Mystery of the Disappearing DOS, 

Part IV

by Ignatius Filchworthy

Editor: We could, of course, summarize what has taken place already regarding the sudden disappearance of the Director of Studies of the Our Lady of the Ubiquitous Tears Secondary School, but why spoil all your fun, when you can read the first three parts yourself?

Part I: Click here.
Part II: Click here.
Part III. Click here.

Now, on to part IV....

I must confess that I felt a bit of excitement and anticipation while on the way to Khun Pranee's house. Could it really be Bik who had answered the telephone, and was it Khun Pranee who was yelling at him in the back ground to get off the line?

Would I find out more about Bill, or why Khun Wan wanted to be naked with me? Had Khun Pong rigged Rick's apartment with gas, and, if so, why? Of course, I had no idea how many, if any, of these questions Khun Pranee would actually be able to help me with. Maybe it was actually she who needed the information, and didn't know anything herself. I sighed, weary and rather unwell, thinking about these things and hoping the ride would not take too long.

It would be awhile, though, before I would find out about these matters, as Khun Pranee's directions, or at least my taxi driver's interpretation of them, left something to be desired. By the time we located the right house, it was around 8.00 pm.

Khun Pranee answered the door herself, and she appeared relieved that I had actually arrived. I was impressed with the size of the place, which Khun Pranee explained was because it was actually her parents' house, who were on an extended trip abroad. They were business people.

The house had quite a friendly ambience, despite its more or less common furnishings. I imagined that I could make out two bedrooms downstairs, and there must have been more upstairs. At the moment, it seemed eerily quiet, given the lively speech of the person who had answered my phone call.

"What can I do for you, Khun Pranee?" I asked bluntly, not knowing what else to say.

Khun Pranee just stared at me for at least half a minute, as though taking stock of me. "I need someone I can trust," she said. "I think I may taken on more responsibility, and maybe more risk, than I can handle alone. On the other hand, if I do confide in someone, and that person betrays me, then ..." She now started crying softly, so I moved closer and assured her of my interest in helping her with whatever situation she was going through, and that I also faced a similar situation in searching for Rick.

Finally, I asked, "Tell me the truth, Khun Pranee, was that Bik who answered my telephone call just a while ago."

She nodded, trusting me now, and called out, "Bik!"

Bik, who evidently had been evesdropping on our conversation all along, now ran out of one of the bedrooms into my lap, hugging me tightly. "Nice to see you, Acharn Iggie," he said, and I could see he really meant it.

"What is this all about? What is Bik doing here, Khun Wan?" I wanted to know.  "Why is he not in school, or with his parents? And how did he find you?"

Bik answered the questions himself. "I very afraid, Acharn Bill bring me here. Bad man want to sell me."

I was flabbergasted. "Acharn Bill brought you here?", I exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

This time it was Khun Pranee who answered. "Acharn Bill is a good man. He has lot of problems. Big problem is he has very bad elder brother, Jack. Bill and Jack separate many years, then Jack followed here. Bill got him a job teaching at the school, but Rick fired him. He did not follow the rules, and also Father Bernardo thought he was just a little too familiar with the kids, especially boys. Then Jack disappeared, but do many bad things, we all know. Big problem is Jack has contact in school. I am so miserable and afraid, and children are in danger. I need someone to help me. I cannot fix these problems all alone. Maybe you can help, I hope so." She looked quite beautiful wearing the appealing expression that now appeared on her face.

I was puzzled, though, having always considered Farther Bernardo to be more the villian type than someone who would be so concerned for the children. "Khun Pranee, who is Jack's contact?" I asked directly.

"I... I am very afraid to tell you," she said. "I cannot."

"But, Khun Pranee, you must! I cannot help you in any way if I don't know who both the good and the bad guys are."

