Hi Everyone,
Here's the next chapter for this story. I am happy with the response that I am getting for this one too. Thank you everyone for accepting this as well as any of my other works. I feel blessed to have you all a my readers.
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Chapter 3
"Miss Farooqui if you would tell me what it is you're looking for we can go on from there." Zoya looked at him a little skeptically not sure weather to give him the complete details or not. She had already been deceived by the ones who were to protect her. Understanding her delima Asad looked in her eyes soi she would see that there was no harm that he would do to her "You can tell me Miss Farooqui, I will see if I can help. If not then I will get someone who will be able to help you". He stood there watching her eyes that were still clouded with confusion. Getting impatient he sighed audibly and said " Fine, call me again if you really need my help, or callup someone you think you can trust ". Saying so he turned around and started walking toward the park entrance. He had just about taken a couple steps when he heard her call out his name. He turned around and saw her walk towards him.
"I need protection Mr. Khan... I was the only witness to a murder a few weeks ago and was put under police protection until the trial. But early yesterday afternoon, three men came to the house, where I was being kept safe and killed the officers who were there to protect me." It was Asad's turn to look at her skeptically. Zoya understood what he was thinking but waited for him to put his doubts across. "How come they didn't find you, if you were there to witness those murders?" I knew you would doubt me. Anyways "Last morning, I had found a small hidden cubby hole in the attic upstairs, while I was looking at all the old things that were stored up there. I happened to glance out the attic window and saw three men with guns sneaking up the hill behind the house. I called down to the officers telling them what I had seen. They told me to pull up the ladder and stay put. I looked at the opening to the cubby hole and decided to hide in there."
"That was smart thinking Miss Farooqui, and probably the only reason you're still alive."
"I would have never found the hiding place had it not been open to begin with, it was designed to not be noticed when closed. When the first shot rang out I was scared to death. I have no idea how much time had passed until the shooting stopped."
"You said there were three men?"
"I only saw three but there was at least one other. When they found their way into the attic I could hear their conversations clearly." Zoya told him what the killers had said and how she knew that one of the four men alive who knew where she was had to be working for the man she was going to testify against.
"Come on Miss Farooqui I'm going to take you back to my office where I can make a few calls until we decide what to do," he said holding his hand out to her.
"Please call me Zoya," she said taking his hand. Asad helped her into his car then headed back to his office. He knew that everyone would have left for the day, so Zoya wouldn't be seen by anyone when they entered the building. He took the tapes out from the surveillance cameras and erased them too. He got a cup of coffee for Zoya then set about making a few calls to his contacts.
"Arbaaz find out all you can without asking any questions. I don't want anyone to be able to trace her back to me ok? Call the office when you find anything out, I'll be here for another couple of hours at least."
Zoya had been watching the TV while he was on the phone and turned white as a ghost when she heard the bulletin about her. They had her listed as a missing person asking anyone with information to her whereabouts to call a hot line number that was flashing on the bottom of the screen. Nothing was said about the officers missing car so she thought that maybe they hadn't realized it was missing. She knew it was only a matter of time when they would find out. A half hour later the phone rang and it was Arbaaz who Asad had first called when they had gotten to his office.
"Listen buddy I'm not sure what is going on but it's something big. One more thing, I think all the phones here have been tapped so if you know anything about this woman I suggest you high tail it out of there before you get some unwanted company." Listening to all the information Asad's mind immediately went into overdrive thinking a few steps in advance as to what their next move should be. He offered over at Zoya who was looking at him intently trying to read his face for any signs giving away what was going on. Asad grabbed his coat and his gun then ushered Zoya out of the office as quickly as he could.
"What's wrong, where are we going?"
"I've got to get you some place safe Zoya I'll explain it all when I'm sure we're safe."
They drove out of town to a small house just outside the city limits. He pulled the car into the drive and pushed the button on his visor to open the garage door. He jumped out of the car telling her to stay there. He backed an older pickup out and then put his car in the garage. He told Zoya to get into the truck and then he headed out of town. They had been driving for about an hour when he finally spoke to her.
"Zoya did you witness the murder of Judge Suresh Kumar?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
" I didn't, but it was the only logical answer to why someone would be trying to kill you. His murder was the only high profile murder that would have the justice department involved with hiding away a witness... Look, we have a long way to go so why don't you try to get some sleep. We can talk when we get to where I'm taking you."
No doubt that Zoya was tired, she felt relaxed in the company of this stranger but more importantly she felt truly safe for the first time in weeks. Why? She didn't know herself but she felt safe. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. She didn't know how long shed been sleeping but recognized Asad's voice calling her name. "Zoya, Wake up, we're here." She opened her eyes to see Asad leaning over her. She jumped becoming alert instantly. "Come on, let's get inside and I'll make us something to eat, then we can talk."
The car had been parked in a big three stall garage. He led her to a door then held it open for her to enter before him. She found herself in a good sized room that had two benches on both sides of the door and a large coat rack. She guessed this must be some sort of mud room where you could take off your wet shoes or boots before going into the main house. Another door led them inside the house where they entered through a huge kitchen. She hadn't even seen the rest of the house but knew she was in someone's home that definitely spoke of money... lots of money. He led her through the kitchen into a huge living room that had windows from floor to ceiling on two sides that overlooked a huge lake on one side and woods on the other. There was a huge fireplace in the center of another wall that he was busy starting a fire in.
The room was very beautiful and large. There were three huge sofas, six big overstuffed chairs, two big screen TV's on opposite ends of the room, end tables with beautiful lamps that had beautiful cut glass lampshades on them. The only thing that seemed out of place in the room was an old rocking chair, over in the corner by the fireplace facing the window that looked out upon the lake. There was a small basket full of balls of colored yarn sitting beside the chair. That was a grandmother's chair, Zoya was positive, maybe even a chair of a mother.
Asad saw her looking at the chair and spoke "That was my grandmothers chair. She would sit there for hours knitting and watching us kids swim in the lake." Zoya just noticed the beautiful blanket hanging on a rack beside the chair. "Did your grandmother knit that as well," she asked him. "Yes. It was the last thing she made before she passed away... sitting in that chair." He said softly. His voice conveying his sorrow of losing his grandmother. Zoya watched as he reached down and gently ran his fingers over the blanket hanging on the rack. "You must have loved her very much," she said softly.
"Yes we did. Grandfather and her showed us nothing but love and kindness after our parents died. Grandmother rather spoiled us shamelessly though," he said with a loving smile in his eyes. "You were lucky to have had them... mine died when I was a baby so I never got to know them... And my parents... My parents died when I was twenty... leaving me an only child with no family." His eyes shot up to meet hers and for the first time he saw another emotion in them other than fear. "I'm sorry Zoya... every child should have grandparents to spoil them." With a sad smile on her face she nodded her head and then asked him "How many kids in your family?" "I have two brothers and one sister who was spoiled way more than the rest of us let me tell you. She was grandpa's little angel and us boys were always getting a talking to if we picked on her."
Zoya wondered how come someone who obviously had money would choose to be a private detective. He was well dressed and polished and looked like he would be more suited to hanging with the rich and famous instead of being a private detective.
"Where are your brothers and sister, if that's not to personal of a question," she asked him.
P.S. Please leave back some love guys, I look forward to your likes, comments and feedback. Love you all dearly.
Edited by ChocoBerry - 9 years ago
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