“Yes. Do temple tours, city tours, beach tours… whatever you want.” Uncle Pete looked slyly at Drake in the rearview mirror. “This very friendly, easy place. Anything you think of, I get. Anything,” he repeated, his meaning clear.
“That’s good to know,” Drake said, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed. “How far is it?”
“Over on other side Nana Plaza. Near river.”
“Nana Plaza?”
“You never hear? It famous. That, Soi Cowboy, and Patpong.”
“Dare I ask what it’s famous for?”
Uncle Pete laughed. “Sex, of course! Millions farangs come for sexy tour. It big business.”
“That’s legal?” Allie asked.
“Gray area. It tolerated and regulated, so like everything Thailand, depend.”
“Do you have any daughters?” Allie asked.
“No. Just two sons.”
“How would you feel if you did, and they went into the sex trade?”
Uncle Pete frowned. “Most bar girl come from north, which very poor. This only way they make real money, send back, take care family. We don’t judge — it financial, not moral question,” he said, mispronouncing financial.
“So you agree it’s immoral?” Allie pressed.
“If million farang want come and spend lots of money, I got no problem. We don’t see same way you do. Lot of farang must like, ’cause they happy-happy customer!”
“I think it’s sick,” Allie said, obviously disgusted.
“So you no want special massage later?” Uncle Pete said, deadpan. “How ’bout you, Mr. Drake? Want meet nice ladies?”
“Um, no, thanks,” Drake said.
“You no like girls?”
Drake sputtered a denial. “No. Or… damn, I mean, yes. I like girls just fine. I just… no, thank you.”
Uncle Pete’s eyes narrowed and he gave Drake a knowing glance. “Ah. Maybe you like meet ladyboys?”
“What? No. Of course not.”
Allie couldn’t resist the bait. “Ladyboys?”
“Oh, very popular. Most look zactly like girl. But with different… stuff.” He rounded a corner and pointed at a group of youngsters in black miniskirts standing in front of a bar. “See? Ladyboys.”
Allie and Drake gawked at the gathering. “Those are… boys?” Drake asked unbelievingly.
“Not boys. Ladyboys,” Uncle Pete corrected.
Allie nudged Drake. “What’s that song? ‘Lola’? Don’t worry, I won’t judge you.”
“I appreciate your tolerance in the matter, but no, thanks.” Drake shook his head. “I would have thought they were female.”
“If that’s your story, hey…” Allie said, and Uncle Pete laughed.
“Sound like she got your number, Mr. Drake.”
“It’s all in fun,” Drake said, blushing at the unwanted attention.
“Uh-huh,” Allie said.
Uncle Pete’s shop was close to the Chao Phraya River that snaked through the city, near the port in a run-down part of town. The exterior was painted bright red with gold lettering in Thai and English. Allie eyed it with a smirk. “Happy Time Tour Enterprise Company, huh? Sounds like you have your marketing down, Uncle Pete.”
“Many happy customer. Lot of repeat. Everybody enjoy seeing sights, you know?”
“I’ll bet,” Allie muttered just loud enough for Drake to hear. “Sounds like we’ve got the Thai version of Caligula driving us around.”
“Judge not, said the wise man,” Drake said.
Uncle Pete held the door open for them and they entered the shop, which consisted of three desks, one obviously his, and the other two occupied by young Thai women. Uncle Pete didn’t introduce Drake and Allie, instead leading them into the rear of the building, where there was a small storage room just large enough for a car. Stacks of Coach purses, Louis Vuitton handbags, and Tumi luggage were piled next to racks of Versace silk shirts and exotic furs, most of them protected species, from what Allie could tell.
Uncle Pete walked over to three backpacks sitting beside several cardboard boxes. “Here stuff. Tents, machetes, water pills, sun cream, first aid, flares, lighters, knives, whole deal. All genuine real, finest kind.”
Allie came over to the gear and began inventorying it as Drake eyed the shirts. “I suppose these are all genuine, too?”
Uncle Pete laughed. “Almost. But silk. From China. Over there, everything pirate, you know? Even a Mercedes all fake. 500 SL. Look completely real. Made in China.”
“I thought China cut down on piracy,” Allie remarked from behind the equipment pile.
“That what news say. Now lots made in Vietnam and Cambodia. Same-same, different side border. But I only buy best kind.”
“So only high-quality pirated fakes.”
“Best kind,” Uncle Pete repeated.
Allie smiled. “Of course. I’d expect nothing less. You’re an honorable man.”
Uncle Pete thumped his chest and offered her a yellow grin. “Zactly. Uncle Pete top shelf, no bad days. Don’t worry, be happy. You see anything you like, I give you super special price. My cost. Practically free today.”
“I don’t think I’ll need a Vuitton duffle in the jungle.”
“Very styling. Popular. Make you look Richie Rich, for sure.” He looked her over. “Maybe Rolex or Cartier? Look real. Best available.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Maybe for friend?” Uncle Pete tried. Seeing he was getting nowhere, he turned to Drake. “You? Gold President, like Warren Buffet?”
“I don’t think he wears a President,” Drake said. “Drives a Buick, too, I believe.”
“I go get. Maybe for your other friend?”
“No, thanks.”
“Wife? Neighbor wife?”
Drake had to laugh at the little man’s persistence. “Nope. But I appreciate it. Really.”
“Okay. I got Viagra and Cialis, too. Make you strong like bull.”
Drake moved over to Allie. “You look like you could use a hand with that.”
She slid to the side and leaned toward Drake. “Irony is clearly not a big part of Thai culture. Although he would do well on a used-car lot.”
“I suspect Uncle Pete is quite an entrepreneur,” Drake agreed. “I hear he sells Buffet his Rolexes.”
“I thought it was Chinese Benzes. Hard to keep up.”
Ten minutes later they had inventoried everything and packed it all into the three backpacks. Uncle Pete hoisted Spencer’s bag and they carried the other two to the SUV, and after loading the backpacks inside, the enterprising little Thai turned to them. “Headquarters say maybe you talk to girl mom. She here in Bangkok. Want see you.”
“Christine’s mother is here?” Drake asked, surprised.
“She crazy worried. Wanna be close by.”
Allie nodded. “Makes sense. If my child went missing, I’d be on the first plane wherever she was last seen.”
“Sure, let’s go talk to her, then,” Drake said.
Christine’s mother was staying at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, in a penthouse suite with a breathtaking view of the city. She greeted them at the door, a handsome woman with graying hair, still beautiful despite the stress of the situation and the accumulation of years. Allie and Drake could immediately see the resemblance to Christine.
“Thank you so much for coming to see me. I’m going out of my mind here with no word,” Margaret said, after offering them coffee.
“I can understand,” Drake said.
“When are you going in?”
“Tomorrow. We’re hopeful we can find the… site,” Allie said.
“It’s just all such a blow. So tragic. Christine’s so young, and although we don’t always agree, she has a good heart.”
There wasn’t anything to say to that, so Drake simply nodded.
Margaret felt beside her for her purse and removed her wallet. She fumbled with the inserts, found a dog-eared photograph, and passed it to Drake. “This is her on prom night. She was gorgeous. So full of joy, of promise for the future. The picture doesn’t do her justice.”