The Investigation

'Noor Ma'am,' Jasmine greets me as she opens the door, tension and anxiety dripping from her face.

'Hi. Where is he?' she points towards T.S.'s and Rashi's room. I walk in through the bunch of almost sleepy cops collected in the living room. It makes the matter seem really serious.

Of course, it is serious.

I find T.S. and a young, tanned, mustached guy, probably an inspector without the uniform talking near the balcony. T.S. looks tense more than ever. His eyes and golden skin are red from crying. It almost melts my heart to see him in this condition. I can see his nerves thumping out from his biceps, from under his white folded tee-shirt sleeves as he shakes his head and runs his fingers through his messed up hair. He looks at me and both of us freeze. Even after knowing him personally for three, almost four years now, the butterflies still manage to race in my belly, like the first time I saw him when I was sixteen.

'T.S.,' I whisper and walk up to him. He hugs me slightly tight, the perfect pressure, and looks up at me.

'This is Noor, our friend,' he says to the inspector, Mr. Arrogant.

Friend.

Just a friend.

'Hello inspector,' I say as Mr. Arrogant turns all smiling, Mr. Sensual and nods at me- his eyes almost crawling up my neck.

Oh, it's just a pretty face.

'I'm inspector Raj,' he offers his hand. I ignore and look up at T.S., for an escape.

'Noor, tell him about Rashi. Tell him that you met her last Saturday,' T.S. asks holding me by my elbow with the utter emergency in his voice.

'Err, yes, I-I did meet Rashi last Saturday,' I say and raise my eyebrow as Mr. Arrogant smile at my response, 'I think so it's a serious matter, isn't it inspector?' One more smile and I'll haul his thirty-two out.

Raj coughs coming back to reality and says, 'So, Miss Noor how was Mrs. Rashi when you met her last? Did she look fine? What did she talk to you about? Where did you meet her?'

'I met Rashi at Tea Leaves and Coffee Beans, Quest Mall at around say, five-thirty in the evening? She behaved like she always did, casual,' my brows crease and I shrug, 'there was nothing fishy or suspicious in her demeanor. And we talked about regular stuff.' I say and shift my gaze from him to T.S.

'What kind of regular stuff, Miss Noor?' he stresses on my name and shoots one of his dense eyebrows up.

'Well,' I clear my throat, 'regular pieces of stuff about... about T.S.'s latest novel and, the new collection at Catwalk, shared some recipes. That's it- usual girly stuff.'

'T.S.?' he asks.

'Tar-'

'It's me. She calls me that.' T.S. interrupts me.

Thank God.

I have never liked discussing my reason behind calling Tarun, T.S.

'Oh. So, Miss Noor, you mean to say, there was nothing unusual in Rashi's behavior?' I shake my head. 'Nothing she mentioned about danger or... she wasn't worried?'

Hell, 'No inspector. Rashi wasn't worried. And I can think of no danger coming on a jolly girl like Rashi. In fact, she was rather excited-'

'Excited?'

Let me complete it.

I roll my eyes, 'Yes, excited. She was excited for T.S.'s next novel, on which he's currently working.'

'You ladies discussed only Tarun's novel?'

'Uh, no I told you what else we discussed.' I say irritated.

'What did you discuss about the novel? Rather what was Rashi excited about?' he says, scratching his brow, getting on my nerves.

'The climax, she was excited about the climax.' I snap and look at T.S.

'Could you elaborate a little, Miss Noor?'

Enough!

'Enough is enough! You have come here to investigate my wife and not to know about my novel's climax!' T.S. grunts. His nerves bulge out from his neck as he tries to hit the guy square across his face. I quickly put a controlling arm around him to restrict his sudden outrageous motion,

'T.S. no!' I shriek.

'You don't teach me my job, Mr. Tarun!' Raj bellows and tries pouncing back at T.S. I push him with all my strength, though it has no effect.

'Inspector, please!' I say shocked. 'T.S. you sit, I-I'll talk to him okay?' I place my hand on his cheek gently and sit him down on the armchair while he curses the stupid inspector. I walk back to Raj.

