‘It’s the company she keeps.’

‘I may try to buy Farquar out. His thugs have been disgusting on this trip.’

‘Good idea. Have you any idea of the contents of those bags?’

‘It’s black rice. You saw it at his plantation.’

‘But he picked up a shipment of bags at the Thai–Lao border.’

‘Farquar told me he had a load of produce there; probably bananas and coconuts. It’s his side business. You’ve seen 0092 following us.’

‘Are you sure it’s just black rice and bananas?’

‘I can’t be certain. Maybe not all of it.’ Geoffreys paused and asked, ‘Are you joining the tour dinner tonight? We’ll be dropping in on some of the key spots in this heart of Laotian culture.’

‘I’ve seen it all. One of the region’s most beautiful spots. Will the thugs be with you?’

‘I doubt it. They’re not culturally inclined beyond drinking and more drinking.’

‘Then I may be there.’

*

At 11 p.m. Cavalier put on his rain jacket, placed his gun inside its zip pocket, hoisted on his backpack and left the hotel. There was almost a full moon above as he hailed a cab at the waterfront and directed the Lao driver to take him to the small village of Tao Boa about a kilometre short of the huge waterfall, one of Luang Prabang’s biggest tourist attractions. Even though the driver understood Cavalier’s Lanna Thai, he could not believe his passenger wished to be left out in the area. It was bushland, where the driver claimed there were wild animals.

‘It’s okay,’ Cavalier said. ‘I have plenty of water and food.’

The driver drove off shaking his head.

Helped by the strong moonlight, Cavalier took the track due west and passed the water tank as Amaz had indicated. He was near it when he heard the roar of a truck. He eased behind the tank until the truck was well past. Then he continued on in its wake as it growled its way towards the crude airstrip. He ducked behind trees. The truck’s lights stayed on to reveal the Cessna and a short runway hemmed in by scrub and jungle. He noticed a hard structure a few metres from him. He eased to it and realised it was the shell of a plane’s fuselage. Broken wings, still tangled in the trees and undergrowth, indicated it was the result of a failed attempt to land.

Cavalier watched until three men, rifles slung over their shoulders, and Amaz loaded the plane with about thirty sacks. Its back windows were opened to accommodate more of the load. Then the truck with two of the armed men bumped its way back to the track and was soon out of earshot. Amaz rolled out a sleeping bag on the ground. The remaining man lit a cigarette, rested his rifle on the ground and slumped against a plane wheel.