Chapter 23

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 23 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Shree smiled and lies down, realising why she had called him with her. Riya too nestles in her seat.

Riya: good night!

Shree chuckles: morning hai

Riya: are jab bhi soye woh night hi hota hai

She closes her eyes. Shree’s phone pinged with a message…………………….

Chotu- kya kar raha hai?

Shree- so raha hun

Chotu- kyaa?!?!!? Khadoos??

Shree- khadoos toh drive kar raha hai, main aur Ri dono so rahe hai, ok good night, bye!

Rathore’s car-

Chotu stared at the message mv “Arjun sir bhi ajeeb kisam ke akdu hai, kab kaunsi permission de, koi bharosa hi nahi, main bhi so jau kya?”

Rathore: Chotu! Hume us area ke baare mein zyaada pata nahi hai, apne admiyon se kuch contacts lene ki koshish karo

His order drowns Chotu’s plans mv “Hitler!”

Chotu: ji sir!

He starts going through his contacts for his informers

2 hours later-

Riya’s phone starts ringing. She wakes up immediately and shuts it off. She glances behind and heaves a sigh of relief to find Shree still sleeping. Yawning, she stretches and drinks water.

Arjun: tum alarm rakh kar soyi thi?

Riya: ha 4 ghante ka rasta haina

Arjun: toh?

Riya: batati hun, pull over

Arjun: kyun?

Riya: are rokiye na

Seeing a break in traffic, Arjun moves to the side lane and stops.

Riya opens the door: baahar ayiye

He was about to question her but she already walked out. He removes his seatbelt and steps out.

Riya: aap kitna drive karenge? Raat ko aap bhi toh nahi soye, take rest, aage main drive kar lungi

Arjun: nahi Riya uski…

Riya walks past him: puch nahi rahi

The corner of his lips curves into creating a half-smile. He moves to the passenger seat and reduces the angle of recline before settling in. Riya puts her foot on the accelerator and continues to drive ahead.

Crime scene-

A body lay near the swimming pool of the resort.

Riya: chehra jala diya, ungliyaan kaat di, aisa lagta hai jaise kisi ne jam ke dushmani nikali ho

Arjun studies the body: gala ghonth kar maara hai

Shree: sir, staff ne bataya ki Mr. Mahto every week, isi din swimming pool ke paas puri raat bitate the, apni biwi ki yaad mein, do saal pehle woh chal basi thi

Chotu picks up a pipe from the table. A familiar scent was arousing from it. He coughs.

Chotu: sir ganja hai

Rathore: Rawte, Riya puch-tach shuru karo, Shree mere saath aao kamre ki talaashi leni hai, Chotu pata karo area ke dealers kaun aur kaha milenge

They nod. They set up control in a suite of the resort where they regroup after their initial investigation.

Riya: sir, resort kuch khaas business nahi kar raha hai, kuch mahino se loss mein hai, staff ka kehna hai ki Mahto ki biwi ke baad usne kaam par zyaada dhyaan nahi diya, shuru mein toh profit margin ki wajah se sambhal gaye lekin ab nuksaan hone laga hai, in fact, pichle mahine aadhe staff ko salary bhi nahi mili

Shree: sir ye ganja fukta hai, definitely us mein bhi paise udata hoga, fir karza ho sakta hai

Arjun: koi drug dealer paison ke badle aisa khoon nahi karega, seedhe thok kar nikal jaayega

Rathore: jo bhi ho, hum angle ko ignore nahi kar sakte, kuch log tedhe bhi hote hai, agar karza zyaada hua hoga toh ho sakta hai ki woh use tadpaana chahta ho, Shree call records nikalna is Mahto ke aur uske business rivals ka bhi pata lagao zara

He nods and dives into his laptop.

Riya: sir aisa bhi toh ho sakta hai ki woh dhamki dene aaye ho aur fir gadbad ho gayi, ho sakta hai woh log unhe torture karne ki koshish kar rahe ho aur fir jab kuch nahi mila toh maar diya

Chotu: woh usi ke resort ke andar ghus kar use torture karne ki bevkufi kyun karenge?

Riya: kyunki jab woh swimming pool ke paas hota hai toh staff, guest, kisi ko bhi waha aane ki ijazat nahi hai, pool chodo, us floor par aana bhi mana hai

Rathore: hmm, khooni ne definitely is baat ka faayda uthaya hai, ab woh drug waale hai ya nahi ye toh milkar hi pata chalega, Chotu kya pata chala?

