The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel - Softcover

Watkins, Larry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0595184162 ISBN 13: 9780595184163

Publisher: iUniverse, 2001

Synopsis

Robert Patrick Merlyn thought he had it made. Easy duty in a tropical paradise, a beautiful girl who loved him and a trim craft to explore the many local islands, but then one night, on a golden sand beach, bathed in the silver light of a full moon, it exploded into betrayal, grief and sudden, violent death.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Leaning back into the leeward corner of the cockpit, I steered with one bare foot on the tiller and reveled in the motion as SHIELA, a Cheoy Lee Offshore 27, broadreached under the main and a striped 135 genoa.

Our destination was Ko Phai, a riot of green jungle and golden sand dropped into the cobalt blue water of the Bight of Bangkok, twenty-three nautical miles northwest of my duty station at the deep-water port of Sattahip, Thailand. The sleepy beach resort of Pattaya lay eight miles off our starboard beam.

Suddenly, Pen squealed, a sound of delighted surprise and practically jumped to the leeward side of the cockpit. I knew what she was excited about, I'd seen them coming. The pod of dolphin swarmed around us, leaping and blowing as they filled the air with their squeaks and clicks.

"Oh, Bob," Pen exclaimed, pronouncing my name in the Thai manner, with a short vowel, "I no see before!"

"Talk to 'em," I said, "they like it."

Clapping her hands, she called out, something I didn't understand, but those sea mammals moved in closer and rolled on their sides to eyeball her.

"Look," I said, "they say Hello."

Her hands in front of her, Pen gave the pod a deep, respectful bow. "Sawadde ka," she said solemnly. The squeaks and clicks increased. An idea came to me. It was a little devious, but not mean-spirited.

"You know," I said, "they like it when you take your clothes off, makes 'em think you same-same them."

I could see the battle being waged in her dark, almond-shaped eyes, skepticism versus a desire to believe and to offer encouragement, I slipped off my shorts.

She stood up and in a single flowing motion pulled her shirt off over her head. A gold amulet in the shape of the full moon glinted against her butterscotch skin, then the sarong she wore slung low across her hips slid down her legs to become a puddle of color on the worn grey teak grating of the cockpit sole. She pulled the ribbon loose and her hair became a long silky black telltale in the warm southwesterly breeze. An expression of guarded pleasure chased the apprehension from her face as she felt the caress of the sun and wind on her naked body for the first time and I thanked the Skipper on the Bridge in the Sky for bringing this show to us now. She grabbed my arm and laughed and I felt lifted by her contagious joy.

They stayed with us for twenty minutes while Pen cooed and laughed, then, as quickly as they appeared, they were gone.

The boat rose to a wave and settled. Pen's eyes flared, but only for a second, then, with a cat-like grace and agility, she scampered to the cabin top and hopped up onto the boom. Leaning back in the cradle of the taut mains'l, she raised her arms over her head and shook her sloping breasts for me.

"Your beautiful up there," I said. I knew she didn't think so. She thought her skin too dark and her nose too broad, but I couldn't get enough of her.

"I do for you, Bob," she said. The kiss she blew to me was heavy with promise and an enigmatic smile, the one that can mean so many things in Thailand, shaped her luscious lips. I shot a whole roll of film as she cavorted naked on the cabin top.

Little did I realize that the joy and happiness of that day would be short-lived and that the crushing weight of regret and recrimination could be so heavy.

Edition details

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0595184162
• ISBN 13: 9780595184163
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304