Infidelity

If only..

Patricia sat quietly in the cafe. The day was just passing and Aline was not there. Her family had fallen apart. It seemed with Aline's death, her childhood love, her well established home everything was naked, bare to the bones. The skeletons rattled. The long story was cut short by the girl who in her own beautiful, kind way held all together even when she was falling apart. This time a devil took her away.

Where do she start the justice . Police is working behind the scenes but so much time was being wasted in red tape that till now they do not even know which place was the actual crime scene. She was close to tears thinking of her pains and shame .. her little girl was also a little shy and bit to a prude. Whoever put her through this should hang.

A hand touched her back and she looked up .

Sabita sat down infront of her.

"I have been thinking of doing the news cover with the view of all she knew. It is to extend the incident in the memory of the people. I wanted to start with you. But I have decided to start with the CEO and his wife. There is something too polished and charming about the CEO, as if it is long practised and an act. It is said that the entire office is in love with the CEO. But if that is the case whom is he having an affair with has no answers. All is hidden with an elaborate cover. His secretary, Shaila or something like that , I need to go and meet. Comes across as quiet a terror and possessive about him. His wife is again a dichotomy. Sophisticated but again a small child but then there seemed something devilish about her as if she would like to see her husband suffer.

Both of them thought if only Aline had nt died and lived to tell it all to grab the bad guys.. as Sabita summed up.

Suddenly Sabita looked at her Patricia and said, " Who all knew that she had a weak heart?"

Patricia shook her head, "Family knowledge but I do not think it was known beyond the family. When the twins were born apparently Adela had wrapped her hands round the necks of Aline. But it can all be old wives tales. But the doctors said her heart did not get adequate fluids to develop. They feared for her brains too but she was a good student. Naive but good and I do not think you became naive for lack of oxygen. She was naive because she trusted and cared too much. "

Sabita started explaining her theory which was not really a theory but it made sense. She believed that the attack was for some other reason and it had nothing to do with harming Aline. The person who attacked wanted to teach Aline a lesson or enjoy himself secure in the belief Aline will possibly not share what happened to her, may be even blackmail other encounters with pictures etc, but killing her or harming her was never a part of the agenda. So Sabita wanted to make a list of people from all involved directly or indirectly with Aline, into two parts ..two lists. Those who knew about her health condition and those who did not. She wanted Patricia to help her to make the list.

Patricia wanted to cry as suddenly a million memories crowded her mind from Aline's childhood. She would not do well in sports while Adela and Alan were usually winners of some sports in school or other. She would cry silently sitting in her room. Patricia would know but want her to have a good cry before she went in and took her and the other kids out for a day out. She missed somany opportunities to hug and tell her that it was okay? Though a mother was never meant to rate her kids, Aline would always have come first.

She did not know that she had spoken aloud, but she had and Sabita was scolding her now, " Well you should have hugged her. Anyways, then her school would know ? Everyone in her school. Family , friends. So who was it that did not know? Did her office know ? "

Patricia looked away and wiped a tear but said in a stern voice," she was in a desk job. This question unless asked or tested during any physical examination would not be known. But if asked Aline would always say the truth."

"Ofcourse. I will start with the CEO and his wife. Then we need the police intervention to understand who else in the office knew Aline but did not know her well enough to understand her weak heart. "

Sabita wanted to say but could not that she felt this was the working of a man with a masterplan. Someone who had plans to execute and that will not end with Aline! But what as the plan ? Was this the doing of a single person of a group. Or was this just a romantic getaway gone astray.

Her mind and senses answered her a no. She had to speak to her mother but a month back she had fought badly and from then it has become the ungrateful girl syndrome.

Patricia was thinking almost the same but she was also noticing something else that she had not noticed before. Was there a reason why her daughter shared with her father and not with her. Was there someone who knew that she would got involved, hence managed Aline. . If that be the case then it had to be someone near them may be family even ? Was it that boy who always looked strangely at Aline even when he dated Adela and moved in together ? Or was it.. Nasa's mysterious family , mysterious clannish, ancient , or the he CEO and his wife.. why would they or anyone of them harm her daughter.. as a joke, a lesson ? Why why why.. but when the why came so came the answers .. so they will just continue.

We need officer Islam. Both of them spoke together and nodded.