Between the lines-My Story (Ch. Six) Part 1

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Chapter Six ( One )

...and found

The beach at night seems quite peaceful and one can almost drown in the soothing sounds of the waves crashing against the stones. Put that, alongwith a slight breeze and one is almost transported to another world.

But for one girl, these holds no meaning for her. She felt like crying at this very moment. Yet she also want to kill the person who is responsilble for the state she is now.

Yet, standing at the pier, she could not even find a reason as to why her trust has been betrayed in such a way. The man whom she trusted more than her life, to betray her in such a manner'.. Was there something she could not provide him ? No, as she muses, that cannot and will never be the answer. Then, what is the real reason ?

A silent mocking smile plays on her lips. Someone has been right. Yes, there are no friends in business, only rivals and in the way, making enemies. That's what business is all about. The one who has voiced this quotation has been entirely right.

Suddenly, her ears catches the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming up the pier. Without having to look back, she knew that it is him and it was him who first started the conversation.

Man : You called me.

Girl : Why did you do this ?

Man (laughingly) : Looks like you are angry, darling dear.

Girl (turning back furiously to face him) : Do not patronise me Cross. Why did you do this ? I want an answer from you this very minute.

Man (smirking) : From Arthur to Cross, hmmm ? Looks like I have to give you an answer now. The reason is plain and simple. I got bored.

Girl (surprised) : Bored ? Bored of what ? ( Now angry, when the said person turns his back to her ) Damn it, look at me when I am talking to you, Arthur.

Girl (surprised and then suddenly getting angry when he makes no move to face her) : What ? How dare you ? ( Suddenly goes forward and makes him face her) What did you just say to me ? ( She comes closer to him and holds the man's collar) Arthur Cross, did you forget that it was I who has entered you in this business ? You have no right to talk to me like that. I have entered you and it is I who can take you out of this business. Remember that always.

Man ( suddenly smiles ) : Sorry darling, it is now I who holds the cards in this game. You can do nothing now but watch from the sidelines.

Girl (smiling mockingly) : Oh really ? What are you going to do ? Or should I say, what can you do ? Do not talk big. You cannot do anything now, Arthur Cross.

Man : Oh, is that so ? What are you going to do ? Run and tell your boss that I betrayed him ?

Girl (walking past him) : Something like that. I do not know what he will do to you. Pray that he leaves you with all your parts intact.

A sudden soft laugh stops her dead in her tracks.

Man : Is that so ? So you are really going to tell your boss. ( Shakes his head amusingly with a smile on his lips) That's not going to happen. Or, in other words you can say that its never going to happen, not in this lifetime.

The girl suddenly turns back and with amazing speed goes for the man with a knife in her hand. Knowing what was coming, he immediately catches her wrist in a vice-like grip. The moment her wrist was caught, she swings her left foot with the same accuracy and speed at him, this time aiming for his neck. The man blocks her leg with his other wrist just in time to avoid getting his neck sliced by a small knife which was specially hidden in the heel of her shoe.

Then suddenly in the blink of an eye, the girl felt herself being thrown across the pier by the man with the same speed and accuracy with which she has tried to attack him. In the corner of her eye, she saw the man approaching slowly towards her with the same grace and elegance which have earned him admirers among his peers. Just when he was about to bend, she again swungs her foot at him, prompting him to block her upcoming fatal attack, but this time, she manages to grab his neck from behind and points a gun at the side of his head.

Girl (triumhantly) : Do you realise that I could kill you right now before you can even blink your eyes ? ( Frowns when she hears his soft laugh for the second time that night) What's so damn funny ?
Man (laughingly) : Your foolishness. Your threat would have sounded great if it would have come from someone who will see tomorrow.

Girl (angry) : What are you implying ?

Man : This. ( And saying the word, he grabs her hand in which she was holding the gun, and pushes her down on the pier, taking the gun out of her hands and looking directly in her eyes). Do not even try to move ( as he sees her trying to move). The moment you try to move, all the nerves in your body will tear up.

Girl (voice coming angrily in a strangled whisper) : bas***d, what did you do to me ?

Man : I have pricked you with a needle with poison at your main nerve point behind your head and blocked all your main points in your body. Now all the blood in your body will move to your head directly and if you try to move, the blood from your head will come out from every opening of your head and you will die a very painful death. ( Now the man stands up from the crouching position near her and looks towards the distance)

Girl (struggling to talk) : When did you- ( Suddenly stops when she remembers a slight pain behind her neck when she was thrown across the pier )

Man (looking down at her to see her eyes going blank for a second) : Seems like you have remembered. Yes, that was when I pricked you. ( Suddenly smiles when her eyes meets him) Your luck seems to be on your side. There are some people out there in an open party and if they sees you, then they can perhaps save you, but I doubt that it will be that easy for you to survive. Even if they take you to doctor, then also it will be of no use. ( Begins to walk away from her, only to stop at her voice)

Girl : Why ?

