Read Online Behind the Night Bazaar by Angela Savage - Free Book Online
Authors: Angela Savage
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‘What I needed to find was “a tree in the same forest”. So I did. I found a guy who swore he’d never give in to family pressure to get married. Trouble was I made the mistake of telling him I had no intention of ever returning to Canada and he left me for a Swedish tourist.’
Still laughing, Jayne flashed him a guilty smile. ‘I’m sorry, Didier. I shouldn’t laugh. But it’s comforting to know I’m not the only one who gets taken for a ride in relationships.’
‘Give me an example—make me feel like less of an idiot.’
‘OK.’ She took a swig from her cocktail and figured she had nothing to lose. ‘When I was starting out as a private investigator I was employed by this Australian guy, Richard Goodman, who’d been ripped off in a card scam. You know the sort of thing. Well-heeled tourist meets friendly local who turns out to be a croupier at the casino. Local says he can teach tourist how to play and win, and tourist agrees to participate in a private game for practice, a wealthy punter having conveniently turned up in the meantime. Then—lo and behold—tourist ends up losing hundreds of dollars.’
‘People keep falling for stunts like that.’
‘Yeah, well, that’s what I thought,’ she said. ‘See, I did end up tracking down the people behind the racket—a group of Filipinos with a history of that sort of thing—and Richard was grateful. He not only paid my fee, but insisted on wining and dining me as well. One thing led to another and I ended up spending the night with him, only to wake up the next morning and read in the papers that the Filipinos arrested the previous day on fraud charges claimed they’d been set up. The real brains behind the operation, they said, was an Australian man called Ralph Godsell.
‘Needless to say, Richard Goodman aka Ralph Godsell had done a runner in the night. And to really add insult to injury, he left me to pay the hotel bill.’
Didier laughed aloud. ‘Oh, that makes me feel much better.’
‘You’d think I’d have more sense,’ she said with a wry smile, ‘but I get so few offers in this place. Thai men seem to disapprove of me—I’m too loud, I guess—and most farang men prefer the local fare. Not that I blame them. Thai women are beautiful.’ She gestured towards the window overlooking the street. ‘Out there, I feel about as attractive as a sow’s ear in a sea of silk purses.’
‘Hardly an appropriate metaphor,’ Didier smiled.
Jayne blushed. ‘Take no notice, I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Another Moriarty and I’ll be fine.’ She signalled to the waiter. ‘What about you? Has your love life improved?’
‘I do have a partner,’ he said slowly. ‘We’ve been living together for nearly a year. He’s Thai. I guess that makes me one of those farang men who prefer the local fare.’
‘Sorry. That was out of line.’
‘Not at all. I know how it looks. Sanga’s more than ten years younger than me and an ex-bar boy. I’m a thirty-something expatriate who should know better. To be honest, I have no idea if it will last. But Nou—that’s Sanga’s nickname—has always been direct with me.’
Jayne raised her hand. ‘Mate, I’m the last person to criticise anyone else’s choices when it comes to relationships. I was going to say that I trust your judgment, but given your dodgy taste in crime fiction, I’m not so sure.’
‘Oh, that’s a low blow,’ he grinned. ‘Why don’t you come and visit us in Chiang Mai.’
‘You mean it?’
‘Absolutely. It’s my turn to host the next book club meeting anyway.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’ She drained the last of her cocktail.
Jayne had enjoyed the night. It was a relief to make light of the Richard/Ralph saga, which had bruised her both personally and professionally. She’d been too embarrassed to talk about it with anyone else, but Didier had given her the freedom to fess up. That night set the tone for their friendship: they could tell each other
Still laughing, Jayne flashed him a guilty smile. ‘I’m sorry, Didier. I shouldn’t laugh. But it’s comforting to know I’m not the only one who gets taken for a ride in relationships.’
‘Give me an example—make me feel like less of an idiot.’
‘OK.’ She took a swig from her cocktail and figured she had nothing to lose. ‘When I was starting out as a private investigator I was employed by this Australian guy, Richard Goodman, who’d been ripped off in a card scam. You know the sort of thing. Well-heeled tourist meets friendly local who turns out to be a croupier at the casino. Local says he can teach tourist how to play and win, and tourist agrees to participate in a private game for practice, a wealthy punter having conveniently turned up in the meantime. Then—lo and behold—tourist ends up losing hundreds of dollars.’
‘People keep falling for stunts like that.’
‘Yeah, well, that’s what I thought,’ she said. ‘See, I did end up tracking down the people behind the racket—a group of Filipinos with a history of that sort of thing—and Richard was grateful. He not only paid my fee, but insisted on wining and dining me as well. One thing led to another and I ended up spending the night with him, only to wake up the next morning and read in the papers that the Filipinos arrested the previous day on fraud charges claimed they’d been set up. The real brains behind the operation, they said, was an Australian man called Ralph Godsell.
‘Needless to say, Richard Goodman aka Ralph Godsell had done a runner in the night. And to really add insult to injury, he left me to pay the hotel bill.’
Didier laughed aloud. ‘Oh, that makes me feel much better.’
‘You’d think I’d have more sense,’ she said with a wry smile, ‘but I get so few offers in this place. Thai men seem to disapprove of me—I’m too loud, I guess—and most farang men prefer the local fare. Not that I blame them. Thai women are beautiful.’ She gestured towards the window overlooking the street. ‘Out there, I feel about as attractive as a sow’s ear in a sea of silk purses.’
‘Hardly an appropriate metaphor,’ Didier smiled.
Jayne blushed. ‘Take no notice, I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Another Moriarty and I’ll be fine.’ She signalled to the waiter. ‘What about you? Has your love life improved?’
‘I do have a partner,’ he said slowly. ‘We’ve been living together for nearly a year. He’s Thai. I guess that makes me one of those farang men who prefer the local fare.’
‘Sorry. That was out of line.’
‘Not at all. I know how it looks. Sanga’s more than ten years younger than me and an ex-bar boy. I’m a thirty-something expatriate who should know better. To be honest, I have no idea if it will last. But Nou—that’s Sanga’s nickname—has always been direct with me.’
Jayne raised her hand. ‘Mate, I’m the last person to criticise anyone else’s choices when it comes to relationships. I was going to say that I trust your judgment, but given your dodgy taste in crime fiction, I’m not so sure.’
‘Oh, that’s a low blow,’ he grinned. ‘Why don’t you come and visit us in Chiang Mai.’
‘You mean it?’
‘Absolutely. It’s my turn to host the next book club meeting anyway.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’ She drained the last of her cocktail.
Jayne had enjoyed the night. It was a relief to make light of the Richard/Ralph saga, which had bruised her both personally and professionally. She’d been too embarrassed to talk about it with anyone else, but Didier had given her the freedom to fess up. That night set the tone for their friendship: they could tell each other
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