Chapter 3

kunchu

@kunchu

PART 3:

Mr. Rawte's POV:

He lost his power to think from the very moment when Shekhar called him the murderer. He didn't try to run away, nor did he protest when the police took him. He just repeated the same answer to them. "I didn't kill him"

He kept his silence hence forth. Nath didn't know about him coming to meet Vadhera. Later when he came to known, he came down to the police station.

He was infact relieved to see him there. If not anyone else, Nath would believe him. But soon the news that he brought made him get into the shell again.

"Case ETF ko diya hai. They will be investigating it"

Nath had taken each word cautiously. He knew the meaning too.

The past was coming forward again. But why now? Why was he pushed infront of him? His son??

He kept his silence again. After some time, a lady and an extra large man came to take him away. They both eyed him not as a culprit, but a feeling that he could hardly read. "Did they know me?" he didn't know. The lady had an air of confidence around her. The man, looked huge, but somewhere he felt him light too.

They took him to the ETF office, which he had passed many a times while traveling. He never knew that a day would come as such to enter that building. He didn't know why they didn't put any handcuffs. Did they trust him? Or was it a special considerations? He hated the second option.

He was taken to a door. "Interrogation room 2"

Wow... he actually landed here. They gave him seat and told to wait. A glass of water was placed infront of him. She asked if he needed something, which he declined silently.

They went away. The room was simple. A single table and 2 chairs opposite him. There was a stair that leads down to the room. There was a dark window. He guessed it should be a one way mirror. They must be watching him.

Again to think more was not possible. He just waited to see where his destiny leads him.

Sometime later he heard the door opening. There came a man, in check shirt and pants and gun holster ready. He had a wavy hair. When he walked down the stairs he could remember that he had seen him somewhere. But his doubt was cleared when the door opened again. Then came him... his walk was majestic. Full of confidence. The father in him was happy, but not the Rawte. Now he recognized the man infront of Arjun. It's Sameer. Arjun's best friend.

***

Arjun had followed Sameer to the interrogation room. He looked aside and saw his father looking at them approaching. There was no guilt in those eyes. He was quick to notice it. There was no happiness too. It was as same his eyes. It looked expressionless. But he could read it well.

They came infront of him and Sameer pulled up a chair and sat down. He took a moment more. He placed the gun down on the table and sat up.

Sameer felt it odd for the first time. Last time he had sat infront of this man, was not at all a pleasant meeting.

"baba, ye mere friend hai, Sameer. Hum ek sath camp me hai."

"hm..." his father said, and sat down to have the breakfast. Sameer looked at Arjun silently and he could see guilt in his friend's eyes. Arjun was trying to bring forward the talk to his father.

"kal rath mere sath aya tha. Aaj dopahar ko train hai. meine hi kaha tha ke ek rath yahi rukh jao"

For the first time the dad looked at the guest. "hope you had a good sleep Sameer"

"um... yes sir" he mumbled.

"good" he resumed the breakfast. Arjun looked upset. Sameer knew what was in his mind. He might have thought that Sam was offended by dad. Sam smiled assuring him its ok.

In between food, "So, Sameer. Where are you from?"

"Jaipur, Sir"

"hm.. so your parents are happy with your joining in police?"

"yes sir. my dad wanted me to be a police officer. And I too..."

He couldn't finish his line. "yeah Sameer. Every father has a dream for his son. But some are hell bend to break it..."

Sameer knew the reason for that talk. He never got a chance to say that he was following his dream and not his parents'. The father spoke bit more lines, which stopped when Arjun walked away from the table without eating. Sameer was confused and had no choice than completing the food as he was asked to. From the day one, he was not fond of this man.

Sameer took a breath and glanced at Arjun who was silent and then began.

Sam: you are aware of the fact that there is a murder charge upon you.

Ra: but I did not do it. I already said it before.

Sam: you had already said it that you would destroy Vehdera's business. So how can you prove it?

Ra: I said of destroying the business, not him.

Sam: all evidences are against you.

Ra: but I didn't do it.

Sam: how can we trust you?

Ra: you will have to. Because it's the truth.

