Before Laurie could begin, Jennifer appeared out of the crowd and hurried over. “So sorry, everyone. The first ladies’ room was just too crowded, so I had to find another. Anyway, I’m back.” She paused, looking from Laurie to Jack to Neil. “What’s going on? Why the long faces?”

“Neil just told me about your experience today in the Old Delhi bazaar.”

“Oh, that,” Jennifer said with a wave. “I’ve got a lot to tell you. That’s just the most dramatic.”

“I think it’s very serious and has serious implications,” Laurie said soberly.

“Wonderful,” Jennifer said, waving over her head. “I was hoping you’d feel that way. Sorry, but here come the Benfattis, who I told you about.”

“Good evening, folks,” Jennifer said, as Lucinda directed her two sons over to Jennifer and her group.

All of them introduced themselves, and hands were shaken all around.

Jennifer eyed the two boys. Louis was the older and the oceanographer. Tony was the herpetologist and the younger, and he looked more like his mother.

“Jennifer told me about you,” Lucinda said to Laurie and Jack. “She suggested that you might be willing to have a look at my husband, Herbert, before we tell them to go ahead and cremate him.”

“My understanding, at this point, is that your husband’s and Jennifer’s grandmother’s cases are strikingly similar,” Laurie said. “If that’s the case, we would like very much to check it out. Whether an autopsy might be in the offing, I cannot say. Hold off on giving them the green light with the cremation until you hear from us. We’ll be at the hospital tomorrow morning.”

“We’ll be happy to do that,” Lucinda said. “Thank you very much.”

“There’s not going to be an autopsy,” Jennifer said. “Mrs. Varini reminded me of that again today under no uncertain terms. Not unless something very unusual happens. Here in India the doctors cannot make that decision. It’s up to either the police or the magistrates. Did you hear from her today, Lucinda?”

“I did. She made the offer to take Herbert to Varanasi if I’d give the green light. Between you and me, I don’t give a hoot about Varanasi. Anyway, I reminded her my boys were coming tonight, and I told her she would hear from them tomorrow.”

“Did she threaten you at all about tomorrow?” Jennifer asked.

“Yes, something about getting a court order but not until the afternoon. I merely repeated about my boys calling her before noon and hung up. She’s very tiresome.”

Jennifer laughed. “That’s an understatement.”

After agreeing to chat in the morning, the two groups walked over to the Amal Palace Hotel area and found their respective greeters. The greeters in turn called the respective drivers, and the group went outside to wait for their respective rides.