All through the conversation he’d been fingering his crotch as if trying to find something there or as if in the throes of fighting off some disease. The rumours crept back into my mind.

‘Er…’

‘Well, it’s all a matter of risk and reward. No need for you to know the details – that could be dangerous for you. Let’s just say I need someone with discretion who isn’t part of the crowd here. You don’t mix well. I can understand that being half farang. What I’m saying is from time to time there are some packages I need picked up and delivered off the record. 2500 baht a throw for you, cash in hand. What do you say?’

‘Well, it’s not drugs is it?’

‘I told you not to ask any questions, didn’t I, you stupid little prick? Look, you’re either in or out. And if you’re out then you’re out. Well, your record here isn’t much cop. Somgrai will want to put you to rights. Understand?’

‘Okay, let’s do it.’

‘Good. Come over to my place tonight and we’ll get you started.’

He passed me a slip of paper with a Sukhumvit address and tapped my hand with clammy fingers that should’ve belonged to a corpse.

‘Eight o’clock’ll be fine. Be on time, I don’t like people who don’t come on time. Know what I mean? I can see you’re my kind of man!’

‘Er, I’ll be there. Will you want me on the bike?’

‘Course, I’ll bloody well want you on the bike. Ain’t f…king cocktail time for you, boy. Not yet. Go do some work now and don’t f..k up again!’

The deputy drooling over a photograph of a white woman being taken simultaneously by three Africans, straining at the sheer size of them…

‘Hell, boy, I had a cock left I’d be in there like a shot. You know what the bastard got who run me down? 2000 baht fine! Just as well I’ve got connections in the Mafia, had the bastard kneecapped and castrated. He’s the same as me now, another no-f..king-hoper…’

Followed by a mad cackle that ended with the injunction to get over to Ratchadam to collect a parcel, like yesterday.

The TZM a war victim rather than a six year-old motorcycle. I was bone weary from a day’s work, with neither the energy nor inclination to look after it. Still, the 150cc single cylinder motor was one of the toughest in the business. And in Bangkok fast enough to make even the police look damn silly.