An Imperial Affliction

Chapter 39- Explanations

"Why do you think so?" Aisha asked softly, equally puzzled. Riya glanced at her, but again said nothing.

"I personally matched his prints. I went through everything. The killings stopped." The Agent was frustrated at the situation as his voice got louder, "And you say . . ."

"You called us to identify the body? I just did." She replied, matching his tone, "It's not him. That's the answer you are getting. Take it or leave it."

He glared at her hard, and the Director intervened, "Is there anyway to double check?"

"This was the double check." Rahane replied, without taking his eyes off the ACP. Taking a few steps back, he ran his fingers through hair. For a few minutes everyone was silent, the anticipation making the atmosphere heavy. Then he looked up to meet her gaze.

"You know what? I pray you are right. I hope you are proven right, because within the next couple of days, we will lose Haqqani. So you have exactly 7 days to be right. Or else it was all for nothing." Glancing at the Director, he walked away hastily, his boot echoing in the hallway.

Rahane's words were playing in her head when Riya walked into the ETF forensic lab, finding her team mates already circling the body of the teenager, Richa. Liza had found something, her excited voice rang in the room and the ACP tried to focus on her voice fully just as she stepped into vicinity, completely forgetting the place- beside her boss, ACP Rawte.

"So I checked the wounds on her head and there was something interesting." The Doctor turned to Riya, determination on her face, "I was actually waiting for you."

"Okay?" She drawled, and everyone was as puzzled as her. Liza had planned something and she wanted to show.

"Assume you trying to hit someone. Take Arjun sir, for example." It was then she noticed she was standing beside him and unintentionally took a step back, shocked, "Sir, if you are okay?"

Dumbfounded at the situation he was put into, he could only nod. Riya thought about bolting with an excuse, but one look at the team mates and she realized she was trapped as well. Squaring her shoulders, she stood near him once again, turning her frame towards him. He gave a nod and she raised her hand, not really threatening or with force, but was caught surprised when he grabbed her arm to stop the upcoming assault, jerking her petite frame towards him.

The eyes held onto each other but the stubborn people did not let out anything.

"Now," Liza's voice broke their small moment as she stood near them, "Riya is lefty, so when she raised hand to strike the spot should be here." She pointed towards Arjun's shoulder, "Or areas similar to this side. For a right person, the spot will be different."

"I guess you are trying to say Richa was murdered by someone lefty?" Sameer said, and the Doctor nodded enthusiastically.

"Exactly."

"But Rakesh . . . " Riya said just as Arjun let go of her wrist slowly, her words unfinished, and Chotu continued her sentence.

"is right handed. That means . . ."

"he did not kill her." Shree finished for all, and all eyes were on the body of the teenager.

Then who was the killer?

Aisha had insisted on staying with Chaurasia until the rest of team figures out the real killer, hence Chotu and ACP Mukherjee headed towards the lawyer's house until this is solved. Thanks to the tough security, reporters maintained a good distance from the place, but the moment two officers from ETF came out of the SUV, they went berserk. Chotu made way for the woman to go first, and Riya gave a disgusted look at the circus, turned her head and briskly walked inside.