Rikara: To Serve and to Protect | Part 12 - Pg 36 |05/18/2018| - Page 10

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Justlikethat1 thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#91

Glad you liked it😛
Justlikethat1 thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#92

Originally posted by: Farri25

The bond's developing beautifully... He's facing dark times now while she's unaware of her dark past hovering above her... but both will become the light for each other and guide themselves out of it I'm sure...😳

Beautiful chappy... waiting phor the next one...😃


Thank you. 😊 Om and Gauri will surely need each other in the coming updates.

Next update will hopefully be done by tomorrow 😳
Justlikethat1 thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#93
Thank you again for the continued comments, views and likes. A lot of you have been really supportive and your comments have made me rethink some portions of the story. It feels encouraging 😊 Requesting your continued support.
Here is Part 5. Just a caution. The next few updates may be all over the place slightly due to the ground I am trying to set. If you have questions please let me know. I will try to answer them with as much detail without revealing the plot.

Part 5 - Quagmire

Omkara Singh Oberoi

I watch the cases come up on the screen, one after the other. Mukesh Bansali continues his rant, dismissing each one for one reason or the other. There is either too little forensic evidence to follow-up or there are no eye witnesses. The cases are piled onto to the unsolved box, low priority.

"Three of these cases seem to resemble one another. Did you try to see if there is a link between them?

I peer into the dark room behind me to see Anil raising the question. Mukesh turns red, either with embarrassment or with fury.

"I looked at all possible options. These cases are not connected. His answer is quick but evasive.

"How did you come to that conclusion? Please elucidate. Anil is relentless.

The lights go on just then. The presentation stops, and everyone gets up for a break. The monthly case reviews are tedious, but it is also important as it is a way to share information between the department. It helps us get a chance to see what other teams are working on. There is a lot to learn from how other teams work and sometimes from how teams don't work.

"You put him upto this.

I hear a low growl from Mukesh and look at him with faintly concealed disdain.

"I don't have to do anything of that kind. It is pretty obvious that you have connected cases and the only reason they remain unsolved is because you are too lazy to make the connection.

I can be brutal when needed. The cases that are under discussion involves the girl under the bridge who was discovered on the day of my engagement. A similar case involving another dead girl turned up yesterday, only this time the killing is brutal. We are still unable to identify who the girl is. But the cause of death, the disposal method all are similar. There is one more case from ten years ago, a cold case that is eerily similar and is yet unsolved. Only Mukesh does not make the connection.

"You need to be careful boy. Your big college degree, the fancy titles and daddy sitting in the office upstairs may not be able to save you from the real world.

"Are you threatening me?

I am livid. I look with disdain at the sneering face, full of spite. Sensing the tension a few of my fellow officers pull us apart before things can go out of hand. We return to our seats and the review continues on less volatile cases.

Shivaay corners me later that day, his face grim.

"That is a stupid thing you did before. He is blunt. I start to explain but he trumps me. "You may dislike that man but there are some fights you are better off without.

"I don't care about the politics in this place.

Shivaay sighs hearing me tell him this for the umpteenth time.

"Om, you don't get it. It is not just politics. He may look stupid, but he is not. He also does not like to be slighted publicly. He was raring for a fight and you gave him just that.

I shrug and Shivaay looks at me in anger.

"Hey Shivaay, you should let up. I don't think Omkara did anything wrong. Mukesh asked for it, the lazy bum. Anil comes to my rescue.

Shivaay glares and Anil before moving on while I discuss the case further with my newly found sympathizer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shakti Singh Oberoi

"She was not there today.

Pinky's voice is laced with worry. Jahnvi did not meet her as agreed. Alarm bells ring in my head but I try to assure my wife otherwise. To distract her, I flip through an old family photo album. The page opens on Rudy's first birthday party.

"She is there in this one. One of the few times I saw her after college. She was so happy for us.

I peer closely at the photograph surprised. The woman standing in the corner, Jahnvi Kapoor. She looks sad, tired. I have no recollection of seeing her that day.

"Her eyes look so lifeless. She looks so worn out. Why did I miss all that Shakti? What kind of friend am I?

