The Greatest Lie Part 10

I must have drifted off to sleep, because he woke me with a gentle nudge. "I’ve called a taxi for you. I am afraid you must leave soon. I looked at my watch. Two hours had passed since I had left Christies. I dressed hurriedly, and slunk off to the entry, humiliated to be dismissed so peremptorily after such exquisite sex. Eddie pressed two thousand baht into my palm and gave me a hug. "You are fabulous, and I must see you again. Until then, here is something to remember me by." He draped a necklace of Burmese emeralds around my neck, and as he fixed the clasp at the nape of my neck, he kissed my lips gently. The taxi honked outside the villa.

"Now go into the night, my angel. But return to me." I said I would, and left, hoping that I would.

The taxi driver gave me a disapproving look when I asked to be taken to Christies, and I made a note to ask for the 7-11 next time. I went straight to the ladies room, to repair my disheveled state. Nancee had spotted me and dropped her latest conquest, a balding Italian, to interrogate me. "Don’t worry, he’ll wait for me. I think he’s in love. Now show me what Eddie give you. No, not the money, the jewels." I opened my purse and took out the emeralds. Nancee eyes popped and her face flushed. Eeeeh, Eddie loves you more than me. Go back to America, whore. You ruining everything for Nancee."

Naturally, I took this as a compliment. "What’s Eddie’s story. He pushed me out of there like stale fish, and then he gives me this. Is it valuable?"

"A hundred thousand baht in Bangkok, but it’s a toy for Eddie."

"He’s so rich?"

"No, but his father in law is one of the Burmese generals. He owns half of Burma, and takes what he wants. Eddie is married to his daughter and is the junta’s fence in Thailand. My guess, he was expecting Mrs. Eddie."

"So that explains the fast exit?"

"He was doing you a favor. If you get caught in bed with Eddie, you’re dead. The general has many friends here."