The Price of Innocence (COMPLETED)

Chapter 16

Officer Bandarenko Viktor went straight to the police station to share the profound news with Gulamov Khalig. Gulamov was not at his place when Bandarenko reached the police station. May be he is having a dinner somewhere he thought and flicked his cellphone from his pocket to call him. Suddenly he remembered that, Gulamov always switched off the phone during dinner time. He did not want to be disturbed at least when he ate. So, Bandarenko decided to go straight to hospital where Sara was kept as a patient. The officer who called him today and told the news about Sara met him in front of the ward. " The doctor says she opened her eyes, but has not said a single word yet" the officer said greeting Bandarenko. Bandarenko opened the door and saw Sara's pale face. She was staring at the ceiling without blinking. The doctor in charge was examining her with a small lentern in his hand. He put the lantern beam in her eyes constantly checking up her vitality. "Does she blink at all?" Bandarenko asked the doctor. "Yeah, she blinks, but not so often as she used to. She is still in shock. We need to wait for more time.She will gradually understand where is she and what happened to her. After that you can ask her questions" the doctor responded. "Keep an eye on her for a few more days. You don't come to the police station. You come straight here every morning. The night shift sergeant also will come here. Tell him you will put an eye on her for a few more days" Bandarenko instructed the sergeant. After that he wanted to go straight to "Grand City Hospital". Gulamov called him unexpectedly as he already had finished his dinner.
"What is it?"
"We have pivotal news which will boost the investigation process"
"Tell me!"
"Gulyana's workmates told me that she used to look at this xray photo and cry. It frequently happened two or three months prior her death. They have found the photo from her locked drawer. That's why, we was not able to find the photo last time. There is a hospital name on the corner of the photo. I wanted to go and check up the hospital"
"Why to check the hospital? Do you know how many percent of people make an abortion every month? Do you think the hospitals know the details about every aborted embryo? Most of them make it secretly. The authorities of the hospital know it and they don't ask any details. Last year almost twenty percent of abortion was made by the girls between fifteen and seventeen years olds. So, forget it! You will not achieve any detail by going there. Just wasting of time. What's next? "
"Sara has waken up. She opened her eyes, but doesn't still talk. The doctor says we need to wait a few more days until she get her consciousness back"
"That's called good news. Keep your eye on everything simultaneously"
"Ok, boss"
"Listen! I won't go back to office today anymore. I feel tired. I'll go home and get some sleep. If anything important occurs, call me" Gulamov said at the end. "All right" Bandarenko said they rang off.

Rustam and Rashid were sitting in seperate cells side by side. "Don't get panicked. We are innocent and we will get out" Rustam tried to reassure Rashid. Rashid was numbed. He was staring at the concrete floor. Tears had come down her cheeks and dried up. Rustam suddenly felt the smell of food. That was the smell of fried chicken combined with the patatoes. He had eaten almost all the day. Hence he felt very hungry.
Rashad and his father Sabir finally reached to 45th police station. On his way to the police station Sabir called to his numerous friends and acquainteds in order to find another lawyer as Tahir had gone abroad. They gave him three lawyer names and numbers. Sabir decided to get acquainted with the preliminary condition of the case before calling one of the lawyers. As they entered inside neither Gulamov, nor, Bandarenko was there. The duty post officer told them that, there was no one from authority members. They sat down and started to wait. Approximately after fifteen minutes Bandarenko entered inside. He approached to duty post officer and he told him about Sabir and Rashad. Bandarenko came closer to them and represented himself. "We want to see Rustam. We also want to know about the case , so that we could appoint a lawyer for him" Sabir told Bandarenko. "Actually, there are two of them. Brothers. Too many evidences against them. There are being accused of murder and physical assault. They have already confessed about their links with the victims" Bandarenko responded. "Sara, one of the victims has waken up from coma today. But, we haven't sk her anything yet. So, if they are innocent as they say, Sara will confirm it" he added again. "Where are they? We want to see them" Sabir said. "Meeting time is over. Come back on wednesday at ten in the morning" Bandarenko said trying to enter to his room. "Officer, me myself have served at Ministry of taxes for years. I'm not unfamiliar with the system. Please, let us to see them for 15 minutes!" Sabir asked with strong plea. Bandarenko agreed on that. "Half an hour. Please implement everything that is demanded during meeting" he said. Rashad and Sabir nodded their heads. They followed the sergeant inside, where the meeting room situated. Rustam thought his father has come as they were heading towards the meeting room. Rashad hugged Rustam as they entered inside. "This is my friend from the army Rashad and this is his father uncle Sabir" Rustam told Rashid. They talked about the case. "I have another three lawyer names who can represent your interests at any time you want" Sabir told Rustam. Rashad suddenly remembered about the good news that Bandarenko told them. "Sara has opened her eyes today" he said out of the blue. There was gleam in Rustam's eyes. "Are you sure?" He almost cried asking. "Officer Bandarenko just told us. But, they still have not asked her anything. She has waken up, but does't talk. They say they need a little more time and she will come to herself" Rashad said. Rustam felt releived. Rashad have always been told him good news, motivated him. He felt blessed to have such a friend one more time. " Thanls for everything! Both of you" Rustam said. "Time is up" the sergeant waiting in the door said. Rustam and Rashid were brought back to their cells. "I told you everything will get to it's course!" Rustam said Rashid. The latter still said nothing.