lose
face.”
“ What does that
mean?”
“ It’s like the worst
kind of embarrassment.”
“ I’m not concerned
with that.”
Harvey’s eyes
betrayed a flicker of fear as he glanced at Bo. “I think I should
meet Nincotte and see if we can still buy Michael out.”
“ Mike doesn’t want to
pay! I only need you to find these girls. I’ll handle the rest.
Will you help us?”
“ Okay, I’ll see what
we can find, but please urge Michael to reconsider settling.”
“ I’ll try. How much
is your fee?”
Harvey pulled the
creases up on his trousers. “Ten thousand a day and nothing is
guaranteed.”
“ That’s
fine.”
Harvey sat back,
content. Bo followed with her eyes as Nigel reached into his jacket
pocket, pulled out an envelope of cash and laid it on the
table.
“ So, we’re looking
for Tee who’s a friend of Puku who’s a friend of Mia and the only
girl who we don’t have a picture of?”
“ That’s right, but we
do know where she works.”
Nigel handed over the
card. Harvey read it and handed his card to Nigel. “I’ll keep you
informed and from now on, please leave all the investigating to
us.”
Nigel nodded. “I
could use the break.”
Harvey took the cash,
rose then left with Bo.”
Nigel paid the bill,
said goodnight to Pang then returned to his room.
He entered his suite with an expression of relief, kicked
off his shoes, picked up the phone and called home. “Hello?
Doris?”
He could hear
breathing, waited then coughed. “It’s bloody hot here. I’m working
with a Thai guy called Pang and a lawyer called Pamon. It’s a crazy
place Bangkok, but I like it. I love the food. It’s a little spicy,
but you get used to it and the people are so friendly. I’m staying
in Stan’s suite. It’s better without Stan...Doris?”
He sighed. “I’m sorry
for hurting you. I don’t know what came over me. I’d like to blame
the meds, but I’m not sure that I can. I was mad at Stan then mad
at you for trying to manage me…. Are you there?”
He heard her sniff.
He was meant to hear it.
“ Michael’s alone and
afraid. I’m all he’s got and I’m scared too. The great lawyer I’m
supposed to be counts for nothing out here. I need your support. I
need your forgiveness…..Doris?”
A soft voice
whispered, “I’m here.”
He was about to reply
when a rippling pain ripped through his body. The blood from his
face drained as his veiny hand clutched the excruciating pain of
his chest. He dropped the phone and cried with the last breath he
had left. “Help!”
“ Nigel!” Doris
yelled, but it was too late….he was gone….
TWENTY
IT WAS raining heavily as Harvey’s BMW crawled through
Bangkok traffic and Bo was looking pissed.
“ Why we take this
job?”
“ It’s been quiet with
all these protests going on. We need the money. I think we just
poke around a bit. Don’t worry, we won’t make any
waves.”
She raised her lower
lip. “Hope so.”
“ What do you think of
Nigel?”
“ Looks kind, think
have good heart.”
“ Rape isn’t regarded
as a big crime here, is it?”
“ Big, but still
happen, usually with young girl. People pay family, then problem go
away.”
They pulled into the
car park at the Evita. Harvey climbed out, dashed inside to escape
the downpour as Bo ran after him skipping over puddles.
Once inside, they
brushed off the rain and were met by a guy wearing round glasses
and a red suit.
“ Khun Harvey. It’s
been a while.”
“ Hello, Mr Anan, how
are you?”
“ Good.”
“ I’m here about a
girl.”
“ Most men
are.”
“ Not like that. I
just want to talk.”
“ They have sex-lines
for that.”
“ I’m on a case. You
have a girl here called Tee?”
“ Sure, I know
Tee.”
“ I need to talk to
her for a few minutes.”
“ The girls are not
paid for talking.”
Harvey reached into
his wallet, slipped out a purple five and handed it over. Anan took
it and hid it in a pocket. “Would you like to use
face.”
