He lowered his gun and gestured for them to follow. Beer looked at Daeng, who raised her eyebrows and stepped in front of him. The silence that followed was thick as treacle.

“I . . . I . . . the boat was slow,” said Beer, at last.

“Where’s the other one?”

“Other one?”

“Yes, retard. There’s supposed to be two of them.”

“He . . . I . . . I killed him. He tried to escape.”

“Shit. Major Yuki won’t like that,” said the Japanese. “He won’t like it a bit.”

He approached Daeng and for no apparent reason he slapped her in the face. It might have been for old times’ sake but in those old times the prisoners didn’t slap back. Daeng’s left hook almost knocked him off his feet. There was a brief look of shock on the soldier’s face before he pointed his gun at her chest. Siri was faster. He came up behind the Japanese and cracked him over the head with a branch. The man dropped like a coconut.

“Congratulations,” said Daeng to Beer. “You’ve now officially switched sides.”

Beer looked vacant. “I’m sorry,” he said meekly, seemingly apologizing for all of the bad decisions he’d made in his life.

“How many more are there?” Daeng asked, pointing her chin at the prostrate soldier.

“I didn’t plan to—” Beer began.

“I asked you how many more?” said Daeng, removing the lamp from the helmet of the Japanese.

“Five,” said Beer.

“There were nine on the original raid,” said Siri.

“They got old,” said Beer. “They died.”

“They’re all Japanese?”

“Yes.”

“And Yuki-san is the leader?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. It’s time for a plan,” said Daeng.

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-two

Wish You Were Here

“So, you’ve finally come back to us,” said Dtui.

Chief Inspector Phosy stood in the doorway of their room in the police dormitory wearing the same crumpled uniform he’d had on for four days. Malee was asleep in the cot, too exhausted from a day of unfettered imagination to welcome her father.

“Sorry,” said Phosy. “Things always seem to take twice as long as they need to.”

“Is it all over?”

“Finally.”

Phosy fell backward onto the bed. His wife was afraid he might fall asleep instantly so she threw herself on top of him. It was almost too much for the plywood base, which groaned and splintered beneath them.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Happy ending,” said Phosy. “Mimi’s on her way back to Vang Vieng on the bus with Sihot as a bodyguard.”

“I’ll miss her,” said Dtui. “Malee was very fond of her.”

“I won’t miss sleeping alone in my office,” said Phosy.

“Your idea,” said Dtui. “What did the judge say?”