Cid Vs The Eye

Chapter 11: The Questions

Poorvi: (the words catching in her throat) "Family ki wajah se?" (leaning forward) "Kyun — uske family mein koi problem thi kya?"

Ishi's eyes dropped to her hands. When she spoke again, her voice had lost all its earlier sharpness.

Ishi: "Nahi ma'am, problem nahi thi." (a pause, heavy with something unspoken) "Balki uski family hi nahi thi."

The words landed like a struck match in a dry room. Abhijeet's face went pale.

Abhijeet: "What?" (turning to the others, his voice dropping to a murmur only they could hear) "Aisa kaise ho sakta hai? Phir Shreya ke mom-dad kahaan hain?"

Ishi: (catching only the tone, not the words) "Kya sir?"

Abhijeet: (quickly composing himself) "Nahi nahi, kuch nahi. Yeh batao — aur kya bataya usne tumhe?"

Ishi drew a slow breath, her gaze somewhere far away, as if she were replaying a memory she'd turned over many times before.

Ishi: "Sir, usne bataya tha mujhe ek baar ki uski is aath billion ki duniya mein koi apna nahi hai. Jisse woh baat kar sake, bata sake ki woh kitni pareshaan hai." (shaking her head slowly) "Mujhe yeh baat bahut ajeeb bhi lagi ki aisa kaise ho sakta hai. Mom, dad, friends, family, husband, boyfriend — koi bhi nahi."

She twisted the hem of her sleeve between her fingers, guilt flickering across her face.

Ishi: "Maine kayi baar socha ki poochoon, lekin phir socha ki zabardasti woh aur pareshaan ho jayegi. Aur main pata karke bhi kya le leti? To maine kabhi poochha nahi." (quieter still) "Aur sir, woh kabhi bhi apni personal life kisi se share nahi karti thi. Maine kayi baar poochhne ki koshish ki, par usne kabhi bataya nahi. Har baar kisi na kisi bahane se taal deti thi."

A faint, wistful smile crossed her face — the first hint of warmth since the questioning began.

Ishi: "Aur haan sir, ek aur baat. Woh kabhi kabhi do-teen ladkiyon ke baare mein baat kiya karti thi. Woh jahaan pehle kaam karti thi, wahaan woh log uski best friends thi." (her smile deepening at the memory) "Woh hamesha jab bhi unke baare mein baat karti thi to ek alag si hi smile aa jaati thi uske chehre par — jaise woh unke bahut close ho. Jab bhi baat karti thi to kehti thi ki God unhe duniya ki har khushi de. Unhe bahut achha husband aur ek bahut achhi family mile."

She hesitated, as if trying to pull the names up from somewhere deep.

Ishi: "Aur ek aadmi ke baare mein bhi woh aksar baatein karti thi." (frowning in concentration) "Usne mujhe naam bhi bataye the sabke." (counting on her fingers, struggling) "Ek ka naam Pu... Pu... Poorvi — haan, Poorvi tha."

Every officer in the room went still.

Ishi: (still working through the fog of memory) "Aur ek ka naam Ta... Talia... Takira—" (shaking her head, frustrated with herself) "Arre, T se hi koi naam tha." (snapping her fingers) "Umm — Taki—"

Abhijeet: (the name leaving him before he could stop it) "Tarika?"

Ishi: (brightening) "Haan haan, Tarika!" (smiling) "Kehti thi ki unse achhi ladkiyaan usne duniya mein kahin nahi dekhi. They are such a beautiful and pure soul."

Poorvi's throat tightened, her eyes burning with something she fought hard to keep down.

Poorvi (in mind): Pure soul to tum bhi thi, Shreya. Phir kyun badal gayi?