The Kiss of the Dragon

by Lilburne, Guy

  “So, how did I come into all this?” interrupted Danny.

  “Simple. You are the great British detective, the best I have ever known. I really did learn so much from you on your last case here. If anyone could find Jack Morgan then I was confident that you could. It also made sense politically to have you working for us, because at any time we could distance ourselves from you and deny any involvement with you.”

  “I was working for you? How?”

  “Jack Morgan was telling the truth when he told you that he had never heard of Nui. Nui is a Thai Government Agent. She was sent to England just to recruit you to the case. She actually came back to Thailand on the same day that you flew out. Different flights, different airports, but same day.”

  Captain Wattana reached into his pocket and placed a brown envelope onto the table in front of Danny.

  “What is this?” asked Danny.

  “It is 250,000 baht or £5000 pounds in English money. That’s the £5000 Nui promised you if you found Jack Morgan.”

  “Jesus! She was an agent! You won’t believe me, but I knew that there was something wrong about her. I didn’t believe that she was his girlfriend, but I hadn’t worked out why yet.”

  “We did not want her to be too convincing. Believe me, she made it so that all the pieces did not quite fit, just enough to intrigue you into taking the case. Maybe we understand you better than you understand yourself. We knew that, if the case was interesting enough and puzzling enough, then the great detective Danny O’Brien would want to crack it.”

  “So, I was just a pawn on your chessboard?”

  “No! You were far more important than that. You were the main player and we looked after you as best we could. You had a shadow from the time you arrived at the Thai restaurant in Stafford. Danny, you never cease to amaze and impress me. Just as I had promised my government, you tracked down Jack Morgan and identified the other players, Wannadee and Wong.”

  “So, why not take over from me then?”

  “I told you, it was political. The British and the Americans were here carrying out illegal operations. When you turned up Wong as the main player, it became even more sensitive because his brother is a Chinese Government Minister. There were a lot of political implications and it was best to let you continue alone. You did not know it, but we were always with you. It was also a good chance for us to give the British and Americans a bloody nose, politically speaking. We were establishing a new political pecking order. This worldwide international crime ring was going to be smashed by Thailand, not America or the British. They are no longer the world police. Not even China was going to do this. It was going to be Thailand and our standing in the world would be rising.”

  “Who blow up my truck and killed the CIA man?”

  “We blew up the vehicle. The death of the American agent was an accident. He was a victim of politics, but it served a purpose. The embarrassment caused by the media coverage made the British and the Americans stop their illegal operations and reassess diplomatic relations with Thailand. Now, we are on more equal terms and business and investments in my country have been increased as a result.”

  “And the murder of Sak Wannadee?”

  “It was not murder Danny. It was an authorised assassination of an evil gangster.”

  “But I was framed for it in the press.”

  “It suited our purpose. Once we knew who Wong was, it was important to get him to move out of Bangkok and retreat to his base in northern Thailand, so he could be indisputably linked to the criminal operations he was running from there.”

  “So you blew up his place in China Town as well?”

  “Yes.”

  “And it was your men who attacked Wong’s place in Laos?”

  “Yes, of course. But the official report is that it was a rival gang of armed and highly dangerous gangsters who carried out the attack and most of the gangsters on both sides were killed. The survivors fled before police arrived.”

  “And people believe that?”

  “People believe whatever they read in the press or see on the TV news. Tomorrow the world will read about the Chinese police going to arrest Wong‘s brother and finding that he had committed suicide by hanging. They will not mention the bullet through his head.”

  “They are going to kill him?”

  “They already have.”

  “And finally, Jack Morgan and the stolen laptop?”

  “The laptop is a bonus. It has much information of contacts and addresses; names, dates, places, amounts and officials around the world who are involved. Thailand has sent out the relevant information to the various governments to carry out Operation Tiger Lily. The world has never known an operation so big. It will shake the criminal world to its roots.”

  “And it is all down to the Thai Government!” smiled Danny.

  “We both know that it is all down to you. But yes, the government will take the credit.”

  “What about me and all the stuff that was on the news about me?”

  “That will all be corrected in news releases this afternoon, which will coincide with Operation Tiger Lily starting all over the world at 12:00pm Thai time.” Wattana looked at his watch. “In two hours’ time.”

  “What will the press release say about me?”

  “It will say that the ex-Scotland Yard detective, Danny O’Brien, was working with the Royal Thai Government, with the full knowledge of the British Government, to help smash an international crime ring. All previous denials were simply in an attempt to protect you while you were working in the field of operations. Now, it is all smiles and handshakes all around between our governments. It is all over now Danny. You are a hero and the agent you know as Nui has already been up to Udon Thani to explain everything to your girlfriend Ling.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Yes, she is fine. She has been told to expect you in a day or too. By tomorrow you will be a national hero in Thailand, Danny. You have done a great job and now your life can get back to normal.”

  “What about my friend Nok?”

