The Tranquil Predator ✔️

Chapter 17

Patricia's Pov

I didn't like the tone in which the detective asked Praveen. It was polite but there was a hint of rudeness in it. Was he doubting him? Praveen kept his calm though. He didn't mind the question and the detective's cold attitude.

"What time sir? As far as I remember my shift finished around 7 pm that day. After it was over I went over to Patricia's house. I heard a lot had happened that day so went over to hear the story and support her. I was with her till 9 and then left to go home. Reached home by 10 and stayed inside since.", he replied calmly and confidently.

"So you were at home all night. Between 1 am and 3 am?"

"Yes of course. I was sleeping. I left the house again at 5 am the next morning when Patricia called from the hospital. I reached by 6 in the morning"

"Anyone to vouch for you?", Arjun's voice was as hard as steel.

"My sister can. She knew when I came inside the house and when I left in the morning."

"Alright I will have a talk with her and,", he turned around and looked at Raghu "your neighbour, to take their statements."

He said this and left the store.

I had had enough now. If it were some ordinary interrogation I wouldn't have minded it. But it wasn't. Arjun had this weird hatred for Praveen. He was unnecessarily rude to him. From the time he entered the hospital room. And that was pretty heartbreaking to watch considering how much Praveen looked up to him.

Not just Praveen but Officer Menon too. I remember how he talked to him in her house that day. It was beyond disrespectful. This needed to end. Turning around I stomped out of the store leaving Praveen and Raghu behind.

I could see Arjun opening the door of his car.

"STOP! I need to talk to you about something.", I yelled before he got inside. The detective turned around and looked at me.

Without replying he just closed the door behind him and leaned on his car with his hands folded across his chest.

Why is he so hot?

We stood staring at each other for a while when finally Arjun said, "You have anything to say Ms. Fernandez or can I leave? Trust me it has been a very long day for me"

I gulped and inched forward and said, "Yes. I do have something to say. Or more like ask"

"Go ahead"

"What is your problem with Praveen? He is innocent. I have known him longer than you. He is someone who respects and admires you, so couldn't you be a little bit polite? Not just him but your own partners as well. That stunt of yours? Reminding Menon how his child died was a very sickening move. It is their town you are living in and their food you are eating. And yet you treat them like shit. What is it? Superiority complex? The fact that you are from a big city and they are not?"

The detective's eyes felt like they were darker than usual. He stared down at me with few emotions. Emotions that cant be seen on his face but felt radiating out of him. Emotions I couldn't name properly.

"What is your profession?", he finally asked with that dangerously calm voice of his.

"I am an interior designer"

"No wonder", he scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"You are an interior designer. It's your job to be super nice and polite to your clients. Guess what? It's my job to be super rude and emotionless while talking to my clients. Who are your clients? Rich people who don't know how to design a house but have enough money to hire someone to do it for them. Who are my clients? Families of people who got brutally murdered. I have seen things you have never even imagined in that fairytale life of yours. Horrible things that will make you believe in satan, demons, and monsters again. Trust me, in this field of work I trust no one. Not you, not your little boyfriend because if I do I might mess up.", he blasted out. He hadn't stepped forward from his place nor moved a muscle. Yet the aura that surrounded him was so dangerously dark, I shivered as I looked at him.

As I tried to move back, he grabbed my arms and pulled me closer. Crashing against his body I looked up. We were extremely close. We didn't blink as we kept staring at each other. That feeling of live current flowing between us was back. His warm breath hitting my face made my entire body weak.

"People are dying here. I have been here for a month and haven't caught him yet. And what's worse is I feel like I am fighting alone in this battle. Do you have any idea how helpless I am feeling right now? I am not socialising with these people. I am interrogating them. So I have no reason to be all smiley-faced and kind to them. For me all are suspects and that duo are on top of my list", he growled and finally let me go.

"I-I am sorry", I squeaked and backed away from him. "I shouldn't have interfered in your work. I know it has been hard for the past few days"

It definitely had been. I could see small strands of hair coming out of his chin and cheeks. Also the dark circles in his eyes. He hadn't shaved or slept for god knows how long. The criticism he was going through was not helping either.

"I don't need your sympathy. Just stay safe and avoid meeting people for now. Stay indoors at all costs".

This was all he said before he got inside his car and drove away. Praveen came out shortly.

"What was that about?", he implored.

"Nothing", was all I said as I kept my eyes on his car that slowly turned into a small speck and finally vanished as the distance between us grew.

A/N:

Well....To make it clear, Praveen and Patricia are NOT dating. They are just good friends. Praveen does have a cute little crush on her. But she sees him as a really helpful and trust worthy friend, that's it.  The feelings she has for him are different from the feelings she has for Arjun.