Charade - KarEena

Day 1937 (Part 2)

Day 1937, 5:30 pm

Haseena parked her car before a white building where one side of it is coloured in a light orange hue by the setting sun. She stood watching the sky painted in pinkish-orange colour, trying to experience the magnificence of nature.

Reaching the top, she knocked on the last door of the floor. The person who opened the door left her speechless, not for HER being the Doctor she was trying to find but for HER frowning eyes half in sleep and half in confusion, the loveliest pair of eyes she had ever laid eyes on. Coming out of her daze she cleared her throat.

"Doctor Karishma Singh?"

"Yes, how can I help you," Karishma asked frowning more, making her eyebrows move closer, the person standing before her felt familiar

"I'm Inspector Haseena Mallik. I'm dealing with your missing case"

"My missing Case!" in a surprise, Karishma opened her eyes wide and round

"Yes, and if you don't mind, can we talk inside," Haseena said wiping sweat from her brow. As she signalled, Haseena followed her inside. They both sat facing each other

"Doctor Karishma, yesterday your lab had an accident and nobody was able to contact you, your Company filed a missing complaint, before informing your presence to my department, I have a few questions for you"

Karishma sat holding her head, too perplexed to answer she nodded

"Doctor Karishma, what happened yesterday?" Haseena watched her intently

Karishma sat with her eyes closed, a few seconds later she explained the blast, smoke and her escape. After she finished speaking Haseena told her about the cause of the accident and the technician's death due to suffocation, tears trickled down Karishma's cheek as they sat in silence, Haseena's phone buzzed receiving a message

"Do you suspect any foul play doctor?"

"I don't know Inspector" She sighed

"But I suspect doctor!" her voice sent a cold shiver down Karishma's spine

"From the time I left your lab, a car has been following me. It followed me here and something tells me it's not for me" Haseena said

"But how do you know I am here?"

"The highway cameras and the taxi driver. Listen to me Doctor you need to come with me. There is a reason why I wanted to hide the fact that you are here, your life is in danger" Haseena started at her intently

"My life! Why would somebody try to kill me, this is absurd." she exasperated

"Doctor, I have my reasons and if it's my imagination, does it hurt to stay incognito for another day? No one except a few of your company members and few in the department knows." Karishma sat thinking for a while, she recalled seeing Haseena in the news

"Inspector I know you are concerned. However, if somebody is after me, isn't going to the station is more secure than going with you. Anyway, how do you want me to believe you when your name is in papers for being corrupted" she said looking straight into Haseena's eyes

Wincing at her words Haseena looked away"I don't have any proof with me, doctor. We can go to the station but whoever is after you has connections in the department, and I don't wanna risk your safety. Anyway if I'm after you, I would have called them by now, I don't have to stand here trying to convince you"

Thinking she nodded in affirmation.

"Get your clothes and we cannot walk straight out, they are waiting outside. My constable is following them, you have to jump the perimeter wall to the building behind this and wait at the entrance, constable Cheeta Chaturvedi will be picking you up, you guys go to my apartment. I'll drive to the station, they'll follow me and you'll be safe" she said handing Karishma her keys, she walked out of the apartment and called Cheeta.