[Interrogation 5]
I finished with Sandy Barrett after about twenty more minutes of dueling with The Joker.
I wasn’t sure yet if Sandy had just been researching me on Google, and had found some of the right buttons to push, or if he was a genuine screwball. Or ~ Miranda was really in his head. None of the personalities he was displaying jibed with the Miranda Weiss I had met on a couple occasions, or the aunt who Heidi admired so robustly.
Sandy had gotten bored with the game, and suddenly he was off to take a boat to some of Krabi’s splendid islands. Of course, I hadn’t been to them myself, but I had browsed the brochures.
I called Seng on my cell. He was working nights, and had made himself available for me during the day. I asked him to check out Sandy’s arrival and departure times at the Rocky Bar the night Miranda had been killed. I figured a smart kid like Sandy might have prearranged answers for a husky westerner showing up asking questions about him. Seng would be a different story. Better to have Thai on Thai in situations like this.
Mai brought me a ham & cheese sandwich and a beer. It was that time of day. I was working myself gradually into Thai food. I don’t mind spicy. Eat plenty of spicy Mexican food in Arizona. But grilled ham and cheese with a pickle and beer was just fine for lunch this day.
I was joined on the veranda by Arthur Barrett, Sandy’s dad, who had gotten himself cleaned up. He had a beer, too, and some kind of Thai noodles. They had a ceiling fan going, but Art was already perspiring liberally through his shirt at his armpits and across his chest, and sweat beaded on his cheeks and forehead. He wiped his glasses before he addressed his noodles with a fork.
My next stage of interrogation went something like this:
Callison: You must be used to the heat, Art. You live in Mexico City, right?
Arthur: I sweat there, and I sweat here. But I like the heat. Perspiration removes the toxins inside your body, you know.
Callison: Whatta you do in Mexico, if I may ask?
Arthur (chuckling): That’s what you’re here for. Asking. Did Sandy fill your head with his jabberwocky?
Callison: He was amusing. Gave me food for thought.
Arthur: Well, he indulges his eccentric sense of humor. But Sandy’s quite harmless, I can assure you, Mr. Callison.
Callison: ‘Ty’ is fine. So, what line of work are you in?
Arthur: I do some business for Philip in Mex City. He has a private bank, you know.
I flipped open a small notebook devoted to Weiss’s banks. Callison: WEISSBANK Corp, WEISSBANK Premiere. What else? WEISSBANK Private?
Arthur: Oh yes. Some of the world’s wealthiest individuals are based in Mexico. (Laughs): Some of them are legitimate, too, but you don’t hear much about them. Mostly communications industry. So, we have a small, private banking operation there.
Callison: And BLESSCO Securities in Bangkok. Quite an empire.
Arthur: Ah, Philip has considerable holdings in Australia, as well.
Callison: You’re pretty proud of your brother-in-law.
Arthur: Well, yes. You saw him in an irritable mood this morning. We just buried Miranda five days ago. This is not a happy time for him. For us.
Callison: Must have been a major shock. You bring your son over here for a little holiday, and then ~ this. Miranda’s untimely death.
Arthur was rubbing his hand through his crew cut hair. Arthur: Well, it was—yes, a terrible shock. Philip hides it – somewhat – he can lose himself in his work.
Callison: You’ve worked with Phil how long, Art?
Arthur: Oh, goodness~ over twenty years. I introduced Phil to Miranda. Did you know that?
Callison: I did hear it somewhere.
Arthur: Yes, I was married to Ruth. And then Philip married Ruth’s sister. We were all very close.
Callison: A shock when Ruth died, I’m sure.
Arthur: Oh god, yes. Arthur’s gaze wandered up to the ceiling. He seemed to lose himself in the movement of the ceiling fan. Two lovely sisters. Both gone now. So young. His eyes became liquid.
Callison: You have your son.
Arthur: Yes.
Callison: Philip and Miranda had two children.
Arthur suddenly looked at me with angry red eyes. What’s fair in this world? We’ve lost—He continued to glare at me, as he ticked off the names one finger at a time—Ruth, Miranda, Phil Junior ~ only fourteen, Chloe, such a beautiful girl— At that point Arthur Barrett broke down in tears.
*
I had no way of knowing, but at that very moment, Jill herself was down at the beach entering into a very auspicious relationship for us all. She was pursuing certain leads in the case and was breaking for lunch at one of those fresh seafood places that are so popular at Thai beach resorts. She was just in the process of maneuvering a big barbecued shrimp on her plate, when a shadow fell over her. When she looked up, a tall east Indian woman with long, wild black hair and a silver streak was smiling down on her.
Excuse me, she said, you’re Jill, aren’t you?
Jill was more than a bit surprised. As a matter of fact, I am, she said, smiling up at this beautiful woman with the café au lait skin. Should I know you?
You were expecting Heidi.
Yes. Please sit down.
Heidi was going to bring me to meet you, Jill. I’m Lakshmi Mookerjee. She sat down and extended her hand with long fingers and rings galore. Heidi had to fly up to Bangkok. An emergency meeting with the AIDS people.
Oh, Jill said, the Miranda Foundation. She studied the woman called Lakshmi with hidden amazement. She wore some small, unique tattoos, jeans tucked into boots that would have been common enough in Arizona, dangly silver earrings, and a fringed jacket. Her hair was down to the middle of her back. Hard to tell her age, but she had many thin lines on her face (like mine) caused by much time in the out-of-doors.
Heidi told me why you’re here, Jill, and Mr. Callison, and I think I may be able to help you in a small way. Let me tell you something about myself so that what I reveal about Miranda Weiss won’t be too shocking.
Well, absolutely. Let me get out my tape recorder, Jill said.
Lakshmi smiled and waited until Jill had got herself ready.
First of all, I have a Master’s Degree in Marine Biology from Bernhampur University in India. Secondly, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Remedial Therapies, Naturopathy & Herbal Horticulture from Australia.
That sounds very impressive, Jill responded. And what does it have to do with Miranda?
Lakshmi leaned back in her seat and steepled her fingers in front of her chin as she looked back at Jill.
Miranda Weiss was my patient, Jill.
[To be continued]
Ty Callison
Krabi, Thailand
06-22-2010
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