"What are you saying?" Shayan's eyes widened in astonishment. A mysterious person called Officer Asad to drop the hint for their case. Seriously? Where was this case leading to?
"We don't have time for discussion. We must depart now!" Asad turned around, ordering other cops and pacing towards his car. While Shayan snapped back to reality when he thought about the pros and cons of heading straight to the Airport without any confirmation.
"What if it is a trap?" He smartly pointed out. "I think we should not go there ourselves. Instead, send some trustworthy officers to investigate the matter." He suggested.
"I don't give my private numbers to anyone, yet I got the call on my number. Don't you get it? It's urgent!" Asad glared at Shayan, who appeared calm and collected.
"Come on, officer. If the girl can break through your high alert security station, then getting your number is not a big deal for her or for the ones who are helping her out." Shayan sarcastically remarked, confidently eying Asad who seemed pissed off.
Although Asad wanted to himself interrogate the area once again rather than obeying Shayan and staying back, he unwillingly did the latter. Sending the team to the Airport, they patiently waited for the upcoming report.
Meanwhile, Officer Asad paced back and forth in the unit. His forehead creased with a frown etched to his features as if he was internally battling over something. He was also aware that the set of brown eyes belong to none other than Shayan, studying him carefully.
"I'm now sure enough that someone among your men helped the girl to escape," Asad froze on his spot when he heard Shayan. "I mean, she cannot flee away like this, leaving her sister behind, as if anybody assured the security of her sister. Whoever is on her back is supporting her throughout."
"She has a criminal mind and must be the same allies. It is clear that those mobsters are aiding her." Asad threw Shayan a side glance and resumed pacing.
"The thing I'm trying to say is, one of them is between us," Shayan emphasized on each word. Asad narrowed his eyes at him and shook his head.
"You mean my men are untrustworthy and they should not work with us. Instead, you'll call your so-called trustworthy men and then together will steer the case in the false direction you want. But keep this in mind, as long as I'm here, I will not let that happen." He scowled at the poor detective. He never took command from his juniors, neither he had plans to.
"There's no need to hyper, Officer. I'm stating the fact after observing the situation. You must-" Shayan's explanation was cut in by a loud knock that resonated in the office, grabbing both of the men's attention.
"Yes?" Asad asked in an authoritative tone. "Sir, Mr. Farhan is here. He wants to meet you in private." A cop answered after creaking the door open.
Quick glances were shared between the two men before Asad nodded, "Send him inside." The cop was gone in a second. Shayan straightened himself, fixing the crease of his shirt and combing his hairs back with his fingers. While Asad sat on his comfy chair across the large mahogany table.
Soon a man about six feet tall with an upturned mustache stepped inside the office. His face was stoic and devoid of any emotion, dressed in a simple pant shirt, hairs gelled back, and chapped lips with sharp black eyes held thousands of secrets and tales of mysteries. His persona made Shayan shudder, not in fear but due to the creepy and mysterious vibes emanating from his self-hood.
"Mr. Farhan, please take a seat," Asad nodded in acknowledgment and pointed at the chair across the table. As soon as Farhan sat on the chair, his questioning gaze settled on the young detective.
"This is Detective Shayan. He is here to help with the case." Asad introduced. Farhan nodded at Shayan and diverted his attention back to Asad.
"Officer Asad, ever since I came back from Oman, after getting the dreadful news of my wife's murder, it's been two days, and I wanted to talk to you, but you are completely ignoring my pleas." Farhan's gruff voice was complaining as if he was there to have his revenge for a wrong done to him in the past.
"That's not it. We are working day and night on your case. I didn't get time for the proper meeting." Asad answered, slightly leaning forward.
"As you are an experienced officer and according to the requirements of interrogation, you should have inquired with me first, yet you keep on ignoring me. I don't know why I think you're avoiding me," Farhan proclaimed another valid complaint.
"Look, Mr. Farhan-" Asad tried to interrupt, but Farhan kept on rambling.
"Forgive me, but your behavior indicates that you are not interested in solving this case. Even when I told you that I have something very important to tell, you chose to delay our meeting. I would have leaked the information to the media if you had left me hanging one more time."
Shayan suspiciously looked at Asad at Farhan's accusations and Asad, for the first time in his life, found nothing to say.
The man in front was, no doubt, cunning and straightforward. His tone was sticky sweet though words were like daggers directly thrown at his opponent. He idly winded around the silver ring in his middle finger as he waited for Asad to answer his objections.
"Mr. Farhan," Asad cleared his dry throat before speaking. "I apologize for the misunderstanding between us. Being an officer is not easy as I have to handle many things regarding the case, questions of social media, and also the pressure from authorities. You are here now, so tell me what you wanted to say. I'm all ears."
