A/N - Guys lemme know with whom shall I pair Purvi - Rajat or Sachin? I am confused :(
Chapter 3
Purvi had never thought she would find love at work place. From colleagues to friends and now from friends to something more - The journey had been quite enjoyable. She would steal glances at him sometimes. He had everything she had always wanted in her partner - intelligence, bravery and looks.
He cared a lot for her. He would worry whenever she was hurt and always made her smile. Every person in CID cared for one another. They were like one big family. But whenever, he showed the care and affection, she found it special. She loved it. She wasn't about his feelings for her but something kept telling her that he liked her too.
In past few days, he had got a reason to annoy her. Whenever Purvi would be around, he would keep telling loudly to others about his hot gym instructor.
'Wo toh puri tarah fida ho gayi hai mujhpe. Dekh lo ek din, uss dinner date pe lekar hi jaunga' he would laugh and say.
Whether he was doing it to make her jealous, she couldn't say. But whatever the reason was, Purvi didn't like it at all. She decided the faster she would express her feelings towards him, the better.
Few Days Later, CID Bureau -
'Sir, mujhe CCTV footage ki CD mil gayi.' said Sachin.
'Great Job Sachin! Chalo dekhte hai kaun aaya tha chaku kharidne iss dukan me.' said ACP Pradyuman.
Abhijeet, Dr Salunkhe and Tarika who were discussing something about the murder weapon, went to have a look at the CCTV footage.
First ten minutes had nothing interesting at all. And then Sachin exclaimed suddenly, 'Ye toh Abhijeet sir aur Dr Tarika hai!'
Abhijeet and Tarika gasped. Sure enough they were seen laughing over something on the CCTV footage. Tarika seemed to be pulling him a bit forcefully pointing towards the movie theatre which stood in the opposite direction. Finally he gave in and they went in the direction of the movie theatre.
Abhijeet gulped. Tarika's heart was thudding violently. Thankfully, the camera's angle wasn't wide enough and it hadn't captured them going inside the Cinema hall.
'Sachin, jara footage pause karo' said ACP Pradyuman.
Abhijeet and Tarika exchanged scared looks.
'Ye kya hai Abhijeet? Tum aur Tarika ek saath?' asked ACP Pradyuman angrily.
'Nai Sir hum toh bas aise hi' said Abhijeet.
'Aise hi kya Abhijeet?' ACP Pradyuman yelled.
Abhijeet chanced a glance at Tarika, who looked terrified.
'Boss maine tumse kaha tha pehle bhi ki mamla kuch gadbad hai. Lab me ye jab bhi ata hai tabhi sirf Tarika Jee pe hi dhyan hota hai inka' said Dr Salunkhe.
'Aap mujhepe jhoote ilzam laga rahe hai sir. Main Lab me Tarika jee se sirf kaam ki baatein karta hoon aur kuch bhi nahi' said Abhijeet.
'Lab ka chodo. Abhi humbe jo CCTV footage dekha wo sab kya tha? Sach sach batao mujhe Abhijeet' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Sir, main... main batati hu' said Tarika.
Everybody looked at her. 'Sir wo hum bas raaste me mile the... aur - aur kuch nahi' said Tarika.
'Accha? Mujhe to wo video dekhke aise nahi lag raha' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Sir main jo keh rahi hu wo sach hai. Main ek friend ke saath film dekhne gayi thi. Aur Achanak Abhijeet raaste me mil gaya' said Tarika.
'Lekin video toh tum use movie theatre ki taraf kheech ke le jaa rahi thi?' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Haan wo mujhe Abhijeet ke mere friend se milana tha' said Tarika.
'Haan. Uska friend mera bohot bada fan hai. Paper me vagera meri photo dekhi hai na toh...' said Abhijeet.
'Tumhara friend kaun hai - Ladka ya ladki?' asked Dr Salunkhe.
'Ladka tha' said Abhijeet immediately.
'Oh, toh Tarika tum kisi ladke se saath film dekhne gayi thi. Main kaise yakeen karu ki wo dusra ladka tumhara sirf dost hai?' asked ACP Pradyuman.
'Are nahi nahi, Abhijeet ko toh sirf adhi hi baat pata hai. Ladke ke saat ek ladki bhi thi. Wo dono shaadi shuda hai. Abhijeet ladke se milkar nikal gaya. Usne uss dusri ladki ko dekha hi nahi kyuki wo aayi hi nahi thi' said Tarika.
Sachin was looking rather giggly. It was obvious that Abhijeet and Tarika were inventing stuff and he found it rather amusing. However, receiving a stern glare from Abhijeet, he settled with a very solemn looking expression on his face.
Dr Salunkhe and ACP Pradyuman were frowning at Abhijeet and Tarika. They could smell something fishy.
'Arey sir hum par vishwas kijiye. Hum sach bol rahe hai. Hum dono ek saath kahi nahi jaa rahe the' said Abhijeet and Tarika nodded fervently by his side.
'Thik hai' said ACP Pradyuman finally though he looked thoroughly unconvinced.
'Sir, aage ka footage dekhe?' asked Sachin.
'Haan, play karo' said ACP Pradyuman.
