Cold Wars - a Lawyer-Cop Romance

You Are Under Arrest

The next day

He was summoned by the DIG to his office, for what he didn’t know. He hoped it wasn’t about the woman issue, he wanted no part in it. He’s on the DIGs of the state, he should’ve known better than to get involved with a 20 year old. At that age, even though they are legally adults, they are volatile.

“Sir.” he said and saluted. DIG Sharma was sitting, he just casually returned his salute unenthusiastically.

“Sit, Vishwa.” he said. Vishwa sat down and leaned forward eager, well, not so eager, to hear what he wanted to say.

“I want you to talk to that lawyer again.” Sharma stated.

“Sir, I already told you that I would do it one time as a favour. I don’t want to be involved in this.” He almost pleaded.

“Why were you having coffee with that woman, if you aren’t involved?” Sharma smirked at him.

‘How did he know?’ His police brain analysed what Sharma said. ‘Coffee. That’s what he said. He never had coffee with her, except.. except yesterday. Also, how would he know that? As far as I know, Sharma didn’t go to the Sports Centre. Then how would he know? Unless…’

“Sir, you’re tailing her?” he asked, his voice a little raised. Sharma swung his chair, side to side, and said,

“Of course. I have no way to reach Mithra. I have to keep a tab on her lawyer. I told you last time I’d keep an eye on her.”

“Yes, you did, Sir.” Vishwa said partially in a sarcastic way.

“What were you doing with her anyway?” Sharma asked.

“My brother is friends with her. They met after a long time. I just tagged along for coffee and some food.” He sat back on his chair and made himself comfortable.

“She sent me a text message saying Mithra would like to make a deal. The lawyer will be talking on behalf of her.”

“Uh huh. And you want me to talk to the lawyer?” Vishwa asked.

“Yes, but not just that. Actually, what you said about your conversation…”

“Blackmail, Sir.” Vishwa interfered.

“Exactly, blackmail. She said Mithra doesn’t have the proofs.”

“Yes.” Vishwa kind of understood what Sharma was getting at.

“The lawyer has it then.” Sharma said, giving a big smile. Vishwa kept quiet, he wanted to know what exactly Sharma wanted.

Sharma continued, “I want you to talk to her first. Ask her what Mithra want. Most probably money. But I don’t want to give away my money until I’ve exhausted all my options. Don’t you agree?”

“All your options?” Vishwa asked.

“Ask her nicely to hand over the evidence or that she will be arrested for blackmail.”

“What?” he almost shouted. “Do you even have proof of this?”

“That’s why I need you to talk to her. Make her talk like last time. We’ll put a wire on you. The squad will be waiting for you outside her house. They’ll be hearing the conversation. When they get what they want, they will come in and arrest her.” Sharma said. Vishwa couldn’t help but notice Sharma’s excitement. Who is this man? His mentor figure has turned into some kind of trash in a few weeks.

Vishwa let out an exasperated breath and said, “Sir, why would you think she'd talk to me?”

“Vishwa, I learned that you two fought and had a stand off or something when you saw each other. Even in the café you both clearly hated each other. You’ll get her to talk. As I said earlier, use your boy charms on her.”

“Sir, the boy charm you speak of didn’t exactly work on her.” he said, a little bit ashamed.

“No, my boy. It did. The squad was watching you from outside with binoculars.” Sharma stated.

“WHAT?” This time he actually yelled.

“That’s not important. The important thing is, you went there early to throw her off the game with an element of surprise. Which she was. She definitely would’ve wondered what a good looking guy was doing at her front door.”

“Sir, now you’re just sexualising me.” Vishwa said, cutting him off, with derision.

“I think she did. She was about to shut the door in your face when you stopped the door. Nice move by the way. You were assertive. She let you in and because of my luck or maybe the squad’s luck, she sat at a spot where the squad could watch. Where the long window was? They didn’t see you though.”

Vishwa worried if they heard her as well. The conversation they had was something he wanted to forget. Sharma hadn’t stopped talking.

“She sat in front of you in a pair of teeny tiny shorts, legs crossed, showing you basically everything. And the squad told me she bent forward in an oversized tshirt showing you her breasts or cleavage or whatever.”

“Sir, that is completely false. I really don’t think she intended that.” Vishwa said with conviction. She definitely didn’t bend forward or anything and Vishwa for one second refused to believe she “showed” him things. It was him who tried to verbally molest her, although she gave him a taste of his medicine 2 seconds later.

“Yeah Yeah, whatever. Just talk to her. I want to see if Mithra resurfaces when I arrest her lawyer.” Sharma said, with a cruel look on his face.

“Sir, I can’t.” He sternly said. “I just can’t. This is not an official order, so there is no obligation for me to be a part of this.”

‘God, what mess have I gotten myself into? What mess has she gotten herself into? How am I gonna solve this? I don’t wanna arrest her.’ he thought.

“Okay.” Sharma said calmly.

‘Okay? Did he just accept it?’

“But Vishwa… this is gonna happen with or without you. There are other police officers who will listen to me without your so called official order.” Sharma said, his face smug.

