In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 1 - To Villainy and Vengeance Consecrate

"So, what do you think of him?" Riddhima asked once she was inside.

Vansh didn't look at her. He shook his head and said, "Eh," as a negative response.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," she said, "Why not him? He has motive, opportunity and he is the last one on the list. All signs point to him, why not you?"

Vansh looked back at her and shrugged. "He's not squirmy enough."

Riddhima blinked three times. "What?"

"Sure Sinha has the whole package and I could certainly see him doing something like this, but it wasn't him. Whoever ruined the evidence is putting their career on the line and clearly has never done anything like this before. Sinha fits the bill, but if he did do it then he would be nervous: sweating, shifting in his seat."

Vansh pointed to the glass. "But look at him, he's angry and annoyed, but not squirmy at all."

"Squirmy," Riddhima said, "You want me to release Sinha because he isn't squirmy enough for you?"

Vansh grinned and nodded.

"Let's say I did that and now we jump ahead in time," she said, "I'm on the stand and the defense attorney is questioning me."

She straightened up and cleared her throat like a typical lawyer. "Agent Riddhima, is it true that you released a viable suspect, one with clear opportunity and motive, because your colleague said he wasn't squirmy enough?"

Riddhima met Vansh’s eyes. "What am I supposed to say to that?"

"Well then you would arrest the defense counsel because clearly they have been illegally eavesdropping if they are quoting our conversation."

Now Vansh was smiling with pride at his clever comeback. Her point had been turned around and thrown back in her face. How the hell did he do that?

"Seriously, Vansh," she said, "I can't scratch him off our list just because he doesn't squirm. Maybe he's just more confident than you think."

"Or maybe he's innocent and that's why he's confident that you won't arrest him."

Riddhima crossed her arms and shook her head at his smile. She truly despised him sometimes.

Just then Kabir knocked on the door and poked his head in. "Riddhima, what do you want us to do with Sinha?"

Riddhima said, "Keep digging," while at the same time Vansh said, "Let him go."

She gave Kabir her 'don't listen to Vansh look' and he nodded. "Got it, boss."

Once the door was closed, she whirled back around to give Vansh her most disapproving glare. Like always, it didn't work. "I have the badge," she said, "that means I give the orders."

"So if I get a badge, can I give the orders?"

Her allotted amount of Vansh Patience was reaching its zenith. She could feel the pressure beating at the back of her eyes, pounding out that painful rhythm Vansh was so frequently the cause of. She groaned and pinched at the bridge of her nose in a desperate attempt to stave off the incoming headache.

"I'm giving you a migraine again, aren't I?" he said, "That's twice in one week."

"Are you trying to make a new record?" she asked. The most he'd ever done was three.

Vansh grinned and shook his head. "I would never purposefully cause you pain."

"You just like accidently driving me insane," she replied.

Since her order was being carried out, despite Vansh’s wishes, she had no reason to stay in observation. Kabir could finish up with Rohan Sinha without her guidance. She needed to return to her office to update Ranbir since he was anxious to wrap up the case before the fundraiser later that night. Besides, distance from the source of her tension would probably ease it.