  “Nok is safe and well. She was grabbed by one of my men as she ran away across the rice field from the little house in Nong Khai. We grabbed her for her own safety. She is waiting for you in a hotel in Bangkok. We thought that you might want to say goodbye.”

  “Yes, I would like that. I was worried about her.”

  “Yes, I know. Would you like more coffee, Danny?”

  “I’d love a brandy.”

  Captain Gee Wattana signalled one of the waitresses over and ordered a brandy for Danny and a coffee for himself. Danny pushed the brown envelope containing the cash back across the table towards the Captain.

  “There is a family living in a shack on the crocodile farm in Khanchanaburi. The little girl has polio. Can you give this money to them?”

  “Yes, I can arrange for it to be delivered to them. That is very generous of you Danny. For such a hard man you have a soft heart.”

  “Jesus! No, it’s not that at all. They just need it more than I do and I promised I would try to help them. I would be delighted if you can get the money to them.”

  “Yes of course.”

  Chapter 56: Operation Tiger Lily

  It was a 6:00am start back in the United Kingdom. Police officers, both uniformed and plain clothed had been arriving at Steelhouse Lane Police station in Birmingham since 5:30am. The press and TV were there as well, but had been asked to leave the hall for the main briefing by West Midlands Police Deputy Chief Constable. The synchronised raids were scheduled to take place across the UK at 6:30am and 7:30am in France and Germany. Simultaneous raids were going to take place across the United States. One hundred and twenty officers from the West Midlands waited in orderly silence for the Deputy Chief to start speaking. He stepped up to the plinth, cle
ared his throat and started speaking.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Operation Tiger Lily. Thank you all for being here. I know each of you has already had your briefing from the group leaders and you will all know your own individual role in this operation this morning. Operation Tiger Lily is an international operation and will be the biggest operation that any of us here in this room will have ever been involved in. Please be aware that the TV and press will be with us today and you are representing the West Midlands Police. Be decisive, be direct, but be professional. Raids will be carried out across Europe and America as well as here in the UK and there will be a lot of press and public interest. Here in the UK raids will take place in London, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, Stoke on Trent and, in our own force area, we have target addresses in Wolverhampton and Birmingham. At each address everyone gets arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs and people trafficking, but remember, a lot of the people we find this morning will be victims. Use your common sense, but everyone is coming in until we can establish who is who. We have Doctors and medical staff. We have social services and interpreters. We have immigration officers from UK border control. We have a whole team of back room staff waiting to go into action. Everything is to be bagged and tagged, every person, victim or villain, is to be photographed in situ and again with arresting officer. No mistakes today ladies and gentlemen. We are all on Channel 19 today and I am Gold Control. OK, I’ll finish there. I am aware that the teams who have got to get over to Wolverhampton need to be leaving now. OK team leaders, can you get your teams on the road. Good luck everyone.”

  The Deputy Chief picked up his papers and stepped back. A general mumble filled the room as people shuffled to the exits. Operation Tiger Lily was under way.

  Detective Chief Inspector Chris Lovatt was leading his team. His target address was the Golden Lotus Massage and Sauna in China Town, Birmingham. It was two old Victorian terraced houses converted into one. There was no outward sign of what the premises were and, unless you knew it was there, you would probably miss it. It was a totally insignificant old building in a big city of new buildings. DCI Lovatt knew that the raids were all as a result of his old friend Danny O’Brien and he was pumped and ‘up for it’.

  “OK team. Let’s go.” They followed the DCI out and into the two carriers assigned to his team. The vehicles set out from Steelhouse Lane, made their way to the ‘designated forward position’ and waited until the time for the order from the Deputy Chief.

  At 6:29am the order came over the radio “Go, Go, Go.”

  All the teams rolled into action. DCI Lovatt’s team drove the short distance to the target address. The team split to back and front of the building. The doors were smashed open with sledge hammers at exactly 6:30am. DCI Lovatt was the first through the door. A young Chinese man ran out of a room into the corridor in front of the DCI. He stood frozen like a rabbit in a car’s headlights. DCI Lovatt punched him and he went down.

  “Cuff this fucker” he shouted.

  Officers came running through the house from the back of the building. Suddenly there was a lot of noise as each door in the property was being smashed open and shouts of ‘POLICE’ were being screamed out. Chris Lovatt continued up the stairs, on each landing officers peeled off to kick open doors. There were a lot of female voices now screaming and crying. DCI Lovatt carried on up another two flights of stairs to the top floor. There was a dirty bathroom with no door, there was nobody inside. There were another three locked doors on the landing. The DCI looked at the two young Uniformed Sergeants behind him and signalled for them to take the two doors at the far end of the landing. Then he steadied himself to kick in his door, opposite the bathroom.

