Love Songs from a Shallow Grave

records,” Phosy answered. “We do know that she took a number of physical fitness and self-defence courses. We just aren’t sure which ones she enrolled in.”
    “How did you get the personal information if the army hasn’t released her file?” Siri asked.
    “From the husband,” Sihot told him.
    “Any emotions?” Dtui asked. “Was he distraught? Bawling his eyes out?”
    Sihot thought back to his interview.
    “No,” he said. “He seemed quite calm. Cheerful even.”
    “His wife’s just been killed and he was cheerful?” Dtui asked.
    “The man just discovered his wife was with a strange man, naked in a…a steam room at two in the morning,” Phosy cut in. “I can see a case for saving face during an interview, can’t you?” Siri noticed a glare shared between the couple.
    “Any views on who the lover might have been?” Civilai asked.
    “I have to say the Vietnamese security people aren’t the most forthcoming group,” Sihot confessed. “In fact, they wouldn’t speak to me. I got the odd brief grunt from the Lao security chief, Phoumi, but he wasn’t very helpful. I got a feeling they’re all holding something back. I did have more luck with the Lao counterparts on the bodyguard team. The Vietnamese didn’t give them much of a direct role, it seems. There was a comment that our people are treated more like civilian security guards than trained soldiers. And language was a problem, too. Dew had Russian, as did a few of the Vietnamese, so she acted as a translator from time to time. Mostly the ‘Tell them to do this or that’ kind of thing.”
    “How many women are there on the Lao team?” Dtui asked.
    “Two others beside Dew. One on the Vietnamese detail.”
    “Any inappropriate advances from the men?” Siri asked.
    “Not from the enlisted men,” Sihot recalled. “I got the feeling they felt intimidated by Dew. Plus she was married.”
    “Not the enlisted men?” Siri pushed. “But something from the officers? Major Dung?”
    During their brief encounter the previous day, Siri had gleaned the impression the Vietnamese was something of a playboy. He had that cinema idol sleaze to him. He was used to getting his way with women.
    “He did try it on with one of the Lao girls,” Sihot said. “She wasn’t interested. Or so she told me.”
    “And they didn’t share a common language,” Civilai reminded them. “He wouldn’t have been able to pile on the charm. But with Dew he could communicate directly.”
    “Do we know anything about Dew’s marriage?” Dtui asked. “Was it a happy one?”
    Again Phosy jumped in. “She’d left him with two kids for four years. A man might take objection to being treated like a babysitter while his wife went off to play in Europe. What do you – ”
    He was interrupted by a loud crunch. Sergeant Sihot had bitten into a chocolate chip and a corner of one tooth had snapped off. The policeman retrieved it from the debris and held it up proudly. His smile revealed that this wasn’t the first time his teeth hadn’t been up to a challenge.
    “No worries,” he said. “Happens all the time. Teeth like chalk, my wife says.”
    “Sue the bastard, Sihot,” Siri laughed. “Comrade Civilai shouldn’t be allowed in a kitchen. His wife would be only too glad to get her oven back, isn’t that right, old brother?”
    Civilai blushed slightly but ignored the question and continued to gather the threads of the investigation.
    “As I see it,” he said, “we already have two suspects. Not bad after only one cup of coffee and one injury. We have the playboy Vietnamese major who sweeps Dew off her feet and causes her to risk her career for an hour or two of lust. And we have the husband, torn with jealousy, who watches his wife sneak off for her tryst and then, when she’s alone, steals in to kill her.”
    “I don’t think we should narrow the field so soon,” Dtui decided. “A smart young woman has lots of opportunities for an affair in this day and age.”
    Only Siri caught Phosy’s expression at that moment but it was one of unmistakable fury.
    “You’re right,” Civilai decided. “I think we need to focus on the fencing connection. This is Laos. We are a small country at the edge of the world. Your average Lao wouldn’t know an épée from an eggplant. I say we find anyone with a fencing background and we’ll have our murderer. He can’t be that hard to find.”
    “I wouldn’t rule out foreigners either,” said Siri. “I