CHAPTER 58: The killer
(A week after the attack on Anika)
“So this is our killer”
Prachi made the statement shocked…. She could not believe that this person had killed Tia…. She looked at Ranbir who was also in the same state of shock as her….
This was the result of their seven days of hard work and yet they were unable to believe that all that had lead them to this…. This person was the person whom they had never thought would be responsible for Tia’s death or to put it clearly, Tia’s murder….
The entire week Prachi and Ranbir had spent in investigating each and every person Arjun had been in contact with through the private numbers…. After working hard for three days Ranbir had managed to get the phone calls tapped…. And then Prachi and he had spent days trying to figure out what was Arjun up to and what was Arjun planning since so long…. The phone conversations they listened to made some things crystal clear…. Some shocking revelations were made but the one thing they were sure of was that Arjun knew who the murderer was and also was keeping an eye on each and every person related to the case through the people he had connected through the private numbers….
Ranbir: We cannot be hundred percent sure if this is the truth or not.
Prachi: But all the phone conversations are only pointing in that direction.
Ranbir: Don’t you think if Arjun Sir and Anika knew that this person is the killer, they would have already taken some action, if they are only keeping an eye on these people, that means even they are not sure.
Prachi: You may be right Ranbir, and I think we should confirm our doubt before coming to a conclusion.
Ranbir: But how do we confirm this, I am sure neither the person nor Anika would tell us anything.
Prachi: Lekin I am sure Arjun Bhai will tell us everything.
Ranbir: Arjun Sir?
Prachi: Yes, if we show him what we have found, he’ll definitely tell us.
Ranbir: Then let us go and talk to him, time is precious now.
Prachi nodded and both of them walked out of the office unaware that the truth they were still doubting was going to shock them….
*****
Ranbir and Prachi were waiting for Arjun…. Prachi was known to everyone in the office so she only asked the receptionist about Arjun who told them that Arjun was busy in a meeting in the conference room so she could wait for him in the cabin…. Prachi and Ranbir smiled at the receptionist and then walked to Arjun’s cabin….
Prachi asked Ranbir to feel comfortable…. She being well acquainted with the surroundings as well as Ranbir’s choices ordered coffee for the two of them…. Ranbir felt a certain kind of happiness when Prachi ordered the exact type of coffee he liked…. He never knew just like him even she paid attention to his likes and dislikes…. He was so lost in admiring her that he did not even pay attention to the fact that she was asking him something…. Only when she snapped her fingers in front of him that he came back from his dreamland…. A smile appeared on his lips which did not go unnoticed by Prachi…. She looked at him surprised seeing him smiling for no reason…. She remembered something and looked at him with narrowed eyes….
Prachi: Hmm…. Looks like koi kisike khayalon mein khoya hua hai.
Ranbir: So other than law, you are in expert in reading people’s mind, haa.
Prachi: Don’t try the same trick again Ranbir, I have been working with you for weeks now and within the past week, I have learnt one thing for sure, you really like someone, hai na?
Ranbir: I…. I think you are….
Prachi: I am over thinking, really Ranbir you need to find better ways to escape from my questions, don’t forget I am a lawyer.
Ranbir: I think Arjun Sir will take some time; in the meanwhile I’ll make a call at the office to check on the work.
Ranbir got up from his place trying to escape from Prachi and her questions…. Prachi could easily look through his excuse so before he could get away she snatched his phone from his hand…. Ranbir looked at her astonished by her act….
Prachi: Phone karna hai naa, sach batao aur apna phone lelo wapas.
Ranbir: Prachi….
Prachi: Ranbir….
Saying so Prachi moved to the other end of the couch…. Ranbir also moved towards her but she escaped and moved to the other side…. She laughed at Ranbir’s futile attempt…. Ranbir was for a moment lost in her laughter…. It was so genuine and a smile crept on his face…. But then he remembered that he had to get back at her…. He took a step towards her but hit the table and tripped losing his balance he fell towards Prachi…. He held her for support but it in turn Prachi also misbalanced and they both fell on the couch with him over her….
The outer world faded for them as they looked into each other’s eyes…. The closeness sent a tinkling sensation through her body…. She had never felt anything like this before…. He was lost in the beauty for her eyes…. Those eyes were making him fall for her more and more….
The moment was broken as they heard someone coming towards the cabin…. Ranbir immediately got up and moved away…. Prachi also stood up…. They did not look at each other…. Whatever had happened few moments ago unknowingly brought a smile on their faces….
Arjun entered the cabin and was surprised seeing Ranbir with Prachi…. The peon had informed him about Prachi’s arrival with someone but he did not think that it would be Ranbir…. He smiled at the two who smiled back….
Arjun: Prachi, tu yaha, I thought you would be with Annie.
Prachi: Bhai, actually Shivaay Sir was with her so we came here to talk about something important.
Arjun: What has happened Prachi, everything is fine naa?
Ranbir: Nothing is fine but we can make it fine.
Arjun: Matlab?
Prachi: Matlab, Bhai we have found Tia’s killer.
Arjun looked at the two of them shocked as he heard Prachi’s words…. He looked at Ranbir and then at her…. Looking at them Arjun could understand that they had definitely found something…. But he had to be sure about what they had found out….
Arjun: Who is the killer?
Prachi looked at Arjun and then at Ranbir…. Ranbir signed her to say it…. Prachi fought back her emotions and controlled her tears…. She took a deep breathe…. Taking the name of the person was indeed a tough thing for her….
