Lawrence announced very happily. Filo and few more of the kitchen staff had gathered in the huge living room. They looked worried. What will their future be. Yes they had the money that their master had given them. But none of them stopped coming to work. They loved Coming to work at the Mansion. Seeing their worried and glum faces Lawrence assured them they will be retained and nothing will change. Only thing is they will work for him and his wife. And that Asths can't live with them even if she comes out. Filo was the first to step forward and announce her that she works only for Her mistress Astha madam. Of she's not going to be living here neither will she. Others followed suit. This infuriated Lawrence and Sylvia. He barked "just the who the hell do you think? You can't quit on me, I fire you all. You're all fired. Get out of my house. And that goes out for you too" he said looking with disgust at Shlok. "Don't get too comfortable, she's coming back soon" Shlok said looking him straight in the eyes. Arjun tugged at him not to get into a verbal spat with him. He thanked filo and told her giving him his card to call him if needed. Filo thanked him. And they were on their way out.
Samuel came by the station and gave a statement. He said that she was able to drive but he never allowed her to use Mr & Mrs Almeidas cars for their personal use. Although Mrs. Almeida had always insisted them to use her car. Few times he had used but never his daughter Mary. He also revealed that she had fallen in love with a Muslim boy and she was going to convert to Islam which he was against. He also said Mrs. Almeida tried to reason with him. Urging him to accept her decision. Few weeks prior to Mr. Almeidas' death she eloped said she's moving to a new city and starting a new life with her husband. "She sent me her marriage certificate by post. After raising her alone from the day she was born when her mother died giving birth. He became more important than me. She left her papa without a second thought for a boy she met few months ago" he said with tears in his eyes. For some reason he felt sorry for him. As if he knows what he's feeing. He had the copy of their marriage certificate with him. They took a photocopy of it. And asked to see the envelope. To see from where is had been posted from. They were lucky he had kept it with him. They took a photocopy of that as well. Shlok and Arjun thanked him for coming over.
They were able to find out the city and from the post stamp. It was posted from Hedge Nagar, Bangalore on the 3rd of October. Almeida was killed on the 22 October. So she was well and truly gone by then. They never even interviewed her. She wasn't even mentioned. They understood why. Her father was angry with her. She was dead to him. Apparently not. The dates in the photos was 10th September. So she may have got a payback for pretending to be like Astha. She needed the money to relocate and start her new life. Shlok sent a fingerprinting expert to check her Range Rover as well as her closet. The dress, the accessories she was seen wearing in the pictures too were to be brought in as evidence. They needed to speak to Ashta as well. They needed to find out if she had given her ATM to get money for her. Or if she knew her PIN. Things are falling into place. If only he was not so Busy trying to keep his skirt from blowing in the wind.
They showed the the picture of Mary to Ajith, but he failed to recognise her. But he wanted to enter a plea bargain, but both Shlok and Arjun rejected the offer. They had more evidence to clear her name so they weren't ready to let him get off that easily. He must pay for his crime. They needed to find Mary. For they had lifted more than one fingerprint off the steering wheel. Shlok's was there as well. It was his, Asthsas, and another set of fingerprints belonging to a smaller hand. When the forensic expert insisted on cross checking the data base for the other bigger what he rightly assumed to be of a male, he asked him to concentrate more on the Unidentified smaller finger print. Even her sunglasses had the same smaller print. As did her Debit Card. They even found few strands of loose hairs on the car Floor mats which definitely didn't belong to Astha! For hers was curly this was straight.
Seeing the pace of the investigation gave him much needed respite from feeling of total loss of hope. He felt as if finally he's doing something for her. He found solace in his sleepless nights calling the prison Hospital and inquiring about her. She was recovering well. But he knew it's only the physical scars that's healing not the deep emotional wounds that's still kept open.
Three days after Ashta was hospitalised they were back to question her. Even though She said she didn't want to see him ever again. He wasn't one to loose out on an opportunity to see her again. Arjun was to ask all the questions. He watched her from afar. He didn't want to upset her. As much as he wanted to be close to her as possible, at least now he wanted to listen to her. Not act like a arrogant oxymoron. He was talking to the Matron. But his eyes kept wondering towards her. She wasn't looking at his direction at all. But he wished she would. He wanted to see her eyes. Her reaction to seeing him.
Arjun didn't know what he should say? How to start the conversation? What do you say to would be mother that's just lost her first born that too under such tragic circumstances. Not to mention lying in the Prison hospital bed.
