Devil's Due: A Thomas Caine Thriller (The Thomas Caine Series Book 0) by Andrew Warren

each other.   Whatever food and water Pisac provides for them, it won't be enough.   Some will most likely die on their journey.   Maybe they will be the lucky ones."
    "Where is the camp?" Caine asked, his eyes glowing with anger.
    Anna turned her attention back to the TV.   Her show had ended.   On screen, the credits rolled over a still frame image, a Thai man and woman, holding each other in a passionate embrace.
    "Damn, I missed the whole show. You really fucked up my night, Mr. Waters."
    "Where are the girls?" Caine asked, his voice louder than before.
    Anna picked up a remote and turned the TV off.   The screen went dark.
    "I don't know.   Let me check with my people.   Leave your contact information with Lau, inside the house.   We will send you a location within twenty-four hours, and you can rush off to save your lovelies.   Assuming you survive, per our agreement, you will do a favor for me.   Yes?"
    "That was the deal."
    Caine stood up to leave.
    "Say goodbye to Tia," Anna snapped, her voice hard as steel.
    "You know, these bar girls do what they do to feed their families.   And you sit in this house wasting a fortune on food and tea for a doll."
    Anna looked up at him, and a ripple of anger flashed in her black eyes.   "I told you, she's a luk thep.   She was blessed by a priest.   That means she has a soul.   She is like a daughter to me."
    "The missing girls are someone's daughters, too."
    Anna's expression hardened.   "Do you have children?"
    Caine shook his head.   "No.   I don't."
    Anna reached out and stroked the doll's hair.   “A thankless child is sharper than a serpent's tooth.   I don't have to worry about that with Tia.   She is a blessing.   She brings me luck.   Perhaps she will bring you luck, too.   You'll need it, Mr. Waters."
    Without responding, Caine walked back into the house.   Behind him, Anna remained, sitting with her blessed doll while the waves lapped at the beach in the darkness.

CHAPTER TWELVE

    Caine caught a taxi back to the walking street area of Pattaya.   He walked through the crowds of pleasure-seeking tourists amid the flickering neon lights until the streets turned darker and the crowds thinned out.   The gleaming clubs and go-go bars were replaced with rickety tenements and rotting apartment buildings.
    This was Satra's neighborhood.   Glancing around the street to make sure he was alone, Caine pulled out his cell phone and dialed the detective's number.
    The phone rang twice, and Satra picked up.   "Hey, where you been?"
    "I got some information on the Russians.   I believe they're up north, somewhere along the Myanmar border."
    "Who tell you that?"
    "I met with someone high up in the chao pho.   It's a long story, but according to my contact, the chao pho aren't the ones behind the website.   It's the Red Wa, and they're working with the Russian mafia."
    "You believe them?"
    Caine paused.   "Not sure.   But they could have killed me.   Instead, they let me go.   Either way, it's the best lead we have right now."
    Satra sighed.   "Well, it match what I find.   Finally got line on Russians.   Witness saw them charter private plane.   They fly to Chang Mai, up north.   They rent vehicle there, four by four, truck.   Good for dirt roads.   Maybe they going into jungle?"
    "That must be it," Caine said.   "My contact said Alexi is working with a man known as Pisac.   His camp is up north.   They're sending me coordinates soon."
    Satra whistled.   "I have heard of this man.   I thought he was just myth, fairy tale.   If we can get evidence, link Pisac to this case, Chief Battang will have to investigate. He have no--"
    Caine heard Satra gasp, and then there was a loud crash.
    "Satra?   Satra, are you there?"
    The line went dead.
    Caine jogged down the street faster and hit redial on the phone.
    The phone rang.   No one picked up.
    Caine jammed the phone in his pocket and broke into a sprint.   He felt the blood roaring in his