NEW! Arjun/Riya (Ariya) FF: Strings of Desire- Note p34 URGENT - Page 12

Baap re 1 aapka dimag kharab nahi hua itne colours use kar k likhne me?? meri to eyes hi blur ho gayi padhne me..

Chapter 8: Himitsu Baku
Japanese puzzle box - an intricate box that has no lock or key, but can be opened only after solving a complicated puzzle.

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Song recommendation - I listened to it a lot as I wrote this chapter.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2LQdh42neg[/YOUTUBE]

Arjun wakes up, and immediately notes his partner isn't in the room. When she doesn't respond to his calls or his texts, he clambers off the bed, his bad shoulder protesting the sudden movement, and rushes into the bathroom to shower. A man devoid of personal vanity, it takes Arjun less than ten minutes to shower, get into fresh clothes and head out in search of his partner.

He finds her in the dining room, engrossed in the diary she carried around with herself, a cup of coffee getting cold beside her elbow. It's only 6:00 AM, two hours after Rathore's call and the entire resort is silent - save for them. Riya's still dressed in the clothes from the day before, her hair rumpled and her bad leg awkwardly resting on another chair. From where he's standing, he can see the shadows under her eyes and the defeated slump of her spine. Her body is still but her fingers drum against the table and her good leg is jigging. She paints a picture of anxiety and impatience. Like she couldn't wait to turn over to the next page. Like her mind has already planned what to do next but her brain is yet to process the information needed to plan the next step.

Arjun understands grief, feels it intimately reside within the gaps, crevices and hollows of his body. Feels it govern actions it has no business governing. Feels it on the nights he can't sleep. Feels it in the morning's after having slept too well. He knows what it feels like to have grief rip and shred everything inside your mind to the point where you can't recognize who you are. To look in the mirror and see a dead man looking back at you. To wait and wait for something and realize it's never coming. To consciously loosen tense shoulders. To reject therapy. To accept it.

He knows, therefore, that Riya is not grieving, but avoiding. It is not healthy, but it is not his place to judge.

He walks up to her and she starts. "Didn't see you there, sir" she says scratchily, like her voice just remembered itself. He quirks an eyebrow and draws another chair out. "Did you sleep at all?" he asks her. She doesn't look at him as she says she didn't because she couldn't. He studies her some more, and she busies herself in her notes again. Her shoulders are tense, waiting. It makes him uncomfortable, when he realizes it's his reaction she's waiting for. "What have you got so far? Maybe you're missing something" he says, and she silently passes the notes to him. The tension ebbs away from her form.

The next hour passes in a companionable silence as they go over each point in her notebook, and make additions and deletions to it. When the rest of the guests file in, they stow the notebook away and keep polite smiles plastered on their faces. Riya bunches her hair into a loose bun. The guests walk up to them to greet them and make small talk, and Arjun keeps them sufficiently distracted so that Riya doesn't need to talk any more than absolutely necessary. In between conversation, their eyes meet and hers are steely but warm. Grateful. It makes his heart twinge.

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Arjun decides to take a walk around the property once more, to explore it in detail. Personally, he felt it is a waste of time but they were seriously running low on time and options. In this place, time seemed to slow down to the extent of stopping and it was only yesterday, when Rathore reminded Arjun that they only had three more days to solve the crime, that he realized they'd been here for three days already and nothing had come out of it. Anxiety had settled into his bones quietly. What was more troubling, was that there was radio silence on the part of the killer - and it troubled him because he didn't know if it meant the murders were over for good or if there was something big that was being planned. It bothered him even more, because he knew that neither was good news for them.

After inspecting the property and coming up empty (again, his mind supplies unhelpfully) - he decides to retrace the movements of their assailant from the night of the flash grenade. His shoulder would worsen for it, but there was nothing to do and it bothered him that he was stuck here and nothing. was. working. out.

Checking to make sure no one was around, he finds their room's balcony from the outside and studies the area again. He could see how the man had entered their balcony. There was a pipe that ran along the wall, and it was sturdy. Arjun knew it would support the weight of a large man easily. Taking a deep breath, he stretched his arms above his head and jumped.

It hurt like a f**king bitch, but he made it to the balcony in just under ten minutes, stood there and observed.

