Fury's Goddess

A few guests clapped and Dunraj handed the microphone back to the DJ. She was about to go over to him when a throng of people suddenly appeared in front of her.

And every last one of them wanted to welcome her and Frank to Hyderabad. They were like trained dogs. She smiled politely but really wanted to get out of there.

Annja looked around the room for Dunraj. But the Indian billionaire had vanished.

Chapter 5

“Where’d he go?” Annja asked as she fended off throngs of well-wishers, mostly middle-aged men.

Frank, for his part, didn’t seem to mind the attention a number of young women were paying him. “Where’d who go?”

“Dunraj.” Annja pushed her way through the throng, straining to see above the mass of heads. But Dunraj had indeed vanished. One moment, he’d been in his reception area, and the next, he was gone.

Pradesh had also disappeared. What was going on here? Annja turned and saw what looked to be Frank giving his telephone number. She sighed and pushed back into the women around him. “All right, Frank, let’s get going. Come on, now.”

“Now?” He frowned. “But I’m starting to enjoy myself. There are an awful lot of very nice young women here.”

“Which is exactly why I want to get the hell out of here before your libido turns this welcome party into an orgy.”

“Would that be so terrible?” Frank pleaded.

Annja grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the crowd. They eventually got a second to catch their breath near the entry door close to the elevator they’d rode up on.

Frank brushed himself off. “The ladies here are so forthcoming with their intimate details. Imagine.”

“I don’t even want to know what that means,” she said. “Can we get out of here now?”

Frank looked longingly back toward the party. “Yeah, I guess. We going to the hotel?”

“I’d like to, yes. I’m exhausted. I need serious sleep if we’re going to start first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Can we call a taxi? I don’t see Pradesh anywhere.”

Annja nodded. “Me, neither. And I don’t like it when our host and our minder both disappear within seconds of each other. That strikes me as sort of weird.”

Frank eyed her. “You’re not going to go all ‘conspiracy theory’ on me now, are you?” He pushed the elevator call button, and seconds later the doors slid back. Annja and Frank stepped inside, and the car descended toward the ground.

“My father had a real thing for Indian women,” Frank reminisced. “I remember one time when we were Christmas shopping and there was this woman in the music store. My father was totally captivated. I get it now.”

“Well, good,” Annja said. “Now you two can compare notes when you get home. Nice.”

Frank sighed. “Nah, he died about ten years back. We were just getting to be really good friends when he had a heart attack.”

Annja felt badly for Frank. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It just bums me out sometimes when I think about him being gone. We could have had some fun times together.”

She put a hand on his arm. “If it helps, I’m sure he’d be very proud of what you’ve accomplished in your life. Your professional life, I mean. That stunt on the airplane—” she grinned “—probably not so much.”

The elevator doors opened and they were back in the lobby. They headed for the main desk. Annja was about to beckon the security guard to call them a taxi when Frank stopped her.

“Hey, there’s Pradesh.”

And sure enough, the policeman came striding across the lobby. “I was wondering when you’d make your escape.”

Annja studied him suspiciously. “Where’d you disappear to?”

Pradesh cocked an eyebrow. “Why, down here, of course. Once Dunraj made his introduction of you and Frank, I decided it might be a good idea to have the car waiting. Neither of you strike me as being fond of mobs of ardent admirers. Well, perhaps Frank…” He smiled as he said it and even Annja had to grin.

“You could have told us.”

“Now, where would the fun be in that? I imagined you making a grand exit, throwing people aside while Frank led the way to the elevator. Was I close?”

“Not even remotely,” Annja said. “Aside from us taking the elevator down here again.”

“Ah, well, my powers of perception aren’t in the psychic realm. I apologize if I caused you any distress.” He offered Annja his arm.

“No distress,” she said, taking the arm to be polite. “We were going to grab a taxi back to the hotel.”

“No need. I have the Mercedes waiting.”

The Hyderabad night was balmy but with enough of a breeze to make it pleasant. Pradesh kept the windows down, and as they drove away from Dunraj’s office park, Annja caught the scent of the trees on the breeze and suddenly felt very tired. The trip over had been a long one.

