The Kiss of the Dragon Read online

  Ling only had one doubt. She explained to Marc that she had never worked in a bar before or ever done any sex work. She explained that she had come from Udon Thani simply because there was no work up there. Her mother’s rice farm had not made enough money to support the family in the ten years since her father had been killed in a road accident. Marc assured her that she would be fine and told her that there would be no pressure on her to go with any customers until she felt ready. Marc said that her beauty would bring a lot more customers to the bar anyway. She had accepted the job and gracefully wai’d him.

  All the other girls working at the Dolphin Bar were already sharing rooms and nobody had anything to offer Ling. She looked in the Phuket Gazette advertising section and, after a few phone calls, she managed to get herself some accommodation; sharing a small apartment with a very pretty ladyboy called Suzie, who was a dancer at the ‘Phuket Simon Cabaret Theatre’.

  From the first night that she worked in the bar Ling had become the star of the bar. She was a natural and her charming laughter and easy manner seduced everyone. Every night she got offers from customers. Many of them were prepared to pay well over the going rate of 1000 Baht (£20) for short time sex or 1500Baht (£30) for long time (all night). The bar fine at the Dolphin Bar was reasonably cheap at only 400 Baht (£8).

  Ling had worked in the bar for many weeks before she accepted her first customer, but she was not cheap and she did have a certain modesty. On this first occasion she agreed a price of 2000 Baht (£40) to give the young German man a hand job and nothing else. He agreed and he got his friend to take a photo of Ling with her arm around him before they left the bar, so that he could show his mates back in Germany the beautiful Thai girl who he had sex with. After that first time Ling eased herself gradually into the sex worker scene. She was always discreet and talked in whispers to any potential customer. The price and the sexual act required were always agreed before they left the bar. Marc’s prediction about her increasing his business was right. They had always caught a lot of passing trade as people made their way towards Bangla Road, the epicentre of the sex trade in Patong. But now that Ling was there, all this passing trade stayed a lot longer and came back again every night.

  Chapter 5: Stuck in a sack

  Ticky had no idea how long she had been tied up in the sacking and was driven on the back of the pickup truck. It could have been all day and night or even two days. She had not been given any food or water and she had wet herself four or five times during the stop/start journey. Occasionally, when the truck had stopped, she heard the men get out of the vehicle and she could hear them talking. But they never said anything to give her any clues as to where they were heading or what was going to happen. She could smell their cigarette smoke and sometimes she heard them laughing. Sometimes she could smell the food that they were eating and it made her hungry. Her tummy hurt from the hunger pains. She was filled with panic and fear and she was convinced she was going to die. Twice during the long journey she felt heavy weights being thrown on top of her and she knew from the movement and the muffled cries that these, too, were young girls, tied and gagged in sacks. They could not speak to each other but at least they were not alone in their fate.

  Chapter 6: Stafford, England

  Stafford did have a railway station, and a big Tesco store. Danny saw this from the train as it lumbered into Stafford. The station looked cold and the concrete construction looked dirty and tired. Somebody at some time in the 1960’s must have thought that this was modern. It didn’t give a good first impression of the town but, once outside, he was greeted by a pretty Victorian park with the river Sow running through it. The daffodils were out in force and the sun was shining again. He walked through the park, which he now saw was actually called Victoria Park, and into the town. There were a lot of new apartment buildings along the river and probably too many car parks, but some of the older buildings in the town were ancient and beautiful, their history recorded on plaques outside. He checked into the Swan Hotel along the main High Street, an old building nicely preserved and renovated. It was originally an old coaching house along the London to Liverpool highway, or the A34 as it is known today.

  Danny just checked in for the one night. The pretty young girl in reception told him where he could find the Royal Bangkok Thai Restaurant. It seemed easy enough; ‘out of the front of the hotel, turn right along the High Street for 800 yards, past the ‘Old Post Office’ building and turn right into Mill Bank, 100 yards on the right. It’s easy’.

  It’s easy when you know where you are going, thought Danny, but with only two right turns from the front of the hotel he wasn’t too worried about finding a Thai restaurant in a small town like this. It was still only mid-afternoon. He decided to have a wander around the town and get something to eat and maybe a couple of beers, before going to visit Miss Nui at the Thai restaurant. He had not rung her, so she did not know he was coming, but Danny wanted to meet her face to face instead of talking on the phone. He walked the route that the receptionist had given him and, sure enough, it took him straight to the restaurant. It was closed, as he expected at this time. There was an old pub opposite; The Coach and Horses. That would do nicely. They sold real ale and he had a pie and chips with it. He sat in the bay window and looked over at the restaurant. It was not a big place. It looked like it had been converted from an old house. The building was plastered and painted a garish pink. He could not see inside because of the heavy lace curtains. He enjoyed another beer.

  Chapter 7: Meeting the girlfriend

  Danny saw the restaurant open at 5:00pm, but no customers were waiting to go in. The young Thai girl who opened the front door looked pretty and was wearing a traditional Thai dress made of red and cream coloured silk. Danny finished his beer and walked over. The same girl put her hands together in front of her face and bowed the traditional Thai greeting.