I hold Pinky close. We are guilty in different ways and if blame should be laid at someone's doorstep, it should be mine. My wife is not trained to know the signs of abuse, but I am. I missed it all those years ago. Worse, I don't even remember seeing Jahnvi at Rudy's birthday party. Life sometimes just takes over and one forgets the small things that matter, things that become life or death to another person

"It is not your fault darling.

We hold each other, lost in our own thoughts.

When the call came on that fateful day from the hospital, I knew from the first look that Tej Kapoor was a habitual abuser. Wealth and connections with a surprising withdrawal of case from Jahnvi herself let him off scott free, but not before I gave that man a piece of my mind. It seems not to have helped any.

I blame myself for not following it up with Jahnvi. With quick promotions, a high fledged career, my wife's friend and that one day soon slipped out of mind. I know that Pinky blames herself for not reaching out sooner, especially after I told her about the incident at the hospital and the baby that was supposedly given up for adoption.

"I was such a snob then. I judged her for having a child from an affair. Instead I should have understood what drove her to it. I should have talked to her, made sure she was alright. I failed her Shakti. I failed as a friend.

Pinky continues to blame herself.

My regret though is for the years Gauri lost, the love she never got from her mother due to my blindness to Jahnvi's distress. There is no excuse for being a bad policeman. Maybe if I had done better due diligence, Gauri would have grown up with a family instead of an orphanage. Maybe Jahnvi would have had a life filled with kindness and love. Will Gauri and for that matter Jahnvi forgive me for my oversight?

Regrets. That is a very small word to sum up a whole lot of things we did that we should not have. But it also sums up all those things we should have done but never did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omkara Singh Oberoi

She trashes around in the bed, restless. Her face breaks into a sweat and she whimpers helplessly, calling out for help. Her face contorts with pain as she tries to remove the non-existent irritant on her skin.

"It hurts. I cannot breathe. It is very hot. Please help, someone!!

Her hands rub away on the blankets like... like she is swatting something hot off her. I shush her and wipe her forehead with the cold, damp cloth that mom left just a few minutes ago, telling her she is safe. A moment later, she is awake but confused. She stares around and then looks at me questioningly.

"You are in your room. Don't worry. Everything is alright.

She looks at me shamefacedly and murmurs something that I am unable to catch.

"Why didn't you tell me you were not well? You fainted Gauri, at dinner. You have a fever of 103 and the doctor is talking about admitting you to the hospital. Do you know how worried we were?

I try to control the anger triggered by my helplessness. Her well-being becomes paramount now and I forget the nightmare she was having momentarily. She almost smiles. I can see her bite her cheeks to keep herself from grinning. I sigh and then give her a small smile before helping her sit up. She ruffles the pillows and I arrange them properly for her to sit.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone.

She looks at me and pouts and instantly my anger vanishes. She looks pale and sweaty, but her eyes have started to twinkle, filling me with relief. I tell her that mom has gone to get her something to eat so that she can take her medicines again. She makes a face, making me smile again. I adjust the pillow on her bed to sit next to her, leaning on the head board.

"Gauri, were you ever in a fire accident?

She looks completely surprised but answers after a short pause.

She tells me about an accident that happened years ago when she was just eight or nine, an accident she barely remembers.

"All I remember is feeling hurt and that it was very hot and smoky. Someone pulled me and a few others out of a tiny window in the infirmary. I had some burns in my hands, but it healed without leaving a scar. I don't remember anything else except that I was placed in another home after that.

She thinks harder, trying to give me more information. Her voice grows small and soft as she recounts more.

"I remember the shrieks. They are faint, but I can remember them sometimes. It is all horrible. I remember crying.

She pauses, and gulps. "I don't want to remember anymore Omkara.

She looks at me pleading and I immediately take her hand in mine, caressing it and asking her to not think about it anymore. I realize that her mind has already tried forgetting the horrifying night, Gauri's way of coping with the horror, but if pressed, she would be able to remember. I don't want her reliving it again to satisfy my curiosity. I tell her to rest and not think about it anymore.

