@SethiMD

“It won’t be that bad! I swear. A few drinks. Maybe a dance or two, and we’ll be out. I promise.” Her sister was working all the time and for once, she just wanted to get her out for some fun. “I don’t know? I think I went with the school once for a field trip.. How long ago was that?” She shrugged, “The otters were pretty cute too I guess, but I’m also not nine anymore.” She sighed, “If you really want to go to the aquarium, we can. I can’t believe you want to go there. It’s so.. random.” 

“Too long, I’m sure, which is all the more reason to relive those moments.” Raju smiled. She loved her little sister and though she knew she was growing up, part of her would always see her as a little girl who’s hair she would braid and homework she would do. “Come one, I’m old, humor me. There’s a lot of moments for clubs, but never enough for this. You’ll have fun, I promise. And I’ll buy you whatever you want from the gift shop.” She giggled, pulling her sister in for a hug.

“Well I’m not teaching today so would we be able to pick up my daughter and go there?” Lina didn’t cope with drinking very well, it didn’t sit well with her brain chemistry so she was glad when the other turned down her offer. She needed friends here and the only way she knew how to make them was to act like a teenager all over again. “It sounds lovely. I’ve never taken her anywhere nice that that, yet. Haven’t had the time because I’ve always had so much to sort. I’m Lina, by the way. Just moved back here from the U.K.”

“That sounds like fun. I bet she’ll think the same.” Raju smiled. It was nice meeting a more relaxed person like herself, and she loved the company of children -- everything was so new and exciting to them. Breathing a sigh of relief, she relaxed. “ Rajeshwari. But you can just call me Raju. It’s nice to meet you, Lina. “ She offered kindly. “ The U.K.? England? I have family that lives out there. It’s quite nice of a place. What brought you back to America? Your work?” She asked curiously.

“Do you hear yourself, doc? I’m all for individual preferences, but really? There’s as much fun going to the aquarium? Only thing a club and the aquarium have in common is the saying ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’ nothing more. Come on, I’ll sing a TLC song on the stage if you come.”

“Well there is!” She scoffed. “ Don’t you find all of these beautiful colors and amazing things in the ocean fascinating? Learning can be fun too! I’m not sure if you are trying to lure me out with the promise of you singing or with 90′s R&B and i’m not sure if I’m intrigued or offended, but keep talking.” 

“We can go out to clubs whenever we want, why only confine it to the weekends?” She tugged her sister by the hand, “Come on. The aquarium was fun when we were like.. what.. nine?”  

“Ratna...” She sighed, almost tsking at her little sister.  She was young and full of energy, and Raju wouldn’t want to bring her down when she wanted to have a good time, but she always felt weird at clubs. “Well...yeah! When was the last tie we went to one? You loved the fishes, you didn’t need a club then. Isn’t it fun to relive your childhood?”

“ tuesdays is 25 cent tequila shot night. i judge anyone who doesn’t capitalize on that type of deal. cheap alcohol and decent music. it’s a win win as far as i am concerned. not like it would hurt you to live a little.”

“Twenty-five cents?! Good God, how can you be sure that it isn’t just urine? Judge me but I don’t think that anything that cheap  can be good in America. Even if I drank I wouldn’t take part in that deal. And thank you very much but I live! Don’t you want to save money you would spend on a baby sitter and stay at home?”

“I don’t think anyone really is a club person anymore. From what I’ve seen and heard, they’re too crowded and essentially a breeding ground for STDs. The aquarium? How random. What made you think of that one?”

“You’d be surprised.” Raju laughed. Too many people her are and older still liked to go to clubs and get wasted, but it just wasn’t her thing. “That....a little bit disgusting. “ She laughed, though she grimaced a little. “ But probably true. But I don’t know, I just like it there.  It’s relaxing, pretty... Usually quiet. I would rather spend my day off there making fond memories for myself then getting so drunk I can’t remember where I live.” 