  “Sawadee kha” (Welcome) she smiled.

  “Sawadee Khrap.” Danny did not return the ‘wai’, but nodded an acknowledgment.

  The girl wafted out an arm in a small arc to invite Danny to sit at a table.

  “No thanks, I’m grand. I’m looking for someone called Nui. Is that you?”

  “Who are you, please?”

  “My name is Danny O’Brien. She wrote a letter to me. She wants some help.”

  “One moment please.”

  The girl went to the back of the tiny restaurant and opened a door that took her up some stairs and out of sight. He heard another door open at the top of the stairs. Danny looked around the restaurant. It was small and dark and a bit tired looking. The musty smell was probably coming up from the carpet. It had been a long time since this place had been decorated. The ceiling was stained brown from cigarette smoke, from before the smoking ban a few years ago. There was some Thai music playing from somewhere, a couple of wooden Thai carvings and some paintings of Thailand. There was a small wooden bar at the far end, next to the door with the stairs, where the young waitress had just gone. A moment later she reappeared and waved Danny to come to her.

  “This way please, Mr. Danny.”

  He followed her up the stairs and could not help but notice the sexy sway of her peachy bottom as she climbed the steps. She went through the now open door at the top of the stairs and again invited Danny into the room with another gentle swing of her arm. She wai’d to him again and left, closing the door behind her.

  The petite Thai woman sitting on the sofa in the tiny living space was attractive. She was dressed in a short black skirt and pink blouse with one too many buttons undone, so her white bra could be seen pushing up her small breasts. Danny could see that she was wearing stockings. He guessed that she was about 27 or 28 years old. She wai’d to Danny, still sitting with one leg tucked under her. Her smile was quick but cute.

  “Thank you for coming Khun Danny. Please sit down.”

  Danny sat in the only other cha
ir.

  “I wanted to come and see you about the letter you sent to me.”

  “Will you take the case?”

  “I don’t know yet. It depends what you have to tell me.”

  Nui looked at this man, who she had read about in the Phuket Gazette. His face looked hard and weathered, but he had nice blue eyes that sparkled and he spoke with a funny accent. She did not know what to expect of the ‘Great British Detective from Scotland Yard’, but here he was in front of her.

  “I very worry about my boyfriend. I think he might have trouble. I want you go find him……….”

  “Jesus! Hang on a minute. Your boyfriend is called Jack Morgan, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “How old is he?”

  “I don’t know. Older than you. Maybe 50 or 60.”

  “You don’t know how old your boyfriend is?”

  “No! Not important. I love anyway.”

  Danny did not believe her. She did not have very much class. Danny guessed that she was or had been working as a bar girl at some time in the not too distant past. He guessed that’s how she made her money and was now the owner of the restaurant. But he did not want to say anything to upset her.

  “OK. So what can you tell me about Jack Morgan?”

  “He police like you, but retire now.”

  “What police force was he with?”

  “West Midlands.”

  “When did he retire?”

  “Six years ago, I think.”

  “And when did he go to Thailand?”

  “Six years ago.”

  “And he has a bar out there?”

  “Yes, in Patong.”

  “So what happened? Why do you think he has gone missing?”

  “We speak a lot on phone. A few weeks ago he say he have trouble with men and he need money. I don’t know why but he scare. I say no problem. I send money. Then, after I send money, his phone no longer in use. I ring friend in Patong and they say he no longer at bar. Now lady run bar. Nobody see Jack Morgan anymore.”

  “What is his bar called?”

  “Captain Morgan’s Bar. It’s on Beach Road at the south end of the beach.”

  Danny pulled out a small notebook from his jeans pocket and scribbled some notes as he chatted.

  “How much money did you send him?”

  “£10,000.”

  “Jesus, that’s a lot of money.”

  “I love him. I try to help him.”

  “Do you think he has just run away with your money?”

  “No. He love me. He has trouble, big problem with men.”

  “Which men?”

  “I do not know. He did not say, but I believe him.”

  “So you sent him £10,000?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did you send it?”

  “I transfer to his bank in Thailand.”

  “Which bank?”

  “Siam Commercial Bank.”

  “Have you got his account number?”

  Nui uncrossed her legs to get up and Danny caught a flash of white knickers as she did. She went to an old wooden dressing table, opened a drawer to retrieve some pieces of paper and returned to her seat. She handed Danny one of the papers with the bank details neatly handwritten on it.

  “This is his bank information and this is his photo.”

  She handed him the other piece of paper.

  Danny looked at the chubby middle aged man looking out of the photo at him. The photo was obviously taken in the bar in Patong and he was wearing a black T-shirt with the words ‘Capt. Morgan’s Bar’ in red across the front of it. He was nearly

  bald, with tufts of grey hair at the sides of his head. He held a beer in his hand and was smiling broadly at the camera.

  “Is this photo recent?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “When was the last time you actually saw him?”

  “Last month.”

