CHANARONG MONTRI HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND AGREED TO MEET THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH NO MORE THAN TWO AGENTS. Without exception, he agreed to meet in the Hotel dining room.
A security team was immediately dispatched to the Hotel to look at locations that surveillance equipment might be installed. The Hotel was vast with European elegance throughout; there were several surveillance spots in the dining room that could conceal recording equipment, but to proceed they would require permission from the Hotel. Mr. Garrison, General Manger was called and requested to return to the Hotel immediately. The team waited in the lobby until his arrival. He walked in, not at all happy for this imposition, regardless of the preeminence of the order. After listening to the request of the Agents his response was only “NO”. He would agree only to allowing, after authentication of their identification, to view all existing Hotel security videos; further the videos would not be released in their custody, they would be given an appropriate room at the Hotel to conduct their investigation. Martin Graham of Intelligence reminded Mr. Garrison there were no restrictions in the Federal Security Act on where they may collect security intelligence or information relating to possible threats to the security of the Country; and it has been determined that a guest in his Hotel is considered to be a possible threat.
Mr. Garrison stood against the wall of Agents and addressed Martin Graham – “Sir, I am not denying you performance of your duty; I am denying you, at this stage to charge in here, in the middle of the night and demolish this dining room so that you may install your spy cameras. You can indeed ignore my suggestion and address this issue in front of a Judge, but that will be no sooner than tomorrow morning and then all my suggestions are off the table to you and your team and from that point on this Hotel will only operate under appropriate Court orders.”
Martin Graham found Mr. Garrison humorous and in some ways respected his position. He agreed that Security Intelligence would be grateful for access to the Hotels video surveillance and would return in the morning; of course after he had provided Mr. Garrison with a list of the Officers names. “Good Evening Mr. Garrison.”
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Chanarong Montri was sitting in the dining room with the same lady he attended the ballet with the previous evening; their attire unmistakably European. Recognizing the Agents he rose and motioned to an empty table across the room. He crossed behind his table taking the arm of his companion, helping her to her feet. She gathered her handbag and gloves and exchanged a gentle touch to each of his checks whispering “L’Amour” then turning and left the dining room.
“Good Morning Gentlemen, my name is Chanarong Montri. I remain a little confused as to the necessity of this meeting, but while in your Country, I do wish to cooperate with the Authorities, but I do hope that our time will be brief.”
Kane was watching this interaction from the main security room in the basement of the Hotel.
The Agents knew they must secure the cooperation of this man. He is travelling in the Country legally and they have no grounds to hold him for any reason. The most that the collective Agencies were hoping to achieve today is to ascertain the reasons why he was here.
“Gentlemen, I trust my reputation precedes me. I am a man who does not like to waste my time or anyone else’s. I can only assume that my actions are under surveillance and this conversation is being recorded. I must admit that I had an opportunity of being in the Hotel lobby last evening when a few of your representative were, shall we say, staking out the room. I assure you Gentlemen, this is not at all necessary. I am here, like you to locate and hopefully convince Kim to return to his family.”
As evidence of his good will he reached inside his jacket and brought out an envelope containing sovereign papers, under the signature and seal of the Chan So family, delegating him full and unrestricted guardianship of Kim Chan So.
Martin Graham spoke – “Mr. Montri please accept our appreciation for your time this morning and to understand that we, I believe, are all here for the same reason. The Agencies have been following Kim Chan So for almost a year now as he keeps crossing the International Boarder for the past few months. I believe this is the longest he has stayed in the Country and it is now causing some security concerns for us all.”
“I am in total agreement. As you are aware Mr. Graham, yesterday I spend a brief amount of time at the Banking Tower near the apartment building where I believe Kim is staying. Kim’s family has not heard from him in over six months. I am impressed with the street surveillance that you have in place. It is of great concern, but of no surprise, that the AOC is so glaringly present on your streets. They of course are pursuing the currency that Kim allegedly fled the State with.”
Martin Graham again spoke – “Is it true Sir, did he leave the State with over 22 Million Dollars?”
“The authorities are estimating currency of $150,000.000. Yuan, which I believe once converted would equal some 22 million, but in answering your question it would appear that he did take the money. I still question if that money belongs to the State or the So family; but of course that is not why we are here today. ”
“Are you sure he is inside the apartment?”
“Surveillance shows them arriving on Monday. No evidence of them leaving the apartment since then.”
“Is he not jogging?”
“We thought the same, but we have had surveillance on the pathways and at the recreational center, but nothing. We made attempts to enter the apartment building yesterday, but when the front desk called up to their apartment no one answered. The vehicle plates were run, with everything coming back in the name of his companion; and she is only a visitor to the Country.”
“I promise you, if he is not jogging, he is not in that apartment.”
