Lost Innocence: The Accused. Part One (6 page)

“
Surely they wouldn’t
believe it.”

“
Who knows? I was
sketching prostitutes. If I pleaded guilty, they may believe that I
was.”

“
It’s your journey
mate.”

John left me alone. I
allowed my thoughts to run freely and my father popped into my
head. Mum must have called him by now and asked him to come home. I
dreaded to think how he’d react when he’d heard the
news.

SEVEN

STAN TRIGGERED
the electric gate by remote then drove up the
impressive U-shaped drive. He parked outside his detached country
house, turned off the engine of his Bentley and climbed out. The
pollen in the air tickled his nostrils as he stepped over to the
house. He entered through the double oak doors and found his wife
in the kitchen, staring into space.

He took a seat by her
side. “What’s going on?”

She looked over at
him but didn’t speak.

“
I can’t help you if
you don’t tell me.”

“
It’s
…Michael.”

“
What’s
happened?”

“
He’s been
arrested.”

“
For what?”
Stan rose from his stool.

“
Beating and raping
an underage girl.”

“
What! Who told you
this?”

“
He did.”

“
When?”

“
Does that really
matter?”

“
There must be some
mistake.”

“
He called me from
the prison.”

“
A Thai
prison?”

“
Of course a Thai
prison. He’s in Thailand.”

“
Are you sure he
wasn’t just protesting or something? People are always protesting
over there.”

“
He told me it was a
scam.”

“
What was a
scam?”

“
He was sketching
prostitutes.”

“
What!
Why?”

“
For his
art.”

“
And he raped one of
them?”

“
Of course
not.”

“
Then what’s he doing
getting arrested?”

“
I just told you. It
was a scam.”

“
What was he doing
with an underage girl?”

“
He was sketching
her.”

“
His bloody art
again. I told him he should have got a proper job.”

“
Let’s not get into
that.”

“
Why not?”

“
It’s not the
time….What are we going to do?”

“
I’m going to have to
go out there and that’s that.” “Will you go alone?”

“
No. I’ll take
dad.”

“
Do you think he’ll
go?”

“
Not for me, but
he’ll go for Mike.”

“
Bring my baby back,
Stan, please.”

Stan nodded then
turned to leave.

“
Where you
going?”

“
I’m going to see my
dad. Can you call him? Tell him about Mike and that I’m coming
over.”

“
Can’t you tell him
from the car?”

“
I could, but he
likes you.”

Stan turned away from
his wife, left the house, climbed into his Bentley, raced down the
drive and opened the gate.

Stan hadn’t
seen
his father in a
while, it had been even longer since they’d worked together on a
case; but this time was different, this was Michael.

He entered his
father’s spacious living room and faced him; back straight, legs in
and facing front. The smell of lemon tea lingered in the air and
one lonely chocolate biscuit lay on a plate next to a faded
Wedgewood teapot.

Nigel was sat back on
the sofa, engrossed in his iPad. He had aged well, was still
physically and mentally fit with a full head of bushy grey hair and
hazel eyes. He was dressed in a pair of casual trousers and a pale
blue shirt.

“
I just heard,” Nigel
said as he placed his iPad down and swiped the last biscuit. “I
watched a documentary on the ‘Bangkok Hilton.’ It looks
horrendous.”

Doris, Nigel’s wife
was perched on the other sofa opposite. She was a small lady with
short brown, greying hair wearing a beige skirt over black tights.
Her eyes showed concern as they crossed between Stan and
Nigel.

“
I need your help,
Dad.”

“
We’ve discussed it,”
Doris interrupted.

“
And?” Stan asked
with eyebrows raised.

“
Your father isn’t
well enough for a long trip.”

“
What’s wrong Dad?
Don’t tell me the cancer’s back. I couldn’t handle that
today.”

Nigel swallowed the
last piece of the biscuit and licked his lower lip.

“
Dad?”

“
It’s not cancer.
It’s a heart condition.”

“
What’s wrong with
your heart?”

“
As long as I take
things easy, nothing.”

“
A trip to Bangkok
wouldn’t be taking it easy,” Doris grumbled.

“
What if you came and
just sat in the car?”

Nigel looked over at
Doris for her approval. She shook her head. “Not this time, Stan. I
love Michael but I love your dad too. You’re on your
own.”

Stan took out a
handbook of Thai phrases and dropped it on the table beside his
father.

“
What’s that?” Nigel
asked.

“
It’s a book about
the language. I’ve had a look at it but I can’t get my head round
it.”

“
Won’t you need it?”
Doris asked.

“
I bought an extra
copy for Dad.”

Nigel picked it up
and started to skim through the pages. A flight ticket dropped
out.

“
I took the liberty
of booking us a suite at The Landmark Hotel.”

Nigel looked at Doris
with puppy eyes. She shook her head and frowned. Stan sighed and
left.

Doris waited for the
front door to close.

“
You’re making the
right decision, dear.”

“
You made the
decision, not me. It doesn’t feel like the right
decision.”

