— Chapter Nine —
“Ok Grimey, I will go to the control centre. . . remember you aren’t alone, so don’t try anything” growled Mophi, “or then again, please do” he snarled and made a slicing motion across his throat. Mophi then smiled and left the hotel room.
“I really hate that bastard,” Grimes said to Akhim
“Never mind, after a few more weeks you’ll never have to see him again.”
“Yes I know my friend” sighed, Grimes “okay, let’s get back to business”
The two sat around a table scrutinising paperwork. Their next phase, fortunately did not involve Mophi, so he decided to revisit the now completed control centre, to ensure the mercenaries and Vietnamese were ready to play their part.
The next part of Grimes’s plan would start the following day. This next stage would tell whether Grimes careful planning, deceit and preparation would succeed.
Grimes had done his research well and he, Akhim and four Vietnamese entered Phan Yar village, on a hot, humid afternoon and drove into the village centre.
They stopped at a small coffee shop and their Vietnamese employees went around the village and market asking questions and showing photographs trying to gain information. Due to the hot, sticky atmosphere, it became difficult for foreigners to bear, Grimes and Akhim remained drinking coffee inside the cafe, attracting a lot of interest by the locals as foreigners never came to Phan Yar, as it was a small Vietnamese village off the tourist route
The villagers ambled around in Ao canh their rural dress, colourful silk pyjamas and a round dried grass conical hat Non la. The few westerners that visited these parts usually went to Ky Anh town and most of the villagers had never seen a foreigner, especially two different in appearance, a Caucasian and an Arab.
After approximately thirty minutes, one of the Vietnamese returned to the restaurant with a small, chubby old local man, who introduced himself as, Pu-ed, the boss of the market.
Grimes, through his interpreter, asked Pu-ed for any information on the individual in the photograph.
Pu-ed gave Grimes a lot of useful information, after been plied with glasses of Ruou, urban Vietnamese whisky, which tasted like paint stripper, and Grimes had given him an envelope containing 200 million Vietnamese Dong, approximately $10,000
“Where can I find this, Ca?” asked Grimes
“He will probably be out on a fishing tour or in a bar.” said the now spannered Pu-ed, and gave them directions to Ca’s beachside house.
Grimes and the others left the cafe, got into their S.U.V, and headed off in the direction of Ca’s house.
Grimes had previously sent in a group of Vietnamese posing as tourist ministry officials. He had researched the Tangh’s well and found out that they used to own a holiday home in Phan Yar.
When the team contacted Grimes, they told him about Hern/Kim and her love affair with a local fisherman, now businessman and how her parents had broken off the affair and sent her away many years earlier. Grimes then ordered them to find out everything about the fisherman, and the affair. The group found out details from the villagers, who were a close knit and still relatively poor community and a million dong bought a lot of loose lips. The details about the affair had been consistent amongst the villagers, because at the time it was big news in the small community.
‘Jackpot’ thought Grimes ‘this will make the set up a damn site easier.’
They arrived at Ca’s large modern house set back off the beach. Ca and Tuong sat outside playing cards.
One Vietnamese man got out and spoke to Ca, who eyed up Grimes, and then went over to the car.
“What do you want”? Said Ca, in English. “Are you the same people who had asked about me a few weeks ago?”
“Yes” said Grimes “is there somewhere private we can talk?”
Ca invited the party into his house, sat them down in a small living room, and gave them some water.
Grimes took out some photographs and lay them face down onto a small coffee table.
He then went on to ask Ca about his love for Hern/Kim.
Ca became angry and told him,
“That was a long time ago in another life” and went on to explain how his life had changed and he never wanted to hear her name mentioned.
Grimes knew this would probably be his response and his expertise as a conman kicked into top gear.
“She is still in love with you, and needs your help.”
Grimes then went onto explain about how Hern was so unhappy and afraid of her husband, Pon and she feared for her life as well as the life of her baby son. Grimes continued to tell Ca that she was close to her son, even though her husband had always forced sex upon her and he had recently arranged to hand their son over to the palace hierarchy to be raised by them, also how sad, lonely and afraid Hern had become.
Grimes had been extremely persuasive and showed Ca evidence by turning over the photographs one at a time, pausing for effect. These photographs had been expertly fabricated and showed shots of a battered and bruised Kim.
Grimes went on with his tale for about an hour, turning over photo after photo of Kim, which were taken by one of his contacts in Bangkok and doctored by grime’s team in the control centre.
Grimes convinced Ca that he is one of Herns closest friends and showed the fake photos of him and Hern together with the ominous face of Pon lurking in the background. Grimes noticed Ca’s features change every time he looked at a photo.
Grimes new all the signs of a good confidence trick working and knew it to be the time he closed this chapter and, using the knowledge his people had obtained from a villager, he turned over the last bogus photograph, which showed Hern smiling with an old 45 vinyl record in her grasp.
“Kids in America!” exclaimed Ca.
‘Hook, line and sinker” thought Grimes as he watched Ca’s face change from an emotionless looking Vietnamese man to a love struck teenager, as the seeds of memories Grimes had planted, knocked down the barriers inside Ca’s head.
Ca looked at Grimes
“How can I help?” he said
Grimes told Ca that he and Hern had planned to get her back to Vietnam by using a family crisis, and then she, along with her mother, planned to keep her in Vietnam.
Grimes knew from reports that Ca despised Kim’s father, so he added
“This had been secretly been planned for months without her Father, Thran’s knowledge.
Ca thought for a moment and said
“Okay, what do you want me to do?”
Grimes told him that all he would have to do was pick Hern up at the airport when she was due to depart for Thailand. Take her to a safe house and away from her father for a few weeks, until Hern and her mother could persuade Thran to let her remain in Vietnam and away from the abusive Pon. Grimes also added that Hern had asked for Ca, her only true love to be the one to take care of her whilst in Vietnam, which explained why Grimes had been there.
“What do you mean, when she departs? Is she here?” asked Ca.
Grimes told Ca that Hern would soon be arriving but convinced him that Pon would surely have Hern monitored while she was in Vietnam, so he explained to Ca that they had a plan to rescue her on departure and his signal to act would be after she used her phone in the airport, which had been an obvious assumption by Grimes that Hern would call Pon to tell him she was on her way home. He told Ca that would give him and Hern about a four-hour window of opportunity to make their escape, and informed him that all arrangements had been made and would be given to Ca, if he decided to help.
Grimes kept repeating how Hern still loved him and had spoken to Grimes many times about her feelings. For Ca. Grimes knew his mind games had paid off.
“This is all up to you Ca” said Grimes, “but we need a quick decision” and Grimes said solemnly
“If you still have any feelings for Hern you will help to get her away from danger and find happiness again, but she told me if you can’t, or won’t get involved, she will understand, and her love for you will never change.”
Ca thought for a while and told Grimes he would let him know later.
He took Grimes’ mobile phone number, the group then departed, leaving Ca in the living room alone and deep in thought about his family and the effect this would have, but he’d still had deep hidden feelings for Hern, which now had resurfaced.
Grimes left Ca to his twisting and turning thoughts and they drove to a hotel in Ky Anh. Grimes pleased with himself and knew full well he would be contacted soon by Ca, he started to assemble Ca’s instructions.
The next morning Grimes and his team drove north on route 1 to Hanoi, after first stopping off for an hour in Phan Yar, to visit his new and very keen and willing employee Ca, and give him his instructions. They arranged another meeting for several days hence and Grimes left Ca to study the well laid out details. His worried wife, along with her brother, counted out the 100 million, Dong, which Grimes had given to them to cover any expenses.
The journey by road would take about seven hours but Grimes didn’t mind, it was the most inconspicuous way to travel and he still had wrinkles in his plans that needed to be ironed out.
He called the office that he’d had set up in Hanoi several weeks earlier and checked that everything had gone according to plan and enquire if the trunk that he’d sent from Ho Chi Mihn city had arrived.
Grimes arrived in Hanoi early evening. He went to his office, scrutinised and checked the contents of an old wooden trunk, which would play an essential role in the next part of his plan. He went outside, walked around the corner to Xuan Dieu Rd and into the Sheraton hotel. He strode over to the reception.
