by Ben Ezzell
The silence recollected itself, broken only by the accelerating putt-putt of the sampan’s engine and the moans of the trapped figure.
And by the approaching sounds of voices from the bluff above.
3:28 AM
“Jeff? Where are you?” Bren was calling from the bank.
“Tahm? Tahm?” Sarah had her own concerns. “Are you okay? Tahm?”
“Sabii dee, kahp!” Tahm assured her. “Need light, kahp?”
“No you don’t, asshole!” Jeffery’s voice was accompanied by splashing sounds and what could have been a curse in another voice and language.
3:54 AM
The hastily awakened Inspector Taskin’s appearance was less than perfectly crisp but, compared to the group he faced, the Inspector was the image of sartorial perfection.
Two of the group – muddy and decidedly bedraggled – were seated, hands clasped behind their heads, on the ground under the attached carport where they showed all the messier for being well illuminated. One was breathing with some difficulty, rasping nosily. The other was sullenly silently.
Behind the first of the pair, Tahm was also more than a little muddy but dropped his crossed arms long enough to wai acknowledgement on the Inspector’s arrival. Behind the second of the two captives, standing like an avenging sentinel, Jeffery was equally wet and muddy but posed with a ram-rod spine like a marine at parade rest, his legs set at angles like pillars of stone. Each of the proud captors was scantily clad, respectively, in a pair of tan shorts and in badly rumpled khaki slacks. Neither showed the slightest acknowledgement of the presence of the uniformed officers waiting to one side.
A third captive lay on a stretcher, attended by two paramedics who were preparing to load him in the waiting ambulance. One leg was strapped in a bulky cast and the patient appeared pale and unconscious.
The remaining residents of Baan Orchid – with the exception of Kuhn who was the unconscious patient – were in varying degrees of dishabille, some more or less fully dressed, others less rather than more. Among them, Bren – who kept hovering near Jeffery but not quite contacting him – was also more than a little wet and muddy. As were Sarah, Terry and – almost improbably – Joan, who stood watching the paramedics, ignoring the Inspector’s arrival.
To the Inspector, the scene was a tableau out of some bad comedy – the assortment of muddy farahng and Thai, the others half-dressed…
For a moment, Inspector Taskin turned back to his vehicle, ducking inside as if searching for something. There, masked by the darkness, the TAT officer drew on all of his training and reserves to stifle an almost hysterical laughter at the sight waiting behind him. Most unpolite, he reminded himself, most unpolite to laugh at another’s misfortune.
After long moment – and prayer to Buddha for strength – Inspector Taskin emerged again to face assembly of farahng and Thai; face mix of staff, visitor and intruder…
DragonTree.com Contents
Chapter Twenty-One:
Chapter Twenty-One:
Baan Orchid, Friday, February 9th, 4:12 AM
Inspector Taskin was beginning to view Baan Orchid and its residents with a strong feeling of familiarity. Not simply because this was his fourth visit in less than week – or, more accurately, fourth incident involving Baan Orchid – but because, as devout Buddhist as well as policeman, he believed firmly in the connectedness of the world.
Not that he discounted coincidence. The Inspector had seen far too much of world – even from within borders of Chiang Mai Province – to ever doubt that coincidence did happen and that it often happened quite inexplicably. Except that here – in this place and time – he felt that more than coincidence was at work.
His first introduction to Baan Orchid had been theft of luggage of Kun Joan Maguire. This had not been entirely uncommon event and Inspector Taskin had considered his original call to be of more diplomatic nature than investigatory. Tourism was important to Thailand and, while they did vigorously attempt to prevent such thefts and to recover stolen materials as well, fact was that stolen goods of this type were more often recovered by accident than by investigation.
When they became aware of rash of such burglaries – and this had happen in past – TAT could take steps – such as creating sting operation – to identify and apprehend individuals involved. Indeed, it had been Police Officer Taskin’s involvement in just such incident which had contributed to his present rank.
Present incident, however, appeared to have been isolated event. Isolated, that is, until Kun Maguire’s luggage was recovered in connection with other goods stolen during later incident at Baan Orchid.
