“I want to know if the body still has all its internal organs.”
“I see,” said Neel, commendably unflappable. “Something tells me you already know the answer.”
“I suspect I know the answer. See if you can confirm it for me by the time I reach the office.”
Chapter 35
“HELLO,” SAID ASH, cautiously.
“Can you talk?”
“Um, not really. I’m busy …”
Neel sensed Ash was on the move, probably finding somewhere private to talk. Sure enough, when he next spoke he sounded out of breath, hissing, “What are you doing ringing me at work?”
“Well, firstly I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the other night.”
Ash softened. “Good. I had a great time too.”
“And secondly …”
“Of course, there’s a secondly.”
“Secondly, I wanted to ask if you’d conducted the post-mortem on the intact cadaver.”
“I can’t talk about that,” hissed Ash. “The walls have ears.”
“Can you confirm something for me either way, yes or no?”
“Go on.”
“Were the organs intact?”
Ash gave a small, impressed chuckle. “No.”
“What was gone?”
There was a pause, as though Ash had waited for someone to pass in a corridor, and Neel held his breath. “Ash? Are you there?” he prompted. “Which organs were missing?”
Ash cleared his throat. “All,” he said.
Chapter 36
“WELL?”
Santosh had burst onto the top floor of Private, cane tucked beneath his arm as he threaded his way between desks to where Nisha and Neel stood waiting.
“Ash had conducted the examination,” said Neel, relishing the moment.
The end of the cane swung his way. “And?” said Santosh. His eyes glittered. His blood was up.
“All the vital organs were missing. All of them.”
“I knew it.”
Santosh was as close to happy or excited as Neel or Nisha had ever seen him, and they couldn’t resist trading a quick eyebrows-raised look. In a second, though, their boss had switched back to stern-mentor mode, targeting Nisha this time.
“What do you think? Tell me what conclusions you draw.”