TWO HALVES OF A WHOLE

5. UNSOLVED PUZZLES

"Shilpa Rajvardhan?"

"Yes."

"This is calling from AS Signatures. We are launching our clothing line brand, 'La Fiesta', in six months. We are interested in hiring you as the model for promotion and advertisements. If you are interested in the offer, please let us know."

"I will. Thank you."

Perfect. Sam said everything exactly how I asked her to. I could hear the short-lived excitement of Shilpa Rajvardhan on the speaker.

Plan A - Check.

"Tell me when she calls back," I asked Sam.

"Okay, Mam." Sam left my cabin after nodding.

Shilpa Rajvardhan is that fisher in the sea who will jump for more even if she fills the boat with many fish. But it is not the sea that I'm letting her explore. It's way beyond that, more dangerous. I dialled Mr Smith's number.

"Benjamin," He took the call on the fourth ring.

"Yes, Mam,"

"I need two hard copies of yesterday's files. And give one to Ms Sharma personally and send me the other. You bring it to the Caffeine factor. I will have it collected by Sam."

"Sure, Mam. And Mam, the number you texted me to trace yesterday was a fake one. It was a truck's number."

Hmm. Well-planned attempt, it seems. "And who does the truck belong to?" I asked after a few seconds.

"Mam, one Mr Aravinda Chammy, a quarry owner in Tamil Nadu."

"Okay. Keep me posted if anything comes up."

"Sure, Mam."

I cut the call and thought about yesterday's incidents. I don't know any Aravind Chammy personally or professionally. Think Annie. Think big. He might be just a pawn in the picture.

After bombarding the possibilities of the puzzles in my mind, the dots started connecting a little too fast. The Scorpio came for me, for sure. And the G-Wagen also came for me. And both might be two different groups. The G-Wagen group might be the more potential one. And that's the reason they didn't want the Scorpio group to attack me, and they killed them instead. But they didn't execute THEIR attack? A company rival? A family foe? Or some personal enmity? Or something 'else'.

A company rival would have just tried to kill me and get over with it. A family foe would have captured me, used it as leverage, or just killed me on the spot as revenge. The Scorpio group is either a rival or a foe. But the G-Wagen remains a leftover puzzle. Who the hell ARE you? And what do you want from me? Either a personal enmity or something else, I should keep my eyes and ears as sharp as possible in each step.

A knock on the cabin door brought me back from my jigsaw games with my mind.

"Can I come in, Mam?"

I nodded positively, and Sam entered with some files.

"Mam, Shilpa Rajvardhan accepted our offer."

"Good." I was expecting this. "And Sam, Go to Caffeine Factor. Mr Smith will give you an important file. Collect and bring it to me safely."

"Sure. Mam," "And Mam, these are the files for your final signatures."

"Okay, I will go through it. Keep it there."

"Are you okay, Mam? Do you need anything else?"

"No," I told her. "Sam, prepare the contracts with Shilpa Rajvardhan as I told you to. Draft the email informing her of the meeting time and send it to her with the necessary documents and paperwork relating to the contract. Fix the meeting for tomorrow afternoon. Get me a copy, too."

"Will do, Mam." She left the cabin, leaving me with my thoughts again.

----------

"Any leads, Benjamin?"

"Mam, according to the CCTV footage, the first vehicle, the Scorpio, have been following you since you left the office. And that was parked a long distance from the Sharma's house. And halfway through the drive, the G-Wagen joined. But we couldn't trace its number' as the person who drove tried to ignore every camera thoroughly. We could only get blurred images. There were no CCTVs in the shortcut. So we don't know what happened there when you left."

I was analysing yesterday's incident with Mr Smith in my cabin, but a phone interrupted our discussion. I looked at the caller ID and sighed. The person was someone I should speak to in private.

"Okay, Benjamin. See through the details. We will discuss this matter some other time. Inform me if anything comes up."

"Sure, Mam." He stood up and left the cabin.

I rose to my feet and moved to the glass wall, where a beautiful sunset makes a soothing feast to one's eyes. I took the call and placed it to my ear.

"Dad,"

"Annie," The rusty voice of Mikael William came from the other side. "How are you? How's everything going on with work?"

"It's all good, Dad. What about you?"

"I'm doing well."

Something is bothering him, or he won't call me at this hour. "Are you okay, Dad? Is everything fine?"

"Never been better." He snorted. "When will you come home?"

"Why? Are there any emergencies?"

"No. It's been a couple of months since you visited."

Huh! You are missing your daughter, aren't you? Well, you won't say it loud, but I know it. "I'll try to come. Maybe next weekend. I will let you know." I wish I could see you now.

"Okay." He paused and asked again, "Nothing's bothering you, right?" So many fucking things, Dad. I know the consequences if I tell you. I guess I have to deal with it alone, like every freaking time.

"Don't worry. Nothing is bothering me."

"Okay then, I will call you tonight. Bye."

"Bye, Dad. Take care." He cut the call.

Never let others know we are suffering. 

That was one of the things I learned from my parents, Mikael William and Stella William, over the years. The list of lessons was way too long. Let's not go there. I enjoyed the sunset instead, as there will never be the same sunset again.