Chaotic Shiva
“EVERYTHING ABOUT HER WAS A LIE…” Anand bellowed shivering with rage, tears cascading their way along his bearded face as he stood before his wife, Pooja’s garlanded picture.
Anand hugged himself and looked around his modest 2-BHK and then at his bereaved in-laws. “Did you know, your daughter was in love with her boss? They were together in that accident…” He spoke, his voice distraught and laden with accusations.
“…No Mr. Anand. You are wrong…” A voice drew everyone’s attention. A tall man walked in through the open front door, his police uniform gleaming with myriad medals. “… Mohan Roy, Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Mumbai….” He announced. “…You should be proud of Pooja.”
The silence in the room stretched uncomfortably.
Anand recovered soon. “How… how do you know Pooja?”
“Mr. Anand, it’s Sub-Inspector Pooja Sinha… She was a special agent and the man who died along with her was her reporting officer….” Looking at the 3 adults in the room, the man continued. “…Pooja worked undercover in the narcotics. This time they were retrieving a painting created by an informer that held a code to the location of a major drug haul. Pooja managed to get it but was killed on her way back to Mumbai. Given her insightful nature, she managed to get the painting delivered separately and it lies in this house as we speak…”
“Wha… what?” Anand wailed; disbelief written all over his face.
The man pointed towards the painting on the wall titled ‘CHAOTIC SHIVA.’ Before anyone could react, he walked towards the painting and removed it. On his signal a couple of people entered the room and began to study the painting.
“Wait… this painting had arrived a week ago and Pooja had texted me that it was our anniversary gift… Oh God, I barely knew the woman I married 3 years ago…”
“Mr. Anand, I am sorry you had to find out in this manner…” the man’s tone had softened. “…But this was Pooja’s last mission. She had resigned already. She wanted to give more time to her family… her aging parents and you. If it helps, I can vouch for the fact that she loved you more than the job she excelled in and worked so hard for.”
The two people worked in some calculations and nodded to Commissioner Roye.
Hooking up the painting back the man continued. “Mr. Anand, the duality of her existence always troubled Pooja. As an investigative journalist when you were in Osmanabad covering the narcotic bust 5 years ago, Pooja was the undercover agent who saved you and not the other way round…”
“But… back in the hospital… they had said…” Anand was filled with sorrow.
“…Pooja had insisted on the lie, the façade to protect you all. We are forever indebted to what she provided us even in her passing… the port locations. COchin, VISHakhapatnam and the Ship called TIAA… along with all the coordinates explained in the painting…”
Anand only nodded as grief engulfed him.
Author note:
Cover picture courtesy Prakhyat Rai aka Merry Brains