AvNeil: Chase Against Time

Chapter Thirty

"I just need results," his crisp words held no room for excuse. Slouching in his seat, he exhaled as soon as he got over with the call. Ananya was a mystery and he felt decoding her could simplify this case for him. But she was a never ending mystery. She was a riddle that entangled more, each time he tried to figure her out.

'Get a grip, Neil,' he scowled at himself. His worries only deepened every time her thoughts clouded his mind. This time he had placed his bets on the information he would receive about her team and more importantly, Aman.

He had barely gotten accustomed to the thought, when the constant pounding at the main door caught his attention. The door was held under his scrutinizing gaze. His eyebrows furrowed together, while he stared. He wasn't expecting a company, especially at the odd hour of the silent night.

The knock grew louder and his suspicions rose. The answer to his questions stood on the other side of the door. Thus, without another nagging thought, he strode towards the door.

Nothing could have prepared for the sight that stood in front of him as he opened the door. His entire body went still; his fingers on the door knob froze, while his feet rooted to the ground.

'I must be hallucinating,' he thought. After all, he had been engrossed in her thoughts all day long. She was all that he thought of. Irrespective of what context it was. Be it the murder case, the murderer, the attacks or just her; she ruled his thoughts.

He slowly blinked his eyes, in a hope that she might disappear into the thin air. But she didn't. She was still standing there, red with fury. She was fuming.

"Ananya," her name rolled out in a hoarse whisper. His throat felt dry. Could he be daydreaming about her? Has she gained the power to?

It wasn't until the constables rushed behind her with their horrified expressions, fumbled on the words, "Sorry, sir! She wasn't listening."

Of course, she was there. And she confirmed it the next moment. Her palm pressed onto his chest as she pushed him aside, "Move it, Officer," she scowled. Walking past him, she welcomed herself into his apartment – his territory.

"Sir," one of them spoke helplessly.

"You both could have at least informed me," he shook his head in disbelief. How much ever annoyed by her sudden appearance at his doorstep, he was, he couldn't blame the constables. She always did what she wanted to. "Anyways," he gestured them to leave and shook his head as walked inside.

She was pacing to and fro, while her fingers ran across her long tresses every now and then. It was visible that she was furious. He just didn't know the reason and he had his doubts if he wished to know. It was just a couple of hours ago, when they stood in the conference room of the NGO.

"Leave," she had ordered, while her eyes refused to leave him. The other three in the room went still. She darted her eyes at them and they left disapprovingly. Confusion crept in his mind as those words seemed to have been directed towards him, while she had signalled others to leave.

He silently stood there, watching her as the wheels of her brain turned. So, she did the calculations and realised he had a plan to have given those statements to the media. Of course, she was smart; slow at times, but smart.

The tables soon turned as he pounced on her with questions she wasn't willing to answer. As always, they had only ended up in a heated argument.

"Care to explain, what brings you here," he gritted out, "and that too at this odd hour?" Her eyes shot to meet his.

"I don't have the time for this, Officer," she retorted, marching towards him. He was left clueless but she didn't give him the time to process and warned him, "Stop digging around for information, you don't even know where you're headed to." She had stopped just a foot away from him, the flares of fuming red clearly noticeable with their faces inches apart.

"I wouldn't have had to," he grabbed her by her shoulder, involuntarily pulling her closer, he spoke, equally annoyed as he added, "if only you would drop the act and tell me the truth, damnit!"

"You already know more than what you should," she snapped back in response. He didn't wish to pry over the facts that she already knew he was snooping around to get information on her.

"Incomplete information is of no use, Ananya," his tone a slightly softer than before as he tried explaining it to her.

"Irrelevant information is of no help either, Officer," her words reflected her irritation which shot up with each passing second.

"Is it really irrelevant, Ananya?" His eyes softened as he looked intently at her, with a hopeful question. "The murderer's behind you, how is it irrelevant?"

"It doesn't know either," she blurted out. His eyes grew cautious as hers grew wide. It was something about the way he spoke, he questioned that the words stumbled out even before she could control herself.

"What are you hiding?" His questioning words washed over her skin, while she felt an unknown, unidentified emotion churning within her. Her shoulders dropped and she blew out air. "Nothing that you wouldn't," she shrugged in defeat, settling onto the couch.

It did nothing but irked him further, she wasn't talking straight. "Could you for once start answering straight and on point?" he slumped onto the chair while his words held seriousness.

"I am a private detective working for a private investigation agency, Officer," she scowled at him and continued as she glared furiously at him, "and you surely know that by now." He nodded his head in affirmation.

"My team is working on a case," she continued, carefully choosing her words. Her eyelashes lowered and her gaze roamed over the floor as she pressed her lips together.

"What case is it?" he countered as he found her silence an indication that she no longer was willing to explain further. 

*

Please read the note till the end.

Firstly, apologies for having delayed this for almost a month. I didn't intend to but things had been pretty confusing for me. I had a feeling that the chapters no longer were fast paced as the previous ones. So, I had to get the balance and to do so, I had to sit back and see what really went wrong.. that actually took quite an amount of time.

Secondly, I am not sure how well this chapter has come out and if it had even matched your expectations. But I am hoping this serves the blend of answers yet holding onto the mystery right in place. If that's done, the chapter is quite in place, then.We have the funds raiser starting up in a chapter or two. So gear up.

About updates, I guess, I am going to go a little slow.. and cut the updates as once a week.. or maybe once in two weeks. 

Also, now that we have reached a milestone, the 30th chapter, I wanted to ask a question or rather I had a suggestion.

You all can drop a question, a query or whatever you wish to say for a particular character and we will have that answered by the respective characters themselves. It can be in reference to the story - past, present or future. It can be any character, anyone from the whole book or outside the premise.. you can even direct your questions to me. In fact, drop in as many as you would like to and to as many people/characters you would like to.  All of these would be addressed in a separate part of the book.

In short, it can be your chance to interview and throw the questions that have been tempting you since long.. or maybe just something that popped in your head right now. Whatever it is, drop it here, and we shall have them answered.

Honestly, I am hoping this gets bombarded with queries and suggestions and absolutely anything and everything.. because this certainly would be a fun session.

I will let you all know when this is been put up, that is, if we have a good amount of response for this and I decide to take this up.