When Anikaa reached home, Bahadur was setting table outside in the garden for breakfast and Rachel was on her phone in the living room.
"Good morning mam. Are you alright?" asked Rachel, seeing Anikaa.
"I'm good Rachel. Thanks," said Anikaa mechanically without looking at her.
"For last two days you disappear every morning, is everything alright?" asked Rachel tentatively.
"Oh it's nothing!" said Anikaa waving her hand in gesture to dismiss her.
But next moment, she realised her act and glanced at Rachel who was gloomily staring down at her Ipad. There is nothing wrong in caring for someone and Rachel is a girl who thole your whims, cares for your mood swings and most importantly stand by you at all times, admonished Anikaa's subconscious. "Of course," muttered Anikaa instinctively. Perhaps, I should reveal some pointers to Rachel, she decided.
Anikaa took Rachel's hand and said politely- "Rachel, everything is fine. Sometimes, I need inspiration for my painting and for that I've to be alone."
Rachel was overwhelmed with Anikaa's gesture. It was just like yesterday when Anikaa hired her, patting her hand and saying that from the very moment she will never be alone.
"Well, you know about last evening! I'm just worried about the painting. What am I going to say to Mr. Sturrock?" continued Anikaa.
"Don't worry mam. We'll figure that out," said Rachel gently.
"Mam, breakfast is ready," announced Bahadur.
"Let's eat," said Anikaa smiling.
"What's for breakfast Bahadur?" asked Anikaa reaching the table in the garden.
"We have oatmeal, boiled eggs, toast with peanut butter and orange juice," said Rachel smiling.
"What? Didn't I asked for Burritos and Pancakes," asked Anikaa crossly.
"Yes, but since you're taking so much leisure with cheese and fatty foods for last one week, we are having a healthy breakfast today," said Rachel enjoying herself.
"I'm not eating this. Bahadur, get me Burritos, Pancakes and Pineapple tart. I saw the chef baking it in the morning," said Anikaa gleefully.
"No." Rachel shook her head.
"Rachel...," scowled Anikaa.
"Mam, it's my duty to look after your health, part of my job and I'm doing this for your own good," said Rachel as a matter-of-fact.
"But, I hate oatmeal. It looks so unappetising," said Anikaa twisting her face.
"Yes, but it is healthy."
"Rachel, you're fired," said Anikaa pouting.
"Alright, but breakfast remains the same," said Rachel giggling.
There was no way that Rachel could defy Anikaa, but Shireen had personally instructed Rachel from day one to be strict with Anikaa's unhealthy eating habits. Anikaa also never complained as her slinky figure was attributed to Rachel's strict diet and exercise.
"Okay, let's make a deal. How about an hour of jogging in the evening?" suggested Anikaa which Rachel accepted immediately. After all exercising was much better than dieting. And, Rachel knew that one way or the other Anikaa will eat what she wants. Who can stop her?
Bahadur delightedly presented the breakfast, pleased that his madam won at the end and displeased that he and the other helpers, will have to finish the oats. During the breakfast, Anikaa and Rachel discussed the schedule for the whole day. They were about to break up when Rachel's phone rang.
"It's Karan," said Rachel looking at Anikaa with blank face.
"Hi," paused Rachel listening to Karan for few seconds.
"They want to meet you in the evening. He's asking if they can come home?" said Rachel putting the mobile on hold.
"They?"
"Karan and Raymond," informed Rachel staring at Anikaa anxiously.
Anikaa remembered Jiyu predicting Raymond's arrival in the evening. She nodded in agreement.
"Yes, sure you guys can come by 7...," said Rachel and stopped when Anikaa gestured her 8 and silently mouthed- invite them for dinner.
"Oh, wait...why don't you come for dinner? Yeah...Is it okay with you? So, shall we do 8? Alright, we will wait for you," said Rachel and disconnected.
"Until evening," said Anikaa.
The rest of the day passed as planned. Anikaa worked for more than five hours on her oil painting while, Rachel completed some pending paperwork. Anikaa was so absorbed in the painting that she skipped her lunch and as promised finished an hour of jogging after snacks. It was 7pm, when Anikaa strode to her room for shower. Shalini's canvas was still in the bathroom in one corner. She picked up the canvas and placed it on the spare easel on one side of her room, carefully wrapping it with a small cotton sheet. Having locked her room she turned to go for shower when she remembered that Sameer was supposed to submit his findings about Shalini Sturrock in the morning.
