Part 85

"Now i have to feed her with false news.... to save her!" he thought about the maid.
"She is brought in the house to eavesdrop and gather information. I will provide her with crucial information. He will not suspect her loyalties that way and she will be safe till the final strike!" he thought gravely.

.
Sham landed in the evening and went straight to meet his dear wife. She was crying and nani was trying to comfort her. She came forward and hugged Sham, crying her heart out, breaking down completely. For a moment Sham felt triumphant but regaining his serious composure he asked nani,

"How is he? why are you all crying? is it that serious?" keeping his fingers crossed he went up to nani.

"Don't know!” said nani. Aakash is with him in the hospital. No one is allowed inside" Said nani. “Payal bitiya wanted to go but Aakash did not allow her!”. Nani was on the verge of breaking down. Sham turned smirking.

He went straight to the hospital, but was not allowed to see Arnav as his condition was very critical. An attendant doctor came and asked Aakash to come with him, the doctors wanted to talk to him. Sham joined Aakash. They both went into the Doctor's cabin.

"You?" Sham was shocked to see Avinash there.!

"Do you know each other?" Asked Aakash sounding surprised.
"No! i mean... i have seen him!" said Sham repenting for his mistake. Avinash was staring at him. Sham avoided his gaze, thinking hard about the situation.

"Look here, it’s a poisoning case and I don't want to land in medico legal situation. So either File a FIR with the police or give it in writing that is was an accident. His condition is critical, and since I know you personally, I will manage to keep the investigation at bay... but..... you have to take a decision now! Or I may have to call the police for further investigation. The food samples from his stomach are already sent to the lab. Let me know your decision" Said Avinash seriously waiting for the response.

"Call the police!"
"We will give in writing!" said Aakash and Sham simultaneously contradicting each other.

"What?" asked Avinash.
"Doctor, there is nothing to be decided. It's a poisoning case and we should call the police to investigate and nab  the culprit" Said Aakash getting flared up.

Avinash looked at Sham. He hesitated and then said, "I think, in this situation, its better we project this as accident. This will avoid further complications and trouble from the police.." Sham knew he had no convincing argument about this.

Aakash and Avinash gaped at Sham. Sham, regaining himself said "Aakash, I am a lawyer and know the complications, so its better we give it in writing that it was accident!"

Aakash looked at him suspiciously and said "Should I call The Police commissioner to take his advice? I know him personally!"
"No!" said sham at once. "No need! I will handle!"

Aakash looked at Sham and said "As you say Jijaji!" Sham took a sigh of relief.
A nurse came in and called the doctor for an emergency. When Avinash went out Sham asked Aakash angrily "Why did you come here so far? Why not the nearby hospital?"

"Aakash looked confused. He said "Bahi was unconscious and was critical. We took him to the best hospital!" He was glaring at Sham. Sham kept quiet.

He came home cursing his fate. He was so close... so close to complete the kill.

“Why didn’t he die?” But now the doctors said his BIL was out of danger and will be up soon!
Things were not going his way! He had to do something....

** *** ***
Sham again had vanished. Arnav was sent home in a couple of days. He was working late in the night to catch up with the backlog. There was a bang on the door. He opened the door to see Aakash and Payal looking frightened. What is it, Aakash? Asked Arnav leading them inside.

"Bhai, buwaji had called.. Some people vandalized their house. They barged in with the weapons it seems.. She could not speak coherently!" Said Aakash looked tensed up. "We are going there!" he said and turned to leave with payal.

"Aakash, wait! I am coming with you!" said Arnav moving towards his wardrobe to change. Aakash felt relieved! He knew bhai will take care of everything now.

They went to Gupta's house and froze looking at the condition there. The entire house was shattered. Buwaji had bandaged her wounds on her arm. Khushi's amma had gone into traumatic shock. Babuji was on the bed looking helpless. The neighbours had gathered. The damage was beyond repair. The burglars had tried to burn down the house. The kitchen had burnt completely but the fire had not spread to other rooms. Neighbors had managed to mitigate the damage and put out the fire. Payal almost fainted looking at her house. Aakash supported her. Arnav went to babuji. He took his hand and said.

"I will handle this!" Then turning to Aakash he said "Aakash, take all of them to our house and come back. I will handle it here! Take her to the doctor, first!" Aakash and Arnav helped Babuji on the wheel chair and then took all of them to the car. Payal was all lost. She did not know what to do. Aakash supported her and took all of them in the car.

Arnav stood there looking around. He felt like a only surviving soldier on the battle field looking around at the debris. His rage mounting he dialled the police commissioner's number!

  Arnav dialled Commissioner's number and was picked up by his secretary. Commissioner came online after a while.. Arnav was losing his patience. He told about the incident and asked to send the police. The police reached the site within ten minutes and the rounds of interrogations started. The Statements of the family members, the neighbors, Of Arnav and Aakash with payal were taken...!

By the time they came home completing the formalities it was almost afternoon. Arnav was exhausted. He was enraged, with himself, with his helplessness, with his Di's blind faith on her husband. He knew who had done this hideous job. He knew who was behind all this but his hands were tied up, his lips were zipped. Sham was nowhere to be seen. His Di was trying to console the guptas. Buwaji was mutt erring and cursing those hooligans. Payal was upset and fidgeted. He looked at Aakash and went to his room. Aakash followed.

