The cab enters the compound. Luckily for me—I’d been praying for this—I spot the man I want to see; he too sees me through the cab window and frowns.

I wave at him but don’t step out immediately. I dial the second number.

‘Hi?’ Comma says.

‘I have two stories for you,’ I tell her.

‘Where are you?’

‘I am ready to file my first crime story,’ I reply.

‘What’s the story?’ she asks.

‘Share-market whizkid beats up pregnant wife,’ I say.

I hear Comma breathe in sharply.

‘Can I—can I do anything?’ she asks hesitantly.

‘Please have a cameraman ready to reach my residential address, I think the police should be on their way soon,’ I say.

‘What’s the second story?’ she asks.

‘It’s an exclusive interview,’ I say. ‘But only if Tabloid wants it—there’s a price and certain conditions.’

‘Price we can discuss, what are the conditions?’ Comma asks.

‘A permanent job and—and maternity leave,’ I say.

‘This is a good start with the daring Polly,’ Comma says, ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

‘Thank you.’

‘By the way, Sinha and Ms Malik are being fired—I don’t know if you know. Anyway, I’ll send that cameraman on his way and I’ll see you on Monday. Kindly try and be on time for the edit meet,’ Comma says.

‘See you Monday,’ I say and hang up.

I get out of the cab. ASI Balhara looks at me quizzically.

‘Hello officer, sorry to see you again so soon,’ I say.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all my former editors for putting up with delayed deadlines. I also thank my editor Vaishali Mathur for reading my blog (when there are so many others) and for putting up with delayed deadlines as well. Many thanks too to professor Antoni Jach, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, for encouraging me to write this book. A big thank you to my better-half Sam for pushing me to finish the book and for looking after Mia while I wrote.

Lastly, a big thank you to all blog readers who’ve stuck around with the various blog changes, country change, marital status change and every other change I’ve thrown their way.