''Take off the cam and come back."
Karishma looks up from the phone and acts like nothing happens. She is somehow a very convincing actress and perhaps Haseena has a competition. Karishma nods again and takes a step forward to give Haseena a hug that should be their usual goodbye hug. However, this time, a hug comes with a kiss by the ear that sends Haseena to places she never knows exist. "Sleep tight, Haseena."
Haseena clears her throat awkwardly and waves like an idiotic person.
"Yeah."
Karishma turns around and walks away without wasting another minute to linger. She knows she will be back and so does Haseena. Karishma casually walks through the neighborhood to the tint-window SUV that is parked a block away from Haseena's. Inside, Brian is chilling in the driver seat and watching Karishma getting closer and closer from the footage on the iPad screen. His eyes move from the screen to the passenger seat where Karishma quickly hops in with a sigh.
"Long day." Brian says. He doesn't even make it a question. He makes it a description.
"Yeah." Karishma sighs deeply again as she takes off the spy camera from her button. "Did you get anything about Will Hughes?"
Brian shakes his head and locks the iPad screen that he has placed on the dash. The day ends and he is more than ready to be doing something else but this. "He is as clean as a whistle. The dude doesn't even do his own stunt. I doubt that he could rappel down the elevator shaft to get Miss Malik. I mean if it is him, what is his motive?"
"I don't know." Karishma mumbles as she hands the cam back to Brian. "He just seems suspicious to me. He was always there when something was up."
"Well." Brian puts the cam back into a little box to get it ready for the next day. "Maybe the Indian police will figure things out before us. Do you need a ride?"
"Ah, no. I... Hmm... I have a date." Karishma tries to come up with the best excuse and she lands onto something that should be believable enough for Brian to not asking anything more. "I don't want her to be like 'oh, you have your dad drive you to a date?""
Brian scoffs and reaches over to the passenger side's door. It is a bit of a struggle but he manages to open it for her. "Get out of here."
Karishma chuckles. "See you tomorrow, Brian."
"Have fun while you can, kid."
Karishma takes a huge detour around the neighborhood; just to make sure that none of the patrol police spot her, before getting inside Haseena's house through the garden gate. Haseena is dipping her legs in the pool with two glasses of wine next to her. She looks up and watches Karishma walk towards her. They take a brief second to smile at each other; smiles that warm the hearts and cure the exhaustion of the day.
"What is up?" Karishma asks and sits with her legs crossed next to Haseena. She likes this. She likes how it is private and intimate.
"Will knows that you're a cop." Haseena shares her news and hands Karishma a glass of wine. "He said he would tell if you didn't stop... digging about him."
"Tell whom? His mother?" Karishma puts on her poker face and sips the expensive wine from the expensive wine glass.
"Karishma, you need to understand that the moment people start to question why I have a police officer following me around, there will be lies, makeup stories, scandals, things that will ruin me and everything I've worked so hard for. People are going to talk shit. It would not be a week for it to go away. And. I asked you to leave him be, didn't I? I—"
"Will Hughes was there when there was a bugging device on your jacket. Will Hughes was there when there was a funny business with the elevator. And you expect me to leave him be? Haseena, I am a cop. I can't just ignore the possible suspect of a crime just because you are fond of him."
"Do you know what the critiques say about the show? That I will be the next big star. That I will take Hollywood by storm."
"It's his show too. Why -"
"You don't understand."
"I don't." Karishma whispers and decides to give in. She doesn't want to argue more and set a fire between them. "What I do understand is I don't take orders from you, Haseena. If one point in time, I'm required by law to go through his entire history, that's exactly what I will do."
"Karishma." Haseena begs underneath her breath. "I need this. I've worked so hard for this."
"I'm sorry." Karishma shrugs. "If his plan is hurting you, I can't just look away."
Before Haseena gets to respond to that, Karishma's phone keeps buzzing with plenty of messages that come in. Karishma places the wine glass down and starts checking her phone. Haseena doesn't notice at first but as soon as she glances, the rage is boiling up and spilling from Karishma. It is almost like the thunderstorm clouds are taking over the sunny day with the strong wind and the flashy lightning. Karishma has suddenly become something Haseena has never witnessed before. Karishma has suddenly become something Haseena hopes and prays she would never have to witness again.
"I need to borrow your car." Karishma says with her calm voice but it is clearly just a calm before the storm.
"Where are you going?" Haseena asks as she watches Karishma get on her feet and look inside the house. Her eyes are already on the place where Haseena keeps her car keys.
"I'll get it back in an hour." Karishma doesn't answer the question or even hear the question at all. She walks towards the house in such a rush pace. She has a new mission of her own and Haseena is clearly not a part of it.
"Karishma." Haseena follows her although it is rather scary to see her like this.
Karishma doesn't hear a thing anymore. She is deaf by the echo of her own thoughts and her anger that decides to come along. Haseena tries to keep up with her pace and finally catches up with Karishma in the garage. The garage door is making a sound as it opens and Haseena is making equally as loud sound as she bangs on the car window on the passenger side.
"If you're going to leave with my car, you need to leave with me." Haseena announces loud and clear for Karishma who is in the driver seat to hear. "Or I'll call a cop on you."
Karishma, with both of her hands on the wheel, is hesitant. She is not sure if Haseena is going to pull through with her words or if it is just a threat. Either way, she doesn't want to risk it. She unlocks the doors and lets Haseena take the passenger seat. As soon as Haseena closes the door, she expects some poker face joke from Karishma as usual but this time, this time is different. Karishma keeps her silence so sacredly like it is her religion. Then, when the garage door is fully open, Karishma steps on the acceleration without really paying attention if Haseena is secured with the seatbelt.
