The jetski sped off making ripples in the ocean. The air was so breezy, it was difficult for him to cling onto the life jacket and manouver the boat. Very early in the morning, this was a private are. Of the hotel.

The Bay Area.

The water was calm and not choppy, which made it possible for him to increase the speed. Feeling the wind in his hair, he felt alive again.

Followed by a few Dolphins who beautifully dived into the water, and raced against him. Two on each side, he was enjoying the race. Loving the chase, suddenly his boat hit a rock. The boat went towards the left and he almost fell into the water, but managed to gain back his control. Alas!! It was not a rock. He stopped the pump of the boat and stood straight to get a better look at what lay ahead.

There she was with her beautiful face, staring at him. Dead.  A slight smile on her face. Ashen white. It was no rock. She was floating on the water, a sleeping angel.

The beautiful visage, which always left him, gasping for more. Lay still. The green eyes. Shut.

She had found her peace at last.

Alas!!

Kiara, floating in the water. Still.

Staring at him. Trying, to say something with her gaze which he always felt, captivating him. The hair on his neck stood up. Zorawar, waved at the lifeguards standing at the shore, and a few came to help him, on a boat. It took at least five men to get her out of the water.

Zorawar, felt a pang of sadness. He watched them lift her body into the boat and sped off towards the resort.

Such a cruel fate, for a woman, so beautiful!!

She was already gone for hours. Her face was pale and bloodless, her body clammy and rigid. They lay her on the ground. She was gone. Her body, clammy and rigid.

The resort Manager, Shankar, came running to the shore. I have called the police, sir!!  He said.

Let us get to her husband. Both Shankar and Zorawar ran up to the Lover’s Suite. There he was lying in bed. Calm, dead!! On his back, looking at the ceiling. Staring into heavenly bliss. Smiling.

A bottle of Champagne, lay next to him. Empty, on the bed.

He had a serene smile.

Call the police Shankar, said Zorawar. I am speaking to New Delhi now. You are police, sir!! Shankar sounded shaken slightly. Yes, Shankar, my name is Inspector Zorawar Singh and I travel incognito on vacations. Shankar’s jaw dropped. 

LOVERS PARADISE – SRILANKA

Zorawar’s flight was a bit late and he was restlessly in need of some hours of sleep, so the coconut water was very welcome, on arrival. This beautiful resort lay close to the Island of Bentota, and was a jewel, hidden from the world.

A place of tranquility.

The bells were ringing and Zorawar could  hear the Buddhist chants, coming in from a monastery close by. He decided to take a shower and ate some apples and oranges and went off to sleep.

He did gulp a few glasses of coconut water, to quench his thirst.

Srilanka, in the month of June, is very hot and humid.

When he woke up, it was almost early evening. Zorawar freshened up, went off to visit the monastery. He had forgotten to call Kamal da, and saw five missed calls. Apologetically, he said, Dada I am sorry and Shera woofed in anger at his mistake into the phone.

What will I do without you Dada and Shera. Just have fun dadabhai, it has been a strange and sad year specially after your engagement with Irina didi, ended. It is ok, Kamal da. Life goes on.

He strolled out following the chants. He did turn around to glance at the resort. It was a beauty. There was a main hall, which had huge bronze urns filled with water and flowers, to cool the atmosphere. Divans and cushions, all in white, lazily thrown around. It was a tiny resort, surrounded by large expanse of sea. And myriad coconut trees,providing shade.

It was a no smoking area. Some section had lower settes, with a few book shelves. It was a cosy library. Another corner had a huge television set with a few videos, lying on the table and some fashion magazines.

The floor was immaculately done up with wooden planks. The walls covered with animal skins, depicted various tales of Buddha and his path to Nirvana, drawn in murals. The tales were from the Jataka Tales compilation, beautifully sketched. Zorawar simply loved the ambience.

The ladies attending to the guests, wore white sarees, with golden borders and had flowers in their hair. The air smelt of flowers. The men wore orange lungees and white kurtas. They were serving the guests coconut water, round the clock, to save them from dehydration as the weather was very hot and humid. The resort had a large pool and Jacuzzi and was covered by lush green plants only.

