“It’s an expression. It means directly from the person or persons involved. I’m going to take a nap, visit the American embassy if I can, and then I’ll come back.”

“That’s too late. A decision has to be made now.”

“Listen, Ms. Varini, to be honest, I’m getting a bad feeling here like I’m being pushed too hard. And now with this second death last night, which seems a wee bit too similar to my granny’s, I’m even less likely to make a hasty decision. I mean, you say you don’t know anything about it, which is probably true, but I want to know something about it. It’s too close to my grandmother’s death and sounds too similar.”

“I’m sorry, but other people’s records are confidential. And in regard to yourself, I was specifically told that I had to obtain your decision this morning. We simply cannot have your grandmother’s body in this cooler another hour.” For emphasis, Kashmira reached out a hand and made renewed contact with the cooler’s door. “If you are not willing to cooperate, I’m afraid you will have to speak with our president directly, because he has the authority to speak to a magistrate and petition the court to make the decision for you.”

“I’m not speaking with anyone for a few hours,” Jennifer snapped back. Now she was truly angry. Earlier, she had the opinion Queen Victoria Hospital was trying to push her, and now she was sure of it. Although on the one hand such an action was understandable because of their lack of proper storage, on the other hand it seemed provocative, especially their unwillingness to even consider an autopsy if she expressly indicated she wanted one. “I’ll give you a call when I’m able to think a little better, and I’ll come back. Meanwhile, let me warn you people: Don’t defile my grandmother’s body without my permission unless you are willing to deal with one very unhappy camper.”

“An unhappy camper?” Kashmira questioned, totally confused.

Jennifer rolled her eyes. “It means someone who’s really pissed.”

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

OCTOBER 17, 2007
WEDNESDAY, 9:45 A.M.
DELHI, INDIA