Part 17
Asad, Ayaan, Surya and the constable had followed Zoya to the van. They were still cloaked by the crowd. They got themselves in good positions around the van as inconspicuously as possible. They now were withing a few feet of Zoya and would be able to react the minute things started to go wrong.
Asad's heart was beating fast. He didn't like the fact that his love…his Zoya was within a few centimeters of that horrible man. He had always thought that Ayaan's Mammu was a terrible man, he just hadn't anticipated how much. It made sense though; Siddiqui had treated Dilshaad with utter disdain for the first few months when they had all stayed under the same roof. It had been a relief to leave that house. Shaking himself from the thoughts of the past he concentrated on what was unfolding in front of him. He needed to be alert for her.
****
"You are my father?", said a shocked Zoya, "How?...Why?...I mean you are alive?? Why didn't you try to find me…your daughter?"
Siddiqui laughed. He couldn't believe how nave this girl…his daughter was. Well, he thought, women weren't the sharpest tools in the toolbox were they? He was going to relish telling her the details. It didn't matter if she found out everything…she would be following the footsteps of her dead mother soon.
"Daughter! Ha…you are not worth that name. You were mistake. Did you think I married your mother to have children? I didn't need an annoying brat interfering with my plans. Your mother- Ayesha Farouqui, she was a rich man's daughter…your grandfather as you surely know was a well-known industrialist in Bhopal. I was a young man who had little in the world…but I was charming and I had a way with women", laughed Siddiqui mercilessly.
Zoya couldn't believe what she was hearing. She desperately wanted to say something…interrupt the horrible man, that was her father, but she saw the intelligence in letting him finish his story.
"Your mother, your mother was easily taken in by my charm and good-looks. It didn't take much to convince your grandfather to arrange our nikaah. What your mother and grandfather didn't know was the fact that I was already married. Your grandfather was going to leave Ayesha all his wealth and property, as she was his only child. By being married to her I would have had access to all of that. Your stubborn grandfather, however, took almost five years to die by which time you were born."
Siddiqui was lost in his past as he narrated a part of his life that he had tried very hard to destroy and forget.
"After your grandfather's death I thought that I would be given control of the estate but he…that selfish fool put it in your mother's name! It annoyed me but I had, then, thought to myself that to manipulate your mother would be easy…but unfortunately for me she had discovered that I had another wife…Razia…and she had understood that I had married her only for her money. She refused to transfer or let me control any of the inheritance."
Siddiqui could still not quite get over the fact that his second wife had disobeyed and gone against him. It grated his nerves that a woman boxed him into a corner!
"I was furious at her…so after careful preparation for the fire to be made to look like an accident I set the old house aflame…killing her. As her husband all her property came to me and I set up my highly successful construction company which made me the most respected and feared man in the city."
Siddiqui and Yusuf began to inch closer to Zoya. It was almost time to execute their plan to murder her. She had almost heard all of the truth and now she was to be the final loose end tied up.
Zoya felt the shift in momentum. She knew that they were planning something dastardly. She clutched her pepper spray tightly in wait. She would use it to try and make a run for it. She knew she didn't have to go far. Asad and the police wouldn't be far.
"Can you see the one problem in my story though, Zoya?", whispered Siddiqui.
"N..o", stuttered Zoya.
"You survived which means you have the power to take everything I built away from me. And I just can't have that. So, you must understand that I need you dead."
With that Siddiqui and Yusuf made a lunge for Zoya with a knife but they were waylaid by the sudden stinging of their eyes. Zoya had calculated right. She had read what they were going to do and had sprayed both men to make her escape. She didn't waste time to see if they were recovering…she just ran.
****
Surya saw the exact moment Zoya had sprayed the two murdering conspirators. He signaled to his constable and they made their way towards the two men. They still didn't seem aware of their surroundings thanks to the burn their eyes were feeling. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at them, smiling as his constable did the same.
Asad had held his breath up until Zoya had managed to run free from Siddiqui and Yusuf. Seeing that she was safe had powered him into action. He ran towards the men, landing a forceful punch on Siddiqui's nose relishing the sound of his nose cracking. He raised his fist again…
"Asad! Stop, we have this under control and back-up is on its way. These two aren't going anywhere, I promise. Don't get yourself into trouble. Go to Zoya."
The only thing that registered on Asad's mind was Zoya. As he heard her name he turned…searching for her. He saw her standing a few meters away hugging and rocking herself. His heart broke. He walked determinedly towards her. The nightmare was over and he was going to comfort her and be there for her...for everything that came after.
Siddiqui couldn't believe it. How had this happened? How had the police got involved? There was noway Zoya could have known what was going on. His nose was hurting terribly. That bas***d Asad…how dare he punch…Asad…how had Asad come here…how did she know Asad??? How did Asa…Ayaan…that boy had heard everything after all. Of all cursed things!!
****
Zoya stood waiting for Asad to come to her. She had seen him punch out her fa…no…Siddiqui. She had felt a certain vindictive pleasure-watching him beat the living daylight out of the man who had murdered her Ammi. Her Ammi…Zoya began to sob.
"Zoya…sh…it's alright. It's all over." Asad enveloped Zoya in a hug and began to lead her towards the car. He didn't want to attract a large crowd.
"Asad…oh…Asad", sobbed Zoya.
They soon reached the car. As they settled inside Zoya threw herself at Asad hugging him tight to her. She was sitting on his lap with her head curled into the crook of his neck. She took a deep breath, taking in his scent. It comforted her.
"Asad…Asad promise me that he's going to jail for a really long time…promise me."
"It's going to be hard Zoya…we need some solid proof of all the crimes he has committed. Right now all they can convict him on is attempted murder and his lawyers may be good enough to get him off.", said Asad sadly.
For the first time in the last couple of hours Zoya smiled.
"We do have proof, Asad. I recorded him. I recorded him gloating about murdering my mother and stealing her inheritance. I recorded him threatening me…I recorded him!"
Asad gave a triumphant smile. His girl was smart. He knew with the recording there was no court in the world that would not find Siddiqui and his accomplice guilty.
"You brave, brave girl." With that Asad kissed her.
Anupamaa
CID
47