A bit far away was the bay area which was the private section merging into the Ocean. The guests were allowed to swim close to the shore and ride their speed boats and jet skis. The area was merging into the deep, so the life guards were always vigilant whenever, the guests moved into the waters.

A few days had passed and Zorawar, was enjoying his stay. He did visit the Monastery a few more times and prayed sitting on the floor. His mind, which was full of questions about his relationship with Irina, was no longer clouded. He was ready to move on and stopped seeking answers. He was happy he came to Lover’s Paradise.

Kamal da called twice a day, and blamed it on Shera. Zorawar smiled and said Dada what would I have done without you. I think it is because of me you never got married. No dadabhai I will surely marry after you get married. And both of them laughed out loud. I have been with you since you were fifteen years old, and I have seen you bloom. I am the only family left, since saab and memsaheb expired. You are like my son, dada, how can I marry and go away?

Who will look after you?

 PRIVATE AREA – SAUNA AND JACUZZI

Arjun Lal, he smiled and took his hand out to greet Zorawar. They both were in the heated Jacuzzi. The weather was cooler at nights, which toned down the heat emanating from the Jacuzzi.

Zorawar Singh, He said. Where are you from Arjun? From Chandigarh and yourself ? From New Delhi, Zorawar retorted.

Arjun was a senior manager with a British bank and was planning a two year deputation to the UAE. He was at the resort with his wife Kiara, for their seventh wedding anniversary. That’s really nice. Zorawar what do you do? I am a business man. I deal in stocks and trades, Zorawar replied. I live with my caretaker Kamalda and my Shera. He laughed out loud. Arjun was also very amused.

The water in the Jacuzzi had some bathing salts which released all the tiredness they felt. This area was outdoors. They could see the stars above, as it was almost late evening.

After a while Kiara, joined them.

Arjun’s wife. Zorawar was astounded. Arjun was a nice average looking man and she was a beauty. Hazel green eyes, short boyish hair, full lips and pale white flawless skin. Zorawar’s heart missed a beat. Hi I am Kiara she said and smiled. Zorawar nodded his head, nice meeting you maam!

I shall leave you two love birds alone. And he walked off, wiping himself. He did look back to see her again and her red polka dotted bikini. She surely was a head turner, Zorawar thought, and smiled to himself. Lucky Arjun, he wondered!

Zorawar spotted Kiara sitting alone at the buffet table, one evening and decided to join her. Arjun was feeling quesy, so decided to let go off dinner. You know Zorawar, marriage is the best thing that has happened to us. It stifles you, at the same time, lets you be. I would not be knowing much maam, as I am still single. No you must not remain so. Get hitched.

You are devastatingly handsome. She said and slightly touched his arm. They laughed and joked for a while, and then both walked off to their separate rooms.

Zorawar used to see the couple walk hand in hand and felt happy for them. Sometimes both Arjun and Kiara kissed under the stars. Zorawar never used the Jacuzzi, when they both were in it together. They needed some privacy. Zorawar wondered what happened between him and Irina !! They had the most perfect love story.

Once, at the jet ski spot, both Arjun and Zorawar decided to race.

 Kiara, wanted to be on the shore and waved her hands gleefully at both. Alas!! Arjun lost, and was disheartened. Kiara ran to Zorawar and gave him a peck on his cheeks.

Congratulations. You did well and she laughed out loud. Zorawar was taken aback by her behavior and looked at Arjun, apologetically. Arjun, was unhappy and was flushed. Maybe he was slightly angry.  Was it with him losing the race or losing a kiss to Zorawar, is what set Zorawar thinking. He was watching the couple very closely.

