"Archer, Geoffrey - The Burma Legacy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Archer Geoffrey)

the army to keep him out of jail. He was a tough nut, but they found he
was bright too. Demonstrated a readiness to kill and a talent for survival. A
shoe-in for special forces, I guess. But then he turned bad."
"And bought a quarter-million-dollar ego-trip with the proceeds."
"Amongst other things."
It'd be a bloody great stamp in the passport, Sam realised. Barnado's boy
makes good. An "up yours" to every bugger who'd ever tried to put him
down. The question was whether he'd be stupid enough to brag about it
when they caught up with him. If they did . . .
"Remind me - when did he leave the SAS?"
"Two years ago when he turned forty. Been in uniform since the age of
seventeen. His marriage broke up a year before that."
"SAS men don't get home that often."
"Then you and him'll have something to talk about . . ."
"Thanks." He didn't need reminding. His affair with Julie had been
relatively new when he was posted to Singapore nearly a year ago. Going
three months. And he'd only seen her twice since then.
He asked Midge what had brought Squires to this part of the world.
"The Thai military recruited him - they were looking for men with
jungle experience to show Karens living near the border how to spy on
drug caravans."
"Why bother with Brits? They must have dozens of their own who
could do that."
"One reason was historical. The Karens fought with the Brits against the
Japs in World War Two and still have a high regard for them. The other,
would you believe it, was integrity." Midge's voice was heavy with irony.
"They thought SAS men were incorruptible."
"Christ. How many did they hire?"
"Two. The other guy alerted the Thais to the fact that Squires wasn't
playing by the rules anymore." She shook her head in amazement. "I
thought those fellers were loyal to each other unto death."
"Shows you haven't read the books they write. How did you lot get
involved?"
"When the Thai's Narcotics Suppression Bureau put a watch on Squires,
they logged frequent trips to Australia. So they alerted us. We put him
under surveillance in Sydney and Melbourne, but the bastard was too
good. Gave our watchers the slip. However ... by some remarkable
coincidence his visits always seemed to be followed by an influx of
Burmese heroin."
Sam glanced to port. The sea was dotted with pleasure craft now. He
looked enviously at a yacht under full sail. Midge noticed.
"More your style?"
He nodded. They were Hearing a large land mass.
"Phuket island?" Midge asked, pointing.
"S'right."
She leaned forward, moving a finger up the chart. "The marina's here,
right?"
"You've got it."
A Thai narcotics officer on the quayside had radioed thirty minutes
before to say that Squires" boat the Estelle was coming in to have a dodgy