Arjun was losing his patience.

Ar: trust?? Really?

Rawte looked up at Arjun with disgust.

Ar: how can we trust you? You have a history of doing what you said. Aapne hi unhe khatam karne ke dhamki di thi. Sare evidence apke khilaf. Aapke contract cheenne keliye aapne yahi saza sunwaya??

Ra: MEINE AISE KUCH NAHI KIYA HAI ARJUN!!!

He roared. Everyone who was at the other end of the glass flinched.

Ar: (holding his fist tight under the table) ye math bhoolna ke ye ek interrogation room hai.

Even Sameer flinched now at Arjun's coldness. The two Rawte's were staring at each other.

Sam: so... What were you doing there in the morning?

Ra: (still looking at Arjun) I was called by him yesterday.

Ar: why?

Ra: we never got a chance to say it.

Sam: you are not helping us.

Ra: why should I? You already have a witness who say I killed him. What else do you need? Isn't it enough for a police officer?

That was the limit. Arjun banged both his hands on the table and stood up.

Ar: apko lagtha hai ke sabkuch aise hi chaltha hai? ke koi kuch kahe aur hum react kare? Then you are wrong. We have our own way to investigate. And we wont allow anyone to order us out. Samjhe ya...

He stopped. Mr. Rawte was standing with breath held tight in his chest. He had never seen this fury for ages, and it won't be a lie to say that he had missed it a lot.

Arjun stood for a while and turned to walk away.  But he was stopped by his voice.

"I didn't kill him. I was just trying to help him"

Arjun turned to him. Now everyone's attention was strong.

"jab mien waha pohoncha, tho wo zinda tha. Unke akhri saans chal rahe the. unhone apne haat aage diya tha. He needed help"

Sam: fir.

Ra: I went to him. wo kuch kehna chahtha tha. Shayad madad mang raha tha. I didn't know. He was in pain. I tried to pull out that knife. But he died. Aur fir Shekhar aya.

Sam: tho aap keh rahe hai ke koi aur ne unhe maarne ke koshish ki hai?

Ra: yes officer.

Sam: apko kisipe shak.

Ra: patha nahi. Yesterday night I got a call from him. keh rahe the ke wo mujhe akele me milna chahthe hai. He told that he have done a mistake. But he never knew about it before. He called me to come alone. So I did it. Because I felt it was genuine. You may check me call records.

Sam: but that wont do anything. We have an eye witness on spot.

Ra:I don't know.

Sam: hm... anyone else know about you going to meet him?

Ra: no. not even Nath.

Arjun felt it strange. Where was it leading to?

Ar: wo contract ke bare me batao.

Ra(again a bit frustrated) I had it in my hand. Last moment me kisi ne khela. I lost it. And he got it. It should have been mine.

Ar: we need to know more about the contract. SREE!!

He called out. Sree replied through mic. "yes sir"

Ar: meet his PA, Vinod Sharma and get all details.

Ra: not Vinod. Its Zara now.

Arjun looked at him and saw his dad smiling a bit wickedly. "I fired Vinod a year back. Keep yourself updated, officer"

Arjun hated when his father tried to outsmart him. "Sree, you got it?"

Sr: yes sir, I'll see to it.

Sam: why did you fire him?

Ra: trust issues. (looking at Arjun) Trust... it's a serious problem. (at Sameer) hai na officer?

That's it. Arjun left the room immediately. Sameer saw the retreating figure. He turned to the glass and signaled to off the mic. Aisha did it.

Sam: kya lagtha hai apko? Aap dono ke indifferences iss case me koi change layega? No Mr. Rawte. Ye case mere team kisi bhi haal me solve kar hi dega.

He stood up.

Sam: aap dono ke indifference kabse aur kaise shuru hua, ye mujhe nahi patha. Par ithna tho patha hai. aap dono ne ek hi galthi ki thi. You both saw dreams, which unfortunately didn't match up. Aur iss galthi keliye aap dono ek hi saza bhi mila. Loneliness... Akelapan... I hope aap iss bare me sochenge.

Sameer took a moment and went away. Chotu came and took him to a detention room.