  “Where did you see him?”

  “He was here. He visit me. We take it in turns.”

  Danny sensed that she was lying, but he didn’t know why she should.

  “He came to Stafford?”

  “Yes.”

  “And when was the last time you actually spoke to him?”

  “I speak to him every day. Then send money 10 days ago and then I cannot speak to him anymore.”

  “Can you tell me any more about him?”

  “No, cannot.”

  “Any friends he might have over there? Any contacts? Any other addresses for him? Any addresses or relatives he has over here? Anything?”

  “No, there is nothing else. He is not in this country, Detective.”

  “I’m not a detective any more. Like yer man, I’m retired now.”

  Nui did not respond.

  “Right! So, what do you want me to do then?”

  Nui got up again and flashed her white pants for the second time. She saw Danny looking and it didn’t bother her. She went back to the drawer and came back with a bulky envelope, which she handed to Danny as she sat. Danny opened it and saw it contained a lot of cash in £20 notes. He looked up at Nui.

  “What’s this for?”

  “That is £2,000; £1,000 for your flight and hotel in Phuket, and £1,000 to pay you for your time for one month. I will pay you £1,000 for each month, if you need more time, and, when you find my boyfriend, I will give you £5,000 bonus.”

  “It’s going to cost you more to find him than you already lost in sending money to him.”

  “I tell you, it’s not about the money. I love him. He have problem and you need to find him quickly time.”

  Again, Danny didn’t believe what she was saying, but she had no reason to lie to him. She wanted her boyfriend found and he had as much chance as anyone else of finding him for her. Besides that, she was prepared to pay and pay well. Danny didn’t need the money. When he retired from the police he received £140,000 cash lump sum and £2,000 every month for the rest of his life in a police pension. He was richer now than he had ever been. But he was intrigued with this case and with Nui herself. She was sexy in a tarty sort of way and he did not quite believe everything she had said to him. He had already decided that he was going to go back to Thailand. His flat in London was already in the hands of a letting agent. He did not know, yet, what he was going to do in Thailand, but now this case was giving him some purpose. He pondered a few moments longer.

  “OK. I’ll find yer man Jack Morgan for you.”

  Nui smiled, and the deal was done.

  “Thank you. When will you go?”

  “I’ll see if I can get on a flight tomorrow.”

  “Thank you. Do you want to stay here tonight?”

  Danny looked around him. He could see through the open doors that there were only two other rooms; a bathroom and a bedroom with just a double bed. He did not know if Nui’s invitation had any sexual connotations, or if she was going to let him sleep on the sofa. He looked her up and down. Suddenly, the room was charged with a sexual energy. He wondered if she could feel it too.

  “No. I’m grand, thanks. I’m booked into the Swan Hotel for tonight. Do you want some sort of receipt for this?” He waved the money filled envelope.

  “No, I trust you.”

  “Right. So, I’ll be in touch, but you better have my mobile number.” He scribbled it in his notebook and ripped out the page and handed it to Nui.

  Nui got up once more and escorted him to the door at the top of the stairs. She said something in Thai. The young girl who had shown him in suddenly appeared at the bottom of the steps before he reached there and showed him back out onto the street. Still nobody was eating in the restaurant. It was a sad lonely establishment, a
nd Danny had a strange empathy for the place. It sort of reminded him of his own life.

  Chapter 8: End of the road for Ticky

  Ticky could tell that the pickup truck was going up a steep hill and, by the bumps and rolling motion of the vehicle, she knew that they were not on a road anymore. The vehicle stopped and she heard loud voices. Men’s voices. They were not Thai voices. They sounded Laos or Chinese and they sounded like they were barking out orders. The truck moved on again, but only for a short distance and stopped again. She felt the truck rock as people climbed onto it and she felt herself lifted up and then tossed down off the back of the truck. The fall had winded her. It hurt her a lot, but she could not cry anymore. She felt someone pick her up and she knew that she was being carried over someone’s shoulder. There were a lot of voices, all men. She did not understand this language. She guessed now that it was probably Chinese. She heard a door; it sounded like a metal door being kicked open and a moment later she was tossed down again. It was a softer landing.

  The sacking was pulled off her. She was inside a building and there were lights, but she could not see properly because she had been in the dark for so long. She could make out the shape of a man, a big man. He struck her hard to the face and then pulled out her gag. He was shouting at her but she could not understand what he was shouting. He struck her again and it made her mouth bleed. He cut the ties from her hands and feet and ripped her clothes off. She was on a mattress on the ground and she saw two other girls about her age also being stripped and beaten by men. Other men stood around watching and they all had guns. They were all smoking and laughing and talking. None of them were Thai. She was naked and the man punched her again. He moved up towards her head and he was pulling her hair. He was pushing something big and soft into her mouth. She realised it was his penis. It was not clean and it did not smell very nice. The man was forcing her head back and forth and she felt him getting hard and big inside her mouth, it was making her gag. Then he filled her mouth with sticky liquid. It was hot and salty. It made her feel sick.