Astral Alibi

1 A New Neighbour A full moon pierced the low mist, spreading a silver sheen over the Stellar Investigations Office Building. Nidhi sat on the steps, looking royal in a blue velvet collar, her paws curled, her tail in a straight line behind her, and her whiskers twitching. The cat's golden fur gleamed in the moonlight. Night crickets droned in the bushes. Suddenly the droning in the night was punctuated by a rustling. Nidhi raised her head and picked up her ears. Her nose quivered as she sniffed the air. A figure had stolen into the office premises--slipping cautiously towards the wall, clinging to the shadows and slowly and soundlessly making its way to the windows of the office. The bright moonlight and the distilled shadows did little to hide the figure, draped in floating white. The intruder peered through the dark pane, moving agilely from window to window. Nidhi watched, her eyes round and focused. Her hackles were up and she meowed angrily. The figure halted, its progress diverted by the animal sound. Slowly the intruder turned to face Nidhi, then with purposeful steps approached the cat. *** The glow of a fluorescent peach dawn stained the sky. Birds whistled liltingly, as if practising a variety of melodious notes on a flute. Sparrows danced from the rust tree tops and bulbuls swooped down the Model Colony Lake. The water was a perfect mirror for the pearl-coloured clouds. Breeze whiffed in through the wide-open, blue-and-red-checked-curtained windows of Sonia's room. Sonia sat cross-legged on a cream rug on the lawn-green tiled terrace floor, eyes closed, her breathing even. Her arms were stretched out and resting on her knees. She uttered the "Om" slow and long, the vibrations of the word tingling through her whole body. In the hazy light of dawn, she looked like a statue of gold. After several repetitions she stopped and opened her eyes. A smile of satisfaction touched her lips. She felt good! She always began her day with Yoga, a few Surya Namaskars--Sun Salutation, an excellent exercise that paid homage to the sun--and Omkar--the chanting of the sacred word Om--a habit instilled in her by her mother. Followed by Praanaayaam--a rhythmic breathing technique--her morning routine never failed to invigorate her with the spirit of life. Sonia rose and leaned against the wooden railing of the terrace, glancing down at the lake. The Samarth bungalow--a fancy structure of red brick, stone, and wood--stood back from the almost triangular body of water in the heart of the Shivajinagar area. Sonia loved her house. It afforded a wonderful view of the glistening water. She took another deep breath. It was a beautiful morning and she looked forward to going to her office. It was a brand-new day of hopes! *** The January morning was cool and a weak sun glinted on the windowpanes. The brown leaves of the huge Banyan tree on F.C.Road carpeted the garden and the path which led to the steps of the Stellar Investigations Office. Sonia drove her van into the parking lot, threw an appreciative glance at nature's untidiness, then hastened up the steps. She paused at the door of the office and a look of pride flashed across her face. The new steel-and-copper nameplate announced Stellar Investigationsin flowing writing. She gazed at it critically, gauging the impression it would create on a prospective client. Not bad. The nameplate hinted at an artistic unravelling of issues. Suppressing a natural urge to flick out her kerchief and rub an invisible spot on the nameplate, she turned to the door opposite her office and hesitated. For the first time in years, the office next door was open and she could hear sounds of activity. Frowning, Sonia swung open the Stellar Investigations' door and walked into her outer office. A big polished brass Om, like a shining cheerfPrabhu, Manjiri is the author of 'Astral Alibi ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780440241737 and ISBN 0440241731.