Case of the Missing Red Clip (#IFFA2020)

Case of the missing clip

BitterBerry

@BitterBerry

Case of the Missing Clip

She was horrified seeing that tiny shining thing gracing on her subordinates hair. She remembered the wrath of the cold tiger who ruthlessly scolded her for invading his privacy.

“You know she’s wearing that . . .” Sakshi said pointing towards a lean figure sitting in the second in commands cabin reading a file and her head hung below.

Aisha who doesn’t like gossiping during the working hours, frowned at Sakshi. But when her eyes went to the figure sitting in their Arjun sir’s cabin, it rather surprised her.

“I think Arjun is gonna blast her. I mean see, she’s just some research nerd from the desk.

I even saw that day, Arjun was scolding her at the desk regarding a file or something."

“Sakshi!!! Are you following Arjun Sir?” Aisha was too shocked to discover this. But she has noticed the way the men of this team’s behavior changed. Nowadays everyone, almost everyone including the team has some sort or work at the research desk. It’s as if they are just looking out for a chance to go there and mostly Chotu and Shree. Aisha didn’t know even their Arjun sir will follow the suit.

“Who’s is following me?” Aisha snapped in horror as she saw ACP Arjun Rawte just standing right behind Sakshi. She gulped and pointed at Sakshi unintentionally. Sakshi's eyes popped up. And she knew she’s done for the day in office. The horror she will face afterwards would be like a storm.

“Sakshi?” she heard him question.

“Oh. Arjun. We were just discussing the case you know. Is it possible the victim was being followed?” Sakshi tried to divert the conversation as Aisha suppressed her laugh.

“Its good you have finally started doing something for the case as well.” He said and her face fell. She was used to his comments like that. But she was relieved he didn’t prod further into the topic.

“And I think you just diverted somewhere Arjun, and see people have started entering you cabin, checking your stuff.” Sakshi said with a grin plastered on her face. Arjun’s ears snapped at that and he shot a look at his cabin.

Inside his cabin, was sitting a lady with her head hung into a file. Something else caught his eyes too. Sakshi noticed the change in expression on his face. It was more cold now. Sakshi was just waiting for the moment when he’d just go inside and blast that person inside who dared to enter inside his cabin without permission and also snooping. He didn’t say anything to Sakshi as he made his way towards the cabin.

Sakshi came forward nudging Aisha for the show to unfold in front of her. Uninterested, Aisha just shot a look towards the cabin. In the mean time Rathore also joined the ladies with the ladies being unaware of his presence. He also looked towards the cabin.

Arjun entered, and cleared his throat to gain the invaders attention. He saw he shift from her position as she closed the file, neatly keeping it on the table.

“Of course. It’s your cabin. You can come inside.” He heard her say to him. A little grin appeared on his face and he entered.

Outside, Sakshi watched in shock as Arjun moved forward, turned the chair towards him by wheeling it, and made the lady inside the room face him. He kept both his hands on the armrest and stared into her.

“I think no one can save her now.” Sakshi said to Aisha.

“And why is that?” Sakshi heard a rugged male voice behind. She wondered since when Aisha sounded like ACP Rathore. “what happened to your voi. . .” she turned to look at Aisha, but faced the chief anyway who was standing in front of her with questioning eyes.

“Do you know her Sameer? I mean I have seen him yelling at her the other day . . .” she fumbled with her words. Sameer just sighed looking at her and sat at the desk tired.

Inside the cabin, Arjun had the intruder in his cage. His eyes travelled to the little red clip on her head, neatly tucking the strands of her hair as she looked into eyes with unreadable expressions.

“So you’ve started snooping now?” he asked her.

She raised her eyebrows giving him a questioning look.

“I was just looking for. . .”

“Tissues as usual.” He completed her words. Her cheeks heated at his comment and how well knows her. Sakshi who couldn’t quite see his face rolled her hairs in anticipation. But nothing she thought happened at that instant. Arjun lazily away from the lady and took his chair, surprising Sakshi.

“So, Riya, what brings you here?” he asks twirling the pen from his desk. He remembered Sakshi asking him about the pen. That pink pen is so out of place for his choice. And he remembered being silent that time. He noticed where Riya’s eyes followed.

“Are you trying to make a Mukherjee museum?” he chuckled at her words.

“So you must have see what’s in the drawer then?” he asked her.

“Of course. My diary. My pen. This clip. That coin. Even tissues. What are you planning Arjun Sir?”

“the only thing that I cant have in my drawer is you.” Her eyes shot up in surprise as soon as the words left his mouth.

“And so you keep visiting research desk to see me?” she asked playfully.

“Of course. You don’t even say yes for the date.”

“You know people are talking about you and me?”

“what’s so bad about it?” once again she looked at him astonished.

“You don’t mind?” she muttered with a frown. He nodded his head in no.

“I think I should leave now.” She said and saw the look of disappointed cloud his face.

“Isn’t it too soon?”

“Yeah. You make me wait an hour just for this file and now it’s too soon.” She frowned once again and left the file at the table and got up to leave.