She relented partially, sighing. "Jack does business with Khun Pong at Rick's apartment house. Both work with one of the... one of the priests... at our school. Some boys sell from school to bad men. Some boys Jack finds for the priest. Priest never problem. He gives money and presents to boys, and a lot of 'love' he calls Christian. Also, if kids in our school, he changes grades to As, so parents always happy. He has much power. Also Sister See reveres him. She thinks he's some sort of angel. I can't move, really!"

Well, Khun Pranee had her problems, and I had my own. I related the events of the evening at the apartment house.

She responded, "Khun Wan is afraid, on one hand, that you will find out too much, and on the other hand that you won't find out enough to find Rick. She really likes him, for some reason. But she also is afraid. She is not clean, and is bad in her own way, but would not want to harm anyone, especially Rick."

"It's good to hear that, I guess!" called out a man's voice from somewhere in the house. Then out walked Rick himself. Mission accomplished?

"I am not here, Filchworthy. You get it?" His tone was firm, but not menacing.

"Frankly, I don't understand all of this," I said. "Why don't you just go to the police and be finished with it? Also, do Bik's parents know where he is, and why?"

"Go to the police with what evidence?" retorted Rick. "Also, this is no small, contained operation, but quite a large one, in fact of Mafia proportions. Anyone who actually knew anything about persons involved would wake up dead the next morning. I tried. I fooled Pong for awhile, making out like I was part of the gang, and that was my undoing because Jack knew better. I am really lucky to be alive. No, our best hope is Bill Wakely, who has secret Interpol connections, and he's not stupid."

"I bring all homework to Bik, and tutor him myself," advised Khun Pranee. "His parents are extremely unhappy, but fully understand. There was a midnight visit by them last night, which, of course, is not good for kid's sleep, though at least made him feel better. They also have hired own detectives, but very discretely. Frankly, as understanding as they are, I don't know how much longer they will tolerate this situation."

"I have some questions for both of you," I said. "First of all, why bring me into this?"

"You already in," said Khun Pranee. "And you are also in a position to look innocent and find out the evidence we are missing. You also can charm Sister See. She likes you!"

"Okay, was it Bik whose sobbing I heard at Rick's apartment house last night?"

Bik looked up at me sheepishly. "Yes, it was," said Rick. He had run out of Pong's apartment onto the stairs. By chance, Bill went to seek his help right at that time. Bik, naturally, was afraid to say anything, and was also very worried about you! So what happened was Bill Wakely, Pong and Bik all took you to the hospital. My understanding is that at that point Pong threatened Bill subtly, but did not interfere when Bill took him away. In fact, he brought Bik here directly."

"Then," said Khun Pranee, "there is the matter of the blood on the statues."

This was all too much for one day, and I was just about to say goodnight and go home, when suddenly there was a loud knock on the door.

"Quickly!" ordered Khun Pranee, "Bik! Rick! Go hide now!" In fact they did so, after which Khun Pranee answered the door.

It was one of the priests at the school, Father Silvio. I hadn't met him before, but knew him from a distance. Upon seeing him, Khun Pranee turned completely pale, and I thought she was going to faint. However, she pulled herself together nicely, and said "Why, Father Silvio, how nice to see you!"

"It's perhaps not so nice for me," Father Silvio responded. "I have to report that one of our teachers, Bill Wakely, has been badly beaten up by someone and is in hospital. We would like you to come along with us, Khun Pranee, to join Sister Srisuda at the hospital. I'm afraid Bill is in a rather bad state."

These words, I noted, were in themselves innocent enough, but the manner of speaking them was no less than frightening, which registered plainly enough in Khun Pranee's trembling hands, as she now prepared to obey the Father's instructions.

"I'll come along, too, Father," I said.

"No, Filchworthy," was the response. "I strongly recommend that you go home and get some rest. You've been through a lot", he grinned. Such innocent words, but such a chilling inner message!

Now, for the first time, I realized that there was a man standing directly behind the Father, and somehow I did not need to be told that this was the infamous paedophile and seller of children, Khun Pong himself!

Go on to Part V.

ENROLL NOW!