Chotu: sir, kuch log hai par, aise hi baahar nahi aayenge, aaspaas aur bhi resorts hai aur tourist wagera ki wajah se drugs bhi bikte hai aur police bhi nazar maar ke baithi hoti, monopoly ek hi gang ki hai, bina customer aur jaan pehchan ke pata lagana mumkin nahi

Rathore: toh mumkin karo!

Arjun: charsi chahiye Rathore!

Rathore: kaunsa gadha bolega ki woh nasha karta hai?

Riya: sir karna zaroori nahi hai, bas lagna chahiye aur hume yaha koi nahi pehchaanta

Rathore: lekin hum mein se

He stops abruptly. All eyes turn to the same person. Shree looks up hearing silence. His eye twitches in confusion before realising their intent.

Shree’s eyes widen (slowly): main charsi lagta hun?!

The next morning-

Arjun and Rathore were going to the suit. They stop at the entrance hearing shouts from inside. Rathore looks at Arjun questioningly. He shrugs and they enter.

Shree was jumping around: NAHI! NAHI! NAHI!!

Riya was running after him: Shree bachon jaisi baatein mat karo!

Chotu was laughing like there was no tomorrow.

Shree: NAHIIIII!!!!

His gaze falls on the bosses. He jumps down from the table and runs to Rathore. Chotu clamps his mouth to stop his laughter but to no avail.

Shree: Rathore sir! dekhiye Riya mujhe torture kar rahi hai!!

Riya glares at him: Torture Ke Bache! Sir ye meri baat hi nahi maan raha, aap hi boliye

Shree: Sir Ye Mujhe Lipstick Laga Rahi Hai!!!

Riya: Shree Drama Mat Karo! Seedhe-Seedhe Yaha Aao!!!

Shree: NAHI!!! sir ise boliye na…(pointing to his face) dekhiye isne kya kiya sir? ekto ye hairband, kajal, dark circle, naak par white spots sab bana diya mere chehre par aur ab lipstick (whining) sir boliye na

Riya: Shut up Shree!!! Smokers ke lips dark hote hai tumhare pink color ke hai, do second mein pata chal jaayega ki tum smoke nahi karte

Shree: Are Toh Mujhe Charsi Banna Hai Smoker Nahi!!

Riya: GANJA SMOKE HI KARTE HAI IDIOT!

Shree: MAIN LIPSTICK NAHI LAGAUNGA!!!

Riya: Dekho Shree, Mujhe Irritate Mat Karo, Chup-Chap Laga Lo Warna…

Shree: Warna Kya? Kya Karogi Tum…

Riya: Warna (Glancing At Arjun) 500 Push-Ups Main Karwaungi!!

Horrified, he turns to Rathore: Sir Aap Kuch Bol Kyun Nahi Rahe???

Rathore sighs: jaisa kehti hai waisa karo

He proceeds to take his seat as Shree’s jaw drops to the floor. Riya smirks. She pulls Shree on a chair. Shree cries as she proceeds to apply lipstick.

Rathore: tum make up saath lekar aayi thi ek din ke liye?

Riya: are nahi sir, staff ka hai waise bhi main sirf compact aur kajal use karti hu, I hate lipstick

Shree: aur mujhe laga rahi hai

Riya glares at him: zyaada tedha mat ban warna muh mein daal dungi

He shuts up. Riya puckers her lips to gesture him to do the same. Unwillingly, he obeys. She wipes off the extra from the corner and then turns the chair to the rest.

Riya: tadaa!!

Chotu: wow Ri! Shree toh ekdum charsi lag raha hai

Shree glares at him. They high-five. Rathore purses his lips to contain his laughter.

Arjun: time pass ho gaya ho toh kaam par lage?

Rathore clears his throat: hm, Shree transmitter ka dhyaan rakhna, we’ll stay close, let’s go!

Shree roams around the place pretending to be high. After an hour or so, he manages to catch the eye of the dealer. The dealer approaches cautiously. Shree cleverly strikes up a conversation with him. The ETF moves in to nab him.

One threat from Rathore and he starts talking like a parrot, admitting Mahto was one of their customers and the hideout of the gang. They chuck him into the dickey and prepare to raid the drug den.

It was a closed mill. The team splits into different directions surrounding the place. Rathore announces their arrival with a gun shot. Firing starts from all around.