Arjun was very careful with line of questions and the tone he used on her. He knew she's not in the best mental state of mind to face a barrage of unwanted and uninteresting questions. Looking into her eyes he saw the difference. From the feisty, confident to now lost and empty...that's what he felt. She looked empty. Her eyes looked disinterested. As if she couldn't care less if the whole world comes to an end. He felt sorry for their plight. They could've had it all. And now they have lost it all. She looked him straight in the eyes and answered to his questions.
"Mrs.Almeida...I'm sorry to trouble you but there has been some new developments. And we need to clarify few things. May I continue?"
"Do I have a choice. By all means, you don't need to ask for my permission now when no one asked before they killed my baby or when everyone accused me of murder? " she said without showing any emotion.
All the while she was looking at Arjun and trying to answer his questions. She felt his gaze on her. Even with her back turned to him she could feel his dark eyes on her. Something's will never change. he was standing some fifty meters away from her she still felt him. She was making a conscious effort not to look at him, but in an instant their eyes met. She tried not to feel his presence, but she couldn't deny her eyes. Or rather her eyes betrayed her. She remembered her last words to him. The thought of never ever seeing him seemed unimaginable and ominous. He looked at her with longing and regret. She wanted to tear her perfidious eyes from him. But she felt paralysed. Her eyes were guilty of mutiny. Arjun saw her shifting eyes. He felt awkward standing between them. As if he's come between a lovers spat. In a way he is. He instinctively looked back. And he wasn't surprised. Shlok maintained his gaze but she couldn't. She fixed her eyes on Arjun again.
Arjun wished it was Shlok who was standing in his place instead of him. But he didn't have a choice just like her. He had to do this. It's his job. He'd rather be interrogating a murderer. But you are man. But she's innocent.
"Mrs. Almeida" he had to continue ignoring her statement. "I need to ask you you few questions on Mary. We believe she's the impersonator. Did she ever drive your Range Rover?"
"For the record I refuse to believe she's behind it, but she never did nor did she ask to drive"
"Did she have access to your room"
"Of course she did, all the women who worked had no restrictions to my room"
"Have you ever given your debit card to her or to any one else?"
Asthas facial expressions changed. As is she remembered something.
"I did. She wanted some money from me. And I gave her my card and the PIN. She did bring me the receipt" she said still without any emotions. He thought she'd be happy about the new developments in her case. She could walk free. But she seemed to care less.
"Have you used the. Card afterwards?"
"No" came the simple answer. And her eyes fought with her yet again to meet his. They won. She looked away. This was happening under the watchful eyes Detective Arjun Gohkle. All is not lost he said to himself.
"It's possible she may have switched the card. That's how she was able to withdraw from your account multiple times. Mrs. Almeida. Since you weren't checking the balance nor using it on a regular basis she had ample opportunity to switch it back, or the card you had with you is a dummy card" Arjun continued trying to shed some light and stress on the importance of finding Mary. All they had was circumstantial evidence, if compiled and presented well it could hold in a court of Law. They could even ask for Bail. But she seemed detached from it all. Her calm stoic demeanour gave Arjun a very uneasy vibe. Not pleasant at all.
"Mrs. Almeida, did Mary tried to contact you after she left with her husband?"
"She called me twice. Once few days after leaving home. She was staying at one of her husbands friends place in Bangalore. I offered her money as well. But she said her husband came into some money and that they'd be alright. She was pregnant as well. Nobody knew about it. She promised me not to tell her father specially. She said she's happy. And she asked for my forgiveness. I told her that she should ask forgiveness from her father not me. Then she called me again when James was killed. She kept saying sorry and that she didn't know. It makes sense now. I thought she was sad for me. But she was sorry for her part in this whole mess she was part of. Nothing since then" she said with a deep sigh. Yet another betrayal she thought. She treated her like a sister. And she back stabbed her and left her to rot in hell. She's has no one but her own self to blame for everything that's happened to her this time around. She trusted people without knowing them completely. She always wanted to think and see the best of people. And see where it landed her?
"Mrs. Almeida, can you tell us about her husband Shabir Taha. Even her father didn't know anything other than his name and his religion. Did she confide in you? We need to find them ASAP. And he's our best chance to locating Mary" Arjun further reiterated. Arjun was happy to see her cooperating with the investigation and being forthcoming with what ever she knows. It's almost as if she was doing out of compulsion. If she could control it she wouldn't answer any. And just tell him go to hell. But he was glad for what ever reason she wasn't doing so and talking.
"He was a cab driver. Working For a private company. That's how they met each other as well. She told me he has a friend in Bangalore that works for the biggest private cab company, thus has promised him to get a job once he moves there"
"Mrs. Almeida, have you seen him or do you have a picture of them together?" He hoped he's not pushing his luck with her.
