Alex Archer: Fury's Goddess

“Who are you?” Annja crossed her arms. “No offense intended, but I don’t usually get into cars with people I don’t know. Especially in foreign countries.”

“My name is Inspector Ajay Pradesh.” He flashed a badge. “I am with the Hyderabad City Police Special Investigations Unit.”

Frank walked past Annja. “Good enough for me.”

Annja stopped Frank with a hand on his arm. “Let’s try not to get into too much trouble before we know what’s going on here, all right?”

Frank paused.

Pradesh seemed to be smiling at her. She frowned. “Would you mind letting me see your badge?”

“Of course not.” He tossed it to her and she caught it. There was a laminated photo of Pradesh and a hologram overlaid on the identification. It could have been a forgery, but Pradesh seemed genuine enough. Still, old habits were hard to fight and Annja had a few questions before she jumped into a stranger’s car.

“How did you know we were coming into town?”

“Your boss in New York called us. Apparently he was concerned that you might have some trouble when you landed.” He glanced quickly at Frank and then back at Annja.

Frank looked puzzled. “Why would they think that?”

Pradesh chuckled. “Perhaps this is not the first time you have made a scene in public?”

Frank glanced down. He sighed. “That Christmas party last year wasn’t my fault. Seriously.”

Annja shook her head. “I’m tempted to put you on the next plane back to New York.”

Frank ran his hand through his mop of hair, tousling it wildly. “Please don’t do that, Annja. This is a big assignment for me. If this goes right, it could be a stepping stone to better assignments. You know I can work a camera like no one’s business.”

Pradesh leaned against the car and folded his arms. “I think there’s a flight bound for the States in another hour.” He winked at Annja. “If that’s really what you want to do.”

Annja smirked. “Well…”

Frank fairly dived into the backseat of the Mercedes. Annja allowed herself the briefest smile.

“Well, that seems settled,” Pradesh said over the roar of an airplane taking off overhead. He held the door for her. “Would you like to sit up front? It makes you look like less of a criminal.”

“All right.”

Annja slid into the car and waited for Pradesh to get behind the steering wheel. He adjusted his seat belt and then guided them out into the traffic’s slipstream.

He was handsome and refined. She found it hard to think of him as a policeman, but she couldn’t deny that his authoritative presence had certainly heeled the customs officer. Still, he didn’t have the cop vibe.

“Thanks for stepping in back there at the airport.”

He shrugged. “He was doing his job, of course, but unfortunately many airport officials tend to live out their power-hungry fantasies at the expense of naive travelers.”

Frank didn’t say a word from the backseat.

“Your timing was impeccable.”

Pradesh grinned. “Actually, I was watching for a few minutes before I intervened.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to see what the two of you were like. How you handled the challenge and what you might do. I’m something of an observer of people, you see. I like knowing who I’m about to get involved with.”

“Get involved with?”

Pradesh nodded as he zipped the Mercedes around a large cargo truck. A blare of a horn followed them, but Pradesh seemed unmoved by it. “I’ve been assigned to help you.”

Annja shook her head. “I don’t think we need any help.”

Pradesh held up one hand. “I promise I won’t interfere with your investigation. There are a lot of jurisdictions involved in this case right now.”

“I get the feeling this isn’t a request.”

Pradesh shrugged. “I have people I answer to, as well. Orders are orders, as they say.”

Annja sighed. “I’m not exactly thrilled with this.”

“See it from our angle, Annja. We’re dealing with a crime scene. Two foreigners—one who is, forgive me, less than culturally perceptive—with a television program coming into our jurisdiction to investigate a series of crimes we haven’t been able to make much headway on yet. Imagine how bad we would look if television researchers—one with archaeology accreditation—were able to figure it out and we were not. Such disgrace would be intolerable for us, I’m afraid.”

“So, you’re here to babysit us.”

“If that is how you wish to view it, that is fine with me.” Pradesh shrugged. “But I do sincerely wish to assist you in any way that I might. I have been intrigued with the idea of a giant tiger roaming our city since the first body was found. But my requests for additional manpower to track it have gone unanswered.”

“Why?”

Pradesh pointed out a sprawling new construction project to their left. “Hyderabad is in the midst of unparalleled economic growth. Several key industries for the city have the potential to make this part of India one of the country’s richest.”

“I would think the powers that be would want anything that threatened it to be taken care of at once.”

“It’s something of a fine line.” Pradesh reduced the air-conditioning. “The city leaders are publicity clamoring for action. But behind the scenes, they don’t want anything to disrupt progress. And the development where these attacks have occurred belong to some of the city’s wealthiest, so it’s a double-edged sword. The residents obviously want the tiger—or creature—found and killed, but they don’t want a stigma attached to their homes. They would lose all cachet. And that’s why they bought here.”

Annja shook her head. “Bizarre. They’ve potentially got a man-eating tiger looking for its next meal and they’re worried about what their friends will say.”

“I am not even close to being in that financial realm. So perhaps my perspective is somewhat different.”

“More like realistic,” she said.

“We will have to proceed with discretion,” Pradesh said. “There are people who already think the city leaders have been too vocal about finding the tiger. For them, it would be better if the tiger was lured away to some other section of the city. If it found a poorer place to settle down and hunt, they’d be quite happy.”

“Don’t tell me someone actually suggested that.”

Pradesh smiled. “As I said, my perspective is not nearly the same as those with money.”

“I guess the sooner we figure it out, then the better it will be for everyone involved.”

“Absolutely. Now, let me get you settled at your hotel. I’m certain your cameraman would like to have a shower and a fresh change of clothes.”

“He would,” Frank said. “Thank you very much.”

“What happens next?” Annja asked.

“There’s a function tonight to welcome you and Frank to our city,” Pradesh explained. “I don’t suppose you have an evening gown with you?”

“An evening gown?” Annja frowned. “I’m here to find a tiger, not dance.”

Pradesh smiled. “This will be something of a challenge.” He wheeled them toward a gleaming white hotel. “But I think we will manage.”

Chapter 3

The hotel was gorgeous. As Annja walked into the bedroom from the steaming-hot shower she’d just enjoyed, she couldn’t help but appreciate the thick shag carpet. She curled up on the bed and gave serious thought to falling right to sleep. The flight had been long, and with the stress of having to shepherd Frank through customs, she was exhausted.

Thank goodness Pradesh showed up. She smiled. He was a handsome man, and she hadn’t seen a wedding ring on his finger. Although maybe that was because he didn’t wear one while he worked.