Not Me : 🎨 Yok's Tapestry 🔻this Is Not a Yok/Dan story🔻

Two 🎨

"P' maybe we ought to leave. It seems we're not welcome here."

"Oh pish posh honey. We're not doing anything wrong. We're just asking questions. The people have a right to know." She turned her attention to me then. "Come now Khun Yok, tell me, Is Danai as dead as you say he is?"

My view narraowed, zooming in on this small minded *bibette, taking a step in her direction, feeling the anger bubbling beneath the surface. " You empty headed little viper, if you cannot mind your manners then I see no reason to mind mine. For the last time I am asking to leave. If you do not, I shall have no choice but to forcibly hasten your exit. Choose wisely. Keep dissrespecting me or learn to walk on crutches. I will count to ten. One ...nine ..ten "

I took a step towards her. "Yok." My mother placed her hand on my chest , stopping me immediately. "Mae" She doesn't speak but she can communicate her dissatisfaction with me very well.

She took little miss reporter by her hand and ushered her towards the door. Mae pointed outside and signalled to Samantha Braden, Chanel four news, the direction she should move herself to. In Mae's other hand she held her cellphone, allowing the obnoxious miss to see which number was flashing on her phone screen. Her message was extremely clear. " Leave or I call the police."

Before the reporter could utter another word, her unfortunate but handsome minion suggested they continue this another time. I was glad to see the back of that menacing viper, but I was intrigued by her assistant. I watched them leave and made sure to lock the door behind them.

Mae filled the kettle and set out the cups for some hot chocolate. She signalled for me to sit down. She didn't need to sign for me to know she wanted to know what was going on. I stubbornly remained quiet, as I had no idea either.

The day passed quietly. No clients. I wasn't really disappointed. This morning's attack left me thinking about Dan all day. I still missed him. Briefly I wondered if I should have asked more questions four years ago. Back then I wanted to crawl into a dark hole and forget the world existed. I never contacted the police to check on their investigation. I have no idea what happened. Dead is dead, whether I know what happened or not. Now however, I wondered why *Medusa made that remark earlier.

By late afternoon I had started thinking that maybe a walk would do my frustrated thoughts and emotions some good. "Mae, I'm taking a walk down to the marketplace. I'll bring dinner. Anything you would like?" She waved her right hand in the air indicating, "whatever you decide."

I lit a cigarette, stuck one hand in my pocket and slowly walked up the gentle slope to the market area. Mae and I had only been in this neighborhood for the last three years. We moved after Dan passed. We both needed new scenery or maybe it was just me.

I walked absentmindedly, my thoughts in turmoil. "Dan was definitely gone. Why had she made that remark and so confidently. Is she baiting me or am I the one in the dark?."

I walked, hardly looking at the wares on sale around me. I headed for the cosy dark bar at the end of the lane. It was literally called that. "C.D.B."

So deep in my thoughts was I that I didn't immediately hear the voice calling out to me, " Khun ! Khun! KHUN! " I got quite the fright when he suddenly touched my arm. Instantly my fists came up to my chest, in my defensive position ready to swing at anything still breathing.

Startled I jumped back. " I could've hit you man. Don't sneak up on me like that." "Although I wasn't sneaking, I do apologize." "What do you want?" "Khun, do you remember me from this morning ? I'd like to apologize for our behaviour and possibly talk to you about something personal if you'll allow me too. "

Every instinct was screaming at me to head in the opposite direction instead I found myself saying, "join me for a beer?" "I'd love to. "

We headed towards the bar. Neither of us spoke. We were ushered towards a quiet table at the back. Once seated, sipping on ice cold beers, I turned my attention to him, "who are you?"

"I'm just the assistant Khun. I make coffee , copies and I take pictures. I follow orders. Sammy isn't normally that forceful, but we've been hitting dead end after dead end. Someone murdered Tawi and we'd all like to know who did it. The man was a scoundrel, but we ought to know if he was taken out by a bigger evil."

"So what does this have do with me?, better yet, what does it have to do with Danai. He's gone too, doesn't he deserve to be left in peace?. Why did your friend drag his name in like that?"

"May I call you Yok?" "Sure ." "How much do you know about Khun Danai's death?" "I know nothing other than he won't come back." " Rumour had it back then, Tawi was the one who took him out. He'd been working for him, they say."

My thoughts flashed back to six years ago. The night Danai arrested us. He could have been working for Tawi I think. " He left the force, he was a policeman did you know?" Mr handsome nodded. " He worked as a security consultant. He had no issues with anyone. I don't know what happened either."

" They say he'd been working for Tawi the entire time. Tawi was indeed a bad guy with his finger in every pie. From drug trafficking to people trafficking. From gambling to election fixing. They say Danai was his main man. Four years ago Interpol zeroed in on Danai, who was running Tawi's empire until he got out of jail. When word got out that he was about to be arrested, Tawi's minions faked Dan's death and Dan fled to China."

I laughed out loud. A belly roll of a laugh. I had never heard something so ridiculous. "Danai may have betrayed my friends and I six years ago, but he stepped away from the force. Him and I made a life, away from everything. If Danai was involved with Tawi I would have known about it. If Tawi killed Danai, then it was because Dan refused to be tied to such a vile man. You and Medusa better get your facts straight." I stood up to leave. The beer suddenly tasted very bitter.

As I got up to walk away, he grabbed my arm. "Please, help us get to the bottom of this. If Dan was innocent, then don't you want it proven beyond a doubt?"

"I don't need to prove anything to you or anyone else. But, I would like to know what happened the night Dan was killed." "Then you'll help us? You'll work with us?"

"I'll work with you. You'll assist me. If Medusa comes anywhere near me, I swear, I cannot be held accountable for my actions." "Understood."

"P'Yok, would you like to have dinner with me?" "I was about to get take out for Mae and myself. Why don't you join us instead."

After purchasing green curry, grilled pork belly, fried rice and prawn curry with side dishes, we took a slow walk home. The evening was quiet, the company pleasant and the aromas from the food quite enticing.

"So why do you call her Medusa?" I laughed again, " because she's such a viper." This time he laughed too. I couldn't help but notice how warm and sweet his little chuckle sounded.

I hope he didn't notice just how flustered I was feeling right now. He sure is one handsome fella.

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* Bibette - Barbie doll like person
(Not meant as a compliment)

*Medusa - Medusa, a famous figure from Greek mythology, is a Gorgon, a monstrous creature with snakes for hair and the ability to turn onlookers to stone with a single glance. She was the only mortal of the three Gorgons, and was killed by the hero Perseus, who then used her head as a weapon.