Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Chapter 24

Chatkalao arrived at the hotel where Pokkhet was staying nearly an hour later. The three of them—Pokkhet, Chatkalao, and Pakrat—gathered in Pakrat's room, their faces lined with tension.

"What exactly is going on?" Chatkalao demanded.

Pokkhet recounted the conversation between Atthawit and the young model that she had overheard.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Pakrat asked, sounding hurt.

"I'm sorry," Pokkhet said softly. "I was so scared last night that I couldn't think straight."

"What happened last night? Did I miss something? Tell me everything, and don't leave anything out."

Pakrat took it upon himself to explain to Chatkalao how Atthawit had tried to harass Pokkhet.

The young doctor shot up from his seat, his face filled with fury. "Where is he? I'll beat him senseless and throw him in a military prison. I'll have Uncle Peer lock him up and forget about him!"

"Calm down, Chat. Atthawit's already on the run. He's probably hiding out somewhere," Pakrat said.

"But I want to face him for daring to assault Pokkhet!" Chatkalao insisted.

"I already took care of him for you," Pakrat replied with a hint of satisfaction. "But unfortunately, someone helped him escape. Otherwise, we could've handed him over to the police this morning."

Pakrat had tied Atthawit securely with a thick rope, but Pilai must have sneaked in to untie him. The two of them had fled together before anyone realized that Rungrawee had died. New information from the police revealed that Atthawit wasn't just involved in gambling—he was also tied to a drug trafficking ring.

"This time, don't tell me you acted on my orders," Chatkalao teased.

"I did it with full intention," Pakrat said. "I roughed him up, and it felt great. If I didn't have to worry about the law, I'd have dealt with him completely. That way, he wouldn't be able to harm anyone else again."

Chatkalao narrowed his eyes at his friend, noting the way Pakrat's gaze lingered on Pokkhet. Initially, he thought everything was orchestrated by the adults, but it seemed the proximity between the two had led them to realize their feelings.

"What should we do now, Chat? I'm so confused," Pokkhet admitted. "At first, I wanted to report it to the police, but with the Rungrawee case, I'm starting to hesitate."

"If you ask me, we should set this matter aside for now," Chatkalao suggested. "Atthawit harassing you is at most a civil case. But if he really owns the drugs found in that teddy bear, the police will handle it, and he'll face criminal charges."

"I agree with Chat," Pakrat added gently. "If you file a report now, the police will need to question you further. I'm worried about your reputation."

Chatkalao cleared his throat, breaking the moment of tenderness. "If we all agree, then the next step is to share what you overheard with the police."

"It's just unfortunate that I don't know where they planned to exchange the goods or where that teddy bear came from," Pokkhet said, frustration evident.

"Don't overthink it," Chatkalao reassured her. "We just need to fulfill our duty as good citizens. The rest is up to the police. Take this as a lesson, Pokkhet. Traveling alone as a woman, you need to be cautious. Criminals are everywhere, waiting for a moment of carelessness."

Pokkhet placed her hands together in a respectful gesture toward Chatkalao. He pulled her into a protective embrace. "I've learned my lesson, Chat. I won't be so careless again. But I'm worried about losing my job with Khun Arada."