“That would be impossible. Public mortuaries in our country are in frightful condition thanks to our byzantine bureaucracy. Mortuaries are administered by the home ministry, not the ministry of health, as they should be, and the home ministry cares little about them and grossly underfunds them. Some have no refrigeration, others only intermittently, and bodies routinely rot. To be brutally honest, we cannot allow that to happen even to your grandmother because of the potential negative media consequences. We’re trying to help you. Please help us!”

All at once, Jennifer felt off-balance. She got to her feet. Although still being less than tactful, Queen Victoria Hospital seemed to be going from trying to bully her to pleading with her. “I’m going back to the hotel,” Jennifer managed. “I need to rest.”

“Yes, you go have a long sleep,” Kashmira said. She stood as well and bowed over her pressed-together hands.

Jennifer stumbled out into the confusion of the lobby, where a dozen more admissions were waiting to be processed. She went to the front glass wall and looked for her car and driver in the hospital’s small turnout. Not seeing him, she pulled out her cell phone and punched in the numbers.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

OCTOBER 17, 2007
WEDNESDAY, 2:55 P.M.
NEW DELHI, INDIA

Kashmira had watched as Jennifer navigated her way through the people in the lobby. Never had Kashmira been more aggravated by a next of kin. When she’d been able to talk the woman into coming to India, she’d thought the problem of Maria Hernandez’s body was essentially over; now it was ascending to another level of urgency, with not one but two forensic investigators on their way to lend their thoughts. Kashmira knew that CEO Rajish Bhurgava was not going to be happy.

The second Jennifer exited from the lobby Kashmira walked out of her office and down the hall to where Rajish’s corner office was located.

“Is he available?” Kashmir questioned Rajish’s private secretary.

“I believe so,” the secretary said. “But he’s not in a good mood.” She checked, using the intercom, and then waved Kashmira by as another call came in on an outside line.

Between calls, Rajish was reading over a stack of letters and then signing them with his rapid scrawl. In contrast to his casual cowboy outfits he wore when called in at night, he was wearing a Western designer suit, white shirt, and Gucci tie.