Murder Under a Red Moon

For Venkatachalam Suri and Dhwani Nagendra Suri, always This story takes place in 1920s Bangalore, so a few of the words may be unfamiliar.If you don’t know them, Kaveri’s Dictionary on page 275 will tell you what they mean and how to pronounce them. It also explains a bit about the geography and history behind this book.And please peruse Recipes for a mid-afternoon meeting of The Bangalore Detectives Club on page 279 for some delicious Indian recipes, adapted to modern times and inspired by the food in The Bangalore Detectives Club. 1 The Ugliest Dog in BangaloreBangalore, September 1921Mrs Kaveri Murthy’s emerald green velvet blouse showed off her strong shoulders, developed through hours of swimming in the Century Club pool.Not bad, she thought, as she inspected the pleats in her peacock blue chiffon sari that flared out from her waist. So what if she didn’t wear a smart cloche and a flapper frock with high heels? She was a well-known and respected detective. At just nineteen years of age, she could hold herself with the best of the English and Indian society who would be at the animal show today.Kaveri adjusted her gold chain, admiring the delicate locket in the shape of a magnifying glass. Her husband Ramu had given it to her a couple of weeks after she solved her first case: the murder of Ponnuswamy, a local pimp, in the lawns of the Century Club. The locket hung a couple of inches below the scar on her neck, reminding her of her encounter with a desperate murderer a few weeks ago. The scar was fading, but memories of that frightening evening remained fresh in her mind.The large grandfather clock on the wall chimed, bringing her back to the present. Half past ten already? Kaveri rushed out of her shed towards the main house, pausing briefly to grin at the large sign hanging outside the shed.THE BANGALORE DETECTIVES CLUBAlthough it had been up for several weeks now, it still gave her a deep sense of satisfaction.The word seemed to be spreading – last week, a man from Majjigepura, the village of buttermilk, had come to her, seeking help to find his missing flock of goats. From his story, Kaveri deduced that his untrustworthy cousin was the culprit. He had sent her a huge tin of goat ghee in gratitude, which her mother-in-law Bhargavi promptly claimed so she could massage her aching knees.The broad smile on Kaveri’s face dulled, as it always did when she thought of Bhargavi, who disapproved of most things she did. She wished she could avoid her today, but to her dismay, Bhargavi had insisted on meeting her at the animal show. She had sounded very mysterious.‘Bhargavi athe? I am leaving now,’ Kaveri said, dragging her feet as she finally went into the house. She expected to see the dour expression that had been ever-present on Bhargavi’s face since Kaveri had solved a murder and attained local fame as a woman detective. That sour look had pushed Kaveri to spend much of her time in her shed over the past few weeks, working with her mathematics textbooks. Calculus and algebra were her refuge, an ordered path to certainty that calmed her when confronted with unpleasantness.But Bhargavi surprised Kaveri by giving her an approving nod. ‘Remember, come to the Dewan’s tent after the dog show, Kaveri. I will be there.’‘After the show? Aren’t you coming to see the dogs compete?’ The question was out of her mouth before Kaveri could swallow it. When she saw Bhargavi’s smile turn into a frown, she cursed her inability to stop interrogating people when she felt things didn’t make sense.‘Of course not. You know how I hate dogs – nasty, smelly creatures. I will see you at the tent,’ Bhargavi responded in a curt voice.Why does she want to meet me after the show then? Kaveri shook her head and ran down the stairs, thankful to be away from her mother-in-law’s disapproving presence.She pushed all thoughts of Bhargavi and her dislike for unruly creatures – dogs and her daughter-in-law included – out of her mind as she approached her beloved Ford. Their gardener had polished the car with a piece of soft leather just that morning, and she couldn’t help but admire how it shone in the light. Kaveri’s mood lifted as she got into the car, thinking of the stunned look on the traffic inspector’s face when she had gone in to take her test a few months back. Ramu had told her with glee that she had been a major topic of conversation in the traffic room – only the second Indian woman in Bangalore to possess a driver’s licence.Kaveri drove slowly along the roads, enjoying the feeling of the breeze on her hair as people on the streets gaped at the young woman in the driver’s seat. It was nearly noon when she arrived at the Residency Grounds, and the animal show was in full swing when she turned into the private enclosure. She handed her premium ticket to the gatekeeper before driving beneath the arch and parking.A large cloth banner hanging above the arch announced the presence of ‘The Horse, Dog and Animal Show, Bangalore, 1921’ in the three official languages of Mysore: English, Kannada and Urdu.The wisps of clouds, remnant from last night’s rains, were scattering and it could not have been a brighter or more glorious day. A military band, resplendent in full regalia, began to play a lively selection of music.Tents with striped bunting in red and gold protected folding tables from the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. A stout Anglo-Indian lady wearing a frilly pink lace frock and a wide-brimmed pink hat manned a large table, loaded with jars of jams, preserves and chutneys. Kaveri’s steps slowed as she took in another table crammed with trophies and prizes for the dog show. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the gold bangle for ‘Ladies’ Pet Dog’ donated by Messrs Barton