Chapter 2

kunchu

@kunchu

PART  2:

Sam: well.. aaj sabere ek murder hua hai... aur ye wahi case hai...

Ar: and?

Sam: and... the name of prime suspect is... Mr. Suryakanth Rawte.

That one line did all the changes. All were dumbstruck and then slowly turned to Arjun, who had a visible strained look.

Ar:WHAT?

Sameer took some time so that Arjun get some time.

Sam: Mr. Rawte aur victim ShyamVadhera, business rivals the. And they were not in good terms. That's all that I know now. baki ke information patha lagaana hoga.

Arjun was feeling it hard to absorb it. Though he had hard relation with him, at the end of the line, he is his father.

Sakshi could see a nerve thumping over his temple. The tight held fist was visible to all. Sameer knew that he should take decisions soon.

Sam: Aisha, Chotu... ye papers lejao. We have the case in our hand now so get him here. Liza, retrieve the dead body and also the evidence collected. Sree, I need all information about Vadhera and Rawte at the earliest. Especially abut whats going on between them. (Turning to Arjun and Sakshi) and we... are going to the crime scene.

Aisha, Chotu, Liza and Sree had moved out while Arjun took a moment more.

Sam:chale Rawte?

Arjun looks up and then move ahead tucking the gun behind. He doesn't wait for Sameer and Sakshi and walks on.

Sak: Sameer, this is going to be tough.

Sam: I know. Chalo.

They sprinted off to the parking lot. Sameer took the steering and Arjun was so silent beside him. Sakshi's eyes never left Arjun all the way through the trip. Even Sameer was glancing at Arjun at times.

Arjun's POV:

Though all through his life, his father had an upper hand on his every decision, only once did he disobey his dad's wish. And that cause such a rift between them. He had to leave the home as he was just a mamuli police officer'. His father would have been so disheartened. But he knew better. Every success in Mr. Rawte's career was just a mask that he used to hide his loneliness. After all he had learnt how to mask the feeling from his own dad.

Many a times he got a glimpse of his father. But never went in front of him. Many a times his father might have noticed him too. But none came forward. The ego had held them both back. They both knew, coming in front of each other would only increase the pain.

Then why now? Why all of the sudden was he being pushed infront of his father? Why? He never knew.

Sameer noticed Arjun was deep in thoughts that he didn't even realize that they had reached the destination.

Sam: Arjun...

He woke up almost with a start. They walk to the villa. It was a simple place with moderate furnishing.

Sam: ye Mr. Vadhera  ka villa hai. wo har weekend yahi guzartha hai. And the dead body was found here too.

They walked in observing each point. They saw the outline of the dead body. It looked as if an office. A table with the personal items including laptop, files, and so on. A sofa set completed with a side table that held a tray of fruits. Long rows of shelf filled with books. A lady on the sofa was sobbing and a man was sitting by her side consoling her.

Sam: Sakshi, check if Mrs. Vadhera is in a state to speak.

She goes to them, while Sameer watches Arjun keenly.

Sa: you ok, Rawte?

Arjun merely walks away from him to the crying lady. His silence said that he was not ok. Well he cant be expected to be ok too.

Sakshi was consoling the lady and then she nodded to Sameer.

Sam: I am sorry for your loss, Mrs. Vadhera. Mujhe patha hai ke ye time aap kuch bolne ke hal me nahi ho. but this is important. Aapke pati ke kaatil thak pohonchne me hamari madad kijiye. please.

She wipes her tears and nods yes.

Sam: so, aap akhri baar apke pati ko kab mile the?

Lady: Shyam har weekend ke tharah aaj bhi breakfast ke baad yaha keliye nikla tha. Wo har weekend ko yaha aake, dopahar ko wapas atha tha. Ye unke routine the. agar koi function ho, ya aur koi bath, thab hi ye routine badalthe the. yaha unhe sukoon miltha tha. Aaj ke din wo koi office work nahi kartha tha. yaha aake kuch books padhtha tha.kabhi apne friends ko milta tha. Aur kabhi hum dono ek saath yaha atha tha. Lekin aaj mien nahi aayi. Aur wo...

She sobbed again.

Sak: kya unhe koi pareshani thi? Kuch ajeebsa notice kiya?

La: 2-3 din se kuch tha unke mann me. Par kuch kaha nahi. Meine pucha bhi tha. Par taal diya.

Sak: apko kisi pe shak?

La: Shekar already usse dekh chuke hai. wo hi kiya hoga. Mien unhe nahi jaantha. Par aisa kya kiya tha mere pati ne...ki wo...

She cried out. Arjun was using all his power to control himself.

A man by her side held her shoulder.

Sam: Aap Shekhar hai na? witness?

She: ji haan. I saw him.

Sameer asked him to move away from the lady and Arjun went with them. Sakshi sat by her side.

