when I realized it could be our last.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said and turned onto the crosswalk.
“See you, love.”
When I reached the consulate and glanced behind me, Jack was gone. For the first time in Thailand – I was truly alone.
Taking a deep breath, I approached the guard.
10
I explained my story so many times I was almost hoarse by that afternoon.
Mr. White, the consulate staff member left to deal with me, smiled and pushed a bottle of water across the table. His receding hairline and blandly handsome face reminded me of Steven, but for once the memory didn’t hurt. If he hadn’t broken up with me, we’d be married now and I never would’ve learned Jack’s true feelings.
Funny how things work out.
“Let’s go over this one more time, and I’ll give you the proper paperwork for your replacement passport. Tell me about those men with guns?”
I took a sip and frowned. They already knew the story, and telling them again wouldn’t change it. Unless they thought I was lying. Could I go to jail for lying to the consulate? Shit!
“I was headed to my hotel--”
“Where?”
“The Four Seasons in Bangkok. I had reservations – you can check.”
“We’re on it, Ms. Tucker. Go on.”
I twisted the engagement band around my finger and sighed. “I was headed there when a group of armed men attacked me.”
“Attacked how? Were you injured?”
I wished I could tell them the truth, but Jack’s stupid mission was at stake! “No, but they took my suitcases and shot at me. I ran and got away.”
He raised an eyebrow and jotted it down on his notebook. “And you have reason to believe they followed you all the way to Chiang Mai from Bangkok?”
“Yes! I ran into a woman who spoke English and she said they were probably trying to steal me. She said they steal women and children then she told me to go get help at the consulate or embassy and tell them my story.”
No wonder they didn’t believe it, far-fetched at it was. But the truth wasn’t much better.
“Why not go to the embassy in Bangkok?”
Jack prepped me for this question too. “I was scared and didn’t know where the embassy was. Bangkok is a big city and since I was there all alone I didn’t know what to do. I hopped on a bus to get out of the city and made my way here.”
“Lucky running into this woman. Did she have a name?”
“After being shot at I didn’t ask,” I said through gritted teeth.
Mr. White nodded. “And you don’t have any money left?”
Frowning, I showed him what little baht I had. “This is all. Everything was stolen. I told this to the other man—“
He put up a hand. “I know. We just want to make sure we have your story correct. Do you have a photocopy of your passport?”
I frowned. “Yes, but it was in my suitcase. Which is gone!”
“Did you have travel insurance?”
I took a long sip of water to calm my nerves before I answered. No wonder Jack didn’t want to come in here – these bureaucrats would drive anyone crazy!
“Yes, but that paperwork was all in my suitcase too. I already said this is all I have left,” I said and shook my purse at him.
“Very well. If you’ll fill out this paperwork we can work on finding you a place to stay for the night and get you a replacement passport.”
My heart stood still. “What about protection?”
“Protection?” he asked and stood up.
“From the men who tried to kill me?” I said, my hands shaking. What happened to protecting me? I didn’t travel halfway across Thailand just to get killed by human traffickers!
“Probably a robbery gone wrong. That woman was mistaken. You don’t need protection, Ms. Tucker.”
Standing up to face him, I put my trembling hands on my hips. “How do you know that? Those men could be human traffickers, and if they come after me--”
His eyes traveled up and down my frame, just like Steven used to, finally settling on my face. “Why would they want to do that? Human
“I’ll see you soon,” I said and turned onto the crosswalk.
“See you, love.”
When I reached the consulate and glanced behind me, Jack was gone. For the first time in Thailand – I was truly alone.
Taking a deep breath, I approached the guard.
10
I explained my story so many times I was almost hoarse by that afternoon.
Mr. White, the consulate staff member left to deal with me, smiled and pushed a bottle of water across the table. His receding hairline and blandly handsome face reminded me of Steven, but for once the memory didn’t hurt. If he hadn’t broken up with me, we’d be married now and I never would’ve learned Jack’s true feelings.
Funny how things work out.
“Let’s go over this one more time, and I’ll give you the proper paperwork for your replacement passport. Tell me about those men with guns?”
I took a sip and frowned. They already knew the story, and telling them again wouldn’t change it. Unless they thought I was lying. Could I go to jail for lying to the consulate? Shit!
“I was headed to my hotel--”
“Where?”
“The Four Seasons in Bangkok. I had reservations – you can check.”
“We’re on it, Ms. Tucker. Go on.”
I twisted the engagement band around my finger and sighed. “I was headed there when a group of armed men attacked me.”
“Attacked how? Were you injured?”
I wished I could tell them the truth, but Jack’s stupid mission was at stake! “No, but they took my suitcases and shot at me. I ran and got away.”
He raised an eyebrow and jotted it down on his notebook. “And you have reason to believe they followed you all the way to Chiang Mai from Bangkok?”
“Yes! I ran into a woman who spoke English and she said they were probably trying to steal me. She said they steal women and children then she told me to go get help at the consulate or embassy and tell them my story.”
No wonder they didn’t believe it, far-fetched at it was. But the truth wasn’t much better.
“Why not go to the embassy in Bangkok?”
Jack prepped me for this question too. “I was scared and didn’t know where the embassy was. Bangkok is a big city and since I was there all alone I didn’t know what to do. I hopped on a bus to get out of the city and made my way here.”
“Lucky running into this woman. Did she have a name?”
“After being shot at I didn’t ask,” I said through gritted teeth.
Mr. White nodded. “And you don’t have any money left?”
Frowning, I showed him what little baht I had. “This is all. Everything was stolen. I told this to the other man—“
He put up a hand. “I know. We just want to make sure we have your story correct. Do you have a photocopy of your passport?”
I frowned. “Yes, but it was in my suitcase. Which is gone!”
“Did you have travel insurance?”
I took a long sip of water to calm my nerves before I answered. No wonder Jack didn’t want to come in here – these bureaucrats would drive anyone crazy!
“Yes, but that paperwork was all in my suitcase too. I already said this is all I have left,” I said and shook my purse at him.
“Very well. If you’ll fill out this paperwork we can work on finding you a place to stay for the night and get you a replacement passport.”
My heart stood still. “What about protection?”
“Protection?” he asked and stood up.
“From the men who tried to kill me?” I said, my hands shaking. What happened to protecting me? I didn’t travel halfway across Thailand just to get killed by human traffickers!
“Probably a robbery gone wrong. That woman was mistaken. You don’t need protection, Ms. Tucker.”
Standing up to face him, I put my trembling hands on my hips. “How do you know that? Those men could be human traffickers, and if they come after me--”
His eyes traveled up and down my frame, just like Steven used to, finally settling on my face. “Why would they want to do that? Human
Similar Books
