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first time he was in the same room as the superstar. He had enough fodder to last multiple sessions of gossip with his friends and family. Everyone wanted to hear about Nidhi. She had that effect on people.
    Other people in the room were in various states of anxiousness. Leaning against the headrest of the bed was yet another strikingly good-looking young woman. She was wearing a pair of skin-tight denims and a bright t-shirt. Her arms were folded in front of her chest. Prakash guessed that she must be Payal, Nidhi’s elder sister. Naveen Verma was sitting next to Payal on a chair. He still bore a look of hostility in his eyes and body language. He was talking softly to Payal and Prakash couldn’t hear their conversation. Two old servants, apparently a couple, were standing along the walls with their heads bent low. The woman appeared to be about sixty and was looking at Nidhi, while the man, appearing to be the same age, stood close to Verma.
    Unlike the rest of the lavishly furnished house, Nidhi’s room was rather modest. Everything reeked of style and money but at the same time, was muted and lacked any overt or vulgar display of wealth. Apart from rich embroidered curtains, thick rugs and cushions of all shapes and sizes, very few items of vanity were at show. The bedroom did not have a single picture of Nidhi, Nishant or Neelima apart from a huge poster of Nishant Kapoors’ superhit, Lahu Ka Rang .
    He noticed that the room did not have a single book. However, it did have a large television, a Sony Bravia, and afew DVDs stacked neatly in the cabinet, just the way books and vinyl records were stacked in the office. He noticed a tripod and a big Nikon DSLR resting on it. There was some sort of a walk-in closet on the far side of the room. Prakash couldn’t see it from where he was standing, but could make out that it was a dressing room, closet, bath and storage, all rolled into one.
    Prakash’s question still hung heavy in the air. He waited for Nidhi to answer but she continued to rock back and forth slowly on her hips. Payal was as non-committal. Verma spoke first, “This is not the right time to ask her such questions. Can’t you see she is troubled? If she was home last night, God knows what would have happened. You must leave us alone now. I’d have a word with Commissioner Joshi.”
    Prakash shot an angry glance at Verma. Even though Prakash was a small man, his cold stare could easily send shivers down the spine of even hardened criminals. Verma, however, did not flinch. He instead got up from the chair he was sitting on, stepped between Prakash and Nidhi and folded his arms across his chest. Prakash was bemused and exasperated. He wondered if Verma was either genuinely overprotective of Nidhi or was trying desperately to show off his loyalty.
    “I am merely trying to help your family here. I don’t really care about these mutts but the way they were killed is serious,” Prakash said. “I am sure you are used to getting death threats often, but do any of you realize that this time it is for real?”
    Prakash turned around. “Tambe, give me that letter.”
    He literally snatched the paper from Tambe and placed it on the empty chair that was previously occupied by Verma.
    “This letter was left in the typewriter in the room downstairs. If after reading this you change your mind, you may come to see me.”
    At the mention of the typewriter, Nidhi turned slowly to look at Prakash. Prakash noticed the movement and for an instant, he and Nidhi looked into each other’s eyes. She did not betray any emotion and before Prakash could note anything out of place, she broke the visual handshake to glance around the room. She was searching for the letter that Prakash was talking about. She found it resting on the chair in a transparent evidence bag. She looked at the letter and stared briefly at Prakash and then at her sister, Payal. Finally she rested her eyes on the letter again.
    Prakash noticed Nidhi staring