Do not worry Zorawar, my wife is a merciless flirt, when she sees a good looking man. I am sure she has had her share of bed partners and snarled and walked off. Since he had muttered this under his breath, Kiara was unable to hear what was told. Zorawar started feeling uncomfortable with this spectacle and decided to avoid the couple. He used to watch them from a distance and felt they were not really happy together always. Anyways, he used to play solitaire on his laptop, meditate, swim and eat well to get rid off all the sadness, left by his broken relationship. He wondered, whether the concept of a seven year itch in a marriage was a mere urban legend. Or was it a real curse. A reminder to every man and woman, that marriage is a very long commitment to fill.

Zorawar, was really enjoying his vacation until this sad incident happened.

There were a few days, left for his two week vacation to end.

Kamalda, was happy that his dadabhai will be returning soon. Shera woofed indicating that Zorawar had a lot of making up to do, when back.

Kiara, was swimming in her red bikini next to the shore. Zorawar just waved at her and walked towards the monastery. In a while, he felt someone sitting close to him. It was Kiara. She wore a long white shirt over her bikini and wore a string of shells around her neck and followed him into the monastery. She smelt of carnations. Her hair gelled backwards, she looked ethereal. Her beautiful hazel green eyes, sparkled in the sun.

Have you found peace here, Zorawar? She asked. Yes I have. He said. She shut her eyes to pray. The bells chimed continuously. She was sitting very close to him, and he moved away feeling awkward. Are you happy Zorawar? Yes, I am happy, Kiara. She smiled at him sublimely. She moved closer to him and touched his palm lightly, twice.

They both returned together, to the resort. There was an ackward silence between them. Arjun was nowhere to be seen. Zorawar went straight to the bar, at the poolside. Rhea went off to the Bay Area. She loved the solitude. She loved to sit and watch the waves crashing.

Zorawar sat awake that night. He could not focus on the book he was reading. He felt that Kiara wanted to share something with him.

Her secret. Her naughty eyes, was a tell all. But he was not eager to get too close to her.

AT THE DINERS

The coffee shop was open, twenty four hours. Again, Zorawar found Kiara drinking alone. She was swooning to the song playing. She was drunk and was constantly winking and blowing kisses at the stewards,

And waved at him!!

She smiled, and requested him to join her. He obliged. The music was playing at the back ground. What do you do Kiara? I worked in a reputed hotel as a Manager Sales, but I am now on indefinite leave, as Arjun and I are planning to start a family. That’s great news. Congratulations, Zorawar said. They both chatted away like old friends, only to be joined by Arjun, in a while.

SEGA DANCERS NIGHT

Shankar organized a couple of Sega dancers, of Mauritian origin to perform the Saturday night, at the beach front.

It was the fateful night, the seventh wedding anniversary night, of Kiara and Arjun lal.

All the girls wore orchids in their hair, kept loose.

White blouses and long skirts, Red, Orange, Green and Blue, kissing the sands. Ornaments made of flowers decorated the dancers and filled the atmosphere with aroma.

The skirts had silk tafettas, and the dancers were moving round and round in circles, with the sand flying along with them. They were barefeet and were dancing with glee. Round and round they went around the bonfire.

They were joined by a few guests. There were not many people. Five more couples and a few single men, like Zorawar.

The crowd gasped as she walked in.

Emerald green blouse and skirt. Roses in her hair as a band, she joined the Sega dancers. Round and round she went and her green eyes glittered in mischief. When she came to Arjun, he almost got up to be with her but she moved fast and held onto Zorawar’s arm and pulled him up to the dance floor. Zorawar was in the middle and all the girls were dancing around him. Arjun and the other guests started clapping and after a while Zorawar saw Arjun walk away into the hotel. His head down. Kiara was drunk, was having the time of her life and Zorawar took her by her arm and escorted her inside the hotel. She blushed and said good night Zora. She gave him a peck on his cheeks and he pulled away, shyly.

The hotel manager on duty that night later confirmed that they had last seen Kiara walk to the bay area, with a bottle in her hand. There was no tide that night, so the authorities did not stop her. It was two am, and she merely wanted to sit near the ocean and feel the night. That was how the anniversary night ended for the two.

