Ride on Time

Chapter 127

Shruti conducted a special meeting with the board of directors and some of the other older employees of Shridhar Industries. Of course, Mikail and Wang were there. Tyler was there too, just that he didn't really have a clue about this Ramesh person aside from the fact that he was a whacko.
"So, do you guys know anything about a guy named Ramesh?" Shruti asked.
"That feller who came did hoo-hah, right?" Wang said.
"I don't know him," Mikail shook his head.
"Well, he claims that he used to work here at some point but retired back in the late nineties," Shruti shrugged. "Do any of you remember?"
All of them denied again. Shruti sighed, shaking her head.
"For all I know, this guy may be a fraud," Shruti remarked. "If only my brother was still here."
"Yes, Mr. Siddharth may actually know about him," Mikail nodded. "You should ask him."
"Not him, I meant Shri," Shruti sighed. "He would know."
Everyone kept silent, quietly realising that there was no way for them to get the answer from him now.
Shruti shook her head. "Maybe you're right, Encik Mikail. Siddharth might know."
Tyler grimaced at the mention of her oldest brother. Siddharth wasn't on the best terms with him.
"Mr. Wang, you sure you don't know anyone by the name of Ramesh?" Tyler chimed in hopefully. "Surely you'd know, you've been here for quite long, haven't you?"
Wang frowned thoughtfully. "Don't know lah. But the name sound familiar one..."
"Try to remember," Shruti urged. "This feller talking too much, the receptionist told me that he went and threatened her also."
"That doesn't sound very good, why did you even let him in?" Mikail piped up in Malay. "You should've thrown him out."
Wang snorted. "Mik... but yeah, he telling correct, what."
Shruti snorted. "I'll ask my father and see later, if he also don't know then I'll ask Siddharth lah."
"Eh, what actually happened to him ah? Suddenly just hilang like that," Wang asked.
Shruti sighed and gave him a rather tight smile. "He... moved out and started a business of his own."
Tyler had a look of resentment on his face as he thought about Siddharth. He still couldn't figure out how Shruti and her parents could even accept him as a part of family after what he had done. But what could he say? Siddharth wasn't his brother, he was Shruti's. And since Shruti herself had no choice but to accept him because of her parents, he was given the same one choice too.
And now he was the only promising lead to find out who this Ramesh person was.

"Is there no other way than asking him?" Tyler burst out as soon as the others left the meeting room. "Shruti, no. He's negative energy. Can't you just feel it whenever he's around?"
Shruti let out an unamused snort. "Ty, I literally grew up surrounded by that negative energy. How wouldn't I know?"
"Then why did you invite him over this Saturday? You do know that something bad happens as soon as he comes by, right? Remember your older laptop? All he did was touch it. What happened to it the next day?"
"The hinge mysteriously broke and the motherboard also spoil," Shruti sighed. "But what else am I supposed to do? I need to know who this stupid Ramesh guy is!"
"Doesn't Pa remember?" Tyler asked again.
Shruti frowned, shaking her head. "Don't know lah. But let him come lah, I'll call Mitsuo and Shree for backup if you want."
Tyler frowned thoughtfully as he considered the situation, then nodded approvingly. "Yeah, better idea. Those two are a lot more fun. Positive energy to even out the bad."
Shruti playfully rolled her eyes and got up. "You have any more work to do?"
Tyler shook his head. "No lah. I already sent you everything."
"Then come lepak at my office lah, at least can talk," Shruti suggested. "Sometimes very boring."
"Can also," Tyler nodded.

***

"Any idea why we're being invited over once again?" Mitsuo asked as they neared Shruti's house up the Gasing Hill. They spotted a Honda Jazz parked in the driveway. "And they're having an additional guest too."
"Additional guest ah?" Vasu piped up, poking his head between them. "Who lah?"
"Who knows lah," Shree said. "Never mind, let's just park here and go. Got car in front, wanna park also cannot."
Shree parked the conveniently small Viva at the dead end and stopped the engine before locking the steering. The three of them got out and started making their way towards Shruti's house, with Shree texting the older woman to say that they have arrived. Shruti immediately replied, that she would come out and let them in, so they waited. The guard didn't seem like he recognised them so trying to convince him would surely turn out vain.
They turned to the Honda Jazz parked outside and wondered who it even belonged too, and why would she have invited them over if she already had guests.
Shruti eventually came out with Madhavi, who seemed more excited to meet Vasu, and let them in.
"You're having other guests too?" Mitsuo asked, pointing a thumb at the grey hatchback in the driveway.
"Yeah, my brother," Shruti sighed. "He showed up so suddenly, didn't even call."
"Oh..." Shree frowned slightly. "We won't be bothering you guys, right?"
"Nah, more like he's bothering us," Shruti bitterly stated. "Come on, I'll bring you guys to the dining hall instead. There's more privacy there."
"What's this actually about?" Mitsuo asked, confused. "Anything important?"
"I found some clues about that Ramesh feller," Shruti said, taking her slippers off at the porch just as the others did. "I guess it's actually a good thing that Sid came, he actually knew of him."
"Oh, so I guess it's good, then?" Mitsuo nodded, looking down at his feet and wondering if he should take off his socks too since the others were barefooted. "Should I take my socks off?"
"It's fine, just wear them," Shruti said. "But it will be hard for you to use go toilet."
Mitsuo sighed. "I should really get some slippers..."
"Go buy on top of Market," Shree chuckled. "There's a shoe shop there too."
"Noted," Mitsuo smirked as he entered the house with the rest.
They went in and spotted an aged version of the geeky man whose pictures they saw in the album. His hair was unkempt, though short, and resembled a crow's nest more than a head.
For some reason, Mitsuo felt enraged at the sight of him. He didn't really know why, maybe because of the horrible things that Shruti said he'd done, abandoning his family and all. He tried really hard to ignore it and turned away, following the rest to the dining hall.
"Alright, so who's this sus guy?" Vasu asked, sitting beside Madhavi.
"He used to work at our company but resigned shortly before... before you guys were born," Shruti said, neatly avoiding the grievous topic. "So yeah, Siddharth said that he remembers this guy. They were best friends, apparently."
"That's good, so that means Ramesh was a nice guy?" Shree added.
"I wouldn't think so if he was a best friend of Sid," Shruti said in a low voice. "He's anything but a nice person himself, his friends weren't any different."
Mitsuo scowled. "I don't know why, but looking at him angers me. For some reason..."
"Don't do anything, it's not worth it," Shruti shook her head. "I understand how you feel, because there was no end of fights between my two brothers. I've seen them brawling countless times."
Madhavi piped up. "Is he really Uncle Shri?"
"I have no clue myself," Mitsuo shrugged. "I've seen him a few times in my dreams, more like nightmares, but yeah."
"Same sort of demeanour," Shruti added. "Maddy, I was very close to my brother, I'd know. He even has the same habit of playing with his necklace."
"And he's also a writer," Vasu added with a smirk. "Your uncle disturb us in literature not enough."
Madhavi frowned at him but nodded. "You're right, it's very odd studying your uncle's books in school. Especially since I've never even met him."
"You should be proud," Shruti said before turning back to the rest. "Anyway, that's all we got for now. You guys wanna eat?"
"Wait, so you invited us over for just that?" Shree said in surprise. "Phone call itself enough, what, Auntie."
Shruti smiled. "Yeah, but it's so good to see the two of you in person."

YES I FINALLY HAVE THE INSPIRATION TO CONTINUE!