Baan Orchid was respectable guesthouse. Establish many year, no serious problem. Occasional guest get in trouble, sometimes kamoy rob, some few buy drug but most no real problem. Baan Orchid, in Inspector Taskin’s view, was very respectable business. Not cause problem.
Second incident of week involving Baan Orchid had come to Inspector Taskin’s attentions only because of first. Granted, even had Inspector Taskin not recognized polaroid of Kun Greg Pocolos, report of young man’s public inebriation would have reached Inspector later rather than sooner. Not that incident itself appeared unusual in any particulars – farahng tourists being robbed after evening of over-indulgence simply happened with unfortunate regularity.
Still, regardless of timing, was difficult to imagine connection between losses of Kun Maguire and Kun Pocolos other than coincidence of location.
Third incident – involving the poisoning of most of residents of Baan Orchid by het mao and subsequent burglary of both buildings – was much more serious. Had ingestion of het mao been accident and burglary simply opportunistic occurrence? Or had het mao been added to food deliberately by one of victims?
Use of het mao for its psychedelic properties was not unusual even though sales of mushrooms – more common in south than in north – was discouraged and was somewhat difficult to imagine how such recent arrivals were able to obtain fungi.
Still, Kun Nolan had been to Thailand many time previous. Could he have been responsible? But, if so, why?
And robbery/burglary following taking residents to hospital? Simply opportunity taken on seeing ambulances? Or was use het mao deliberate to make access to Baan Orchid convenient?
Not coincidence, Inspector Taskin thought, but not clear why.
Then Kun Bob Maxwell come to TAT office, ask to hire off-duty officer to assist in finding stolen goods. Inspector agree and assign officer to assist but also ask information on Kun Maxwell from U.S. Consulate.
Response from Consul not helpful. Consul report Kun Maxwell retired CEO of plastics firm, no police record. But Inspector remember many other farahng visitor who have no public record while involved in covert activity in Thailand. Did Kun Maxwell belong to what Americans called ‘alphabet agency’? If so, what connection with many strange event at Baan Orchid?
Inspector Taskin young police officer during Vietnam war but even then know many secret visitor in Northern Thailand. Now many still come because of ‘Golden Triangle’ and drug trade or because sell weapon to Kuomintang or to Muang Tai Army. Myanmar and Laos too close; much traffic not legal but still happen.
Still, Kun Maxwell seem satisfied to recover stolen camera. Maybe, Inspector Taskin chide himself, you see too many spy thriller at pahpayohn.
For moment, maybe more information gained by finding out what known about this – fourth – incident. Now, with permission Kun Terry, he use office to speak to occupants Baan Orchid.
4:38 AM
“Bren and I were asleep,” Jeffery recounted, “when Bren heard someone scream. I followed the noise toward the river and saw Tahm jumping down off the bank. When I got there, I found – three? Maybe four? – people trying to get away in a boat. So I tackled one of them,” he shrugged. “He didn’t put up much of a fight. Oh, and we found the gardener – Kuhn? – trapped under the safe from the office. Joan took care of him – got the safe off of him and looked after him. Looked lik
e the steps along the bank gave way. I guess it fell on him.”
“You are police?” the Inspector inquired politely. “You are familiar with criminal?”
“Hell no! You mean tackling him? Naw, nothing like that – played football in college, halfback. No worse than tackling a ball carrier. Easier, really. Except for the water, of course.”
4:43 AM
“Everyone awake, ka?” Plah sliced a melon open. “Think hungry, mai ka?”
“Kahp,” Greg smiled. “Sounds reasonable. Can I help?”
4:45 AM
“Many kamoy come in night,” Tahm addressed the inspector. “Not sure if these same as choouh kamoy, kahp. Not think coincidence but these leave offering, kahp.”
“Leave offering?”
“Kahp!” Tahm asserted emphatically. “Make offering of two jasmine necklace. Hang on spirit house but not think coincidence, kahp! Also fruit and chocolate candy, kahp!”