I pull her close and she places her head in the crook of my neck, snuggling as she mutters, "You will catch my fever if you stay this close to me.

I just hold her a little closer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rudra Singh Oberoi

"Om, are you kidding me? You never take a break from work, and you have now got Bhabhi working with you now? She is not well man. Uff...

I flop next to Om as he sits on the recliner near Gauri Bhabhi's bed. I saw her light on and come in to check if she needed something. Not only do I find Bhabhi intensely typing something that Om is saying, I see Omkara working on his case files. Go figure. Is my brother for real? I am worried for their relationship now. He does not know how to treat a girl.

"Rudy Bhaiya, I said I will help. I am getting bored in bed all day. I insisted on helping.

Bhabhi just lifts her head out of the laptop once, defending my brother, before again going back to her typing. I inform them that they are made for each other before flopping into the seat next to Om. I watch him continue reading some file intently not paying heed to my attempts at teasing. Even Bhabhi seems oblivious to my attempts. That perks me up. What exactly are they working on?

My curiosity gets the better of me and I peer in. He is working on the Prithvi Kumar case to my surprise. I thought we hit a dead end on that one.

"You found the girl?

Om shakes his head no and then keeps the file down looking at me seriously.

"No. I haven't found the girl yet. But think Rudra. What did Dolly tell us?

Om never calls me Rudra unless he is teaching me something serious. I think back to what Dolly whispered and remember her telling that searching for the girl is a dead end. I say as much to Om and he nods.

"Yes. But that is what we thought she meant. But think back Rudra. She said we will never find the girl here. What would make someone say that? Either the girl never existed which we know is not true. The girl is real. The pictures are real. Our forensics confirmed that. That leaves the only interpretation that she is not alive. We won't be able to find her in Dolly's area because she is not there anymore, she is dead.

"Or missing. Bhabhi chimes in.

I gape at him and then look at Bhabhi who looks on proudly at her fianc's deductive and reasoning powers. I mentally note that I really need to find myself a girlfriend as cool as Bhabhi. But I am hooked. What O said can really work.

"Tell me how I can help.

Om moves a pile of files towards me. He tells me that he is going over the cases where there has been a murder or a notification of death and giving Bhabhi details to narrow the cases down to what we are looking for. He wants me to check missing persons too so that we do not miss anything.

The three of us work some more time in silence, passing notes, comparing files. Bhabhi works without break, concentrating on what we tell her. Finally, we have narrowed it down to ten cases.

Om gathers the files at that point, looking at his watch.

"Time to sleep now Gauri.

He takes the laptop from her and she pouts sweetly before agreeing with him. To my immense surprise, Om bends down to place a peck on my Bhabhi's forehead and covers her with a duvet. I clear my throat loudly, unable to hide my grin. Om just rolls his eyes but Gauri Bhabhi blushes profusely before giving me a small smile. I walk out, still grinning. I can hear them bid each other good night before Om joins me outside on the corridor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omkara Singh Oberoi

We narrow it down to ten cases, seven missing girls and three murders. Shifting to my room from Gauri's was an intentional decision. Gauri is still not completely in recovery, but she looked so morose this evening that I could not deny her request to help me type up my notes.

When we narrowed down the cases though, I wanted to make sure that we were out of Gauri's room. Gauri needed her rest and then there are some things she does not have to know about my line of work. I also think that this part of my work is confidential.

We are looking at the seven missing girls when Rudy shows me one of files. The girls' name is Nikki. She is listed as eighteen but looks more like a fourteen-year-old.

"She may be our girl Om.

I agree with him. We note the information down to follow-up tomorrow. There are two more from the seven that seem relevant. It is now late into the night and Rudy yawns reminding me of the time. We decide to retire for the night.

I start gathering up the paperwork when something Rudy noted comes under my view. By this time, Rudy is almost out of the door only to stop because Shivaay walks in. He just takes one look at the files on the bed and automatically reaches out to look at them.

I double check what I just realized seeing Rudy's notes and then check again just to be sure. Shivaay by now has been brought up to speed by Rudy.

"Great job Om. I nod to acknowledge Shivaay while Rudy claims half the credit. They spar playfully when I stop them both seriously.

