Cargo: A Leine Basso Thriller

by D. V. Berkom

  A slow smile spread across his face. “I see you have fine taste, madam.” He joined her but kept a respectful distance. He pointed to the old sign on the shelf. “I personally guarantee the origin of each and every piece of ivory in this shop. Should you decide to buy, I will ensure you are able to bring your statue through customs with no ill effects. As for price,” he frowned and tapped his finger to his lips. “Since you are one of my last customers of the day, I will give you a reduction.”

  Leine smiled and placed the Buddha back on the shelf. “Let me think about it. I’m not sure I’ll have room in my suitcase.” Her gaze drifted to the piece of jewelry she’d noticed earlier. “That’s an interesting necklace.”

  “Do you like it?” He stroked the largest of what turned out to be teeth. “It is from a male lion, my talisman. There is much protection and good luck for those who wear them.”

  “I see,” she murmured, and stopped herself from making a sarcastic remark about how unlucky the lion must have found them. She moved on to another shelf.

  “Is this your first visit to Bangkok?” he asked, continuing to stand a respectful distance away, his hands clasped behind his back.

  “No. I visited several years ago,” Leine said. “I’m supposed to meet someone here in a little while, but thought I’d come early, get some ideas for souvenirs to buy before I return home.”

  “And where is home?” Abraham’s increased interest in Leine was palpable, although the shift in his stance was small.

  “Riyadh. I’m here on a buying trip for my employer.”

  Abraham raised his eyebrows. “Ah. May I inquire as to who your employer might be?”

  Leine smiled and continued looking at the statues. “A prince.”

  “I see.” The man visibly perked up at the mention of Saudi royalty. “Then may I interest you in something even rarer than an ivory figurine? Some even say it has magical powers.”

  Leine put down the statue she was holding. “I might be interested.”

  Abraham disappeared into the back room. Leine checked her watch to gauge the time until her contact arrived. A few moments later, he reappeared holding an opaque glass bottle. He set it on the counter and Leine moved closer.

  “What is this?” Leine asked, studying the label.

  “Tiger bone wine,” he answered in a hushed voice. “Very rare. Your prince will be quite pleased.”

  Leine leaned closer. “I’ve heard it has medicinal qualities, but that the claims can’t be proven.”

  “You have received bad information.” Abraham straightened and emphatically shook his head. “A few drops in your prince’s tea, and he will be able to last through the night. It also cures paralysis and other maladies.”

  “Wow. An aphrodisiac and a cure for paralysis?”

  “On my honor.” Abraham laid his hand across his heart.

  “How is it made, may I ask?”

  The man smiled and turned on the charm, likely thinking he was closing in on a sale. “Wild tiger bones from throughout Asia—never the lower-quality farmed ones, of course—are steeped for months in a mixture of powerful herbs and rice wine, and then bottled when it is most potent.” He brought up his thumb and forefinger, indicating a small amount. “You need but a few drops.”

  “Just how much do you charge for this rare thing?” she asked, working to keep a neutral expression.

  Abraham leaned in, a calculating look on his face. “This quality usually goes for more than a thousand dollars per vial, but I will let you have the entire bottle for a fraction of its worth.”

  At that moment, someone walked into the shop, cutting short Leine’s comment on the efficacy of human bone wine. Namely his.

  Detach, Leine. You won’t win this fight.

  Abraham straightened and palmed the tiger bone wine, the bottle disappearing into the folds of his clothing.

  The younger man in the doorway sported a shaved head except for a ponytail that fell past his shoulders. Dressed head to toe in dark clothing, he didn’t remove his sunglasses. On his neck was the tattoo of the triad from Kavi’s briefing. Leine turned to Abraham.

  “It appears the person I’m to meet is here. Perhaps we can continue this conversation later?”

  ***

  Leine followed the young man out the back door of the shop and into a waiting limousine. He closed the door and the driver edged into traffic, the other vehicles on the street stopping short so the larger car could merge. Expensive cars appeared to be rare in the district, and theirs was given pride of place on the road.

  The driver had the same mark on his neck as the man who sat beside her. Leine turned her attention toward her seatmate, who stared out the window.

  “How far to the meeting?” she asked.

  “Not far.” His clipped reply told her he wasn’t much for conversation. Leine leaned back in her seat and watched the crush of neon chaos fight with the late afternoon shadows. The congestion of the old neighborhood slowly gave way to sleek modernity and manicured landscaping, the spidery nest of electrical lines above them changing to a more straightforward design.

  The limo stopped at an impossibly white building with graceful spears of potted bamboo flanking the glass double doors. Leine and her escort exited the car and walked into the cool, sophisticated lobby with white marble floors and muted silk walls. Ponytail boy moved to the elevators and pressed the button while she took in the huge modern paintings hung throughout the large, airy space. A minute later, the elevator door opened and they stepped inside. He pressed the button for the twenty-sixth floor, and then motioned for her to raise her arms to the side and face away from him. He patted her down and then stepped back, clasping his hands in front of him.

  The elevator stopped at their destination and the door slid open to reveal a large foyer.

