Nair's Mansion,

Nikhil had made sure to check her medicines and when he found they were nothing but normal medicines, he was relieved and suggested she cut her screen time. Ananya had told him she is already trying her best. Nikhil had come back to his home, after making sure Ananya is ready for a doctor's appointment the weekend. Time spent with her had calmed his heart down and he was reliving those beautiful moments, the way Ananya ate one more bowl before having medicines and making sure he ate too, with the little conversations in between about their lives had warmed his heart. He's walking relieved, thinking about one of the beautiful times spent with Ananya lost in his own thoughts and was about to go to his room when he heard his sister.

"Nikhil?" Nitya had called him setting the plates on the table for her husband. Her mother and father had already had their dinner along with Sia and she was just waiting for her brother who said he'd be back in an hour. When she saw him walking inside with a little smile on his face, she called out for him.

"Yes, Di?" Nikhil stopped in his tracks, stopping the little curve of his lips, and looked at his sister. His gaze went towards the dining table and he sighed inwardly, now sensing his full stomach with pasta he prepared for Ananya and ate it himself after that, with Ananya on the second round.

Thank god he made it for two more persons, hoping she'd eat more! He had seen how little she eats on the day they had lunch in the office. 

"Dinner is ready, wash your hands, come, and eat," she gestured for him to go to the Kitchen setting another plate on the dining table.

"Uhu, di, my stomach is full. I am sleepy too," he said, smiling sheepishly at her. The first part although true, the second one is totally a lie. He wasn't sleepy at all. How would he? If Ananya's thoughts are running behind him, not letting him sleep.

"But-" Nitya narrowed her gaze at him, protesting his words when she was cut off by him.

"I'm so sleepy, di. You know, I doubt I'll sleep here itself. Bye. Good Night!" He walked away, lying, yawning a few times on his way, to make his sister believe he was really sleepy.

"What?" Nitya could only mutter, looking at her brother's back weirdly. And that's how Suman found his wife when he came back from the kitchen after washing his hands.

"What happened?" Suman asked, raising his brows at his wife, and taking his seat at the dining table.

"Your brother-in-law happened," Nitya muttered sitting beside her husband, serving him and serving herself. Suman beside her could only chuckle.

The brother-sister duo is always fun to watch — for him!

CBI,

Their morning was usually busy and there was no difference this time. Akash and Lolark had gone to the crime scene and John's farmhouse in the morning again and they were busy there. Nikhil was busy with Vishwa and Nusrat working on some cases. Ananya was cooperating with Kumar in investigating her number all morning.

The busier day didn't make them realize when the morning dawned. Everyone had gathered in the investigation room again in the afternoon. Akash and Lolark had come back after investigating the whole farmhouse and the crime scene. Just in case they missed something their eyes missed before.

"So, what are the updates?" DJ asked, standing in front of the whiteboard with a marker in his hands. He was getting pressurized from their heads to work faster on this case. Although Steven and Catherine seemed calm in front of them, from behind the political pressure was high.

Akash sighed, recalling the things in his mind, and kept some evidence on the table, saying, "His home's lock was already open when we went there and it looked like the house was the victim of thievery. Catherine says they always have some money and diamond necklaces there. But we saw nothing of that sort. It was all a mess as if somebody had their hands on the house. Some people stole money and some jewelry and some more antique pieces I think. They're all missing as Catherine said!"

"So, was it the case of thievery?" DJ pointed out all the points on the whiteboard.

"I think so," Akash just shrugged. He had also found no blood smear in the house, nowhere. Except that the whole house was in mess. It can be the case of thievery if they weren't wrong.

"We saw a ring missing from his finger as well," Kumar points out, having been reminded of what Nikhil said yesterday, and the point was written on the whiteboard as well.

DJ wets lips lost in thoughts and nods his head, his head somewhere else.

"So, it must be thievery?" Nikhil asked, doubting the possibility, lost in his thoughts like DJ as well, and soon comes out, asking what DJ thought to add as well, "But if it so why didn't he steal his phone?"

"Yeah, same doubt!" Kumar raised his hand, thinking for a few minutes. Why would thieves leave a phone which costs around 2 Lakh in the market?

