Chapter One - Richard Lewis

She tentatively lowered her head. Her breath fell sweet. A strand of hair brushed
his brow. He lifted his head off the thin mattress and kissed her gently, just a brush of
lips, not wanting to scare her. She closed her eyes and let the kiss linger.
"Listen," Reed said. "Sixth of June. I'm staying at the Tampaksiring Cottages.
Bungalow Number eight. Come see me. Please."
Running feet sounded on the porch outside, and she quickly straightened. Endang
and Sri burst in, calling for Reed to take a photograph of their father. Sri grabbed his
hand.
"Well?" Reed said to Naniek
Naniek dropped the scissors and tweezers in an enamel basin and murmured, "It's
possible. Go see Ibu Arini. She'll explain."
On the Denpasar town square, two soccer teams were battling it out, a team from
the hotel playing a squad from the electric company.
The electric company scored an equalizer. Reed blew a Bronx cheer. "I hope for
once they get their lights knocked out."
He and Arini stood under the shade of tamarind tree. Arini explained that for
President Sukarno's birthday dinner, she'd been given the job of organizing a Balinese
dance for him and his guests, and that Naniek was helping with a short children's
program.
"Nationalist or Communist, when it comes to Father of the Country, the Great
Leader of the Revolution, we put aside our differences," she said.
"I have a birthday gift for him. One of Tjok Arsana's paintings. Oil on canvas,
naked nymphs by a jungle spring. I know one of Bung's attachés, and he's put me on the
general guest list. I hope to give the painting to Sukarno."
"In person?" Arini asked skeptically.
"I've taught Madame Dewi the salsa dance. I'm a family friend of sorts. Anyway,
I've gotten a room at the Tampaksiring Cottages for the night. If Naniek could slip away
after all the partying? Just for a visit," he added hastily.
"We can try. It can't be for too late, though. She has to come back with everyone
else." The hotel scored a goal, and she clapped vigorously. "F&B finally get us one."
At six precisely, Reed arrived at gates to the Tampaksiring presidential palace.
Palace guards in full uniform stood at rigid toy soldier attention, while armed comrades
in fatigues checked his name against a list. They waved him in, directing him to a satellite
parking lot, sunset pooling golden around majestic trees. Deer strolled on the lawns, and
military and civilian staff scurried about. He was the only white guy in the place. People
gave him curious glances, and some threw him harder looks.
Arini scooted out from a group of dancers in Balinese costume. "You made it."
"Is Naniek here?"
"My goodness. Here you are in the palace with the President and you are thinking
of a girl."
A military jeep drove up the road. A man in civilian dress but with a military
bearing jumped out, two guards flanking him.
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