"How can Rachel forget it?" she mused. She picked up her phone and called Rachel.
"Rachel, where is Sameer's report?"
"Mam, I just received it," answered Rachel.
"Wasn't he supposed to submit it in the morning?" asked Anikaa sharply.
"He was. But, he said he had to wait for some key information," replied Rachel.
"Fine. Ask him to add information about Shalini's friends."
"But, that will take time."
"Tomorrow morning Rachel," said Anikaa abruptly, disconnected her phone and went for a warm bath. It's going to be a long night again.
Raymond and Karan duly arrived at 8pm. While, Karan was casually dressed in white t-shirt and chinos, Raymond was dressed in black t-shirt and jeans. Bahadur welcomed them and lead them to living room where Rachel was waiting for them. Her face turned crimson when she saw Karan with a bouquet of white roses. She was about to greet them when Anikaa stepped down the stairs in an off-shoulder white maxi, looking breathtaking. Her hair was tied in a lose pony and she was wearing simple diamond stud earrings.
Raymond lost his air when he saw Anikaa. Her dress caressed her petite body, sliding down her curves and her lips glistened with soft pink gloss. He could stand watching her for ages.
"Flowers for me?" said Anikaa as Karan held a bouquet.
"Err...It's for both of you," said Karan shyly, a bit embarrassed.
"Well, thank you," said Anikaa as Rachel took the flowers from Karan.
Anikaa was well aware of Raymond's constant staring and their attraction was one of the reasons why she didn't want him to be involved in the mystery. She collected her composure and faced Raymond, looking straight in his eyes.
"Hello Mr. Sturrock," she said solemnly.
"Hello," replied Raymond, noticing that she had addressed him as Mr. Sturrock and not by his first name. He smiled drily at Rachel.
"Would you like a drink?" asked Rachel.
"Sure, wine will do," said Karan.
"And you Mr. Sturrock?" asked Rachel hesitatingly.
"Call me Raymond. I will go with the wine too- white please," he said and returned his glance to Anikaa.
"Can't he see something else?" muttered Anikaa under her breath.
As if Raymond heard Anikaa's thoughts he turned his gaze to admire the exquisite white interior of the villa.
"I must say, you have a beautiful home," said Karan looking around.
"Thank you," said Anikaa.
"Everything is according to Anikaa mam's taste," said Rachel handing the glasses to Karan and Raymond.
"Who else?" thought Raymond eyeing Anikaa.
As the conversation proceeded, Karan and Rachel did most of the talking. While, Raymond and Anikaa added a few titbits, stealing glances of each other. Raymond was ruminating whether he should apologise to Anikaa or not about his biased comments that night. Whereas, Anikaa was thinking how she will reveal the secret of the painting to Raymond and how he will react. She took her chance.
"Rachel, why don't you show around the villa to Karan?" "Our garden looks spectacular in the moonlight" said Anikaa, addressing Karan.
Rachel confoundedly looked at Anikaa, fogged by her suggestion. But, after a moment the switch clicked inside her and she hastily rose from the couch, blabbering about the beauty of villa and its surroundings in the full moon light. Raymond was about to get up to accompany Karan on villa's tour when Anikaa said- "Mr. Sturrock could you stay behind, I want to discuss some key points about the school."
Both the brothers gave each other a knowing look and then Karan departed with Rachel who was still prattling anxiously.
Without a pause, Anikaa grabbed Raymond's hand and hauled him along with her, leading him straight to the stairs to her room.
"What are you doing?" asked Raymond as Anikaa locked her room.
Raymond was most amazed to see Anikaa's reaction. This woman could never bore him. Every day she had a new trick up her sleeve. Yes, there were times when some of his female companions dragged him to the room but he highly suspected the same reason for Anikaa.
"I'm sorry, but I've to tell you something very important," said Anikaa breathing heavily.
"In a locked room?" asked Raymond, grinning slyly.
"It's about your mother," said Anikaa without wasting any more time.
Raymond's face hardened at the mere mention of his mother, all humour and flirting disappeared.
"What about my mother?" he demanded, his eyes fixed on Anikaa.
Anikaa walked to the couch which was placed on one side of her room and gestured him to sit down.
"It's a long story," she said when Raymond didn't moved.
Raymond took the seat without any questions and watched Anikaa keenly.
