I wedged myself against the side of the steps. The iron scrollwork was swirly in design, with large open loops, so it was no trouble to slide through an arm and take hold of Princess’s collar. “I have her.”

She whimpered and jerked when Calvin stepped in front of her, but didn’t try to bite.

“The door’s locked.” Cupping his hands on either side of his head, Calvin pressed his face to the frosted glass diamond in the door. “Can’t see anything.”

“Wait, I have an idea.” Digging my phone out of my pocket, I called Pari. She wasn’t supposed to have her phone on at night as it was strictly for emergencies, but she was also a seven-year-old kid.

“Bhaiya?” A sleepy voice. “Why’re you calling me?”

“Do you know if your mum has a key to Alice’s house?”

A pause, before she whispered, “It’s a secret.”

That’s why I hadn’t called Shanti directly; my father might be fine with her friendship with Elei at the moment, but who knew when he’d change his mind. “I know, but it’s an emergency. Do you know where she keeps the key?” If it was in the master suite, then we’d have to get Shanti.

“In my drawer.” I heard rustling sounds through the line. “Do you want it?”

“Yes. I’m outside, at the back of Alice’s house, with Calvin and Princess.”

“Princess isn’t meant to be outside at night.” Little huffs, as if she was already moving. “I’m coming.”

I stayed on the line with her even though she was literally just going out into the back garden, then coming through the gate onto this side. It was late at night, she was a child, and the bush loomed, an impenetrable mass on the other side of a flimsy fence.

She appeared in the darkness soon afterward, dressed in pink pajamas, her hair in twin braids. She was wearing her fluffy house-slippers rather than outside shoes, and she ran straight to my side. “Here.” Cold metal against my palm. “Why is Princess crying like that?”

“I don’t know, Pari. But can you stay outside with her while Calvin and I go inside to check everything is okay?” I’d seen my sister playing with Princess before, knew the poodle was no danger to her.

Even now, a distressed Princess was nuzzling into Pari’s petting hand and trying to get closer to her. I hoped Pari wouldn’t notice the blood on the dog’s coat, especially once I’d coaxed Princess down the steps and a little bit into the shadows, so Pari could sit in an outdoor chair.

By then, Calvin had used the key to unlock the door.

Slowly pushing it open, he listened. “No alarm.” A whisper.

To my surprise, he waited for me to join him before entering the house—but then again, Calvin was a prominent man. He probably wanted to ensure he had a witness to whatever was going on so nothing could blow back on him.

Bloody streaks marred the kitchen floor. Two thin lines about the size of Princess’s paws. “Someone dragged Princess outside.”

“I’m calling the police.” Calvin held his hand out for my phone. “This much blood is serious.”

After passing over the phone, I began to move farther into the house even as he motioned for me to stay put. “What if someone’s hurt?” I said.

I probably should’ve been scared, but my fear reflex had never been strong. Behind me, Calvin gave the emergency dispatcher the details—what little we knew.

Exiting the kitchen, I found myself at the foot of a flight of stairs that led to the upstairs bedrooms. It’d take a long time for me to get up those stairs. Better I check the living area first, then make the attempt.

It proved the right call.

Alice was wearing fleece pajama bottoms and a plain black tank top, her hair up in a loose twist. Like some women wore it when they weren’t quite going to bed, but heading that way. Maybe to brush their teeth, or take off makeup.

I couldn’t tell if Alice was wearing any makeup though, because blood smeared her swollen face. I couldn’t tell if she was breathing, either, and it’d be all but impossible to get back up if I slid my body onto the floor. She wasn’t lying near a sofa or anything else I could use to brace myself.

“Calvin!”

Thundering feet. “Oh, shit.” Racing to Alice’s side, he pressed his fingers to her neck.

One long second.

Another.

“She has a pulse.”

A tinny voice from the phone told me he still had the dispatcher on the line.

“Tell them we’re going to need an ambulance,” I said. “Maybe more than one.”

“Here.” He thrust up the phone and I grabbed it. “I don’t see any signs of spinal injury, so I’m going to move Alice into the recovery position in case she’s got blood in her mouth.”

So she wouldn’t choke.

After relaying what we’d found to the dispatcher, I said, “I’m going to check if the others in the house are safe.” I didn’t bother to wait to hear if they’d prefer I didn’t go wandering. Leaving the phone near Calvin while he tried to do what he could for Alice, I headed upstairs.

The climb wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. My foot was healing.

Not that I’d be up to running marathons anytime soon.

Teeth gritted, I took it step after step. Turned out insisting on having my old bedroom at my father’s house had been good practice.

My instinct was to go straight to Elei’s room at the end of the hallway, but my brain—indoctrinated by endless crime dramas on TV—insisted I check the other rooms first.

Fuck the dramas.

I headed to Elei’s room, following the light that spilled from the open door, my crutches leaving depressions in the thick carpet that filled up in my wake.