“ What does that
mean?”
“ It’s like the worst
kind of embarrassment.”
“ I’m not concerned
with that.”
Harvey’s eyes
betrayed a flicker of fear as he glanced at Bo. “I think I should
meet Nincotte and see if we can still buy Michael out.”
“ Mike doesn’t want to
pay! I only need you to find these girls. I’ll handle the rest.
Will you help us?”
“ Okay, I’ll see what
we can find, but please urge Michael to reconsider settling.”
“ I’ll try. How much
is your fee?”
Harvey pulled the
creases up on his trousers. “Ten thousand a day and nothing is
guaranteed.”
“ That’s
fine.”
Harvey sat back,
content. Bo followed with her eyes as Nigel reached into his jacket
pocket, pulled out an envelope of cash and laid it on the
table.
“ So, we’re looking
for Tee who’s a friend of Puku who’s a friend of Mia and the only
girl who we don’t have a picture of?”
“ That’s right, but we
do know where she works.”
Nigel handed over the
card. Harvey read it and handed his card to Nigel. “I’ll keep you
informed and from now on, please leave all the investigating to
us.”
Nigel nodded. “I
could use the break.”
Harvey took the cash,
rose then left with Bo.”
Nigel paid the bill,
said goodnight to Pang then returned to his room.
He entered his suite with an expression of relief, kicked
off his shoes, picked up the phone and called home. “Hello?
Doris?”
He could hear
breathing, waited then coughed. “It’s bloody hot here. I’m working
with a Thai guy called Pang and a lawyer called Pamon. It’s a crazy
place Bangkok, but I like it. I love the food. It’s a little spicy,
but you get used to it and the people are so friendly. I’m staying
in Stan’s suite. It’s better without Stan...Doris?”
He sighed. “I’m sorry
for hurting you. I don’t know what came over me. I’d like to blame
the meds, but I’m not sure that I can. I was mad at Stan then mad
at you for trying to manage me…. Are you there?”
He heard her sniff.
He was meant to hear it.
“ Michael’s alone and
afraid. I’m all he’s got and I’m scared too. The great lawyer I’m
supposed to be counts for nothing out here. I need your support. I
need your forgiveness…..Doris?”
A soft voice
whispered, “I’m here.”
He was about to reply
when a rippling pain ripped through his body. The blood from his
face drained as his veiny hand clutched the excruciating pain of
his chest. He dropped the phone and cried with the last breath he
had left. “Help!”
“ Nigel!” Doris
yelled, but it was too late….he was gone….
TWENTY
IT WAS raining heavily as Harvey’s BMW crawled through
Bangkok traffic and Bo was looking pissed.
“ Why we take this
job?”
“ It’s been quiet with
all these protests going on. We need the money. I think we just
poke around a bit. Don’t worry, we won’t make any
waves.”
She raised her lower
lip. “Hope so.”
“ What do you think of
Nigel?”
“ Looks kind, think
have good heart.”
“ Rape isn’t regarded
as a big crime here, is it?”
“ Big, but still
happen, usually with young girl. People pay family, then problem go
away.”
They pulled into the
car park at the Evita. Harvey climbed out, dashed inside to escape
the downpour as Bo ran after him skipping over puddles.
Once inside, they
brushed off the rain and were met by a guy wearing round glasses
and a red suit.
“ Khun Harvey. It’s
been a while.”
“ Hello, Mr Anan, how
are you?”
“ Good.”
“ I’m here about a
girl.”
“ Most men
are.”
“ Not like that. I
just want to talk.”
“ They have sex-lines
for that.”
“ I’m on a case. You
have a girl here called Tee?”
“ Sure, I know
Tee.”
“ I need to talk to
her for a few minutes.”
“ The girls are not
paid for talking.”
Harvey reached into
his wallet, slipped out a purple five and handed it over. Anan took
it and hid it in a pocket. “Would you like to use
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