Prompted by the inspector’s questions, Tahm related his part in the evening’s events, blushing slightly on admitting that he had not been alone when the alarm had occurred.
“One – Kun Kuhn – trapped by safe,” Tahm recounted. “Steps to river not strong, give way. Kun Joan mah!” – doctor – “Say not move until paramedic arrive. Make Kun Terry, Kun Bren help move safe but keep Kun Kuhn still until ambulance come, kahp. While wait, after kamoy removed by officers, I check property. Desk in office moved, safe carried on poles, still by river. Think nothing else missing, kahp.”
“Do you know what in safe, krahp?”
“Mai roo, kahp!” Tahm shook his head. “Kun Terry know, Kun Mam know, Tahm not open safe, kahp. But,” Tahm remembered, “maybe have picture kamoy. Not check yet but make special camera to catch kamoy.” – Mai roo, not know
4:48 AM
“You could have been hurt,” Bren accused, hugging his partner. “What if they’d had a gun? Or a knife? Oh, Jeff! You know how worried I was when I saw you diving off the bluff like that? Of course,” he added in a softer voice, “you were magnificent!”
4:55 AM
“Well, I didn’t realize at first that it was Kuhn – he had mud all over his face, you know, and he was unconscious by the time I got down there and all we had were a pair of flashlights. Until Terry brought the van over but the headlights weren’t aimed right anyway. The first thing, of course, was to get that safe off of him. Lucky for him, the ground was soft so the damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Compound fractures, of course, are bad enough. And maybe some internal hemorrhaging but they’ll have to check that at the hospital. I understand you have very good hospitals here? Your paramedics seemed competent anyway and the doctor I met the other day – when we were in the hospital? – seemed very good so I’m sure they’ll check. And he should recover, really. The soft ground, you understand, kept it from being so much worse. I did what I could, of course, even if it wasn’t much more than making him as comfortable as possible – not having anything to treat serious wounds with and all. But I really can’t tell you anything, I’m afraid. I mean, by the time I got there, it was all over with.
“Of course, the one Tahm kicked has bruised ribs, you understand. But no serious injuries. I don’t understand how they can fight like that, really. So easy to rupture the spleen or something – not that anything like that happened. I mean, I did check him but he really did get off lightly. Considering what could have happened? He was breathing that way because it hurts but he really didn’t take any damage and I do hope this won’t get Tahm into any trouble? But I shouldn’t have said that, should I?”
“I think Kun Tahm,” the Inspector tried to sort out the deluge, “not in trouble. You are mah, mai krahp? You are doctor?”
“Oh, good heavens, no. It was nothing but a little first aid – anyone could have done that. I thought about being a doctor and all – I suppose many girls do when they’re young – but, no, not a doctor. I did study some to become an RN – a nurse – but I gave that up when I married James – he was so deliciously old-fashioned in some ways and it wasn’t like I needed to work, you understand?
“Not that I haven’t worked. Just not as a nurse. Not for a long time, really. But I do wonder what they wanted with the safe. So much trouble...”
Mrs. Maguire was interrupted as the telephone on the desk rang shrilly. Reflexively, the Inspector answered, then – after a very brief conversation – handed the phone to Mrs. Maguire before settling back with a quizzical expression on his face.
“Of course, I’m awake, Daniel,” she addressed the handset calmly. “I’m talking to you, aren’t I. Well, yes, I suppose I did wake you up but it was for a good reason. You must realize that now.”
Joan was being her most reasonable but, half-way around the world, Daniel wondered for a moment why this woman – who was two years his junior – always made him feel like a little boy explaining something to his aunt.
“Unless my clock is wrong,” he suggested, “it should be a little before five AM where you are?”
“Well of course it is, silly. But I assume you have something for me? Or did you just call hoping to wake me?” He isn’t hesitating, Joan reminded herself. It’s just the time lag, like Terry said. So don’t be impatient.
