Where Ever You Go I Am There

Part 13

Sakshi spat out accusingly remembering all the torture she underwent and still undergoing due to that fake case.

Arjun scowled back angrily, "Aisa kabhi nahi ho saktha Sakshi....I know Sameer...woh aisa kabhi nahi kar saktha..."

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Arjun's anger left Sakshi in a horrified state. She knew about the friendship Sameer and Arjun had shared previously and now even if they weren't showing it out, they would never give up on each other but what she said was the truth. Sameer was the investigating officer in her father's case. It was under him that everything was planned and executed. Then how could she not tell his name?

Sakshi went silent all of a sudden and sat back on the sofa, in fact slumped into it totally exhausted as if she had no more strength to fight or argue. Arjun hadn't missed to notice her state but then he was in a shock too and couldn't calm down himself. Then how would he support and console her? The name she blurted out was Sameer's. He couldn't believe that his Sam could do anything like that. Either Sakshi was lying or may be Sameer had arrested her father because he indeed was a criminal and Sakshi couldn't take that truth about her own father. Or there was a bigger plan, a conspiracy which was weaved by a third person who had made all of them mere pawns in his game. Sakshi being kept emotionally blackmailed and made to do tasks forcefully strengthened Arjun's gut feeling that the 3rd option was the real truth. But Sameer? How could he fall prey to such a treacherous game plan? What could have gone wrong here?

Arjun had to find out the real face behind all these layers of deceit and crimes. He had to find out what the truth was and in the process, he also had the moral responsibility of saving Sakshi and her father. If a slip had indeed occurred in the hands of his friend, then he would correct it.

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Sameer was confused by the sudden turn of tables at him. He had believed that he had done nothing wrong. All proof was against her father but.......He muttered all of a sudden, "Iss case mein toh saare evidences fool proof teh.....Mr Pratham Anand ke safety vault aur unnke office ke cabinet se bhi drugs aur khaafi clues mila....Everything pointed to him being linked to the drug mafia...."

Sameer was quickly scanning through the files while Radhika smirked and voiced, "Clues and evidences can be created Mr Sameer...It doesn't have to be the real truth"

Sameer was quick to reply, "Phir bhi, itne saare proof toh...."

Kishore smiled and added, "itne saare proof manipulated hai Sameer....Just imagine, would a hard core criminal give so many evidences against him in a platter like this to you? Sometimes lies take the façade of truth and tend to deceive us Sameer!"

Sameer was indeed having a feeling of resent inside him. Perhaps he couldn't see the obvious or perhaps the evidences blind-folded him and he never went beyond the obvious!

All that Kishore and Radhika told were making real sense to him. What had happened to him at that time? Why had he faltered in this case? He smacked himself for being so stupid and hasty!

His state could be clearly read by the other two. Radhika patted Sameer's shoulder, "Don't worry.....We can't undo the mistake but we can surely correct it....."

Kishore added, "Yes Sameer....its time to do the much needed damage control..."

Sameer nodded without a word. He was dumbfounded by guilt and he was determined that if indeed he had made a mistake, then he himself would correct it and set things right. He would apologize to Sakshi. Not that the apology would make anything better for her but still....

His thoughts ceased and thoroughly tangled at the irreparable damage that he had unknowingly caused to Sakshi's life. He wondered if she would ever forgive him for his mistake. No, it wasn't a mistake...it was a sin that he committed.

Radhika and Kishore could understand what he was going through. Sameer's miserable state melted both of them. This guilt wouldn't let him be peaceful but there was nothing they could do to reverse it now. She gestured Kishore to console him.

Kishore nodded and sat beside Sameer.

Meanwhile Arjun had done a small back ground work and cross checked if Sakshi's claim about Sameer was true. It wasn't a transparent case. That much was now clear to Arjun. He couldn't confirm if Sameer was wrong entirely but he was sure by now that there was a hurry in closing the case. Many unseen or rather uncovered truths remained dangling. Some points were overlooked but why? Why would Sameer commit such a big blunder? No there was something missing. Something hidden deep under the layers of lies which someone had cleverly laid all around else his Sam would never do this. That someone could be the man who sent Sakshi to ETF as his pawn.

He underlined his own words once more and then realized that he had another big task, a more difficult task in hand to do before getting into the case. "Sakshi" He looked towards her. She was in a very bad state. Tears weren't stopping to flow out from her eyes. She was in agony and this side of Sakshi Anand was very new to him. He realized that her bubbly over smart side was easier to handle any day.

Perhaps he had woken up all her nightmare like memories. Her tormented form made his rough self soften.

He had to console her and give her the secured feeling that she wasn't alone now. The entire team was with her. He was with her.

He walked and sat before her. She knew that Arjun wasn't fully convinced with whatever she said about Sameer and even she wanted to believe that Sameer was innocent. Having known Sameer closely during her brief tenure in ETF, she was also having conflicting thoughts about him but then her personal experiences in the past did not allow her to give him a clean chit.

She wiped her tears quickly and tried to get up but he was quick to grab her wrist and make her sit back. She looked at him enquiringly and then spoke up,

"I know Arjun, it's difficult to believe whatever I said and especially after knowing what my motive was in ETF, you have no reason to trust me...."

She tried to get up when he voiced, "I trust you"

She was stunned by that because never did she expect it from ACP Arjun Rawte while he continued, "But I also trust Sameer and he cannot go wrong...probably there was a reason which we aren't aware of at this moment but I will find it!"

She didn't know if she felt relief at that moment because all these days, she was fighting it out all alone. And all of a sudden, Arjun stepping in to help her and find the real truth was indeed giving her peace. She didn't reply while he continued, "You have to be honest with me Sakshi.....Do you know where Sameer is?"

She shook her head, "No, I haven't seen him after he disappeared from my house that night!"

He convinced himself to believe her and muttered, "We are missing something here.....how can he just disappear? Either the man who sent you or perhaps someone else took him....but where?"

"So our first task is to find Sameer....but for that, you have to find maximum details about who sent you Sakshi....You have to act as if nothing of this happened and win back his trust!"

That made her tremble in fear and he could feel her shiver. He held her hands as if securing her, "Sakshi...."

She merely nodded, "hmmm"

He called her name again and she blurted out in fear, "He is very dangerous and shrewd Arjun....By now, he would have known where I am and...."

Her voice cracked and words trailed off. He tightened the hold on her hands and tried to motivate her, "You can do it Saskhi....We are all with you now!"

A plan was already taking its form in his sharp mind, a plan to make that person believe Sakshi. He didn't mention it to Sakshi at that moment but just patted her, "Take some rest...there, that room...we will talk tomorrow"

She didn't protest as she was too exhausted to speak further. After she walked into the room, he gave one final thought to his plan and then dialled some numbers quickly.

[To be continued]