Teri Lakeerein

10. Entanglement

Haseena's eyes opened to an unfamiliar smell and scratchy throat, and when she tried to move her body, she felt a resistance and her gaze shifted to find a drip attached to the back of her left hand.

Sitting up slowly then, she raised her free fingers to comb her wayward hair and felt them brush against coarse gauze, sending a sizzle of ache through her head.

Haseena winced and with that, broken flashback started pouring in.

She remembered the scuffle, being hit on the head....rescuing Suresh and then-

That's where her memory ended.

Her parched throat demanded attention again and breaking away from her headspace, Haseena reached out for the glass kept on the side table on her right side, her eyes finding her trio, fast asleep on the sofa.

Haseena smiled. Santosh's head was supported against Pushpaji's shoulder while Cheetah's head was lolling back and forth mid-air.

Her gaze went to the wall clock then. It was 10.17 AM.

She started looking for her phone soon after, and during the time, the gate to the room creaked open and a nurse walked in.

"Oh, kesa lag raha hai aapko?"

Haseena nodded as the nurse checked her drip bag and moved away.

"Main doctor ko inform karti hu".

While the nurse walked out of the room, Cheetah's eyes fluttered open and as he saw his senior sitting awake, he immediately jumped to his feet.

"Maddam sir! Aap theek hain?!"

Haseena gestured him to tone down his voice, looking at the still sleeping duo and he nodded.

"Hum theek hain cheetah. Humara phone kahan hai?"

"Ji, ye..." In response, Cheetah's hand went in his pocket and pulling it out, he gave it to her.

As soon as the phone was in her grasp, Haseena immediately decided to make a call to DSP sir.

"Jai Hind sir".

"Jai hind, Haseena Malik. Kesi hain aap? Hum jab aapko dekhne aae thhe aap so rahi thi", her senior replied from the other end.

"Poochne ke lie shukriya sir. Hum theek hain. Sir humein SI Suresh ke baare main poochna tha", Her gaze flitted to Cheetah who was still standing by her side, his expressions strained.

"Ji, hum samajh rahe hain. SI Suresh kafi buri haalat main thhe toh filhal wo bhi aapke hi hospital main bharti hain. Lekin aap chinta na karein, humne aapke bheje hue bank records cross verify karwae aur jaisa aap soch rahi thi, wo jo chaar transactions do mahine pehle hui thi, unka source dhang se trace nahi ho paya hai".

"Then there is a chance that SI Suresh was involved in the triple murders?"

"Possible hai, SHO Malik".

Haseena breathed in deeply, faintly recalling a team holding a trophy. "Sir, hum chahte hain ki yeh case hum handle karein"

"I knew it that you will ask for this case. You have my permission. As soon as you get discharged, you can have custody of Suresh".

"Thank you, sir".

"Chaliye aap khayaal rakhiye. And congratulations on your success".

"Shukriya sir. Jai Hind".

Placing the phone near the pillow, Haseena was finally bombarded by Pushpa ji and Santosh who had been woken up moments before and had been impatiently, trying to mind the decorum when their seniors were in a conversation.