Earlier
Pacing in the passage outside his office Raoul wracked his brain for a way out of the mess he seemed to have landed himself. He had lost the only clue he had, he had just barely been able to save the statue, he was staring at a possible loss of job not to mention a loss of professional credibility. He had to find a way out, at any cost.
His phone rang, he was elated when he noticed that it was Ashraf. He skipped the greetings and asked Ahsraf if he had any good news. Ashraf replied, "Well! What do you think?"
Raoul said, "If I know you, you definitely have the information I had asked for!!"
Ashraf replied, "Oh ho.. I like the confidence you have in me. Hmm.. Well in that case, I should not disappoint you, I have found the details you had wanted. I had to do some major search, but you do know me, I nailed the damn thing."
Raoul said, "Don't let the curiosity get the better of the cat. Tell me what did you find out."
Ashraf replied jovially, "I found out that the car is registered in your name or rather in Lyana's name. Why in the world did you send me on a merry-go-round chase when it was you own car! Sometimes I really don't know what you are doing!!"
Raoul stood rooted to his spot, his mind racing ahead of him, questioning him, how could this be possible. Was it really possible that Lyana was involved? But why? Why would Lyana be involved in an attempted robbery?
He made up an excuse of trying to see if Ashraf was still the genius that he claims to be and disconnected to be gripped by the questions in his mind. He knew he had to reach home and ask Lyana the reason for the deception.
He slipped out and on reaching home, opened the door with his key. He called out to Lyana and recieved no reply; looking at his watch he realized that she must have gone to pick the kids from school. He sat down switching on the TV and absently watching the channels as he surfed from one channel to another trying to focus on what he had become aware of.
The door bell rang shortly announcing the return of Lyana with the kids in tow. Raoul tried to keep his nager and hurt under control and asked her in what he hoped was a normal voice, "Where have you been?"
Lyana replied, "I had gone to pick the kids and before that had gone to check up in that friend with whom I had been the day before. Why are you home so soon? Is everything okay?", concern obvious from her face.
Raoul ignored her questions and asked her, "That reminds me, how is your friend. Where does she live?"
Lyana unaware of the turmoil he was facing replied, "I did tell you that she stays with her mom at least for the time being with her marriage in trouble. She is doing better."
Raoul continued, "How did you spend the day?"
Lyana raised her eyebrows at the unexpected turn the questions were taking, but did not say anything, hoping it was just a way for her husband to distract his mind from the case he had been working upon. Se replied, "I was majorly home, but had got a call from the Society and had told them that I'd drop by, so had gone there before picking up the kids."
Raoul nodded his head and asked her, "Where were you on the day you had gone to meet your friend after dropping the kids at Aileen?"
Lyana stopped doing what she was doing, turned around and asked him, "What is it that you want to ask? Why don't you just ask it? Stop wavering."
Raoul said, "I am not wavering. I want to know where and how did you spend the day when you were supposed to be with your friend."
Lyana said, "I told you I had gone to her place and was there only...." Raoul interjected, his patience running thin, ".. and my car had decided to go to the Museum and be there. On its way it also picked up a passneger, or rather a driver to take it there."
Lyana said, "What are you speaking about? I have absolutely no idea. My car was with me for the whole day except when Azeez had come down to borrow it for some time. No harm in lending the car to my brother, is there?"
Raoul realxed hearing that it was not Lyana that was present in the car. He asked her, "Why did he need your car when he has his own? Why did you not tell me?"
Lyana flustered, "Well I did not know that I had to run everything by you before doing anything. Should I also require to ask if I can breathe?"
Raoul said, "Lyana, there was an attempt on stealing the 'Standing Buddha' statue from the museum and your car was used as the get-away vehicle."
.... to be continued... Raoul - 10
Pacing in the passage outside his office Raoul wracked his brain for a way out of the mess he seemed to have landed himself. He had lost the only clue he had, he had just barely been able to save the statue, he was staring at a possible loss of job not to mention a loss of professional credibility. He had to find a way out, at any cost.
His phone rang, he was elated when he noticed that it was Ashraf. He skipped the greetings and asked Ahsraf if he had any good news. Ashraf replied, "Well! What do you think?"
Raoul said, "If I know you, you definitely have the information I had asked for!!"
Ashraf replied, "Oh ho.. I like the confidence you have in me. Hmm.. Well in that case, I should not disappoint you, I have found the details you had wanted. I had to do some major search, but you do know me, I nailed the damn thing."
Raoul said, "Don't let the curiosity get the better of the cat. Tell me what did you find out."
Ashraf replied jovially, "I found out that the car is registered in your name or rather in Lyana's name. Why in the world did you send me on a merry-go-round chase when it was you own car! Sometimes I really don't know what you are doing!!"
Raoul stood rooted to his spot, his mind racing ahead of him, questioning him, how could this be possible. Was it really possible that Lyana was involved? But why? Why would Lyana be involved in an attempted robbery?
He made up an excuse of trying to see if Ashraf was still the genius that he claims to be and disconnected to be gripped by the questions in his mind. He knew he had to reach home and ask Lyana the reason for the deception.
He slipped out and on reaching home, opened the door with his key. He called out to Lyana and recieved no reply; looking at his watch he realized that she must have gone to pick the kids from school. He sat down switching on the TV and absently watching the channels as he surfed from one channel to another trying to focus on what he had become aware of.
The door bell rang shortly announcing the return of Lyana with the kids in tow. Raoul tried to keep his nager and hurt under control and asked her in what he hoped was a normal voice, "Where have you been?"
Lyana replied, "I had gone to pick the kids and before that had gone to check up in that friend with whom I had been the day before. Why are you home so soon? Is everything okay?", concern obvious from her face.
Raoul ignored her questions and asked her, "That reminds me, how is your friend. Where does she live?"
Lyana unaware of the turmoil he was facing replied, "I did tell you that she stays with her mom at least for the time being with her marriage in trouble. She is doing better."
Raoul continued, "How did you spend the day?"
Lyana raised her eyebrows at the unexpected turn the questions were taking, but did not say anything, hoping it was just a way for her husband to distract his mind from the case he had been working upon. Se replied, "I was majorly home, but had got a call from the Society and had told them that I'd drop by, so had gone there before picking up the kids."
Raoul nodded his head and asked her, "Where were you on the day you had gone to meet your friend after dropping the kids at Aileen?"
Lyana stopped doing what she was doing, turned around and asked him, "What is it that you want to ask? Why don't you just ask it? Stop wavering."
Raoul said, "I am not wavering. I want to know where and how did you spend the day when you were supposed to be with your friend."
Lyana said, "I told you I had gone to her place and was there only...." Raoul interjected, his patience running thin, ".. and my car had decided to go to the Museum and be there. On its way it also picked up a passneger, or rather a driver to take it there."
Lyana said, "What are you speaking about? I have absolutely no idea. My car was with me for the whole day except when Azeez had come down to borrow it for some time. No harm in lending the car to my brother, is there?"
Raoul realxed hearing that it was not Lyana that was present in the car. He asked her, "Why did he need your car when he has his own? Why did you not tell me?"
Lyana flustered, "Well I did not know that I had to run everything by you before doing anything. Should I also require to ask if I can breathe?"
Raoul said, "Lyana, there was an attempt on stealing the 'Standing Buddha' statue from the museum and your car was used as the get-away vehicle."
.... to be continued... Raoul - 10
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