Amaz shrugged but said nothing.

‘Where’s the airstrip?’

‘It’s hard to find.’

‘Tell me.’

Amaz looked around.

‘Draw me a map,’ Cavalier said, pushing a pen and a sheet of paper from his notepad in front of her. She bit her lip.

‘There’s a village, Tao Boa, near the waterfall,’ she whispered. ‘You must find a track due west of it.’

‘How far?’

‘Half a kilometre, maybe.’

‘Any signposts?’

‘A water tank. It’s a few hundred metres from the strip.’

‘And the plane’s destination is the main Chiang Mai airport?’

‘No. There’s a small airstrip about four hundred metres from it.’

‘I know it. I’ve flown there myself. When will the plane be loaded?’

‘Tonight. Well, maybe not, because Leni’s injured. But they must have the shipment there by noon tomorrow.’

‘I think you should escape.’

‘How? They’ll track me down and—’

‘I have contacts who can help. Farquar and the others are marked men.’

Amaz’s eyes welled again. Her bottom lip quivered, but she remained silent.

‘Your choice,’ Cavalier said, scribbling a number on his notepad and handing the page to her. ‘That’s my mobile number. If you change your mind, ring that.’

17 DRUG THIEF

17

DRUG THIEF

Cavalier was first off the boat at Luang Prabang. He found a taxi. As he was placing his backpack in the trunk, he looked down to the shore and noticed a line of locals carrying unmarked white sacks on their backs from the cargo boat to a waiting truck. Hollos was organising things as Amaz walked up to him. They spoke for a moment. Then Hollos backhanded her across the face. She fell to the ground. When Amaz got back to her feet, Hollos grabbed her by the arm. Cavalier stood at the edge of a cliff feeling helpless. He took out his phone and slipped down the cliff to a rock outcropping. Half-hidden, he took several pictures of the truck being loaded.

Minutes later he tried to ring Wombat but the call failed. He sent a text instead.

Plane load of product will land between 5 a.m. and noon tomorrow at Chiang Mai airport no. 2. Send Ian Gillman. Evidence they killed Deere.

Cavalier checked into the hotel at the town’s waterfront on the Mekong and was pleased when his passport was not checked. There would be no record of him staying, just a booking, which he’d made under another false name. He did not want to be seen by Hollos and co. Cavalier rang the hotel at which Geoffreys and the tour group would be staying. The manager found Geoffreys in his room and took him down to a house phone.

‘Is your cute gang of thugs staying with you?’ Cavalier asked.

‘No, at the Dortman. It’s an upmarket hotel. Where are you?’

‘In a nondescript place I’ve stayed in before.’

‘Doctor, what’s happening with that Amaz woman? She seemed upset about something.’