Chapter 4

kunchu

@kunchu

Hi all... surprised to see me here today? Even I am. I should have started my new job this morning. Thanks to the strike... its shifted to tomorrow. Kya dhamakedar start hai na??
So here go with my own strike of the day...

Part 4:

The team meets in the conference room. All could see the weariness and frustration on Arjun's face. He was facing an ordeal which he never thought he would have to face. His analytical mind was trying to connect the dots, but his mind was betraying too.

Ar: Aisha, Shakhar ko bhi integration keliye bulao.

He said it out of blue.

Sam: kyu?

Ar: kuch puchna hai.

He was twirling his pen again.

Sam: ok. Sree, Zara ko lene gaye hai. Sakshi, mujhe iss contract ke dealings ke ek upadate chahiye. Who all were involved and how and so on. Make it fast.

Sak: ok, Sameer.

Aisha and Sakshi leaves the place. He signals Chotu also to go out. When all had left,

Sam: Rawte, mien nahi chahthe ke tum iss case ko personally lo. Infact, you should have been kept apart from this case. And we are making a change. Please don't make it difficult for us.

Ar: mere side se aise kuch nahi hoga. Time has taught me how to keep personal matters away from me.

He had more than one reason to say that. Sameer didn't know if it was sarcasm or a blunt statement. These days he too has learnt to ignore many a matters.

After some time, Aisha brings Shakhar to the interrogation room. Arjun and Rathod goes to met him. He was not looking happy.

Sh: ye sab kya horaha hai?you already have him in custody. Fir ye sab...

Ar: kya hua? Dar lag raha hai?

Sh: dar?? Why should I?

Sam: then relax. We just need to ask you a few questions.

Sh: ji...

Sam: tumhare aur Vadhera ke last meet kab hua tha?

Sh: aaj sabere. Par thab thak wo...

Ar: aur uske pehle?

Sh: kal rath ko.

Sam: kya kaha tha usne?

Sh: hum... business matters discuss kar rahe the. about the new contract... aur kuch nahi.

Ar: office me ya uss villa mien?

Sh: villa me. Ye sab kyu puch rahe ho?

Ar:just answer our questions. That will be more than enough.

Sam: aaj sabere waha kyu gaye? He never discussed work at there.

Sh: mujhse... kaha tha ke aajao... kal rath ko hi.

Ar: and when did you leave his place after discussions?

Sh: by some 8 pm.

Ar: hm... ok you may go now.

Shakhar leaves soon. Sree comes down to the room.

Sr: sir, meine Ms. Zara se bath ki hai. unhone bhi Mr. Ratwe ke bathonko accept ki hai. they had the contract till the last moment. Fir ye achanak se shift hua hai.

Sam: call in the person who gave the contract.

Ar: nahi Sree, leave that work to Chotu.tum un sabke phone records nikalo jo in case me judhe hai. Including Mrs. Vadhera.

Sr: yes sir.

Sam: kya hua?

Ar: mujhe iss Shekhar kuch ajeeb laga. Lets see.

Later:

Sr: sir... Vadhera ka call records se ye patha chalthe hai ke unhone Shekhar se kal rath ko bohot der thak bath ki hai. till almost 7 pm. Aur kuch 9 baje unhone Mr. Rawte ko bhi call kiya hai. Mrs. Vadhera ke call records bohot minimum hai. She hardly used her phone much. Par kuch aur strike ki hai.

Ar:kya?

Sr: Shekhar ek call pe kuch zyada hi time bithaya hai. pichle kuch mahinose shuru hua hai. par kuch hafte se kuch zyada hi hai. Mr. Vadhera ke call ke baad aur fir late night ko bohot time keliye call ki hai. aaj sabere last call hua tha. Uske baad nahi. Aur ajeeb bath ye hai ke wo number ab switched off hai. name and address fake hai.

Ar:I told there is something about this guy. Call him back. And keep a tab on that number. We will need it.

Sr: yes sir.

Sree goes out.

Ar: hame firse Shekhar ko milna hoga.

Sakshi comes in that time.

Sak: Arjun, thode pehle Mrs. Vadhera ke call thi. Wo hum se milna chahthi hai.

Ar: ok, lets go.

Arjun, Sakshi and Sameer go to the home, where the people were mourning over the man. They went to meet her. She was literally in the broken stage.

Sakshi goes to consol her.

Sak: aap himmath math hariye. Kahiye, kya kehna chahthi ho.

Lady: kafi din se wo bohot pareshan the. Aur kal rath ko kuch zyada hi. Thode pehle mujhe ek bath yaad agayi. Patha nahi ye bath apke kaam ayega ki nahi.

Sam: aap kahiye.

