The plot thickens...
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THURSDAY
"You waited a whole day?" Arthit demands as the tinny voice on the end of his phone confirms that the police have submitted his tape as evidence in the ongoing case of the disappearance of Kongpob Suthiluck.
"I'm sorry Sir, but as you can imagine, we had to have the tape independently verified by our experts. As you know, this is a high profile case and.."
"And you need to be certain people aren't just after the reward money." Arthit finishes for her, slamming his head into his hand.
"Well, yes Sir, it's important.."
"That you consider every angle of the investigation before coming to any conclusions."
The woman is silent, only her light breaths showing she is still on the phone at all.
"Sorry." Arthit says, "It's been a tough few days."
"Absolutely Sir, I understand. Just.. could I ask please, what is the nature of your relationship with the missing person?"
Arthit takes a heavy breath, trying to decide how to answer it, then goes for honesty, since there's no one else around to hear it, "The truth is.. well," he takes another breath and prepares himself, "I was in love with him.. once, a long time ago."
There's another silence, longer this time, before the woman clears her throat and says, "I'm sure we'll find him Mr Rojnapat. I'll keep you updated when I have more news. If you do happen to remember what he said.."
"I'll call you."
Arthit puts down the phone and runs a hand through his hair, then scrunches up his eyes as he tries desperately once more to remember seeing Kongpob.
He can't. Still. He can only vaguely remember stumbling out into the street after helping Bright to tidy up.
"Damn!" He pushes up from his sofa and grabs the phone, stuffing it into his jeans pocket and slinging on his jacket as he heads for the door. "Damn you, Kongpob. Where are you?"
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It's weird, standing outside Kongpob's family home again, looking up at it in all its glory.
It's as imposing as he remembers it being years before, cameras pointed towards the gates, an ink black sign announcing "The Suthiluck Residence" in golden letters.
Arthit coughs hard and closes his eyes briefly, memories flooding his senses as he recalls Kongpob's fingers in his, tugging him towards the gates as they swung open to let them in.
He blinks his watery eyes and the memory fades away.
Arthit groans quietly and then reminds himself why he's here and forces himself to take a step towards a discrete panel on the newel post.
"Yes?" A voice asks, intercom crackling slightly, "Can I help?"
"Sorry, yes," Arthit begins, uncertain about how to announce himself, "My name is Arthit Rojnapat and I'm here about Kongpob.."
He's cut off unceremoniously by the distant voice, "Please respect our privacy at this time, we are not speaking to members of the press."
There's a buzzing noise as the line disconnects before Arthit can protest that he isn't the press, and then he steps back as the cameras swivel round to face him, intimidating and unwelcoming.
Damn!
While he hadn't imagined they'd welcome him with open arms, he had at least thought he'd have the chance to speak to someone from Kongpob's home.
Arthit groans again and then steps away, feet leading him on a well-known path, back down the driveway and out into the quiet street.
He glances back at the house, considering his options, and then tugs his phone out of his jeans and flips open his recent calls list intending to bribe Knott into a lift...
Which is when he remembers his call log! He stares down at it as he scrolls, searching for Tuesday night.
The call is timed from Wednesday morning. Arthit stares at the number.
No name. It doesn't need one. He knows the number as well as his own.
He rang Kongpob? Typed in all those digits from memory after drinking?
Why can't he remember?
He stares at the number.. then his thumb hovers above it...
Arthit takes a deep breath, adrenaline rushing through his veins.
He hits send, and the call connects
It rings four, five, six times, his heart beating hard with every 'driiing'.
But then it goes to voicemail. Impersonal, just the number repeated back to him.
"Kongpob?" Arthit whispers into his handset, aware that his lower lip is wobbling and his eyes are already moist. "Kong? Please... I know I'm the last person you want to hear from.. but actually, you came to see me, so if you get this, please contact someone - anyone! Everyone is so worried about you - me the most. Please?"
His mind rewinds back to early Wednesday morning and he decides he must have said something similar then. Left a message that was desperate and heartfelt after seeing Kongpob in front of him for the first time in many years.
Then Arthit hangs up - finger reluctant to press the 'end' button. Reluctant to break the tenuous connection to his past.
After, Arthit breathes heavily for a few moments, hands coming to his knees, mind a swirl of emotions. Then he finds Knott's number in his phone..
..he's thumbing the button to ring him, when he hears a strange sound behind him, swirling around just in time to catch sight of a shadowy figure melting into the trees.
The phone falls from his hand as he springs into action, darting forward to chase after the blurry shape.
The figure is fast and clearly knows where it's going, leading Arthit through rough branches, deeper into the greenery.
Arthit's arms pump hard and his legs ache as he crosses the park he's found himself in, gasping for breath as he sees the man (because he's certain it's a man now) vanish around a small building a little way ahead.
He pushes himself to run faster, the adrenaline from before forcing him onwards.
When he reaches the building, Arthit doesn't hesitate, slipping behind the stone walls, hands reaching out to try and capture whoever he's followed.
But there is nothing there.. not a flap of a coat or the sound of a footstep.. just empty air..
Arthit groans and sinks to the floor, head in his hands, panting hard, tears stinging his eyes. Frustration is making him tremble.
"Shia!" He curses and slams one hand into the ground, "Ow!"
Arthit looks down to find cold metal.. metal that has stabbed into his soft palm... a ring?
It's circular but there's a jagged edge where it seems to have been cut, the rough metal twisted and sharp.
Arthit frowns and checks around himself for signs of anything else... but there's nothing except leaves and sticks and dead bugs.
He pushes himself up and stumbles out into the greenery of the park, holding up the ring in the dim twilight.
His heart aches.
He gasps and almost drops the metal when he sees it more clearly, his heart thudding hard as he cradles it tightly and heads back towards the Suthiluck mansion to collect his missing phone.
YOU ARE READING
Where Am I?
FanfictionIt's been more than eight years since the worst moment of Arthit's life and he thinks he's probably, most likely, over it.. Until he isn't. Kongpob bursts back into his life unexpectedly.. except it's not Kongpob, it's the mystery surrounding his di...
