Missing In Rangoon

That caught the Colonel’s attention, and he stopped.

“Did he give you any names?”

“A guy named Narit that he’d met before in Bangkok. He ran into him here by accident during a pickup of pills he was taking to Thailand. It happened in a covered market.”

“He gave you the location of the market?”

“Twenty-Seventh Street, the same street as Jack’s private investigator.”

A taxi pulled up. Four young foreigners got out and walked toward them. One of the men stopped in front of Calvino.

“Are you working the door?”

Calvino smiled. “Ten dollars each.”

The foreigner reached for his wallet.

“Put away your money. Go on in. Enjoy yourself.”

The party of

four walked into the bar.

“That wasn’t necessary,” said Colonel Pratt.

“I wanted him to remember me. In case I need him later inside.”

“Back to Rob Osborne and the cold pills.”

“I like the idea of the private investigator being on the same street as the market where Rob went for his drug pickups. That should make his commute for the surveillance a stroll in the park,” said Calvino as another taxi passed on the street, only to be swallowed up in the darkness a moment later.

“I might not need him. I can go to the market myself.”

“DIY surveillance work in a foreign land is an old blues song about a man who comes to a tragic end. I’m surprised you don’t know it.”

“After what happened to you in Chinatown, it’s a good idea if you don’t show your face where these people do their business.”

Calvino had knocked out the driver before he’d had a good look at his face.

“The ones who could ID me are dead. There’s no risk.”

They could hear that band had started up inside the bar. Colonel Pratt looked at Calvino for a long moment.

“Thanks, Vincent. I’d better get back inside.”

“One more thing, Pratt. You left the restaurant when we were in Chinatown. It’s been eating me.”

“You didn’t know?” asked the Colonel.

“Know what?”

“We had a tail.”

Calvino looked at his hands, then at the ground.

“I didn’t pick him up.”

“I thought you knew. That you made up the story about getting lost for Kati’s benefit.”