"Another possible victim? Who is it?"
"Me. Mantisha Sen."
Sam looked at her in surprise. 'What is she saying! Is she here to twist the facts and misguide the investigation to another direction? Or she is just making the story up.'
Behind the glass walls, Adi's hand were clenched into fists. He thought it was just his interpretation, he still had not talked with Mantisha to confirm his assumptions. He thought he would not explain things to her, because it could scare her. But he did not expect her to be this sharp and put the things together.
Adi was standing with Authur and the other officers behind the glass wall and could clearly see her expressions. He swore to himself that he would not let that Macy Carter go.
"What did you say? You were the possible victim?"
Mantisha slowly but steadily nodded her head in appreciation as Sam asked her in a surprised voice.
"Then tell us how did you get the idea?"
Mantisha looked at him with her eyes fixed at him. She got silent for quite a few seconds, as if she was struggling from where to start.
"Miss Sen?" Sam asked again.
Mantisha left a long sigh as she closed her eyes, then started saying.
"By the moment I arrived at the party, I was criticised behind my back. Some of them were mere whispers but many of them were loud enough to reach into my ears. For arriving there without a partner, for arriving without a guardian, for having an unknown background and for having a good make over too, I guess."
She paused for a second. Sam looked at her fingers which were fidgeting with each other. Sam could feel her nervousness through her shaky breaths, unfocused eyes. She licked her dried lips once as if she was still feeling the panic inside her.
Sam had the sudden urge to hold her hands. He was sure that those nervous movements had turned her warm little hands into ice cold ones.
Sam was surprised at his own thoughts. What was happening with him! Why was he feeling a fatal attraction to her. Her little movements were constantly breaking his concentration. He slightly shook his head as he brushed off the feeling building inside him.
"Then?"
With a shaky voice, Mantisha continued,
"Then I encountered some young missies there, who tried to seek out informations about me, but were offended when I did not co-operate with them. They even tried to insult me deliberately, telling me that I was there to seduce the young masters or so, and Miss Smith was also one of them. There were two more ladies, whom I don't know, but of them someone bragged a lot that she was famous, she appeared in the magazines quite often, so I should know her. They made quite a fuss about it. Of course I also was not silent but I did not reply like their mean way too."
After a short breath, she continued, "But things got worse when I met two of my old acquaintances there. They were two young masters of a renowned family. We were in good terms so we slightly joked with each other, but I did not have any idea that people were eyeing us the whole time. They misinterpreted our conversations and started blowing another wave of gossips. We did not take that seriously. But somehow many of them thought I offended them."
Mantisha took a long breath, and looked at Sam's eyes, which were also staring at her intensely.
"After I came back from the balcony, someone sprained her ankle and was going to fall down. So I instinctively cought her and her glass filled with wine was poured over my gown."
Sam got shocked, it clearly seemed to be pre planned. Adi was no different. Arthur started to scratch his head as he started thinking about the ways to find that 'someone', because Adi seemed to be too concerned to this lady. There were no close circuit cameras and this lady seemed to be new in the socialites. If he asked, he could not possibly get a good answer from her, right?
Confirming his thoughts, when Sam asked her who was that lady, she replied that she did not know her. Except the fact that she was a classy, gorgeous lady with a courteous smile lingered on her face, she could tell nothing more evident.
Sam shook his head in disappointment, then asked her to continue.
"After my gown was ruined, I wanted to go back but suddenly a waitress appeared from nowhere and asked me, if I want to change into another costume, I should go with her. That waitress is the one, who was sitting outside of this room with the other ones."
She pointed her finger outside of the interrogation room. Sam's eyes darkened. This was the third direct indication, except the man who danced with Miss Smith, Miss Lily Smith by herself and now, the waitress. But till then, she did not utter anything about Miss Macy Carter at all, while she was the main accused.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her sternly. She told that she was here to prove someone's innocence. Was that Miss Carter? Then what would they say to Mister Roy?
"And now what I am going to say, will prove an accused person's innocence."
Adi slammed his hands on the desk in the other side of the glass wall. He could not understand why she was doing this. She asked him to trust her, so he did. But what was she doing now? Going to let that mean girl Macy be free? But why! She was not this unreasonable earlier.
Sam gritted his teeth while staring at her straight. He hated that Miss Carter. He could sense her facade. She wanted to gain sympathy by continuing her act of be wronged and be weak for so long. He was feeling disgusted to see that weeping face of hers. And if this Miss Sen is here to say that Miss Carter is innocent...
"I was invited to the room where the spare clothes were kept. I picked a few of them but I was still confused about which one to choose. Then the waitress picked one and suggested me, if it was suited my tastes or not. I found it was one of the latest creation of Tasman Murad and was captivated by it's charm. That dress is the same as the one Miss Smith is wearing now."
After telling this much, Mantisha paused. She was in high alert now, she took back her hands from the table and took a deep breath. Then with confidence, she looked back at Sam's eyes directly.
"I thanked her for saving me by choosing such a outstanding dress for me. But I saw a sudden wave of hesitation brushed past her eyes."
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