Akash and Lolark think in the same line. Nusrat had just come into the room, not being present in the room till then, busy with Vishwa on her reports. It'd be her second last in the CBI and she was preparing for her farewell. Now that she was free, as instructed by Vishwa, she ran to the Investigation room where Nikhil is present.

"I'm sorry!" she whispered for disturbing them and stood beside Lolark finding no space beside Nikhil who stood with DJ on the other side.

Everyone had concentrated back on the case and Nusrat took updates from Lolark who whispered everything to her.

"His phone costs around 2 lakhs. Why would those thieves leave it behind?" A few lines formed on his forehead, explaining his thoughts on his doubts and questions which seemed nothing but genuine.

"Probably they don't know how much an iPhone costs!" Nusrat had answered, glancing at Nikhil.

"Seriously? Do you think thieves nowadays don't know how much an iPhone costs?" Nikhil glances weirdly at Nusrat's words. Who doesn't know an iPhone costs more than a lakh? Even small kid does and makes sure they maintained it properly for their social media handles these days.

"Thieves wouldn't leave a single rupee behind," Kumar adds, shaking his head, agreeing with Nikhil's words. Oh, how many times he saw such thieves? Many times! He couldn't just count on his fingers.

Lolark nods in agreement, recalling his past a few years ago, "True, a few years ago, thieves stole money, jewelry, furniture, antique pieces, and even vegetables from my home!"

Everyone was fine with his every word except the last one. Vegetables? They even stole vegetables? Nikhil and DJ glare at him, amused.

"Vegetables too?" Kumar whispers, baffled. Oh, so thieves started stealing vegetables too? He needs to keep his veggies safe at home.

Vegetable stealers are there too, in the country!

"Yeah, weird, I know. But true," Loalrk had enough of the weird stares that came his way and admitted. It was true. A few years ago, when they just constructed their home in the new locality, a few men stole money, and jewelry, along with vegetables, rice, and things to cook in their kitchen.

"So, it isn't really the thievery case, then?" Akash asked, diverting everyone's mind to the present case. They need to brace themselves and work fast.

"I guess so, maybe someone murdered him and deliberately stole everything to make it look like, it was done for thievery?" Nikhil adds his point, coming to the only conclusion he thought was possible.

"Maybe," DJ adds the point, thinking on the same line.

"Or he was really killed by thieves who forgot to check for the phone?" Nusrat adds, on another thought. What if the thief forgot to check the phone? There's a chance too!

Only that didn't seem possible to the rest of them. How is it possible that a thief who even killed John for money and jewelry forgot a 2 lakh worth of phone?

"Thieves' memory is a hundred times better than the rest of the people. I'm sure he'd not have forgotten to check his phone," Akash adds. True, the minds behind the criminals are almost equal to Einstein, it's just that they use them in the wrong ways. While they — cops use in the right way!

"Adding to that, just for thievery, if they chased John and killed him for money, why would they leave a phone behind? An iPhone, to be precise," Nikhil gulps. Every crime is not perfect. The criminals might have completely forgotten about his costly phone when killing him. It must have been a well-planned murder and they might have made a mistake as everyone does. But why would one do that? Or is it really thievery? And the thief forgot the phone? It seemed less of a possibility to him. Yet he considers the thought but the other possibility overpowered it.

"Let's add this possibility too, on a second thought!" He mutters. They're cops and shouldn't miss another possibility just because it sounded less possible to them.

"Hmm," Nusrat couldn't say anymore, smiling a little, relieved that Nikhil agreed as everyone nods on second thoughts. DJ turns towards Akash and asked him, "What did Catherine say about the jewelry and John's ring?"

"That there are two necklaces and a diamond ring was supposed to be there on John's forefinger. And a platinum chain too," Akash repeated what Catherine told him when they informed her of the situation of the house. She informed them about the jewelry they store in farmhouses and a few amounts of money John always keeps, along with the information on the ring and his chain.

"And she gave us the UIN numbers for them and the serial numbers of money, they'd soon inform us after contacting their bank!" Lolark adds to Akash's words. The couple have said they'd soon given the serial numbers of the money kept in the locker which would take a little time.

