Chapter 5

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 5 [NOCOPY][MEMBERSONLY]

It was another fresh day in the ETF where Sameer barges in with a file.

Rathore: team! Winston College ke peeche ek drug deal hone waali hai aaj raat, so be ready!

Shree: kitne baje sir?

Rathore: any time after 9 isliye hum 8 baje se in position honge

Riya felt uneasy: are you sure sir?

Rathore: kyun?

Riya: pata nahi, mujhe kuch gadbad lag rahi hai, aise college ke peeche. I don’t know, I don’t feel too good about this

Rathore: Miss Mukherjee hum police waale hai feelings par nahi saboot par kaam karte hai

Riya: sir intelligence ki information mein 27% chance hai ki woh jaan buchkar feed ki gayi hai, kam hai par ignore toh nahi kar sakte

Rathore: mere paas tumhari theories ke aage waste karne ke liye time nahi hai

She lowered her eyes. Rathore relayed instructions for everyone. Sharp at 8, the ETF SUV’s halted a lane away from the college.

Riya: All the best Arjun sir (Arjun raised his eyebrow) because we are going to die!

She banged the door shut as she got out. Arjun shook his head and tucked in the keys before getting out. Rathore, Shree and Chotu got out of the other car.

Rathore: Rawte, Riya! tum dono pehle jaa kar position lo pahunch kar update karo, then I will move with Chotu

Arjun started walking away without responding. Rathore grumbled but kept quiet.

Within 15 minutes they were in their pre-planned positions. Arjun and Riya covered one entrance of the back lane hiding behind a car. Rathore and Chotu were at the opposite end in a civilian car. They stayed low, so as to make the car look empty. Shree had climbed on the terrace of one of the buildings to keep an eye on things and shoot only if necessary.

Half an hour passed.

Shree: Arjun sir! Riya aapki side se do log haath mein bag lekar aa rahe hai

The team went on alert. Arjun and Riya shifted a little so as to remain hidden. They enter the lane and look around.

Man 1: ye aaya nahi abhi tak?

Man 2: main phone karta hun (calling up) kaha hai? are main toh yahi hu…Winston College ke peeche…abe dhakan Winston College nahi, Winston College ke peeche, jaldi kar!!

Within a few minutes, another man comes from the same side with a briefcase. They wave to each other. The third walks up to them and they start discussing.

Rathore: Shree! Aas paas koi aur hai?

Shree: nahi sir! all clear!

Rathore: ok, tum gaadi ke paas jaa kar cover karo. Team, Move out!!

They announce their presence with shots in the air. The three men turn in shock and try to run in the two directions. Arjun and Riya effectively show their gun to two of them, inching them backward. Rathore and Chotu corner the third person.

Rathore: hands up!! Chotu samaan seize karo!

The goons did as told. Chotu snatches the bags from the men. Riya moves forward to handcuff them when suddenly Shree calls out.

Shree: sir!!

They turn to see their technical head on gun point. Before they could react to it, ten other men walked out from the shadows with their guns pointed at the officers.

Riya mv “maine pehle hi kaha tha gadbad hai!”

Rathore mutters under his breath: dammit! Ye kaha se aa gaye?

The goons in the centre start laughing. One of them takes back the bags.

Man: kya re tum policewaale toh bade bevkuf nikle?

Rathore glares at them.

Man: apni- apni gun neeche karo warna mere admi teri aur teri team ka bheja uda denge.

Arjun catches Riya’s eye. He gestures to her. She shakes her head. He looks at her quizzically. She winks at him.

Man: Gun neeche!!

Rathore gestures the others to obey while lowering his gun.

Just then, shots fire killing the extra men. The team jumps into actions as firing exchanges for a short while before ETF overpowers the gang and rounds them up.

Rathore: back up ko kisne bulaya?

Riya: maine bulaya tha

Rathore: kab?

Riya: jab aapne meri warning ignore ki

Rathore: kaunsi warning?

Riya(shocked): maine aapse kaha tha na ki mujhe gadbad lag rahi hai? fir bhi aapne meri baat nahi maani, ho gayi na gadbad?

Rathore(taken aback): oh…. uh… ok, thanks!