Climbing down the pipe would take a special kind of gymnast. Even so, it would be extremely difficult to do so because Arjun remembered that the bullet had hit the assailant. Jumping down with a bullet wound was out of question. The shock from the pain would have paralysed him. Arjun knew this, because he had jumped from the balcony while chasing the man. Even Arjun, who kept himself at peak physical fitness, had felt the jump rattle his bones. No, it had to be something else.

The pipe itself, was too tightly plastered to the walls. Arjun remembered the thick layers of blankets and coats and jackets their assailant had worn - making it impossible to make out any definitive feature on his body. It would have been impossible to manoeuvre with the amount of layers the man had worn - the layers of clothing would just get in the way. Meaning either the man had stored the layers somewhere and worn them. This was impossible but Arjun knew there had to be at least 13 layers of clothing the man had worn, and Arjun had barely given him any time to sit and play dress up. Meaning he'd worn all those layers after he'd climbed up to the balcony - with some sort of backpack. Again, not possible because Arjun remembered that the hand that had thrown the grenade in was bare. Completely bare, and innocuous. Could belong to any man on this planet.

The man had to have worn the clothing after he'd thrown the grenade in. But how?

Arjun paces the length of the balcony, his mind buzzing. He was missing something, and it irritates him because he could feel it. A faint glimmer, just out of his reach. He leans against the balustrade. His shoulder is throbbing with pain. The cool wind gently strokes his face and he is reminded of Roshni. He closes his eyes. The answer he seeks doesn't come to him.

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Arjun and Riya decide to eat lunch early. This would give them opportunity to observe the staff - who were obligated to linger around the room while simultaneously giving them the privacy to discuss their findings with each other.

Arjun reaches the dining hall early and engages the staff in conversation while waiting for Riya. In between questioning them on local tourist spots and local legends, he also manages to casually enquire about the murders. The staff are eager to discuss the town and its attractions, but become uncomfortable at the mention of the murders. It is apparent they are hesitant of saying anything that may make him cut his trip early. He tries to reassure them but it practically useless. Riya enters the dining hall at this point, and the staff takes it as their cue to leave the "happy couple be.

Riya's showered, but tiredness emanates from her in waves. Her eyes have shadows and bags under them, so severe that even make up can't hide all of it. It is clear that she is operating on little to no sleep and was bound for collapse any time soon. He also knows pointing this out would be useless. So, he chooses to not acknowledge the elephant in the room. Instead, he brings up work and they swap information and questions with each other. They don't say it, but he knows she's grateful.

The lunch is light and delicious. They have nothing more to do but wait for Rathore's call, and he contemplates suggesting a walk to her. In their haste to investigate, they hadn't really played "a couple - and he knew people would get suspicious eventually. If nothing, a fresh set of eyes may reveal something he'd been missing. But before he can mention it to her, she says she would want to sit outside for a while. Arjun offers to keep her company, and Riya accepts his offer.

They sit outside in silence, drinking in the beauty of the hills. The silence between them is serene. The case had been so high paced, and convoluted, that he hadn't had a chance to just sit and drink in the beauty of the landscape. The grounds are completely quiet. In this moment, there is only them. The problems they have still exist, but in this bubble of time - they are not as overwhelming as before. In this moment, they can sit and breathe and be. It's everything he didn't know he needed.

[Alternate link to image - http://imgur.com/a/GjFx9 ]

Through the corner of his eyes, he sees Riya look out into the horizon. "This place is beautiful" she says quietly. "I feel I am insignificant to the universe, sitting here. It is a welcome feeling". Arjun nods, understanding what she means perfectly. She throws him a quick smile, and turns back to watch the mountains.

The silence between them is peaceful. Over here, they are not colleagues enmeshed in professional hierarchy, they are not policemen trying to do their jobs. They are simply a man and a woman existing in ambiguity and savouring the momentary peace they have found in themselves.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I would be happier if I wasn't a cop" she says suddenly. He looks at her, but her eyes are fixed upon the mountains, her lips twisting into a self-depreciating smile. "But where else would I be?"