"Stay in here. Lock the door. Don't unlock for anyone but me." Karishma uses the tone that is odd to Haseena's ears. She has never heard such an order from Karishma and by the sound of the rage that fills those words, Haseena is left with no choice but to follow.
"Okay." Haseena responds to no one when her answer is too late for Karishma who has already closed the door behind her. She watches Karishma walk to the back of the car and continue her wait after checking her watch. Karishma is expecting someone in her precinct's parking lots and whoever it is that Karishma has been waiting will come out of the building at the exact time.
Then, a middle-aged lady appears. She is making her way towards her car that is parked at the end of the lots when Karishma waves to get her attention. The lady doesn't seem too surprised to see Karishma as she smiles and is ready for the conversation she has yet got a clue about. Karishma checks her watch again before putting both of her hands in her pockets. Haseena decides to reach over to the driver seat and presses a button to lower a backseat window down just a bit; enough for the conversation outside to make its way through.
"What do you mean, detective?" The lady raises the question of confusion but she doesn't appear so. She seems to know exactly what Karishma has just said but she is just buying time to think of the proper answer; the one that will get her away.
"We're off-duty now. Don't detective bullshit me, Aiysha." Karishma is so heated that if they look hard enough, they might see the stream flying out of Karishma's both ears. "Just answer my question. Did you or did you not pull me out of the Miller case because you knew it was going to be a huge case?"
"I cannot discuss the case with you, Karishma. Go home." Captain Lanna explains what sounds to be reasonable but Karishma won't hear it. She smashes her fist on the trunk as she demands answer. That's when Captain Lanna notices Haseena. "Is that Miss Malik? What is she doing here?"
"You knew the Miller case would boost my career if I closed it. You knew. But you pulled me out. Why?"
"It wasn't my decision-"
"Oh, so it hurts their pride to have a rookie female detective solved that case, doesn't it?"
"Karishma, you need to go home and sleep on what you're about to say. Do not forget that you're in the perimeter of the precinct. I can have you arrested for causing the disturbance."
"Or is it you?" Karishma doesn't back down. The feeling of betrayal is taken over her and she is too shattered to gather herself back together. "Are you afraid that people would think that you gave the case to me because of what happened almost 10 years ago? Move fucking on. It was my parents who died and I moved on. You solved the case and that was the only time in my life that I wanted help from you, Captain. I took the exam. I passed the exam. I got in the academy. I made my own way up."
"I know." Captain Lanna says underneath her breath. It is so low but somehow Karishma picks up something that is loud enough to change her expression. Captain Lanna avoids her sight and that confirms everything.
"Where did you play your pity card?" Karishma places her palm on her forehead and starts to understand the situation more and more. If her guess is right, Captain Lanna didn't only have to pull her out of the case, she needed to. "Did you help me get into the academy?"
"You're a good officer, Karishma. You're smart. You're capable..."
"You're afraid that people will find out." Karishma covers her face and tries to gather herself piece by piece. This is not what she expected. This is not what she thought it would be. This is more. "I'll quit after Haseena's case is over."
"Sleep on this."
"I won't sleep on this, Captain." Karishma whispers. Her rage is put out by the doubt that is pouring all over her. "I wasn't qualified for this from the start. Now, excuse me, I'll drive Haseena home."
"We'll discuss this privately, Karishma." Captain Lanna's attempt to convince Karishma seems to be completely ignored when Karishma doesn't nod or look back with a response.
Karishma quietly settles in the driver seat with Haseena sits in silence next to her. It takes a while for Karishma's mind to land back into her body as she fastens the seatbelt.
"I'll..." Karishma clears her throat and tries to find her perfect-pitched tone. "I'm... hmm..."
Haseena is weakened by the struggle Karishma is going through. It is the side she didn't think she would be able to witness so soon but once she did, she wants nothing more than to ease her troubling soul. She grabs her hand that is placed on the wheel. She holds it in hers so gently.
"Was it on my file?" Karishma asks quietly as her eyes fix on the hand that is holding on so tight as if it tries to be her lifeline.
"I'm sure whatever -"
"Haseena, was it written on my file... under my name? About the police academy."
Karishma tries to be patient and understanding of Haseena. She is not the one to blame or the one who is seen as a cushion for her emotions.
"No." Haseena answers. It is not her specialty to be comforting but she has seen that from Karishma and she is trying her very best to imitate that.
"Right. She swept it under the rug." Karishma sighs and smiles so insincerely without hiding it. "Pathetic, huh?"
"No." Haseena answers right away. This is the question she knows the answer to without having to bend or beat around the bush. "You've worked hard, Karishma, and you deserve what you've had with or without a little boost."
"Yeah." Karishma's response echoes the doubt and the disbelief so loud that it bothers
Haseena. Haseena wants Karishma to listen and trust her on this but Karishma is doing none of it. "Let's get you home."
"Are you really quitting police?" Haseena asks without really care that she will be caught eavesdropping.
"Yes." Karishma's response is as solid as a rock. She turns to look at Haseena with her peaceful eyes that should be comforting but somehow Haseena gets goosebumps by them. "I'm not even qualified to protect you."
____________
As promised double update on Weekends.
Give me your opinion & I told you this is not some random story, expect the unexpected and when you guys expect the unexpected then I'm going to serve you not the unexpected but expected.
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