The receptionist noticed Grimes enter and informed the manager who went over to him and in a cheery voice said
“Welcome back your grace” and gave a courteous bow.
“Your squire, Akhim is already in your suite” He then enquired
“Is Mr Mophi not with you?”
“No” said Grimes “My bodyguard has another assignment. I require an early morning call at 6:30, with breakfast” ordered Grimes
Grimes went to the presidential suit and used the hotel phone. He heard the receptionist inform the recipient who was calling. Grimes made an appointment with the man on the other end of the line and then hung up with a smug look of arrogance on his face.
****
“Good morning Duke” said Thran as he greeted Grimes at the door
“Good morning Minister,” said Grimes as they shook hands.
“Good morning lady Nga” said Grimes as he took Nga’s hand, brought it to his lips and regally kissed it.
Nga chuckled; she loved this greeting from this English gentleman.
The three then went inside, whilst the antique trunk got unloaded from the large Mercedes S.U.V that Grimes had just arrived in.
This part of the sting had taken several weeks to organise, but using his skills as a con artist and Akhim’s skill as a master forger, along with a few old contacts in the U.K it hadn’t been too difficult. The objective of this phase of the plan was to get Kim into Vietnam were she could be easily targeted for abduction. Grimes figured the easiest way to do this would be to target her mother.
He had researched Thran and Nga thoroughly and formulated an elaborate plan.
He first needed to gain their trust.
Grimes rented an office in Hanoi; this would be the Hanoi HQ.
He assumed his old alias of Duke Phillip of Southerby and contacted Nguyen Gia Khiem, The Vietnam Prime Minister, who didn’t understand anything about royalty. Grimes’s U.K. contacts persuaded him, they were the figure heads of many commonwealth countries, and in order for Vietnam to be able to trade with the countries they must pander to royalty. Intrigued, the P.M agree to meet with the Duke, Grimes.
Grimes, as the duke of Southerby, met with the PM and informed him that the U.K. royals wanted to bestow an honouree doctorate for Business and industry, on a Vietnamese government member to make trade between the two countries easier. Grimes then showed him lists of honours and explaining that Vietnam had been chosen because it is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, etc.
The Prime Minister became overjoyed at this opportunity to get a foothold in the UK and European markets. Grimes told him the only thing the nominated individual would have to do was to visit Oxford and join in with a regalia.
All the fitting of robes, degrees, official and photographs would be processed in Vietnam.
After a few more appointments and, some convincing performances by Grimes, he informed the Prime Minister the Royals had to make a decision as to whom should receive the honour.
Grimes told the P.M that a list of Vietnamese government officials and their roles, records and history’s had been sent to the U.K and they‘ve come up with a suitable candidate.
Grimes then produced a large envelope with a fake Buckingham palace wax seal stamp on the rear. He opened the letter in front of the P.M and handed it to him. The excited PM read the letter and then looked disappointed.
“Is everything alright Prime Minister?” asked Grimes
“Yes” he gloomily spoke “I thought they would have chosen me, but they said that a Prime minister can only be chosen once in twenty years and, it was only 2 years since they had a P.M honoured, so they have chosen the recently promoted Minister of Public Security, Thran Tangh, for his endeavours in business development and in the field of regulation.”
Grimes had been thoroughly convincing and had made the P.M. believe everything. A disappointed Prime Minister introduced Grimes to Thran, who had been convinced by his good friend, the Prime Minister, how important Duke Phillip was, and how much new trade and technology Vietnam could obtain from their new commonwealth trading partners and therefore how important it would be for Thran to accept graciously the doctorate.
Grimes explained to Thran that it was his responsibility to prepare the Minister for his new role as honouree doctorate. Grimes visited Thran’s home in Ha Tay every day over the next week to prepare him. Grimes took Thran’s measurements for his robes and bonnets and taught him etiquette for meeting the English monarchy. He also got to know, Nga ‘the target’.
A spy was already in the Tangh’s house as a newly appointed gardener, who Nga had employed the day after the old gardener had suddenly died of a heart attack.