Man (without turning back) : You are nothing but a pawn for me. The very moment I saw you that day, I knew that you will be of good use to me.

Girl (voice coming in whisper) : Then what happened between us until now'. Was that all lies ? Those promises we made ?

Man : There was nothing between us and will never be. About what haapened all those days until now, forget what happened. Those promises are never meant to be fulfilled.

Girl (closing her eyes) : You have changed a lot, Arthur. You are not the person Arthur, whom I fell in love that day. Yes, you have changed '.. changed very much'.

Man : I have never changed. This is the way I am and always will be. It is the way of the world. Haven't you told me once that there are no friends in business, only rivals and making enemies along the way ? Hasn't it always been that way ?

Girl (softly laughing) : Yes, that's what I told you, the very first time we met each other. Ironic, isn't it ? Now again, it is the very line that I have to hear from you at the time of my death'. Arthur, go back from where you came, because if they finds out about you, then you know the consequences'. So, do not waste your time here'Go Arthur' please go, please''.. go'

The man stays in that position for a few seconds and then turns back slowly. Just then, a drop of water falls on his face. Another drop falls on his face and then another and in a few seconds, it started raining heavily. He watches her for a few seconds, then moves away from her. After moving a few steps, he again stops and looks back and judging by the peaceful expression on her face, he came to know the obvious that she's no more.

He did not even know when he reached his parked car. Coming to his senses, he sits for a few seconds in his car, reviewing the previous events, and finally, starting the engine, he moves away from that place. Though he knew that he never loved her, and maybe within time, her existence will fade from his memory, but her name will always be etched in his memory.

''''''''''''.

The shrill ring of the official phone of the CID bureau startled everyone in the bureau, disturbing the silent atmosphere alongwith Daya who has entered the bureau.

Daya's eyes strays from the phone to the cabin, where he saw both his seniors, ACP Pradyuman and Senior Inspector Ajay, discussing something seriously. Without any hesitation, Nikhil goes and picks up the phone noticing that others were busy staring at Daya who is watching the interaction between his seniors.

Just as Nikhil was putting the phone, Ajay suddenly looks towards them prompting Daya to look away.

ACP (coming out of his cabin with Ajay) : Haan Nikhil, kya hua ? Kiska phone tha ?

Nikhil : Sir, Greenwood resort ka manager ka phone tha. Uska kehna hai ki uski resort mein ek larki ki laash pari hui hai.

ACP (to all of them) : Theek hai, ek kaam karo. Kajal, tum mobile company waale se Abhijeet ke number ke baare mein pata karo. Dekho ki kis kis number se phone ya message aaya tha aur abhi ye number kaha hai. Mujshe saare details chahiye.

Nodding her head, Kajal goes off to do her designated task as ordered by her senior.

Ajay (to Fredricks and Vivek) : Aur tum dono, Vivek aur Fredricks, aapne aapne khabriyo se poocho. Dekho ki kuch milta hai kya. ( To Daya ) Daya, tumne bhi aapne khabriyo ko iss kaam pe laga diya hai na ?

In response, Daya nods his head but does not say anything.

ACP (to all) : Chalo, chalo, aapne aapne kaam pe lag jao. Tabtak hum iss laash ko dekh ke aate hai.

With this, all moves out to do their designated tasks.

On reaching the said place, thay saw quite a large horde of people trying to take a glimpse of the dead body with three people desperately trying to wave them off. One of the man gives a sigh of relief when he saw the CID coming towards them.

With the people at the sidelines, ACP Pradyuman turns towards the man while Sachin and Nikhil moves towards the dead body with Daya.

ACP (to the man) : Aapne hi hume phone kiya tha ?

Man : Ji, haan. Maine hi aap logo ko phone kiya tha. Mera naam Harish hai aur iss resort ka manager hoon.

ACP : Accha, Harish. Yeh sab kaise hua ? Kuch andaaza hai aapko ki yaha kya hua tha ? Aap toh iss resort ka manager hai.

Harish (shaking his head) : Wohi toh problem hai sir. Main hi yaha ka manager hoon or mujshe hi nahi maloom ki yeh sab kaise ho gaya.

