ANIKAA & THE ESCAPE- BOOK 2 OF ANIKAA SERIES

THE PRENUPS

As Anikaa settled on the couch, she assimilated her surroundings- Milan, still gaping at Anikaa, expecting her to collapse any moment; Rachel sitting beside Anikaa holding her hand fearing she might vanish if she leave her; Poorva sitting in front of Anikaa with his sub-ordinate holding a pad in his hand, ready to take the statement; Karan, standing near the table- his hands deep in his pockets, watching with mix of interest and relief and Raymond standing at the far end of the room, his face unreadable.

"Inspector do we have to do this right now?" asked Rachel.

"Yes Poorva. Can't we do it tomorrow?" said Milan.

"We won't pester her but we have to do it right now. You see, you have filed a missing report."

"Oh! Mr. Yadav didn't file anything. He just wrote a note about our complaint," said Rachel sulkily.

"Still. Let me do my duty."

"So Miss Mehra would you tell me your account of accident," said Poorva.

Anikaa cleared her throat and narrated the incident of her accident, to the part when her car jumped off the cliff.

"What happened then? Where were you for last five hours?" asked Poorva.

Anikaa's eyes momentarily flickered towards Raymond, who had slowly ambled across the hall and was now standing behind Poorva's couch; his eyes fixated on her, bore a strange expression that Anikaa couldn't decipher.

"I don't remember. I just gained consciousness few minutes before," said Anikaa rubbing her hand on her forehead.

"You mean you don't know what happened to you, how your clothes got torned and how, when thankfully you're not hurt got all this blood all over you," said Poorva.

Anikaa nodded.

"Miss Mehra, are you hiding something?" asked Poorva bluntly.

"Poorva...," Milan broke in before Anikaa's reply, "...What's wrong with you? How can you accuse her? She has just returned from a lethal accident and you are firing questions at her. Look at her...what could she possibly hide?"

Poorva stared suspiciously at Anikaa, as if unsure about Milan's words and slowly, choosing his words carefully said- "I understand. But this is all very mysterious and extraordinary. How is she safe when I can't find a single piece of her car in its original colour or shape? Moreover, how did she reach home, a hundred miles away from the accident spot?"

Poorva's questions however logical, made a different impression on Anikaa's loyals- Rachel, Milan and Bahadur. To them it sounded that Poorva wasn't happy to see Anikaa in one single piece, especially when her car is in hundred pieces now. Their unified resentment was about to erupt when Poorva sensing the changing ambience got up.

"I will come tomorrow Miss Mehra...sharp ten am and I hope you will be more responsive by that time."

Rachel frowned at the retreating policeman. Why has he got so many questions? Why can't he be happy when Anikaa mam has returned unhurt? Why is he concerned about her coming back safe? Didn't act when he was supposed to...and now he is making reports.

Rachel's train of thoughts were broken when Karan held out a deep sigh.

"Whew...I am definitely going to remember this night for my whole life. Never I had been so worried and out of my skin for someone else," said Karan giving his lopsided smile.