Grimes got to know Nga’s tastes and on his visits bought her small gifts of jasmine, Cay hia nhai] smelling ornaments. Nga cooed when the noble Grimes brought her presents and she’d always commented about Jasmine being her favourite fragrance. Grimes convinced her that it was the also the Queen of England’s favourite. She and Thran enjoyed looking at Duke Phillips, phoney photographs of him with the Queen. He’d assured them that they too would meet the Queen in person.
One day Grimes visited and informed Thran that they were making his scarlet robes and black /gold tasselled Tudor bonnet in Oxford, which would not take too long now.
He handed Nga a pewter box engraved with a royal seal and accompanying letter. Nga read the letter, looked at Grimes, then opened the box and smelt the contents.
“Thank you Duke, this is from the Her Majesty” she shrilled, showing Grimes his forged letter and a small bar of fragrant soap in the box.
“I mentioned it to Her Majesty that you shared the same taste in fragrances, she must like you already.”
Nga took out the contents of the box out and took another lingering sniff.
“Jasmine and. . . .” she paused
“English rose” cuts in Grimes
“Ahh.... Nga lets out a pleasing sigh, excuses herself and goes into a bathroom with the soap.
Grimes and Thran talk more about what Thran needs to learn and Grimes told him that he would have to leave in the next few days and travel to Oxford to pick up his Thran’s regalia.
After ten minutes, Nga rejoins the two men, smiling.
“Oh lady Nga, you smell more wonderful than ever” gushed Grimes “Doesn’t she Thran?”
Thran smiled and agreed.
“I will use it all the time, it is beautiful” said Nga
“I hope you do, the Queen will be delighted”
Grimes then left the Thran’s and returned to the Sheraton, pleased in the knowledge that the target was happy with her royal Jasmine, English rose and Thalium soap.
Grimes spent the next few days in and out of the Tangh’s home complimenting Nga on her new fresh fragrance and going through useless fabricated protocol with Thran.
Once Grimes sources had gotten the information he needed about Ca. Grimes made the excuse about Thran’s robes being finished and he had to go to the UK for a few days to personally collect them and said that he would contact Thran on his return.
Grimes then got on a British airways flight to the UK via Bangkok as Duke Phillip of Southerby, returning from Bangkok to Ho Chi Mihn two days later as Julian Grimes with an old looking wooden trunk, which he sent to Hanoi. He then delved into the Ca investigation and after successfully completing his conniving on Ca, Grimes returned to Hanoi, once again playing Duke Philip to complete the Thran episode.
The contents of the trunk were Thran’s academicals robes and bonnet. They had been made in Thailand in one day. Thran strode up and down his living room in the lordly fashion which Grimes had taught him and looking pleased with himself. The photographer Grimes bought with him, set up a regal background scene, on a screen depicting hounds and English countryside, in the corner of the living room.
Grimes noticed Nga, sat silently on a large chair looking pale and in discomfort.
“Are you feeling alright, lady Nga?” asked Grimes
“Yes” she said, putting on a brave smile “I have just got a little stomach ache, I think must have caught a bug”
Photo session over, Grimes and the photographer left promising to return every day over the next few days with the finished package and final instructions for the Tangh’s UK debut. He wished Nga a speedy recovery.
Grimes visited the Tangh’s regularly over several days noticing Nga’s condition deteriorate, and she still used the soap. He reassured her that she would soon be well again.
Grimes knew the Thalium had been effective and had spread into Nga’s internal system. He’d studied Thalium and knew the lab in Saudi had impregnated the correct amount of the poison into the soap to present the symptoms now shown by Nga. He informed Thran that everything, for now, had been completed and he would be leaving for Oxford the following day, but would return nearer the time to escort them both to the U.K. for an audience with Her Majesty. He said farewell to Thran and the ailing Nga.
‘A few days more’ thought Grimes as he left the Tangh’s house for the last time
He needed now to concentrate on his remaining plan. Grimes, while in his office, within the now finished, fully equipped control centre next to the Cu Chi tunnels, received a phone call from his Vietnamese secretary in Hanoi who relayed the message from Thran’s gardener informing him that Nga had been taken to hospital and all the evidence had been removed and destroyed.
‘That’s it!’ thought Grimes ‘All we have to do now is wait’