Chapter 3

Mumbai; CID Bureau

(Forensic lab)

Tarika took some autopsy reports from her desks & handed it to Acp who was standing along with Daya & freddy surrounding the corpse which was kept on the autopsy table, Acp took the reports & glanced at it, he signaled Tarika to explain the death cause..tarika continued.

Tarika( pointed to the stabbed mark which was on the victims chest ): sir isse stab kiya hain, that to 4-5 times. Considering the wound depth I guess the weapon must be 6-7 inches long & 2 inches broad..

Acp: hmm, 4-5 baar waar kiya gaya hain..hmm, waise Tarika, murder weapon se kuch fingerprints mile?

Tarika: kuch mile hain sir, par mujhe thoda time lagega who check Karne main..May be 1 hour..

Acp: okay..aur kuch mila hain?

Tarika: haan Sir, isske back main se mujhe kuch chotte round particles mile hain..sir yeh particles kuch aur nhi balke..

(before she could say anything someone replied from the other end, they all moved there gaze towards the next table, where Adi was standing leaning on the table, closely observing the particles through magnifying glass by holding them in between the forceps..while doing so he was looking truly like a professional)

Adi:(without looking up at them) yeh ek tarah ke bullets hain..joh rifle shooting main use hote hain, they are less dangerous. Haan thode had tak aapko ghayal kar sakte hain par itna bhi nhi ki aap ki jaan chali jaye, yeh bullets jyada ter summer camps main wagare use hote hain to train students ..actually kuch jagah isska istemal chote animals ko control main karne keliye bhi kiya jata hain..

( All were dumb struck at Adi's explaination, they were quite surprised abt his explanation, After all that were not expecting a 8 yr one to answer this were staring at him closely observing him & listening his explanations. When Adi placed the bullet on the table & took some few steps, thinking deeply, at this moment Daya & tarika's jaw nearly settled to the ground when they noticed Adi's next move..Adi was thinking in an quiet unusual but familiar manner..he was rubbing his gloved index finger to the corner of his mouth)

Adi (rubbing at the corner of his mouth) ek baat samjh nhi aarahi ki yeh Admi ki back par yeh bullets aaye kaha se? isska matlabek possibility yeh ho sakti hain ki yeh aadmi rifle shooting sikhta ho ya sikh raha ho..aur doosri possibility yeh ho sakti hain ki he owns this gun..hmmm (when Adi noticed some pairs of eyes widely staring at him, he realized that he had done something wrong, he quickly shot them fake smile) haan who actually maine aisa Abhijeet uncle ko kaafi baar karte huwe dekha hain..bas unnhi se inspire hokar main aisa karta huin..(& he stared smiling to assure them..)

Freddy who was also watching him keenly asked him in confusion..

Freddy: par Adi, tumhe iss bullet ke baremain itna sab kasie pata?

Adi: who freddy uncle, who kya hain ki main Crime based shows kaafi dekhta huin, CSI, Cold blooded are my fav shows, tho inn sab se mujhe bullets, poisons inn sab ki jankari milti hain..

Freddy( shocked) kya? Tum Crime shows dekhta hain? Tumhare age keliye yeh sab shows dekhna theek nhi hain Adi..isse bachon ka mind par asr hota hain..tumhare age ke bacho ne cartoons wagare dekhna chaiye (freddy advised him like a concern parent. Adi merely shook his head in yes. Acp & others nodded there head excepting the fact for the time being. )

Acp: okay Daya, iss aadmi ke photo jaha par target aur shooting practice hoti hain waha bhejo..aur dekho kuch pata lagta hain kya, theek hain?

Daya: yes sir..

Acp: aur freddy, tum isske wallet main joh kuch papers wagera mille hain usse dekho ki kuch pata chalta hain kya..theek hain.

Freddy: okay sir..

Acp: okay then..(& acp left the lab, daya & freddy also followed him & tarika headed back to her desk to check the fingerprints, here Adi heaved a sigh of relief..but suddenly once again the lab doors opened & daya came back to have a talk with tarika..)

Daya: Tarika..

Tarika: haan Daya..kuch kaam tha..

Daya: woh tumne mujhse Abhijeet ke baremain poocha nhi? (on the mention of Abhijeet, Adi quickly alerted his senses & started to observe there talk) don't worry, maine aapne sare khabrion ko kaam pain laga diya hain, woh usse dhond nikalenge, Abhijeet aakhri baar kaha dekha gaya tha aur ussne kiss se aakhri baar contact kiya tha yeh sab ek baar lagta hi Abhijeet ko dhundne main asani hogi..tum chinta mat karo, main sab theek kar donga..

