The Kiss of the Dragon

by Lilburne, Guy

  “Hello there.”

  “We have a Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Lovatt. I’m told that he transferred from the Met.”

  “Jesus! You promoted Nails. Yes, that’s him. Can you put me through to him now, please?”

  “Yes, I can try his extension. Who can I say is calling?”

  “Tell him it’s Danny O’Brien and tell him I’m calling from Thailand and it’s urgent, thanks.”

  A few moments later an old familiar voice came on the phone.

  “Oh my God! Danny O’Brien. Is it really you?”

  “Jesus! Nails! They promoted a fecker like you!”

  “Nobody calls me Nails now Danny. I left that behind in Scotland Yard. Oh! Mate. I was sorry to hear about your wife. I heard you have been having a hard time with it.”

  “That was a long time ago Nails. I’m retired now. Listen, I need to know if you can help me. I’m on a case in Thailand, but it might interest you because he is a missing person. He is an ex-policeman from West Midlands Police and I think he may have been murdered. I can’t involve the police over here, and I was hoping that, if I gave you some details, then you might be able to do a few checks for me?”

  “Well, Danny, there are some procedures and protocols to get through, but if you give me some details and a contact number I will see what I can do. Why do you think it’s a murder?”

  “Nails, it feels like a murder and the fecker is missing.”

  Chris Lovatt laughed. “You haven’t changed mate. OK, give us some details.”

  “His name is Jack Morgan. I haven’t got his date of birth or the date he retired, but I can give you his bank account here in Thailand. I could do with you finding out as much as you can about his history; any financial movement on his bank accounts here and in the UK, any movement on his passport, family background and any contact………”

  “Danny, I know what to do. Have you got a number where I can contact you?”

  “No, I haven’t got a phone. Hang on. Nok, can I give him your number?”

  Danny relayed Nok’s phone number to Detective Chief Inspector Lovatt.

  “Danny, I’ll see what we can turn up, but if I get anything, then you’ll need to get to the British Embassy and use the secure encrypted line. I have a contact there who might be of some use to you if there is anything in this. It sounds interesting, mate. I have to go, but I’ll let you know what we find out. We’ll catch up some other time…..Oh, and Danny, be careful.”

  They came out of the Internet café and continued down the road until Danny recognised the soi (street) where Mr. Ching’s bike shop was. Danny was delighted that Mr. Ching recognised him as soon as he saw him and still insisted on calling him

  ‘The Great British Detective’. Danny gave him the two mobile numbers which Mr. Ching wrote down and marked as ‘A’, Jack Morgan, and ‘B’, Charlie Brown. He explained to Danny that it was likely that neither phone would have been registered to the individuals concerned, but he was confident he could obtain some kind of record of text message, phone call dates and times.

  “Thanks Mr. Ching. Just a thought, but if somebody purchased a bar here in Patong, would you have any contacts to get a sight of any contract of sale?”

  “Yes, I can try. What bar?”

  “Captain Morgan’s Bar on the Beach Road.”

  “OK. No problem. Can do.”

  Chapter 33: Kanchanaburi

  It was Nok who was the first one out of bed for a change. She smacked Danny on the bottom as she jumped out of bed and headed towards the shower.

  “Come on, tee rak. We go to Kanchanaburi today. Long way to go. We eat breakfast on the way. Come and shower.”

  Danny grunted and rolled over to watch Nok walking naked around the room as she opened the curtains, turned the TV on and filled the little plastic kettle with some bottled water from the fridge, before she walked back to the bed and held her hand out to Danny.

  “Come on, tee rak. Get up, we shower quick.”

  Danny was still half asleep. He took Nok’s hand and went with her into the shower. The warm water splashing down on him and Nok’s soapy hands rubbing over his body woke him up.

  He felt a heavy dull throbbing between his legs grow, as his erection did in Nok’s gentle hands. She looked magnificent when wet and naked. Danny squeezed some shower gel into his hands and massaged it into her breasts and her nipples erected with his touch. His hand slid down her stomach and between her legs and for several minutes they just gently stroked each other under the warm water. It was Danny who pulled away and started to wash his hair.