Sam: so, what did you see?

She: unhone mere sir ko maara hai Sir. I saw it. kuch din pehle wo mere sir ko dhamki bhi di thi. Par aisa karega, ye nahi socha tha.

Arjun held his breath. Sameer looked over to him, expecting a move from his side. But nothing came. So he carried on.

Sam: ye sab kyu hua, batha sakthe ho?

She: Shyam sir aur Mr. Rawte ek hi contract ke peeche the. aur Sir ko wo mila tha. Lekin Rawte sir ne aake bohot problem banaya. Ye kehke ke Shyam sir ne wo dhoke se mila hai. ussi din unhone dhamki bhi di thi, ke wo unke business ko khatam kar denge. Aur aaj ye...

Sam: tum yaha kabse kaam kar rahe ho? aur aaj yaha kyu aya?

She: mien... 4 saal se. aur aaj... sir ne bulaya tha. Mere aane ke 1 khante pehle. Par mien pohonch nahi paya. Agar hotha tho... shayad...

Sameer knew he needed sometime to catch up. He tried to move but saw Arjun still on spot, watching Shekhar with hard glare.

Sam: Arjun...

Arjun didn't acknowledge that, instead move a step closer to Shakhar. He almost felt a shiver seeing the cop's eyes.

Ar: kya tumhe yakeen hai, ke unhone hi maara hai?

Every word had so much stress that he flinched.

Sh: haan... si...sir... I saw it... unke hathonme... wo... knife ... the...

Ar: agar mujhe patha chala ke ye bath me kahi bhi jhoot hai...tho...

He didn't finish, but just kept on looking at him. He held the gaze and then walked out of the place, followed by Sameer and Sakshi. This time he drove back.

ETF office:

All were in the hall.

Sree: Aisha, so is he here?

Ai: haan. Interrogation room me hai. I am waiting for Rathod sir and Arjun Sir.

Li: its terrible na? Arjun sir ko kitna bura lag raha hoga.

Ch:lagtha hai unke beech koi problem hai. unke pita ek bohot bade businessman hai aur Arjun sir ek lodge me rahthe hai.

Ai:Sakshi told me. They had some indifferences. Jiske wajah se wo ache terms me nahi hai.

By that time Sakshi, Sameer and Arjun walks in. the bang when the gun was placed on the table, gave out Arjun's frustration.

All took their seats and waited.

Sam: Liza... kya patha chala?

Li: sir, postmortem report me ye dekhi hai ke dead stab ke wajah se hua hai. aur...

Sam:aur?

Li: knife me...(turning to Arjun) unhi ka finger prints hai.

The nerve was still throbbing. He didn't know how he was keeping up.

Sam: Sree... what did you gather?

Sr: sir, undono ke kafi badi business rivalry hai. kuch din pehle Vadhera ko ek bade project mila, jinpe unhe bhi interest tha. Project milne ke khushi ke din party tha. Aur ussi din un dono ke beech jhagda bhi hua tha. According to Mr. Rawte, unke saath dhoka hua tha.

Sam: and uske details.

Sr: I am collecting sir.

Sam: pehle... unse baath karthe hai... aur uske bath baki discussions.

Ai: sir, he is in interrogation room.

Arjun closed his eyes with a silent sigh. An officer came in and talked to Arjun. "sir, aapse milne Advocate Nath aya hai."

He nods and the man leaves. Soon an elderly man enters. None knew him except Arjun, who stood up and walked to him. All could gather that he was Rawte's advocate.

Arjun stood facing him.

Na: kaise ho Arjun?

Silence.

Na: mujhe patha hai ke iss waqt apke dil pe kya guzarthe hoge. Jab mujhe patha chala ke case ETF ko mile hai, thabhi aapse milne ko socha.

Silence still.

Na: aapke Baba sakt zaroor hai beta. Par wo aise kuch nahi karega. And you know it too. Tho apne indifference alag rakhke aage jaana. I know you will do it. I trust you.

He didn't say anything. And then spoke up. "you always trusted me uncle. Even when he didn't. par iss bar mujhse koi umeed math rakhna. Uss din bhi aur aaj bhi, mien wahi karunga jo mujhe sahi lagega. Kyuna iss bar bhi kisi ke dil thodna ho... if he still have one..."

Na: aise math bolo Arjun. he cares for you. All these years...

Arjun raised his hand and stops. "please uncle. We have work to do. Aaj Sunday hai, tho apko court ke paas nahi jaana hoga. So rest back"

Nath knew the talk was over. He nods and walks off. But he stops at the door and turns to him. "Arjun, tumhare Baba ko patha hai... that you are working in this team"

He kept his look for a while and walks off.

Arjun turns to Sameer. "lets go"

Sam: are you sure?

Arjun walks to his table and stays for a while and then tucks his gun. He was ready.