Mystery Arjun SS: Let Go.....Arjun Case Story Part 8 Page 14 Updated - Page 9

Thaloxin. The painkiller given to people who have severe spinal injury.

Arjun kicked himself mentally as he drove furiously to the police station. He should have spotted the connection the moment he saw Alok in a wheel chair. One of the warnings doctors give while prescribing this medicine is that alcohol consumption along with it is fatal. It was a recipe for a slow death. The worse effect was that the person will not even know he is dying until it was too late.

Rajneesh had been fed this chemical knowing he would soon be out for an evening of drinking alcohol. The deadly concoction would then slowly but surely take his life.

Who had administered it to him?

The answer brought a stitch to his heart.

But he was still not clear about the why. Though the answer to the puzzle was a lot clearer than before.

He marched into the station house and promptly entered Alisha's cabin.

She looked up enquiringly at him as he placed the little prescription bottle in front of her.

"The murder weapon," he said quietly and watched her eyes go round with shock.

She stood up urgently. "Where did you find this?"

"Come with me, Alisha. Let's drop this for analysis at the lab. I'll tell you everything on the way,"

Alisha sighed in relief. She had mentally hardened herself for a battle with the mighty ACP Rawte. She was the lead investigator in this murder and it had irked her no end at being kept in the dark by a visiting officer.

It had been avoided.

Gathering up her files and stuffing it in her bag, she followed Arjun out and slid into the passenger seat of his SUV.

They were on their way to the lab to confirm Arjun's suspicion.

Alisha sat stumped as Arjun finish his hypothesis. It was an incredible tale but in light of all the evidence they had the astute policewoman knew that this could be the only way it had happened.

She felt a tad bit sad at the events that were about to unfold.

They waited around while the fast track analysis was carried out by the forensics department.

"What next,Sir?" But she already knew the answer.

He sighed. Alisha could not help but feel that it had gotten very personal for Arjun. The decision was killing him but he was the servant & upholder of the law. No matter how hard it hurt him truth and justice always prevailed.

"You were right,Sir," the forensic expert reported his findings.

"This is what killed Rajneesh. The chemical compound is water soluble and is tasteless. It is possible that it was mixed in his water glass."

Both Alisha & Arjun stepped out and breathed in the cool night air.

"But we have not a shred of proof. How will we make a case? No judge is going to issue an arrest warrant based on what we have. What will we do?" Alisha fretted.

"Confrontation! We will confront with what we have. Let the chips fall wherever after that"

Alisha was unsure.

"Our killer is already broken beyond repair, Alisha. I feel certain we'll get a confession,"

Alisha noticed the faraway look in his eyes.

Composing himself he gave the order.

"Order your team to the Mansingh Mansion. But they will be on standby outside the house," he said firmly.

Alisha nodded curtly and flipped her phone open.

He stood back while Alisha knocked on the door and ordered the staff that opened it that their suspect be asked to come out and speak to the police.

He stood alone in the lawn outside gazing up at the imposing structure, a touch of melancholia in his heart. It was beautiful cool night. The mansion had very pretty lighting and the whole atmosphere was very fairy tale like. He sighed at the tragedy of it all.

Oh! Sweet Lord, he whispered. Please, prove me wrong, he prayed softly.

Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he noticed a movement on the upper floor. He became alert and looked carefully at what was a staircase in a far corner leading up to the terrace. He was sure he saw a woman fleeing up the staircase. He immediately sensed danger and stormed into the house while yelling for the team outside to join them.

Alok was in an argument with Alisha when Arjun came thundering inside.

"Where is the way to the terrace?" he screamed at the inmates of the house.

"QUICK!" Arjun shouted as Alok and a few others looked around confused.

Ramona was missing among the group and Arjun instinctively knew her life was in danger.

All his suspicions were now confirmed.

Alisha was shocked that Arjun had drawn his gun out and had immediately pulled her own out.

One of the man servants led them towards the upper floor and the police team stormed up.

A shocking scene met the police team on the terrace.

At the far side two women were struggling with each precariously perched at the edge of the low balcony railing.

Any one or both could topple over at any moment.

Aadhira was strangling a dazed Ramona with a monster like grip. Her face was contorted with rage with her teeth pulled back and Arjun could not see a trace of the gentle waif like painter he had known for the past so many days.

Ramona was squealing like a little animal caught in a vise. But her faculties were much slower. It dawned on Arjun that she too had been drugged.

"AADHIRAAA!" Arjun thundered as he charged towards her.

She whipped around like a cornered animal and saw the posse of armed policeman pointing their guns at her.