A few bottles of Xanax, was found in the cupboard. It was most likely a double suicide, as the hotel guests all checkout out. No one knew the couple and they all were fast asleep in their rooms, when the tragedies happened. Except for him, who was up reading the Hound of Baskerville

Hello Mr. Singh, I am Ayansh Fernandes, Head of Police, Bentota.

I have a few more islands under my jurisdiction, and I am based out of Colombo.

Since, the homicide is of an expatriate couple, I have to take this case into my hands. The forensics team is here and they are checking the rooms. The bodies have been taken for post mortem. The stomachs have been pumped out. This is an overdose of Xanax with champagne. Seems like an accident or a double suicide.

Zorawar nodded in affirmation.

He scanned the room, one last time. He saw the wedding rings in the chest of drawers and handed it over to the staff of police. A black leather bound diary, thrown under the bed. It mentioned Kiara inside. Her name embossed in gold. There was another unopened bottle of champagne on the table, and a few bottles on Xanax were found inside the cupboard.

The Room Service Manager complained that Kiara called and cancelled the special anniversary meal they were preparing for them as well as the cake. This was a last minute cancellation. They came in to hand her some flowers and saw her crying.

The flowers lay naked on the floors, strewn around and trampled upon.

Zorawar, picked up the diary in his hands and walked out of the door.

He caught the next flight out to New Delhi.

SHANTI NIWAS ( ZORAWAR SINGH’S RESIDENCE)

Dada otho otho doshta baje (Dada wake up its 1000 am already).

Zorawar could hear someone calling his name out aloud. Startled, he woke up. He was sitting in a pool of sweat. Ki holo (what happened?) queried Kamal da.

Zorawar looked at him as if he has seen a ghost. Nothing dada, chai. Please. Shera jumped into the bed, and started licking his master’s face.

He was very troubled. He looked at the diary on the table. He was up late reading Kiara’s diary. He called Ranjan, his second in command. I will be off to Chandigarh to meet the family of the deceased.

He kissed Shera back and quickly packed his travel bag, while his tickets were sent to him by the driver of a police van.

CHANDIGARH

Hello Beta, Kiara’s mother hugged Zorawar. She was a doll wasn’t she.

She started crying so profusely that Zorawar did not know how to control her. He took her hands in his palms and caressed her gaunt hands. She was an old lady of seventy five and her loss was unfathomable. She was my darling, and she was doing very well in her career, but the lay off for two years took a toll on her, She, stopped smiling.

Lay off?  Yes, she was laid off for two years and Arjun lost his job six months back.

But she said she was having a baby? Is it, her mother looked at Zorawar, perplexed. They were not happy for six months and were constantly fighting. The problem was the trust fund, that was created by both as a pre- nuptial agreement.

This trust fund was of one crore.

The savings of both of them. The clause was that if anyone of them dies, the surviving partner, will get the benefit of the fund. But if they divorce each other, the fund will be donated to an orphanage. Guess they got caught up in their own web, as they realized late that love does not last forever. He bid Kiara’s mother good bye, and headed off to Arjun’s office. They had taken the marriage vows a bit too far.

Shefali – Arjun’s secretary greeted him with a large pot of chamomile tea. She smiled and said that Arjun had very British tastes, so she always kept this tea for him and vanilla cookies. She started crying.

What was your relationship with Arjun? He was my boss, Mr. Singh.

But Kiara was aware that you both were planning to marry. Yes, he was not happy with Kiara and we were in love with each other. I have been with him for five years. Arjun loved children, and he never had any of her own. My son loved Arjun and called him pa. She showed a few photographs of Arjun, Sanjay her son and herself. They had taken a few vacations together which Kiara was never aware of.

Why was Arjun laid off Shefali?

The bank was taken over by another private entity so a lot of senior leaders were laid off.

Did you know that Kiara was with child? Shefali’s mouth was agape. She looked down. I will take your leave now Shefali.

His meeting with Arjun’s parents were normal exchanges. They were sure that the marriage was not in trouble at all. According to them both Kiara and Arjun were happy, but no one knew that Kiara, was with child.

Zorawar, went back to New Delhi.

More confused.