'I'm sorry. I just lost my temp-'

'Wellbeing in such a noble profession you should first know self-control.' I say as calmly as I can, not defying my angry expression.

He clears his throat, 'I know, I-'

'It's okay. T.S. is really worried. He has always loved Rashi the best he could, you see? And all this is just not working,' I say more to myself than to him shaking my head.

'I know. I understand though I cannot give him a green-chit.'

'What do you mean?'

Does he doubt T.S.?

'I mean, it's a missing case. Anyone, including Tarun and in fact you, can be the culprit.'

'Oh no, you can't doubt T.S.' I say in utter disbelief narrowing my eyes.

'Doubting is my job, Ma'am' he replies coolly, assertive.

I take a deep breath and say, 'Fine I won't stop you from doing your job. You go ahead. Is there anything else I can serve you with at the moment?'

'At the moment, I don't think so. But later whenever I need you,' I give him a what-exactly-do-you-mean look, 'I mean for the case, you have to be there.'

Oh.

'I assure you my full commitment cooperation, inspector.' I nod sincerely.

'Thank you. And please inform Mr. Tarun to maintain a safe distance from the police. I could have easily charged him for an attempt to attack an on-duty officer had you not been there to stop him,' he says authoritatively and walks to exit. The rest of his members follow him.

'Of course,' I mutter under my breath.

'You said something?' he asks as he steps out of the house.

'No. Thank you.' I smile reluctantly and shut the door.

I ask Jasmine if T.S. had anything for dinner and take a plate of food to his room when she says he didn't. The armchair is still rocking, empty. I look around the room. It seems to have just survived a typhoon. The way Rashi had meticulously placed the decors and upholstery is in a complete mess. I shake my head in disgust as I see the huge frame containing the duo's wedding picture lie on the bed.

The police seriously thought something could be hidden between the wall and the photo frame?

Well, why not?

I keep the plate on the bedside table and hang the frame to its hook, right above the bedpost after which I walk to the balcony where I see T.S. standing. I place my hand on his shoulder hesitantly, 'T.S.,' I whisper, though audible enough for him.

'Noor,' he says and turns around. My breath hitches as I see those alien tears trickling down his beautiful... angelic face. I swallow the hard lump behind my throat.

'T-' he wraps his arms around me and digs his head on the side of my neck and huffs like a little kid.

'I can't live without her. I just can't, Noor. Sh-she's all that I have ever needed. My life will be completely ruined if she doesn't come back.'

I hug him tight and rub my hand on his back. I have never seen him be so negative. 'T.S. why do you say so? Rashi will be back. She'll return.' I assure him.

'That bloody dog, that inspector said she might have had an accident,' he holds me by my shoulder and looks into my eyes. Anger coloring his face pale red.

'Oh, chuck that dickhead!'

'Of course, I don't bother him. But what if... he's right? What if Rashi... Oh God!' he exclaims as he crushes his face in the cup of his palms.

'T.S., T.S. no, don't think that way, please,' I say and rub his back. He inhales deeply and rolls his eyeballs in my direction, 'Hmm, you're right. I should stay positive. Rashi will come back. She will have to, for me.'

'Exactly, she will.' I give his solid arm an assuring squeeze, 'But how did all this happen? The last time I talked to you, you said she was at her mother's. What happened after that?'

'Yeah... she was supposed to return two days before yesterday. I was in Mumbai then, for the launch.'

'Yeah I know,' I nod.

'I talked to her and she told me that she will stay with Mummy for some more time...'

'Did you umm... have an argument or something?'

'No! Nothing like that,' his eyes narrow as he shakes his head.

Of course.

They can't fight- the ideal couple.

'So, when I returned today morning, I was shocked to know Rashi wasn't back. I called her up a number of times but all my calls went unanswered. They said her phone was out of coverage area. I called up Mummy. she said Rashi left the day before yesterday itself.'

'How's that possible? I mean neither you nor did her mum try to contact her after that day?'

This was... fishy.