Anikaa began narrating the story from the point where she received Richard Sturrock's invitation & the conversation between them at dinner night. She deliberately skipped Jiyu's part in the whole mystery fearing Raymond was not ready for it yet. She briefly told him that Richard offered her Shalini's painting and how Bahadur accidentally spilled turpentine on the canvas and how she found riddle on the canvas with Shalini's signature. Raymond intently listened to the story, his eyes widening at the mention of the riddle.
"I don't get it, I am getting confused...," said Raymond.
Anikaa rose from the couch and went to the easel where she had placed the carefully wrapped canvas. She dimmed the lights and looked outside in the balcony which was now flooded with bright moonlight. She unwrapped the canvas and took it in the balcony, placing it on the spare easel, facing the moonlight. As, the light struck the canvas the words begin to take shape and in few seconds the riddle appeared.
Raymond stared, his eyes widening with disbelief. He identified his mother's handwriting and her signature at the bottom of the canvas. His eyes filled with rage, apprehension and sorrow.
"I know this is a lot for you to take, but you need to understand the gravity of the situation," said Anikaa calmly.
Raymond turned to Anikaa, her face partially lit up from the moonlight.
"I think I'd pass on this painting to my detectives. They can solve the riddle," he said.
Anikaa was startled at once. Her mind wandered to Jiyu's words- 'The mystery will come to you, an enigma craving to be solved.' She can't let go of this mystery since, Jiyu was also involved.
"Your sleuths won't be able to help, the riddle is not meant for them," said Anikaa.
"What? They are professionals, best in their jobs," said Raymond curtly.
"You must have consulted your professionals before. You had this painting for more than six months lying in your home. Still, your professionals were not able to find anything," said Anikaa and waited for Raymond to digest her words.
"All I'm saying is that your mother took a lot of pain in writing and hiding this riddle. There is a strong possibility that she didn't wanted any outsider to be involved in it. Maybe, she didn't want any insider as well," she added.
"How can you even say that?" asked Raymond exasperated.
"Where were you and Karan, when your mother disappeared?"
"Karan was in New York and I was in London," said Raymond.
"And your father was in Seattle?" said Anikaa.
"Yes."
"Then, who was around her when she disappeared. Nobody. However, she could have called you, left you a message, an email. There are modes of communication Mr. Sturrock, but she chose this method- writing a riddle using this technique and then covering it with layers of paint. We need to find the meaning of this riddle, your mother (and the gem) without attracting suspicions," said Anikaa.
"God...this is too much," said Raymond ruffling his hair with his hands.
Before he could say anything more, Bahadur knocked on the door.
"Mam, dinner is ready. Rachel mam is asking for you."
"We are coming," said Anikaa and quickly took the canvas inside and placed it on the couch, hastily covering it with the cotton sheet.
"One more thing Mr. Sturrock, do not discuss the details of our meeting with your brother," said Anikaa and opened the door.
Raymond gave a brief node and followed her outside, his expression still grim.
"Breathe, you now have a direction to go," muttered Anikaa in a low voice, loud enough for him to hear.
All through dinner, Raymond remained quiet and barely ate. As Anikaa expected, they made a quick exit after dinner.
"Did you tell him about the painting?" asked Rachel.
"Yes. Be ready to see him around Rachel," said Anikaa and went upstairs to her room.
It was 11pm, when Anikaa's phone buzzed, it was her mother. After a brief chat, she plonked on her bed, huddled the pillows and rested her head on them. She dimmed all the lights and looked at the night sky, visible through the balcony. It was a silent night, no dogs howling, no owls hooting and the balcony was lit up with moonlight. Anikaa kept looking at the sky and began to drowse. She barely closed her eyes when she felt a shadow passing through her balcony.
She immediately pulled on the switch to the lights, alarmed. Clambering out of her bed, she looked through the glass door of her balcony, but couldn't find anyone. There were two easels in the balcony, one with her painting and another one folded on one side, a table with all her painting materials, a stool and a chair. Before going to bed, she had put Shalini's painting in her bathroom. She looked around her room, everything in place.
She was about to get back to her bed when she recollected Jiyu's words- disappearance of riddle after three moonlights. Is this the reason why Shalini painted heavy layers of acrylic- one above the other on canvas? She rushed to get the canvas from the bathroom. She lifted her loose hair in a bun and tied an apron around her. She could not leave the riddle in open. She opened her acrylic set and poured Mars Black on the palette. Before covering the canvas, she copied the riddle on her phone and password protected the note. In next hour, she painted heavy layers of acrylic on the canvas, covering the riddle and giving facade to the canvas again.
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