It all happened in a flash. The only thing that Aadhira's frenzied mind registered in those few seconds was that her quarry, her aunt Ramona will escape death if she didn't act fast..

Swiftly turning around with one forceful thrust she threw the woman over the railings.

Ramona's screams pierced the silent night and few seconds later a loud thud was heard as she hit the concrete parking lot floor.

The team was utterly rooted to the spot in shock and took time to recover. Arjun heard Alisha preparing pull back the trigger and quickly shot out a hand to stop her.

"Check on Ramona," he yelled at her while sprinting towards Aadhira who stood like a statue staring triumphantly down at the now dead Ramona sprawled on the ground. Sounds of her laboured breathing was indication what a demonic force she had possessed just a few seconds back. It had started to ebb.

Arjun came near her.

She turned around and looked at him. Her eyes were shining and there was nothing good about it. She was on a different plane altogether.

"Arjun," she whispered to him in an excited tone that a small child would use to share a secret with its best friend.

He stared at her in despair.

"I..." she continued in the same tone.

"You killed them both, Aadhira" he told her quietly his eyes misting over.

She looked at him. She was rapidly losing her steam and her body began swaying with slight tremors. The adrenalin rush was withdrawing and the after math was beginning to dope her body. Her pupils dilated as her lips quivered.

"Because they killed your Ellie," he finished in a small voice.

The wind was out of her. Her face crumpled and she began wailing. She grabbed Arjun's jacket collars and pulled him towards her.

"ELLIE!...ELLIE!"

She cried out in loudly calling out for her daughter, placing her head on his chest. She then slid slowly to the ground and curled up into a ball.

Alisha came running up back and was aghast at the scene in front of her.

"She is dead,"

Prying her eyes off the stricken woman in front of her she reported to Arjun.

She then went to the fallen woman and helped her up to her feet. Another woman constable joined in and together between them they led Aadhira towards the garden chairs placed around the terrace.

She nodded towards the constable and she hurried to get water.

Assured that their suspect was fine Alisha rose to her feet. A lot was to be done. A murder happened right under their noses. She had a lot of ground to cover before anyone could call it a night and she hadn't even started yet.

She looked across at her senior officer and their eyes met.

Arjun was the best man to get Aadhira talking.

She ordered two constables one of them a woman to stay put there. The rest she gave them various instructions.

Nodding to Arjun she walked out of the terrace followed by her men.

Arjun sat opposite to Aadira and both gazed at each other. She was completely broken now. She had refused the water the constable had brought and sat staring morosely at a far distance.

"What happened to Ellie, Aadhira?" Arjun asked her softly.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she began to cry.

Her eyes had not moved from their fixed spot.

"They killed her," she hiccupped. "Rajneesh & Ramona killed my baby."

She laid her head on an arm and rested on the table.

"Tell me what happened," Arjun prodded her slowly.

She sat up and swallowed hard. Wiping her face she tried to compose herself.

She began the sordid tale of betrayal, deceit and murder.

" I disliked Rajneesh the moment I set my eyes on him. I could see right through him that he was man with no scruples or morals. That he was incapable of loving anyone but himself. I married him only for Ellie's sake. So Ellie and I could be together. I wanted to look after her and raise her.

That is why when I first got inkling of Rajneesh siphoning off huge amounts of money from my family estate I pretended not to notice. I never cared for money. It never did me any good. But it mattered a lot to Rajneesh. So he got together with my father' sister and his long time manager Joy and began scraping away at the wealth.

I also knew about his numerous affairs, one of them with my aunt right under this roof. For reasons beyond me I did not feel the need to put up even a weak protest. I simply didn't care about these people in my life. I let them be and expected them to let Ellie and me be.

Ellie used to wake in the middle of the night and walk around the house. I tried to tell her many times that it was dangerous to do so but she wouldn't listen. Some nights I would wake up and bring her back to bed. That night...that night...I slept"

Aadhira broke into fresh sobs at this point. Arjun remained silent.

Alisha had returned at this point and quietly slipped in the seat beside Aadhira.

The next morning I did not find her in her bed. I looked all over the house and the grounds but she was nowhere to be seen. I was out of mind. My staff ran into all the neighbours houses and the shops lining the streets outside but no one knew where my Ellie was.

I ran to Rajneesh to tell him but he was least bothered about his own daughter. When I went hysterical he told me coldly that Ellie was taken away by her mother in the middle of the night. My world came crashing down. My Ellie..."

She sobbed hard as if her heart would break. It was a heart rending sight.What Arjun would not give to take her in his arms and hush her.