KIARA

I will kill him. That is the only escape I have left in life now. I cannot dance the waltz with both of them in my life. He is not the father of my child, can never be. It has been seven years, now but we both know that we are out of love. He is the man I want. I love him. I want him day and night, evening and morning. I am with his child. I want my baby to have his father’s eyes, and rosy red lips. Jet black hair and he should sing like him too.

I saw him with her the other night. Stealing a kiss.

Oh! Men can be so foolish and it is so easy to make a fool out of them. My home, my party and he was kissing her in the kitchen. I saw them, looking at each other longingly, the way he used to look at me, once upon a time.

Even on Christmas, I saw them steal kisses under the tree, in the garden. He never kisses me anymore. His eyes look distant and loveless when he looks at me. Does he take me for a fool.

I have not told him about our child. How could I? We are two trapped souls in this binding called marriage. The love, we felt the eternal love we felt for each other is now totally over.

I never liked all this house work. He always knew, but still he never allowed me to work outside Chandigarh. Jealousy. Oh yes! he was always jealous of the men surrounding me and loving me. And he always will be. Oh Kiara you will always be a bad bad girl for Arjun!! Mr. goody twoshoes.

I wonder, will he ever believe me I am with his child?  No this baby is mine and his, his song will make my baby bloom.

Oh Kiara? Are you sure it is mine? Will be his question. His suspicious looks, his wicked smile, when he hears me talking to someone on the phone. Am sure he is tapping my calls.

He, with his agonizingly sarcastic mirth. I can feel the twitch of his lips, when I will disclose the news of our baby.

Marriages, are made in heaven. Yes, I wish to send him to heaven now. It is my money too. The funds are getting over every month. Maybe, I should kill the child and destroy the pre-nup. Will he agree. God what a mess my life is in now. Loving someone and bound to someone else.

He likes to be in denial. Always, ran away from his own shadow. Now its catching up.

Shefali, wonder what he sees in her. Maybe she adores him the way I never could. To her he is the boss man, god, everything he could never be to me. He will always be Arjun, my plain boring Arjun.

To me he will always be a man. An average man, not some demi god.

I have my own vanities. I have my own sycophants, but have always strived to be a good wife. Our passion is wearing away now for years.

I feel his coldness when he pushes me to the wall and takes me from behind. I am merely a cup to fill his release. I am no longer his love whom he desires.

He does not want to look into my eyes, when we make love. He did try once a few months back, trying to fool me, but I pushed him away.

Shefali, or are there more.

I have quite a few also. Some younger, and some old. Then why stay in this bondage.

Why doesn’t he wish to escape this stifling existence. I will kill him. On our seventh anniversary. This will be our last honeymoon. I will move on with the love of my life and bring our child into this world.

Zorawar flew back to Chandigarh to meet Shefali and Kiara’s mother once again. Her mother, did confess that Kiara was unhappy with Arjun and she did discuss once or twice about breaking the pre-nuptial.

Shefali agreed that Arjun wanted to marry her, but she was frightened to hear that there was a possibility that he had killed Kiara. Shefali never heard about the trust fund is what she confirmed with Zorawar. No one knew who the musician was. Who loved Kiara?

 Zorawar quizzed a few female  friends of Kiara. No musician came forward after her death.

They all affirmed that she was a happy person, but no one could tell if the musician existed, or was a mere figment of some idealistic lover, she yearned for.

But, no one knew she was with child!!

Zorawar went back to his station and handed over his report. The case is closed. This was a double homicide, but whether it was suicide or murder, no one can be sure, though from the clues left in Kiara’s diary and the other revelations, may be both planned to kill each other for the Trust fund, and make it look like suicide. Maybe!! This case did not have any conclusive evidence to make a conclusive report.

Dada get me a cup of Chai please. Zorawar said. He looked at the sky outside. The clouds were growling hard, with Shera cowering next to his chair. He remembered the footage from the camera of the hotel.

Kiara, swooning on her own song, with a bottle of Champagne in hand, moving towards endlessness. The Bay.

The water choppy crashing against the shores, as she walked into infinity.

He closed the diary.