Chapter 3: Eleusinian Mysteries
Eleusinian Mysteries: The Greco-Roman Cult that had thrived for nearly 2000 years, until fading into the annals of time. Known to have celebrated Demeter and her complex relationship with Hades and Persephone through a series of rituals that till date remains unknown. Also an analogy of never ending roads, a maze with no way out - secrets that cannot be unravelled.
If you asked him, Arnav would have been happier at the Morgue than attending the charity fete at The Taj Palace Hotel here in Delhi, where the rich and the well known glittered in the Diwane-I-am-Banquet Hall of the Hotel, reimagined as a luxurious Nepali Palace. There were genuine antiques displayed all about. Jewel toned Nepali silk drapes - on the walls, around the room - lit from beneath by golden fairy lights and tiny mirrors at the front, setting of dazzles of lights. There were handmade silk carpets on the floor and all the guests were handed handmade pashmina wraps as gifts. The hall was lit by hundreds of intricately worked bronze braziers ; all Nepalese. There were chiming copper Dorje all over the room - bells. Silver, with gems worked on butter lamps burned in all corners. Antique masks played peekaboo. Turquoise and silver studded Shankhas were played periodically by attendants - the herald of good. Drinks were poured from heavily worked copper Bhumpa, a Nepalese jug of sorts. There were little pockets of stands with glass boxes lit from within containing Nepali jewelry, prayer wheels, prayer beads - all real of course, for sale. Arnav could already see his grandmother buying some. What did she need with them at her age, he would never know but hey, a good cause. A charity for a Nepali foundation; Kids for Kids’ sake, held by the Nepalese Ambassador - it had all the creme de la creme of Delhi in the invite list and from the looks of things, none RSVP’d. Arnav was the scion of the Raizada clan - a reluctant and often absentee scion, but still. His grandmother’s blackmails... he shuddered. The Nazi concentration camps could use that woman, breaking away at your excuses until you remained, bowed to her superior knowledge. He straightened his jacket, smiling. He liked dressing up, there was that. Armours, he thought. Plus, if he played his cards right, he could probably investigate here as well. They had seen the dead woman’s little black book, he smiled. He could see a lot of the clients walking by. He straightened his jacket again. It was a slimfit Alexander McQueen that he had paired with a tailored charcoal Lanvin evening shirt with grosgrain trim. An Alexander McQueen slim fit suit trousers. Arnav had worn a aubergine silk Charvet tie in paisley print; it had been tied in a Windsor knot, just as his father had taught him when he was 9, he smiled. There with a pocket square to match. Here’s to you dad. He looked at his cufflinks. He loved them. Quirky. Although you had to have very sharp eyes to notice them - he had picked them up in London, the last time he was there. Made up of white porcelain and metal with antique glass veneer, the cufflinks had printed retro glasses in them, Paul Smith again. He checked his watch again, time to get to work. Arnav smiled, as he noted Mrs. Rath - daughter of a former actress, wife to a very well known entrepreneur. His mother’s friend. Arnav had known the family since he was a child. Now, he knew that Utpaul Rath, the same man who would slip him mint or caramel candies every time he visited, the jolly Mr. Rath also used the deceased’s services. Often. Arnav shuddered. Things he didn’t want to know. Sighing, he straightened, face blanked then, the bred-into-the-bones Raizada social face came through as he went off to subtly grill the woman who had given him baths as a child. He sometimes really hated his line of work. Men got a chance to grill mysterious beauties, and he got her. Go figure. Smiling, he strode towards her, a glass of champagne in each hand.
Everybody knew when NK Raina came into the hall. All eyes were on him and his mysteriously beautiful companion. The guy had an easy charm, a beautifully, effortlessly royal gait, a coolness that stung and attracted all at once- A complete package, if you had to go by the opinion of the women in the Hall. And the Men... well, they simply envied NK Raina. He was a man who courted drama. You could make it out just by looking at his suit. Tom Ford. Favorite of James Bond. NK smiled. It was a rather dramatic double breasted charcoal and navy pinstripe with a matching straight, narrow fit trousers and a thin black belt that he had paired with an Aquamarine Stefano Ricci dress shirt left open at the chest, sans tie. Then there were his cufflinks. Roberto Cavalli - they were platinum and highly polished sapphires that flashed blue fire- Bringing the observers’ eyes to his cuffs and the state-of-the-art, high-tech watch at his wrist - the only thing he hadn’t probably worn as a fashion accessory.
He walked in, arm in arm with the beautiful, green-eyed lady- he had been seen with her at most of the parties he attended. There had been a rumor that they had gotten hitched and even some that they had eloped and had two children now. But it never was confirmed. No one really knew the woman’s name, some said it was because NK Raina was a very possessive Husband- and some said it was because they could never really get a hold of the woman. She was very Elusive. And Very Beautiful. She always wore something beautiful... and totally unusual to the usual label touting Delhi Elites. Today was the the same - An aubergine Giambattista Valli jersey dress with sculpted bodice. It had an off shoulder neckline with ruched and twisted detailing and ruched cap sleeves. An overlay of almost invisible blck embroidery all over. A delicate silver band at her waist, acting as a color blocking belt over the knee-length pencil skirt. Pale grey stockings and crystal embellished purple pumps that looked like Louboutins. On her neck though, was her statement piece, an antique gold choker with an almost green-black Emerald pendant, with diamonds- all on a filigreed setting.The earrings were pave set drop kinds with emeralds and marquise cut diamonds on aged antique gold. On her fingers (all tipped with peon pinky) was a tourmaline lollipop cocktail ring surrounded by a cluster of purple- grey Pyrite and blue grey pearls. They stared, at her black rimmed, thick lashed gold flecked green eyes, at her peony pink lips and, at the gorgeous fascinator of aubergine and swarovski crystal peonies on a ribald, at the side of her flowing waves of sixties inspired hair. She had been carrying an oversized purple Judith Leiber envelope clutch. Crystal encrusted. The overhead lights from the braziers setting the crystals on fire as she strode towards them all. She was a sight and they all wanted to know who she was. Her lips pursed, a mysterious smile and the men sighed, as she gracefully swiped a glass of bubblies from a passing waiter. Poetry in motion, they thought, that smile they gasped. What they didn’t realize was that smile as it was, was a polite version of fuck you all and she walked on, inside - all eyes on her.
But they stopped as her companion cooly put his hand around her waist and bent down to whisper something in her ear. They sighed as his eyes darkened and his hold tightened slightly around her. What they didn’t see was the smirk that lit up that ruggedly masculine face of his, the glint that came into her eyes- making the gold flecks in them, even more prominent.
NK smirked, triumphant. Yes, it was going just as they wanted it to. His appearance- his rather dramatic entrance- and that too with a exceptionally sensational looking Khushi on his arm, made for the Alibi. It also would serve to keep his Father of his back for at least another month. The old man really was getting on his nerves these days. He looked around and immediately spotted their target. Full fledged tuxedo touting penguin. Khushi smiled. Piece of... Faluda. Shivam Rajendar Tiwari. A small town boy who had risen through the government ranks through a healthy dose of underhanded deceit and cunningness. Ah, well. Khushi shrugged. Deceit and Cunning were good when you knew what was going to happen. And NK and Khushi, well, they liked the element of surprise a little too much. Besides, Shivam Rajendar Tiwari had had it coming to him for a long time. Not really a sin, stealing from a thief was it?
“There’s our Man, Billu. Why don’t you take him up while I chat with Gorgeous Veera over there?” He winked at her, as his hand around her waist tightened. Veerangana Sen Dasgupta was one of those snotty high-society bitches that NK seemed to love to hate. A trophy wife to an old and almost on his deathbed Millionaire, she was known for her philandering ways. Khushi didn’t quite understand NK’s logic though. He hated such women. Always had. And they, in turn, were attracted to him in hordes. But instead of treating them with the contempt that he actually felt for them- NK would be his cool, charming self with them. Almost always getting rewarded for it. Revenge, Sweetheart. He had once told her, tweaking her nose as he put her question in front of him- confused. He had smiled that rare enigmatic smile of his. The one that betrayed his Dark Past. And he had never again clarified his reply. And Khushi had tried. Well, she shrugged again. To each his own. She smirked back at him. He bent down again, kissing her cheek, seemingly- but actually telling her to meet him in front of the restrooms in 20 minutes. “20 Minutes, Billu. Good Luck.” She smiled again. Piece of Faluda.
NK looked at Veerangana, a former model and the latest Mrs. Dasgupta. She was, he smiled - a proof that class was something you were born with, not something you could buy. She stood, replenished in enough diamonds to buy a small nation, and an Indigo Narciso Rodriguez bandage dress, that reached to mid thighs, slit to her hips on the sides. It had ruched detailing and sleeveless, and made her thin, almost emancipated form look like a hungry shark. She had worn t-sandals with heels, so blingy that it would blind a hapless passerby and the red on her lips probably wasn’t the right thing for her but she had still worn it believing it to be the color of the season. NK smiled again, “Hey there Veera,” he whispered, and watched her melt. “NK! So good to see you in this gawdawful charity thing, darlin’. I mean, why spend money for those kids in Nepal. Can’t their lazy parents do it for them?” NK rolled his eyes inwardly. Let them eat cake, Marie Antoinette? He smiled and she continued, clutching at his sleeve with those red tipped talons, “Well, the jewellery aren’t too bad, and everybody’s buying them. I got some too! Will go fabulously with the Bottega I bought for this fall!” she simpered. NK smiled, fake as the hair on her head. “Yes, I will buy my... friend some too. I can’t find her in this crush. As soon as we do..” he winked and watched her lips moue in disappointment. “Your friend’s here?” NK nodded. She smiled, a little cold, but still trying to hold on. “Well, why don’t we catch up, while you wait for her?” She asked him, winking a small smile playing around her outrageously red lips. NK smirked, Bingo. His eyes travelled over her skinny form as he inclined his head at her as she took hold of his arm and led him to one of the Jewellery exhibits, pointing out her prospective purchases for that night. NK smirked. Well, you’re not going to get what you really came here for Darlin’, might as well purchase the Nepali Jewellery. That’s all the golden glitter you are getting today. The golden lady’s was coming home with him for this lifetime. Aaah first love, he smiled wickedly.
And then, NK spotted it. She was clutching it. A Kotur golden Boulet snakeskin clutch.So gauche! The kind every nouveau riche gold-digger must have, he thought snarkily. Tacky. Expensive. Very very very shiny. Very very golde- blindingly so.. Something told him, that’s exactly what he was looking for. His golden grail. NK laughed silently in his head. He really did crack himself up.
His hand silently snuck around her waist as she pointed out some or the other jewellery to him and she looked up at him, her eyes a little hooded, her smile a little more seductive. He winked down at her, and she shifted more into him. Aha! he looked around, and spotted a waiter walking towards them. Perfect. He waited till the waiter was exactly behind them and then a little tweak was all it took. The talons that had been clutching that disgusting looking snakeskin withdrew in surprise, making the purse, fall out as a result. He bent a little and scooped the Purse out of the air, just as she turned around and glared furiously at the stammering waiter. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She almost screeched as the hall suddenly fell silent and almost everyone turned to them. NK stared coldly at the stammering waiter who stuttered out apology after apology. Poor Kid. He’d have to get a large tip tonight, NK decided, even as two fingers slipped inside the purse and found the sleek metal they had been searching. Swipe, withdraw. There. He smiled down at Veera. “Let it be, Veera. No Damage done.” He turned to the waiter and his eyes blazed again. “What’s your name?”
“Shreyas, sir.” the kid stammered, and NK nodded. Dismissing the boy with a flick of his fingers as he handed the purse back to dear Veera. Stage 1- Complete.
Khushi looked at Shivam Rajendar Tiwari carefully. Yes. There it was. The bulge in his right Jacket pocket. She sighed. Rookie. Then, she walked forward, smirking as every male eye turned towards her. And yet, her attention stayed focused on the Jewellery exhibit she was heading towards. It was just a coincidence then, wasn’t it, that ole’ Tiwari was looking at the same jewellery too?
She reached out a long, white, peony tipped hand and caressed a particularly beautiful statement piece of six tiered cherry agate spheres of deep purplish mauve in color on a tensile antique gold chain. In between each sphere was a highly polished gold bead alternated by a tiny unpolished diamond square pendant. Wild. Beautiful. Ethnic. Very her. Wasn’t that convenient, really? She smiled slightly, as she felt the man next to her turn towards her and sighed. “Beautiful.” she murmured. A smirk appearing and disappearing from her face in a quick flash, as he sidled up to her.
“It is, isn’t it? But it would look even more beautiful on you, M’Lady.” he said, his voice was raspy- irritating. Nails against a board. But Khushi refrained from flinching. NK was going to get that golden lady of his tonight. And this Bastard was the key to it. She would never blow their heist when she was so close to the end. She sighed, before smiling brightly up at him. NK owed her a Butter Chicken tonight and a lot of movies.
She turned around, looking over her shoulder at him pointedly, and saw with satisfaction as his eyes glinted. Yes, you sick son of a bitch, just a little closer. Come on. He picked the necklace up and moved forward, his fingers lightly running along her collarbone as he wound the necklace around her neck, before resting on her nape, as he struggled to hook it on. she moved a slight step back and felt his breath hitch as his fingers stopped momentarily and then began their work again. Frantic. Her hand slipped behind her, their bodies shielding it from view, as it slipped into the pocket, gently clinching the pouch sitting there and replacing it with an identical one. The hand slipped out just as quietly and easily as it had slipped in, and entered the Purple envelope clutch held securely in her hand. Done. She smiled triumphantly and her eyes settled on the pair of twinkling dark brown ones that she had been searching for. And she winked. His eyes crinkled as he smirked at her. A quick Flash. Got’cha! And then, he strode forward. The expression on his face stony, cold. The Possessive and Jealous Lover of a Man. Perfectly in his element.
“What are you doing?” he asked as he neared them. His voice low- but dangerous. Cold. Icy. Khushi looked up and smiled, a dazzling smile. “Darling! Do you see this beautiful piece? Mr...” she looked at the man uncertainly, as he gulped and nodded at NK uncomfortably. “Tiwari.” he said and was rewarded by an icy glare from NK Raina, while the lady smiled again. “Yes, Mr. Tiwari here thought that it would look even better on me! I love it, what do you think?” Her eyes twinkled as NK’s shot up to her. She could see that he had barely refrained from rolling his eyes. But hey! A girl had to have some reward for carrying out a work smoothly! She smirked, then pouted her full peony tinted lips, with a naughty wink, meant only for him. The necklace really was Pretty. And it would be hers. Soon. NK slipped an arm around her, pointedly glaring at Tiwari once before he smiled down at her. “Of Course, Sweetheart.” And then, the pair left, walking towards the Counter, talking in low voices. But what the people didn’t notice was that the Man slipped something metallic into the Purple purse held by the woman, even as she handed it to him and slipped the necklace off herself and handed it an attendant who took it to the man behind the counter. She smiled as her companion handed her the purse back and murmured a small, “Excuse Me.” before slipping off towards the restrooms.
Then she slipped out. As easy as that - wasn’t there something about being the loneliest in a crowd? She took the alternate exit from the ladies’ room and walked out. Coolly. Until the exit came into view - the one that led directly to the parking lot. Khushi nodded at one of the receptionists and walked down, keeping in mind where the cctvs’ blind spots where- easier said than done in a dress. Until they reached their car, conveniently, she noticed with a smirk, parked next to Veera’s flashy red audi. Well well... She smiled, opening their car’s door, fishing out a carryall - identical to the one in Veera’s. She fished out the key that NK had so courteously slipped into her pretty little Leiber clutch. The door opened, and so did the car’s trunk. Just that easy - the exchange was made. Khushi had just locked Veera’s car and was about to do so with theirs when her phone beeped. She checked. NK.
Bring up ten grand, please billu.
She rolled her eyes as she fished out the cash from the carryall, about 20 notes of 500 Rupees into her clutch, then freshening her makeup, she walked right in - happy to note that the receptionist wasn’t around. Walked back to the hall, well I guess nobody missed me yet. She smiled, looking at the grandfather clock. All under eight minutes. A new record? She sauntered towards NK, still debonair as ever and he held out a heavily worked bronze box lined with maroon velvet towards her. Smiling, she extended her hand forward and accepted the box, the key exchanging hands as well. He smiled and put his hand at the small of her back. She cooed over her new necklace, seemingly rapturous. Bending down again, he whispered into her ear. Hey, they had to keep up appearances!
“Come on Billu. Last Stage. And then Exit, left.” She smiled and he led her towards an angrily glaring Veerangana Dasgupta. Smiling pleasantly all the way. Khushi smiled at the heavily made-up class-less looking stick-insect of a woman as NK introduced them. NK casually slipped an arm around Veera again, who smiled up at him- while Khushi mentally rolled her eyes. Stupid Woman. NK flashed her a smirk as he said, “Veera’s been a dear friend of Mine, I think we met at-?” he looked down at Veera questioningly and Khushi’s eyes travelled down to his hand at her waist, expertly slipping the key pinched in between his index and middle fingers, into her Snakeskin purse. She smiled as it went in and looked back at him. Done.
And then her eyes rose again, looking past Veera’s shoulder and gazing right into a pair of hypnotizing Whiskey-orbs.
Arnav looked around. Bored. The fiddling was getting him to very little. But yes, he had been able to garner this much - the whore’s john was known to frequent Lakshminagar quite a bit Well, that’s where they’d be come tomorrow. Today though, he rolled his eyes and had just taken a sip of a smooth 20 years scotch when he saw those eyes again. This time. They saw him too. Curiously. Measuringly. He felt an unknown heat course through him, and watch the green gold orbs widen. As if they had taken a hit and then... shuttered. Just like that. He walked towards her, pushing through the crowd that seemed to be separating him from her. Wishing he had Moses’ staff, to make the ocean part, so to speak.He knew it was her. It was her. He wasn’t mistaken. Or crazy. He hoped. He had seen those eyes. And that pendant. It was too unique to belong to someone else. A lookalike. It was her. She looked away, and turned to whisper into the ears of her companion. A man. Facing the other way. He nodded, and without looking back, he whispered too.
Her eyes widened infinitesimally as their gazes locked and held. She could feel an unfamiliar heat course through her. Strange yet not unwelcome. Her eyes travelled down that face. Chiselled. Aristocratic. Beautiful. He was drinking what looked like scotch, his glass held motionless mid-air as he gazed back at her. Her heart thudded unevenly, as she felt herself flushing. Goosebumps erupted even as his eyes travelled down her form. It was as if they left a fiery path behind them. Everywhere they touched on. Her heart stuttered. No. She didn’t know what was happening, but whatever it was- it made her feel weak. And weakness was not something she could tolerate. And just like that she remembered. Who she was. What had made her who she was. And where she was. She looked away and turned to NK. He felt like he was her only hope in an endless sea. She was floundering. What happened to her? She squeezed his arm lightly and he bent towards her. “Who’s that? Male. 12 ‘O’ clock.” NK turned slightly and looked where she meant him to. His eyes shuttered, as he turned away. As cool as you please. But his arms slid under her and she could feel his tension as he bent again to whisper to her. “Raizada. Steer clear.” The stiffness of his shoulders told her that he was damn serious. And that for once, she should do as he told her. And then, it was time. He squeezed her fingers lightly and both of them walked towards the Exit. The mission had been successful. Not a soul knew what had taken place right under their noses. Not even those who had been robbed did. Then why was her heart thundering? Why did she feel that almost forgotten thrill and panic that she had felt in her starting years? The fear- for it was fear- like thing that settled in a tight ball in the pit of her stomach, as she thought about those Whiskey eyes staring at her. As if they knew her?
She slid into the passenger seat quickly, quietly as NK revved the engine and they pulled out. Too preoccupied to even ask him what he had done of that Ten Grand that she’d handed him. Too preoccupied to notice that for the very first time, she had left something of hers behind at the crime-spot.
The faceless man slid his hands under her arm, a fact that seemed to bother Arnav more than he thought possible and they walked. Towards the exit. Arnav too walked. No! Ran. He ran towards that exit yards behind, speeding. She wouldn’t get away. Not this time. Not this time, dammit! What was she, a ghost of some kind? A muse? How could she disappear as she did? Leaving behind nothing substantial. Like she wasn’t ever there? He ran. Not this time! He had followed the couple, running all the way down to the car parking lot and when he got there, a car had sped past. Too fast for him to get an id. Anything. Arnav panted. Standing there until he noticed something glinting in the dim lights of the parking lot. The silk flowers she had been wearing in her hair. The mauve and crystal fascinator in the shape of a bunch of peonies. The crystals were winking in the dim light. He picked it up and stared at at. Substantial proof. She existed. He smiled. She really existed! He had almost started to doubt it himself. To doubt his sanity. Then she left it behind. Arnav grinned, running his fingers over the silky flowers, feeling the fruity perfume she had worn waft up from the fabric. What a way to pull the Cinderella act Billu! Putting the fascinator in the inner-pocket of his jacket, he walked in, whistling again. Joyously this time.
Shreyas’ mother and sisters stared as he came home with extra ration and fast food. Coke too. A rare treat. There had been an envelope at the reception for him. It had 10000 rupees and a short note Sorry, Pal. Shreyas remembered the man who had scolded him so severely and tears fogged his eyes. What did this mean? He had shrugged it all aside and taken it. They needed the money. If it was that gentleman - well, he smiled. There should be more like him.
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