The Wedding Tamasha

what you’re talking about, officer. Are you pressing charges against me?’
Shweta thought she detected a slight trembling in Raj’s high-pitched
voice.
‘Mr Valsan, anything you say can and will be used against you in a
court of law. Do you or do you not have this lady’s passport?’ Shweta
didn’t dare look up. Instead, she stared at her feet and hoped that Raj
would hand over the passport, and she could be out of there.
Pete waited for a reply, standing there, his legs apart, fixed on the
ground, his arms crossed over his chest.
Raj stammered, ‘I…I…haven’t seen this woman in at least two
months, officer. I…I’m being charged falsely.’
Shweta shot her head up, staring at Raj in astonishment.
Pete bore down on him. ‘I repeat my question, Mr Valsan. Do you
or do you not have this lady’s passport with you?’
To her surprise, Raj said, ‘You can search my house, if you do not
believe me, officer. It’s not here.’
Shweta snuck a glance at Pete in alarm. Searching Raj’s house was
not part of their plan. Pete would have to make a quick decision. Shweta
had assumed Raj would give in to a threat, but it definitely seemed like
he had decided to stand his ground. Shweta wondered what Raj was up
to when he knew as well as she that the passport wasn't in the house.
Pete remained silent for a moment.
Although she’d been told not to speak, Shweta knew that she had to
take a chance. It was her fault she hadn’t told Pete about her previous
failed attempt. If she didn't tell Pete now, he'd be setting out on a wild
goose chase. She cleared her throat. ‘It’s not inside the house, officer. I
already looked. He’s hidden it somewhere else.’
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Raj turned to glare at
her.
Pete caught on quickly. ‘I see. Is it true Mr Valsan that this lady is
your wife?’
Raj’s grey eyes fixed Shweta with an icy stare. ‘Yes, officer.’
‘Is it true that both of you came to the US on May 16th this year?
‘I don’t remember the exact date but I think so...’
‘Is that a ‘yes’ or a ‘maybe,’ Mr Valsan?’
Shweta couldn’t understand where Pete was going with this new
line of interrogation but she’d just have to trust him.
‘Yes.’ Raj nodded vigorously, obviously not getting the new
direction of questioning either.