But there was no holding Alisha back. She put an arm on Aadhira's shoulder and tried to comfort her.

But instead of being calmed she exploded.

"BUT HE WAS LYING. THE SON OF A BITCH KILLED HER." she howled.

Alisha's hand shot out to her mouth in shock and she blurted,"Ellie is dead?"

Aadhira clamped her hair in her hands as she fought for control as she wanted to let it all out.

"He pounded her head with a stone and buried my baby in the back garden,"

Everyone stood frozen in their spot and the only sounds were Aadhira's pitiful wails.

Alisha and Arjun rose at the same moment.

Alisha held the hysterical woman and asked her urgently," Where in the garden, Aadhira? You have to tell us. Please,"

It was a spot she had spent many a lonely nights crying for her lost daughter. Begging God to give her Ellie back. She could have walked there blindfolded.

She stumbled from her seat and ran head long across the terrace and down the staircase. Alisha, Arjun and the police team followed closely behind.

Soon there were on the far side of the mansion gardens. It was quite away from the house and the gates and this particular area was not much lighted either. The police used their powerful torches to light the place which Aadhira had silently pointed out.

She then crumpled to the ground.

A sombre silence prevailed as the a decomposed body of the little girl was lifted out from the shallow grave. The entire crowd was aghast at the way the little one's head had been smashed in.

Alisha fought back tears as she oversaw the exhumation process following protocol to the T.

"Aadhira must not see Ellie this way," Arjun thought fiercely.

She had fallen unconscious and had been whisked away to the Government Hospital in Nasik.

Last reported she was still under sedation. Once they were done here they had to leave immediately to question her further.

Arjun wanted to know what sort of monster would do this to his own seven year old deaf and mute daughter.

Ellie body was transferred to another ambulance. Arjun found Alisha standing near the stretcher looking down at the girl's broken form.

Sensing his presence Alisha quickly wiped the lone tear from the corner of her eye.

"Why?" she whispered.

"That is what we have to find out. Come, Alisha,".

Slipping on his Ray Bans he strode out to his SUV. After instructing the forensic team and deputing her best man to supervise the procedure Alisha joined him. Both drove out of there in silence.

Alok was parked outside the room. He charged at Arjun the moment he spotted him walking towards the room where Aadhira was.

"Why? Why couldn't you leave it alone? What have you gained by killing the poor kid once gain? Hasn't she suffered enough?" he demanded shaking with angry sobs.

Arjun answered him gently," Alok, she would have surrendered to the police once she was done with Ramona. You know that,"

Alok cried stuffing his hand into his mouth. "I should have done something. But I never knew I was living with a demons until it was too late. I should have killed them myself,"

"Sir, she is awake," a nurse informed them. Alisha and Arjun moved on into the hospital room.

Aadhira jumped out and rushed to Arjun.

"Where is Ellie?" she asked brokenly holding his collar gently.

"Sit, Aadhira. We need to ask you a lot of questions," he led her back to the bed and made her sit. She seemed a lot more composed and at peace with herself. Whether it was the sedatives or the fact that her revenge was over he wasn't sure. Though he believed the latter to be more likely.

Alisha pulled up chairs near the bed and sat down. Arjun too took a seat.

Alisha: Aadhira, your daughter was brutally murdered and buried behind your own house. For six months. How could you not tell the police?

She smiled in a painful way. "He would have found a way to get all charges dismissed against him and come out and kill me. He is much too powerful. I could not let him know I knew the truth until I could get my hands on him first,"

Alisha: But why would he do this? I cannot wrap my head around the fact that a father would kill his daughter in such a cruel manner.

Aadhira took a deep breath.

"My aunt was a very hungry woman. There just wasn't enough money, clothes, jewelry or...men for her. Having a husband and a lover in the same house wasn't enough for her. She had to have her hands inside Joy Dutta's pants too. Rajneesh caught them in the shed at the back of the house. He was so enraged he shot him dead. Ramona begged his forgiveness and saved herself."

Both the officers took a collective gasp.

"My Ellie who used to roam around at night ventured farther than I had imagined. She saw it all happen from the balcony."

It was a night when one shock after the other kept coming. Both looked at each other.

"Ramona noticed her. But being mute & deaf she was not an immediate threat to them. Rajneesh simply shooed away my terrified girl."

"I found her feverish and very scared the next day. She was just too terrified to tell me what happened to her. My Ellie had just begun to read and write. She began writing strange stuff on her book which did not make any sense to me. But it did to someone else. It freaked out Ramona badly. She intercepted Ellie and threatened her. Later when Rajneesh came he too shook her badly and warned her against saying anything to anyone. Soon the police came around to enquire about Joy.When Rajneesh noticed Ellie hanging around with her sketch book that's when he decided to do away with her."