Alex scribbled the description down in his notebook before shoving it back in his inner suit pocket. He sighed through his teeth, wondering how much to tell her. “I don’t know yet. He might be,” he said, looking a the doctor from below his brow. “Someone with that truck was seen at the scene of a crime downtown. I don’t know how many beaten up blue lorry’s there are ‘round here, but I’m guessing not more than a few, if I had to guess.” Many people, including himself, walked to and from work, and so there weren’t an abundance of cars to begin with. “I appreciate your help, Dr. Sethi. Would y’mind giving a full statement to the police sometime today?”

With cops -- American cops in particular, Raju was never sure when she was doing the right thing when telling the truth.  “Claremont’s not that small, you would be surprised, I think.,” She noted. “A -- what did you call it, lorry? Well, a lot of people drive them around here; there’s a big market for organic produce that is locally grown, and the best way to transport that is via truck.” She informed.  It wasn’t that she wasn’t that she wanted to hinder an investigation, but she didn’t want to throw anyone under the bus or get someone too excited to think they solved their case. Still, between his accent and hers, she had no idea how they were understanding each other, but she sighed, glancing at her watch. “I don’t know if I can; I just got here really and I will be working through the night as I have a surgery to attend to. But if you want I can tell the chief of staff that there is an issue that needs his attention. I’m only a doctor, after all.”

“What time does the aquarium shut? I mean, I would much rather prefer that to going out clubbing…” She used to do that a lot in her youth and it only ended her up in trouble. “Isabella would love the aquarium. I’ve never taken her to one and she’s in the wonder phase, so that is a great idea.”

“Eight or nine or so...?” She confirmed, waving her hand side to side. She wasn’t exactly sure, but there was still tons of time left in the day to have an eventful trip. Plus, Rajeshwari loved seeing the fish and spending the day there. She actually breathed a sigh of relief that the woman was warm to the idea. “She will, trust me! When you get under the overheard tanks and you see sharks and rays swimming above you it’s like you’re a damn mermaid. “ She enthused. “And between you an me, that place has the most amazing food, even for a vegetarian. “ She got in close like it was a big secret. “If I have to be honest, some times I go there after work just for the food.”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” she says as she runs her finger though her hair.”Its just been a really long day and I’m tired but I know the work day isn’t over for me.” she sighs.

The woman didn’t look alright, but Raju was always taught not to pry/ Still, she wasn’t the type to just walk away and leave someone upset. The best she could do was put on a smile and nod with a small laugh, raising her coffee like a toast. “Tell me about it. I only just now got my first break since the morning and it’s basically lunch time for me.” She laughed gently. “I don’t even think there is anyone in the cafeteria right now, and I hate eating alone. So creepy  in there at night, don’t you think? If you’re not doing anything, want to grab some late night dinner with me? Unless you were heading home...”

Alex cleared his own throat to try and pass the awkward moment, but it didn’t help his inner turmoil over the situation. With a single nod, he agreed with her. “Yes, there’re quite a few. I should be more specific - this one would have a dent in the side —- quite large, too. Like it’d been hit several times? I don’t have specifics just yet, just the dent for now. Anything like that?” His brows knitted together for a moment, waiting for a reply before adding something else. “Sorry about earlier, Dr. …” He glanced at her badge, “Sethi. I didn’t mean to cause offense.”

Enough teasing, she thought to herself, and listened intently as the man spoke. A brow cocked, she tried to recall seeing a car with a dent like he described, always being hyper aware of her surrounding, and more than likely to have seen it. Holding her head high at the recognition, she smiled a bit with pride at the calling of the title she worked so hard for, even more inclined to be of assistance. “Um, there is a blue kind of pick up truck with a dent in it. I think it belongs to one of the security guards; I’ve seen him leaving in it a few times when I’ve had late shirts. Why, is he in some sort of trouble?” She asked curiously. Maybe she watched too many crime shows, but her mind went straight to serial killer when trying to wonder why he was looking for this car.