Revenge is divine

CHAPTER SEVEN : COMMISSIONER

Raghuram looked at her. Her face said she was lost in thoughts yet a veil of enigma dodged around her.

She was thinking about the phone call. His words echoed inside her brain, you will only find more questions and well, I challenge you to answer them. Am I ready for the challenge? I am only a new recruit, a fresher in the world of crimes, law and order. She has to be ready; there is no time for her to waste. All her life she was trained for this and she could not back off now. It was her wish to serve in the police force. She went against her uncle's wish to be in politics because she knew it was only a dirty pit. There are many good people trying hard to clean the pit but more and more filth was being dumped by the majority of the politicians.

A possible kidnapping to start with. Who will that be? The caller promised her that this would be the best day of her life. Or will it be the worst? She has to wait to find that.

Too young to handle Kochi! He said to himself. She won't be more than twenty five. Her slender figures delicate features innocent eyes and confused face told him she was unfit. Not even the police training had made her tough. He wondered. She maybe even unfit to be in police! Moreover she was assigned directly as a commissioner. Being niece to the Home Minister has its benefits.

"You alright?" He asked, hinting a wave of concern. His eyes were on the one strand of hair she left free from braiding which was currently rolled onto her index finger. She loosened the hair and let it free and gazed back at him.

"I don't know. I am not sure if I am ready for this." She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear. She was visibly nervous.

"Unless you think you are ready, you will never be. Don't crumble. This could only make you stronger." He eased her but his tone was coarse. "This is your first case, make it count. I am here to guide you." He wished he could pat her on her hands but then thought otherwise. I am the tiger. I shouldn't be soft.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Observe, learn and take over. To handle a city won't be easy but time helps."

Raghuram thought about his older days. He was also a fresher once. A determined young guy. When you are fresh, pressure and tension will try to break you. You need to get accustomed to them. He didn't have any chance to prove himself until almost after eight months an unusual case came his way. He handled the pressure well, managed the case with ease and after two months he solved the case. It involved two rival gangs but the killings were done secretly and in an enigmatic way so that no one would think of their involvement. The case had a lot of twists and turns and lacked substantial evidence but he did crack the case. And with that he started making powerful enemies. Once he made the reputation, there was no turning back.

"How far is it, the buildings?" She woke him up from his thoughts. Her fingers constantly twirled in her long oily black hair.

"Almost ten kilometers." He replied. "But the traffic at this morning hours would be heavy. I guess we could reach in half an hour." Raghuram added.

"Will the victim has that much time." She was uncertain of that. She really wanted to find the person before anything would happen. Last thing she wanted on her first day was a murder.

"Let's hope so." He expressed his optimism, at least to boost her confidence.

A body preserved to keep you guys awake and rolling. She thinks she could find someone alive. He doubted that. It is a body preserved, more like a dead body. The person wants the body to be found for some reason. Could he be the murderer? Or is he pointing the way? Who will be the unfortunate person?

The Toyota Innova was racing through Sahodaran Ayyappan Road with sirens blaring. It was Raghuram's official vehicle. Shivadha seated beside him at the middle row of the SUV. A Mahindra Scorpio went ahead as the pilot vehicle. Two more Scorpios escorted them. Above them a metro train went towards Vyttila while another returned from.

"What do you think of the person who called you?" He tried to get more details while they were travelling. They were stuck at a signal and it wasn't easy to get through.

"He could be in his early thirties, an average person I guess, cunning like a fox and he is planning something big."

He was impressed. "All these from his voice?"

She nodded. "His voice was veiled. He used some kind of device to hide his original sound. So my assumptions could be wrong. But I would stick to these details for the time being."

He was double impressed. "That was quite something. I hope your primary instincts won't go wrong."

She tried to smile.

"Why do you think he is planning big?" His gaze met hers as she nervously bit her lips.

"He said it would be followed by more." Her tone was full of confidence. How long that confidence will stay with her was the question.

Obviously. He missed that point. Or did she miss to mention that to him?

The driver took a sharp right turn to some pocket road to avoid the growing traffic congestion.

"Do you think we are dealing with a psychopath?" Raghuram's eyes were still scanning her.

She pouted her lips. "I am not sure. I think we will get answers when we reach our destination."

"So, are you in Kochi for the first time?" He decided to ask her a personal question trying not to sound flirty.

She was surprised, never expected such a question to pop up out of nowhere. After a moment of edginess she nodded. "Yes." She wished he won't ask more. She never wanted to disclose her personal details to anyone. She preferred her past to be hidden so that she could avoid the sympathetic looks of the people and the dramatic apologies that spurts out of their mouth.

But he wasn't stopping. "Which part of Kerala you are from?"

Are you trying to flirt? She thought as she noticed his tone softening more than required.

"Trivandrum." She replied.

Before he could ask her again, her words shot an arrow at his heart. "Are you married?"

He sighed heavily, looked in front and noticed the driver was listening to them. You hit bull's eye. After a gentle nod came the reply. "Fortunately or unfortunately, yes."

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30 kilometers away from the Kochi Commissioner office, a bike engine revved to life.

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To be continued.....

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Let me know what you think about this chapter in the comments below. I appreciate your feedback. Hearing reactions and suggestions from readers is the most rewarding part about writing.

Thank you so much for reading

Harry Raphel

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