FLASHLIGHT

CH 23 Abhiram .

'I am sorry for what happened outside Abhiram .'

'It's ok sir ' I said 'that's your job sir ' I added .

'What are you guys looking at my face search for evidence .'Inspector Veerendra ordered the constables and continued .

'Abhiram you know right why I got you here with me ?' He asked .

'Yes sir I know' Isaid .

'I want to know everything in detail every single thing from the start .'

I nodded understanding what he meant . In front of Ishani it would have been difficult to tell everything in detail , as a journalist its my duty to give the right information in order to know the culprit may it be the one behind the scandal or the one behind this theft . I had seen the crime scene first I knew Inspector Veerendra was keen to know everything from the time I came here to the time I witnessed the most suspicious thing which happened in this house . But still telling him everything would be of no use still . Especially the fact that I had found Ishani's anklet in this cabin and thought it was a brief evidence but it wasn't so we should be discussing this . Framing what to tell and what not to I prepared my self not forgetting he is a police officer and he has his own ways of removing the truth .

'So how did you land here .'He fired his first expectable question .

  I had done my home work . 

'Sir I had met Ishani at a party . I purposely came in front of her car in the parking lot and then she dashed me and brought me here .I don't think I should be telling you why ?'

'Lie ' he said .

Does this guys eyes have a lie detector I thought as his eyes narrowed still firm looking in mine .

'No sir I am saying the truth .' I said maintaining the strong eye contact .

'I mean what you told me outside was a lie .'

'Ya ' I said .

There is nothing as difficult as hiding the truth . The more you try to hide it the more it tries to reveal itself .

'So when you came inside the cabin was this cabin the way it is now ?' 

'Sir when I came here I saw exactly what you guys are seeing now , this place was a mess . I am a criminal journalist myself so I know what a crime scene looks like and this place looked like one .So I tried to search what was missing , what was in this room which had been stolen or evidence . But the task was difficult it was really tough. Like you are seeing now this room was filled with files so I went through every shelf and cupboard and when I came to this cupboard right behind you and then I saw that the locker was broken . I saw a seal paper stuck in the suit and few incomplete property papers of the Pune estate then it clicked that I dint think of the property papers they could go missing I searched for them every where but I dint get them then tomorrow is Ishani Malhotra's meeting with some clients although Mrs Malhotra is going to attend it she wanted some papers from here and then Ishani came here and saw this mess .' I completed and took a long break .

' Ok ' he signed 'so what is the meeting about .'

'I don't know .' I lied although it was a partial lie cause the other day I had overheard Mrs Ishani speaking about some deal related meeting with Ishani .

'Fine '

He looked around keeping an eye on his constables .

' Found anything ' He asked .

' No sir .' They all answered at once .

' How did you know that the property papers were in this room .' He asked suspiciously .