Pradesh, for his part, seemed energized. “How about a bite to eat?”

“I’m starving,” Frank chimed in from the backseat. “I didn’t see very much to eat at the party.”

“That’s because you were too busy concentrating on the women,” she said. “There was an entire conference table laid out with food.”

Pradesh chuckled. “Frank, I rather doubt any of those women would be as appealing as you think they are.”

“Why?” Frank asked. “They seemed, uh, ready, willing and able to me.”

“No doubt they are all that.”

“But?”

“Well, it’s just that they’re also all…” He seemed to be searching for the right term. “Gold diggers, isn’t that what you call them?”

Annja nodded.

“Yes. Dunraj enjoys knowing they would fight to the death if he asked them to. And they would. I have broken up one or two fights at his parties when some of the women got territorial. They don’t take kindly to strangers coming into their feeding grounds, as it were.”

“I’m glad we got out of there when we did.”

Pradesh looked at Annja. “I know you’re tired—”

“I’m not.”

Pradesh held up his hand. “I can see it on your face. But I know a nice little place where the food is excellent. It would be an honor to take you both there. We could relax and talk.”

“Any chance I can get changed first?” Frank asked.

“What about you? Would you prefer to change?”

Annja shrugged. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to get into some more comfortable clothes. These heels are killing me. I miss my boots.”

“Very well. We can swing by your hotel and then go from there.”

They got back within ten minutes thanks to the way Pradesh maneuvered through the traffic. He leaned against the Mercedes in the roundabout outside the hotel’s entrance. “I’ll be here.”

Annja was dressed and back down in five minutes. Frank showed up two minutes later looking significantly more relaxed than he had been earlier. He wore jeans and a loose button-down shirt. Annja was relieved he hadn’t opted for some obnoxious T-shirt.

Pradesh had also changed out of his suit. “Did you strip right out here in public?” Annja asked.

He laughed. “I carry a change of clothes at all times. It enables me to react to all situations.”

“Good plan,” Annja said as they got into the car. “So, where are we going?”

“A family restaurant. I don’t know where you may have traveled before, Annja, but the smallest, least-known restaurants are sometimes the best. It’s no different here in Hyderabad. If you’ll trust me to guide you, I think you will agree the meal is something spectacular.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Pradesh glanced in the rearview mirror. “Is that all right, Frank?”

“Sure, I’m starving.”

“You like spicy food?”

“Back home I love the Indian food at a small place near my apartment. So if it’s anything like that, I’m all in.”

“Probably not, but we’ll see.”

He slipped the Mercedes in and out of traffic before getting off the busy thoroughfare and ducking onto quieter side streets. They drove slowly through a busy neighborhood and then down another side street where the noise died down. Finally, Pradesh turned into a small lot and parked the car.

“We’re here.”

They got out and headed for an unmarked red door. Inside, they were hit by a waft of scents that made Annja’s mouth water. “Oh, my God, it smells incredible in here.”

“Ajay?”

Pradesh smiled as a rotund woman rushed up, wiping her hands on her apron. She clutched him up in a giant hug. “Oh, my boy!”

Pradesh gave her a kiss and then turned to Annja and Frank. “I’d like you to meet my mother, Peta.”

“Mother?” Annja smiled. “You pulled a fast one on us.”

Pradesh returned her smile. “Well, this is a restaurant, but yes, I did.”

“Come,” Peta said after the introductions had been made. She eyed Pradesh. “The specialties?”

Pradesh nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Mind? Why would I mind? It’s not every night I get to cook for my only son and his friends.” She beamed at them all. “Ajay is the pride of my home. A distinguished police officer. I couldn’t be happier that he’s brought you all here to my humble little restaurant.”

She vanished into the back, and Annja heard a cacophony of dishes banging as Peta began cooking.

Pradesh smoothly dropped onto a cushion at a low table as Annja and Frank followed his lead and sat on cushions opposite him. It took Frank some time to cross his legs awkwardly. “My father died a few years ago from a heart condition,” their host said. “I try to come by at least once a week when work doesn’t keep me away. It’s important that we still have each other.”

“You’re a good son,” Annja said, nodding.

