When The Ex Meets

24. Suspect

I meekly walked through the hallways of FCC building in my PJs. When Avni called me, I wasn't in my right mind to change into something more appropriate for outdoors. I had just rushed to here.

At night this building looks twice as awful; all the empty cubicles and desk in the dark shade could scare any soul. I made my way towards the broadcast room.

As I reached the floor, it was completely opposite of what it looked back two floors down. It was well lit and one could hear the entire hustle bustle from even the end of the corridors.

I walked into the news room hall to see all of our staff had already gathered. I moved my eyes along the crowd to look for Avni who called me here. But unfortunately, I couldn't spot neither Avni nor Druv or Ryan.

I felt a knot forming in my throat. Somehow this entire situation was creeping me out.

As I walked more into the room between the groups of people, someone tapped on my shoulder, seeking my attention. I turned back to see a uniformed cop standing in front of me.

"Sneha Malhotra?" The officer asked, hitching up an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I meeked, suddenly my anxiety kicking in.

"I need you to cooperate with us and come to the police station for some inquiry. Please." he extended his hand towards the exit, asking me to head out with him. From his voice it was clear that he meant business only. And that only panicked me more.

"Officer, but why me?" I stepped back.

"Miss Sneha, we have some evidence which involves you with the attack that had happened with Mr. Merchant. So please?" He still had his hand extended.

I retaliate and finally acceded to go with him. I followed him as we made out of FCC building, but my eyes kept scanning for my friends and Ryan. But guess what, this time I have to fight alone.

I saw the cop's van parked outside and the officer asked me to get into it. I obeyed.

The ride was as quite as some graveyard. The air kept on thickening till it became really hard to breath for me. But on the other hand, the officer seemed to not mind at all the tension present between us; after all this includes his daily job.

Soon we reached the station and he led me to the inquiry room. Everything about it screamed of crimes and sins. And I looked so out of this place that I was glad of.

I looked around the little white room with nothing else but a table and a pair of chairs on either side. It's my first time seeing one of these rooms or being in it, and honestly I'm terrified.

The officer sat at a chair and signaled me to sit opposite to him.

As I settled down, he broke the silence, "How do you know Mr. Merchant?"

I gulped; the situation was making me uneasy, even though I had nothing to do with his murder. "He's FCC's one the sponsors. And as an Assistant Manager, we had held many business meetings together." That and many more meetings that had became my nightmare; but I wasn't sure if I should tell him or not. Cold sweat broke on my forehead, as the officer's hawk like gaze observed me.

"That's it?" He raised an eyebrow.

I avoided eye contact with him instinctively, "Yeah, that's it." My voice was barely audible. Suddenly silence was more powering than my voice. I kept my hands joined together on the table as I kept my posture straight. I wanted to be as less suspicious as possible.

"Then why is there a video of you and the 'News Digest' host, Ryan, is in his phone?!" He suddenly raised his voice and slammed his hand on the table in front.