Hidden

Chapter 1

WELCOME TO PATTAYA

Freen glances at the big sign as she drives past it. She wonders what kind of business Saint had here. For years, Freen knows her husband flies to Phuket every Thursday to Saturday for work as an accountant for his long-time client. She has no idea he has any clients in this city.

Her mind is on overdrive ever since she got the call from a Detective Heng in the middle of the night informing her that her husband was discovered dead from drowning in a lake in Pattaya and she had to go down to identify his body as soon as possible. When she received the news, she was shocked and could not believe he was dead. She will only believe it when she sees the body for herself. She keeps telling herself it's not him. With trembling hands she keeps driving.

Since the day they dated in high school and got married after college, she has never doubted his love for her and in return, she loves and trusts him fully. They share no secrets! They are the perfect, happily married couple with successful careers!

What troubles her most is that he hasn't picked up her calls for the last few hours now, she has been trying non stop ever since she got the call from the detective. It kept going to voice mail. Freen keeps replaying those last words shared with her husband on the phone.

"Are you ready to try for a baby now?"

"Yes, Saint."

No, it has to be a case of mistaken identity. That body has to be someone else. Freen tells herself.

When she reaches the morgue, a man in a brown leather jacket approaches her car and opens the door for her. She suspects he is the detective who is expecting her.

"You must be Freen Sarocha, I'm Detective Heng." He greets her with a handshake.

She was unable to form any words, as she just nods in answer. Internally she was screaming. Please let it not be Saint. Please let it be a face she cannot identify.

The detective leads her to the morgue inside where a body is laid covered with a white sheet. "Are you ready?" he asks her as he holds the edge of the sheet still covering the face of the corpse.

Freen takes a breath, not sure if she is ready. She wants to know! She needs to be sure!

She takes a deeper breath this time and nods for Heng to remove the sheet.

When the face is revealed, Freen gasps and covers her mouth. It is her husband. That jet black hair, handsome yet pale face, slight chiseled cheeks and dark eyebrows. It is no mistaken identity. It was Saint.

A tidal wave of grief consumes her and she turns around, not able to look anymore, as she bursts out in tears.

**************************************

"How are you sure it is a suicide? Was there a suicide note?" Freen asks the detective as they settle down in his office later.

"No suicide note but there were slight abrasive marks on his hands indicating he held the heavy brick himself. That heavy brick was tied to his feet to make sure he died by drowning and based on just that, suicide is our current speculation." Heng reports.

"So, It's just speculation. Are you going to investigate further?"

"That's why I'm here. But you have to help me. We need as much information from you. To help us understand why and what could have caused this?"

Freen shakes her head. "Look, I don't think it's suicide. We are happy!!" Freen finds herself needing to change her words to past tense but feels grief again.

"Ok, Freen. When was the last time you spoke to him?" The detective asks.

"Before I went to bed last night. He sounded so happy! Congratulating me on selling my latest multi-million project. He said he was going to fly back early to celebrate with me! How could he have promised all that when he was planning to kill himself?" Freen asks frustrated.

"Do you know if he has offended anyone? Any rivals, enemies?" Heng checks.

"No!! Everyone loves him!" Freen almost exclaims as she rubs her temples in frustration. Why would he kill himself? WHY? Was he unhappy?

"And why did he lie to me that he was in Phuket?"

"He said he was in Phuket?" Heng asks. 

"Yeah, that's where he works at the end of the week. His client likes him so much that they were willing to pay for his frequent flights just for his 2-3 days a week accounting service. I mean, I have always assumed he was there every week. I need to call Billy. His business partner would know why he's here and not in Phuket." Freen adds and then shakes her head in despair, about to cry again. "Shit! I have to tell everyone about Saint now."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Freen. I will do my best to find out the truth." The detective promises, before he reaches below his desk to pick up a sealed bag.

"This is your husband's stuff." He informs as he takes out two phones from the bag. "He has two phones. Perhaps one for work and one for personal?"

"He doesn't carry two phones." Freen clarifies, shaking her head. She reaches to receive the phones, recognizing one but not the other. She stares at the other phone in confusion.

"Do you know his passcode? Perhaps any information in there can help me with the investigation?" Heng suggests.

"I can try.." Freen says unsurely. She switches on the iphone she had gifted him a year ago and keys in her birthdate and it unlocks.

Passing over the phone to the detective to check, she then checks on the other unfamiliar black samsung phone and keys in her birth date but it does not work. She tries Saint's birth date and it does not unlock as well.

"Looks like he did make the last call to you, Freen. Others were made to a Billy?" Heng notes as he shows Freen the call logs on the iphone.

"Yes, Billy is his best friend and business partner." Freen nods. "I can't seem to unlock this other phone. I tried two of the passcodes I can think of but if I fail a 3rd time...Wait! There's a fingerprint unlock feature."

"Hmm.. I'm afraid by now they have moved the body into the transport van headed for your residence in Bangkok already." Heng shakes his head.

"Can you trust me with this phone for now? I can try to get his fingerprint when his body arrives for the funeral." Freen suggests. She is too curious to find out what is in this phone.

Heng pauses in thought and then nods. "Sure. I shall see you at the funeral then."

************************************