Chapter 10C: Requiem
When Arjun enters the hospital room, it is well past midnight and Riya is asleep. He settles down on the chair near the bed, and prepares for a long night. He had just updated the team on the results of his coordination with the local police so far. His mind was buzzing with anxiety and worry - there was a little relief because while Riya had bled out severely, no major artery had been damaged. From what he had understood at the behest of the local police, Riya had gone to some Digha Beach that was four hours away from the city and had found someone loitering near some spot. She'd taken photographs and waited for local police to back her up - but the police had been delayed and Riya could not directly engage with the loiterers. So, she'd taken some photographs and had snuck around the spot later when someone had hit her from the back and then apparently tried to slash at her. Rathore was furious, and had decided to bench Riya for this case. Arjun was furious too, but more than that, was the acrid taste of fear in his mouth. What if he had lost her?
The rest of the team had gone back home - it was decided that there was too much risk to leave anyone alone and they'd decided to do shifts worth two hours in Riya's room as additional security. At around 2:00 AM, Chhottu would come in and relieve Arjun.
His mind is buzzing with questions and thoughts. He'd seen the photographs on her phone - the man caught loitering around the scene certainly seemed physically able to drown the victims but he was still not completely convinced. This was not the behaviours the killers had exhibited before. Why visit that place? Judging by the presence of the letter, it was the last place her sister had been alive - what was different about her? Then, there was the letter Riya's sister had left behind. It seemed hastily scribbled, the paper indented with the uneven pressure of a trembling hand. The words were simple. I was cheating on Arjoon and ergo, on their list. Two men came home, told me it was me or you. I chose this. I love you.
Riya stirs, and her eyes flutter open. Arjun is on his feet in a flash, asking her if she needed anything. "Just sit with me" she says hoarsely. So, he sits back down and watches her silently. "I wasn't asleep all through, I heard Rathore tell the others I'm not allowed to work on the case anymore" she says quietly. "They think you are dangerous" Arjun says dully. "Let them lose their sister, then they can lecture me she says angrily. Arjun does not reply, but they both know it isn't because he agrees with her assessment. She closes her eyes, and tears leak out from the side. "f**k... sorry" she chokes out. "Today has been overwhelming".
"Don't apologize for this, Riya" he says tiredly, reaching out to clasp her hands in his. She sobs quietly and then emits a watery chuckle. "God, I'm sure you're wishing the f**kers had actually killed me. At least you'd be spared of my drama". Arjun's hand involuntarily tightens over her fingers when she mentions her death so casually. "Don't" he says roughly, and in a rare moment of candour tells her, "I would hate to lose you"
Riya turns his palm up and strokes it absently but her tears don't stop running. Soon, she drifts off into a fitful slumber, the tear tracks still glittering on her cheeks. Arjun feels the exhaustion wear him down, but forces himself to stay up through his shift.
Two hours later, Chhottu comes in and relieves him of his duty. It is only when the other man looks rather pointedly at Riya's bed, does he realize that he never actually let her hand go even when there was no particular reason to keep on holding on to it.
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It's been a week since Riya has been released. Rathore has unequivocally suspended her for recklessly endangering' her life, much to her chagrin, so she spends time in her apartment. Sometimes, Chhottu and Shree come over and try to cheer her up but they are not very successful in doing so because she is not interested in their company beyond enquiring about the case and they do not discuss the case with her despite all her prodding. So, she sits. Sometimes, she visits her father. Other days, she grows restless - the urge to break free bubbling under her skin, making her want to do things like go back to the beach where she'd been attacked and or pick a fight with the skies.
Rathore point blank refused to accept that the photos she'd caught meant anything. When asked to relate what specifically she'd heard that made her sure the men she'd captured on her phone were the killers, she said she heard them say, "what a strange place to spend time in, given the circumstances". Rathore had said she was jumping to conclusions and bending the narrative but Riya knew
In all of this, he was completely silent. The only time he opened his mouth is to object to Riya not getting any case details but here too, he was overridden by the rest of their team members. Everyone had come to visit, even Rathore (the most awkward twenty minutes of their lives) but he had stayed away. In her pride, she too hadn't asked about him.
The doorbell rings suddenly. She isn't expecting anyone and stiffens - slowly reaching for a knife she kept handy (they'd taken her gun away) and peering through the peeping hole. Of course, the discovery of who was on the other side of the door gives way to a different kind of panic altogether. She smoothens her hair down, and pats her simple slip dress down and then swings the door open.
"Hi, come in" she squeaks out. If Arjun notices the tremor in her voice, he does not show it. He hands her some files. "I convinced Rathore to let you have at the case details, but he still doesn't want you running point he says without preamble. "I brought over the files since Shree and Rathore are pursuing some leads so-"
She runs to him and buries herself in his chest. He stumbles, but then manages to support his weight and hers. "Thank you" she whispers. "You don't know what you saved me from. Thank you".
She disentangles herself awkwardly, perhaps realizing how close she was to him. He looks away as she coughs awkwardly. "I'll leave you to it" he says, gesturing to the files. A strange sense of disappointment enters her heart. "Won't you stay? she asks him before she can stop herself, and he stops to look back at her. "There may be some aspects I don't understand and want some clarification..." she says hastily, turning away to hide the blush staining her cheeks.
He shrugs loosely and sits back down on the sofa. She pulls the pile towards herself, eager to get started. The hour that follows is silent, except for the occasional question from her and an answer from him.
"Hey, check this out... I found this strange anomaly in my sister's financials and just checked against the other victims... all of them seem to have made the same purchase at this place - it didn't raise any red flags because it's been disguised as other purchases - we never followed through because the other murders happened in quick succession Riya says suddenly, handing him three files. Arjun, who is engrossed in something else, turns to pay attention. Two minutes later, he says "holy shit" softly, and reaches for his phone hurriedly. "Rathore - this is big. I've emailed you something, check it out and follow up immediately! Yes - bye"
"This is good, Riya" gesturing to the files, and twisting to bestow upon her a rare smile. It's only then that he realizes how close they'd gotten in the last hour. She too, seems to be struck by the same realization - but neither of them make a move to get away. "It was a lucky find" she says softly. "Yes" Arjun replies, equally quiet, "it was"
They both lean away from each other slightly at the same moment, and look away. Riya shifts away slightly. "I should go", Arjun says and Riya does not look at him as she nods. The door closes after him with a sense of finality. Only after he's left, does she let out the breath she'd been holding in and buries her face in her palms. What were they about to do? The apartment, previously perfectly serviceable, suddenly feels oppressive. Heavy. Warm. Riya sighs again. It was good that he had gone. Why then, does the silence he leaves behind threaten to consume her? Why did she wish he had stayed?
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