“So, what are we having?” Frank asked.

Pradesh grinned. “Hyderabad is known for its regional cuisine. We call it Andhra here, and it features a lot of spicy chilies, rice, lentils, some seafood and chicken dishes. My mother’s specialty is preparing pickles.”

“Pickles?” Frank asked, skeptical. Annja wanted to pinch him under the table but Pradesh took it in stride.

“I think you’ll like them, Frank. My mother makes an incredible avakaya. Do you know what that is?”

“No.”

“It’s a pickle made from green mango. She also makes one from the leaves of the gongura plant. When you taste them with the other dishes, I think you’ll agree this is a far better meal than what Dunraj would have served—even with all of his money behind him.”

Annja took in the one other table of diners in the far corner of the rather intimate room and replied, “I don’t doubt it for one moment. I can’t tell you how many incredible meals I’ve been fortunate enough to have when I’ve been abroad in the past.”

“Haven’t you always been a broad?” Frank smirked.

Annja shot him a look. “Keep it up and I’ll separate your head from your shoulders.”

Frank stretched backward and almost fell over, catching himself by the edge of the table. “Yeah, right. How you going to do that?”

“Don’t ask,” she said. “Or you just might find out.” She winked at Pradesh and he smiled.

“If the food gets too spicy, please take some of the curd that comes with the meal. It helps to neutralize the heat and will calm your stomach.”

“Is this going to be very spicy?” Annja asked.

“Oh, yes. My mother is an expert at balancing heat, however, so while you may find one dish almost unbearable, she will complement it with another milder one. She’s a marvel in the kitchen.”

“I’m surprised she doesn’t have a bigger place,” Frank said.

“She used to work at a fancy hotel, but she got tired of the class of people there. She’s never been as happy as when she’s working for herself.”

On cue, the door to the kitchen slammed open and Peta came out bearing the first dishes. “I hope you’re hungry,” she fairly sang.

They were. And when Annja saw what Peta had prepared for them, she forgot all about being exhausted.

And Dunraj.

Chapter 6

It was one of the best meals Annja had had in a very long time. When they were done eating, Peta closed the restaurant and served them all a strong drink she said was an old family recipe. Annja wasn’t sure if it was alcoholic or not, but it was soothing and went down extremely easily.

Peta sat with them as they relaxed, helping herself to some of the drink. Annja toasted her.

“That was amazing. I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality.”

Frank held his glass aloft. “I second that. You are an incredible chef.”

Peta beamed at them and then put her arm around her son. “Thank you. I learned to cook when I was older. I forced myself to learn how to make the best meals for Pradesh. He studied so hard in school.”

Pradesh smiled at his mother. “It was a huge help when I was so exhausted from studying.”

“And now he is a famous policeman, keeping our city safe and free from corruption.” Annja saw the woman’s pride. Having lost Ajay’s father, it was clear that her son now occupied all of her heart.

Pradesh demurred. “Annja and Frank are here to investigate the deaths of those people in the development.”

Peta frowned. “A terrible thing. To imagine a creature attacking in such a way. It’s horrifying.”

“What do you think the creature is?” Annja asked. “A rogue tiger, perhaps?”

Peta stared at her. “In all my years I’ve never heard of a tiger stalking people in a city this big.” She shrugged. “But I am just a cook.”

“But the development—if I’m correct—is on the outskirts,” Annja said. “Perhaps it’s pushing into the domain of a tiger?”

Pradesh ran a hand along his chin. “It’s possible, I suppose. But we’ve found no tracks at the crime scenes. And a tiger large enough to take down a full-grown man would leave behind some sign.”

“Is the area well paved?”

Pradesh shook his head. “In some places, yes, but the area where the bodies were found was moist from the landscaping irrigation systems. And we found hardly a trace of anything in the mud. Our best forensics people were unable to locate any hair or DNA that would confirm it was a tiger.”

“Maybe it’s the ghost of a tiger,” Frank suggested hopefully.

“Frank,” Annja said, “ghosts?”

Frank helped himself to more of the drink from the small jug Peta had placed on the table and shrugged. “Just trying to contribute a little something to the conversation.”