  “Jesus Nok! We should not be doing this.”

  “Tee rak, you worry too much” she laughed, and went up on her tip toes to kiss Danny on the cheek. After the shower they dried and dressed in the bedroom.

  “How long is the flight to Kanchanaburi?” asked Danny.

  “Cannot. No airport. We hire car and drive.”

  “How far is it?”

  “Maybe about 900km.”

  “That’s 600 miles.”

  “No problem. We hire big Mazda pickup and we buy tent to sleep. Kanchanaburi is very beautiful, mountains and jungle and lakes and waterfall. Same same like holiday. Only take seven hours to drive.” She beamed him her wide smile and he flicked his eyes up to the ceiling, but found himself nodding his agreement. Nok clapped her hands, unable to hide her excitement and Danny thought how cute she was when she was like this.

  Nok looked great wearing a white, short sleeved blouse, kaki coloured shorts and her sunglasses made her look really cool. They hired the pickup from the hotel and had to drive clockwise around the one way system in a big arc before they could start the 600 mile drive north. But first they had a couple of things to do. They drove along Rat-u-Thit Road and followed it to the right at the end towards the Beach

  Road. They stopped to buy Nok a floppy canvas hat that matched the green of her shorts.

  “Here, you will need this. The sun is very hot today” said Danny.

  Nok put it on and she modelled it very well. They bought a small tent from one of the many markets and then they called into Mr. Ching’s bike shop.

  As usual, Mr. Ching greeted Danny with a ‘high’ wai, showing huge respect. Danny returned it.

  “Any luck with the phone numbers?”

  “No, Khun Danny. No luck sorry. The phone’s are not registered, but have luck with bar sale. I have friend can look for me, so I say I give him 2000 baht for information.” Mr. Ching waited for a reaction from Danny, but there was none until Nok nudged him into a response.

  “Oh! Right. I see. No problem. Here is 3000 baht.” He handed the cash to Mr. Ching.

  “My friend fax me copy of contract for sale of Captain Morgan’s Bar. Here you see. Jack Morgan sell bar two weeks ago to Mr. Sak Wannadee for no money. Then later, same day, Sak Wannadee sell bar to Darunee Wannadee.”

  “Who is she?” Danny asked.

  “That is Fon. That is her real name” smiled Nok.

  “And she pay Sak Wannadee £10,000 in your money Khun Danny” Mr. Ching continued.

  “Can I keep this fax?”

  “Yes, I get for you. Sorry I cannot have lucky with phones.”

  “Don’t worry, you’re grand.”

  Nok spoke to Mr. Ching in Thai. It was a long conversation and they both looked several times at Danny. Mr. Ching nodded a lot before he disappeared out of the back of the shop and returned a few moments later holding a small brown cardboard box in his hands. He put it down on top of the glass top display cabinet. He took the lid off the box and Danny saw that inside it was an old Browning 38 pistol. It was old, but in perfect condition and there was also a box of bullets inside.

  “What the feck!” Danny was not afraid of guns and had used them years ago, when he
worked undercover, but he was still taken by surprise.

  “Tee rak, if we go to Kanchanaburi then we need. Not all good people in the border jungle. Better we have.”

  Danny did not argue. He could see the sense in what she was saying. He paid Mr. Ching another £100 for the gun.

  They headed north out of Patong. They stopped at a little road side market and bought fresh fish, salad and fruit, some sticky rice that was wrapped in a banana leaf, bottles of water and some beers and whisky. They planned to cook the fish on a barbeque later. They continued heading north. The scenery was breathtaking. Beautiful pink blooms of wild orchids decorated the greenery of the road side and the brightly coloured flowers of the Heliconia plant, which looked like delicate little birds clinging to a stick, gave a very tropical and exotic feel to the journey.

  They drove on for several hours before they stopped for something to eat at one of the many national parks they were driving through. After they had eaten they sat and relaxed by the waterfall.

  “Want to swim, Nok?” asked Danny.

  “I have no swim suit with me.”

  “You can swim in your clothes.”

