The Cursed Shell

30

"It's not true!" Dhawan yelled after Dunkirk told him what was written in the report submitted by his team.

"Mr Dhawan," Dunkirk said, politely, "our report is correct. We've found e-mails by Professor Lamb to Stephenson Mal asking him to kill all his seven pals."

"Why would anyone send e-mails to ask for murdering someone? E-mails can be snooped easily!" Dhawan argued.

"That's not a point, Mr Dhawan," Dunkirk said. "We've also crosschecked Mr Lamb's e-mails. We found the same e-mails sent from his device. I'm sorry, Mr Dhawan," Dunkirk patted on his shoulder, "truth is always unthinkable."

'I know it's not the truth,' Dhawan thought. "I need to inform Josh about this", Dhawan said, fishing his cell–phone out.

Joshua Lamb was hurrying his car towards the airport as he was informed by Dhawan that his father was arrested.

He had to book a plane ticket to America. Then he had to meet his father in the jail. He was bolting his car in a speed more than the legal speed for his vehicle.

It was almost 6:30 am in America. Todd Lamb was in a barred cabin under the surveillance of four CCTV cameras. He was dressed as a prisoner. He had never expected this day to come. He was almost weeping. All his glory and publicity would fade as soon as this news would spread in the media. Many Media may not be interested in showing good news or facts, but they are indeed interested in spreading bad news as most of their viewers are interested in knowing that.

'I've never killed anyone,' Mr Lamb thought, 'then why am I arrested? I don't even know about the e-mail messages sent from my device. I don't even know the assassin who was killed by my son.'

Now a voice was audible outside the cabin.

"I want to meet him alone", the voice seemed like the voice of Joshua Lamb.

The entrance door opened and closed after Josh stepped in. His eyes filled with tears. "Father."

"My son", Todd Lamb stood up.

Suddenly, the CCTV cameras sparkled, for a moment only.

"What was that?" Mr Lamb whirled around.

"Must be a technical issue", Josh said, staring at the cameras.

Todd Lamb's eyes were red as he was weeping a few moments ago. He had never done anything illegal, still he was behind the bars. He stepped ahead till the end of the bars where he was nearest to his son.

Josh was frowning seeing his father behind the bars. He knew that his father was innocent. He knew that his father had not appointed any assassin to kill anyone. Perhaps, he knew who had appointed the assassin.

"Josh, my son, you trust me?" Todd Lamb asked.

"Yes, my father, I trust you", Josh kept his hands on his old father's closed fists through the bars.

"Believe me, my son, believe me. I'm not lying", Todd Lamb said.

"I believe you, father, I believe you", Josh said.

"Believe me, my son. It's not me", the old professor's eyes were again filled with tears.

"I believe you, father. I know it's not you," Josh now left his father's hands and stepped a little back. Now he was smirking, "Because it's me!"

Todd Lamb couldn't believe what he heard right now. 'It's not possible', he thought. Now he realised who was the person who appointed Stephenson Mal to kill the seven other scholars.

"You misunderstood me, father," Josh said. "You thought that my attitude is changed. I'm changed. But I'm still the same as I was earlier during my adolescence."

"Josh..." Todd Lamb could barely speak his last word.

"Rest in peace, father", Josh aimed a pistol with silencer towards his old and weak father and shot.