Tarika: Daya main janti hu tum sab theek kar doge..I trust you..

Daya: thanks tarika..

(the atmosphere turned into gloomy when both mentioned abt Abhijeet..it was quite natural that both missed Abhijeet a lot,but since Abhijeet have left they both only knew that what hardships they were facing..but still there was a hope sparking in them that Abhijeet is fine! & will be back..

Adi just watched them, & he felt a pang in his heart, both were trying hard not to cry & were controlling there emotions, he looked at daya, who was trying hard to remain strong since Abhijeet left, daya was quiet emotional person or rather sentimental fool that's what Abhijeet is used to call him..All knew that Daya is quiet possessive About Abhijeet & to save his life , he can do anything but after his departure Daya had overcome his emotions atleast he tried not to show off in front of anyone not even Acp, but internally he was dying every moment..Daya just wished that he could find his buddy or rather his soul as fast as possible & make sure to hold him firmly so that he didn't escape ..same was with tarika, she was also suffering from the same feeling..feeling which couldn't be expressed in words..)

(tears started swelling up in both the eyes, when they remembered the best time they spent with Abhijeet, tarika quickly brushed it off while daya made sure that his tears don't show up; daya quickly changed the topic before they flood the whole lab with tears..)

Daya: iss baar tarika hum dono milke Abhijeet ko sabak sikhayenge..asia sbak sikhaynege ki woh jindagi bha rbhul nhi sakega..theek hain..

Tarika: theek kaha tumne daya..main iss main tumahre jaroor satth dungi..(they smiled in-spite of themselves..)

Daya: okay done..theek main chalta huin..

Tarika: okay..bye..(& daya left from the lab..while tarika also occupied herself with work to overcome his memories for time-being atleast..Away from this Adi watched them & closed hie eyes in guilt & he also left the lab..)

(Same Evening)

Tarika noticed that Adi's mood was quite sad,she asked him" what's wrong" but he denied. tarika thought that he was missing his parents & salunkhe so in order to make up his mood,she decided that she will take him to mall so that he could enjoy in the kid's section..so they were right there.

Tarika took Adi to the best mall in the city, but still there was no change in his mood, she also took him to the gaming section but it was also not worth. Tarika was quiet surprised about Adi's behavior, she thought that Adi was quiet matured when he compared to his age,first he enjoyed watching the crime shows rather cartoons second he never liked video games which was very much weird when compared to other kids of his age. Tarika decided that she will speak to Adi about this, so after hanging out in a mall for an hour or so they were riding back towards the home, but before heading towards home, tarika stopped her car in front of a ice-scream parlor. she ordered Adi & herself ice-scream & were enjoying it while resting on one of the benches..tarika looked at adi who was half halfheartedly enjoying his ice=scream

Tarika asked him the reason for his gloomy mood..

Tarika: kya hua Adi? ice-scream pasand nhi aaya? koi aur flavor chahiye tumhe..

Adi: nhi tarika aunty..

Tarika: tho baat kya hain? mood kyu off hain tumhara? mummy ki yaad aarahi hain?

Adi: nhi..woh bas aisa hi..

Tarika: okay..

Adi knew that he has to change the topic before tarika asks him another question, so he asked..he looked at tarika who was smiling broadly..

Adi: wasie tarika aunty aap aaj bohaut khush lag rahi hain..

Tarika: haan Adi..actually baat hi khuch aisa hain..

Adi: (surprised) kya?

Tarika (blushing) who -actually chodo tum nhi smajhoge..

Adi: ab batao na..

Tarika: okay..actually yeh meri fav place hain..

Adi: kyu?

Tarika: kyunki yaha main aur Abhijeet pehli baar aapni Ice-scream date par aaiye the..aur woh bhi barish ke waqt..bohaut maza aaya tha, aur pata hain kya hua tha..Abhijeet ke shirt par poori ice-scream gir gayi thi, itna irritate hogaya tha Abhijeet..(& she started laughing)

Adi pouted: hasso aur hasso..kya kuch bhi kehti hain tarika ji..woh jaan pochke tumne ice-scream girai thi..tumne jaan pochke dhaka diya tha aur sare ice-scream mujh par gir gai ..(but Adi suddenly stopped in tracks when he noticed tarika staring at him with wide eyes..)

Tarika: tumne mujhe tarika ji kaha..aur tumne ab kaha ki maine ice-scream tumpain girai thi..jab ki maine toh ice-scream Abhijeet par girai thi..Adi,,

(Adi gulped down & bit his tongue when he realized what he had spoken just now..he stared at tarika, who was also staring at him with confused & surprised expressions..)