then grabbed my wrists and hoisted me up. In one effortless move, Ed was on the deck at the same time as me. He primed the motor, weighed anchor, and we were off with only a slight bump of the Honda. I wondered how that would look on the insurance claim. Mair stood on the beach waving a discarded plastic bag.
DEAR CLINT. THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF THE SEABORNE QUEST AND THE SIMULTANEOUS LAND INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN TRANSCRIBED FROM LIVE INTERNET FOOTAGE AND INTERVIEWS. IN THE M APR AO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTED BY TWO SEPARATE YET EQUALLY IMPORTANT GROUPS-THE STAFF OF THE LOVELY RESORT, WHO INVESTIGATE CRIME, AND THE FEW STRAIGHT COPS OF THE PAK NAM STATION, WHO MAKE ARRESTS AND OCCASIONALLY PROSECUTE THE OFFENDERS. THESE ARE THEIR STORIES.
Sissi and Mair left the dogs to guard the Lovely Resort and headed off to Pak Nam in the Mighty X. They stopped off at the post office and collected Mair's cell phone and an apology from Nat the manager for giving away her personal address so recklessly.
Back in the truck, Mair used her phone to call Meaty of the DSI.
'What?'
'My name is Mrs. Jitmanat Gesuwan. I am the proprietor of the Gulf Bay Lovely Resort and Restaurant in Maprao.'
There was nothing but silence from the other end.
'It was me who kneed you in the bollocks this morning. I m-
'I remember. What do you want?'
'Shortly after you left, a man arrived to look at the Honda. He didn't say anything. He was short-haired and sour-looking, so I thought he was one of your men. He played around with the engine and somehow got it going. My father was impressed. Next thing you know, it was gone.'
'Someone took the car?'
'It wasn't you?'
'No.'
'Then my neighbor might have been right after all. She said she'd seen two women driving away from our resort in a silver car. That must have been the women you were looking for. I bet you they hired a mechanic. And that would also explain why I found a plastic bag hanging in the carport with a large sum of money in it. It more than covered what they owed. I should think they're-'
'What time was this?'
'Ooh, I don't know. About two?'
'And what direction were they headed?'
'South. Although they could easily have-' He hung up.
'Job done,' said Mair, and took her son's hand. 'It's nice to have you home.'
'You're really something,' said Sissi. 'Thank you, child. At last my family's all together. My dream has come true.'
Live Internet feed. 5 P.M. Gulf of Thailand (CAMERA-CLOSE-UP OF JIMM JUREE)
JIMM: I am reporting live to you from an unstable squid boat rocking perilously in the Gulf of Thailand. This is a live feed. English is not my native language, so please forgive my accent. We are heading out to deep water where at least seventeen Burmese are being held captive as slaves on three forty-meter fishing boats. The slaves are most likely being held at gunpoint. We have no idea how many guards there are or what weapons they're using. We are one small boat against three large ones. We are a crew of eight with only one handgun between us. Among our number are old men, an engaged couple, and a woman with a fear of water. None of us knows if we will make it back alive. We have no plan other than to find the ships and rescue the Burmese. And, yes, as I speak a fine rain has started to fall. (CAMERA-NOTEBOOK TIPS UP TOWARD THE GRAY SKY. A BLOB OF RAIN HITS THE LENS.) Are we in for another blustery-storm to make our venture even more difficult?
I am your reporter Jimm Juree and I intend to stay here talking to you online until the matter is resolved-one way or another. Will we save the lives of our abused neighbors, or will we be cut down in a hail of machine-gun fire? Only time and the intervention of Mazu, the Chinese goddess of the sea, will tell.
'She looks fat on this thing,' said Mair. She was leaning over Sissi's shoulder as they watched the live feed.
'She is a bit overweight,' said Sissi.
'But not fat, son. There isn't an ounce of fat on her. She's solid, I'll give you that. A good solid Chiang Mai girl. Look at her. She's so pretty. Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone saw her on this and took a liking to her? Do you think anyone's watching?'
'So far…two thousand seven hundred.'
'Two thousand seven hundred what?'
'People…watching.'
'No.'
'I swear. Look at the counter. This is the number of real-time viewers.'
'That's people?'
'Sure is.'
'But how did they know? We've only just started.'
'I've been putting up links all over. Advertising on Web sites. Facebook. Twitter. Next thing you know, it goes viral.'
'That sounds unpleasant. So you think there might be more?'
'I'm sure of it.'
'Oh. Then there's certain to be someone out there who likes her, isn't there?'
'A lot of weirdos on the Internet, Mair.'
'Don't be cruel. She's a very attractive girl with a lovely personality and a good sense of humor. Perhaps you could just make her look a little slimmer?'
'Without the benefits of plastic surgery?'
'Look at all those buttons and dials. Surely you can do something with special effects?'
'I'll see what I can do.'
Live Internet feed. 5:42 p.m. Gulf of Thailand
(CAMERA-CLOSE-UP OF JIMM JUREE)
JIMM: This is very exciting. We've just heard over the boat's communication system that Captain Kow, our man in pursuit of the kidnapped Burmese, has sighted their ferry and is holding back so as not to alert the skipper. He has given us his location and headings, and we have changed our own direction and are going at full speed to meet up with him. Our own captain estimates that we should intersect his path in just over an hour. This is an awfully long time in a boat with no roof or restrooms. But we are warmed by the knowledge that the chase is on.
As I have already introduced you to our brave crew, and as nobody else speaks English, I am debating how I can best-'
GAEW: (OFF SCREEN) I can.
CAMERA PANS AROUND TO THE CREW AND ZOOMS IN ON GAEW, HAND ALOFT. SMILING.
JIMM: (OFF SCREEN) You can speak English?
GAEW: All those international bodybuilding tournaments.
JIMM: Well, you get yourself over here. Viewers, this is a golden opportunity for your reporter, Jimm Juree, to hand over to a woman from this very region who knows the sea and the plight of the Burmese as well as anyone.
GAEW: Actually, we had a rice shop. I only got to go the beach on holidays.
JIMM: Then let's hear about the…plight of international bodybuilding. I'm sure our viewers need a break from me.
Actually, I was dying for a pee. There are only so many things a live-feed audience can stomach. Even the
'Where's the toilet?' I asked Ed.
I knew there wasn't actually a room, but I suspected there had to be a protocol. A lot of wives came out to
