Promises are meant to be broken

Chapter 21

July 20, Thursday
10:00am

Unpredictability of life was much of an interest capturing aspect for many people, until life decided to take the most wrong turn ever. And since unlike others, Meera had a better ability to predict, especially in crime affairs, which could actually flash the red flags before the wrong turn comes, then why shouldn't she make use of it?

That was what Shivaay had embedded in her mind before dragging her out of the Oberoi hotel and driving her to Zoya's place. Asking her to go in, he leaned onto the passenger door of his black Benz and got himself busy with a very important call from one of the board member of OHs chain. Before going away, she saw a flash of tension on his face and pointed it out. But he brushed off her attempts to delay herself and ordered her to go in.

Passing below the 'Do Not Cross' yellow tapes, Meera had just taken a step ahead when out if nowhere a junior appeared in front of her making her jump back a bit with a gasp and with her hand on her heart.

"Manager Rathore? What are you doing here? Please step out of this premises." The junior told her, showing her the way out.

Meera shook her head, trying to explain herself. "I..I'm he..here to meet Anni.. ACP Trivedi. Please go and inform her that Meera's here." Her fumbling surprised her own self more than the junior who doubted if she was same woman he spoke to the previous day when he was at OH. That's why, she recalled one more thing said by Shivaay.

"Where is your confidence Meera? For seven whole years, you supported the weight of Mumbai's Oberoi hotel over your shoulders to help me and your radiant confidence had always remained uncrushed. You managed the whole thirty storey top class hotel with your warm sweet smile, quick and shrewd tactics without missing the lace of politeness ever though it wasn't your dream. But now, your dream is getting a second chance. How can you miss it just cause you're not confident enough?"

"ACP is busy, so you should see yourself out first cause that would be better than I forcing you out." The junior warned her nicely, but she could say that he was irritated.

Meera took a deep breath, summoning the ultimate confidence residing inside her. Wearing her warm smile back, her shoulders relaxed as she started to talk.

"I'm here as the criminal psychologist whom your ACP has appointed personally and of course, unofficially. Please go and inform her about my arrival. I will be waiting here till then." Her smooth yet smart attitude almost made him turn around and go in, when Shivaay's leaning figure caught his attention.

Shivaay, just with his eyes, instructed the familiar junior to take Meera in. She didn't had to turn around to know what message was being passed in silence. The officer huffed, almost rolling his eyes before asking Meera to follow.

*_*

Preliminary investigation had been already complete and the forensics along with all the juniors except one had left the mini villa. Annika stayed back, intentionally, so that she could get the space she needed, to mentally recreate the crime scene to the extent she could, with the help of what she got to know along with her senses, assumptions and conclusions.

Standing in the center of the living room with her hands on her hips, Annika's eyes sweeped the area between the door and the polished teakwood table by the right side wall ten steps away from the door.

The panic stricken Zoya she saw in the footage made a run to the two vases that were on the table as told by Akhram after failing to close the door on the intruder. Picking them up, she threw them at him back to back. That was why they must've ended up inside the garbage bag along with her photo frame that was on the table too.