“It’s such a weird story,” Robin was saying, “but Derek thinks someone’s after the Kama Sutra you gave me, the one you wanted Brooklyn to fix.”
“I don’t understand. Someone tried to steal it?”
“Not exactly,” I said, and gave Shiva the abridged version of everything that had happened since Robin returned from India. I glossed over the grislier details of Alex’s death and was gratified when Robin smiled at me for doing so. Maybe she was coming back around.
While I spoke, Derek and Gabriel walked into the room and stood casually on either side of my recliner.
Shiva was visibly shaken by my story. “You think my friend Rajiv hid this thing, this… microchip? Inside the book?”
“It’s actually a tiny flash drive,” I explained, then confessed, “We don’t know for sure whether it’s in the book or not.”
Derek sat on the arm of my chair. “It may have been passed to Robin without her knowledge sometime during her flight home from India.”
He met my glance and smiled tightly. I knew he’d said that to mollify Shiva’s fears, but I could tell he still didn’t believe it.
“You know, that happened to me once,” Shiva said. “It was on a missionary flight to feed the refugees along the Uganda border. I was in the Entebbe airport, and frankly, I was so worried about Robin at the time that I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.” She reached over to clutch Robin’s hand. “You had the measles, love. What a nightmare I went through, worrying about you while being too far away to do anything about it.”
“I don’t remember ever having the measles,” Robin said, shaking her head.
“Oh, dear, maybe it was the mumps,” Shiva said, and a frown marred her unlined forehead. “I’m getting so forgetful in my old age. My point is, I was in such a state that someone was able to slip a small parcel of drugs into my tote bag and I was arrested. I was completely innocent, of course. The State Department and the United Nations had to intervene.”
“That’s terrible, Shiva,” my mom said. “We never heard about it back here.”
“No, it was kept very quiet,” she said, sipping her tea. “I had just started working with the U.N., and nobody wanted an international incident to erupt.”
“That was good of them to clear it up quickly,” Dad said.
“Yes, I would’ve hated to be stuck in a jail cell when Robin was suffering so badly.” She gazed fondly at Robin. “It was the mumps. I remember you describing your chipmunk cheeks to me over the phone.”
“Anyway, that’s why I’m in Dharma, Mom,” Robin said wearily. After taking a deep breath and letting it out, she added, “Brooklyn sugarcoated it on my account, but the truth is, that man was shot in the head and the chest. It happened in my bedroom. There was blood everywhere. Then, two days later, I was viciously attacked on the street.”
“What?” Shiva’s frantic gaze whipped around from Derek to Austin to Gabriel to me. “No. Who did this?”
I watched Robin as Shiva freaked out over that brief but macabre description of the murder scene. Robin wouldn’t meet my gaze. I knew something was going on with her.
“The police are on the case,” Derek said. “But in the meantime, we thought it best for Robin to leave the city.”
“We’ll find out who did it,” I said with resolve. “And we’ll find that flash drive, too. I’m tired of having my door broken down.”
“Oh, my heavens,” Shiva said, her normally smooth forehead creased with worry. “But this has nothing to do with Rajiv, I assure you. He is a dear friend and would never hurt me this way. I… I’ll speak to him as soon as possible about this flash drive.”
“It would be helpful if you could,” Derek said. “The sooner we get some answers, the sooner Robin will be out of danger.”
Shiva’s frown disappeared slowly and a shrewd smile took its place. “Well, then, isn’t it convenient that Rajiv will be joining me in San Francisco in a few days?”
“Convenient indeed,” Gabriel mused under his breath.
“Isn’t it?” she asked, her eyes wide and clear and focused exclusively on Gabriel. “He insists he couldn’t bear my absence from Varanasi for more than a few days, so he’s flying out to meet me in San Francisco. I’ve promised him a trip down the coast after a few days in the city.”
“Sounds like a delightful trip,” Gabriel murmured, his gaze never leaving hers.
Shiva laughed, a pure, joyful sound. Was it Gabriel’s attentions that made her so happy? I couldn’t blame her for that. “Yes, it should be fun. But first things first. I’ll arrange a meeting with all of you and Rajiv and you’ll see that he’s innocent. Will next Saturday be soon enough?”
I looked up at Derek. “Is that soon enough?”
“It’s perfect,” Derek murmured as one eyebrow arched cynically. “Please convey our thanks to him for obliging us.”
Chapter 13
I wasn’t proud of it, but while cleaning up in the kitchen, I noticed Robin heading toward the bathroom. So I followed her. We met at the bathroom door. “I’m going in there with you.”
“That’s just weird, Brooklyn.”
“I want to talk to you.”
She tried to stare me down but finally gave up. “A girl can’t get any privacy around here.”
I closed the door and locked it. “We used to share this bathroom, remember?”
“Yeah. You, me, and your three sisters.”
“Crazy,” I admitted. “I don’t know how you survived.”
“It was cozy. I loved living here with you guys.”
I sat on the edge of the tub. “It was pretty much the best time ever for me.”
“Yeah.” Standing in front of the mirror, she brushed her hair with her fingers. “I don’t care what you think of me, Brooklyn. I’m just not ready to go back yet.”
“For goodness’ sake, Robin, you were attacked and terrorized. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go back. We only came up here because I needed your help and you weren’t answering the phone. We were worried.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think about you guys being worried. I was with Austin and…” She met my gaze in the mirror. “So, did you get all your questions answered?”
“I’ll probably have a million more by the time I get home, but Derek and I will work it out. I’m looking forward to grilling Rajiv. I hope he’ll provide more insights.”
“I hope so, too.”
I stretched my legs out and crossed my ankles. “So what do you think you’ll do next?”
“I’m staying up here for a few more days.”
“That’s a good idea,” I admitted. “I can tell you’re happier here than you were in the city.”
“I am. Austin is… awesome.” Her smile softened. “So fierce and protective. I love the way he…”
I squinched up my face and covered my ears. There are some things a sister should never find out about her brother. “I don’t want to hear the details.”
She laughed. “Fine. I’m not quite ready to share them anyway.”
“I appreciate that.” I scooted to the end of the tub and leaned back against the tile wall. “You still worry me, though.”
“Why? I’ll be fine.” She paused as if thinking about what she had just said, and then nodded decisively. Maybe she was finally coming back to herself. I was glad to see it. Still, teasing your best friend is practically in the job description.
“I’m just afraid you’ll start wearing overalls and, you know, flannel.”
She cringed. “Not while I have a breath left in me.”
“You say that now, Robin, but you went hiking and camping.”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling. “Weird.” As she spoke, she touched the skin around her eye experimentally.
“Does it still hurt?”
“It twinges every so often, but it feels much better. It’s just ugly.”
“Not so much anymore.” But I scowled at the memory of crazy Galina. “I can’t believe we took that lunatic woman down. I think she was on a mission to kill.”