Ava phoned uncle when she got back to the Mandarin. She told him about her meeting with her father and about her possible access to Frank Seto. “I’m leaving tonight for Bangkok,” she said. “My flight leaves here at six on Thai Air. I’ve decided to take your advice and not see Andrew Tam.”
“I think that’s best. I’ll pick you up at the hotel at three thirty.”
“That’s perfect. See you then,” Ava said.
She checked her watch. Not enough time to change and go for a run. She went online and searched Frank Seto. Ninety percent of the references were about his relationship to the Chan family, and the balance were reports about Admiralty Property deals. Seto didn’t seem to exist outside of the Chans. There were photos of his wedding from multiple sources. He was as skinny as Jackson; the bride was twice his size. Some men like fat women, but all men love money. She wondered if Frank Seto had found the perfect combination.
The Mercedes was in front of the hotel entrance right on schedule. Sonny opened the back door for her and she slipped into the seat next to Uncle. He had a file folder resting on his lap. He waited until they were on the highway before he passed it to her.
“This came through this afternoon. Our friends worked quickly. Antonelli will be easy enough to contact. He is a creature of habit; he stays at the Water Hotel. I know you like the Mandarin, but it is miles from the Water and against traffic. They suggested the Grand Hyatt Erawan. You can walk to the other hotel from there.”
She knew the Hyatt, or rather she knew Spasso, the hotel’s nightclub — one of the classiest pick-up joints in Bangkok.
Ava opened the file. There was a photo of Antonelli clipped to a page of data. He was short, fat, and bald and had a black mole on his right cheek. “Not pretty, is he?” she said.
In the photo he was standing next to a gorgeous Thai girl. “It is Thailand. He does not have to be,” Uncle said.
She scanned the documentation. “He’s American, Atlanta-born and — raised, and evidently still married. He has three sons in their teens. The family lives in Georgia. He wires money to them every month and seems to visit three or four times a year.”
“He and Seto have been in business together for close to ten years,” Uncle said.
“And in trouble before.”
“It seems to come around every two years.”
“And they get away with it.”
“So far, but then the people they scammed before were mainly Indian and Indonesian. Some of them tried to get their money back, but it is almost impossible to do it legally when so many jurisdictions are involved.”
“How much money?”
He shook his head. “They started small and worked their way up. Andrew Tam is the biggest by far.”
She closed the file. She would read the rest on the plane.
“You’ll be met at the airport.”
“I’d rather take a taxi,” she said.
He knew she preferred working alone unless she needed a specific kind of help. “I made the arrangements,” he said.
“Cancel them, please. I still have to figure out how I’m going to handle things, and I don’t want the pressure of worrying about someone waiting around for me. Just give me a name and contact information. I’ll call when I’m ready.”
“They have the logistical material you requested.”
“I’ll call if I need it. Hopefully I won’t.”