I told him I didn’t know, and returned to my bedroom. The cupboard against the wall had been opened, and my clothes were strewn on the floor. The bed had been torn apart, sheets pulled back, and the pillow removed from its case. I surveyed the room for the radio. Where was it? Not on the bedside table where I’d left it that morning. Christ, if it was gone, so was my story. Or worse.

Stooping to look under the bed, I found it. The radio had been knocked off the table and fallen to the floor. I still needed to check for the roll of film inside before I could relax.

Oblivious to Ramu, who’d followed me from the second bedroom, I pried open the radio’s battery compartment. The film was there. But not for long. I grabbed it and stuffed it into my pants’ front pocket.

“Sir?” he asked again. “Kya hua?”

“Burglar,” I answered. “Thief. Chor.”

He tried to explain something to me, but wasn’t up to the task in English.

“Eik minnit, sir,” he said and ran out the front door.

Who knew where he was headed, but I couldn’t worry about that. I wandered back into the dining room. There, I noticed a small folded sheet of paper on the table. Had it been there when I’d come in? I couldn’t say.

I picked it up and read:

“Sassoon Docks, 14 number. Ten o’clock. Bring film. Come alone. B.”

Bikas. He must have phoned the office right after he’d searched my flat. I slid the note into the same pocket as the film and turned back to my bedroom. I picked a few shirts, slacks, and some underwear off the floor and folded them into a small suitcase. Two pairs of dry sneakers, too. I closed it just as I heard Ramu return. He wasn’t alone.

“Sushmita,” I said, but that was the only word I could get out before she threw herself against me.

Her arms around my neck, she squeezed me and wept apologies into my ear. I found the courage to lift my arms and place them gently on her back. Yes, Ramu was standing there watching it all, but I didn’t care. I tightened my hold.

At length, she pulled away and asked if I could forgive her. I didn’t know what to say. I simply smiled as I rejoiced at the change in my luck. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, then laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Are you all right, Danny?” she asked. “Your servant told me someone broke in here. When he was out to deliver a bottle to that policeman, he said.”

“I’m fine. But I’ve got to get out of this place for a while.”

“What? Why?”

“I got a threat today in the office,” I said. “Then this.” I indicated the mess on the floor.