After checking the CCTV footage, Abhijeet and Sachin left for further investigation of the murder and Tarika returned to the Forensic Lab. However, Dr Salunkhe lingered behind. Once everybody had gone, he said to ACP Pradyuman, 'Boss kuch toh gadbad hai. Ye Abhijeet aur Tarika humse kuch chupa rahe hai. Mujhe toh kai dino se in dono par doubt hai'
'Sahi bol raha hai Salunkhe. Abhijeet aur Tarika ne jo kuch bhi bataya wo sab mujhe saaf saaf jhooth lag raha hai. Lekin main abhi kuch nahi kar paya kyuki mere paas koi saboot nahi tha. Lekin tum dekhna Salunkhe main sacchai ka pata karke hi rahunga' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Kaise pata karoge Pradyuman? Abhijeet aur Tarika toh kuch bhi batane nahi wale. Ya phir tum Daya se puch lo. Use jaroor pata hoga' said Dr Salunkhe.
'Nahi Salunkhe, Daya nahi batayega. Main jaanta hu use. Wo Abhijeet aur Tarika bohot acche dost hai. Kisi aur ko puchta hoon.' he thought for a moment and then said' Shayad Freddy hume bata sakta hai'
Right on the cue, Freddy walked inside the Bureau. 'Sir maine victim ke ghar ki acchi tarah se talashi li. Par waha kuch khaas nahi mila'
'Hmm. Thik hai Freddy. Tum ek kaam karo, mobile company se pata karo ki victim ne marne se pehle kisse baat ki thi. Waha kuch na kuch surag jaroor milega' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Okay sir. Kya baat hai Salunkhe sir aaj aap Bureau me kaise aa gaye?' asked Freddy.
'Arey jaa raha hu bhai. Aur kyu Freddy main yaha nahi aa sakta?' he asked sternly.
'Arey nai Sir aisi baat nahi hai. Lekin aapko Lab chodkar kahi jana pasand nahi sirf isliye puchna maine' said Freddy.
'Jaa raha hu. Jaa raha hu.' said Dr Salunkhe and walked out of the Lab.
'Sir main phone records check karke aapko batata hu' said Freddy.
'Freddy ek minute. Mujhe ek baat puchni thi tumse' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Kya sir?' ssid Freddy.
'Ye baat case ke silsile me nahi hai' said ACP Pradyuman and Freddy looked confused.
'Freddy tum shuruwat se CID me ho. Mujhe tumpar pura vishwas hai aur mujhe ye bhi pata hai ki tumhe har cheez ki kano kan khabar hoti hai isliye sirf tumse main ye baat puch raha hu.' said ACP Pradyuman with the right amount of flattery in his voice.
'Kya baat hai sir?' he asked puffing out his chest proudly.
'Abhijeet aur Tarika ye dono sirf dost hai ya phir kuch aur? Sach sach batao Freddy. Ye jaana mere liye bohot zaroori hai' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Kya?' asked Freddy fearfully.
'Haan. Sach batao Freddy. Tum jaroor kuch jaante honge Freddy. Aur ghabrao mat Abhijeet ko nahi pata chalega ki tumne mujhe ye khabar di hai' said ACP Pradyuman speaking very slowly and clearly.
'Nahi sir... mujhe koi idea nahi hai' Freddy stammered.
'Jhooth! Jhooth bol rahe ho tum Freddy' ACP Pradyuman yelled suddenly making Freddy jump.
'Arey nahi sir... main aapse kaise jhooth bol sakta hu. Par aap Daya sir se kyu nahi puchte?' askes Freddy not quite meeting his eye.
'Main jaanta hu Daya mujhe kuch nahi batayega. Aur aaj tumne saabit kar liya ki tum bhi unki taraf se ho' said ACP Pradyuman angrily.
'Are nahi sir...' said Freddy.
'Chup! Ekdam chup! Jao aur kaam pe lag jao. Lekin ek baat yaad rakhna tum sab log ki main sacchai ka pata karke hi rahunga aur jab mere haath me saboot honge na tab main dekh lunga main har ek ko' said ACP Pradyuman angrily.
'Main C - chalta hoon sir' said Freddy and hurried out of the office.
After Freddy left, ACP Pradyuman called Dr Salunkhe immediately.
'Ha Boss, puch liya Freddy se?' asked Dr Salunkhe eagerly.
'Haan. Par Freddy bhi wafadar nikla. Kuch bhi nahi bataya usne. Mujhse kehne laga ki use kuch bhi nahi pata aur mai Daya se baat karke dekhu' said ACP Pradyuman.
'Boss, ye sab log apas me mile hue hai. Hume ek dusre ke baare me kuch nahi batayenge' said Dr Salunkhe.
'Itni jaldi haar nahi maane wala main Salunkhe. Tu ek kaam kar, tera wo dusra assistant hai na Vaibhav usse puch. Jab tu Lab me nahi rehta tab shayad use Abhijeet aur Tarika ko ek saath dekha ho. Tab tak main kuch dusra raasta sochta hoon. CID Bureau me rules maine kisi wajah se banaye hai aur agar koi bhi use tode toh wo main bilkul bardaasht nahi karunga. Phir chahe wo koi bhi ho. Tum bhi Salunkhe' said ACP Pradyuman.
Dr Salunkhe gulped. 'M - main? Maine kya kiya hai Pradyuman?' he asked.
'Bas keh raha hu. Rules aur punishment sab ke liye ek hai' said ACP Pradyuman.
'H - Haan. Sahi keh raha hai tu' said Dr Salunkhe. 'Chal main rakhta hu ab. Baad me baat karte hai. Bohot sara kaam pada hai' he said.
'Thik hai.' said ACP Pradyuman and disconnected the call.
Dr Salunkhe kept thinking about something for a long time. He looked extremely worried about something. Wiping his slightly sweaty forehead, he changed his cell phone password and then set to work on the dead body.