“Yes, I do,” Daniel confirmed. “And, yes, it all checks out. Now, I’m sorry but I haven’t located Mr. Stafford yet. The Greens seems to be closed at present and I haven’t found anyone who seems to know anything.”
“Never mind that,” Joan decided. “You call Washington, the State Department, and ask for Maddie Benson. Use my name, she’ll talk to you. And tell her” – Joan made a mental note to find something really nice – “that I’ll have something special for her when I get back. You can tell Maddie where to find me, if she wants to call. You’ll do that now?”
“In the morning,” Daniel suggested. “Its nearly three here. Washington’s already gone home for the evening.”
“Don’t be silly. Just get off the phone and call her. Get off the phone with me, I mean. Say it’s personal and use my name – someone will find her and then she’ll know who to talk to. And you’ll call me back as soon as you find out. Go ahead, I’ll be here.” Joan broke the connection, then looked across the desk at the Inspector.
“Maybe,” she suggested, “you might like to check on something as well…”
5:10 AM
“Did it work?” Sarah asked impatiently, steadying the ladder while Tahm removed the camera covering the front door.
“Kahp! Think work good,” Tahm perched on the top step while quickly viewing the contents on the screen. “Have many picture on camera. We check other camera – maybe more, kahp?”
5:12 AM
“Well, I suppose,” Terry considered, “we could open it where it is. Actually, maybe we should. It’s going to take a crane or something to lift it back up again. Or several people with ropes and pull it up with the van, I guess. But as for what’s inside? Legal papers, naturally. My passport and Mam’s. And passports and traveler’s checks for several of our guests. I don’t know. Nothing worth this much trouble to steal though.”
“You say money?” the Inspector prompted. “Much money?”
“Not that much,” Terry laughed. “We keep ours in the bank. Mostly traveler’s checks. If someone wants to leave cash, I count it and give them a receipt. I think I had one or two thousand baht – just for expenses – but that was the only cash on hand. And I can’t think of anything else. You’ll pardon me if I don’t show you where Mam keeps her jewelry? It’s not in the safe. And I don’t wear jewelry. But you’re welcome to look, if you like.”
“Not that I have wish to doubt you, Kun Terry,” the Inspector apologized, “but perhaps it would be best? If maybe someone leave package you not remember?”
5:21 AM
“Look,” Tahm played the flashlight across the spirit house. The lights strung through the branches of the banyan were on as well as the small lights inside the shrine but the flashlight was directed at the winged
gables at each end of the small structure, highlighting the strings of blossoms hanging from each. “Sawy kaw. Two jasmine necklace. Candy bar. Orange. Kamoy leave, make offering to spirit. Last time, no offering. Choouh kamoy, kahp! Bad very very!”
“I see,” Joan considered the evidence thoughtfully. “A burglar who does not leave an offering is a very bad burglar, yes? But, since these burglars did leave an offering, you think there were two sets of burglars? But wouldn’t that be an awfully big coincidence? And, last time, Kun Kuhn was tied up. But, this time, it appears he is one of the burglars. I think,” she paused briefly, “we have a very strange situation here …”
5:27 AM
“If you’ll hold the light, please?” Terry knelt to reach the combination dial. The safe was lying on its back, supported at an upside-down angle where the soft ground and vegetation were torn and dented both by the weight of the initial impact and by the shifting needed earlier to free the trapped gardener. The two poles used to carry the safe were still strapped to the base of the heavy object, tied against the small wheels, both had snapped, leaving only half their lengths extending from the front.
One of the heavy straps had come loose and, now, was partially obscuring the front.
Surveying the situation, Tahm produced a pocketknife to cut the strap and poles free before complying with Terry’s request and playing the beam of the powerful lamp on the face of the safe. Behind him, the Inspector was using a smaller flashlight to look though a notepad, flipping the pages with his thumb.
After a moment’s concentration, Terry twisted the handle, retracting the bolts inside with a solid snap. “Okay,” Terry grunted with satisfaction before standing to pull the heavy door open.
Once opened, because of the inverted angle, the door slid free of the hinge pins, leaving Terry to lower the door to one side, resting it on the ground.