Riya: you’re welcome but aage se meri baat maan na

He nods obediently much to the amusement of the other three officers.

As they work on the formalities, Riya notices Arjun had managed to grab a cup of tea from a cycle vendor. Amused, she walks upto him after finishing her conversation.

Riya: Rathore sir kaha gaye?

Arjun: police station

Riya: oh, toh fir unki sign office mein le lungi anyway, neend aa rahi hai?

Arjun: chai pasand hai

Riya: I see

Arjun: tumhari 6th sense achi hai

Riya smiles: thank you!

Next day-

It was mid-morning when the commissioner called Rathore for a new case. A groom had died during the wedding rituals. It looked like a case of heart attack. However, the bride’s family had serious concerns since he was a perfectly healthy cardiac surgeon. The bride, an oncologist as well, was in shock. The family of the bride owned a hospital, the parents being doctors in different fields as well. Considering the profile, the media was going to jump in easily at the prospect of conspiracy theories and masala which was why the ETF had been roped in to investigate the matter and arrive at a solution as soon as possible.

Wedding Venue-

Arjun and Riya climb out of the car.

Riya: sir is heart attack ko bhi murder prove karne waale hai aap?

Arjun: nahi, murder ko murder prove karunga

Riya giggles and they enter. Arjun stops short at the entrance. The roses send him down the memory lane. Roshni’s face flashes in front of his eyes. Riya turns when she realizes he was not beside her.

Riya(confused): sir?

Arjun comes back to the presence.

Riya: are you ok?

Arjun doesn’t answer. He looks away and walks in. She follows without asking further questions. The families were devastated. The team enquires with all the guests including them but does not find any evidence that could point to foul play.

Rathore instructs the forensic team to take away the body for post-mortem.

Shree: sir, maine cameraman se baat kar li hai, usne kaha ki shaadi ki saari recordings woh hume do-teen ghanto mein office bhijwa dega

Arjun interrupts: sirf shaadi ki nahi, saare functions ki recording lo

Shree: par sir, uski maut toh aaj hi hui toh fir (Arjun glares at him, Shree gulps in fear) ji sir main, main bol deta hun

Arjun continues to glare at him. Shree runs away under the pretext of informing the camera man. Riya on the other hand is confused mv “ye Shree ke jaane ke baad kyun ghur rahe hai use?”

The team heads back to office after the preliminary investigation.

Riya briefs them: ab tak hume bas ye pata hai Dr. Manoj jis hospital mein kaam karte tha, usi ke owner ki beti jo ki hospital ke oncology department mein hai, se shaadi karnewaala tha. Lekin ye love nahi arrange marriage hai. Uske sasur ko doubt isliye hai kyunki well, he was a perfectly healthy man aur use is tarah achanak heart attack nahi aa sakta. Maine Dr. Diya (his fiancée) se baat ki, lekin woh shock mein lag rahi thi. Zyaada kuch bataya nahi usne. Uske parents ko Manoj pasand tha and shaadi tay ho gayi. Kisi guest ne bhi kisi tarah ki personal ya professional rivalry ke baare mein nahi bataya. Uski first degree family mein sirf uski ek budhi maa hai toh property wagera ka bhi chakkar nahi lagta

Rathore waves his coffee mug: mujhe nahi lagta post-mortem mein bhi kuch aayega, it’s just a waste of time.

Shree: toh sir ab?

Rathore: kuch nahi, post-mortem ki report aane do, fir dekhenge

Riya looks at Arjun from the corner of her eyes. However, he wasn’t paying attention.

The boys nod and Rathore leaves the room. Chotu nudges Shree. He looks at him questioningly. He gestures to his stomach. Shree nods. They turn to Riya. She raises her eyebrow. Shree points to Chotu’s stomach, gesturing to her to come. She shakes her head, waving her hand for them to continue without her. The duo leave.

Riya looks at Arjun. He was lost in his own thoughts. She goes out.

A few minutes later, a glass of tea is placed in front of Arjun. The sound of the glass clinking with the table brings him back to earth. He looks up to see Riya smiling at him.