"Is it about the girl that escaped from police custody?" Shayan spoke for the first time in Farhan's presence, earning a curt nod from the man.
"Yes, I am fully confident that Alina Imtiaz is my wife's murderer." Farhan's heavy words baffled the two men. Asad furrowed his eyebrows in confusion while Shayan thoughtfully accessed the strange man sitting in front of him.
"We did find evidence against Alina for the murder of the café's guard though we don't have solid proof that she also murdered your wife. I was myself present at the cafe when, unfortunately, your wife was shot dead in broad daylight, and Alina was there too. So, how can you declare that?" Asad asked.
"Because..." Farhan leaned in, clasping his hands together, and sighed dramatically. "Because I know something about her that no one knows."
"Mr. Farhan, we will appreciate it if you come to the point instead of beating around the bush." Shayan interrupted, impatient to get the answer.
Farhan glanced at him, unclasping his palms, and then disclosed the fact about Alina, which was a mixture of both truth and lies, "What you don't know is that Alina Imtiaz is not only a killer but also a skilled con artist."
His statement shocked both Asad and Shayan yet in different ways.
•••••••
The temperature of the room in which she was currently sitting dropped due to the chilly winds coming through the parted windows. The night outside was dark and cold as autumn was ready to depart, welcoming the winter ahead. The plate of the half-eaten chicken burger had gotten cold now as Alina's full attention was on the laptop screen on her lap.
Hairs tied in a messy bun and eyes focused on her task. Her bare feet and palms were ice-cold. She was constantly working without even caring about herself. Moiz had given her the list and details of people they can con without getting caught. Now she was skimming through the details to find their perfect mark. Azlan was against the idea and being a goody-two-shoes continuously fretting over the fact that they were going to commit such a foul deed.
"Like it was my first time doing this," Alina sarcastically thought as she remembered the argument between her and Azlan, how he was hesitant and unwilling. But she had already risked her sister's life by leaving her behind. She can't wait much longer than this to unite with her again. So, she ends up making Azlan agree.
When the clock struck eleven, Azlan entered her room. He eyed the half-eaten abandoned burger and then Alina's working figure. He scratched the back of his head and took a few steps closer before speaking to her.
"I think you should rest now," He said slowly.
"I'm curious," Alina spoke, ignoring his first sentence, still typing on the keyboard. "About what?" Azlan questioned.
"How my long lost cousin found me out of nowhere and came to save me like a hero who got the message that I'm in trouble?" She asked sweetly though her words were dripping sarcasm.
"I--uh-," Azlan stuttered hesitantly but composed himself and answered her queries. "I had been looking for you since I turned twenty after my mother's death."
"Any why is that?" Alina interrupted, raising her head and keeping aside the laptop.
"Because you and Maryam are my only blood relations after mother left me." He gulped, uttering each word slowly.
"What about Waqar uncle?" She leaned forward.
"He died after a year of your parent's death, when I was fourteen." He stared in distant, as if remembering his past.
"Died or killed?" She asked, waiting for his response.
Azlan looked at the girl before mustering up the courage to answer, "Killed."
Both of them grew silent as the painful memories came rushing back like a fully loaded truck, hitting at their weakest spot. Alina could feel the pain in his voice because she also had gone through the disastrous events of life that were adorned with thorns. She was like an empty well as her soul was shattered by running on those spiny paths in search of peace.
"Are you done?" Azlan finally broke the thick grieving tension and diverted the topic back to present.
"Not yet." Alina crossed her legs and again grabbed the laptop. The questions she was about to ask Azlan were long forgotten. Again.
"Do you have any idea who could be behind all this fiasco?" Azlan pulled the chair at the corner closer to the bed.
"No." Her short reply came.
"Is he some psycho person who you must have conned in the past? And now he wants to take revenge or something?" Azlan voiced his thoughts, searching her face.
"Impossible. Our targeted victims can never know about our true selves," Alina denied. "And you're forgetting that he's not taking money, he's taking lives."
Azlan only nodded and ruffled his hairs back. His phone beeped in his pocket as he took it out, glancing at the number. Out of curiosity, Alina craned her neck to get a peek of his phone's screen but he was fast enough to hide it.
"Yes?" She observed him as he answered the call. "We are," he stood up as he listened to the caller.
"What!?" Alina jumped at his loud voice and confusedly watched his panicked figure.
"But how? How can this be?" He argued with someone over the phone and after five more minutes ended the call. He glanced at Alina who was already looking at him.
"I know who is behind you," he scratched his chin as he told her. "Who?" Alina's face morphed in confusion.
"Mr. Farhan. Your conned victim's husband." Was his reply.
♦♦♦♦♦♦
Hi there!
I finally published chapter ten.
Don't forget to tell me how it was.
Thank you to the readers who are reading and voting on my book♥♥
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_A.M_