Shadows of Mumbai

Chapter 7 - Fractured Loyalties

The dim light from the street lamps flickered weakly as Radhika and Megha walked down the deserted village lane, their footsteps echoing in the quiet night. The village was much smaller than the ones they had passed through before—just a few houses, a temple at the end of the road, and a small well with a lone bucket tied to it.

Radhika's thoughts were racing. They had narrowly escaped the man following them in the market, but her sense of dread hadn't eased. The feeling of being watched, of being hunted, still clung to her like a second skin. Every shadow seemed threatening, every sound made her jump.

Megha, on the other hand, seemed eerily calm. She walked with purpose, her eyes scanning their surroundings, but the fear that had gripped her earlier was nowhere to be seen.

"We'll stay here for the night," Megha said, gesturing to a small house at the far end of the lane. "An old friend of mine lives here. She'll help us."

Radhika's stomach twisted with unease. Megha's "friends" had gotten them into trouble before—Vijay Malhotra had been one of them, after all. But what choice did she have? She had trusted Megha this far, and as much as she hated it, she still needed her.

They approached the house, its wooden door slightly ajar. Megha knocked softly, her knuckles barely making a sound. For a moment, there was no response, but then the door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman in a faded sari. Her face was lined with worry, and her eyes darted nervously between Megha and Radhika.

"Megha, is everything alright?" the woman asked, her voice low and hesitant.

Megha forced a smile. "Everything's fine, Aarti. We just need a place to stay for the night."

Aarti hesitated but stepped aside to let them in. Radhika followed Megha into the small, dimly lit room, the scent of incense and oil lamps filling the air. The house was simple—bare walls, a single wooden cot in the corner, and a shrine to Lord Ganesha placed against one wall. Despite its simplicity, the room felt suffocating, the weight of the situation pressing down on Radhika's chest.

As they sat down, Aarti brought them a tray with two glasses of water and a plate of rotis and aloo sabzi. Radhika hadn't realized how hungry she was until the smell of the food hit her, and she eagerly reached for a roti, her hands shaking slightly as she tore off a piece.

Megha ate in silence, her mind clearly elsewhere. Aarti watched them both, her eyes filled with concern. "Megha, I don't know what's going on, but I can feel the fear in both of you. This is dangerous, isn't it?"

Megha didn't respond immediately. She glanced at Radhika before finally speaking, her voice barely a whisper. "It's complicated, Aarti. But we'll be gone by morning. I just need a few hours to think."

Radhika clenched her fists under the table. She had followed Megha blindly for too long, and now they were hiding in a stranger's home, hunted by people they didn't understand. Her patience was running thin, and her trust in Megha was hanging by a thread.

Meanwhile, Inspector Rajesh Sharma stood at the edge of the market, his sharp eyes scanning the deserted stalls. His team had arrived too late—the women were already gone. But the market vendors had provided enough information to confirm his suspicions. Radhika and Megha had been there, and now they were on the move again.

Sharma's frustration mounted. He was so close, yet the women remained just out of his grasp. He lit a cigarette, the smoke curling into the night air as he replayed the latest developments in his mind. He had no doubt that Megha Joshi was the key to uncovering the truth about Vijay Malhotra's murder, but Radhika's involvement still puzzled him.

What did Radhika know? Why was she running? Was she a victim, or had she become part of Megha's twisted schemes?

His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen—another update from his informant. The women were spotted leaving the market by bus. They're heading toward the villages in the interior.

Sharma stubbed out his cigarette and motioned to his team. "Let's move. They can't be far."

Back at Aarti's house, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Radhika couldn't take it anymore. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

"Megha," she began, her voice trembling with frustration, "you keep telling me we're in danger, but you're not telling me everything. Who are these people after us? And what exactly do they want from me?"

Megha sighed, rubbing her temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "I've told you everything I know, Radha. They think we know something about Vijay's dealings—something that could expose them."

"But what does Arjun have to do with all of this?" Radhika asked, her voice rising. "You mentioned before that he's connected to these people. How?"

Megha hesitated, her gaze shifting to the floor. "I don't know, Radha. I never wanted to involve Arjun, but... I think he knows more than he's letting on."

Radhika's heart sank. Arjun? Her husband, the man she had built a life with? Could he really be involved in something so dark, so dangerous?

"I need to know the truth," Radhika said, her voice firm. "If Arjun is involved in this, I have to confront him."

Megha shook her head, her expression filled with warning. "No, Radha. You can't. Not yet. We need to figure out who's pulling the strings first. If you go to Arjun now, you'll be putting both of you in even more danger."

Radhika's mind whirled with confusion and doubt. Could she trust Megha's words? Or was this another one of her manipulations?