Chapter 5

A/N: Apologizing to you guys will be completely wrong, as I know the update was after way too long a time, par I've been juggling between my classes and studies and exams and religious activities, so I've been pretty packed. This is just sort of a filler chapter, so please excuse me if the chapter is not up to the mark.

Once again, THANKS to all my lovely REVIEWERS! :D :D Your reviews are what motivate me the most! :D :D Sorry ki sab ko personally thank nahi kar payi, par uske badle mein sab ko ek pastry free! ;) ;)

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Previously:

Breaking open the door, Daya, Sachin and Vivek enter the house, to find Mannu in alomst the same position as Arjun, a gun wound in his stomach. Rushing towards him, Daya lifted him on his lap, while Vivek called for an ambulance.

"Kyun kiya tumne yeh sab haan? Batao kyun kiya?"

"Maine yeh sab... sab... Rajeev ke kehne pe kiya tha..."

"Rajeev? Par woh toh mar chuka hai na?"

"Nahi... wo... wo.. zinda hai... aur... sab...sabse... chun chunkar... badla le... le raha hai..."

"Kahan hai woh?"

"Woh... isi company mein... kaam... kar raha hai... kisi aur ke... bhes mein..."

"Kaun hai woh, haan? Kaun hai woh?"

And his eyes rolled back in his head. Shaking his head hopelessly at the now dead form of Mannu, Daya asked Vivek to send the body to the Foresic Lab, while he reported this to ACP Pradyuman.

Sachin started trying to make sense of the crime sense. Quite a lot of things were thrown here and there which was a classic sign of a good struggle. From all Sachin could deduce, Mannu and the unknown assailant were involved with a scuffle over the gun, which resulted in a fatal would to Mannu. Sachin now headed towards the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, Sachin re-entered the hall once again where Vivek and Daya had just assembled, having no luck in finding anything useful about the case or the identity of the murderer.

"Sachin, tumhe kuch mila?"

"Haan sir, pura room chhan maarne par sirf yeh ek chaabi hi mili hai mujhe."

"Dikhao toh zara..." Sachin handed over the key to Daya, who in turn, scrutinised the key carefully.

"Yeh toh koi bank locker ki chaabi ki tarah lag rahi hai... ek kaam karo, isse Dr. Salunkhe ke pass bhejte hai, shayad humein kuch aurpata chal jaaye..."

Few hours later:

In the Forensic Lab:

Freddy and Kajal entered the Forensic Lab. Dr. Salunkhe raised his head up from the microscope and looked at them with a blank look.

"Dr. Sahab, kuch pata chala Mannu ke maut ke baare mein?"

"Haan Freddy, autopsy toh yaho bata rahi hai ki Mannu ki maut stomach rupture ki wajah se hui hai, jo beshak goli chalne ke wajah se hi hui hai. Aur bullet ko maine Arjun pe chale hue goli ke saath compare kiya hai. Dono goliyaan ek hi banduk se chali hai .50 calibre ki."

"Aur woh chabi?"

"Chabi pe sirf Mannu ke fingerprints hai. Par chaabi ke serial number ko analyse karke yeh pata chala hai ki yeh Axis Bank ke Andheri aur Goregaon ke beech mein kisi branch ka locker hai."

"Theek hai Salunkhe sahab, aap chaabi de dijiye, hum yeh locker check karke pata lagate hai ki iss raaz ki kaunse taale ki chaabi humein mili hai.".

Handing over the key to Kajal, the two of them were about to leave when Dr. Salunkhe calles them back once again.

"Tum logon ko ek aur zaruri baat bolna bhul gaya. Humein Mannu ke kapdon par se kuch baal mile hai, jiska maine DNA test kiya toh pata chala ki yeh baal uska nahi hai, iska matlab yeh baal khooni ka hi hai. Aur toh aur, mujhe Mannu ke haathon par bruising dikhai diya hai, jiska matlab yeh hai ki Mannu aur khooni ne pehle hathapai ki thi aur shayad uss dauran khooni ka baal Mannu ke kapdon pe aa gaya.

"Sir, uss baal ke DNA test se kuch aur pata chala kya?"

"Haan Kajal, extensive tests yeh bata raha hai ki yeh khooni ki umar kam se kam 30-40 saal ke beech mein hoga aur toh aur khooni ke shareer par kahin na kahin chot ka nishaan hoga hi."