“
You have to think of
your heart.”

“
I am thinking of my
heart.”

“
Then why the sad
look on your face?”

“
Because I’m thinking
with my heart too.”

EIGHT

STAN WAS
returning to
his car
when he heard the sound of gravel flicking up from behind. He
turned to see his father standing before him.

“
What’s the plan,
Stan?”

“
We go there and pay
Mike’s way out.”

“
What if that doesn’t
work? What then?”

“
It’s a rape charge
in Thailand, the sex capital of the world. They don’t go to trial
there, they settle.”

“
How do you know
that?”

“
That’s the word on
the street.”

“
Which street is
that, Sesame Street?”

“
I spoke to a guy on
the way over.”

“
You don’t seem to be
taking this seriously.”

“
Of course I’m taking
it seriously. Why do you think I came to you?”

“
Your mum won’t let
me go.”

“
When did you start
taking orders from her?”

Nigel took Stan by
the arm. “My grandson’s been charged with rape; he’s alone in a
Thai prison. Do you have any idea how bad they are?”

“
I had a look on
YouTube.”

“
He’ll be scared. You
need to get him out.”

“
Will you
come?”

“
Not with these meds
I’m on, but keep me posted and make sure you have a back-up plan in
case you can’t
just buy your way out. And
there’s no way Mike would have beaten and raped some
girl.”

“
I know.”

“
Well, he’s going to
need you to tell him that.”

“
I will.”

“
Good. Then go and
get our boy back.”

NINE

A GUARD
with a Scorpion tattoo called my name. I stepped
over some motionless bodies and followed him to a small room which
was divided into two by a bent wire mesh that hung from the
ceiling. Both sides had a wooden table, two chairs and an old
fashioned phone taped to the mesh.

I sat and waited
until the door to the other side burst open and I came face to face
with the man who had put me here - Nincotte. He took a seat and
picked up his phone. “Thai prison is not so nice like in your
country. You had enough?”

I wanted out, but
couldn’t let him beat me.

“
It will cost you a
hundred and fifty thousand.”

He reached into his
pocket and produced a credit card -
my
credit card. He taunted me with
it for a moment then tucked it away.

“
Give me the pin
number, or we’ll see you in Court next week. A date will be set for
a further hearing and that could take a while.”

“
I know you only have
twelve days to charge me.”

“
You’ll be charged
with rape.”

“…
With what
evidence?”

“
We have the semen,
the photographs and the witness statement from Mia.”

“
How did you know it
was my semen?”

“
We matched it with
your DNA.”

“
That was
quick.”

“
We’re quite
efficient over here.”

“
Was there anything
else in the doctor’s analysis, perhaps a drug that put me to
sleep?”

“
You were shown the
report.”

“
It was in
Thai.”

“
We are in
Thailand.”

“
Why are you doing
this?”

“
You beat and raped
an underage girl.”

“
We both know that
isn’t true.”

“
I have the evidence
right here.”

“
Do you know my
father’s a lawyer? He’s flying over right now. My time here is
almost up then you’ll have to let me go.”

“
Who told you about
the twelve days?”

I didn’t
reply.

“
Did he tell you that
they can be extended several times before we even charge
you?”

My balls dropped. I
looked away. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing
me scared.

“
I didn’t think so
and your father may be a lawyer in his country, but this is
not
his
country.
You’ve survived so far, but things could get worse.”

“
Are you threatening
me?”

“
I wouldn’t advise
you to wait and find out. A hundred and fifty thousand, Michael,
and you walk away this week. Do we have a deal?”

I shook my
head.

“
What’s wrong with
you?”

He sat and stared for
a minute without saying a word, then rose up and walked
out.

My thoughts caught up
with me. The twelve days could be extended? John hadn’t mentioned
that. I sat for a few minutes in a cold sweat until he returned.
“Last chance, Mr Walker.”

My mind drifted over
to John and how he was offered a similar way out and hadn’t taken
it. He was stronger than me. I wasn’t sure I could do this, go on,
but then I’d already come this far.

“
Well?” Nincotte
pressed.

I looked at him with
purpose. “No deal.”

His jaw dropped. “You
are willing to stay here?”

I shook my head and
nodded nervously at the same time. I didn’t know what I was
agreeing to, but I stood my ground determined to beat this
man.

“
I may not be able to
release you in the future. Every day you're in here the paperwork
increases.”

I didn’t look at him.
He waited for a while then eventually stood up and stepped out. A
few minutes later, ‘Scorpion Guard’ arrived, pulled me off my chair
and returned me to my cell.

“
Are you
alright?”

“
I just had a visit
from Nincotte. You didn’t mention that the twelve days can be
extended.”

“
I’m sorry. I didn’t
know. What happened?”

“
He offered me a
deal.”

“
That’s great….but
you didn’t take it.”

“
I thought I could do
the time and beat him.”

“
You fool. You had a
way out and now you’re stuck in here, for who knows how
long.”

It suddenly hit me
what was happening. My heart started racing and my body started
rocking.