  The entry table held a low stone vase with one delicate pink orchid. A carefully directed spotlight illuminated the perfect flower. Chinese tapestries decorated a section of the massive wall behind her; another wall was faced with an exotic dark wood.

  An Asian man of medium height wearing sharply creased tan slacks and a black silk shirt emerged from a doorway on her left. Leine pegged him as early forties.

  “Welcome. I am Victor Wang,” he said. “Please, come in.”

  Leine followed him into an open living area. Ponytail boy trailed them, keeping a discreet distance. A sleek bar took up most of the back wall with built-in cabinets made of the same exotic wood as the entrance. Several pieces of black and red lacquer furniture had been grouped in the center of the room. An expensive-looking settee and matching chairs with bright orange and yellow cushions had been grouped together in conversation areas. Floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto a generous balcony the length of the apartment and wrapped around a corner of the building with a sweeping view of the Chao Phraya River. A built-in cooking area and sleek outdoor furniture with matching cushions shaded by market umbrellas completed the magazine-worthy picture.

  “May I offer you something to eat? To drink?”

  “Some tea, perhaps.”

  “Of course,” Wang said. He turned to an open doorway where a young Thai woman dressed in a blue and green silk sarong had appeared. “Sarai, some tea,” he ordered. Sarai bowed and disappeared as silently as she had come. Wang turned back to Leine.

  “Shall we sit?”

  Leine followed him onto the balcony and picked a chair near a table without an umbrella. Wang had a seat across from her. Muted traffic noises floated up from the street below.

  “And how have you found Bangkok, Miss…”

  “Claire Sanborn.”

  “Miss Sanborn. My source tells me you have been to the city before.”

  “I came here on a business trip several years ago and always meant to return.” Leine had to remind herself that small talk and personal stories were the Asian way of doing business, unlike getting straight to the point like most westerners. “The city still enchants, I’m happy to say.”

  Wang smile
d and nodded. “Yes. There is something quite magical about Thailand in general, is there not? I trust you have sampled many of the temples in Bangkok?”

  And on it went. Wang asked her questions about her stay and what she’d experienced, and Leine answered in glowing terms, pausing only when Sarai served the tea and a small plate of sweets. Wang asked about her family and Leine told him that work kept her from establishing a more formal arrangement. He nodded in commiseration and switched seamlessly to questions about her employer, which Leine fielded from a memorized script.

  After the tea had been exhausted, Leine sensed a shift in tactics. Wang leaned back in his chair, evidently convinced she was trustworthy, and said, “And now, to business. My contact advised me that your employer is interested in hiring several of our domestics for his palace, is this correct?”

  “Yes. He’s particularly interested in a specific type. I’m sure our mutual friend discussed this with you prior to my arrival?”

  Wang nodded. “He did. I am prepared to offer your prince his choice of our newly recruited candidates. Most are from the United States and Canada, with a few from Eastern Europe. I assume he prefers women of the Muslim persuasion?”

  “Not really. He isn’t averse to such leanings, of course, but considers himself an equal opportunity employer.”

  Wang nodded and leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “I see. What is your employer’s timeframe? Will he want to interview the candidates, or will photographs suffice?”

  “The prince trusts me implicitly. I’m prepared to conduct the interviews this evening, if possible.”

  Wang acted as though taken aback by the idea of rushing things, but his expression told her he was secretly pleased to be able to conclude the business transaction so quickly.

  “I will have to ensure enough are available, but yes, I believe what you wish can be arranged.”

  “Will you be able to secure transportation to the Middle East?”

  “Yes. There are several options. If he chooses, your prince may provide his own, such as his private jet. Or, if time isn’t critical, there is a boat scheduled to leave for Dammam later next week.”

  “The prince doesn’t use his private jet for domestics.” Leine’s voice turned icy and Wang’s reaction was immediate.

  “Of course. I understand. I was merely suggesting this option in case the prince was in a hurry.”

  Leine smiled coldly. “You guarantee your product?”

  “One hundred percent.”

  “May I see the ship? My employer is quite particular about your transportation methods. It would be a shame to run afoul of the port authorities.”

  Wang’s eyes narrowed. “I’m afraid that would be impossible. The ship is not yet in port.”

  “Then I’ll need to make a phone call to see how or if he wants to continue with the transaction.”

  “There is a comparable ship leaving tonight. Although it is destined for Dar es Salaam, the accommodations will be similar.”

  “Excellent.” Leine rose from her chair. “Shall we?”

  Wang gave her a wry smile as he stood. “Once an American, always an American, eh?”

  Leine replied, “Would you expect anything else?”

  CHAPTER 10

  WANG’S DRIVER SHOWED a pass to the guard at the port gate and drove the car through. Victor Wang continued to ask Leine about her family and background, which Leine found tedious. Although polite, she gave him one- and two-word answers, choosing not to expand on her personal life, fictional though it may have been. After one such question, Wang’s phone rang and he excused himself, answering in Mandarin. Despite Leine’s pretended ignorance of the language, Wang didn’t say anything of interest, remaining noncommittal to the party on the other end. He terminated the call and resumed his questioning.

  The car continued through the maze of stacked containers until they pulled parallel to a mid-sized container ship tied next to the dock.

