Inspector Zhang And The Dead Thai Gangster Read Online Free Page B

you know what, Sergeant? I do not believe that the gun is on the plane.”
    Sergeant Lee frowned as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “So do you now wish to interview the bodyguard?”
    “I think I will first talk to Mr. Yates,” said Inspector Zhang. He walked down the aisle and stood next to the Westerner, who looked up quizzically from his Blackberry. “Mr. Yates?”
    Mr. Yates nodded. “What can I do for you?”
    Inspector Zhang pointed at the empty seat. “Do you mind if I sit down and ask you a few questions?”
    “Of course, no problem,” said Mr. Yates, making room for the Inspector to squeeze by.   He put away his Blackberry. “Do you have any idea how long this is going to take, Inspector?” he asked. “I have a meeting to get to.”
    “I hope not too much longer,” said Inspector Zhang as he sat down. “So you are British?”
    “Yes, but I haven’t been to England for more than fifteen years,” said Mr. Yates. “I lived in Hong Kong for a while but I’ve been based in Bangkok for almost ten years.”
    “I am a big fan of English writers. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Edgar Wallace.”
    “I’m not a big reader,” said Mr. Yates. “Never have been.”
    Inspector Zhang’s face fell, but he managed to cover his discomfort by removing his spectacles and polishing them with his handkerchief. “So, my Sergeant asked you if you saw or heard anything unusual during the flight?”
    “I was working,” said Mr. Yates.
    “So you didn’t hear a shot, for instance?”
    “A shot? A gunshot? Of course not?” He frowned. “Is that what happened, the guy over there was shot?”
    “It appears so, yes.”
    “That’s impossible.”
    “Yes, I agree. During the flight did you see anyone go over to Mr. Srisai?”
    “Who?”
    “I’m sorry,” said Inspector Zhang. “That is the deceased’s name. He is a Thai gentleman. Did you see anyone talking to him during the flight?”
    “To be honest I was busy,” said Mr. Yates. “I hardly looked up. But there was a Thai man talking to him not long before we landed. They were arguing, I think.” He twisted around in his seat and pointed at Mr. Nakprakone. “That guy back there.”
    “Arguing?”
    “There was a flash, I think the man might have taken a photograph, but really I wasn’t paying attention.” He smiled. “I’m putting together a proposal for a client and it has to be done by close of business today.”
    “You are a stockbroker?” He put his spectacles back on.
    “That’s right.”
    “Have you heard of Mr. Srisai?   I gather he is active politically in Thailand.”
    Mr. Yates shook his head. “I’m more concerned about profit and loss accounts and dividend payments than I am with politics,” he said. “The Thai political situation is so messed up that I don’t think anyone really understands what’s going on. It would make our lives much easier if Thailand was run more like Singapore.”
    Inspector Zhang nodded in agreement. “I sometimes think that the whole world would be better of if it was run like Singapore,” he said.
    “So he was a VIP, was he?”
    “Apparently.”
    “That explains the run-in with security he had at Changi, then. Thai VIPs expect kid gloves treatment wherever they go.”
    “What happened?” asked Inspector Zhang.
    “I don’t know, really. He was behind me at the security check and the arch thing beeped when he went through. They wanted to search him but he was arguing.”
    “Arguing about what?”
    “I’ve no idea. I just collected my briefcase and walked away. But he was shouting about something or other.”
    Inspector Zhang thanked him and then stood up and rejoined Sergeant Lee at the front of the cabin. “Is everything okay, Sir?” she asked.
    “Everything is satisfactory,” said the Inspector.
    The door to the cockpit opened and Captain Kumar came out with Mr. Yip. The pilot smiled apologetically. “I know that you said that we wouldn’t be