Darashal, main kaal raat ko ghar jaldi gaya tha kyunki mera beta ka bukhar achanak bohot ho gaya. Isliye mijshe doctor ke paas jaana para. Aap chahe toh uss doctor se mere baare mein pooch sakte hai aur main aapko prescription bhi de sakta hoon.

Ajay : Accha, iss resort mein waiters toh honge. Woh log kaha hai ?

Harish (looking beyond Ajay) : Maine unn sab logo ko yeha pe bulaiya hai, baas aate hi honge.

Just then, all the waiters comes alongwith two women and a man.

Harish (to ACP and Ajay) : Yehi hai woh sab waiters jo log yaha kaam karte hai aur kaal raat duty pe bhi the. (Pointing towards the women) Aur yeh yaha ki receptionist aur yeh event manager hai aur (pointing to the man) yeh hai Rahul jo iss resort ko meri absence mein sambhalte hai.

Ajay (to the receptionist) : Aapne kaal iss maare huye larki ko kaal raat yaha aate huye dekha hai, toh akele dekha tha ya uske saath koi aur bhi tha, mera matlab koi dost bagera ?

Receptionist (to Ajay) : Nahi sir. Jab yeh larki aayi thi toh akele hi aayi thi par haan, isne do room book kiya tha. Yeh rahi register aur baaki saare details humare computer mein hai.

Both ACP Pradyuman and Ajay are shocked to see the other name in the register for which the other room was booked.

Ajay (stunned) : Yeh kaise ho sakta hai ? Doosra room toh Arthur ke naam par booked hai. ( To ACP) Sir, yeh toh wohi naam hai jo Abhijeet ki sale papers par tha. Iska naam iss resort ke register pe kaise. Sir, main iss Arthur ke baaki details dekh ke aata hoon ( Goes with the receptionist back to the resort).

ACP (to the waiters) : Yaha kaal kisi ne ek aadami ko iss larki ke saath aate huye dekha hai ?

Waiter 1 : Nahi sir. Hum logo ne kisi aadmi ko iss larki ke saath nahi dekha.

Manager (annoyed) : Yeh kaise ho sakta hai ? Kisine kuch bhi nahi dekha. Aur tum Rahul, aap tum bhi toh yehi kahogi ki maine bhi kisi ko iss larki ke saath nahi dekha. Main ek raat ke liye thora jaldi jaata hoon aur tum log ne toh sab kuch idhar udhar kar diye. Maine kaha tha kisiko uss pier pe jaane ke liye maana hai. Tum uss larki ko keh nahi sakte the ? Agar kaha hota, toh shayaad woh larki aaj jinda hoti.

Just then Daya comes upto ACP Pradyuman.

Daya : Sir, laash mein kuch garbar hai. Yeh larki ki body toh poori tarah se stiff ho gaya hai. Mera matlab hia ki, jab kisi ki maut hoti hai, toh body stiff ho jata hai, par yeh stiffness kuch alaag hi hai aur haan poore body par koi kuch chot bot ka nishaan nahi hai. Ab toh Salunkhe sir hi kuch bata sakte hai ki iss larki ki maut kaise hui hai.

ACP : Theek hai. Bhej do laash Salunkhe ke paas. Dekhte hai ki woh kya kehta hai.

Daya : Aur ek baat sir. Sachin ko iss larki ke paas ek gun bhi mila hai aur woh bhi poori loaded hai. Ek bhi goli nahi chali hai uss gun se.

Just then, Sachin and Nikhil comes upto them.

Sachin : Aur haan sir. Nikhil ko bhi kuch mila hai.

At this, both Daya and ACP Pradyuman turns to look at Nikhil who opens up his gloved hand to reveal a very beautiful ring.

ACP (taking the ring and examining it closely) : Good work Nikhil. ( Suddenly smiles) Oh ho, toh yeh baat hai.

Sachin (curious) : Kya hua sir ?

ACP (showing the ring to them) : Dhyaan se dekho iss ring ko. Kuch pata chala ?

Daya (suddenly remembering) : Haan sir. Yeh toh wohi ring hai jo Vivek ne hum sabse kah atha. Yeh ring toh wohi ring hai jo uss larki ne pehena tha jisne Abhijeet ke ghar ke sale papers uss Dhyaan ko diya tha.

ACP (nods his head) : Bilkul, Daya. Yeh wohi ring hai.

Nikhil : Matlab, yeh larki wohi hai. Par isse maara kisne hoga ?

ACP : Yehi toh pata lagana hai. ( To Sachin) Sachin, ek kaam karo. Uss Dhyaan ko iss ring aur larki ki photo MMS se bhej do. Aakhir pata toh chale ki yeh ring aur yeh larki wohi hai ya nahi jo usne dekha tha.

