Cold Case 2019- PART 2

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE READ PART 1 TO UNDERSTAND. THIS IS NOT A REAL INCIDENT. ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT! :) 

…

INTERROGATION ROUND 2 

SUSPECTS: CARRIE BARRACKS. SHRUTI SHAH. JACK BROWN. VIOLET SUMMERS.

July 29th 2019 

DAY 2 LOCKUP 

… 

The news of murder at the highly reputed school of New York- Summer Cove High, spread overnight despite the protection of their prestige. Moreover, the group being American teenagers and the victim being an Indian boy and instead of pointing to the actual murderer, media turned the case over. It added fuel to the stereotypical weakness of the case. This concerned the cops and put a lot of pressure on Amir. 

“If you don’t give them any valid answer, rumours would keep spreading, especially the stupid paparazzi! They just won’t let us investigate in peace!” Amir said to himself. He sighed as he peeped through the pane, cameras clicking at the police station, and reporters curating their own 

stories. If they were told to move, they would reprimand by saying “We are just doing our job!”

“Let’s start round 2,” Amir picked up his laptop as he left his cabin.

It was day 2 at the lockup- the school was requested to shut down for a week or two for their investigation, and the parents of the suspects were informed of the interrogation. 

Sunil, Sandra, and Taylor were shifted to the next room. None of them were to talk until asked.

ROUND 2 

CARRIE BARRACKS 

Sandra’s Identical twin sister.

“Ms. Carrie Barracks! We’ve met before, I believe, at the Hit and Run case a few months back?” Amir asked checking through the files.

“Yes.” Carrie gulped “So lemme guess, you are going to use my black marks of my record to turn against me?”

“A murderer could commit crime twice, but blame is not the game here, miss. “ Amir calmly replied. “What do you remember from this picture?”

Carrie couldn’t believe her eyes- it was a picture of her hugging Ashish, in the school locker room.

“Are you romantically connected with him? Or you never saw him like that- just a friend?”

“Y-Yea, just a friend,” Carrie replied.

“These pictures say otherwise,” Amir scrolled down more- pictures of them being together at different places- hugging and kissing like an actual couple.

“Okay! Yes! We were! Sort of…” Carrie trailed.

“Sort of?” Amir questioned.

Carrie sighed 

“Ashish knew me before detention class. He was the reason I broke up with Ajay Singh for no reason! He was such a sweet guy, but I was forced to do it! Ashish somehow got records of me cheating in my online Olympiad exams- where I won gold medals and first rank. He also held my records of my cheating in my SATs. I had no idea how, but his evidences were concrete! He threatened to leak them all under one condition- I broke with Ajay to be with him. So, I had to agree,” Carrie wept silently “Oh, how much he demanded from me! To hug him, to kiss him, to give him permission to touch my chest, oh how vulgar and filthy he was! I’m actually glad he’s dead, but sad I wasn’t the one to kill him!”

“I think that’s enough, for this round, Carrie Barracks.” Amir left without another word.

… 

Amir had a lot of missing threads in his mind. Almost every one were getting connected to Ashish, at a wrong foot, but they claim not to have murdered him. Something was amiss. He was missing something. He had to find out. 

SHRUTI SHAH 

“Shruti Shah. The only Indian in the group- by which I mean, of Indian nationality.” Amir started.

“How stereotypical. Wrong point to start with, cop!” Shruti calmly smiled.

“Forgive me but it is all details for my investigation. Where were we, ah yes. Let’s hear your alibi on how you were related to Ashish. On a good feat or the wrong?”

“What wrong feat? Ashish is a good guy. I bet Carrie, Sandra and Sunil would have declared something bad about him- lemme guess, blackmail?” Shruti informed him with a smug smile. Amir turned shocked.

“I thought so. All Ashish did was he held evidences against their petty school crimes aka cheating. Carrie was in a long term relationship with Ashish before he joined Summer Cove High, until Ashish discovered her cheating on him with Ajay. Sandra was caught for cheating in her History exam. And Sunil was caught for dealing drugs. Ashish claimed to unleash their mistakes on the school Instagram handle- that would surely ruin their rep as the “Popular girl”, the “Hot girl”, and the “Handsome guy”. But I didn’t think they would go to the extent of killing him like this. And cop, you might want to know this- he’s allergic to peanuts.” 

