“Listen!” Ramesh said suddenly, ignoring Naresh’s question. “What it all comes down to is this. Jennifer Hernandez is making a supreme nuisance of herself, and in the process putting the future of Indian medical tourism in jeopardy, particularly from the perspective of the United States, which promises to be our biggest potential market because of its idiotic healthcare system and the out-of-control medical inflation it fosters. I want you to take care of this woman, either yourself or some agent you trust. Tail her for a couple of days and keep me informed in real time who she sees, who she talks with, and where she goes. I want a full report, and most of all I want a reason to deport her without causing a scene or publicity of any sort. If she’s not doing anything wrong, conjure it up. But for heaven’s sake don’t make a martyr of her, meaning no strong-arm tactics. Understood?”

“Quite so,” Naresh said. “I will start in the morning with the Hernandez woman, and I will see to it myself. I will also put a trusted agent on the issue of who is tipping off CNN.”

“Perfect,” Ramesh said. “And as I said, keep me informed.”

As he hung up the phone, Ramesh noisily exhaled in exasperation. Although he felt good about having built a little fire under Naresh and took the man at his word, meaning he expected him to follow Jennifer Hernandez around starting in the morning, the question of whether it would be enough and soon enough dogged him. In his mind he considered Naresh dependable and reasonably competent but certainly not the sharpest knife in the cutlery drawer. At the same time, Ramesh worried what the effect of yet another death reported by CNN was going to have on the higher-ups who’d called him that very afternoon to complain about the other two. It was clear it wasn’t going to be positive, and it cast more doubt on the efficacy of Naresh’s methodical but slow style. Such thinking reminded Ramesh of his call that afternoon to Shashank Malhotra, who was anything but slow and methodical. Believing it couldn’t hurt to rile the rash businessman a little more, Ramesh picked the phone back up and made what he hoped would be the last call of the day.

“Are you calling me with some good news this time?” Shashank demanded as soon as he knew who was calling.

“I wish that were the case,” Ramesh responded. “Unfortunately, there was another medical tourist death tonight that has already been reported on CNN International.”

“Was it again at Queen Victoria?” Shashank demanded. It was clear he was in no mood for small talk.