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Soon after Ashok’s obsequies were over, Dhruva called on Mithya at 9, Castle Hills.
“What brings you here man?” she greeted him heartily.
“Why can’t you guess?”
“Where the need as your urgency shows?” she said winking at him.
“You are mistaken,” he said, hiding his embarrassment.
“Oh! I thought you are a game,” she said, feigning disappointment.
“You may know that custodial interrogation is a different ball game,” he said assuming a grave demeanor.
“Then you have to go to hell to interrogate both of them?” she said smilingly and ushering him into her house.
“Not a bad idea if a femme fatale can lead me there.”
“If you think I’m one, I would lead you to heaven instead,” she said enticingly.
“Tempting though…,”
“What’s the hesitation?” she said moving closer.
“Thanks to your finger prints on the murder weapon, I may be forced to lead you elsewhere,” he said dramatically taking her hand.
“What a discovery!” she said without taking her hand out of his. “Why, it was I who prepared the salad besides mixing drinks for Dilip and me. Wonder how you had missed my finger prints on the Bagpiper bottle and those two glasses.”
“Where went the third glass?” he said releasing her hand.
“I haven’t heard of two drinking out of three glasses, have you?”
“But Ashok’s viscera showed that he too drank.”
“Don’t you see that scoring for me?” she said triumphantly. “Won’t that prove that they brawled themselves to death after drinking to the dregs.”
“When Ashok died readily, who could’ve killed Dilip?” he said with a probing look.
“I know Ashok has quick reflexes,” she said with a poker face, “possibly he might’ve pushed away Dilip before he died.”
“Why wouldn’t have Dilip pulled out the knife when pushed?”
“It’s puzzling isn’t it?” she said smilingly.
“What if someone was there to ensure that both died?”
“Eminently possible, but don’t you think it’s too thin a thread to hang me with?” she said mockingly.
“Could the criminal and the informer be the same?”
“We could discuss all that and more if you stay on for dinner,” she said invitingly, taking his hand.
“Not now, maybe some other time,” he said making a move.
“You may know that you’re always welcome,” she said pressing his hand.
“Looks like you’re a tough nut to crack,” he said pressing her hand.
“Oh!’ she feigned pain.
“I’m sorry,” he said releasing her hand.
“Isn’t it precious to hold,” she said extending her hand enticingly.