Prachi: Pankhuri Bhabhi….
Arjun closed his eyes as he heard the name….
The name that always brought a smile to his face…. The name that always took away all his pain…. The name that always calmed him down…. The name that made his heart skips a beat…. The name that was going to get attached to his name….
Never had he thought that one day he would hear the name like this….
Arjun opened his eyes and looked at the two of them…. Neither of them knew what to say ahead…. One look at Arjun and the two of them understood that whatever they had found was indeed true…. Arjun sat down on the sofa…. Prachi sat beside him, seeing her Bhai like this hurt her…. Only God knew how much it was hurting Arjun…. Ranbir stood silent looking at the two of them…. He was worried for what lay ahead…. The storm would destroy everything….
Arjun: How did you both find out?
Prachi: Bhai….
Prachi narrated about Shivaay asking Ranbir to hire a private investigator to keep an eye on Anika and Arjun…. Then how Shivaay behaved with Anika…. Then how she and Ranbir decided to find the reason…. How they found the private numbers…. Investigating the people who used those numbers…. Tapping the phone calls….
Prachi: Sorry Bhai, but we had no other way to find out.
Arjun: It is okay Prachi; I know you did it only for Annie and me.
Ranbir: Sir, we found out that you know the killer through your phone call with Gauri.
Ranbir played an audio in his phone….
*AUDIO STARTS*
Arjun: Gauri, did you find any proofs against them?
Gauri: No Bhaiya, I did not get any evidence but yeah I tried talking to Pankhuri. She definitely trusts me and today she was almost on the verge of telling me everything but Adhvik came and we couldn’t talk.
Arjun: We need to find some strong proofs.
Gauri: Don’t worry Bhaiya, my words are affecting Pankhuri a lot, I am sure she’ll confess the crime soon.
Arjun: Yeah, that will be better.
Gauri: But Bhaiya, do you really think that, I mean….
Arjun: Gauri, I know what I am doing, you don’t worry.
Gauri: Okay Bhaiya, I’ll talk to you later. They must be looking for me.
Arjun: Yes, and take care.
*AUDIO ENDS*
Prachi: But Bhai when did you find this out?
Arjun: Two weeks after Tia’s death….
Arjun started telling them about the time when he had gone to meet Pankhuri at Malhotra Mansion…. That was the time when heard Pankhuri talking to Adhvik and Shaantanu about Tia’s death….
Ranbir: But why would Pankhuri kill Tia? What is their connection?
Arjun: Even I could not find any connection that is why I asked Gauri for help and asked her to keep an eye on them to find out everything about the Malhotras.
Prachi: Bhai, I understand why you asked Gauri to do all this, but what about the others?
Arjun: Well, I had to keep an eye on each and every person related to the case, that is why I chose people whom no one would ever doubt and only after that I realized that only Malhotras, but many people have plotted against Shivaay and the Oberoi family, kuch toh apne hi hai usme.
Ranbir: Apne?
Arjun: Haa….
Arjun told them about Tej and Svetlana and their plan to get Shivaay’s shares in the Oberoi Industries and transfer them to Omkara’s name…. He got to know all this from Riddhima and that is why he asked Riddhima to keep an eye on Tej and Svetlana and inform Arjun about their each and every step…. Riddhima did help Tej but only so that she could stop him from completely succeeding in his plan, she informed Arjun about all the things Tej was doing with Svetlana’s help to throw Shivaay out of Oberoi Industries….
Ranbir: I don’t believe that Tej Sir can stoop low also.
Prachi: So I am guessing you were in contact with Romi to know about Mrs. Kapoor and her motives.
Arjun: Yes, apparently Shivaay had told me everything about their past and I was sure that she would do something like what she did a week ago, I had to do something. When I talked to Romi, she agreed to help me for her Di’s sake.
Ranbir: Okay, I understand all this but why Ishana, how is she connected?
Arjun: Well, sab par nazar rakhna thi, toh koi aisa bhi chahiye that jo police par bhi nazar rakhe.
Ranbir: What do you mean?
Arjun: I have known Ishana from a few months, and that is when I learnt about Abir and her friendship, so I asked her to give me updates about the police investigation. I had to know if anyone found anything about the killer.
Prachi: That means you have planned everything.
Arjun: I had to, Shivaay is not only a client, but my best friend and my family, when I learnt about how he was surrounded by so many problems, I had to make sure to keep him safe.
Ranbir and Prachi smiled hearing Arjun’s words…. Shivaay was indeed lucky to have a friend like Arjun in his life…. Ranbir felt bad thinking that Shivaay had doubted Arjun and Anika….
Prachi: Bhai, what do we do now?
Arjun was about to say something when his phone rang…. Seeing Anika’s name he picked up the call…. Anika told him something and the phone fell from Arjun’s hand…. Seeing this Prachi and Ranbir became worried….
Prachi: Bhai, what has happened? Who was it?
Arjun: I’ll tell you later, we have to go to Malhotra Mansion now.
Arjun walked out of the cabin taking his car keys…. Prachi and Ranbir looked at each other and followed Arjun….
*****
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well.
Here is the next chapter of the story, and probably the chapter you all had been most waiting for.
So, the killer is revealed, what Anika and Arjun already knew but were hiding from the others, what Gauri was trying to bring in the open, what Prachi and Ranbir found out, and what Abir and Ranveer have also investigated, Tia’s killer, weeks of investigation and finally the killer is out – Pankhuri Malhotra, but why did she do it, you’ll know in the next chapter.
Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!