Primed For Crime

6» The proximity

Myra rubbed her palms over the goosebumps on her arms, shivering in fear. By now, all of the neighbourhood came out of their cocoons with alarmed faces as they heard Mhatre's wails.

Myra looked at Vishal who wasn't doing that great. He was hyperventilating, stumbling on the grass aimlessly.

"Vishal, are you okay?" Myra came to his side, her voice lacing concern.

Vishal looked at the direction of voice, soft brown eyes stared at him, her face was blurry. He blinked trying to clear his vision.

"Vishal?" Said the voice again.

As the vision cleared, brown eyes turned to deep blue and he realised where he was now.

Get it together Vishal!

"Yes Myra. I'm fine. We have to go." He spoke curtly.

"But-" Myra trailed off looking back at Dia's body and instantly regretting it. The sight is going to haunt her for a while.

Myra looked around the people who now gathered around the lost couple, reassuring them, Vishal followed her eyes. Soon the police are going to be here. Vishal didn't want another encounter with the police.

He is in no mood to take questions. Especially one like- what were you and a foreigner doing at the Mhatre's house, coincidentally at the time of this incident?

"Myra, we need to go!"

Myra nodded and followed him. They got into the car without grabbing anyone's attention.

"Aren't we supposed to go that way?" Myra asked when she realised they're going in the opposite direction.

Vishal ran a hand through his messed up hair that was wet from the light rain that stopped a few minutes ago. He thought for a second before answering her.

"The van went through this way." He finally said and silence followed after that. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. He couldn't see what she was feeling, her face was covered by her tangled wet hair.

"The van has DL 4632 on its number plate." She broke the silence.

They both exchanged a look that said nothing but everything. They both wanted to know who was in that car. Vishal expected her to yell at him saying that it is a bad idea but was surprised when she caught the number of the van if needed.

"Are you ok?" He asked her, which he should've minutes back.

Myra focused her eyes back to him, staring for a second before nodding silently. Vishal didn't understand her. He didn't get why her eyes would give him a quick read before responding to anything.

He noticed the slight trembling of her legs. Instinctively he turned the heater on and took out his handkerchief and passed it to Myra.

Myra stared at his hand confusedly.

"For your hair," He answered her unasked question.

Myra mumbled a small thank you gingerly taking the cloth and started drying her hair.

Vishal's eyes started searching for any Van that looked unusual and out of place. And Myra continued to do the same.

Soon the neighbourhood changed and they ended up in a small area that looked like a slum.

"I think we lost them." Vishal mumbled.

Myra didn't answer, her eyes were focused on the vehicle in an alley that looked like a van.

Myra instinctively held Vishal's hand over the steering wheel, " Vishal slow down."

Vishal did as she told and looked at her hand over his quizzically but she was too busy staring at the alley.