  “We are fortunate that the ship doesn’t leave until midnight. It will give us plenty of time to tour the facilities,” Wang explained as they exited the vehicle.

  “What’s the decoy shipment?”

  “Clothing, cheap trinkets for the tourist market, plastic water bottles, that kind of thing.”

  The vessel was a smaller class of container ship, with two deck cranes. Black marine paint covered the upper half, with the bottom a rust-red. The wheelhouse sat four stories high and looked out over the partially loaded decks. Wang led Leine up the gangway toward the center line of the ship, where containers stacked four high had been secured to the hatch cover sockets. Several bright spotlights illuminated the ship’s cargo.

  “This is a twin to that which will be used for next week’s shipment, so it will give you an idea.”

  “She’s a fairly small ship. How often does she need to refuel?” Leine asked.

  Wang shrugged. “Depends on the weather. The crew I will use for your employer’s shipment will be an experienced one from the Middle East, so I expect they’ll chart their course accordingly. As you can see, this ship has a shallow draft and can take on fuel at smaller ports along the way if the need arises.”

  They walked over to a container with a large white X painted across the side. Wang nodded at one of the crewmembers to open the door. Inside were dozens of cardboard boxes stacked floor to ceiling with the picture of a water bottle stamped on the side. Wang instructed another crewmember to bring a pallet jack over and remove the boxes from the container, revealing a plywood wall. Wang walked to the wall and slid open a hidden panel near the center. She joined him and looked through the opening.

  Leine’s heart beat faster at the scene before her. Built as a false wall, the plywood concealed a distinctly human shipment. Packed together inside the small space, several shadowy figures either stood or sat on the floor. Jammed together in darkness, it was hard to tell where one body ended and another began. The occupants remained silent, except for a sharp intake of breath to Leine’s left.

  Kylie.

  The young woman stood against the side of the container, her face illuminated by the sharp beam of the deck light. Before Kylie said or did anything that might alert Wang, Leine stepped away from the wall.

  “Room enough for many types of cargo,” Wang explained, closing the panel.

  “And this is representative of the accommodations?” she asked, keeping her voice calm. Leine needed to conclude the meeting without Wang becoming suspicious so she could contact Lou and the authorities.

  Wang nodded. “It is similar to what will be on the ship to Dammam. I have friends in security in both places, so there is no danger of discovery while in port.”

  “And if the ship is boarded by authorities at some point during the voyage?”

  The barest hint of displeasure crossed Wang’s face. “Should that happen, I have taken measures to give the impression the ship conforms to all international laws.”

  “What about the destination port? How do you intend to push the shipment through customs? Dammam is nothing like Dar es Salaam.”

  A slight tic pulsed near Wang’s eye. “I have done this successfully many, many times. Your employer need not be concerned.”

  At that moment Wang’s phone rang a second time. He pulled it from his pocket, glanced at the screen and said, “Please excuse my rudeness. I must take this call.” He then turned and walked away, speaking in a low voice.

  She checked the impulse to text Lou her findings, deciding to wait until she was clear of Wang and his associates in case he grew suspicious and asked her to hand over her phone. The ship wasn’t due to leave for several hours. She had time.

  Leine stepped out of the way as the crewmember replaced the decoy shipment, closed the door, and slipped a container seal onto the handle. After he left, she walked over to inspect the seal. It had been neatly sawed in half, making it easy to open and close the container while still giving the appearance of being intact.

  Wang ended the call and rejoined Leine. �
�Shall we continue? I have one more item to show you.”

  “I think I’ve seen enough.”

  “Please indulge me. It will be of utmost importance to your employer.”

  Leine had no choice but to follow him down a metal stairway into the hold, past several containers. Below decks the brackish air of the Chao Phraya River gave way to the smell of grease and diesel, along with other, more exotic fare. Leine put her hand to her nose and breathed shallowly as the stench of animal feces hit her full force.

  “What else are you shipping? A zoo?”

  Wang led her deeper into the bowels of the hold. “You could say that.”

  He stopped at a watertight metal door with a sign that read Supplies near the back of the hold and turned to Leine. “Should negotiations with the prince be successful, alternative accommodations may be possible.” He turned the handle and swung the door open, gesturing for her to look inside. Leine stepped forward and at the same time felt a sharp sting in her neck. Staggering, she pivoted, fighting to remain upright as the world tilted and her vision blurred.

  With her last bit of strength, Leine lunged forward, driving the heel of her hand toward Wang’s face before she collapsed to the floor and the world went dark.

  CHAPTER 11

  LEINE CAME TO with a jackhammer banging inside her head. She opened her eyes to solid darkness and winced as she pulled herself to a sitting position. Her head swam with the attempt and she sucked in air, waiting for a wave of nausea to pass. The air was dank and humid and hard to breathe, and her clothing stuck to her like soggy plastic wrap.

  She tried to move her leg and was rewarded with a clank and the weight of hard metal against her ankle.

  Where was she? She inhaled through her nose and gagged on the odor of grease and diesel mixed with the ammonia tang of a filthy urinal. Combined with the deep, rumbling vibration below her, she had her answer.