulture?”

      Ng

c Bích paused for a moment, and smiled. “Yes. The two foreigners in the apartment in Hanoi!”

      They both giggled but Giang cut them short by stepping closer. “What are you saying about me?” he snarled.

      HСКАЧАТЬ