"Good, give the UIN number to every jewelry store and pawn shop. Tell them to call us if anyone with the same UIN number comes to sell or pawn the jewelry!" DJ instructs, writing on the board, and releases a huge breath when Nikhil interrupts.

"Sure, sir. I'll inform," Lolark takes the instruction and turns towards Akash in anticipation, "Let's go."

They went out of the room. They got a lot of work!

"So, there are two possibilities, either it is a murder of thievery or a well-planned murder for revenge or something and made it look like a thievery!" DJ concludes by adding the possibility of thieves too as Nikhil said.

But they are cops! They need to cinder even 1% of probability with the possibilities and coincidences.

Nothing happens for no reason!

"Kumar, did you find out about Ananya's call details and everything?" DJ asked. They have decided to investigate Ananya and if she comes clean, she'd be included in the case. It was an order from their head as soon as Ashwanth informed their heads about the situation.

"Yes, sir! It's all clear. Her number is new and there were no calls made since last week except for the watchman, her friends, and a few men related to her business. A few calls related to buyers regarding her home. Other than that, there's nothing," Kumar huffed. He was busy with the same thing the whole morning.

"Good, give me the report. Once I submit it to our head, she can be cleared off the suspects' list and can work with us!" DJ instructs and Nikhil released a breath at that. She wouldn't be a suspect anymore and that's enough for now.

"Sure, sir!" Kumar takes the report he kept on the table beside him and hands it over to him.

Nusrat had got a call on her mobile from Vishwa as it vibrated and she goes out, without any choice.

Evening,

Two more hours and it'd be the end of office hours. Nikhil is busy studying a report when he heard a knock on his cabin. Without taking away his gaze from the file, he permits whoever is at the door to come in.

Ananya slowly opens the door and enters the room, only to see a working Nikhil who looked nothing but a workaholic. He was so engrossed in the file that he hadn't noticed who had come until he heard her voice.

"Hey, Nikhil!" she greets him, hoping she'd get the attention she needed. It was the first time she's seen him working and too lost in his work that he hadn't noticed who had come.

"Hi, Ananya!" He stood up immediately, surprised at her finding in his cabin. Why didn't he notice before? He cursed himself in his mind. What impression did it leave on her? He wasn't sure.

"Sorry, did I disturb you?" Ananya asked, hesitating about her interruption if she had indeed disturbed him. She didn't like it if anyone disturbed her when she worked. What Nikhil must be feeling? Ananya is a believer in give and take. If she didn't like disturbances, she shouldn't disturb someone too. Expect what you give and give what you expect from others! Ananya firmly believed in these lines.

"No, Ananya. I was just reading a report!" he grabs a chair for her to sit on.

Anany denies, nodding her head, "I'm just here for some file. I need a medical report for this case no. A25. I just wanted to ask that!"

"Oh, sure! Give me a minute!" He grabs his laptop and checks for the case file, having found it, he goes to the rack and gives her a hard copy, sending the soft copy to her official email id.

"Here it is. And I sent you the soft copy as well!" He gave it to her and showed her the sent mail.

Ananya smiles at him, releasing a breath, and asked the information she wanted in deep, "Thanks. What was this case about? I mean I read there was no concrete proof to prove this woman's death as murder. How exactly she died?"

Ananya was working on a case where a woman died in suspicious circumstances and while people called it suicide, her family called it murder. And the case was pending since then not having any concrete proof to decide any one of the possibilities.

"This woman had cut her wrist. But her family said she can never do that but there was no concrete proof!" Nikhil said what she already knows but what to know more and asked him about further details, Nikhil studied the report before telling her briefly. By then they both have settled themselves on the chairs, sitting beside each other. Nikhil was briefing, leaning on the file and his laptop and Ananya was beside him, leaning on his arm, looking into what Nikhil has been showing and explaining. Their arms though weren't touching yet an electrifying inch of distance was there.

Both of them could feel it and more so intensely, Nikhil! Bringing goosebumps to his skin and bones!

"Alright! Thanks for the help, bye!" Ananya got up from the chair, having gathered enough information from him to work on the case. It's surely a murder, and she'd prove it!

"Bye!" Nikhil whispers, glancing at her, stretching his arms, as he caressed them a little and the smile stayed on his lips for a few more minutes.

