The white sheet covered most of the body beneath the overpass, leaving only the lower legs exposed. Even from that limited view, the victim was clearly female.
Li Zhongzhi's breathing came short and rapid as he stared at the covered form.
Detective Somchai fell back slightly from Li Zhongzhi's position, moving closer to Selene and her team. He spoke quietly, pitched for their ears only. "I had dinner with Yuan Ming recently. I'm curious what brings New York branch to our city."
Selene glanced at the detective with minimal interest. "Mr. Li's daughter is missing. We accepted the commission."
Somchai recognized evasion when he heard it but knew better than to press in this environment. Knowing their identities was enough for now. He could report to his father-in-law later.
Li Zhongzhi took a deep breath and stepped forward with heavy, reluctant movements. He knelt beside the shrouded form and carefully pulled back the white cloth.
His examination lasted perhaps ten seconds—long enough to see the face clearly, long enough to feel simultaneous relief and guilt.
He recovered the body gently and closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.
Not his daughter. Thank God. At least hope remained.
Li Zhongzhi stood and turned to face Selene's team. "That's not her. My daughter has been missing for six days now."
His legs gave out. He dropped to his knees, hands pressed flat against the sand. "My daughter is my only family. I can't lose her. Please, I'm begging you—"
Eddie moved immediately, grasping Li Zhongzhi's arm and pulling him upright. Behind them, media cameras captured everything. Eddie didn't want footage of a desperate father kneeling before foreigners—the optics would generate headlines that served no one.
"We promised you," Eddie said firmly. "As long as your daughter is alive, we'll bring her home."
Detective Somchai watched the exchange without surprise. If Li Zhongzhi's daughter still lived, the Assassin Brotherhood's resources would find her. Bangkok police lacked the manpower—this was technically just a missing person case, not worthy of major investigation deployment. But New York headquarters sending personnel? That meant unlimited resources and absolute commitment.
Selene's voice cut through. "Since this isn't your daughter, we're beginning our search immediately. Let's leave the crime scene."
Li Zhongzhi nodded, and the group departed—two Rolls-Royces pulling away from the beach with their distinctive luxury incongruous against the grim setting.
Detective Somchai drove back toward the police station, mind cataloging the evening's developments. His phone rang—wife's number.
"Somchai, I'm bleeding," Ploy's voice carried panic. "Not much, but—"
"I'm calling emergency services now," Somchai interrupted, already pulling to the curb and dialing. "Stay calm. I'm coming home."
His wife was six months pregnant. Any bleeding at this stage qualified as dangerous.
The ambulance dispatcher confirmed they'd send a unit immediately. Somchai abandoned his return to the station and raced toward home instead, heart hammering.
Mayor's Residence, Bangkok
Director Surasak—chief of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police and Somchai's father-in-law—arrived at the mayor's residence in response to an urgent summons. He'd been pulled from dinner with his wife, told only that the mayor required immediate consultation.
The mayor's chief of staff, Chatchai, met him at the entrance. The man's usually composed expression showed strain.
"Is the mayor well?" Surasak asked carefully.
Chatchai's smile held no warmth. "What have you heard from outside sources?"
"One media outlet published reports about an attack," Surasak said. "Minor coverage. Nothing widespread yet."
Chatchai remained silent for two seconds, then gestured for Surasak to follow. They walked through elegant hallways to a closed conference room door.
Chatchai pushed it open.
Inside, the mayor—a man who'd held office for twelve years, who commanded the loyalty of police, business interests, and criminal networks alike—lay on a gurney receiving emergency medical treatment. Oxygen mask. Cardiac monitor. Two physicians working with quiet urgency.
Surasak stepped inside and stopped, breath catching. He turned to look at Chatchai with genuine shock.
They exited immediately, letting the doctors work undisturbed.
"I know Yuan Ming at the Assassin Brotherhood," Surasak said carefully. "Their medical services—the wax baths—have proven remarkably effective for physical recovery."
Chatchai sighed heavily. "The mayor has a heart condition. No wax bath will repair congenital valve defects and progressive heart failure."
He met Surasak's eyes directly. "He's waiting for transplant surgery. He needs a new heart."
Surasak felt cold understanding settle into his stomach. "Why are you telling me this?"
Chatchai produced a manila envelope from his jacket and handed it over. "Because you're our friend, Director."
Surasak opened the envelope. Inside—documented evidence of tax irregularities, undeclared income sources, property transfers that hadn't been properly reported. Everything the Revenue Department would need to destroy his career and prosecute him criminally.
Except the documents were stamped CASE CLOSED—NO PROSECUTION RECOMMENDED.
"The Revenue Department was investigating you," Chatchai said softly. "We sorted it out. Made it disappear."
Surasak's hands tightened on the papers. "What do you want from me?"
"The Hong Kong man looking for his daughter," Chatchai said. "Li Zhongzhi. Tell your son-in-law to stop pursuing that case so aggressively."
Surasak said nothing, mind racing through implications he didn't want to acknowledge.
Chatchai's expression grew colder. "You're about to become a grandfather, aren't you? Your daughter is six months pregnant. You wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to your family."
The threat hung naked in the air between them.
Chatchai patted Surasak's shoulder with false camaraderie. "Think about it, Director. We're all just trying to help people we care about."
He turned and walked back toward the mayor's treatment room, leaving Surasak standing alone with the weight of impossible choices.
Later That Night
Detective Somchai arrived at his father-in-law's house after midnight. Ploy was safe—the bleeding had been minor, caused by the baby's active movements rather than anything medically dangerous. Doctor's orders: rest and reduced stress.
Easier said than done.
Director Surasak answered the door personally, expression grave. "Somchai. Come in. How's Ploy?"
"She's fine. The doctor said it was just the baby being active—kicking caused some minor internal irritation. Nothing serious." Somchai managed a tired smile. "We're having a very energetic child."
"Good. That's good." Surasak gestured to his study. "I'm glad mother and baby are healthy. You'll need to be more attentive during this period. Women are emotionally vulnerable during pregnancy."
"I will, Father." Somchai followed into the study, sensing this wasn't just a family check-in. "Did you need to discuss something?"
Surasak poured two glasses of whiskey—unusual for him. "I heard the Hong Kong man's case attracted media attention today."
Somchai nodded. "Yes. A body was found on the beach, so Li Zhongzhi came for identification. Media were already at the scene. He... reacted emotionally when he thought it might be his daughter. The cameras caught everything."
He continued, "It turned out not to be her. But the media ran with the story—desperate father searching for missing daughter, pleading with mysterious foreigners for help."
Surasak's frown deepened. He'd learned the full situation from Chatchai earlier—learned things that made his police officer's instincts scream for justice while his survival instincts demanded silence.
Li Zhongzhi's daughter was in someone's hands. Someone connected to the mayor. Someone who needed healthy organs for transplant. And Surasak's career, his family's safety, his future—all of it depended on not interfering.
"Somchai," Surasak said heavily, "after you hand over your case files tomorrow, stop investigating this matter."
Somchai blinked. "Father?"
"The case will resolve itself soon," Surasak continued. "You don't need to pursue it further."
Somchai's expression showed relief rather than concern. "Oh, you already know then. I was planning to tell you tonight."
He leaned forward enthusiastically. "I actually think we should continue coordinating with them. The media coverage creates public interest. When they resolve the case and Li Zhongzhi leaves with his daughter, the credit will reflect on our department. It'll demonstrate Bangkok's commitment to protecting tourists."
Surasak stared at his son-in-law, confusion replacing dread. "Wait. What do you mean, 'them'? Who are you talking about?"
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