  Ticky had no idea what time it was. She did not know if it was day or night. She had been asleep for nearly two hours. She heard the banging from somewhere in the building. It was loud and she could hear the sound of wood smashing. Then she heard shouting, a lot of shouting. The voices were in the building, but still a long way from her. She sat up and huddled into a ball on the bed, naked, hungry and scared. There was the sound of a lot of footsteps, running footsteps. She could hear the voices getting louder. She could hear the sounds of doors being smashed open and girls screaming. Shouts of ‘POLICE’.

  She knew that word. She knew Police. She was still scared, but her heart was beating fast and she had a flush of excitement. She heard the noises getting closer. She heard heavy footsteps running up the stairs outside her room. Then there was a moment of silence before her door crashed open. A tall slim farang man stood in her room. He looked at her. She saw the look of horror on his face before he forced a smile and started to take his coat off. She did not understand the words he spoke, but he spoke softly and wrapped his coat around her. Ticky knew at that moment that she was being rescued. She started to cry. She looked at the tall man with the gentle words and saw that he had tears running down his face too. A police lady in uniform came into the room and then another. They all had the same look of horror and sadness on their faces when they saw her.

  “You Police?” asked Ticky.

  “Yes we are. Oh my God! You’re just a child. You are safe now” said the DCI.

  “My name is Ticky. I am Thai.”

  “My name is Nails.”

  Ticky was photographed and given clean prisoner overalls to put on. She was given food and water. There were a lot of people in the building now. She did not see her ‘keeper’ handcuffed and being led away by the police with the other men and two Chinese women.

  Ticky did not know a lot of things. She did not know where she was or even which country she was in. She did not know how long she had been there or how many men had raped her. She did not know what was going to happen to her now, but she did know that now her nightmare was over.

  Chapter 57: Goodbye Nok

  As Danny was being driven from the Royal Wing Suites and Spa Hotel on Pattaya Beach to Bangkok in a brand new shiny black limousine, he thought to himself that he could get used to this VIP treatment.

  He had been told by Captain Wattana that they had put Nok up in a nice hotel in Bangkok and he was looking forward to seeing her again. Somehow, Bangkok looked different when viewed from the back of a government limousine. As they entered the city they were picked up by a police motor cycle escort and accompanied the rest of the way to the Millennium Hilton Bangkok Hotel. It was another big and impressive hotel that towered majestically over the Chao Praya River. Danny realised straight away that this was his reward from Captain Wattana. The hotel was beautiful. The smiling receptionist told him that he had been booked into ‘The Royal Suite’ with Miss Nok and that Miss Nok was expecting him in the Three Sixty Jazz lounge. Danny was shown up to the lounge. The 360 degree views over the river and the city were nothing short of spectacular. Nok was sitting relaxed in a leather easy chair. She looked stunning in a long cream coloured evening gown. The thigh length split showing off her shapely crossed legs. There was Champagne on the table with two glasses. Nok saw Danny and her heart fluttered. She beamed him one of her huge wide smiles and got up to run to him. Her tight embrace made him wince from his wounds.

  “Sorry, tee rak. Are you OK?”

  “Yes, I’m grand. Wow Nok! You look beautiful. I am very happy to see you again. I was worried about you.”

  “Tee rak I very worry you and I very scare, but now everything very good. Can you believe we stay here, tee rak?”

  “It’s a beautiful hotel.”

  “You should see our room. It is Royal Suite. It is as big as my village” laughed Nok.

  After drinking two bottles of Champagne they decided to eat in the hotels own steakhouse. If Danny had ever enjoyed a steak as much before, then he could not remember it; the hotel, the food, the Champagne. The fact that it was all over and the fact that he was with Nok and she was looking so beautiful, all made Danny feel relax
ed and happy. But it was tinged with a sadness, because he knew that this was going to be his last night with Nok.

  Nok could sense it too and it was Nok who brought the feelings to the surface.

  “Tee rak, we can stay in hotel all week.”

  “Yes, I know. They told me it’s all been paid for.”

  “But I think you not want to stay until next week.”

  “Nok, I will be going home tomorrow.”

  “Home England?”

  “No. Home Udon Thani. Ling is waiting for me. I only came to say goodbye and I really just wanted to see you again. You know, make sure you are OK.”

  “Yes, I OK. What will you do in Udon Thani?”

  “I don’t know yet, but I know it is where I want to be. What about you? What are you going to do?”

  “I will stay here in posh hotel until next week and then I go home, but I think I will open up business in Patong.”

  “What business?”

  “I think I open ‘The Great British Detective Agency.’ I think can do good business. Can find missing persons and, if any person do murder, I can break case. I think many farang go to Patong, meet bar girl and then send money so they not have to stay work in bar. But they still do and just pretend to farang that they stop work. So, I think many farang will send me money to check on their girlfriend. What you think, Danny?”

  “The Great British Detective Agency” Danny smiled.

  “Yes, I think good name,”

  “Yes Nok. It is a good name.”

  Danny slid a brown envelope, similar to the one that Captain Wattana had given him, across the table to Nok.