Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov


Sixteen


Next day, James was on the phone. Rudy was playing chess on his notebook computer.
“Meechai is already in Chantaburi,” James said, gasping for breath.
“Hold on a sec.” Rudy closed the game, and then switched off the notebook computer. “It can’t be—double-check again.”
“I did. In fact, he is with Seri. Simith called,” James answered.
“Meechai will be dead, buddy. Off to the crocodile farm. We need to keep him alive,” Rudy continued, “he knows too much.”
“Does Johnny know about it?” Rudy asked in despair.
“I tried to contact him. The line is busy. I think we should go together to Chantaburi now, and do something about it,” James said frantically. “I’m coming to SV City, and let’s get there before something bad happens.”
“Let’s go.” Rudy hung up.
James arrived at SV City. James was driving a Volvo. They had a mutual interest in Meechai’s fate. But Seri had his plans too. Nature’s call drove James to the nearest gas station. Rudy remained in the car, as James rushed to the toilet at lightning speed. Several travelers kept coming and leaving to buy food and drinks from the food store for their ongoing journey.
Rudy checked the time. Another three more hours to go. He switched on to jazz music to while away his time. James was taking more time. As he glanced at the side mirror, a blue BMW parked behind their Volvo. No one came out. But he noted the number and waited.
Later, James walked briskly to the food store to buy some snacks and drinks for the long journey. Rudy still kept an eye on the blue BMW, as James got to the front seat.
“You okay?” Rudy asked, judging by his facial gestures.
“Better,” James replied. He waited for the construction trucks to pass, before he turned left to the main road. The music was in full blast, as the Volvo took its speed.
“You know something,” James added. “By the time we get there, Meechai will be gone to the nether world. Our only contact at the moment is Simith. Do you think it’s another trap?”
“Nope. We’ll call from Johnny’s place, instead of going to Simith’s office,” Rudy answered. He saw the blue BMW behind them. “Keep an eye on that blue BMW, will you?”
“Who are they?” James asked.
“I wish I knew. There it is. It’s overtaking us,” Rudy said. In no time a plastic bag was thrown at them.
James slowed down bringing the car to halt. The plastic bag had a foul smell. He threw it away to the paddy field. Before they could get into their front seat, there was an explosion starting the birds and dogs fleeing in all directions.
“What the hell was that?” Rudy asked in horror. “Someone wanted to kill us. They must have been following us all the way from Bangkok. Isn’t that something? Does anyone else know of our trip?”
“Nope. Just the two of us,” James said in a low tone. He was still in a state of shock.
They arrived Chantaburi at two in the afternoon. Johnny looked disturbed by the event, as he listened to the whole episode. Rudy knew already the game had started.
“So what do you think? You want to chase Meechai, and get blown up again? You know the people too well, don’t you?” Johnny reminded.
“How about Simith? He is our insider,” James added.
“Do you think you can trust anyone in this trade? They are all either for your money or stones. Once the deal is over, no more intimacy,” Johnny continued, “but I think Simith may be hiding something. You never know, but be diplomatic when he gets here.”
“You think so?” Rudy asked.
“They are after you, Rudy—nobody else. You are the big whale in town today. They have already forgotten what happened in Cambodia. It’s history. Now you are the villain for them. They know your caliber during the hey days. Remember those days—one million, two million dollars worth of stones everyday. How many of them can afford that today? With the present economy sinking like the Titanic, and being a foreigner, they are suspicious of your every move. They are after your meat,” Johnny said.
Simith arrived hurriedly. He looked completely confused and was sweating heavily too.
“Meechai had escaped when Seri had gone out of his villa to meet an associate. That’s what he said to me. When he returned, there was no one in his house,” Simith said quietly.
“That’s a good news. Meechai knows from experience that he won’t be alive, if he trusted his own frigging brother, given the information I have about Seri’s shady affairs,” Rudy said quickly, “and once when he gets back to Bangkok, he may want to speed up the deal. Again, Meechai is unpredictable.”
“Maybe you’re right,” James said in a depressed voice. “But you never know.”
“I can tell you this, buddy,” Johnny sighed. “Meechai will be looking for you. Maybe he can trust only one person today. That’s Rudy Smith.”
Simith paused. Later he rose lazily from his seat near the wall, and Rudy noted that Simith had a gun.
“This is for you. In case, if anyone feels like testing the hardness and toughness in you, then just use it. The rest, we’ll take care of the situation,” Simith reminded Rudy with a smile.
“Do you know how to use a gun?” Johnny asked Rudy. Rudy nodded.
James looked at Rudy thoughtfully. And Simith gave a curious glance.
“James, do you need one? I have many at home,” Simith said. James laughed.
Rudy was thinking something else when others indulged themselves with their whisky bottles. He knew where to meet Meechai in case he was in Bangkok. And Jeffrey too was going to add flavor to the cause when he arrived in Bangkok. With a sigh of relief, Rudy drew from his pocket his palm pc and made some notes. He had never killed anyone in his life, and now it seemed the events were leading to such a scenario.
Normally in Chantaburi, differences and arguments in business dealings, were settled peacefully in the presence of the strongman Prapan Chantabun. He knew the damage and insecurity it might invite—scaring away the dealers coming from other provinces and foreign countries—thus ruining the local economy. Once in a while skirmishes occurred, but they were just minor events.
Rudy weighed the situation. All of a sudden he was interrupted by a heartbreaking sound of an announcement by the fruit vendor so loud, he decided to take a look outside.
There it was—that very same blue BMW. A plastic bag was thrown at him from the car so quickly, he had hardly any time to call to others. Rudy dove under the pushcart carrying ice cream. There was an immediate confusion when the explosion hit Srichan street, breaking glass windows, and forcing the brokers to flee in panic and desperate confusion. Johnny and James rushed to the scene to help Rudy, as he lay on the ground covered in blood. The ice cream vendor incurred severe head injuries, as he was carried away by an ambulance to a nearby hospital. Simith made several telephone calls to alert his friends and families to stay elsewhere as a reminder. He hid the gun he had given to Rudy in his jacket to avoid further consequences, and accompanied Johnny and James to the hospital.