Mystery Arjun SS: Let Go.....Arjun Case Story Part 8 Page 14 Updated - Page 11

The second time around Naren was more aggressive and Nandita could not get out of his hold. He was cajoling her into going out with him for coffee when in walked Arjun. The intense glare, flare of nostrils and and the rigid posture told Naren he was trespassing on private property.

"Leave her alone," he had said quietly.

Naren's whole demeanour changed instantly. Arjun fully expected a scuffle and was mentally preparing himself to be without his badge before the day ended.

"Oooppps!" he raised his hands and stepped away. Giving his most disarming smile he said,"Sorry,Bro! Didnt know!" Turning his charm to the fullest he gallantly bowed before Nandita,"Apologies, My Lady," He walked further back smiling brightly at her.

"Don't kill me, Bro. Your girl is so so cute that I had to try once," he chuckled good naturedly.

The gesture was so boyish and sweet that Nandita who until then was seething with anger broke into a smile.

Shaking her head she walked ahead and pulled Arjun along with her.

As she looked back she noticed Naren grinning after them amd gave a little wave.

She could not help but smile back.

Arjun was beside himself with anger.

"Asshole! Who does he think he is?" he frothed at the mouth.

"A harmless flirt. Arjun, let it go. He did not mean anything. He is a sweet boy," Nandita remembered Naren's antics and broke into laughter.

Which did nothing to quell Arjun's anger. He now turned on her nad yelled,"What is so funny? Are you enjoying all this attention?"

He could not erase the image of the last exchange of smiles between his love and the scoundrel.

"Do I smell something burning?" Nandita mocked and laughed some more. Like all girls of her age she loved this jealous and possessive side of her sweetheart.

To see more of it she began to rile him up by being friendly with Naren every time they passed by each other in the corridors of the house. Frequent fights erupted between them over her growing proximity with Naren which the naive and silly Nandita thought was spicing up their love life.

He could not bear to be angry with her for long so was always the first one to make up. It was charming to see the broody & arrogant policeman beg her forgiveness.Which made her itch for another fight.

She thought Naren to be a funny happy go lucky spoilt youngster who chased anything wearing a skirt or a salwaar.She never found any malice or ill intention in the way Naren conducted himself in front of her. Soon they became friends and their bantering continued.

In time Arjun learnt to ignore it but it always hurt him.

Soon Arjun was moved out of security detail of the politician due to his persistent appeals to join active duty. He was made assistant to the in charge of police station in the suburbs. Meetings with Nandita grew far less but the love between them remained the same every time they met. Or so Arjun thought.

One day she did not turn up for their usual rendezvous. He called her office but no one picked up.

He then drove out to her one room PG dwellings. When he enquired with the land lady she informed him that Nandita had left the room permanently. She then handed him a letter which she had left for him. His world came apart as he read it.

She had broken up with him. She was going abroad for a better life. With Naren.

He kicked started his motorbike and raced to Naren's house.

He was informed at the gate that Naren had left for Europe two days ago. The minister was in New Delhi.There was no one in the house.

Arjun was devastated. How could his Nandita do this to him? What had he missed? Then he remembered how happy and radiant she looked in Naren's company. It had blinded him. And he remained blind for so long.

He made a terrible mistake that night. He should have asked more questions. He should have made sure. But he was blinded with anger.

The anger simmered for more than a dozen years. But a new perspective was given to this tale by Aadhira. One that knocked him off his feet into a deep chasm.

He had rushed out of the hospital.

He raced towards his house. All night long he made dozens of calls and finally Naren was located in Gurgaon Haryana.

Packing his few belongings he flew to Delhi praying all the while that Nandiat was safe. The betrayal was far better than finding out that she had met a terrible fate at the hands of someone she trusted and Arjun had remained blissfully ignorant about it all these years. The very idea that she was living the most comfortable life possible always turned him to ice but he now fervently hoped that that was how his Nandita had been living up till now. That she was fine, happy with the love of her life.

He checked into a hotel in Delhi to devise a way to know if she was okay without disrupting her life with her husband.

He activated his informers network in Gurgaon. He belonged to another state but this town was the hub of criminal activity. He had been into the underbelly of crime here many times. He ordered everything that was there to know about Naren Gehlot.

He waited for information to trickle in. It was the most excruciating wait. During which time he realised the glaring mistakes he had made from the time of Nandita's disappearance. There was nothing in her behaviour that indicated she was falling for Naren then how did he jump to the conclusion? What he would not give to go back in time and save his sweetheart before it was too late.

He wished he had let go of his anger and shame at being dumped by a woman and thought further.

Then news started trickling in which alarmed him. His worst fears & Aadhira's prophecy was coming true. There was no sign of a woman called Nandita in Naren's life. He was thorough womaniser who had never married in his life. He had returned from abroad long ago and flitted about between Mumbai, Delhi & NCR posing as a businessman. Had he given her the boot long ago or... He had to find out.

He also came to know that Naren had ordered an escort for the night from a premier agency.

He put his plan in motion.

He parked in front of the huge gates and looked at the moderate bungalow within. It was a police safe house used to hide important criminal and interrogate them without protocols coming in between.

He had asked the shapely model cum prostitute to invite her fare for the night here and then promptly paid her to look for another client to cater to.

Naren was inside alone waiting for a night of fun and debauchery. Well, thought Arjun he will get one if he doesn't come up with Nandita or a proper explanation for her absence.

He walked up to the door and rang the bell.

********************************

He looked at the mutilated dead man in front him. He was completely drenched in Naren's blood himself.

