Read Online Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill - Free Book Online Page A

bamboo poles covered in blood were left at the crime scene. Signed, Sergeant Teyp Bounyamate.”
    There was a pause.
    “Wait,” said Phosy. “That’s all?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “No witnesses?”
    “No.”
    “Nobody saw anything unusual? No idea why the two men were together and shirtless?”
    “We assumed they’d been cutting trees or collecting fruit.”
    “And did you find any collected wood or produce?”
    “No, sir. We assumed the assailants had helped themselves.”
    “To the missing shirts and shoes as well?”
    “No, Inspector. They were there, folded on a log.”
    “And you didn’t think that point was important enough to mention in a report?”
    The sergeant let forth a sigh that appeared to deflate him and leaned on his desk for support. It was a physical manifestation of desperation, a ritual that Phosy had witnessed and caught himself performing time and again in these frustrating days. The desk creaked in the same key as that of Phosy’s own in Vientiane.
    “Inspector Phosy,” said Teyp, “I’ve got this one finger that can type, and the typewriter’s a monster. Some keys you need to hit with a hammer just to make contact with the paper. Leaving out small details can save me half a day for other duties.”
    “Is that right? And just how many crimes and misdemeanors has your busy station had to deal with this past month?”
    “We have a number of community responsibilities,” said Teyp. He looked offended.
    “And the vegetable allotment,” said Constable Buri.
    “That’s right,” said the sergeant, nodding.
    “There are just never enough hours in a day,” said Phosy. He went over the report information in his mind. There hadn’t been a lot to memorize. “What kind of name is Panpan?” he asked. “It doesn’t shound very Akha to me.”
    “His name was Pan,” said the sergeant. “But he had a stutter.”
    “Oh, well, that explains it,” said Phosy, scratching his head. “So let’s go and visit the scene of the crime.”
    There was a look of horror on the face of the policemen.
    “You want to go there?” asked Teyp, his voice rising to a girly pitch.
    “Naturally,” said Phosy.
    “But …”
    “I’ve had just about enough buts for one day.”
    “It’s getting late, and we … we haven’t cleared it with the villagers.”
    “Then it’ll be a nice surprise for them,” said Phosy. “Let’s go.”
    They traveled together on a perfectly good dirt road, Phosy, Sergeant Deyt, Constable Buri, Comrade Xiu Long and Mrs. Loo. Phosy was feeling smug. His decision to collect a token Chinese official as protection had paid dividends. It had nothing to do with protocol. He knew Toothless was anxious to clear the Chinese road gangs of any wrongdoing at any cost. Just why the man would devote himself to this cause so aggressively, Phosy couldn’t say. But his instincts told him that here in the remote north, there was a thin line between being a conscientious policeman and being a dead one. If that was the case, Phosy would be in less danger with a Chinese official observing the investigation. He’d considered inviting a clerk or some minor military officer. It was a stroke of luck that such a senior cadre as Xiu Long should be available and willing to travel at short notice. In fact, it was so odd that Phosy wondered what other motives Xiu might have to cross back over the border at the invitation of a police officer. The trade mission and consular offices in Phong Sali and Udomxai had been closed down by the Lao following the new anti-Chinese sentiment in Vientiane. Xiu was currently working out of an office in Mengla on the Chinese side. Why would he be so eager to get back?
    But that didn’t matter. Xiu was security. Toothless knew about Phosy’s family. Alone, Phosy stood no chance. At best, he would have an accident and never be seen again. At worst, Dtui and Malee could be harmed. Phosy had to cover both those risks and give himself an edge in the battle with the