“No, I don’t.” I started to close the door, but then a question occurred to me. “Who owns this place?”

“What?”

“Who owns this hotel? It’s foreign, isn’t it? It doesn’t feel right. The fellow in the tight pants even asked for a tip.”

She gave me a big smile. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, sir.”

“Sir? Who taught you to say that? I suppose you curtsey now, too.”

She bobbed her head. “Good evening and pleasant dreams.”

The phone rang, so I closed the door and went over to the desk. The phone was white, new, with lots of buttons on it. I took a chance and punched one of them. “Yes?”

“Inspector, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Who is this?”

“You don’t recognize my voice?”

“Should I?”

“This is Major Kim. We saw each other briefly this evening, though we weren’t introduced. I thought we might have a drink, talk a little, trade stories. That sort of thing.”

“That sort of thing.”

“If you’re hungry, we can get a bite to eat. I don’t think the hotel restaurant is still open, and the room service menu is not exciting, but there are other places nearby you might enjoy.”

“Noodles.”

“What’s that?”

“I said noodles. I like noodles.”

“Well, then, noodles it is.” A silence. “You there?”

“Sure.” This was the man who made everyone nervous. I didn’t need noodles all that badly. “I was thinking. It’s getting late; maybe I should skip eating tonight.”

“Don’t do that, Inspector. You never know when you’ll get another chance.”

No wonder he makes people nervous, I thought. “OK, where?”

“I’m in the parking lot in front of the hotel right now. Come down in five minutes. You’ll find me; don’t worry.”

“I’ll be wearing what I had on before.”

“I know.”