  “I have nothing else to change into.”

  “They will dry very quickly. It’s so hot. Come on.”

  “No, I don’t think so…….”

  Danny dragged her up before she finished her sentence and started pulling her towards the water. She laughed and squealed and tried to pull away, but Danny was far too strong, she had no chance of escape. Some of the Thai people, who were either sitting around the water or playing in it, stopped what they were doing to watch the fun and their smiling faces watched as Danny picked her up and carried her into the water. They clapped and shouted in Thai as he dropped her in and she splashed Danny in play revenge. She was not angry with him at all. She liked his impulsiveness. This was the first time she had ever seen Danny relaxed and happy.

  The dark mood that always seemed to shadow him was gone. The baking sun soon dried them and they drove through countryside and villages, small towns and rubber tree plantations; hundreds of them that seemed to go on for miles as they continued north on one of the major roads.

  They had decided enroute that Nok would ask around tomorrow about Fon’s crocodile farm, because it would raise too much notice if a farang went around asking questions and it would get straight back to Fon within hours. It was already late afternoon when they got to Si Sawat. They were driving through yet another national park and decided to make camp for the night. They had been driving through beautiful mountains and had been surrounded by huge lakes and reservoirs for hours. Nok pointed to a track that was signposted just in front of them and Danny turned off the road and onto the track.

  The end of the track brought them to the start of one of the lakes, surrounded by dense forest and jungle, and a couple of wooden buildings. One was a small bar type restaurant and the other wooden building was a shop. Both businesses seemed to be owned by the same family. Danny wondered how they could ever stay in business here in the middle of nowhere, when the only customers were a couple of Thai people sitting eating. Danny was not even sure if they were not just staff on a meal break. They were greeted very warmly when they got out of the pickup. Danny and Nok instantly liked these people. They ordered two beers and sat at one of the little wooden benches and looked out towards the lake. The shade of the palm trees was a relief from the sun, which had already tanned Danny’s face a little red. A young Thai girl of about 5 years old peeked her face around the doorway of the shop to look at the farang. When Danny smiled and waved at her, she giggled and ducked back inside, but a moment later she re-appeared and waited for another wave from Danny. This time she waved back and then ran into the back of the shop to tell somebody that she had waved to the farang.

  “This very beautiful, na?” sighed Nok.

  “Do you want to stay here tonight?”

  “Yes, we can put tent here, or you can hire cabin made out of wood near to lake.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I read sign” she laughed.

  “Oh! I like the sound of the cabin. I’m too old for sleeping in a tent if I don‘t have to.”

  Nok asked the man who had served them their drinks if they could hire a cabin. The man nodded and spoke quietly in Thai to Nok and she translated to Danny.

  “We hire cabin near to lake, 200 baht (£4) and can hire things we need from his shop.”

  “Okay.”

  The man got them to follow him into the shop next door. They hired a sleeping mattress, mosquito net and a barbeque on a little stand for 300 baht. (£6) Danny bought some charcoal, chicken and some more bottled water. They loaded up with their stuff and continued as directed along the winding track until they came to a clearing that had been cut out of the surrounding jungle and saw the cabin. Danny had been expecting a little log cabin but this was a big wooden house. They soon discovered that the other side of the cabin had a big veranda that looked out over a huge lake that was surrounded by majestic green covered hills.

  “Wow! This very beautiful” said Nok, excited with the adventure.

  They wandered down to the lake’s edge and found a nice spot on the sandy shore line that was fringed with palm trees, before it turned into jungle. There was a little clearing and a fallen tree made the perfect seat, so they set up the barbeque there. They collected large stones to make a circle in the sand in which to light a fire later in the evening. It was still only late afternoon now and the sun was still so very hot. They collected sticks and logs for the fire. Nok could not remember being this excited since she had been a little girl.

  “Come on, tee rak. I want to swim.”

  They were both hot and the idea of a swim in the lake could not be resisted. Nok stood up and started to strip, placing her clothes over the fallen tree trunk.

