Ch 15: Cloe meets CBI Agent

Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....

Cloe and Shree, while a trifle embarrassed, were, for the most part, relieved. The tension between them had dissipated, and in its place, a sense of understanding settled. Shree, contrite, turned to Cloe. “It was foolish of me to suggest such a thing,” she said apologetically. Cloe, ever the diplomat, took the blame upon herself. "No," she countered, "I should have handled it with more maturity." Their brief exchange of apologies was interrupted by the arrival of a messenger from the Maharani. The message was clear: Agent Anirud had arrived, and he awaited them at the poolside.

The two women, without any delay, made their way to the poolside lounge, where the picnic basket had already been set out. It was a rather elegant affair, complete with savoury snacks, chilled fruits, cool towels, cold water, and a selection of newspapers and magazines. To add to the indulgence, ice cream in waffle cones and sparkling wine arrived at regular intervals, easing the tension in the air.

Agent Anirud, who had been sitting casually in one of the lounge chairs, stood as they approached. His behavior was a stark contrast to the last two occasions when he had barely acknowledged Cloe’s presence. There was something undeniably charming about the way he greeted them now. Cloe couldn't help but wonder if this transformation had something to do with the Maharani's influence.

After they had satisfied their hunger, the conversation turned to business. Agent Anirud began, his tone serious. "Madam, the terms of my agreement with the Maharani have prevented me from disclosing certain details, particularly concerning the Maharaja’s personal matters. However, I have now been granted permission to speak more openly. I understand you suspect a brewing catastrophe. What do we know about it?"

Cloe responded promptly, "It's entirely understandable, Agent. Yes, we do suspect something, though we have very few details at this point. We must first understand the circumstances surrounding the Maharaja’s death—most crucially, the manner in which he passed." She then recounted her previous case in Finland—how a series of mysterious deaths had occurred, the robots, the riddles surrounding ghosts, and the strange incident at the airport.

Agent Anirud listened intently before providing the details surrounding the Maharaja’s demise. "This morning, his phone was discovered in the Raj Hotel’s restaurant, wiped clean of any data. The Maharani has informed me that the Maharaja had not been well for several months, ever since their daughter fell into a coma. He became consumed with thoughts of heaven and hell. It was around this time he met a spiritual guru who promised to show him the path to the afterlife. But after a disagreement, he ceased seeing the man, declaring that he would find the way to heaven himself. He believed we are all mere puppets in this world, and true liberation could only be achieved after death. As of now, we have no concrete information on a potential catastrophe."

Cloe nodded thoughtfully. "We shall need to investigate further, but it seems there may be more to the Maharaja's death than meets the eye."