In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 13.2 - Two Steps Back

Once more the team was gathered around a computer watching the footage from the night of the fundraiser, except this time Riddhima was in the same room. She wasn't watching it though; instead she was standing by Vansh's desk trying to fight the urge to bite her nails nervously. It was a habit she had kicked years ago but now it was trying to make a comeback.

She watched as Vansh shook his head, his eyes still on the screen. "He isn't on camera, not even after the ambulance arrived."

"Well it takes time to clean up after attacking someone," Angre pointed out and Riddhima flinched. They noticed. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," she said softly even though that was as the exact opposite that she was feeling.

Vansh stepped away from the computer and stood close to her, he didn't touch her but she really wished he would, maybe that would make her feel less anxious. Kabir was staring at the screen, lost in thought. "Ryckart was at the event, he knows how to take down other cops…because he is one, and he doesn't like Riddhima."

He met Vansh's eyes. "Can you think of any reason why he wouldn't fit the profile?"

Vansh shook his head. "No, at least, nothing obvious."

Riddhima sank down into the nearby chair, staring straight ahead while her heart pounded in her throat. "So…this could really be him."

She didn't know what she was feeling at the moment, she should be excited right? They might be very close to finally catching the monster that had raped her. But she couldn't work up that rush, that feeling she always felt when they were close to solving a case. In fact, what she did feel was anxious…and like throwing up.

"He has major control issues," Sara said, doing what she was supposed to do: her job. "When I met him in the elevator he referred to women in the workplace as a 'disease'. He specifically blamed Riddhima."

Now she felt a bit like a ghost, watching and spying on the investigation into her own case. A part of her preferred it like that; being invisible might have been a good thing now.

"He also deflected the blame, said that she was looking for trouble because of the way she treated people." Angre glanced over at her sheepishly, "he's wrong."

But Riddhima wasn't listening; in fact, she was hearing something else entirely.

"Agent Riddhima," he said, taking a slow sweep of her with his eyes, "I'm surprised, you actually look like a woman tonight."

Riddhima gave him a fake smile. "And you almost look like a man."

She'd insulted him. To his face.

Oh God what if that was what did it?

He said that she deserved what happened to her because of the way she treated people. Was that what he'd meant? That she'd cut him so deep that he had to prove he was a man by raping her?

A hand on her shoulder startled her and she looked up to see Vansh's soul-piercing eyes. "Don't think that," he whispered softly.

Of course he'd known.

Riddhima wasn't sure if she believed him but she felt a small part of her anxiety ease, it was nice to hear it at least.

She still felt sick to her stomach.

To rub some salt into the wound, Rohan Sinha took that opportunity to make an appearance. "Agent Angre," he said handing over a thick folder, "You wanted the complaints on Officer Ryckart."

"Uh, yeah," Angre said, taking the folder, "Thanks."

"It's not a problem," Rohan replied, "apparently he has quite a record down there." He eyed Vansh, "Though not nearly as much as some people."