Where else indeed, Arjun thinks to himself as she stands up slowly and says she will head back inside. Distantly, he hears her limp away slowly. He looks into the mountains and imagines a life where she wasn't a cop. Life would have gone on, and he would have been unaware of her existence. His life would not have been so different. Yet, the thought doesn't feel so good. "Coming?" she calls out to him. He shakes his head as if dislodging the thought from his mind, and walks up to where she's standing. "Don't worry, I won't bite" she says, her eyes crinkling at the corners and a hesitant smile blooming on her lips. A bark of laughter breaks out of him, and her smile widens in response. Warmth blooms in his chest. Today, he doesn't question it.

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Upon reaching their room, they decide to call Rathore themselves. Just as Arjun reaches for his phone, Shree calls Riya and she puts the phone on speaker. "You're on speaker", she says. "So, we had an extremely unproductive day at the State Water Board. Typical bureaucracy nonsense, they took ages to fetch the paperwork. But, we took some samples from the water, and sent it to the lab. That is why there was delay in the phone call - they just got back to us with the result - and here is the weird part. The water we took from the jug is a match to the water in the lungs but the water we took from the state board is not a match. So, we have called for all paperwork from the resort to get it re-examined. As soon as we find anything dodgy, we will bring them in for questioning."

"Why would someone fake a water source? And if they are truly getting water from another source, where are they purifying it?" asks Riya. "There is no treatment plant big enough to process the amount of water these people use. At least, not that in the property. And how are they transporting the water?"

"We will find out as we examine the paperwork, Riya. What did you guys find out today?" Rathore says.

"Rathore, there is something very strange about our flash grenade throwing friend. Today, I climbed the pipe he used myself and realized there is no way one can climb the pipes with the number of layers he was wearing. He would have to be wearing at least 16-20 layers of clothing, because the man was unrecognizable when I chased after him. But the hand that threw in the grenade was bare, completely bare. Meaning he wore all those layers after throwing the grenade in. Something that makes no sense, because there was only a two-minute window in which he could have done that. Which doesn't seem possible. Also, I shot him and we know the bullet hit him - had he jumped out of the balcony - the shock from the wound would have paralysed him. It is quite high. Even I experienced discomfort. So how did he manage to wear the clothes with a bullet wound and then jump and then start running all within two minutes? The timing is all wrong. We're missing something"

"You're right, Rawte. The timing is extremely strange. When we come by tonight, let's discuss this further"

"I too discovered something while talking to the owners. Apparently, when the house had been built as the Viceroy's vacation home - the hill had been strife with violence and bloodshed. It was time when the tribals of the hills were clashing against the settlers from the plains. Therefore, there were some underground escape routes that were built. But, they were boarded up when the resort was renovated to suit modern standards. Maybe that's why no one can see the killer? Somehow, he managed to get into the catacombs and is using those? We can know more if we can see the original blueprint which will probably be with the Archeology Survey of India."

"I will call their office and put in a tatkal request. We will bring the plans with us when we come" Rathore says. "Good, Riya

The phone call fizzles away into base technicalities. Beside him, Arjun senses Riya's restlessness, and quirks an enquiring eyebrow. She shrugs, and walks into the bathroom. He ends the phone call, and waits for her to come out. When she doesn't, he presses his ear to the bathroom and hears a match striking. Cigarettes he thinks, and walks away from the bathroom door. Some things weren't meant to be heard.

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Midnight rolls in without any further event. Rathore and Shree push the cupboard away, to reveal their murder board. The questions are many, but answers are limited and time is running out. They examine the paper work from the resort, but it's squeaky clean. There's no money trail, there's nothing to indicate the water is coming in from anywhere but the State Water Board. "We can't bring them in for questioning now Rathore says. "If we do, they may be alerted and if they are the actual killers it won't be good for us." By 1:00 AM, their investigation is stumped with questions. Rathore slaps his thigh in frustration, and even the normally even-tempered Shree is massaging his temple. Arjun is quiet, staring at the murder board and thinking and Riya is looking at her hands. He notes belatedly that the entire evening, she's spoken very little.

