The Second Chance [Kongpob/Arthit]

Chapter 19 : It's Dangerous Business, Walking Out Your Front Door

The apartment Kongpob had chosen for them to stay in, was a little ways from the main city. Arthit had to wake up much earlier to make it in time for work. Kongpob smiled at him, when he wandered in the living room, handing him a cup of steaming hot, tea. Arthit savoured the taste of the warm liquid.

Kongpob was bouncing a ball against one of the walls, he had been morose and recalcitrant since the note had found its way on their doorstep. Arthit had found him sitting up in bed, the previous night, staring off into the distance. Finally, when he couldn't curb his curiousity any longer, he snatched the ball from Kongpob's hand. 

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"It helps me think, P'Arthit."

"Did P'Ran give you any updates?"

"He's hit a dead end on all fronts. They couldn't find the person who divulged the address, yet."

Kongpob clenched his fists, the feeling of helplessness rising to the surface threatening to drown him. 

"If only, I was still on the case -"

Kongpob's phone began to ring, he answered it, nodding along to the person on the other end. His surprised face caught Arthit's interest. 

"Who was it?"

"P'Ran. The director's just confessed to everything, they've just booked him."

Arthit took in the befuddled expression on Kongpob's face, he felt compelled to enquire.

"That's good news, right?"

"I just can't understand why he would confess now, wouldn't it have made more sense to keep on denying the allegations? I mean, why now?"

"Aren't you overthinking this? He probably realized that there was no point of staying mum, when he was being fired anyway."

"Maybe. Or is he trying to protect his partner by taking the blame?"

Arthit tried to keep up, he put down the cup with a loud clatter. 

"I thought you said his partners were P'Gun and the IT person. Why would he want to protect either of them?"

Kongpob hummed, Arthit realised he wouldn't get any more information from him. He bent down, kissing Kongpob soundly. 

"I'll be ready to leave in 15 minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

****************************************************************

Kongpob had asked P'Ran, to be on the other side of the interrogation room, for when he questioned the director. His sharp eyes were fixed on the director trying to capture all his micro expressions. P'Ran's loud voice reverberated in the enclosed room.  

"- do you mean to tell me that you managed all this single-handedly? Do you take me for a fool?!"

"It's the truth, I paid all those men to attack Mr. Rojnapat and Mr. Atitarn."

"Aren't you in cahoots with Mr. Atitarn?"

"No, he didn't have anything to do with this."

"Why did you transfer the money to Mr. Atitarn, then?"

P'Ran slammed his fist hard on the table, clearly trying to evoke a reaction out of the director. But, Kongpob noticed that his calm demeanour was unfazed by P'Ran's interrogation techniques. 

"I've already told you, that was a bonus."

P'Ran then shook the note from the last night, sealed in an evidence bag, near his face.