Chapter 3:
Maan's behavior was gnawing her mind for most part of the evening. She was distracted when she made preliminary case notes based on the observations she had made on the crime scene. She admitted that blood made anyone blanch and cover their eyes for several seconds but she didn't think Maan would refuse completely to go in. The two of them had seen bizarre ritualistic murders and it hadn't even fazed him. So what was bugging him now?
She jumped in her chair when her cell phone buzzed with message.
Are you awake?
She raised an eyebrow at that. It was close to mid night and Maan wasn't the kind of person who would message her at this time of the hour without a cause.
I am. You want to talk?
She messaged him back without much hesitation. She fathomed he would have had some leads with respect to the case they had and it was about time too.
She was called in two months ago after Maan had one look at the crime scene. A father and daughter were slaughtered in their house when the mother was spending a night at her sisters' for a girls' night. Her husband hadn't returned her calls and there was no response from the residence line either. By the time she reached home, she was greeted by dozens of police officers.
Geet had noted that Maan had looked a little troubled at the crime scene but he had swallowed whatever had risen in his throat - bile or apprehension, and worked the case with her. They had conducted several interviews and she had spent considerable amount of time but the end result was less than satisfactory. Both were frustrated with the way the profile and suspects led to dead ends.
Her cell phone buzzed again.
Knock. Knock.
There was a knock on her door making her jump. Maan was outside her door?
Something unpleasant settled in her stomach and she walked towards the door. She peeked through eyehole and exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She opened the door and stood aside inviting him in wordlessly.
"I am sorry to barge in this late. I didn't know where else to go," he said slowly.
"Do you want some herbal tea?" She asked him. He nodded absently. Something was definitely on his mind. She allowed him to relax a little in his surrounding by leaving him alone in her study as she walked towards kitchen area to boil some water.
She found him slouched on sofa with his head rolled back. She contemplated for a moment - to wake him up or not?
"Maan," she called out his name softly. She heard him sigh deeply.
"What is wrong with me Geet," he said without opening his eyes. She didn't respond. She maintained silence acknowledging him to continue his thought. "My mind is a mess," he said a moment later.
"Are you asking me as your friend or your shrink?" She asked him sitting next to him. She rested her back at the armrest giving her access to see his profile clearly. It was little uncomfortable for her as she had her left leg tucked under her but she didn't care. He opened his eyes and smiled faintly. He accepted the mug of tea with a mutter of thanks.
"A shrink," he answered after taking several sips of the hot liquid. She nodded.
"When did it start?" She asked. He looked at her sharply widening his eyes.
"Give me some credit Maan. We do work together on and off, you know?" She replied. He nodded gravely.
"There is something about these crime scenes which..." he didn't complete. He placed the mug on table and held his head in his hands. Geet didn't ask anything further and allowed him to collect his thoughts.
"I remembered something," he whispered looking straight at her. Her spine straightened at his words.
"You remembered something from your childhood?" She asked. He nodded.
Maan didn't have any memory of his childhood. His first memory was when he was nine years old. His father had mentioned that the family was in an accident which had cost his mother's life while he was severely injured. His first nine years of existence was wiped clean from his memory and unfortunately that had included his mother too.
"I remember being in a crime scene myself," he said.
Geet frowned at that.
"Maan, are you sure it is a memory?" She asked haltingly. Maan looked at her sharply. He knew what she meant by that and also understood the underlying doubts in the words she didn't utter. Her face had said it all. Are you sure it isn't your imagination?
"What set it off?" Geet asked when there was no response from him.
"The crime scene," he replied almost immediately.
"I mean which part of crime scene?" She asked pressing on knowing specific details.
"The way that woman was killed and laid out today. As if she was being punished for doing something terribly wrong," he replied. Geet peered at him closely.
"Punished, is it?" She asked making mental note of the words he was uttering. In her profession these words and the things people spoke had immense impact on the outcome.
"That's the first thought that crossed my head. I thought you should know that." He said.
She felt a surge of sympathy for the man sitting next to her. He looked exhausted and completely worn out. The job didn't make things easier either.
"Sleep here tonight Maan. I'll lay out some fresh sheets in guest room," she said and stood up. Tiredness from the day was making her eyes droop and she saw that Maan's exhaustion was evidence in his posture.
"Do you offer your patients' bed and breakfast now Geet?" Maan asked with a hint of smile.
"I was offering that as a friend," she replied warmly and walked outside the study.
Maan saw her retreating back with a growing smile.
To be continued.
Edited by -Sookie- - 12 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount