Secrets Hidden In Time (Time #1)

41 | The Hued Reflection

Rukmini glanced at Hinduja, scratching her cheek. "I should have had my lunch and come."

"Rukmini," The profiler called out sternly. "Focus."

The ASP nodded like a lost puppy.

"One more thing." Hinduja trailed in faint whispers.

Rukmini quirked up her ears in attention, moving closer. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Listen to whatever I talk with the Bishop carefully and think a hundred times before uttering out even a word. Don't divulge any information about the case unless I signal you to do so. Don't reveal the name of anyone from the SIT, or for that matter, the department as all." Their gazes met. "Lastly, closely monitor the eye movements of the Bishop while we are talking along with his clothing and any kind of jewelry you see him wearing. Clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

Hinduja then took out her phone from her saree pocket and turned it on to activate the voice recorder. She then put it on silent mode and shoved it back inside the pocket.

Within the next second, the door before them unbolted again as Father Alberto walked out. "Please go in." He said politely while gesturing at the slight ajar door.

They looked at each other for one last time as Hinduja stepped inside the office and Rukmini followed behind her.

Hinduja's gaze slowly examined the whole office. It was bland or rather very mediocre to be precise. The walls were of the same material like the rest of the episcopacy, constructed of greyish-black stones. There was a book self on the left end of the office. One old wall clock of faded green color with a cross right on top of it, were affixed to the front most wall. A window graced the wall on the right end while a table with a broken foot along with a chair was stationed in the middle of the office. The whole chamber was illuminated with the help of just one sconce which was attached to a piece of timber affixed perfectly above the cross.

And in the middle of it all, on the chair, sat a man whom she recognized almost immediately. A benevolent smile, a lucid pair of ebony eyes, a thin nose with a pair of thick lips underneath. The hair strands were a shade of silver just like they were on the day of Sebastian's Baptism Ceremony. Clothed in a black cassock with a cincture band woven out of intertwined gold and green threads neatly wound around his waist, Bishop Anoop Philip got up from his chair. Out of nowhere her attention, was grabbed by something around his neck. It was a locket with a chunky red crystal embedded in it. The material of the chain was definitely gold, as she determined but the material of the crystal embedded in the locket was unknown to her. Way beneath the locket hung the pectoral cross again with the help of a chain.

"Good afternoon." He greeted.

"Your Excellency." Hinduja bowed faintly.

The ASP followed suit, with her eyes keenly examining every minute motion of the Bishop. "Your Excellency."

"I really apologize for my absence on the 11th." He let out polite apology, clasping his hands together in the front. "You see, the feast of Pentecost is approaching closer."

Hinduja shook her head. "That's absolutely fine, your Excellency. We understand."

The Bishop smiled. "Alright." He then lifted his right hand and signaled at the door. "If officers from the law enforcement department are here in the episcopacy, then I believe that the matter must be something really important." He paused. "You can already see that my office is very dimly lit, so how about we continue with our conversation while walking along the Verandah on the other end of the episcopacy? It's well lit due to the natural light."

Hinduja nodded. "Sure, no problem at all."

Ten minutes down the line, all three of them reached the said place. Hinduja glanced at Rukmini the moment the later looked at her. Unknown to the Bishop, suddenly, a silent strategic conversation swept across their sharp eyes.