..

Evening,

Outside of Nair's Mansion,

Nikhil had dropped her at home again. Ananya's car was given to service and just like before, Nikhil had offered to drop her at the office in the morning and now they're here, in the same car, outside Nair's Mansion.

Their journey was filled with less silence with a few songs playing in the background and few words about their day in the office. They both felt peace settling in their hearts, listening to the songs and talking about random things after a hell-busy day. Ananya thanked him, collected her things, and she walked out of the car. And just when she was about to walk into her house, she remembered something and ran to Nikhil who was about to go in.

"Nikhil, you offered me a walk yesterday, isn't it?" she expressed, standing in front of a startled Nikhil.

"Yeah?" Nikhil stood confused not knowing his luck is about to jump on his head.

"Can I take the offer now?" she offered. She wanted the walk now and it's been a few days since she met the little girl, she would have accompanied her to talk while walking. Nikhil's presence is anyway is giving her some peace and she wanted that badly now when she was having nightmares about the recent happenings. She was feeling all alone and someone's presence was needed. Since it is Nikhil, she's taking that risk. Her heart was calmer when he was nearer. His concern had touched her!

"Wow. Why not! I and Sia will get ready and come in an hour. Is that okay?" he was damn happy. He'd get an ice cream date too, all thanks to his niece.

"Yes!" Ananya agrees, and bidding a bye to him, walks into her Mansion.

Nikhil did a little bhangra in his head after Ananya was out of sight and rushed into the home. He needs to select his tonight's clothes carefully and give the news to Sia as well who would jump up and down in happiness.

.After an hour,

Sia and Nikhil were waiting for Ananya to come out who said she'd be out in five more minutes and they are here, standing outside on the road before the time they decided for. Both the niece and uncle due were eager to spend their time with Ananya.

After 10 minutes more, they saw Ananya walking out in her casuals, a white T-Shirt, and black jegging with a thin scarf around her neck. She looked simple yet so beautiful that Nikhil kept staring at her and only when his niece tugged him on his pants, he came out of the trance smiling at Ananya.

Ananya saw him dressed in blue jeggings and a white pullover. Their tops coincidentally matched and before she could think more, Sia hugged her legs in excitement, "Hi, Ananya Aunty! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, sweetheart!" Ananya patted her head, caressing the little bouncing ponytail on her head as Sia pressed herself into her legs more.

"Really?" Sia looked up at her Barbie doll and pouted a little, jutting her lips together.

"Really!" Ananya conformed, bending a little, and kissed her head. Sia smiled wide, getting a kiss from her barbie doll and forwarding hands.

Asking her to lift her in her arms!

Ananya smiled at her and lifted her in her arms. It's the first time she's lifting a kid in her arms. She weighed very light as a feather. Sia wounded her little arms around Ananya's neck and kissed her barbie's chubby red plump cheeks, "I missed you!"

She rested her head on Ananya's chest and listened to her heartbeats, while Ananya could only awe at her cuteness and kiss her head again.

Nikhil was all the while admiring their bond with unadulterated love in his eyes. Thye became really close and Sia is, without any effort, bringing that cute Ananya to the surface.

"How was your day?" Ananya asked after Nikhil gestured to her for the walk. And as they walked with Sia in her arms, and Nikhil beside her, she asked the usual question.

"Oh, it was so boring with Ma's saas-bahu serials. The one hour I could have screen time is destroyed by Ma's serials!" Sia by now lifted her head and complained about her Mother's Saas-bahu serials.

"Oh, that's bad!" Ananya commented, shaking her head.

Sia caught the words and complained more, pouting her lips, "Very bad. Do you know what happened in Anupama's serial today?"

She asked, having watched the serial with her Mother for half an hour after which she played with her Father catch and throw! Oh, yeah, her memory is sharp and her mother is too addicted to Anupama that it is etched on her mind. Her mother and grandmother had always discussed Anupama as if they are discussing Cartoons as she does with her friends and others.

"What happened?" Ananya didn't ever hear of that serial yet asks. She didn't want to disappoint the kid by telling her she didn't know. Ananya isn't much into serials anyway!

