The man who took a seat opposite was Nikhil Kumar, the Honorable Minister for Health and Family Welfare. Photoshoot-perfect, not a strand of jet-black hair out of place, Kumar wore simple khaki slacks, an Egyptian cotton shirt, a Canali blazer, and comfortable soft-leather loafers. His very presence made Sharma feel overweight and scruffy by comparison. Well, let’s face it, he was overweight and scruffy. But Kumar made him feel even more so.
“What can I do for you, sir?” Sharma asked the minister. It paid to be courteous to ministers.
“Thank you for seeing me at such short notice,” said Kumar.
“I’m happy to help. What’s on your mind?”
“I am given to understand that your men searched a house in Greater Kailash today. I was wondering if you could share some information regarding what you found.”
Sharma tried not to let his irritation show as he considered his response. On the one hand he wanted to keep Kumar sweet; on the other, experience had taught him that it was always better to keep politicians out of police inquiries.
“How about you tell me what your interest in this matter is?” he said. “And how you found out about it?”
“As I’m sure you’re about to remind me, I have no jurisdiction with the police. You and I stand on the battlements of two opposing forts in the same city. But I have contacts, and I find out what I can. You want to prevent leaks, run a tighter ship.”
Sharma chortled. “This is your way of buttering me up, is it, Minister? Coming into my office and criticizing the way I run my police force?”
“Let me be frank with you,” said Kumar. “It may not be wise to delve too deeply into this case.”
“Minister, we’ve got at least eleven potential murders here.” He was about to reveal he knew the building was owned by the state but stopped himself, deciding to keep his powder dry. “While I appreciate the need for discretion, we will be delving as deeply as we need to in order to discover the truth.”
“Suffice to say that you would be adequately compensated,” said Kumar.
Sharma was taken aback. “For what?”
“For your cooperation.”
Sharma sat back and made Kumar wait for a response. “I tell you what, Minister—you leave now, and I’ll think about your offer.”
Sharma watched with satisfaction as Kumar stood and tried to leave the office with as much dignity as he could regain.
Only when the door had closed did Sharma allow himself a smile. This was what they called an opportunity. And when life gives you lemons …
Chapter 6
SANTOSH WAGH OPENED the front door of his home to find Jack Morgan on the doorstep.
“Santosh!” said Jack, and before Santosh could react he had stepped inside.
As ever, Santosh was happy to see his boss. The thing with Jack was that as soon as he appeared, whatever the time, whatever the place, you were simply a guest in his world. It was impossible not to feel reassured by it. It wasn’t just the gun Jack carried; it wasn’t just the fact that Jack was enormously wealthy and could boast powerful and high-profile friends. It was just Jack, being Jack.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” said Santosh. Looking around, he saw his living quarters through Jack’s eyes: hardly furnished, dark, and a little fusty. “I would give you a tour, but I believe you know your way around already.”
“I don’t follow,” said Jack quizzically.
“Years ago when you hired me you told me you thought I was an exceptional detective. Did you really think you could break into my apartment and I wouldn’t notice?”
Jack relaxed, allowing himself a smile. The game was up. “Well, I’m an exceptional cat burglar, so I played the odds. How did you know?”
Santosh’s cane clicked on the wooden floor as he made his way to the kitchen and then returned with a bottle of whisky that he placed on his makeshift table. He pointed to the bottle with the tip of his cane. “Perhaps you’d like to check it.”
Jack leaned forward, holding Santosh’s gaze as he reached for the bottle, inverted it, and studied the almost invisible mark he had made with a small bar of hotel soap two nights before.
“It’s just as it was the other night,” he said, replacing the bottle. “And I’m pleased to see it.”
Santosh blinked slowly. “Not nearly as pleased as I am.”
“I had to check, Santosh. I had to know.”