Arjun shoots down 4 of them. He was engaged with a fifth when his gun clicked. He hides behind the building.

The man treads forward with his gun. He had seen Arjun ducking. He knew the police man wasn’t dead but the lack of fire could indicate only one thing.

Arjun checks his pockets for bullets mv “Shit!!”

Just then, Riya comes from behind the adjacent building. She is confused seeing Arjun in the position.

She was about to shout out when he placed his finger on his lips. She points to the gap between the buildings. Arjun nods. Riya holds up her gun. He nods negatively. Her eyes widened in shock.

Footsteps sound, the man smiles and comes straight in front of Arjun pointing a gun.

Riya’s gun goes up immediately. She pulls the trigger, ripping apart his skull. The body falls with a thud.

Arjun walks upto her in relief: sahi waqt par aayi tum

However, Riya wasn’t listening. Her gaze fixed on the body. Hearing no response, he looks upto her. Her face had turned pale.

Arjun: Riya?

Still no response. Hesitantly, he holds her shoulder. She jerks out.

Arjun: kya hua?

Riya: huh? Ha! I… I am fine... kuch nahi

She walks inside leaving a confused Arjun behind.

Unfortunately for them, even after rigorous third degree. The leader of the gang maintains his stance.

Leader: humne nahi mara use, maana ki uska karza tha aur humne dhamki bhi di thi lekin uske marne ke baad kaun paisa deta?

The ETF was back to square one.

Suite-

Chotu: ab kya karenge sir? drugs ka maamla toh nahi hai

Rathore: Shree, call records se kuch pata chala?

Shree: nahi sir

Arjun: saare check ho bhi gaye?

Shree: kar raha hun sir, lekin ab tak mein kuch pata nahi chala, maine sabse pehle Mahto ke phone ke records hi check kiye the

Arjun: uski biwi ki maut kaise hui thi?

Shree: waise toh hypertension aur BP problems the but natural death

Rathore: forensic se kya pata chala?

Chotu: are ha, sir jaise Arjun sir ne kaha waise hi gala ghonth kar maara hai aur uske baad woh jala na aur kaat na wagera

Rathore: this doesn’t make sense, koi aise kyun karega?

Shree: sir agar dushmani hoti toh torture karne ke baad maarta na? agar maarne ke baad mutilate kiya hai toh usually identity chupane ke liye karte hai

Arjun: Identity chupani hoti toh use apne hi resort ke pool ke paas nahi maarta, koi matlab nahi iska, Riya! history kya hai admi ki?

Hearing no response, they turn to her. She was sitting away from them on the couch. Her diary was in her hand but she was lost. Arjun realizes it was the same pale expression he had seen at the drug den.

Arjun: Riya!....(firmly) Riya!

His voice jolts her out of trance.

Riya: huh?(lowering her gaze) Sorry sir…. kya?

Arjun: history

Riya gulps: ji… (she shuffles through the pages of her diary) woh 10 saal pehle, Mr. and Mrs. Mahto yaha aaye the aur unhone is plot ko khareed kar resort shuru kiya, bache nahi hai, koi aur family bhi nahi hai, aur do saal pehle unki wife chal basi, resort ka saari history white hai, he’s clean except for drugs

Rathore shook his head: koi na koi baat toh hai warna koi use maarega kyun? Shree! Chotu! Saath chalo! Hum firse staff ka interrogation karte hai!

They nod and the trio leave. Arjun turns back to the evidence board. He examines the entire plot again.

Arjun: kuch toh chut raha hai… Riya, 10 saal ke pehle woh kaha the?

Silence responds to him. He turns to her thinking she got lost again but her seat was empty. His brow furrowed in confusion.

He stands up and opens the door to peek. The corridor was empty. Something was definitely up with her. He had never seen her not pay attention to investigation. Her pale face flashes in front of him. He goes to check inside.

The sound of water running falls on his ears as he passes the bathroom. He pauses. Arjun turns to the bathroom. The door was ajar. He steps forward to peep in.

There she was, crying under the shower. The ground slips from beneath his feet. He throws open the door and shuts the shower whilst grabbing a towel.

Arjun: Riya!

She looks up at him, still sobbing. He bends to pick her up.

Arjun: Riya, Riya kya…

She drops her head on his shoulder. Arjun freezes………………….

To keep you guys updated : This update marks the crossing of 100 pages 😂