"He was a weak man. He would not have lasted in the jail. With his own daughter testifying against him there was no way he would escape jail. So one night they grabbed Ellie out of her room and took her to the back of the mansion."

Aadhira let out a huge sob and turned purple.

"She could not even scream. My baby could not even call out to her momma. She just mewled like a little kitten but it did not touch the heartless monsters.

Ramona held her while Rajneesh bashed her head in with a stone...again ...and again..

Aadhira let out a cry of anguish. Alisha's heartbeat caught hearing the poor woman beg for her child to be returned to her. Arjun's eyes clouded with anger at the dead man.

Several moments passed before Aadhira composed herself.

"I decided I had to kill them myself. I played cat and mouse with them for six months. Their nervous looks, their fights among themselves, Rajneesh incurring mounting losses in the business due to being distracted , his reputation tarnishing in the business community all gave me some relief from the agony that I was going through.

I had enough. So I decided to do away with them. I usually went to meet Alok Dada's doctor when he came to see him here. I noted the instruction he'd give him while prescribing Thaloxin. I mixed a few drops in Rajneesh's water glass as he was leaving for his drinks party. Then I followed him to make sure he dies. You saw me that night."

She smiled at the memory.

"I felt so much at peace that night when news came that Elli'e killer was dead. But there was still Ramona. Tonight my work is done,"

"Arrest me, Arjun. And ask them hang me. I want to be with my Ellie. Please," She looked beseechingly at him. He looked back at her wondering at the avalanche of misfortunes this poor woman had to face.

She finished and leaned back and closed her eyes.

There was complete silence in the room. An array of emotions were churning inside Alisha. She had seen the worst of humanity but this was low.

Which is why she failed to raise the most important question of all.

But Arjun missed nothing.

"Aadhira," he called softly. Alisha looked at him.

"How do you know what happened to Ellie?"

Alisha spun her head towards Aadhira. Of course! She sat up to hear.

Aadhira looked at him but did not reply.

"You described everything as if it happened in front of your eyes. Were you there too? Why didn't you intervene? Why didn't you call the police immediately?" Arjun leaned in front and looked intently at her.

"No Arjun. I was not there. Do you think I would have let them do that to Ellie?" She sounded shocked.

"Then how do you know all this in so much detail?" he asked her.

She looked around lost.

Both the police officers looked at her waiting for an explanation.

"Aadhira.." Arjun prodded her.

"Ellie told me." She whispered.

Alisha & Arjun exchanged glances.

Alisha asked confusedly," Ellie? You mean she told you about Joy's murder?"

Aadhira looked at them.

"No. If I had known then I would called the police and my Ellie would be with me today."

"Aadhira, I am not clear. Ellie told you all this? When?"

"After she died. Ellie told me how they killed her and Joy."

Alisha let out a breath in shock.

Arjun sat up. His mind was in turmoil. Had she lost it finally? What exactly had happened here?

Taking a deep breath Arjun spoke in a firm voice.

"Get hold of yourself, Aadhira. How could Ellie tell you all this? She is dead"

She looked more confused and lost.

"I see dead people, Arjun. I see people who have been brutally killed before their time."

Alisha's jaw dropped. A terrible thought hit Arjun.

He strode over to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Have you been making up stories about Rajneesh? Is this all your imagination?" he shook her.

"No, Arjun. Believe me. I am telling the truth"

"Have you done something to Ellie, Aadhira? Did you kill Rajneesh & Ramona to hide your deed?" he thundered.

Aadhira's face twisted in shock and anger. He did not want to believe it himself. But things were going way out of control now. He had to get her to speak.

"Arjun! How could you? HOW COULD YOU? she grabbed his collars and began to cry.

"I will never hurt my Ellie," she sobbed.

"You have to tell us how you know all this. There has to be a logical explanation." Alisha reasoned with her. She was sure Aadhira was mentally ill.

"Tell me how did you find out about this whole thing? Did they have an accomplice?" Arjun demanded. "Is Alok involved? Are you trying to protect him?"

"Ellie told me," she replied closing her eyes as she fought for strength.

"Dead people don't talk, Aadhira." Arjun screamed at her.

Aadhira looked straight at Arjun and said emphatically," I see & talk to dead people, Arjun. I spoke to Ellie just like I speak to Nandita,"

The ground below Arjun's feet gave away as the air left his lungs.

Nandita Thakur