"Pakhi blamed her husband for doing something wrong when he didn't do it all," she explained, not exactly knowing what that wrong is but hearing her mother say, she repeated the same to her Ananya Aunty.

"Oh!" What was that wrong? Ananya didn't ponder on it much.

"How bad is Pakhi na. Ma said it is not right to behave like Pakhi." Sia added more. When she heard them discussing, being a hyperactive child, she asked for more details and her mother said Pakhi's behavior is not correct and that's why they were discussing them. That was imprinted on her mind.

"What about your favorite show?" Ananya asked.

"I didn't watch today. Ma is too busy with her serials and I am playing beside her, seeing those boring serials sometimes," she cutely showed her hands, explaining where she sat exactly on the sofa.

"Oh, but Sweetheart you could have seen your cartoons on another TV, na! Why didn't you?" Nikhil asked this time. If the TV in the hall was busy, why didn't she watch in his room?

"Nikhil Mama, you're too lost in your world it seems. It's been two days the TV in your room is not working!" She frowns cutely at him, glaring at him with her eyes as if that were his fault that the TV in the room had gotten into technical issues.

"Sorry!" He didn't even know that his TV was not working and bits his tongue, apologizing to his sweetheart.

"And other than the hall and Nikhil Mam's room, there is no other TV. So I played Cricket and catch and throw with Daddy!" She frowns her eyes cutely, explaining her day to both her Mama and Ananya Aunty.

And they were lost in the little girl's words and antics as she dramatically explained how her father had lost from her and she had won in the games.

Ananya and Nikhil smiled at the cute baby and her innocence. Her father had deliberately lost, to see a smiling face on his daughter and that they understood.

Icecream parlor,

After a few minutes of walking, Sia got down from Ananya's arms and settled herself between her Mama and Aunty, walking towards the ice cream parlor, for, she demanded an ice cream from her Mama. Her Mama could only agree with his niece and now they're here, in the parlor.

The trio settled on the chairs in the parlor and before Nikhil could ask, he heard his niece and shook his head at her words.

"Mama, as always, strawberry flavor for me!"

Doesn't Nikhil know that? "Sure, baby!"

He sighed and turned towards Ananya, "Ananya, for you?"

"Butterscotch!" Ananya had always liked Butterscotch and nothing could replace it ever in her life.

"Same pinch," he grinned and continued looking at her confused expression, "Even I like Butterscotch!"

"Oh, alright! But will you go before they close the counter?" Ananya shook her head, amused at his behavior.

"Sorry!" He muttered and rushed to the counter to buy icecreams for the three.

Sia bounced in her seat, having noticed two things, and excitedly dais to Ananya, "Yay. Mama said sorry two times today. One time to you and one time to me!"

Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she said this whale grinning, showing her white little cutie teeth and Ananya pinched her cheeks at her cuteness, Sia's ponytail bouncing just as Sia made her look cuter.

"So, tell me what else you did these days?" She asked, taking Sia in her lap. She doesn't know why she liked Sia in her arms. Sia was just too happy to sit in her Aunty's arms explaining again, " Yesterday I had milk and fruits, then I played, and then I ate little lunch, and then watched cartoons, and then slept and then fought with Mama. After he consoled me, I went to walk with Mama, then slept, and then woke up, played, and then slept again!"

She breathed a huge relief after having said everything she did the day before. Woah! The little toad had done so much work and she must be tired too, adorably tired.

"Wow. Sia did so many works, aah!" Ananya chucked at her cuteness, caressing her cheeks again.

"Yup! I was so tired" Sia pouted, widening her arms wide. Her little hands couldn't stretch more and she stopped with what she thought was little.

Madam is very tired, indeed!

"Here it is," Nikhil had returned with the icecreams in his hands. Sia jumped from Ananya's lap, grabbed her ice cream, and started licking it after unveiling the cover.

"Thanks, Nikhil!" Ananya thanked him, taking her ice cream from him.

Nikhil settled beside Ananya and took Sia in his arms, making her sit on the other chair, he sat back and all of the three enjoyed the icecreams, all smiling at Sia's blabbers.

Their day wasn't over. Not yet!

To be continued..,

Let me know what you think of the update!

Regards,

polymath_land

01/01/2022