They exchanged contact information, shook hands and turned to depart; when Chanarong Montri turned and asked where Mr. Kayn was at this time.
Martin Graham shrugged his shoulders indicating that he had no idea of either the name or activity of Mr. Kayn.
“Very well then; but do please send my regards…Gentlemen, until later.”
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Kayn remembered the days long ago that he assisted his clients in discreetly moving money overseas; but now the laws prohibit such involvement and for many years he has grown accustomed to his life style and would not enjoy a stay, even at a white color, minimum security facility for such action.
Kayn returned to his files prepared by the International Financial Action Task Force where they had traced the funds to a numbered Grand Cayman account; then within hours of their deposit, it was like watching fireworks; starting as a single cylinder and igniting into thousands of filaments throughout space, and the money was gone. Investigators had traced some funds going to Switzerland, Jerzy, The Isle of Man, Panama, the Philippines and Burma, but then disappearing from those accounts as well. Since returning to the Country neither Kim nor his companion had created a paper trail, everything was in cash, airline tickets, the purchase of the apartment, the car; all utilities remained in the name of the past owners.
Kayn was convinced that the cash was disbursed and safely secured inside multiple safety deposit boxes throughout the world.
Over the last 11 months Kim Chan So had travelled to Japan, Italy, England, United States, Mexico, Switzerland, Philippines, and Canada. His companion was tracked through the United States, Mexico, Switzerland, and Panama, and Canada. The two never visiting the same country at the same time, except for the United States; which was only over 24 hours and then they boarded a flight to Canada.
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If they had wished for better luck it came fast and unexpected; the fire truck sirens echoed through the streets of downtown. From the 12th floor they stood not believing what they were witnessing on the street below, an all-call evacuation had been ordered by Emergency Services for the recreational center and the adjacent apartment building. An explosion at the center had occurred when a contractor mistakenly released chemicals into the ventilation system; the fumes had gone through the air and had now been drawn into the roof top fresh air vents of the apartment building. Everywhere, people were walking, running, some being assisted by medical attendants, but there was a mass exodus onto the streets from the center and the apartment building. Security Agents so anxious to get to the site did not wait for the elevators; they took the stairs, descending 3 at a time. The police had sectioned off a vacant parking lot, adjacent to the evacuated sites for the pedestrian traffic to congregate. As the Agents mingled through the crowds, now in excess of 2,000, not one was reporting visual sightings of their party. They stood at all barricade lines, they mingled, assisting the emergency medical teams where needed, but no sighting of Kim Chan So. After 2 hours the fire department called in an all-clear for the apartment building and the crowds headed towards the entrance of the building. Four Agents had volunteered to hold the four doors open allowing them to take a close up visual scan of each person passing by. It was not until the final ten residents came trickling by did an Agent recognize, not Kim Chan So, but his companion. She was wearing an oversized hat with monstrous sunglasses; as she passed her head remained lowered. With all the confusion no one noticed the Agent follow her into the building, passing the concierge desk without question. He was grateful that the hallways were overflowing with people so he remained undetected as he continued down the hall making sure he remained a good distance from her. The elevators were kept on lock down as the Fire Department had not yet finished the roof top inspections so access to the upper floors was only via the stairwell. At a distance he saw her disappear inside the stairwell and he quickly followed. He passed all others that had decided to ascend the stairs, but he did not see her. He kept climbing, stopping on each floor to check to see if she had stopped, but still no sight of her. He climbed to the 12th, still no site of her. To be safe he continued his climb until he passed the Firemen descending down the stairs. He questioned if anyone had passed them and they confirmed no.
He turned and travelled down to the parking lot, searching for her vehicle, a white 2005 Toyota Matrix. Nothing, it was not there. He notified the other Agents still outside the building. Martin Graham relayed that he wanted the Agent to return to the 12 floor and knock on the apartment door; if asked he was building security or emergency services. The Agent again charged the stairs to the 12th floor, finding the apartment and repeatedly knocked on the door, but no answer. A neighbor came forth and volunteered that the couple in that apartment were so nice, getting her groceries when she was ill and picking up her paper in the lobby each day. The Agent asked if she had spoken with them recently. The lady confirmed that it had always been the woman that spoke, explaining that her husband did not speak English. He continued to knock, but still no answer. The neighbor could not understand where they had gotten to; she just saw them outside the building. She then unknowingly answered everyone’s question confirming that, due to allergies her neighbor used the stairwell each day to run in. She was always so amazed that he was able to run up and down the stairs several times a day, without disturbing anyone in the building. Her parting comment, before her apartment door closed was “What wonderful neighbors they are, I hope they don’t plan on leaving.”
The Agent reported back to Martin Graham and returned to the street.
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