The Blue Monsoon (Blue Mumbai Thriller) by Damyanti Biswas

Author:Damyanti Biswas [Biswas, Damyanti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2023-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

* * *

ARNAV

Many years ago, when Tara left him and disappeared without a word, Arnav had longed for a glimpse of her. After she returned to Mumbai and his life, he’d resolved to never let her out of his sight again, only to have her land in the hospital and remain there for months.

On that occasion it had been squarely his fault. He’d tried his best, but got things wrong. Tara had been shot trying to save Pia.

Now, as he saw her, her belly swollen with his child, lying sedated in yet another hospital bed—he wasn’t sure he was to blame. For some of it, yes.

He was the reason she was in a wheelchair in the first place, no matter who said what about her getting caught in the crossfire two years ago.

Their unplanned baby was an accident with failed protection.

His job didn’t spare him enough time to spend with her.

All of this was true.

She was depressed, and desperate to carve out her own space—which was why she’d rushed to this nonprofit to volunteer even though it wasn’t safe. He understood her frustration at being homebound, but didn’t she realize she couldn’t be this irresponsible? Pia would be lost without her, and she was endangering the child in her womb.

Despite himself, anger rose within like fire in a home doused with petrol. How could she be so reckless? Why go there despite him asking her not to? What would he do without her?

A light clearing of the throat interrupted his brooding. Dr. Holkar strode into the room, followed by a nurse. She nodded at him in greeting.

“I’ll speak to you once I’ve checked her again. We’ve stabilized her now, so there’s no immediate reason to worry.”

Dr. Holkar drew the curtain around Tara’s bed, and Arnav stepped out. His phone buzzed with texts, but he ignored them all. No immediate reason to worry meant there was reason to worry. Of course there was. Falling from a wheelchair when heavily pregnant couldn’t be good—even he knew that. Once he was done with Dr. Holkar, he would ask his boss for leave.

A suicidal move for his career. How would he support his family without a job?

Unsettled by the direction his thoughts had taken, he checked the latest messages on his phone.

A confirmation from Tambe that the body was indeed Paresh Khare, and there was ketamine in his system.

An enquiry from Bapat, about the escaped tantric.

Two missed calls, one from an informer, the other from Naik.

He dialed Naik first. “Is Pia all right?”

“She’d like to come to the hospital,” Naik said.

“Where are you at the moment?”

“At your place, sir. I thought she should eat before I told her anything, so I had lunch at your place. I also picked Neeti up, so Pia won’t be alone.”

“Thank you, Naik. That was very thoughtful. Let me speak to her—Tara isn’t awake yet.”

Naik was reliable, but she had a demanding job, and a husband. The only person who could help would be Vaeeni—she’d refused before, during

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