“tell me when you are done. I will drop you.”

“I will be walking home tonight.”

“Then I will walk with you.” Riya nodded her head in disbelief.

“You will be walking with me and Sarat?” all his playfulness vanished when he heard that name.

“That nerdy looking guy with Harry Potter glasses and Loki hair?”

“You checked him out?”

“I just noticed him.”

“I see.”

“Why is he walking you home?”

“why do you look like you are going to interrogate him or have your informers behind him.”

He shrugged as if saying you-know-me-so-wll. She smiled later.

“Bye.”

“You know you can just invite me for dinner. I will bring some wine and you’d make some pasta.

Candle lights. And all. . .”

Once again she frowned at him.

“Okay, cut the candle light. Just some music.”

“I will think about it.”

“You have time till. . .” he looked at his watch. “4 pm ,After that, I wont ask. I’d just barge in." She rolled her eyes and left the cabin.

Outside she met the chief, Sameer. He smiled at her. Sakshi was shocked seeing what happened inside. She hadn’t seen Arjun talking with any lady with so much patience, tolerance and persistence.

“Don’t you have any case today?” She asked Sameer.

“We do.”

“Then how is he free after 4 pm?”

“Second in command privileges.” Sameer blurted out and she couldn’t control her laugh. Sameer walked her towards the door as they continued their pleasant conversation.

“I wish you could give him more paper work.”

“he’d bitch about it all day.”

“and he dumps all his pending stuff on my desk. It’s like doing his homework. On top of that Shree and Chotu. They aren’t any less.” She complained about the workload she’s getting from ETF and he promised her this wont happen from the next time.

“And can you do something about your second in command. He wouldn’t stop asking me out.” Sameer surrendered upon hearing that.

“I can’t say anything on that matter. And why don’t you just say yes. It’s not like you don’t like him or something.” Riya thought for a while. They are already in an almost relationship. When she was in the filed, she met Arjun during a case. He’s the introvert yet angry person who wouldn’t blurt a word unnecessary. It bothered her someday. But she couldn’t do anything about it, with him holding that “stay away from me" tag with him.

But occasionally she’d corner him for a coffee or challenge him in the shooting range. Eventually they became friends. He started spending time with her. But then one fine day, a tragedy happened. She had to gulp the capsule of bacteria to stop its spread to the people and hospitalized. After that Arjun became all over protective of her. He’d go to visit her at the hospital and when she shifted to her home, he’d spend his time with her at her home. He’d discuss case and she’d give her inputs too. They were quite good friends when suddenly he felt its something more.

ACP Arjun never flirted with her before. But now he does and she doesn’t know how to react to that. She just occasionally brush it off thinking he’s not serious. But then she’d stay awake on some nights just to think about how their equations have changed. And it would bring a smile on her face.

After she was completely fine she wanted join field again. Her chief told her she should work in the desk till she’s ready for the field again. Till now she’s continuing I the field. Someone from the ETF will always be at her desk. Be it Shree or Chotu of Arjun. Some times even Rathore. She’d invite enough looks from the desk people as if she’s breaking their eternal peace. But the ETF privilege these people have, nobody would say a word to them directly. But she wouldn’t miss some hush hush.

“you’re so sure I like him eh?”

“Its you who needs your own acknowledgement. Not me." That’s when Sameer noticed the tiny red shining thing gracing her hair.

“didn’t you lose it somewhere?” he asked her confused. He remembered the day she was all cranky over a hair clip.

“nah. It was in its right place.” She said looking towards the second in commands cabin.

“Whatever you say.”

She smiled at him and thought of texting Arjun that he can drop her if he’s still free at the end of the day. She left and when Sameer came back to the conference room he was shocked to see Sakshi and Aisha looking at him with awe.

“What’s wrong guys? Did I grow horns?” he asked not being able to understand their bewildered face.

“Who was she Sameer? And how didn’t Arjun say anything to her. He was shouting on her the other day at desk.”

“Are you stalking him?” Sameer asked him in disbelief.

“Its not like that. I just was curious to see where why he’d run to the research desk. And this girl?”

“Research specialist. She was in ETF.”

“you mean to say, that’s Riya? Riya Mukherjee who saved the world?” Sakshi's eyes widens.

“Yes, Sakshi. That’s her.”

“and she and Arjun? Are they dating or something?” Sakshi this time was a lot nervous to ask this.

“Well something like that. You know almost?” Sameer said thinking about their undeclared feelings. “enough blabbering about someone’s personal life.” Sameer warned her with a stern voice and then said, “stop stalking him.” She nodded her head in disbelief. Sameer left towards Arjun’s cabin leaving two shocked ladies behind.

“I thought nothing can be done about Arjun’s love life. And here he is already some levels up” Sakshi blurted out and Aisha burst out laughing.

♡♡♡♡•♡♡♡♡•♡♡♡♡•♡♡♡♡•♡♡♡♡

This was once again something from my draftsAnd I am still looking for more