8.2 Caprice Dinner

Around eight-ten, a black BMW stopped outside the bank and the executives stepped forward to receive the Honourable Libra and his lady, expressing gratitude to them for taking their time to join the reception. The entourage quickly ascended to the terrace with the VIPs, leaving the ground floor acoustically bare.

Idania, assigned to supervise the on-duty staff, held a smart card with unblocked access to every level, though she had no purpose in going upstairs while the dignitaries were present. Dressed in a sharp red pantsuit, Idania popped onto the floor at the exact minute Shina appeared at the entrance. To avoid a confrontation, she turned on her heel and slipped into the Axis Room. Shina crossed paths with Lilian by the lift just as the doors were closing.

“Check on Michelle in my office,” Shina insisted, “Take her to dine with you.” The doors shut and the HRM ascended to the terrace.

Meanwhile, Ajay, Libra and Raj stood gripping their drinks by the northeast balustrade. They faced the dark sea, the patio lights illuminating their backs while the full moon bathed their faces in a glow. They were in an excellent mood, sharing cheery smiles and nodding in unison. Veeran slid into the group next, a cigar clipped between his fingers and a drink in his hand.

Those ten minutes of hushed conversation were the absolute pivot of the evening—a decisive dialogue that brought all parties into seamless consent. Whoever had masterminded the gathering, highly likely Raj Kumar Shetty, had successfully gotten their man franchised.

Shina watched from a distance noting how easily Labina handled Lady Alisha. She was an expert at routing the upper echelons, validating Rosa’s warnings. It was a sharp contrast to Shina; having spent her career inside the strict walls of the government regulator at the MMA, she had never crossed paths with Libra face-to-face. He was a veteran survivor of the old political guard, having run the Trade Ministry in the Capricorn Cabinet throughout the nineties and the noughties.

With an understanding reached, the executives finally turned towards the lavish buffet, waving the rest of the house over to join in.

Shalini and Ishara rolled a cart tackling a narrow course with stemware and three types of red, white and sparkling wines. They filled glasses for the maroon-clad folks, moving next to the table sat in by the delegates and as the top brass took their seats, served them according to their preferences. A toast was raised to a superfluous cause.

Shina settled into her seat, flanked by Dawn Raid and Night Visitor on her right. Raid, the state minister, leaned in closer. “Shina! What are we celebrating here?”

Shina replied simply, “I honestly don’t know.”

“You certainly do,” Dawn Raid countered.

“We are observing a special bond in cooperation with the Capricorn, even if we’re far from seeing results,” Night Visitor joined the conversation, chiming in, “it may be Matador next week, don’t you think!”

Shina shook her head, “There is no such plan.”

Bento, who sat next to Night Visitor and Morning Star on his left, abruptly inquired, “Do you know Makara Rasi?”

Shina stopped chewing her food, “Nope. What is it?”

Bento replied vacuously, “It means crocodile in Hindi.”

The others laughed but Bento wasn’t in a mood to laugh.

“Crocodile,” Dawn Raid echoed, “It reminds me of the polo shirt.”

“Lacoste!” Fullback called it back.

“I get it,” cried Bento, “polo shirt has a crocodile neck, right!”

They all laughed. Dawn Raid said, “No, Bento! It is the trademark. A polo shirt has a collar.”

“What is a crocodile neck then?” Bento asked.

“There is no such thing,” Dawn Raid returned, grasping his own neck with both fists, “It is a turtleneck. Not a crocodile neck. Ka-ham-bu.”

They laughed again. Through it all, Shina noticed that Bento hadn’t touched the wine; he was only drinking soda.

Dawn Raid leaned in toward Shina, changing the subject. “How promising is this bank with parting with a loan? I don’t even have an account.”

Shina beamed reassuringly, “Open an account with us and you’ll find out just how generous and sincere we can be.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Dawn Raid joked, “I approached SBI and they were an incredibly tight bunch. I figure you have the same attitude.”

“Not at all,” she disagreed, “SBI pores over every transaction and credit history because they dread bad loans. For Mauris Bank, loans are our entire lifeline, good or bad.”

“I wasn’t established back then,” he admitted, “I have a steady business now. If I move money here, how long will it take to get a loan approved?”

“Sooner than you think,” she replied.

“Who do I need to talk to?”

Shina glanced over at the maroon-clad bunch. Four bank managers were seated with Murti, Mushka and Zanat who stood out in her vibrant red blazer. She should not have been at the table but they treated her like family.

“That lady right there, Mila.”

“She’s SBI.”

“Transferred, same as me,” Shina clarified, “She is our Head of Lending and Investment.”

Bento, who instantly recognised Moha’s ex-wife, watched Zanat for a second before his eyes darted to the side. He caught sight of Noi from Lui-Lui Hana, looking elegant in the very same red blazer.

Dawn Raid tracked her gaze. “You will have to introduce us tonight.”

Just as Shina took her eyes away, she caught a red-coated forearm reach for a tumbler in the middle of the table. The hand picked it up, took a sip and placed it far out of reach, dishonestly.

Ude, Shina realised instantly. Ude Singha, who was always teasing the girls, must have called Zanat over to pass her a drink or two. How he even knew that Zanat drank was a mystery to Shina. Zanat was not eating—she could not, since she was on duty—and she shouldn’t have been drinking either.

Nearby, Bento nudged Morning Star and hissed, “She used to work at Lui-Lui parlour. I thought I noticed two of them around here.”

Star gave an instant wave and Noi glided over to their table.

“Do you know this man?” Morning Star pointed a finger at Bento.

Noi nodded, “I have seen him.”

Shina listened intently to the exchange.

“Are you working here now?” Star pressed.

“No,” Noi replied, “I’m just on contract.”

Dawn Raid cried out, “Some more wine!”