His Nandita...his poor silly Nandita had got herself entagled in this monster's clutches and had died a painful death.

And he, the love of her life, had no inkling about what had happened to her.

Arjun burst into painful sobs and leaned back into the tiled walls his eyes shut tightly. Tears of regret flowed down his cheeks.

Wineglass in hand Naren had opened the door and Arjun had stormed inside and kicked it shut.

He hadn't recognised Arjun at first and then when he refreshed his memory with thrusting a gun down his throat he had admitted to a fling with her and then they had gone their separate ways.

Arjun had promptly stuffed his gun in his back and beaten Naren within an inch of his life.

Just when he thought he would lose his life should Arjun slap him one more time he blurted out the truth.

He had been infuriated beyond words when Nandita had spurned his advances. That's when he decided to teach her the lesson of her life. He developed a friendship with her and slowly won her trust.

So mush trust that she thought nothing about going to his farmhouse for a small party where Naren had promised Arjun had been invited too.

What followed was a night of terror for the defenceless girl. She had died of the injuries that were inflicted upon her delicate body. After which she bundled in the car and taken to a forest where she was burnt like useless logs of wood.

The searing pain in Arjun's chest showed no sign of abating and he hacked Naren to pieces. He then took a leaf out of Rajneesh's book and buried him in the back yard.

Prosecution would have taken years and with her body gone and zero evidence he would have been a free man in no time.

A month later...

She was sitting up in bed staring out of the window over the green lawn.

Arjun gazed at her for a while before entering. She had lost a lot of weight. Frequent illness had moved the judge to allow her to remain in hospital till she got better. There was a possibility for bail after discharge.

She looked up and seeing him she smiled. Her eyes which had been vacant until then lighted up instantly.

AR: How are you?

AS: I feel nothing,Arjun. Neither good nor bad. But I think you are finally at peace with yourself.

Arjun looked at her without saying anything. He wanted to ask her a lot of things but couldn't bring himself to acknowledge something so bizarre.

She understood.

Smiling she scooted aside and invited him to sit near her. The same familiarity. As if they knew each other for eons. He went and tentatively sat at the edge of the bed and gazed at her.

"How did you know?" he asked her finally.

"She hovered around you all the time. I know you think of her & the betrayal most of the time. It killed her again and again to see you hating her so much. She wanted to tell you that she loved you and would never think of being unfaithful to you. I saw her the first time at that gallery. She sensed I could see her and she took me through what happened between you and her and then to her later," Aadhira finished sadly.

He looked away still unable to understand it.

"It's a gift Arjun. I thank the Almighty for giving it to me. Or else I would have never known what happened to Ellie & to your Nandita.

When Ellie went missing Rajneesh made the doctor give me sedatives. And Ellie took me through the ordeal she faced at the hands of her father."

There was a catch in her throat and her eyes teared up.

"Does it happen with every death?" he asked her.

"No, Arjun. It happens with very traumatic deaths. Deaths that have left loved ones scrambling for answers.Thankfully most people die peacefully around her," she smiled.

Both sat watching the pale morning sun grazing the cool lawns. There was peace. All around them. Inside them.

"When will they hang me, Arjun?" she asked in the child like voice she used only around him. It also touched him that she would use his name in every sentence she spoke to him.

"They will not hang you, Aadhira. Alok has appointed the best lawyers team in the country. They will plead temporary insanity brought on by your daughter's sudden death. They may let you go"

He stood up. It was time to leave. Chuckling slightly he could not resist adding,"You be sure to tell them your "I see dead people" story. You'll be out of here in a jiffy,"

She looked at him and smiled slowly. He smiled back at her.

"I miss her so much," she said her smile faltering.

"The spastic society needs a good arts teacher for their school. I recommended your name," he told her.

Aadhira's creased her forehead. "I murdered two people,how can the have me?"

"They know you love children and that you love painting. That's all that matters to them. So many Ellies need you, Aadhira,"

She stood up and touched his cheek. She then kissed him on it.

Alsiah had just entered and saw them in such close company. She halted and looked down awkwardly.

"I am sorry. I should have knocked.Er...I heard you were here so I came down to see you. I...I'll wait outside," Alisha blabbered.

The hurt in her eyes was not missed by both Arjun & Aadhira.

He became embarrassed and it amused her no end.

She winked at him and burst out laughing.

He hurried out after bidding her good bye.

Alisha stood leaning against her car munching on chocolate bar.

He walked up to her.

She stood up straight and chucked the wrapper away.

Slipping on his shades he said," You want some grilled sandwiches?"

He pulled open the passenger door and she sat inside blushing.

That night in the same cottage they had spent a night together before, he told her everything. The tragedy of it all touched her to the core. Arjun who in an attempt to hide his tears stood looking out of the window. Alisha went to stand beside him and slowly turned him around.

Both fell in to each other's arms.

Placing his bags in the car the next day Arjun turned towards Alisha and kissed her on the cheek.

"See you soon in Mumbai," he said.

She nodded and hugged him tightly.

Saddened though as she watched him drive away she also felt a lot of peace within her.

She had found what she was looking for all her life...

The End.

When he turned back to her she had started to walk away. Something made her turn and stare at him. She then turned to look over his shoulder and her colour faded to white. Arjun felt the room suddenly grow cold like he passed in front of an open freezer.

When she looked at him again there was just so much compassion in her eyes.

She slowly walked towards him and stood looking deep into his eyes. It was as if she was looking right down him into his soul.

"Good bye...and let go," she whispered. She smiled a little.