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Sandhya shook her head.
“Nothing. I mean… I will ask around. Let me talk to the staff. There’s always someone around - maalis, maids, watchmen. I’ll ask if anyone noticed someone going in or out of this cottage this evening,” she replied. “Someone other than us, that is. A few of us were here earlier this evening, and I don’t think any of us saw either the bird or the person who dumped it here.”
“Yes, I used the loo while we were here. I would have noticed a dead bird on the bed,” mused Freddy.
“It wasn’t here when you guys left. Whoever did this must have entered the house when I was out chasing that stupid drone,” I said slowly.
“I still think there’s no harm in posting a guard or two outside your cottage,” insisted Sona.
“Ma’am, Tasha is safe here. If you’re worried, I can stay with her tonight. And I’m sure we’ll have some answers by tomorrow,” said Sandhya, with a reassuring smile.
“I don’t need a babysitter, guys. No guards! And there’s no need for you to stay either, Sandhya. I’ll doss down on the sofa tonight. Tomorrow, we can replace the mattress and forget all about birds, dead or alive,” I said firmly.
“Can you be reasonable for once in your life?” asked DV, through gritted teeth.
“Can you let me live my life the way I want?” I shot back.
“Let’s not fight,” said Freddy hastily, shooting worried glances at DV and me. “I have a solution that might make you both happy. The cottage next to Tasha’s is empty. You can stay there tonight, DV. The two cottages were originally designed to be one big house, but I split them into two homes last year, with a connecting door in the wall outside. Tasha, please keep that door open. If you feel unsafe at any point, you can call DV, and he can reach you in less than a minute.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” cried Sona.
She turned to DV and raised a challenging eyebrow.
“Any objections?”
He shook his head slowly.
“None at all. It’s the perfect solution. In fact, if Freddy allows it, I’m going to stay in the cottage next door until we find whoever’s behind this.”
“That’s even better,” said Freddy, with a wide grin.
I stared at DV in horror as my heart stuttered at the very idea of living so close to him, if only temporarily. As it is, I was hanging onto my sanity by a very thin thread. I’d lose my grip on it completely if he stuck to my side 24/7, as he was threatening to do.
“Your Highness, do you have a death wish?” I asked as politely as I could.
He aimed a black scowl at me, which was very weird. And rude. When we were engaged, he used to have issues with my rudeness, and now he had a problem with my politeness. Could the man make up his fucking mind?
Sona tried to play peacemaker.
“Tasha, he’s only trying to help,” she began.
“So am I,” I replied, with a shrug. “I’m trying to help him stay alive. Because, do you know what will happen if he moves in with me?”
She shook her head warily.
“I will get so sick of his condescension and bullying that I will snap at some point, and when that happens, I will drug his bedtime whisky with enough barbiturates to fell a horse. And after he passes out, I will skin him alive and send you and Samar bits of it by courier. And then I’ll throw his rotting carcass into the sea,” I said shrilly.
Freddy and Samar burst out laughing. Meanwhile, Sona and Sandhya were staring at the floor with suspiciously pursed lips, as if they were trying not to laugh. God knows why. I was dead serious.
The only other person who didn’t find it funny was DV. He glared at me with all the force of his mighty Suryavanshi ancestors behind him, and I blew them all a mental raspberry as I stared him down.
“I’ve never bullied you,” he said in a menacing voice.
“You’re doing it right now,” I pointed out drily.
DV closed his eyes and exhaled forcefully.
“Fine. I’m sorry if I bullied you and was condescending to you,” he said in a voice so loaded with condescension that I almost lobbed the dead chicken at his head. It’s like hewantedto drive me mad.