Pradesh sighed. “I honestly wish I had more information to share with you. As you know, it’s an ongoing police investigation. All I can say is we are stumped.”

“Have you increased patrols in the area?”

He nodded. “We have two teams down there covering off twenty-four hours a day. They stay in constant radio contact. But something tells me if the killer is determined, not even the presence of the police will dissuade it…or…him.”

Peta got to her feet. “Just promise me you’ll be careful out there.” She frowned. “I can’t even bear to think about losing you, too.”

Pradesh stood and kissed his mother on the cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, Mother. I promise.”

Peta eyed Annja. “Make sure he doesn’t, would you?”

Annja was taken aback. “Uh, all right.”

Peta smiled. “I see things, Annja. Even things people wish to hide. I see much about you that others do not. I know what you are capable of.”

Annja had no reply for that but fortunately Pradesh nudged his mother toward the kitchen. “Yes, yes, we’ll bring the dishes in.”

“I’m just saying—” But Pradesh had already pushed her through the doors. When he came back, he was grinning sheepishly.

“I apologize for that. My mother sometimes gets a bit…strange when she has that drink. She’s claimed for years to be psychic. I don’t think there’s anything to it, of course. But she insists. There’s no real harm in it, I suppose.”

“She might be right,” Annja said. “You never know.”

Pradesh frowned. “I try not to encourage it in her. I’ve seen what the promise of supernatural possibilities can do to people. It gets them so fixated on the possibility of escaping their place in life that they end up ignoring what they have to deal with right in front of them. It becomes a never-ending cycle of disappointment.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And don’t worry, I’m good at taking care of myself.”

“You know mothers,” Annja said. “She just wants to make sure her son is well looked after. You can’t blame her for loving you.”

“You sound like you speak from experience.”

Annja shook her head. “I never knew my parents. I was orphaned at a very early age. You’re extremely lucky to know yours.”

Pradesh paused. “Yes, I am. Thank you for reminding me of that.”

A sudden snore erupted from Frank. Annja glanced down and saw her cameraman had fallen back against his pillows. His mouth was ajar and each breath brought a new grinding outburst.

“Good grief.”

Pradesh laughed. “It seems he appreciates my mother’s cooking. She’ll be pleased.”

“Not sure if it’s that, the trip over or that drink your mom served us. Or maybe it’s all three.” Annja smiled. “A potent combination.”

“Help me with the dishes and I’ll drive you both back to the hotel. A good night’s sleep will be the best thing for all of us. We can take a drive out tomorrow and start your investigation. I’m really interested to see what you come up with.”

“So am I.”

“You’ve done this type of thing before? With other so-called monsters?”

Annja shrugged. “Most times when people think there are monsters, it turns out there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. But once or twice…” Her voice trailed off as she remembered some of the more bizarre assignments she’d been on when events didn’t always add up so neatly.

“Yes, well, as I said, a good night’s sleep and we’ll get started.” Pradesh scooped up some of the dishes and carried them into the kitchen. Annja did the same, and after several trips, they’d cleaned the dining area.

Peta herded them out of the kitchen. “I can finish here.”

Pradesh helped Frank up, and between them both, they managed to get him back into the car.

Annja slid into the front seat. “Will your mom be okay?”

“She lives above the restaurant. She’ll be fine. The neighbors all keep an eye on her. They love having her here. I think she’s doing some catering now, as well—smaller weddings mostly. She gives them such a nice discount.” He started up the Mercedes and drove back onto the main thoroughfare.

At the hotel, Pradesh waited until Annja had Frank out of the car. “How about eight o’clock tomorrow? Will that be all right? Or do you need more time?”

“Eight o’clock.” Annja shifted Frank’s weight. “That will be fine.”

“Good night, then.”

“See ya.” Annja turned toward the hotel and nudged Frank into the lobby. Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded and she saw few people as they made it to the elevator. She propped Frank against the wall of the elevator and pushed the button for his floor.

Frank’s eyes opened immediately. “Are we all clear?”

Annja punched him in the arm. “What the hell, Frank? You were sound asleep a minute ago.”

He pushed away from the wall and smiled. “Pretty good, huh?”