"No. Not seen him and no pictures"
"Do you know the company he worked here in Mumbai" he was sure now she'd ask her to sit here and she'd go and look for him in Bangalore and hand him over in a silver platter.
"I think it's Sonic Cabs" Arjun was surprised even further. The more he spoke to her the more he felt just how right they were for each other. And felt sad at the same time for his friend. She is a innately genuine and a good person he felt. But then why did she loose so much at such a young age?
He didn't want to tire her more. They had enough Information to further their investigation. Their main target was to locate Mary. And their next stop will be the office of Sonic Cabs. He thanked her for her cooperation and left from there. As he was walking away from her he saw Shlok looking at her. He didn't dare turn back and look at her. Shlok almost didn't see him until Arjun tapped his shoulder. He was lost looking at her looking at the iron grilled window. He wished to take her with him and hold her till her sorrows fade away. But he lost that right. And she doesn't want anything to do with him. It's his reality and sooner he accepts it the better it would be for him. You sure could become a regular on the daytime talk shows. Springer to Oprah. The cop who f***ed up! Be proud of your achievements.
"Come on buddy let's go" Arjun managed to get his attention.
Once in the car, Arjun was driving and Shlok asked "how is she?"
Arjun wanted to say she's doing well. In a way she was. But he knew as well as Shlok that was not the case. "She seemed ok. But don't know man, she looked empty" he regretted it the moment he realised what "empty" could imply.
"what to do you expect from her man, she just lost the baby. You want her to be jumping up on the bed?" Lost babies father replied very defensively. "She's entitled to feel which ever the way she f***ing feels" he was loosing it. "I'm sorry Buddy! That's not what I meant. She seemed very distant. So aloof. As if she's given up" shit Just keep on digging the pit deeper and deeper. Just keep your mouth shut. I'm sure he knows exactly how she's feeling. No need for breaking news flashes and total pandemonium.
They drove in slince. Arjun in his pit...and Shlok in his hell. Seetha and Geetha BFF in disarray! Arjun couldn't help but think with a smirk. It was his best quality, he was not a bitter person, he's had a normal childhood. He loved life and appreciated everything life has given him. Honest and loyal. Yet to fall in love but hopeful it'll soon happen to him too. Optimistic. Sometimes tend to be ignorant. But he always said ignorance is bliss! To which Shlok always said... "Keep dreaming Nancy" to which he would make a lewd gesture.
After a while Shlok asked Arjun what she knew and where they are heading out to? Arjun told him all that she said and things were back to normal. No uneasy silence.
The office of Sonic Cabs was a small but a busy one. As they were getting out of the car he said "wonder which genius came up with the name Sonic? Sonic speed in streets of Mumbai! What a joke"
"We shall see in find out" said Arjun Glad to see his partner having a normal conversation.
They were able to get a photograph of Mary's husband. And the manager cum dispatcher cum office boy told them that he wanted a letter of recommendation from them for the new company he was gonna work. He didn't remember the name. Arjun asked "which is the largest cab company in Bangalore?" "Meru Cabs" the gentleman replied. "Was that the one?" Shlok asked. "No not that" was the reply from him.
On their return Tyson wanted a status update on the case. They walked in and with the new information they have gathered so far today. Arjun was feeling good about the progress.
. Shlok looked at his Cheif, Tyson was seated behind his desk. At least when he's seated he looked little bit less intimidating. The desk almost seemed too small for him. Everything was so meticulously arraigned. Nothing out of place. Not even a single sheet of paper. He was the busiest man in the unit and it looked as if he did nothing. That spoke volumes of his character. I bet he removes and folds all the clothes before he shag his poor wife. You're sick man. Perve, not the most pleasant thoughts. Good luck getting those images out of you're head. Worst than seeing you're parents doing it, no that's worst. Shlok
"Well what are you girls waiting for. For the mehendi to dry? Baraath is already waiting outside" came the familiar gruff voice. Shlok was brought back from Tyson's bedroom to his office. Neither pleasant.
Arjun spoke up for he was the one in charge. Shlok didn't want to steal his thunder. He updated SSP Kannar on all the new information they have been able to gather. And SSP Kannar was impressed and pleased. But he was not one to show his happiness nor his anger. Stone cold Tyson. The Rock. He should've been a WWF wrestler.
"Good" that's the best they'd get from Stone cold Tyson that resembled a pat in the back for a job well done. Arjun was happy with that. "Get going and start calling the Cab companies of you have to find this Roadside Romeo. Do I have to come and help you with the Suhaag Raat as well" with that they were out of there. Not wanting to be part of Comedy Nights with Kannar.
Arjun came running to his cabin and he was out of breath. "We found him"
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