Arjun: maine nahi mangwayi

Riya: main lekar aayi

He stares at her. She gives him a warm smile. He is surprised and waits for her to say something else. She doesn’t. She takes the seat opposite to him and opens a file to read. Arjun picks up the glass while looking at her in confusion. He proceeds to take a sip. The hot liquid instantly soothes his fired neurons. Thanking her mentally, he continues to drink.

It was evening, when the autopsy report arrived. The team gathered into the conference hall again.

Chotu: sir iske hissab se toh heart attack, uh heart attack, attack nahi hai

Rathore(irritated): Dammit Chotu!! Jo bhi kehna hai saaf-saaf kaho!

Chotu(reading the report): sir, isme likha hai ki heart attack toh hai lekin ye normal karan ki wajah se nahi hai, ye attack (confused) heart mein originate nahi hua, kisi aur wajah se induce hua hai?

Riya mutters to herself: mujhe gadbad lag rahi hai

Rathore(exasperated): murder hua hai Riya! that’s the gadbad!

She lowered her eyes sheepishly.

Rathore shook his head: kis cheez se induce hua hai?

Chotu: allergy

Arjun: shaadi ke mandap mein?

Chotu: uh, ha sir, quick response

Riya searches through her documents: jaha tak maine pata kiya use (grabbing a paper) peanut allergy thi

Rathore: kab pata kiya tumne?

Riya: itne time free baithe toh maine hospital jaa kar uski medical history le li, socha heart attack hai toh shayad kaam aa jaaye

Rathore(surprised): oh, good job

Riya smiles: thank you!!

Shree: but sir, shaadi ke mandap mein peanut kaha se aayega?

Riya: ha woh log shaadi kar rahe the, agar kha pee rahe hote toh kahi se aa bhi jaata. Matlab definitely kisine jaan buchkar uska heart attack induce kiya hai

Arjun: uski allergy kitni severe thi?

Riya looks at the paper: uh, kaafi zyaada, chote dose mein mar sakta hai

Chotu: lekin blood mein aise koi traces nahi hai

Arjun stares at a photograph on board: ingestion zaroori hai?

Riya: nope, on contact

Arjun extends his hand for the paper. She passes it to him.

Riya: waise doctors ke khilaaf crime mein 86% chance hai ki woh kisi patient ya uske relative ne kiya ho, maybe badle ke liye ya fir treatment success na hone ki wajah se but is case mein shaadi ke beech, ghar ke andar kisi ke ghusne ke chances kam hai

Rathore: fir bhi shaadi ke beech kaun use moongfali dene gaya tha, agar aisa hota toh kisine toh dekha hota, Divya, pandit, uske maa baap, Manoj ki maa bhi toh wahi thi, Shree! shaadi ki footage aa gayi?

Shree: ha sir

Rathore glared at him: toh fir bataya kyun nahi?!

Shree: woh sir, aapne kaha ki post-mortem report se pata chal jaayega toh, toh maine socha ki footage ka kya karenge

Rathore(sternly): hum ETF officers hai! har saboot ko study kiye bagair hum conclusion par nahi pahunch sakte, samjhe?!?!

Shree cowers: sorry sir

Rathore: footage lagao!

Shree: ji, woh TV baahar hai

Rathore nods and goes out. Shree picks up his laptop and the necessary wires. The rest follow him to the common room. Shree connects his laptop and the TV beams to life.

The wedding starts.

Chotu: forward kar na

Arjun: nahi!

Shree: sir teen ghante ki…

Arjun and Rathore glare at him. He shuts up.

Riya: uh, ek kaam karo, speed badha do 1.75, hum main cheez par focus bhi kar paayenge aur time bhi bach jaayega

Shree looks at the other two. Receiving no negative reaction, he obeyed her. Shree looked back after the change, giving her an appreciative nod.

The footage continues. It spans from the guests to the food hall, to the family members. It slowly transitions to the groom and bride’s entry. They take their seats. The wedding starts. The kanya daan is done by Divya’s parents. The couple start pouring aahuti into the sacred fire. Suddenly, Manoj starts hyperventilating. The family gathers. Divya starts rubbing his hand. Before they could figure out anything else, he passed out……………………….