‘Okay. For now, let’s not tell anyone about the murder. I want to see their reactions when they hear it for the first time.’
‘Good idea.’
Bhaskar sighed as Manu returned with another wheelchair, a simple, non-motorized one. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll return to my room. I don’t think I can stay on my feet for much longer.’ He slowly lowered himself into the wheelchair as Manu held it in place. He looked up at Athreya with a faint smile. ‘By the way, I noticed your surprise when I came here. Seeing me in a wheelchair, people assume that I can’t walk. I walk four times a day, fifteen minutes each time. The legs need some exercise if they are not to atrophy away.’
‘Manu,’ Athreya said as Manu began to wheel Bhaskar away. ‘Can I borrow your bicycle?’
‘Certainly. I’ll have Gopal–one of the boys–bring it to you.’
By then, Sebastian had returned with a lock. Athreya locked the chapel and pocketed the key. Then, with Sebastian in tow, he made a quick circuit covering Sunset Deck, the annex, the inner lawn and the rose garden. They found nothing out of place.
‘If you’ll excuse me,’ Sebastian said, ‘I need to call the police, and see how I can bring at least the inspector here.’
‘What of the landslide?’
‘We have a cross-country motorcycle for just such situations. I will have to find a way around the landslide. I can bring back one person on the motorcycle.’
‘You may need the police doctor as well.’
‘I’ll see what I can do.’
As Sebastian hurried away, Dora appeared through one of the drawing-room French windows. Her puzzled look followed Sebastian, who had restricted his greeting to a curt ‘good morning’, without slowing down or meeting her eyes. He had hurried past her distractedly.
‘What happened?’ she asked Athreya when she reached him. ‘Bhuvana told me that the staff had been locked in. And now Sebastian is uncharacteristically unsociable.’
‘Your room is on the first floor, right?’ Athreya asked. ‘Did you just come down?’
‘I came down about fifteen minutes ago. And when I came down, I found Bhuvana nervy and unforthcoming.’
‘When did you retire last night?’
‘Around 12.30 or so. I glanced at my watch when I entered the mansion. It was 12.27 a.m.’
‘Did Manu come indoors with you?’
‘No. He said he wanted to take a walk and unwind before going to bed.’ She peered shrewdly at Athreya. ‘Why these questions? Something has happened, hasn’t it? What is it?’
‘Murder.’
Athreya watched her face as he uttered the word. For a moment, her puzzlement deepened. A moment later, shock hit her. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened mutely.
‘Who?’ she croaked.
Athreya was ready with his response, and had pulled out his mobile phone. He showed her the picture of the dead man in the wheelchair.
‘Uncle!’ she gasped. ‘No! Tell me it isn’t true!’ Tears flooded her eyes.
‘Who do you think it is?’ Athreya asked.
‘It looks like Uncle. It’s his wheelchair. The hair and the beard look like his. Tell me it isn’t him!’
‘It isn’t, Dora.’
She gave him a piercing stare.
‘You wouldn’t be playing with me, would you, Mr Athreya? That would be cruel.’
‘I’m sorry, but I had to see your reaction. No, it isn’t Mr Fernandez. Take another look. Who do you think it is?’
Dora looked at the picture again and zoomed in with her fingers.
‘Phillip?’ she gasped. ‘Is it Mr Phillip?’
Athreya nodded.
‘Where?’
‘In the chapel.’
Dora groaned and buried her face in her hands.
‘I wonder when it happened,’ she said through her fingers. ‘I saw Mr Varadan and him chatting in the drawing room after dinner. Most of us had gone out to the garden. On my way back to the mansion, I ran into Mr Varadan on the walkway. Mr Phillip seemed to have left too, because no one was in the drawing room when I got back.’
‘What were you doing in the garden?’
‘Talking to Manu for almost an hour about how Uncle is planning to help me with my little fashion business. I had some issues with Uncle’s approach, and was discussing it with Manu to see if we could convince Uncle to do it differently.’
Here she was, speaking openly about a conversation that could potentially pin a motive on her. She couldn’t know that he had overheard a part of the conversation. Yet, she was being forthright. He gazed at her silently for a moment. Her eyes were wide and innocent, and her face bore a frank expression. Either she had nothing to hide, or she was an excellent actress.
‘Okay,’ he said aloud. ‘Is anyone else up?’
Dora shook her head. ‘Didn’t see anyone, except Bhuvana.’
‘Now, I want you to keep what I told you under your hat. Don’t tell anyone that there has been a murder. I need to see people’s first reactions to the news.’
‘I don’t envy you, Mr Athreya. You are going to hurt people.’
‘I know. I’ve learnt to live with the guilt. Nice guys seldom solve crimes. Now, I need to run.’
Athreya walked away briskly. A moment later Dora came trotting after him.
‘Can I come with you?’ she asked. ‘Gopal has got Manu’s bicycle ready for you. I have mine.’
Athreya stopped and considered her request. On the one hand, it was not good practice to let a potential suspect join the investigation. On the other, her presence might help in the next task.
‘Okay,’ he replied. ‘Join me this time. But if I say no in the future, you must respect it.’
‘Certainly.’
‘And no saying anything to anybody.’
‘Of course!’
‘Including Manu or your uncle. And Richie.’
For a moment, fear flashed in her eyes. But she quickly nodded and led the way to the bicycles.
Ten minutes later, clad in a zipped-up jacket he had fetched from his room, Athreya was at the gate of the Misty Valley Resort with Dora. Recognizing her, the guard at the gate threw them a salute and grinned, showing crooked, discoloured teeth. This is why Athreya had brought Dora along. She greeted the guard warmly and indulged in some small talk.
‘Were you on duty