Amir noted each and every point and was in chill shock- so Carrie, Sandra and Sunil committed a joint murder? But Sunil seemed to know that the cops know about his case with drugs. So someone from their police gang was helping him out. He would still escape every time he’s caught. But he had checked their alibis, and say, they were so down to Earth! Amir growled in anger.

But wait, why would Shruti tell him that Ashish is allergic to peanuts, and how did she know?

“How are you related to him, then?” Amir asked.

“I dunno, just a friend? An acquaintance, you may say?” Shruti calmly replied.

FLASHBACK 

Shruti loved Ashish more than he never knew- heck, he hardly knew she existed. He always hung out with Carrie owing to their rrlationship. Shruti learnt everything about him just in case they got a chance to get together. But she never had it. It was always Carrie. Every time he hugged her, Shruti felt her nerves bursting with anger. Why wasn’t she her? What was lacking in her that she had?

But one night, Ashish found Carrie with Ajay, and yes in a romantic relationship. All hell broke loose and in a fit of rage he threatened to leak their news on the school Instagram handle- and that did jerk her nerves. She heard from her sister that Ashish found out her cheating at the Mid Year History exam and received the same threaten.

That night Ashish got himself drunk so bad. He wanted to get over his sorrow. Shruti had heard the news and came over to his home to console him- with cookies? She smacked herself for that. She kept ringing the doorbell, but the door wasn’t opening. She tried to turn the doorknob, and it opened so easily.

“Won’t even lock his door?” She said to herself. Suddenly the clink of glass startled her. The floor was rolled with wine bottles.

“Carrie really got him down, poor thing,” she sighed sadly to herself. As she went further, with the box of cookies still in her hands, she found him plopped on the sofa with more bottles and a bowl of chips, with sad pop music on play.

Ashish was engrossed in munching on his chips and draining his sorrow that he hardly noticed her.

“Ashish?” Shruti spoke out breaking the silence.

Ashish’s blurry vision spotted the silhouette of a girl. He didn’t recognise her but got up from his seat and smiling, went to her.

“Carrie? I knew you wouldn’t give up on me,” Ashish whispered in her ears, pushing her hair strands behind.

“Carrie? I’m Shruti, I don’t think you know me-“ she was cut off.

“Shh, it’s ok, I know you don’t want me, so you are excusing yourself.” Ashish turned back.

“What? No, I want you! I want you badly, Ashish!”

Shruti almost cried. At that moment, Ashish crashed his lips against hers, and boy it felt good. She moaned every time he pushed hard on the kiss, and pulled them to the couch. Ashish slowly locked herself as if ordering her not to get away from him again. Grasping his neck hard, she made him lie down against her chest.

“Hush baby, let it rest,” Shruti lulled him.

“But I love you so much,” 

“Shouldn’t we, you know, pause it? I’m kinda tired,” Shruti knew he was only imagining her as Carrie, and he was too drunk. If he were sober he would freak out.

“But I want you now, “ Ashish whined like a child, and that melted her heart. How could Carrie ditch a guy like him, she thought.

“I know, but it’s not right,” she tried to convince him.

“At least, sleep with me tonight? I will take us tomorrow to school, not an issue right?”

“No, you don’t get it, I’m not Carrie!” She finally revealed.

“Oh you are her sis Sandra? I’m sorry if I got confused,” Ashish hastily got up. His eyes were still drunk. 

“I’m not Sandra either, I’m Shruti!”

“Stop trying too hard, babe, just tell if I’m too much. You say I’m too much sometimes.” Ashish sadly smiled.

“No, I really am Shruti! Shruti Shah! I’ve been following you since the beginning of high school but you barely notice me! It was always Carrie! Even now? Even after she dumped you, it’s still her! I don’t get it, is it because she is popular?” Shruti sobbed heavily. Ashish stood bewildered. He didn’t know what to do or how to react.