Vishwa pinched his nosebridge and thought about it. ‘At least with me there, there will be minimal damage.’ he thought after analysing all scenarios which it could go wrong. He looked at Sharma and said,

“I’ll wait with the squad outside. If anything goes south, I will interfere. Only then. I will interfere, only then.” He said sternly.

“Fine. I accept your condition.” Sharma said.

Vishwa stomped out of the room without even saluting or even a simple ‘Bye’. He was furious, frustrated and devastated, all at the same time.

‘Shankaree was gonna get arrested. And I’ll be the one of those who arrest her. Goddamn.’

Shankaree was waiting. The “negotiator” was gonna come today and she hoped it would be DC. After calling a truce, this would be the first time they'd meet. He never texted or called, for anything. Neither did she. She was confident she would be able to keep it professional, but after the business was over, she wanted to smile at him, ask him how he'd been doing and maybe ask him to hang out someday, for what she didn’t know. She had always been insecure about how she looked. She always felt she wasn’t pretty enough.

‘Thanks, society’s unrealistic beauty standards. Did wonderful things for my self esteem.’

Her job also wasn't any better when it came to “looking pretty/handsome”. She understood that, the moment a senior advocate at a firm she used to work said to a “pretty” girl, “Don’t show off your beauty, sweetie. Its precious. Wear a mask.” After the mask mandate was recalled, mind you.

Considering the history of the world, conventionally attractive people had it easy, no matter what Sierra Burgess conveyed, or at least tried to convey. In truth, she noticed the DC because he was hot. She admitted that more than anyone. She was a hypocrite.

In that case, DC Vishwanath was not gonna be interested in her. She just hoped she didn’t embarrass herself in front of him. The DC should never find out she had the hots for him, all she had to do was behave like an adult, not a love sick teenager.

If the DC was coming, he would be coming earlier than the meeting time. Last time he was half an hour early, this time it would 1 hour. She didn’t change after she came back from the office. She was in her uniform, black pants and white shirt, fully professional. She wondered if the DC would appreciate it.

‘Stop thinking about him, woman. What did we just decide? Not to behave like a love sick teenager. You’ll be 30 years old soon, you idiot.’ She chided herself.

The time mentioned was 8pm. She had been expecting him, the DC, of course, from 7pm. No one came to her house until 8:30 pm. That itself ensured that the DC was not gonna appear. She went to her when she heard the knock. When she looked through the peephole, she saw 2 policewomen at her door. She opened the door and invited them in. She asked them to sit on the couch, which they refused. They sat separately on the 2 recliners parallel to the couch. Why the recliner? To assert domination? She wondered. Because they sat on the recliner, she sat on the couch, just like last time, the DC was there. The policewomen were brooding at her like this is the last place they wanted to be in and she agreed. Who would wanna be involved in a s*x scandal?

“Hi Ma’ams, my name is Shankaree. What are your names?” she extended her hand.

“Why’d you wanna know our names?” one of them was still brooding.

“Ok, no problem. Lets just get this over with, shall we?” she gave an uncomfortable smile.

The policewomen were still not talking, not even nodding when she said ‘Let's get this over with’. Were they mad at her for putting their superior in a tough spot, she wondered. Oh, how she missed the DC. The man at least had the decency to look ashamed of his cheater of a boss.

“Ma’ams, Mithra would like to settle for an amount.” She said in the politest way with slight embarrassment. There was absolutely no way to settle a s*x scandal without it being cringy.

“What if Sir doesn’t want to settle?” one of them asked arrogantly.

“Ma’am,” she leaned forward and started speaking to the woman who talked to her. “I hope you and your Sir understand that Mithra will go to court to sue him. Not something I personally want, but I have to represent my client’s choices.”

“What are the conditions then?” asked the other woman.

“As I said, an amount for her silence. She will not contact the DIG in any way.” she said.

“The amount being what? How much money?” the first woman asked.

She was gonna get a whiplash look at one, the other, continuously back and forth.

“I wish to speak to the DIG directly about the amount. And only if he agrees with the terms.” She was practically begging them to settle this here and now.

“And what if he doesn’t show up? Or not settle for the unknown amount of money you ask?” The second woman asked.

“It is better for the DIG to settle it. Does he seriously want a s*x scandal in his name?” Shankaree felt like they were going round and round with this conversation.

“Are you blackmailing him? Our dear sir?”

“To be honest, it's not me who’s blackmailing. I’m just representing her interests.” Shankaree said softly.

They both paused for a few seconds just looking at her, then they looked at each other. It was like they were contemplating something.

“Representing her as her lawyer or just someone who’s delivering a stupid girl’s message?” one of them asked.

“Right now I’m talking as her friend, someone who want good for her.” She so wanted this transaction to happen, it would be the best thing for Mithra. She is pleading beyond her abilities to these 2 women.

Suddenly, both women stood up and approached her. She was confused as she didn’t know what is happening.

“Ms. Shankaree, you are under arrest for the offences of criminal intimidation and extortion.” One of them said.

“WHAT?” she shouted.