"Shivaay, can you take a look at this?

I hand over the notes from eight of the ten cases to Shivaay, two murders and six missing girls in total. Shivaay reads them one by one. He is thorough. His eyes widen, and he reads the notes again.

"You may be onto something Om

We hear Rudy whine from behind for being out of the loop. Shivaay points Rudy to what both of us are talking about.

"Every girl in those eight cases lists the Happy Homes for Women' an NGO as their last known address.

"Can it be a coincidence? Rudra asks unbelievingly. The three of us know that it cannot be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shivaay Singh Oberoi

My father's press secretary is usually on the opposite side from where I stand on issues, but today, I agree with him a hundred percent. There are too many things happening that cannot be simple coincidences.

"PC, if you are not going to take this seriously, then I am. Six articles... six articles about you and your family in the past two weeks and all of them insinuating something or the other. This is getting out of hand.

My dad listens calmly as always, and I wonder how much of this he is taking seriously.

"Calm down Khan.

Khan uncle explodes at that. He takes his job very seriously and my dad's attitude is not helping.

"Don't tell me to calm down Shakti. I am serious. You guys are being roasted alive. This is not normal, and you guys are not helping any, especially you Omkara...

My younger brother looks chastised.

"It was not enough that you went bonkers during your engagement, but you have to go ahead and make it all worse by saying Prithvi Kumar will walk?

"He will walk Uncle. That is the truth. We don't have an FIR on him. There is no complaint. There is no complainant. The sixteen-year-old is nowhere to be found.

Omkara is not being very truthful. We have a lead on the girl, but this information is still only between the three of us. Khan uncle looks exasperated.

"Om, that is all true. But there is a way to do things. When will you learn? Perception matters.

Om looks contrite but mutters that he only answered the question truthfully. Khan uncle leaves telling us that he would start on some damage control.

Dad, Om, Rudra and I sit in dad's study in silence. I get up and walk around. I am too restless to sit idle.

"All this is not news to you, is it dad?

As expected, my father looks at me quietly but, he frowns.

"The reporter knew that Om was working on that actor's case. She knew exactly what question to ask.

A small nod from my dad is all we get. His frown deepens.

"We are all targets for someone, for something. I can see that. I also know that you are hiding something from all of us. Dad, don't you trust us to work with you on this?

My dad looks surprised. "I have complete trust in you all Shivaay. You know that.

"Then tell us something dad. Why are you having Gauri followed?


To be continued...
Ms.Lizzie thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#94
Gets interesting with every update
Shakti knows about Gauri... Will he tell others?

Is Tej behind murder of these girls...

Something fishy... Some illegal organ trafficking ???

Really exited to know more
Minalt thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#95
Your story is so different, full of suspense.

It's not just about rikara but all other characters have their own contributions in this. All u blended so well. You have done fabulous job specially detail about how police department work I doubt do u have any practical knowledge about that or maybe any of u r relative worked in police department bcoz it's damm perfect.

Eagerly waiting for update.
Pixiepixel11 thumbnail
Posted: 7 years ago
#96
This was an amazing update loved it so much.
Farri25 thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#97
This is so interesting. I'm intrigued. 😲 😃
I love how you're shaping this story and how every character is involved in different ways... Mystery crime suspense my most favorite genre and that coupled up with some really nice RiKara is a treat... 😃
UPDATE soon pleej 😃
aayushi1 thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#98
This just keeps getting interesting with every passing update..!😊

Also i guess shakti knows about gauri's identity.!
And gauri is really smart; she helped solve om what they weren't ablt to...wonder if it's tej behind all these murders.??🤔

Update soon
tasnimrodela thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
#99
So Shakti is the one from oberoi family to know the relation between JhanRi..
I'm loving the way you're going with the story..
Gauri and Omkara are being support system to each other..
Omkara is having tough time because of those missing and murder cases..is Tej behind of everything..??
And what Shakti ki going to say..?? Is he going to share the secret with his son..??
Waiting to know..

Divi.C thumbnail
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Posted: 7 years ago
Such a superb and unique story.. Can't wait to read next part..

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