OUT WITH THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE QUADRUPLE SERIES. ENJOY!!!!

If I had a thermometer attached to my head then it would show that I was way past my boiling point. Every little happiness I had anticipated had drained down because of a stupid little idiot named Samay. He was an incomprehensible fellow who spoiled my whole day by just existing. He made it his life's mission to interrupt me every time I wanted to start a conversation with Abhi. I tried to be subtle, and over-excited, and for good measure, I even glared at him a little bit. He took it as a challenge to double up his efforts and might I say he did a pretty good job. In the whole stretch of thirty minutes, I could not even manage to get his number.

Now I was sitting in my room on one of the couches fuming with anger. I was told to wait for an officer to arrive to start interrogation as a witness. All things about the case had gone out of my mind as I was plotting a murder in my head. The door opened to reveal the smiling face of Samay. I ignored his presence and turned my face away. He continued his relaxed pace and sat in front of me on the sofa. I still did not speak. I was waiting for the inspector to show up. I waited for a while but no one came inside the door.

When five minutes passed and still no one came I turned to look at him. He smiled seeing my focus back at him. He stretched forward his hand and said," Hello Ms. Maya Singhania, I am Captain Samay Rathore. I am here to interrogate you today."

I glared at him a bit because there was no way he was the recommended candidate to be the interviewer. He must have done something behind the scenes.

"Ido not think that this case has anything to do with the Indian military, does it? I expected an Italian inspector to be sitting in front of me." I inquired.

"Does it matter who is doing the interview, Ms. Singhania? You are a witness and you are just supposed to answer questions that you are asked." He gave his infuriating smile." But since I am feeling so generous today, I would satisfy your curiosity. The guys who did the robbery in this hotel are wanted criminals of the state. They are also involved in a case the Indian army is working on with the Italian force. So, you can imagine the importance of this case. I should warn you to be as truth full as possible and avoid lying about anything." He said with a serious straight face. This was the first time I saw him seriously. So, this case is not a simple robbery. But why would these high-profile criminals go down for petty theft?

I asked him just that. "We do not know why they did what they did. And we would like you to help us find out"

Now this case had all my attention. It was turning intriguing for me and I was getting invested in it.

He asked me to tell him in detail about what happened yesterday. I told him everything from when I entered the hotel till the time the police broke in. I also told him about the fact that I felt someone following me just outside the hotel.

"What were you doing outside the hotel so late Ms. Maya?" he asked

"I was out getting dinner with a friend."

"And you had to get that dinner on the day a robbery was happening? Because based on your hotel check-ins you come inside every day at a fixed time. Even more, how did you manage to make such close friends within a week?"

He was getting on my nerves again, but I had to keep calm. "It was not a friend I made after coming here, it was a friend I met on the plane. We have good chemistry. And today was a weekend so I chose to go out. Any more questions?"

"You said you went to the floor below yours instead of your floor after getting into the hotel but you don't know anybody here, why would you do that?"

I took a deep breath." A friend of a friend lived on the floor below. As I could not find anyone in the hotel lobby I went there to seek help."

"And how close you are to this person?"

"I have met him twice or thrice but he was the only person I knew so I didn't have any choice."

"And can you give his name?"

"Yes. His name is Max. I do not know his full name. his works in some apply supply store as far as I know."

He jotted down everything I told him and pondered for a minute. However, irritating this guy might be in private he was pretty good at his job. He was inquisitive and clear-headed and he had a pretty good instinct for asking the right questions.

"So how did you meet my darling friend Abhimanyu?" he asked with mirth and a twinkle in his eyes.

Forget that I ever praised this guy. This guy deserves to rot in bloody hell.

"I don't think me knowing your friend has anything to do with this case." I gave a curt reply.

He laughed a little." Oh, maybe it probably does. See, you hoarded up my friend for the whole afternoon that he willingly offered to look after a fainted princess. So, I think it is crucial to know what relationship you have with him."

I was pleasantly surprised that Abhi chose to stay by my side. But I had to school my expression because I did not want this cunning fox to know how I felt about his friend." We are just acquaintances. We met at my office."

"Acquaintances that can't keep their eyes off of each other?"

"If the interrogation is over then I would like to leave officer." I stood up to go out.

"Please do not. I still have more questions. And I can get the most private answers from my friend himself. You are no fun Maya."

No fun my arse. I will kill you. Kill you someday.

He went on to ask me to describe how the four people looked. What they were doing in my room. He went even as far as to tell me to enact what they were doing and how. He also asked me to make a list of all things that were taken from my room. At one point I was pretty sure that he was doing it for pure amusement.

He called for someone to sketch while I described the thieves as well as could remember. The interrogations went on for so long that by the time it ended, it was far into the evening. My stomach was grumbling in hunger. And with his incessant teasing, I was quickly turning hangry.

Sensing my increasingly souring mood he finally offered to cease the procedures and offered to get me some dinner. I politely declined but he bribed me with the fact that Abhi was right downstairs waiting for him for dinner and this time he would not interrupt.

This fox is surely going to torture me to death someday.

We went downstairs and greeted Abhi who was waiting for us there. He was surprised to see me there but he welcomed me once he knew it was Samay's offer.

We went out to get dinner at one of Samay's favorite places where truthful to his words he kept silent. I tried all the tricks in the book to ask anything that came to my mind. With Samay's help from the side, I got to know interesting things about Abhi.

He was a child of a joint family and lived with his parents, grandparents, and 2 siblings. He was the eldest of all and he loved his siblings very much. Every time he talked about his siblings his eyes would light up and he would break into a little smile where his left dimple would show. We chatted for quite a while and he spent the entire time talking about some anecdotes from his family. There was a longing in his heart to spend more time with his family as most of his time was spent in being posted elsewhere, away from family.

Oh, how wish we could relate.

After dinner ended, we got into the cab to take us back to the hotel. The entire cab ride was silent. I was sitting in the back with Abhi. The enclosed space of the cab allowed me to be close to him. So close that I could smell his scent near me. It was so soothing that it gave me a heady feeling.

After we reached the hotel, I fell behind a little and tried to start a conversation with him." Umm, Abhimanyu." He stopped walking at looked at me. Samay was walking ahead while talking on his phone.

"If you do not mind that is, could you leave your number behind? I have no other meaning; I just could not treat you to lunch today so if you do not mind, I would like to do that some other day." I asked a little shy.

He gazed at me a little unsure before he slid his phone out of his pocket and forwarded it to me." Sure. Type yours in and give me your phone so that I can type mine."

I quickly forwarded my phone and he took it. Before giving it back he also assured me if such a thing ever happens again, I can also call him.

The ever-considerate person.

After quickly saving his number with a pink heart I walked back the rest of the way to the hotel under the teasing gaze of Samay.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hello peeps

Samay can be a real a** in private but he is so hot when he does his job well. How was the interrogation?

thoughts?

Thoughts on the little number exchange?

vote and comment to share your feelings.

_aBHIRA