Inspector Zhang And The Dead Thai Gangster Read Online Free PDF Page B

shrugged. “He liked to do things his own way.”
    “So he was difficult?”
    “I wouldn’t say difficult.”
    “There was an argument at security back at the airport, I’m told.”
    “It was nothing. A misunderstanding.”
    “About what?”
    “The metal detector beeped. They searched him. I think it was his watch that set it off. He wears a big gold Rolex.”
    “And there was an argument?”
    “He didn’t want to be stopped. Men like Mr. Srisai, they are used to getting their own way.”
    “And while you were in Singapore, where did you stay?”
    “We moved from hotel to hotel, changing every few days. Last night we stayed at the Sheraton.”
    “Because Mr. Srisai was concerned for his safety?”
    The bodyguard nodded. “He said there were people who still wanted him dead, even though he had left Thailand.”
    “But nothing happened during the flight to give you any cause for concern?”
    “That’s right. I was stunned when they said he was dead. I don’t know how it could have happened.”
    Inspector Zhang handed the bodyguard his passport. “You say that you have only worked for Mr. Srisai for two months.”
    “That’s correct.”
    “But I see from the visas in your passport that you only arrived from Israel two months ago.”
    The bodyguard put away the passport. “That’s right. I was hired over the phone and flew out to take up the position.”
    “But you had never met before then?”
    The bodyguard shook his head. “A friend of Mr. Srisai recommended me. We spoke on the phone and agreed terms and I flew straight out to Thailand. Shortly after I arrived shots were fired at his house and a maid was killed so he decided to fly to Singapore.”
    Inspector Zhang smiled. “Well, thank you for your time,” he said. He stood up and patted Sergeant Lee on the arm.   “Come with me,” he said and took her through the galley and into the economy cabin which was almost empty. The cabin crew were shepherding the few remaining passengers out of the door at the rear of the plane. “I think it best we speak here so that the passengers cannot hear us,” he said. “So what do you think, Sergeant?”
    She shrugged and opened her notebook. “I don’t know, Sir, I just don’t know. We have an impossible situation, a crime that could not have happened and yet clearly has happened.”
    “Very succinctly put, Sergeant,” said Inspector Zhang.
    “We know that the victim couldn’t have been shot on the plane. That would have been impossible.”
    “That is true,” said Inspector Zhang.
    “But if he had been shot before he boarded, why was there no blood? And how could a man with a bullet in his chest get on to the plane, eat his meal and go to the toilet? That would be impossible, too.”
    “Again, that is true,” agreed the Inspector.
    “So it’s impossible,” said Sergeant Lee, flicking through her notebook. “The only solutions are impossible ones.”
    Inspector Zhang held up his hand. “Then at this point we must consider the words of Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet , by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.   For in that book the great detective lays down one of the great truths of detection – once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth .”
    Sergeant Lee frowned. “But how does that help us if everything is impossible?”
    “No, Sergeant. Everything cannot be impossible, because we have a victim and we have a crime scene and we also have a murderer that we have yet to identify.   What we have to do is to eliminate the impossible, and that we have done. We know that he was killed on the plane. That is certain because he was alive for most of the flight. So it was impossible for him to have been killed before boarding. But we are equally certain that it was impossible for him to have been shot while he was sitting in the cabin.”
    “Exactly,” said Sergeant Lee. “It’s impossible. The whole thing is impossible.” She