“Ajay?”
Pradesh smiled as a rotund woman rushed up, wiping her hands on her apron. She clutched him up in a giant hug. “Oh, my boy!”
Pradesh gave her a kiss and then turned to Annja and Frank. “I’d like you to meet my mother, Peta.”
“Mother?” Annja smiled. “You pulled a fast one on us.”
Pradesh returned her smile. “Well, this is a restaurant, but yes, I did.”
“Come,” Peta said after the introductions had been made. She eyed Pradesh. “The specialties?”
Pradesh nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
“Mind? Why would I mind? It’s not every night I get to cook for my only son and his friends.” She beamed at them all. “Ajay is the pride of my home. A distinguished police officer. I couldn’t be happier that he’s brought you all here to my humble little restaurant.”
She vanished into the back, and Annja heard a cacophony of dishes banging as Peta began cooking.
Pradesh smoothly dropped onto a cushion at a low table as Annja and Frank followed his lead and sat on cushions opposite him. It took Frank some time to cross his legs awkwardly. “My father died a few years ago from a heart condition,” their host said. “I try to come by at least once a week when work doesn’t keep me away. It’s important that we still have each other.”
“You’re a good son,” Annja said, nodding.
“So, what are we having?” Frank asked.
Pradesh grinned. “Hyderabad is known for its regional cuisine. We call it Andhra here, and it features a lot of spicy chilies, rice, lentils, some seafood and chicken dishes. My mother’s specialty is preparing pickles.”
“Pickles?” Frank asked, skeptical. Annja wanted to pinch him under the table but Pradesh took it in stride.
“I think you’ll like them, Frank. My mother makes an incredible avakaya. Do you know what that is?”
“No.”
“It’s a pickle made from green mango. She also makes one from the leaves of the gongura plant. When you taste them with the other dishes, I think you’ll agree this is a far better meal than what Dunraj would have served—even with all of his money behind him.”
Annja took in the one other table of diners in the far corner of the rather intimate room and replied, “I don’t doubt it for one moment. I can’t tell you how many incredible meals I’ve been fortunate enough to have when I’ve been abroad in the past.”
“Haven’t you always been a broad?” Frank smirked.
Annja shot him a look. “Keep it up and I’ll separate your head from your shoulders.”
Frank stretched backward and almost fell over, catching himself by the edge of the table. “Yeah, right. How you going to do that?”
“Don’t ask,” she said. “Or you just might find out.” She winked at Pradesh and he smiled.
“If the food gets too spicy, please take some of the curd that comes with the meal. It helps to neutralize the heat and will calm your stomach.”
“Is this going to be very spicy?” Annja asked.
“Oh, yes. My mother is an expert at balancing heat, however, so while you may find one dish almost unbearable, she will complement it with another milder one. She’s a marvel in the kitchen.”
“I’m surprised she doesn’t have a bigger place,” Frank said.
“She used to work at a fancy hotel, but she got tired of the class of people there. She’s never been as happy as when she’s working for herself.”
On cue, the door to the kitchen slammed open and Peta came out bearing the first dishes. “I hope you’re hungry,” she fairly sang.
They were. And when Annja saw what Peta had prepared for them, she forgot all about being exhausted.
And Dunraj.
Chapter 6
It was one of the best meals Annja had had in a very long time. When they were done eating, Peta closed the restaurant and served them all a strong drink she said was an old family recipe. Annja wasn’t sure if it was alcoholic or not, but it was soothing and went down extremely easily.
Peta sat with them as they relaxed, helping herself to some of the drink. Annja toasted her.
“That was amazing. I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality.”
Frank held his glass aloft. “I second that. You are an incredible chef.”
Peta beamed at them and then put her arm around her son. “Thank you. I learned to cook when I was older. I forced myself to learn how to make the best meals for Pradesh. He studied so hard in school.”
Pradesh smiled at his mother. “It was a huge help when I was so exhausted from studying.”
“And now he is a famous policeman, keeping our city safe and free from corruption.” Annja saw the woman’s pride. Having lost Ajay’s father, it was clear that her son now occupied all of her heart.
Pradesh demurred. “Annja and Frank are here to investigate the deaths of those people in the development.”
Peta frowned. “A terrible thing. To imagine a creature attacking in such a way. It’s horrifying.”
“What do you think the creature is?” Annja asked. “A rogue tiger, perhaps?”
Peta stared at her. “In all my years I’ve never heard of a tiger stalking people in a city this big.” She shrugged. “But I am just a cook.”
“But the development—if I’m correct—is on the outskirts,” Annja said. “Perhaps it’s pushing into the domain of a tiger?”
Pradesh ran a hand along his chin. “It’s possible, I suppose. But we’ve found no tracks at the crime scenes. And a tiger large enough to take down a full-grown man would leave behind some sign.”
“Is the area well paved?”
Pradesh shook his head. “In some places, yes, but the area where the bodies were found was moist from the landscaping irrigation systems. And we found hardly a trace of anything in the mud. Our best forensics people were unable to locate any hair or DNA that would confirm it was a tiger.”
“Maybe it’s the ghost of a tiger,” Frank suggested hopefully.
“Frank,” Annja said, “ghosts?”
Frank helped himself to more of the drink from the small jug Peta had placed on the table and shrugged. “Just trying to contribute a little something to the conversation.”
Pradesh sighed. “I honestly wish I had more information to share with you. As you know, it’s an ongoing police investigation. All I can say is we are stumped.”
“Have you increased patrols in the area?”
He nodded. “We have two teams down there covering off twenty-four hours a day. They stay in constant radio contact. But something tells me if the killer is determined, not even the presence of the police will dissuade it…or…him.”
Peta got to her feet. “Just promise me you’ll be careful out there.” She frowned. “I can’t even bear to think about losing you, too.”
Pradesh stood and kissed his mother on the cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, Mother. I promise.”
Peta eyed Annja. “Make sure he doesn’t, would you?”
Annja was taken aback. “Uh, all right.”
Peta smiled. “I