  Danny stood up and started to unbutton his shirt. He threw the shirt over the fallen tree trunk and unzipped his shorts. He let them drop and stepped out of them. He peeled down his boxer shorts and threw them onto the fallen tree trunk and they stood naked and looking at each other.

  “My heart is beating so fast, tee rak. Look, you make me shake.”

  Danny looked at her beautiful naked body. It was a long slow look up and down. Her pussy was shaved and smooth.

  “Wow!” said Danny. “You look so beautiful. I love your body.”

  “You love my body but you do not love me. I understand, but it is OK tee rak, because I love you and I understand you everything.”

  “Come on, let’s swim.”

  Danny took her hand and they ran together to the warm blue water. There was not another person around, but Nok was still happy to be in the lake and covered by the water. They held onto each other in the water.

  Nok was happy being held in his strong arms and she could feel his soft penis brushing against her tummy like a fish swimming in the water. They swam and splashed and laughed and talked and relaxed. The sun was hot and bright in the blue sky. There was only one fluffy white cloud to be seen. This felt perfect to Nok. This felt like paradise and she had already accepted that Danny was in love with another. They walked back to the shore hand in hand and then sat naked on the fallen tree trunk looking out at the lake. Danny still had hold of Nok’s hand and she let her head rest on his shoulder as they dried in the last of the warm sunshine before dusk.

  They sat for nearly an hour before they watched the red sun dip down behind the mountains. The red light of the setting sun dancing on the gentle waves until it dipped out of sight.

  Nok put only her blouse on and Danny wrapped his shirt around his waist, tying the sleeves in a knot at the side. They both felt comfortable being naked together and neither one of them wanted too many clothes to get in the way of their naked experience. As the dusk settled into dark, the evening became alive with the
sound of insects, frogs and creatures from the jungle. Danny lit the fire, the barbeque and a cigarette. He poured himself a large whisky. The fire light was warming, romantic and strangely reassuring. After nearly another hour the barbeque was ready to cook. The fish and the chicken smelt so fantastic as they smoked in the night air. They ate straight off the barbeque with sticks, because they had not thought to buy plates or knives and forks.

  After they had finished eating they lay together in the sand. Nok tucked herself under Danny’s arm and they looked up at the black night sky. Without street lights the sky looked different. It was very black and, with no reflected light, the stars seemed brighter and really did twinkle like everyone imagines they do when they are children.

  “This is the best day of my life” whispered Nok.

  She turned her face towards Danny and kissed him on the cheek and snuggled tightly into his body. This really was her perfect day and she did not want it to end.

  Danny moved so that he could kiss her and she kissed him back. It was a long slow kiss, gentle and soft. He let his hand slide over her blouse to cup her breast. His touch made her sigh and he felt her nipple erect under his hand. He opened her buttons as they kissed and then felt her warm breast heavy in his hand. He rolled her erect nipple between his fingers. She could not stop herself from moaning out loud. His touch felt gentle and kind. She had not been loved in such a long time and the anticipation of his love filled her body with passion. She could feel her own wetness between her legs. Danny kissed her face and then gently onto her neck. She could feel his warm breath and it made her whole body tingle. His teeth gently pulled at her ear lobe. It felt so sensual to Nok and her breath was coming in little gasps. He kissed down to her shoulders and she felt his mouth move over her breasts in turn, licking and sucking on erect nipples. Her body tensed with the surges, like electric tremors, that passed through her body as he sucked her nipples into his warm wet mouth. She closed her eyes and enjoyed her sexual submission to him. His strong hands massaged her breasts as he kissed his way down her stomach and then rested on her bald pussy, licking and probing with his tongue. She felt his hands slide down her body and over her thighs. He slipped them around to the backs of her knees and then gently pushed her legs up and apart. She moaned out loud as she felt him hard and throbbing sliding gently into her. Nok gripped onto his shoulders and they made love slowly under the stars, her fingernails piercing his skin as she climaxed. She was losing control of her own body as the sexual pleasures sent her muscles into spasm. He lay down on top of her holding her face and kissing her mouth, still moving and throbbing inside her. They held onto each other until his erection subsided. Nok held onto the back of his head and stroked his hair.