The Schwarzschild Radius (41 page)

“How many taxi companies you have here?” Tong asked a Doi Lo police sergeant when they arrived.

“Five official, but there are a lot of freelancers.”

“Get in touch with the dispatcher of every taxi company and find out who drove this girl and where.” He handed over a photo of Achara.

A half hour later, the sergeant came back. None of their drivers had taken her.

Tong opened the second pack of cigarettes for the day. She was either here in Doi Lo or had traveled somewhere else. She had no relatives here that he was aware of. From here, she could have traveled to several small towns. He was going to spend a fortune paying off all these police to search for her.

Where did she get the money for the long taxi ride? The customers tip a little, but Tong made sure to get all that money, too. He searched the girls’ rooms for any money they could use to escape. She had done a good job of earning his trust―coming straight back with the beer, always had the correct change. It killed him that she had outsmarted him.

“Question the pawn shops near the brothel, she would need money. Also check all the Western Unions in case someone’s helping her.”

Achara looked at the time on the taxi’s dashboard. It was just past one in the afternoon. The flight was for 6:30 p.m. She had to check in by three to go through security. And she had to get her passport stamped with an entry date of two weeks ago. Now she began to dread this part. Would sixteen-hundred dollars be enough to get someone to stamp it? Just a little stamp, but they could get in trouble over this.

Signs for the Chiang Mai Airport began to appear.

“You said Arrivals, right?” said the driver.

“Yes, Arrivals.” This was one final precaution in case this driver was questioned. She didn’t want him to see which airline she was going to. Once in the airport, she could use the free shuttle buses to get to the Departures terminal.

“Thirty-two hundred USD?” repeated Tong.

“Yes.”

“USD?”

“Yes, here is a copy of the receipt.” The sergeant handed it to Tong.

Who the hell was sending this sixteen-year-old girl over three-thousand dollars? He looked at the name on the transaction record. Lisa Barino. Who the hell was Lisa Barino? The amount was shocking. It was a year’s pay for the average Thai. Who would want her that badly―an American trafficking ring? Achara had started out beautiful, but was looking like shit recently. In the beginning, she commanded four-hundred baht for a screw; now she was down to one-fifty. She’d be down to five baht after he got through with her.

He lit another Lucky Strike and took a deep drag. What would she do with that kind of money? Maybe she had a sick relative who needed an operation? It was enough to get her out of the country, but she had no passport. She wouldn’t need one if she was traveling inside the country.

He looked at the map again. They were right next to Route 108, which led straight into Chiang Mai Airport.

chara entered the Arrivals Terminal. She had never been in an airport, but she had read about it online. In her email, her sister had told her that it would look strange if she had no luggage for such a long trip, so she would have to purchase a bag of some kind in the airport and take it with her on the plane. Not check in.

At the information counter, she was told which bus to take to the Singapore Airlines terminal. Now time was going faster. Airplanes were taking off all around her.

The shuttle had open windows and the warm breeze caressed Achara’s face. There was so much open sky. She wanted it to receive her. All this time her hand hadn’t left the passport and e-ticket receipt in her pocket and she could take them out now for the first time without fear. Olivia’s face was beautiful. Looking at it now for the first time in daylight, she could see the holographic ghost of an eagle hovering over the face. She needed that eagle to protect her now.

The clock showed 2:10. There was no one standing in line at the Singapore Airlines ticket counter. Achara rushed up to the agent, ready to present her papers.

“I’m leaving on this flight,” she held out the paper. “What do I do?”

“Check-in is not for another hour.”

“And who stamps my passport?”

“Immigration Police.”

“Where can I find them?”

“After you check in, you go past security upstairs, then they stamp your passport.”

“Where are the shops? I need to buy a suitcase.”

“At the end of this hall, make a left. That leads to the restaurants and shops.”

She got onto a moving conveyor and was dazzled by the jewelry stores, the leather goods, and the restaurants. All the names she had seen on TV were here. Chanel, Gucci, Rolex, McDonald’s. She got off at a place that sold luggage. In the ladies’ room, she took the cash out and put a little in her left pocket, so she could pay without drawing attention.

The prices were so high. She settled on a knapsack for thirty-eight dollars. Now she needed something to put inside it. A chicken sandwich, a chocolate bar, and a bag of peanuts would sustain her for the long journey. In the window of a souvenir shop, she saw the most beautiful vihara. It was made of dark teakwood stained with oil. She went inside and stood before it without touching it.

“You can pick it up,” said the sales girl.

Achara looked at her hands, which were dirty, and didn’t want to touch something so beautiful.

The sales girl handed it to her. The price was thirty dollars.

She had to make a leap of faith. She had to believe that she could put the vihara in a place she could call home and invite the gods in to reside there. That she would be free.

“How much for the small one?”

“Twenty.”

“Twelve.”

“Seventeen.”

“Fourteen.”

“Sixteen. I can’t take less than that.”

She paid and put the vihara in the bag. After some window shopping, it was time to return to the ticket counter. She got off the conveyor, turned the corner, and stopped short. Tong was talking to an agent at the Singapore Airlines counter.

chara turned her back and darted into the ladies’ restroom. In a stall, she shut the door and started to sob. She couldn’t believe he had tracked her here after all the precautions she took. Was it her destiny to go back to the brothel? Wasn’t there anything else for her in this world?

Before, she had time to kill, now time was running out. Check-in for the flight started ten minutes ago. There was a long line now and she would be out in the open. She couldn’t stay here. If that flight left without her, she might as well go back to the brothel herself.