'Her phone was not reachable when I called her last night before boarding my flight. I thought it would just be the shitty network turbulence. Before that I did talk to her once in the morning and she said that she had returned home but Jasmine says she never came back,' he throws his hands in the air in frustration, 'and mummy says she left on Wednesday. I just so can't understand anything, Noor.'

'But why-' I pause. No. I shouldn't be bringing up the word 'lie' here. It may worsen things though it's absolutely clear that Rashi did lie to him.

'I mean, why is her phone not reachable?'

'I wish I knew Noor,' T.S. says and punches the wall beside him.

I sigh.

He needs to eat.

'T.S., she will be back. Don't worry,' I place my hand on his cheek to look into his eyes, to sound alluring. 'This is just a bad night. It will be over. The sun will come up,' I point at the orange dot arising from behind the skyscrapers. The sky looks beautiful - a color palette wherein all the colors, appear to be merged with a paintbrush ever so beautifully, the most prominent shade being a purplish crimson with an orange aftertaste.

'It's morning,' I whisper.

'Yes, it is,' he sighs.

'By the way,' I clear my throat, 'I didn't tell that inspector one thing that Rashi was almost always worried about.'

His face pales like a ghost, 'Why? What was it?'

I look down at my tangled fingers to add on to the suspense, 'T.S., Rashi almost always complained about your eating habits.'

The blood comes back and gives a pinkish tinge to his cheeks, as a much-awaited smile sweeps across his face.

'She did say to me that you don't eat on time. Jasmine said the same.' I press my lips straight and shrug.

'Noor I was freaking out then and of course, consuming food was least of my concerns.'

'Is,' I correct him, he nods.

'But Mr. Tarun Thakur, you know, no matter how angel like you are, you are a human. Humans need to eat for staying alive.'

'You want me to eat at five in the morning,' he asks with a shallow crooked smile- my favorite smile. A chill runs through my spine as I almost feel my pinna turn red, my stomach finding an escape through my groin.

Get a hold girl.

I cough, 'Well, you skipped your dinner and your lunch, so why not?'

'Noor-'

'Shhh,' I pull him to the bed and sit him beside me, 'Eat now,'

'This is going to worsen my system, I'm telling you,' he says as I place the plate on his lap.

'Be it so. Eat,' I point with my brows.

֎

'What the hell are you doing here early in the morning,' Jassica bellows as she opens the door. I look at her from top to bottom.

My night suit.

'I know it's too early for you, I'm sorry,' I say as I place the packet of guavas I picked up on my way homewards, on the wooden lunch-table. 'And I want that washed,' I point at my thongs and noodle-strap top.

'Yeah, whatever,' she rolls her eyes and pulls out a table-stool to sit on, 'Care to explain why you left your man hungry for you in the middle of the night?' she asks placing her chin on her knuckles.

I screw the lid back on the bottle as I gulp a gallon of water,

'Arif called?'

'Of course. You don't have time for me but he does,' she states as a matter of factly and adds, 'though it's only to talk about you,' her face droops.

Didn't I tell him that I was going to meet T.S.? Then why on earth did he have to bother my roommate for my whereabouts? I'm never going to understand this man, ugh!

'When did he call you?' I ask, my brows knotting.

'Four or maybe four-thirty,' she shrugs.

I am sure I was still driving then.

'J I-' what am I planning to tell her? 'I-I'm going to bed,' I throw my hands and stilettos in the air and stamp en route for my room.

'Whoa! You are such a bitch!'

'You, a swine,' I roll my eyes.

'Whatever. Accompany you to sleep?'

'Please,' I strip out and put on a fresh tee and hop on the bed beside her under the duvet. Her hand wraps around me and she comes closer and kisses my head.

'Hush,' she says hearing my sniffs, 'Sleep Noor, I'm here.' And I doze off peacefully in her presence.

The comfy of sleeping with your fiancé stands nowhere near the comfy of sleeping with your best friend. In my case, I am not really comfortable sleeping with my fiancé.

Why am I crying?

Oh, I met T.S. today.

He loves Rashi, yes.