Finding Forever

A short dark story, set in Thailand

“…I AM SORRY you can’t make it to our wedding. But you’re not missing much. It will be in a registrar’s office. James has been married before, long story. But the great news is that our honeymoon will be in Hua Hin. Yes, my friend, I will see you there.”

The month since Lila showed the email she sent to her oldest friend dragged by. Her black eye healed in time for the big-day photos, and she, at least for a time, resembled the picture on her Facebook page.

‘Well, Mrs James Kirby, we are here in Thailand, on honeymoon. Isn’t it lovely? Is it as you remembered?’

‘Yes, Hua Hin, the place I loved, I lived here until I was ten, and then we all moved to Bangkok. But I came down here regularly to see my best friend, Anna. You’ll meet her soon.’

‘Hungry? Can we eat by the sea?’

‘Oh, yes, and then a walk along the beach?’

‘Whatever you wish, my dear.’

‘How are the happy couple? Let me welcome you to my little piece of paradise. I’m Khun Krit, the manager here. If there is anything I can do to make your stay better, please don’t hesitate to tell my staff or me. Please enjoy this with the hotel’s compliments.’ Krit signalled to a waiter to pop open a bottle of champagne as he moved to the next table.

‘I’ll drink the booze as long as I don’t have to listen to that over-stuffed shirt,’ said James. Lila looked away.

‘Can we take the bottle and a couple of glasses to the beach?’ she asked.

‘We can do anything we want. Come on,’ said James. He held her hand and the bottle. Lila tried to clutch both flutes and her husband’s hand. Then she tried to grab her handbag, and the glasses smashed together.

‘So, we’ll forget the glasses and drink out of the bottle. Shall we? Is that what you Thais do?’

‘Come on, darling, it was an accident.’ She said, making sure the other diners were listening.

The tug on her arm didn’t halt the beam in her grin. The couple bounced their way to the pristine white sandy beach.

‘Why make a show of yourself?’ said James. He released her hand and gulped at the bottle. Lila gazed out at her horizon. Soon, the bottle followed her stare.

‘Shall we walk to the mountain in the distance?’

‘That is not a mountain, barely a hill. No, I need a drink, come on, let’s go to our room and do what honeymooners are supposed to do.’

A tap at the door woke James. ‘Christ, nine o’clock, answer that, can you?'

The door opened, a trolley laden with choices for breakfast and was followed by a waiter’s huge smile. ‘Enjoy, sir, with the hotel's compliments.’ He turned and disappeared.

‘Are you in the bathroom, darling wife?’

The door was open, James plodded to the ceramics and relieved himself. ‘Where the hell is she?’

He buttered a delicate triangle of toast as the bedside phone shrilled. ‘Sorry to disturb you, sir. Is your there? We have a Khun Anna on the line. Can she speak to your wife?’

‘She could, but my dear wife is not here. Perhaps you know where she is? The beach, the swimming pool, or heaven forbid, the hotel shop?’

‘No, sir, she hasn’t walked past reception while I’ve been on duty. But please tell her a friend called for her.’

The phone’s retro handset was slammed back in place, and the cute remains of the toast triangle spun to the far wall.

James lay back in bed, unfolded the Bangkok Post, flicked through the international news and checked his watch again.

At ten-thirty, he decided to go for a swim. A Singapore Sling was a better choice for breakfast than the pile he left in his room.

An hour later, he was slumped at the poolside bar when he was nudged.

’Excuse me, sir, please accompany me to the station.’

‘Who the f… are you?’ he noticed the police badge discreetly displayed by the immaculately dressed man.

‘I am Detective Somchai. The hotel called the police after finding blood in your bathroom while cleaning this morning. I was asked to investigate. You are now under arrest. Come with me.’

A uniformed officer slid the stool back.

‘What? Is this a prank?’

‘No, sir. Follow me.’

‘In my swimming gear?’

‘Put that on.’ A robe was thrown at him.

‘You are joking,’ James said as the uniformed man closed the car’s back door.

Someone opened the cell door, and James followed him to the interview room.

‘I assume you know your wife’s blood group?’

‘No, why would I?’

‘Do you know your own?’

‘Of course. Why?’

‘You have no visible cuts. So I am assuming the blood found in your room is your wife’s.’

‘There was no blood in our room this morning.’

‘I’m sorry, sir. There was, you must have missed some when you cleaned up.’

‘Do I look like a person who cleans bathrooms? Or for that reason, anywhere else.’

‘A drunken pair of guests were reported to be leaving the hotel last night. The pair entered a taxi. We tracked the driver. He said the male was drunk and violent, and the female was Thai and appeared scared. We believe the couple were you and your wife. Now where is she?’

‘Look, I’ve got no idea where the crazy bitch is. What are you talking about, “left the hotel” last night?’

‘Sir, we have witnesses.’

At a small guest house in Cha Am, the next town along the beach, the owner disturbed his guest.

‘Khun Lila, or is it Khun Anna? I wasn’t sure who booked the room, and which one of you is here?’

‘Oh, what’s in a name, haha.’

‘You left this cap and a black cloak with some padding in reception last night. Shall I take it to your room?’

‘No, please throw it away. ‘

Lila took another taxi to the far side of “the mountain” and jumped out, laughing at her husband’s description of “barely a hill”. Making sure she was unseen, she sat in a rock pool and crashed rocks against her skull to get blood-covered scrapes and some deeper cuts. She smiled. Then limped, tripped and fell. She lay in the water until a tourist found her.

‘Quick, quick, hurry, there is a girl injured down here.’ The tourist jumped up and down until a local understood his English and rushed to his aid.

An ambulance was summoned to ferry Lila to the hospital.

‘Have you any reports of a missing lady?’ the hospital’s receptionist asked the local police. Within minutes, Inspector Somchai was by her side.

‘Are you okay to speak?’

‘Where am I? I have such a headache.’

‘You are fine, you are in the hospital. Can I ask you a few questions?’

Lila sat bolt upright, ‘Where is Anna, my friend, where is she?’

‘We have no report of another person. What happened?’

Tears flooded from the patient’s eyes.

‘Please take your time,’ said Somchai.

‘My husband wanted to meet my oldest friend, so I invited her to the mountain, and the three of us met to celebrate our wedding. Then he went crazy and started beating us both. He then threw us into the sea. Oh, I hope she is okay?’

‘How are your wounds now the stitches have been removed?’

‘I’m fine. Any news of Anna?’

‘I am sorry, we have nothing new. I’m sorry, she was probably washed out to sea.’

‘Will you need me for the court case?’

‘The case may take some time until it comes to court, we will hold your husband.’

‘May I return to England?’

‘Yes, but keep in touch.’

‘I will. You know where to get me, I’ll be busy running my husband’s business.’

The END

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