Just as Sachin goes away to do the needful, Ajay comes upto them.

Ajay (to ACP) : Sab kuch garbar ho gaya hai sir. Jis larki ko hum log koi aur hi samaj rahe the woh toh koi aur hi nikla. Aur yeh Arthur toh aur hi kuch nikla.

ACP (curious) : Kya nikla ?

By this time, Sachin also returns.

Sachin (to ACP) : Haan sir, yeh dono wohi hai, ring bhi wohi hai aur larki bhi wohi hai, jo uss din uske paas aaya tha.

ACP (nods his head) : Theek hai, Scahin aur haan, Ajay aab batao kya pata chla inn dono ke baare mein ?

Ajay : Pehli baat, iss larki ka naam Sheetal nahi hai jaise ki woh Dhyaand ne bataiya tha. Iska naam Raiha hai aur jab maine iss ki kamre ki talaashi li toh mujshe yeh mobile aur ek plane ka ticket mila, US jaane ke liye, jo ki kaal raat ke liye booked tha. Maine call kiya tha toh unn logone mujshe bataya ki jiske liye yeh ticket booked tha, woh toh ticket lene ke liye aaya hi nahi. Aur aapko pata hai, yeh ticket kiske naam par booked hai, wohi Arthur Cross ke liye. Aur iss mobile pe sim card ya memory card kuch bhi nahi hai. Shayaad khooni ne ya phir yeh Arthur ne le gaya hoga.

Aur yeh Arthur Cross, iska toh sab kuch nakli nikla. Phone number se lekar email id se lekar home address tak, sab nakli hai. Aab mujshe yeh lagne laga hai ki shayaad iska naam Arthur nahi balki kuch aur hi hai.

Haan , aur ek baat, isne apne booked kiya hua room pe gaya hi nahi. Shayaad, yeh Arthur ne hi iss Raiha ka khoon karke sim aur memory card leke chala gaya.

Suddenly, a loud voice startles all of them. Turning back, they saw the manager shouting at the waiters at the top of his voice.

Manager (shouting at the waiters) : Suna tum logo ne ? Itna sab kuch ho gaya aut tum logo ko kuch bhi nahi pata-

Suddenly, a quiet voice interrupts prompting the manager to stop and look towards the source of the voice alongwith the CID.

Girl (quietly) : Sir, maine kuch dekha tha.

Ajay : Aapne kuch dekha tha ? Kya dekha tha aapne ?

Girl : Darashal, baat yeh hai ki, kaal raat ko yaha ek party tha, koi Mr. Armand ne diya tha apni wife ke jaanam din ke liye. Main ek event manager hoon aur uske hisaab se main last minute arrangements ke liye ek baar check karne ke liye gayi thi. Tabhi maine door se ek aadmi ko iss pier pe jaate huye dekha tha aur uss pier pe koi aur bhi ruka hua tha pehle se hi jo ki shayaad yeh Raiha hi hoga.

Ajay : Tab time kitna hua tha ?

Girl : Karibban baara baaje ke aas paas hoga. Mujshe poora yakeen hai kyunki laut te samay jab maine apna ghaari dekha tha tab baara baajne mein sirf do teen minute hi tha.

Ajay : Uske baad kya hua ?

Girl : Uske baad main bhi waha se chala gaya kyunki mujshe laga ki dono ke beech private baat hi hoga. Phir thori der baad main phir se aaya unhe dekhne ke liye ki woh log wahi pe hai ya nahi kyunki itni raat ko uss pier pe jaana maana hai, height ke karan. Woh log wohi pe the. Phir thori der baad kaafi baarish hua aur maina tab bhi dekhne ke lye gaya aur mujshe waha uss pier pe koi dikhai nahi diya. Maine socha ki shayaad woh log chale gaye honge. Shayaad agar paas gayi hoti toh shayaad yeh larki mujshe wohi uss pier pe milti.

ACP : Shayaad. ( To Daya ) Daya, isse woh sketch dikhao toh jo hume uss gaon mein se mila hai.

Daya shows her the sketch only to get reply in negative.

ACP (shaking his head) : Jidhar jao, udhar Arthur. Pehle uss sale papers mein aur aab yaha, iss resort ke register mein. Yeh aakhir hai kaun ?

Ajay (looking at the staff) : Humari chanbeen poora nahi hone tak koi bhi yeh seher chorkar bahaar nahi jajega. ( To the manager ) Aur haan manager, uss doctor ka aata pata dijiye jiske paas aap kaal raat ko gaye the aur saath mein uska diya hua prescription bhi.

And without any further ado, they moved out of the resort.

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