Lady: unhe diary likhne ki aadat thi. Bohot der thak likhthi thi. Par kuch dinonse, rath ko wo diary ke paas baiththe the, lekin zyada kuch nahi liktha. Bas sochthe rahthe the. ek din meine pucha bhi. Kaha ke jab apne aapko lagtha hai ke kuch galath hua hai, tho wo maanne me thakleef hotha hai'. mujhe ye bath bohot ajeeb lagi. Unhone uske aage kuch nahi kaha. Kal rath villa se aane me bohot der ki. Aur fresh hoke, shayad kuch minute hi diary ke baad baitha. Jab sone aye the, tho ye bathaya ke shayad kal sab teekh hoga. Par aaj tho...

She cried off.

Ar: kya hum wo diary dekh sakthe hai?

She gives it to them. They take it and was walking out when they met Shekhar.

Sh: aap, yaha?

He saw the diary and he was a bit upset.

Ar:haan. Actually hum apse hi milne wale the.

Sh: firse? Kyu?

Sam: aapke call records me ek number hai. by chance usme kuch gadbad dekha. Uske bare me puchne.

Sh: how can you go through my call records?

Ar: we can and we will. Now answer.

Sh: wo ek personal reason hai.

Ar: aur wo kya hai?

Sh: dekhiye, aap...

Ar: no Shekhar. We can ask you personal. Now its your choice to answer it here or somewhere else.

He was sweating now.

Sh: mere life me koi hai... ussi ka number hai.

Sam: kaun?

Sh: I cant give the name. I said it officer, ye personal matter hai.

Ar: ithna chupane ke kya baath hai?

Sh: I am a married man officer. I don't want to destroy my family.

Ar: oh really?? Great!!

That was all the more sarcastic. With permission, Shekhar leaves.

They were walking out when they heard a comment coming from behind.

Man 1: ye tho ACP Rawte hai. ye iss case me kya kar rahe hai?

Man 2: obviously ye case Rawte ke side me hoge. Unke bete jo case chala raha hai.

Man 1: but how can he be in this case?

Man 2: dekhna... ab ye case kaise badalthe hai.

Arjun fumed at the comments and turned to them. Before he could worsen the situation, Sameer puts his leg in it.

Sam: Rawte ruko.

He stops him holding onto the elbow. Arjun glares at the action. Sameer ignores it and walks to them.

Sam: galath kaha aapne. Ye case iske haath me nahi, mere team ke haath me hai.aur rahe iske involvement me koi shak, then get it clear from me. I can stop his involvement at any moment. Aur ETF kisike side nahi dethe. Even if its one's own family. Aur koi doubts?

Then men nodded no.

They walk out of the home and drive back to the office. in the way Arjun notices the diary.

In office:

Ar: iss diary me bohot kuch likha jatha tha. Par aaj kal bohot kam hai. we can see he was disturbed. Jab thak wo contract mile, wo khush tha. Par uske baad, it went down. He was feeling someone had betrayed him. aise lagne laga ke wo kisi ka haq cheena hai. Vadhera dil ka saaf dikhtha hai. aur ye betrayal, it hurt him. kal rath wo sirf ithna hi likha hai. ek galath kadam aur sare self respect khatam. Mujhe patha nahi tha ke wo aise karega. Par kal sab teekh hoga. We will talk it out'.

Sam: that means he was looking forward to meet Mr. Rawte. Aur usse patha bhi tha ke kisne cheating ki hai.

Ar: haan. Hame firse uss site pa jaana hoga.

He stood up and was tucking in the gun.

Sam: nahi Rawte.

He stopped midway.

Ar:kyu?

Sam: I cant let anyone commenting on ETF anymore. So you will have to stay back.

Ar: aise kuch nahi hone wala.

Sam: hone wala hai aur hoke rahega.

Sakshi, Aisha, and Chotu were watching the glare session after a long time.

Sam: agar kaam karna chaho, tho yahi se karo. Not outside with the team. Others, come with me.

He dosent wait and leads everyone out. Arjun was not getting his power to hold back the anger. By chance Sree walks in.

Ar: uss phone ke bare me kya patha chala?

Sr: kuch aur nahi sir.

Ar: ye kaise hosakthe hai? keep yourself on it.

Sr: yes sir.

Ar: aur uss Shekhar ke phone tap me rakho. Aur Chotu se kaho ke kisiko uske peecha rakhe. He may be careful to avoid phones. Par kisiko tho milne zaroor jasakthe hai.

Sr: yes sir.

As Sree leaves, he was left alone in the room again. It was making him furious to be left behind. He walked out and was passing the detention room by chance. He stopped his track for a while and stood in the corridor.

The man who had raised him was behind the door. He found himself walking towards the door and before he could stop himself he opened it.

Mr. Rawte was leaning back on the chair with his head on the headrest. Thinking of what Sameer had spoken. His chain of thoughts ceased as the door opened. He saw the same face about whom he was thinking.