"Aakash, where is he?" Asked Arnav pacing the length.
"Don't know bhai. Di also does not know. He might have gone somewhere!" Aakash said.
"I know! I know who has done it!" Arnav clenched his fists.
"Bhai did you tell your suspicion to the Police? I did not!" said Aakash.
"No! I did not!" said Arnav. "I want them to find out... and i will help them to find out!" He said resolutely.

"hmm!" Aakash exhaled unable to think anything.
"Aakash, let us not tell anything about this to Khushi!" Said Arnav. Aakash gaped at him.
"But bhai, Khushi will come to know!" Said Aakash. Arnav lost in thoughts. After a while he said,

"I will call papaji and tell!" He dialled papaji's number. He talked to him at length and then said
"Papaji, how to tell this to Khushi is your responsibility!"
"Don't worry puttar, i will manage!" assured papaji and hung up.
Arnav and Aakash came down The Gupta family was devastated. Mamiji was making faces and taunting Payal's family and Naniji was furious at her.
"Enough! Manorama, go to your room!" ordered Naniji. Mamiji went to her room muttering.

Buwaji was crying and Amma was still in shock.
"Khushi... !   We have to talk to Khusi!" she said staring unfocused.
"Shhh, Amma, keep quiet!" Said Payal glancing at Anjali. "We are not telling her anything. She will come here immediately!" whispered Payal. Amma and Buwaji gaped at her. They had no clue who had done this.

Arnav waited for Commissioner's call. He had promised Arnav that he will keep him informed.

Anjali's phone rang. She looked at the screen and looked surprised. She was in dilemma whether to take the call or not. Arnav looked at her and came near.

"Chote.. some unknown number!" she muttered. "Answer the call, Di" said Arnav looking at the still ringing phone.
"Hello?" Anjali picked up the phone.
"Where is he?" asked a female voice.
"Who?" asked Anjali. "Which number do you want?" she asked.
"The number is correct. I could not reach Sham Manohar Zaa. Tell him to call on this number immediately!" ordered the female voice. Anjali looked confused and disconnected.

"Who was it Di?" asked Arnav lookin at his Di's confused face.
"Don't know Chote... some lady asking for your jijaji. Must be some court case...!" she concluded.

"On your cell? where is jijaji?" Asked Arnav.
"Don't know Chote.. his phone is unreachable" said Anjali looking worried. She sat on the sofa looking lost in her thoughts. Arnav felt sorry for his sister. She looked weak.

The door bell rang. Ram Prakash received the courier in Sham's name and handed it over to Anjali. She looked at it and flipping it tried to know the sender. The slip was illegible she could not read anything. There was no senders name on the envelope. She looked confused. Arnav took the envelope from her hand looking at it suspiciously. He looked at his Di for approval to ope it., she shook her head. He gave it back to her. She went to her room. He had an urge of going behind her and opening the envelope. "I might have got some clue!" he thought. His decency prevented him. He gave a frustrated glance at Aakash.

"Someone should look after the repairs of Gupta House" He thought and said aloud looking at Buwaji, "you all will stay here till your house gets repaired!" and he left for his room.

His cell rang and it was Khushi. "Arnav ji.." she started off with heavy voice.
"Khushi.. they are here and alright. only the house is damaged... " he kept his voice steady and calm. He heard a faint sob. "Khushi, don't worry!" he said soothingly.

"I know, Arnavji, they are safe in your house! but... " she was smouldering within. "I know who is behind all this! and papaji has forbidden me from coming there!" she hissed.

"Khushi... calm down. He is right!" Arnav tried to pacify her. "I will handle it Khushi!" he assured.

"This is all because of me... He is doing it!" she started blaming herself.
"Shh.. Khushi stop!" he ordered her and later said softly,  "Khushi, this is not the time to think about this. I promise, we will pay back with interest!" he said resolutely.

There was a silence from both the sides and then Khushi spoke, "Arnav ji, i will send money for the repairs!" Arnav said "No...., Khushi!"
"No Arnavji. I will send the money. Give me a couple of days and i will transfer the amount." she said firmly. He felt hurt.

"Khushi, I will talk to you later in the night" and hung up.
Arnav received a call from Papaji in the evening. Arnav gave him the details.
"Puttar, there is another pressing matter! you need to go to Luknow tomorrow to sign on the decree and take the possession of Sheesh Mahel. The other formalities are completed by my lawyer. He will be present there. And about reopening of the murder case, you need to be present in Delhi Court on Friday. " Said papaji,
"Ok.!" Arnav agreed.

"Arnav puttar, is there anything of your parents you have cherished as souvenir? " Asked papaji making Arnav thoroughly confused.

"Puttar, forensic science is developed and we can take help of DNA tests to know...." He did not complete the sentence as he knew how Arnav would feel.

"Do you have anything where in we could take your parent's DNA samples?" He asked.
Arnav could not think of anything. He had no answer. Papaji waited for some time and then said,

"Its ok puttar its been fifteen years... but keep this in mind and see if you can find something..." Papaji hung up leaving Arnav with another problem to tackle with.