“Do you only want to capture the Punjab liquor trade? Or do you want it all?”
5.
They sit facing one another.
Ajay and Sunny Wadia.
On the red plastic chairs at the coffee table.
Sunny in his Ray-Bans. Ajay making no attempt to lower his gaze.
“Drink?” Sunny says. He doesn’t wait for a reply. He pours two tumblers of whisky, large. “For old times’ sake.” Drops ice cubes in each. Slides one across the table, Ajay reaching for his, his jacket sleeve riding up to reveal the base of a tattoo. “What’s that?” Sunny asks.
Ajay pauses, pulls the sleeve higher.
A crude dagger, coiled by a crude snake.
“You did it yourself?” Sunny asks.
Ajay lowers his sleeve without a word, brings the tumbler to his lips, takes a tentative sip, then a deeper one. Puts the glass down. “Give me a cigarette,” he says.
Sunny holds out his open pack, looks into Ajay’s bloodshot eyes, sees the slightly trembling hand. “We’ve both changed.”
Ajay takes the cigarette.
Sunny leans across with a flame. “What were you going to say?” He lights his own, and they sit there smoking in silence for a while. “Do you even know?”
Ajay only stares.
“Were you going to hurt me?”
Was he?
“I heard you killed some men inside.”
Ajay looks around the room. “One or two.”
Sunny removes his shades. “I know,” he says, “you don’t work for me anymore. But soon everything is going to change.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
“And I could use a man like you.”
* * *
—
Tinu bursts through the door into this scene, looks between the two men drinking whisky with incredulous eyes. “You,” he barks, “I told you to wait outside.” Then he sighs, shakes his head. “Now come with me. Bunty wants to talk.”
Sunny begins to stand.
“Not you,” Tinu says. He points to Ajay. “Him.”
6.
Ajay stands in front of Bunty’s desk, Tinu on guard just behind him. In a fug of cigarette smoke, Bunty says, “This is the first chance we’ve had to talk.”
Ajay watches Bunty, glances at Tinu, resigned. “There’s nothing to say,” he replies.
“You’re not in trouble,” Bunty smiles, then nods to Tinu. “You can leave us now.”
* * *
—
On the wide verandah of the mansion, Sunny smokes another cigarette. He scans the horizon. Checks the discreet watchtowers with their hidden gunmen on the perimeter fence. Thinks to himself: Dinesh better get this right.
He tries to get it all lined up in his head. The who, the what, the when, and the where. The only thing he doesn’t try to know is the why.
He hears a door opening inside, sees Tinu stepping out.
Sees Tinu answering his phone.
* * *
—
Bunty stands and comes round the front of his desk. Inches away from Ajay’s face. Looks him up and down.
“I have a question for you. I’ll be happy for you to tell the truth. Before this unfortunate business with my son, you returned to your home. What happened when you were there?”
Ajay looks him square in the eye. “I killed three men.”
“Why?”
“They tried to steal from me.”
“What did they try and steal?”
“Money.”
“And you didn’t get caught?”
“I came back here.”
“I see. And in jail?”
“I killed again.”
“For whom?”
Ajay wavers. “For myself.”
Bunty thinks this over.
“What my son did to you was wrong,” he finally says. “I won’t deny it. But it was part of a bigger plan. And whatever has happened in jail, I know you are still loyal to me.” He lays a hand on Ajay’s shoulder. “The reasons for your imprisonment are difficult, but they’ll soon come to an end. Soon a deal will be put in place that will guarantee your freedom. My question is, what would a man like you do next?”
Ajay thinks of his sister. Remembers Vicky’s words.
DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD.
But now’s a chance to confess.
He’s about to talk.
But . . . too late . . .
* * *
—
Sunny is lost in his turbulent thoughts when Tinu calls out to him urgently from the office door. “Sunny, get in here, now!” Tinu disappears inside.
By the time Sunny follows, Tinu is whispering into Bunty’s ear.