"Sir aapne jo profile diya hai, woh Rajeev se bilkul match karta hai, par Mannu ne marne se pehle yeh kaha tha ki Rajeev iss company mein apna bhes badal kar kaam kar raha hai. Hum ne comparative face study kiya hai sab mployees ka pehle bhi par kisi ka face match nahi hua hai."

"Iska matlab usne zaroor plastic surgery kiya hai."

"Humein bhi wahi shak tha."

"Theek hai sir, hum chalte hai, agar aapko kuch aur pata chale toh humein foran bataiyega."

Leaving the Forensic Lab, Freddy called Daya to update him on the case while Kajal headed to the bank to uncover the mystery behind the key.

Meanwhile:

At City Hospital:

Abhijeet was flipping through his magazine pages, when ACP Pradyuman entered the room.

"Arre sir aap! Mannu ka kuch pata chala?"

"Abhijeet ek buri khabar hai... Mannu ki bhi maut ho gayi hai."

"Kya! Par kaise sir?"

"Usse bhi ussi tarah maara gaya hai jis tarah Arjun ko maar diya gaya tha."

"Sir, uske aas paas koi aur saboot?"

"Filhaal Daya aur Sachin investigate kar rahe hai... agar un dono ko kuch milta hai toh woh phone karke bata denge... Daya abhi 15 minute mein yahan pohonch raha hai."

While ACP Pradyuman took a tired sigh and took a seat by Abhijeet's side, Abhijeet gave his boss a curious look. But before he could say anything, he received a call. Answering it with apprehension in his voice, he started off slowly but gave out but give out a sudden exclamation:

"Kya! Are you sure khabar pakki hai? Dekho, agar pichli baar ki tarah koi gadbad hui na toh... Fantastic! Yeh hui na baat! Kahan hai woh? Theek hai mujhe shaam tak ka wakt do main wahan pohonch jaata hoon!"

Disconnecting the line, ACP Pradyuman looked at Abhijeet with such an ecstatic smile that it infected him within no time. He had seen his senior so full of joy in what must have been forever for him.

"Kya baat hai sir? Koi acchi khabar?"

"Haan Abhijeet, khabar toh wakaye mein bohot acchi hai... itne dino ke baad meri mehnat aakhir rang hi le aayi!"

"Sir batayiye na..."

"Wakt aane par sab kuch bata dunga main Abhijeet, sab kuch bata dunga."

"Kya yeh phone call, aapke kuch dino ke liye Bureau na aane se related hai na?"

ACP Pradyuman smiled at Abhijeet once again. Both of them sat in a persistent silence thereafter, each content in their own thoughts.

"Mujhe discharge hona hai."

"Kya?"

"Mujhe discharge hona hai sir."

ACP Pradyuman snapped out from his thoughts and looked at Abhijeet.

"Nahi, jab tak tum puri tarah sr theek nahi ho jaate, tum yahin par rahoge. And that's an order!"

"Par sir, main bilkul theek hoon... aur bas kuch hi dino ki toh baat hai... uske baad toh aaram hi aaram hai..."

"Kya matlab?"

"Sir, pandra din ko hone mein abhi teen din hi toh baaki hai... aur yeh mere career ka last case hai... sir please.."

"Iska matlab tumne ab tak apna faisla ahi badla?"

"Nahi sir... main aaj bhi wahi baat ko maanta hoon..."

"Mujhe pata tha ki tum nahi manane waale... khair."

Saying so, he let out a frustrated sigh and stood up from his place.

"Main doctor se tumhaare discharge ke baare meik baat karta hoon par tumhe mujhse yeh waada karna padega ki healthbka puri trah se dhyaan rakhoge."

Abhijeet smiled and nodded his head. Just as ACP Pradyuman headed towards the door, Daya entered the room with an anxious look.

"Lo Daya bhi aa gaya. Main ab chalta hoon aur doctor se baat karke dekhta hoon."

Saying so, ACP Pradyuman left the room while Daya took his spot at the once again empty seat.

"Yeh sir kis ke baare mein baat kar rahe hai?"

"Mere discharge ke baare mein."

"Discharge? Par abhi bhi tum puri tarah se..."

"Oho Daya! Ab tum shuru mat karo! Itni mushkil se sir ko samjhaya hai!"

"Accha theek hai baba, nahi bolta kuch, bas?"

"Woh sab chhod, mujhe yeh bol ki case mein kuch aur pata chala?