“I don’t care if you don’t like me, but I just wanted to give you these stupid cookies for consoling your breakup. I made them myself, why am I saying that?! Gosh it feels like I’m the one drunk, not you! I should be-“ Shruti was cut off as Ashish resumed the kiss…this time intentionally. Shruti was shocked but gave in. Ashish held her back as she leaned forward, holding his neck for support. After a few moments, he let go.

“Where have you been all my life, Shruti? God you are a damsel,” Ashish remarked.

“I’ve always been with you, but you didn’t notice me,” she sadly smiled.

“Why, I have always been a jerk. Tell me a way to redeem myself.” He chided her playfully.

Shruti spotted the bedroom wide open. She smugly smiled at him.

“I love your thinking,” Ashish dragged her inside, locking the door.

Little did they know they were being recorded from the window.

“You are getting all, I reckon?” Sandra chuckled. Carrie assured her with a smile “You know it.” 

“It’s our only evidence to get him. To blackmail him from leaking our rep. Our names would be spoiled if he did what he said.”

… 

NEXT DAY AT SUMMER COVE HIGH 

DETENTION CLASS 

All the gang and Ashish were present for the detention class. Ashish knew he wasn’t supposed to be there. He had also promised Shruti to take her to the beach. He needed to text her that he wouldn’t be able to make it.

“Oof, going behind my sister’s back, Ashish?” Sandra smiled.

“What do you mean? It’s over between us. She called it off.” He calmly replied.

“And you said you would post it on the School Insta handle?” She chuckled “Do you say that to everyone you find doing something wrong?”

“What’s your point, Sandra?”

“My point is this,” She revealed the video of him and Shruti “The school doesn’t know you’ve both called it off yet, so if I release this in my sister’s handle, claiming you went behind her back and did this, wouldn’t it be a huge black mark on your chiseled image you carved in this school?”

Ashish stared at the recording in horror.

“So honey, I give you two choices. Sunil too suggested one of them- 1. You clear off all our evidences and get back with Carrie like usual, or 2. You drink this glass of water and end it all.” Sandra offered the glass of water from the desk “If you want to be Mr. Honest,” 

“I’m guessing Sunil suggested the 2nd option?” He smiled. Sandra nodded. Ashish accepted the glass of water spiked with peanut oil willingly.

“Your decision, wise decision,” Sandra muttered as she left. Carrie and Sunil witnessed the incident and smiled.

… 

PRESENT DAY 

“One of your cop allies Ram Shankar had been helping Sunil out,” Shruti continued, tears in her eyes “My sister Priya had witnessed him down the alley, as Sunil was casually dealing drugs with another person, and he seemed to stand still despite knowing.”

Amir stopped the recording. It was one unusual case: Neither a full suicide nor a full murder. What did he have to do? He didn’t have any proper evidence to arrest them.

“My sister gathered these pictures, sir. She had been side- investigating too.” Shruti handed over her sister’s camera. Amir beamed in relief.

“You don’t know how much this means to me. You just delivered justice!”

“My sister, sir,” 

… 

EPILOGUE 

“But you said our alibis were solid!” Sandra yelled as she was pushed into the police van hand cuffed.

“I never said that ma’am.”

“You didn’t even complete the interrogation,” Carrie said deadpanned.

“I will take care of that, ma’am. This is just for a safety.” Amir replied.

“What about Violet and Jack? You barely questioned them!” Sunil reminded.

“The evidences say otherwise, sir,” 

All the three suspects were pushed into the van.

“And you, ma’am,” Amir turned to Priya “You just delivered justice to an innocent life. Thank you.”

Priya bashfully smiled.

“It maybe kinda inappropriate for now, but uh are you free this Saturday? A cup of coffee, maybe?” Amir asked flustered.

“Evening?” She asked.

“Evening.” Amir smiled.

Ashish’s body was pulled from the crime scene and placed on the hospital bed. Shruti cried her heart out, grasping his hands firmly as he was slowly taken away. His family was still in India, and were not able to come due to the weather circumstances. The news broke them. They cried at their hard luck of not even being able to see their own son’s corpse.

Shruti saw the last colours of the ambulance fading away. His body was to be kept safe in mortuary until his family arrived to claim. Priya stood by her sister, consoling her as she wept.

“It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t your fault at all.”