A Dangerous Liaison

-13-

...one month later...

Talay

Thursday

Talay adjusted his jacket as he stepped out of his car, the cracked pavement of the police station parking lot crunching beneath his feet. With a purposeful stride, he crossed the road and walked towards the building, his mind racing with questions. P'Korn had summoned him for an urgent meeting, hinting at crucial documents related to the Jitkunattapol family, supposedly left anonymously on the front desk by their little informer. The sun had begun to dip low in the sky, casting shadows across the street. It was unusual for Talay to be here at this hour, but P'Korn had insisted.

Inside the station, Talay nodded curtly at the receptionist before heading to the conference room. He had never been fond of that space - it was cramped and reeked of stale cigarettes, body odor, and strong black coffee. The last time he had been inside that room was to review Eddie Jitkunattapol's files after the news of his suicide had broken out all over national television and social media. He couldn't help but think about the Jitkunattapol family. Two deaths in a span of over a month, and yet they maintained their composed in the public eye.

And in private?

It was almost as if the deaths hadn't even phased them.

When he reached the conference room, he found the door slightly ajar. Talay took a deep breath and pushed it open. Inside, P'Korn was already seated at the table, reviewing a stack of papers with a satisfied grin. Next to him stood a woman in her late twenties, her dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She wore the same police uniform as Talay's subordinates, the emblem of the Thai national police embroidered on her shoulder. She glanced up as Talay entered, her eyes flickering with curiosity, annoyance, and a touch of apprehension.

"Ah, Talay," P'Korn greeted, rising with a warm smile. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please, take a seat."

Talay settled into the chair opposite P'Korn, casting a scrutinizing glance at the unfamiliar woman. Her face was slender, with kind, wide eyes that distracted momentarily from her cold gaze, which made Talay shift uncomfortably.

"P'Korn, you mentioned something about new documents?" Talay asked, his eyes suspiciously fixed on the woman.

"Yes," P'Korn said, his expression turning serious. "This is May," he said, gesturing to the woman beside him. "She's recently been posted to Bangkok after working in Chonburi."

May extended her hand towards Talay, her lips forming a tight, somewhat unwelcoming smile. "Pleasure to meet you."

Talay shook her hand, noting the firm grip. "Likewise," he replied, though his tone was bitter. "Are you an intern, then?"

May's expression shifted, a flinch of mild offense crossing her face, though she maintained her polite smile. "No, I'm here to work on this case with you. I've already made some preliminary inquiries, including meeting one of the Jitkunattapol daughters," she said, releasing his hand. "Under P'Korn's instruction."

Talay's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Korn nodded. "Yes, I had May connect with Star without informing you. We wanted to gather initial impressions and see if we could gain any insights."

Talay's disappointment was evident, but he let May continue.

"The aim is straightforward: get through to Star and the other Jitkunattapol children," May explained, retrieving the documents from the table and pushing them toward Talay. "This money laundering cartel is serious. It's a direct offense to the law and could potentially ruin the Jitkunattapol family. Those involved could end up in prison."