"Humein Mannu ke ghar se ek gun mili hai. Yeh wohi gun hai kisse Arjun ko maara gaya tha." Daya updated Abhijeet on all the news that Freddy had given him. Just as he finished

"Waise Daya, yeh jo bank locker ki chaabi mili hai, iska branch kahan ka hai?"

"Kajal ka call aaya tha kuch der pehle, yeh branch Andheri aur Goergaon ke beech ke kisi area mein aata hai."

"Daya, yaad hai Raghu ne hum se kaha tha ki unn logon ne Arjun ko lift raaste ke beech mein diya tha aur Arjun wahan par airport sr aane ka bahaana bana raha tha... waha uss area mein bhi ek Axis Bank ka ek branch aata hai. Kajal se kaho uss bank mein chhan been karne ke liye. "

Nodding at him with a mocking smile on his face that Abhijeet caughy the meaning of, he was about to retort when ACP Pradyuman returned into the room, this time accompanied by his doctor.

"Sir?"

"Dekhiye Mr. Abhijeet, mujhe bas thode regular check ups karme hai, waise toh aapke vitals abhi kafi acche hai, tests karne ke baad, main aapke discharge lapers sign kar dunga."

Abhijeet looked beyond happy while Daya and ACP Pradyuman exchanged exasperated looks, but before anyone could say anything, the doctor strictly continued

"Par aapko yahan se discharge milne ke baad ghar pe kam se kam pandra dino ke liye bed rest lena hi padega. Aur aapki roz ki ucchal-kud zara bhi nahi chalega." Giving the doctor an irritable look, he nodded his head reluctantly, while the doctor signaled both Daya and ACP Pradyuman to leave the room.

45 minutes later:

Abhijeet exited the washroom fully dressed in his usual formal attire. His legs felt wobbly after being on his feet after ages. Daya stood in the room waiting for him to make his way towards him. At several points Daya wanted to go and support him, but he knew it would led to nothing but his pride being hurt. Finally after making his way to Daya, he signaled him to leave the room, this time taking Daya's support so that no more questions could be raised over his health.

Heading towards the reception, Abhijeet immediately took possession of his discharge papers and signed them with must gusto that all the people there could not hide their laughter. Handing the papers to the receptionist, Abhijeet was happy that he was finally getting away from this morose place. However, his plans were put into delay as the doctor chose that sweet moment to give a list of do's and don'ts. He must have barely heard half of them, before thanking the doctor quickly and falsely promising him of regularly coming in for check ups.

Nudging Daya, who understood and inwardly laughed at his friend's agitation, he supported him gently towards the parking area, with ACP Pradyuman in the rear. As soon as they reached the car, Abhijeet took a sigh of relief and looked happily towards the two people he held in his highest esteem. Before anything could be said, ACP Pradyuman received another call on his phone and excused himself for a moment, while the two friends caught up on lost time discussing trivial matters.

ACP Pradyuman joined them again, and the three of them took their respective seats in the car, while Daya drove them straight to the Bureau, at Abhijeet's plea. On the way, the three of them discussed several aspects of the case.

"Maine Kajal se keh diya hai ki woh aur Sachin kal hi jaake ab chhan been karenge... waise bhi raat bohot ho chuki hai."

"Haan sir, yeh accha kiya hai aapne, waise bhi aaj ka din sab ke liye bohot hectic tha..."

"Waise Abhijeet, ab jabki tum theek ho gaye ho, aur duty immediate notice pe rejoin kar rahe ho, tum iss case ko waapas se lead karoge... mujhe kisi zaroori kaam se ek-do din ke jaana hai..."

Abhijeet threw a suspicious look at his boss but said nothing.

"Theek hai sir... main handle kar dunga."

"Aur Daya toh hai hi tumhein saath, toh kaam ka pressure thoda kam hoga. Doctor ne th bola hi hai ki tumhein aaram ki bohot zaroorat hai..."

"Koi baat nahi sir... waise bhi teen dino ke baad sirf aaram hi aaram hai..."

Silence was all that filled the car. The car of held three guilty hearts, one, who had to live with the guilt of never knowing what he did, one who had to live with the guilt of helplessly watching at the scene, and one, who had to race against time to right the wrongs.

Please chapter padhne ke baad mujhpar kuch bhi mat phekna...! :P

Apologies for typos and constructive criticisms and reviews will be more than welcome! :D :D