In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 3.2 - Who Can Understand?

A side effect of working in law enforcement was that a cop learned a great deal about the press: how they worked and how they resembled vultures. Riddhima had never cared for reporters. The spotlight was uncomfortable for her so she never sang her own praises and only did the bare minimum of media exposure that was necessary for her job. But now she was center stage for the biggest scoop on the CBI, no way to keep a low profile. Thankfully no reporters had called or snuck into her room yet. Probably Amit had said she was unavailable for comment.

But the conversation she'd had with Vansh did tell her that the press was taking pot-shots at the Bureau. She had to know what they were saying. Unfortunately, she knew that if she asked Viraj for a newspaper, he would conveniently leave out the pages that concerned her case. It seemed like she had no choice but to live in an undesired ignorance.

But opportunity has a funny way of showing up whenever it is least expected.

Viraj had left to go to the cafeteria for food and her door was still open. Riddhima was watching some stupid soap opera since the hospital only had three and a half channels. It was the rustle of newspaper that pulled her attention away from some creepy guy trying to seduce some girl who looked about sixteen years old.

Some nurse in green scrubs was sitting in a chair reading a newspaper. The fancy title script told her it was the News and Review. Perfect, Hathaway worked for the Chronicle. She didn't want to read the article since it probably started with the word 'yay'.

The nurse picked up his coffee, tilted the cup back and then stared into it. Either the coffee had gone cold or he was out. He tossed the newspaper onto the chair and then stood up. Riddhima ignored her screaming muscles and bruises and she scrambled out of her bed, grateful that she didn't need an IV or heart probes. She stopped at her doorway and looked around. Everyone was too busy to see the patient streak across the hall, snatch the newspaper in her hand and then scurry back into her room.

Riddhima lay back into her bed and flipped the paper away from the sports section, back to the front page. The big headline was about a senator's recent meeting with a prostitute, but beneath that was the piece of news she had been looking for.

CBI Agent Assaulted at Ball

The CBI is investigating the case of one of their own. Special Agent Riddhima Mehra was sexually assaulted while attending a fundraising event for the CBI at Capitol Plaza.

According to law enforcement, Agent Riddhima briefly left the party and was then brutally attacked by an unknown assailant. She was dragged to an alley less than a hundred yards from the ballroom containing two hundred of her colleagues and was beaten and raped.

She was later found in the parking lot by a fellow CBI employee in a state of shock. She was brought to the hospital and is currently being treated for her injuries. According to CBI Director Ranbir Mittal, Agent Riddhima’s injuries are not life threatening. "Her wounds are minor, but this is a severe blow to our Bureau. It cuts us straight to the heart."

The CBI is conducting an investigation to find Agent Riddhima’s attacker, but they have yet to release any leads. When asked about how this could happen with her colleagues so near, Director Ranbir could offer no comment.

"We are doing everything in our power to find [Agent Riddhima’s] attacker," Ranbir said, "We are confident that this man will be found soon and justice will be done. We take care of our own." However, many people have expressed concern in the CBI's ability to protect the citizens of the state if they cannot prevent the assault of one of their agents.

Agent Riddhima Mehra is still recovering and is not available for comment on her case. She is the leader of the Crime Unit and is expected to return to work as soon as she has recovered from her injuries.