At 1:30, the meeting is generally declared to be a resounding failure. Riya steps out to the balcony, as Rathore and Shree push the cupboard back into its place. Arjun is distractedly staring at her back, when Rathore clears his throat and says lowly, "Rawte, I spoke to Chhotu. The detailed forensic report is going to be in our hands tomorrow - but he is certain. The murders in Kolkata are linked to the murders here. There are too many similarities. I'll be flying out to Kolkata tomorrow early morning"

Arjun nods. "You know what this means, Rathore"

"Just because I know it, doesn't mean I'm comfortable, Rawte he snaps. "It's unethical for someone on the force to be officially investigating a murder of their own family. It clouds judgement. It increases liability. It means even if the police work is solid, defence will have an easy time discrediting it by saying the judgement was clouded by personal emotions. But given the unique nature of the case, Riya will have to be involved. If defence is half good, which they probably will be - they will call Riya on the stand. This case is already complicated enough - this just adds more to it."

"Was Riya right then? We're looking at a serial killer?" asks Shree, in a hushed voice.

"It seems so, Shree, Arjun answers quietly. The rule was clear. One murder is motive, but three is serial. They would know more when the detailed forensic report would come in, but as of now - this changed everything about the case. They were losing time, and would soon have to take drastic measures unless something showed up.

"Sir!" Riya says sharply, and all of them turn to her. "There's something here. Bring a torch, please"

They rush out to the balcony, grabbing torches with them. She points at the ivy curling beside the balcony. "What, Riya?" Rathore asks impatiently. "Sir, please shine your torch there" she says, pointing to the ivy.

They all shine their torches on the ivy. "Riya, there's nothing here" Shree says carefully. Riya grabs him impatiently, and pulls him to where she's standing. "Stand here and see."

They all crowd around and shine their torches on the ivy, and immediately see what she was talking about. The ivy is slightly crushed - barely noticeable but obvious from where they were standing. Riya snaps on a pair of gloves, leans over the balustrade and pushes the ivy away gently. The three men exchange looks. Sree begins taking pictures. Arjun and Rathore lean closer to give him better lighting.

The torch light shines on a small raised platform, a chabutra - the wall behind it stained in blood. "We have a fingerprint, Sir!" Shree announces. They huddle around his iPad as he zooms in. There is, clear as day, an unmistakable fingerprint. Clear enough for an ID.

Shree and Riya begin to bag and document the rest of the evidence, while Rathore and Arjun walk back inside. Rathore is already on call with the forensic lab, while Arjun begins pacing the room. He waits for Rathore to get off the phone, and for Shree and Riya to get back inside before voicing what was bothering him. "It's clear the man hid behind the ivy after I shot him", he says. "Then whom did I chase through all the snow?"

Shree sits down heavily, and Riya stands straighter, her eyes hard. Beside him, Rathore sighs audibly. They had all been thinking it, knew the implications and resent the complications the new evidence has brought forward. There were two killers at play here, not just one. This changed everything.

Shree begins pushing the cupboard away, to reveal the murder board. "What happened to the good old days when people just murdered people because they'd get money out of it?" he quips. Rathore looks at him disapprovingly, as Riya fishes out a cigarette.

It was going to be a long night.

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Comments and likes needed!

I had a long conversation with my cousin. He had lots to say about the fact that fanfiction in my spare time. I think we will be okay.

Four pages long! My back is breaking under the weight. I took the photo, just by the way. I was in Uttarakhand for a project, and took this on my way to Ranikhet.

Love,

Vandana.

Awesome fantastic update amez

Nice update
Hope your cousin is fine now...
Thanks for the pm
Continue soon 😊

Bole to case to uljhta hi jaa rha hai

interesting
loved it
thnx for pm
cont soon

The analysis in riya's diary is explaining now the whole case..

But clues..?nowhere..

Sorry for late comment..

Awsome update..

Love it..

Omg they get clue..the fingerprints..

Arjun is right..they are 2..?

Oh it's getting very interesting..

PlZ..PlZ update soon..

Hmmm so d killer has an accomplice. That explains arjun's analysis of d time gap... great yaar its terrific. Complicated yet occupying story... u should seriously try writing crime thrillers...

Riye ne sab point note kiya hai.. par ab tak koi clue nahi mila.. this is getting too complicated now.. do do killers?? ab sirf finger print se kuch ho saktha hai.. I doubt the one jiske peeche Arjun baag raha tha is not the killer.. may he was diverting their minds..