Mary didn't know what to say. She wasn't good at finding the right words for such a situation. She merely smiled and nodded, hoping that Ruby understood how Mary felt, without using any words. However, it seemed like Ruby wasn't expecting a response as she gazed at the starry sky and lost herself in a low hum.

"This was around two months back. After that night I hadn't seen her much. I got busy with all my work. I assumed she was too. I had tried calling her, though admittedly just a few times, but she would also only quite rarely attended my calls.

After that every time I saw her, she seemed tense and on edge. I tried to find what was wrong but she would always say that she was fine, that everything was good. I'm sure Alex must have tried too, but in vain," Mary looked at him, her mouth in a sad frown.

"What was she doing in this college? All she should have done was concentrate on her studies. Boyfriends, drama, music? It's like she lives in a bubble of distraction," John said at once.

Mary could understand how John felt. He wasn't angry at Ruby. His brain was fired up, and he probably just couldn't handle the situation Ruby was in.

Mary said, "Sir, you have to understand. Ruby was always ready to do anything for you. She tried real hard at studying too even though it was just not for her. Imagine trying to be good at something that your brain can't even comprehend. But her music was for herself. She needed it for survival. In fact, her mood improved because of it. Her life improved because of it. I feel it might been the only reason she still wanted to be alive."

John said nothing. He realized that maybe he should put his own feelings aside and concentrate on the problem in hand.

"But if she was drugged and she had the accident... Was she fleeing from someone? Was someone trying to kill her?"

John didn't seem to notice what Mary had asked.

"She had a stalker sir," Mary tried to bring his attention to the point she was trying to make.

John sighed. He slumped a bit in his chair, immersed his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. He has been slouching a lot recently. This can't be good for his posture. He sighed. And then he remembered something.

"Prof. Nancy said that she had seen Ruby around the campus with a boy. Until now I had thought she was talking about Lee. But could it have been Alex instead? Or was there some other boy she was distracting herself with?"

Mary remained silent. She felt a bit awkward as well. But she didn't want John to get absorbed in his emotions.

"There is a high chance it's Alex, but I'm not sure. I wasn't with Ruby at all times. But yeah, if there was someone else, Alex might know."

"How much do you know this boy, 'Alex'?"

"He is a nice kid," Mary said.

"I don't know if I can trust you on that. You say that about everyone. I want to meet him."

**

Day 4

As days passed by, John was turning rather impatient. On one hand he knew he was losing time, on the other, he couldn't believe all the things Ruby was hiding from him.

He had always thought of her as his little girl, someone he had to always take care of, like a little flower in his garden. He tried to convince himself that that was the reason why he felt so protective of her. He raised her on his own, tried to teach her what was right from wrong. He thought he had done a good job.

But his conscience was jabbing him from the inside. He was disappointed with himself. He was disappointed that despite all his efforts, Ruby might have turned out to be more like her mother than him.

He didn't want to think of her mother. He shook his head again, like he always does, trying to push away the thought. Not now, he thought, now is not the time.

Considering the seriousness of the situation, Mary had agreed to help. He was glad that he had decided to trust her. Mary just randomly finding and recognizing John the previous day made it seem like fate was trying to help.

But the more he dwelled on this thought, it made John feel a bit uneasy.

Mary, accompanied by John, walked into the recreation centre. The sky was rather cloudy and the day gave a dark ominous feeling to John. He followed Mary quietly, without asking any questions. Soon, Mary stopped in front of a door and knocked twice. John could hear music and a voice singing from inside the room. Then she swung it open and walked in. John followed.

A tall thin boy looked up at the duo. He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by little kids. He was holding a guitar and had paused midway when they had walked in.

"I'll be right back," he smiled at the kids as he stood up and walked to Mary.

"Hey," said Mary as she gave a small wave, "I was hoping to catch you here. Can we talk to you for a bit?"

Alex looked at the two standing in front of him. Then he said to Mary, "Sure. But can you wait for thirty minutes? I have to finish my class."

A few minutes later, Alex walked with John and Mary. There was a small park adjacent to the recreation centre. Very few people were present at the time since it was a working day. Though it was hot due to the clouds, the breeze made John feel better.

"Can you tell me what this is regarding?" It was Alex who broke the silence.

"Alex, this is-"

"I know. Ruby's father," Alex interrupted her.

John now paid more attention. He asked, "You know me?"

"Ruby has shown me your picture," Alex replied.

"Were you and Ruby together?" Asked John. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Mary purse her lips.

"Define 'together'," said Alex.

"Were you two dating? Were you walking around campus, doing your music while you should have been studying? Were you the reason she decided that studies aren't that important and her grades had started falling?" John's voice rose alarmingly as he spoke.

"You really didn't know your daughter at all, did you?" Asked Alex with a small smile. John wanted to wipe that smile off his face.

"Is that why you are here? To interrogate me? Did you house arrest her because she wanted to make music?"

"Alex," Mary intervened before John could, "Ruby has been in an accident. She is hospitalized and unconscious."

Alex sat stunned. Clearly, he had no idea about this.

"WHAT?" he turned to Mary. "Did he tell you that? Did he do something to her?"

John was filled with sudden rage, "How dare you accuse me of harming my own daughter?"

Mary placed a hand on Alex's torso to stop him from advancing towards John. She said, "Prof . Nancy told me that she had been in a car accident. She is in a very bad condition, and in a coma, and we need your help in finding where she was last Saturday night! It seems she had been drugged."

Mary turned to John and said in an equally agitated voice, "And you sir. I know that you are frustrated and I can't imagine what you are going through right now. But you have to calm down. We are all on the same side. We'll help you find who did this to her but you have to stop yelling at everyone."