“I thought you were drunk.”

Frank shrugged. “Listen, Annja, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s holding my booze. It takes a lot more than that drink to knock me on my ass. As delicious as it was, I don’t mind telling you.”

“So what’s up? Why the theatrics?”

“I figured it might let Pradesh open up. Maybe he’d reveal something about the case he didn’t feel comfortable saying in front of me.”

“Well, he didn’t.”

“Yeah, I know. Can’t blame a guy for trying, though.”

Annja watched the numbers advance on the elevator. “Pradesh said he’d meet us here at eight. That leaves plenty of time to get some solid sleep.”

“Yeah,” Frank said slowly.

Annja glanced at him. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just that I didn’t fly halfway around the world to get a good night’s sleep. I can do that anytime back home.” He winked at her. “I came here for some good story action.”

“Meaning what, exactly?”

Frank looked at his watch. “It’s eleven o’clock. What say you to a drive to the development now? You know, see for ourselves what’s going on out there. Firsthand.”

“It’s pitch-dark. We won’t be able to see anything. We need flashlights and gear.”

“All of which I’ve got with me,” Frank said.

“We’d have to rent a car.”

“They have taxis downstairs. We can take one to a car-rental agency,” Frank said. “This time of night, it shouldn’t take us more than twenty minutes to reach the site.”

Annja frowned. “I don’t know. I feel bad about going behind Pradesh’s back like this.”

“You here to make friends or to uncover the truth, Annja?”

The elevator dinged as it came to a stop at Frank’s floor. He looked at her. “If we get stopped by the cops, we can always tell them you couldn’t sleep because of jet lag or—”

“Oh, sure, blame it on me.”

“You’re the pretty one. They might zap me off to some sort of stink-hole jail where you’d never hear from me again.”

Frank stepped out of the elevator. “Listen, I’m going to get changed. Meet me downstairs in the lobby in twenty minutes. I really think we should check it out before we get all official tomorrow with Pradesh.”

Annja pushed the button for her floor again. “I’ll think about it.”

Frank clapped his hands. “Awesome.”

“I didn’t say I—” But the elevator doors cut off the rest of her sentence. The car descended and Annja leaned against the wall. She was tired. Full of good food.

And good drink.

Sleepy.

She was curious, of course, but her curiosity could wait until morning.

Couldn’t it?

The elevator dinged again and she stepped out onto her floor. She walked down the hallway and slid her key card into the lock.

Once inside, she leaned against the door and gazed longingly at the huge bed in front of her.

It looked so utterly inviting. She could turn on the air conditioner and sink beneath the covers and be asleep within moments.

She sighed and walked into the bathroom. “I’m getting too old for this craziness.”

But in another moment, she was changing her clothes to go meet Frank.

Chapter 7

“Do you even know where we’re going?”

Frank shot her a look. “I may never have been to Hyderabad before, but most cities are laid out logically.”

Annja sniffed. “Ever been to Boston?” She paused. “Just try not to get us lost, okay? It would be embarrassing if we had to call Pradesh for help.”

Frank shrugged. “Like I said, we didn’t come here to make friends. We’ve got a story to chase down.”

“Friends,” Annja said, “are one of the most important things in the world. And I, for one, do not want to make Pradesh feel like we were taking advantage of him. Or his mother.”

“So tell him you couldn’t sleep and you dragged me out of bed to come to this place. He’ll believe you… I think he likes you.”

“What?” Annja looked at Frank. “And just how did you arrive at that particular theory?”

“How he looks at you. The way he smiles. It’s obvious if you’re paying attention.”

Annja sniffed. “Frank, the only thing you pay attention to are creatures with breasts.”

“Well, I had time tonight when I wasn’t being mobbed by my more rabid admirers.”

“Any voice mails waiting for you?”

“No,” he said. “Maybe they have rules over here like they do in the States. Y’know, don’t call for a day or so afterward so you don’t seem too eager. Stuff like that.”

“Those women were there for one thing tonight—Dunraj. The only reason they mobbed you was because Dunraj told them to. And since they’ll do anything to please Dunraj, that meant they were going crazy over you.”