Chapter 19:--11:30 AM, Thursday, Police Station --
"Vikram is here sir ji," Satya poked his head in Maan's cabin and left. Maan was in front of the interview room with in next five minutes and saw Satya waiting for him.
"How is he?" Maan asked Satya.
"He is a little nervous about the whole thing but looks like he is completely freaked out." Satya said. Maan entered the room and slapped the file he had in his hand on the table making Vikram jump a little in surprise.
"Why did you cheat on Geet?" Maan didn't bother with pleasantries and delved right in. Even Satya was taken aback a little.
"I...err...I don't know what you are talking about," Vikram stammered looking at Maan and nervousness raising an octave. Maan took couple of photos of Vikram and Anjali in compromising position and threw them on the table.
"Now?" Maan asked. Vikram shut up immediately and ran his hands over the face.
"I didn't mean to sir, trust me." Vikram pleaded.
"You didn't mean to what Vikram?" Satya asked.
"This whole thing got out of hand few months ago. Geet and I had things in common, yes, but Anjali and I really connected. Stuff like this happens, you know?" Vikram said in an almost pleading tone.
"When did you meet Geet first?" Maan asked.
"We met at the first time at an art gallery. Geet is interested in art and for me it was more like an obligation to be there in that gallery on that day. I met her that day and we hung around for a while. I asked her out for coffee and she agreed. After that we started meeting more often and I officially asked her out. I was actually surprised that she agreed to date me," Vikram said. Maan and Satya looked at each other.
"Geet isn't really forthcoming with her emotions sir. It took both of us a while to open up to one another. She has this shadow of despair always following her. Quite frankly it got little annoying after first couple of months. She introduced me to Anjali one day and it was almost as if she was throwing me at her friend. It was the most dispassionate exhibition of companionship I have ever seen. And with my luck, Anjali and I really hit it off. I don't know why but Geet started bringing Anjali with us all the time. In the beginning I complained but later on I realized that I enjoyed Anjali's company more than Geet." Vikram finished.
"Why didn't you break up with Geet then?" Satya asked.
"I don't know honestly. Everything was going great actually. Geet was this woman to whom sexuality was something that was hidden in the dark corners of the room. Physical intimacy wasn't her best forte nor was it something she was comfortable with." Vikram sighed. It felt very awkward to talk about two strangers about his sex life.
"And you had a problem with this, didn't you?" Satya sneered. Vikram ignored him.
"And then there was Anjali. It was very easy being with her and just flow away in hours of passion. She wasn't interested in naming our relationship nor was she interested in us being together out in public." Vikram replied.
"Where were you on the day of Anjali's murder?" Maan asked.
"I have been out of the city for most part of this fortnight sir. I had planned to drive in to the city if your officer ever asked me to come in. Exporting art is one of my businesses and it keeps me on the road from time to time. You can check with the guest house I stayed in and also my office staff will vouch for my presence," Vikram answered.
"Did you know if Mal had any boyfriends?" Maan asked.
"I don't know sir since Geet never mentioned about it."
"Did Anjali see anyone else besides you?" Satya asked.
"No sir. I was her lover and she made it very clear that she loved me a lot. We dreamed of getting married one day when she could actually give a name to our relationship and walk hand in hand in public," Vikram said wistfully.
"Did anyone else know about your relationship with her?" Maan asked.
"No sir, I don't think so. We were very discreet about our relationship."
"Was she being blackmailed?" Satya asked. Vikram looked alarmed.
"I am asking because her boutique's accountant seems to think that Anjali embezzled money from her workplace. People embezzle money when they have to pay off blackmailers without leaving a paper trail," Satya said. Vikram looked at him in surprise.
"No sir. She wasn't blackmailed or anything. If there was anything that serious, then she would have told me. Besides if she was being blackmailed due to her affair with me, then we would have come clean to Geet and dated in public. That's what we had discussed and agreed upon," Vikram replied earnestly.
Maan and Satya looked at each other. Vikram didn't know.
"This interview is still not over. Please make yourself available when we call you to be here. But for now, you can go." Maan collected file and photos and left.
"Can you recognize this man?" Satya asked Vikram as Vikram also stood up and was about to leave. Maan waited for the response. Satya was showing Vikram photo of the second man Anjali was sleeping with. It was a long shot but Maan was impressed with Satya's line of thinking.
"That's Varun," Vikram said looking at Satya surprised.
"Who is Varun?" Maan asked.
"Varun is my younger brother," Vikram replied.
Maan and Satya looked at each other in surprise.
--5:30 PM, Thursday, Police Station --
"Deshmukh wants to talk to you for a minute before you leave station to meet DCP. He has been on the phone talking with Mal's coworkers for most part of the day and now he is getting a briefing from his team," Satya came in and handed Maan couple of files.
"Let's go then," Maan said. They found Deshmukh at his desk filing the warrant and the material that warrant had fetched and also oh phone. He muted the call as he saw his boss walking to his workplace.
"I am surprised that you managed to score the report from the detective agency. I thought they may put up more resistance." Maan asked.
"They had the material ready sir. Once judge signed the warrant, I had to just go to their office and get the files they had for Mal. Those people having nothing to lose anymore, you know. So they didn't create a lot of fuss for us," Deshmukh said and handed over the file to Maan. Maan browsed through few pages and his jaw hung in shock.
"Is this for real?" Maan asked.
"Yes sir. Ms. Malvika has been their client for a very long time now. And Anjali wasn't the first person she asked them to keep an eye on," Deshmukh said.
"Well, who is the first person then?" Satya asked. Maan handed him the opened file which had a photo on it.
The photo was that of the stalker.
To be continued.
PS: Unwell, so updates for next few days will be slow or short.
Edited by -Sookie- - 13 years ago
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
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