Secrets of the Past (Completed)

10. The Clues

4th January 2020, AR Corp, morning 9.30 am

When the Crime branch team reached AR Corp, Aman Mathur, ASR's PA, escorted them to one of the conference halls.

Informing the officers that his boss will be there in a few minutes, Aman was about to exit the hall when he received a call. The change in his demeanor didn't go unnoticed by them. Giving a hesitant smile to the officers, he exited the hall hurriedly and spoke in a hushed voice.

"Hello"

.......

"Not now, don't irritate me. The Crime Branch team is here for investigation."

........

"Understand, they'll be visiting you guys soon. Now is not the time to meet."

.........

"Ok take care bye, we'll meet at the usual place today evening".

Disconnecting the call, Aman turned around to check if Arnav had reached the hall when he bumped into Lavanya.

Mumbling an apology, he swiftly moved away from there and went towards Arnav's cabin. Lavanya's doubt was right. This Aman Mathur was mysterious.

*****************

Arnav gave a go ahead signal for the officers to interrogate his employees.

It was almost noon. Most of the staffs had given their statements. There was nothing that could show Liza in a wrong light. Liza's friendly demeanor and the absence of any snobby behavior was a surprise. The women staff were friendly with her.

During lunch break, they were sure that nothing would surface. Wrapping up the work, the entire team left AR building.

Crime branch office 2pm

Neil - "there is no evidence that this could be professional rivalry, the facts and the details, everything shows that ASR is a perfect business man. And Liza is shown as some kind elegant woman. The is no jealousy angle too owing to the fact that all the models who came in contact with Liza were just professional friends. In fact, she doesn't have any personal best friend.

Her family consists of a distant Aunt who took care of Liza since her childhood. No parents. No siblings. She grew up in Mumbai. Her close associates have given a clean chit to her character."

Ranvijay just closed his eyes and was listening keenly to whatever Neil was saying.

Vasundhara - " Karan's details are more or less the same. Though the staff didn't converse with him much, as far as they could remember, he was a gentleman. No mischief, no ragging women or any other employee. He would come, meet ASR, and then proceed with his work.

Frustrated that there was nothing that could help them, Ranvijay took his pen and started drawing.

"Lavanya, any positive response from that man?"

She sighed, "no boss, he is turning out to be a psycho. He is just repeating the same words again and again."

Our database has no criminal offence recorded under his profile.

"Dev, did you get the clue received from the murder spot decoded?"

"no Chief, no breakthrough".

"What the hell man! The only clue we have is that Liza might have been ASR's girlfriend. That too is just a possibility, and if the anonymous call is found to be a hoax, then we reach the same dead end."

Everyone became silent. Ranvijay's anger was justified. There was no lead.

Composing himself, he instructed his team to keep digging the past of each and everyone related to the case.

"we'll visit the Raizadas today evening. Let's hope to get something".

******************

Raizada mansion evening 6pm

Kushi was busy making pancakes as evening snacks for Anjali's kids, when she felt two hands wrapping around her waist.

Her first instinct was to push the intruder. But feeling the familiar touch, she sighed.

"hmm, such a delicious smell. what are you making?"

Pushing his hands away from her, she glared at him.

"Arnavji!! have some shame. we are at the kitchen. what if someone comes inside?"

Giving her a smirk, he tried coming closer to her again, when there was a cough behind them.

Getting irritated at being disturbed when he was with his wife, Arnav was about to lash out when he saw Bubbly standing there with a teasing smile.

Kushi felt embarrassed. Arnav twisted his sister's ears.

"aaah, Bhai, please leave my ear. its paining."

"you have become naughtier bubbly. I'll see to it sooner."

Giving a playful warning, he winked at his wife and left the kitchen.

Kushi started blushing at her husband's antics.

What happened to him?

He was the ASR. But his behavior was entirely different. He had become so romantic.

Bubbly started teasing her Babhi when Hari Prakash, their butler, informed them about Ranvijay and his team's arrival.

Worried, Kushi and Bubbly went towards the living room after handing over the work to the other servants.

******************

"Mr. Raizada, hope your family members are ready for our interrogation."

Giving a glance towards his friends, Arnav nodded and asked them to proceed.

The ladies were questioned by Sonakshi and Sheetal in the living room while the men were taken to the study.

After 3 hours, when the officers were about to leave, Brijlal , their gardener came inside with a parcel.

"Saab, someone had left this parcel in our garden. I saw your name written on it. so brought it here."

Curious, the whole family looked on as Arnav took the small box from him. Before he could open, Neil interrupted him.

"Mr. Raizada, would you mind if I have a look at it?"

Gaining a go ahead signal from Arnav, Neil checked the box.

There was no from address, which meant this was from a well known person who did not want to be identified. There was no post office seal.

Neil gave a known look to Vasundhara and Ranvijay.

They both at once knew that this parcel will become the new headache.

Giving an encouraging nod at Neil to open the box, everyone waited with baited breath to know the contents of the box.

There was a recorder, a fresh rose and 6 small toys.

***********

7th January 2020, Crime branch office, morning 10 am

"Chief, the recorder is thoroughly checked. There is nothing harmful inside the box. Forensic team has given a green signal."

Lavanya was informing Ranvijay.

"Play the recording"

There was no sound at first. Then the noise gradually increased to an unbearable shout. They couldn't hear anything except for crying and shouting noise.

"Lavanya, get this sound checked. There is something fishy. And Vasundhara, did you find anything with that rose?"

"Yes Ranvijay, this is no ordinary rose. Look at the petals closely. You will be able to find what I'm indicating".

Ranvijay took hold of the magnifying glass and the rose from Vasundhara.

Upon deep examination, he found what Vasundhara was implying. He was amazed. The inner circle petals, consisted of a photograph of 6 people, of which, 2 petals were dark red on color, while the remaining 4 were dark pink.

The shocking part, the dark red petals held the photograph of Karan and Liza, and the remaining 4 were of NK, Sid, Akash and Arnav.

Ranvijay and Vasundhara shared a look.

"The killer has boldly given us the clue that he or she will kill all these remaining people. We need to act fast Ranvijay. This is getting serious."

***************

16th January 2020, early morning 6 am, private guesthouse

Swara (Bubbly) : what do you want to talk? look, let this be the last meeting.

I clearly told you I don't like you in a romantic way. I considered you as my brother's friend, that's all. Keep this in your mind. Whatever you do , I wont change my decision. Please, for the sake of our families, let go of this madness.

Swara pleaded . but he was as usual in his own world where he and Swara were madly in love. Not able to take the rejection, he blasted.

Man - How dare you! why are you lying! We both know that we love each other. Why are you denying? Don't worry, Arnav will accept our relationship.

Pulling her closer he started kissing her forehead, cheeks, chin and finally aimed at her lips, only to be slapped again.

"Don't, I don't love you. Get this in your head!!!

That was the last straw. He got so mad that he lost his senses and started dragging her towards his bedroom.

He was thankful that Bubbly had come as soon as he called her saying it was an SOS. She fell in his trap and now, he was going to get his reward for his patience. All these years, he had been waiting but she was very adamant. He will show her his love, even if she doesn't acknowledge today, she will surely love him in the future. He was ready to wait for her love, but at his own terms and conditions.

Dragging her towards the bedroom, he pushed her on the bed. Before Swara could try to escape, he tied her hands and legs. She was shocked. She didn't know that this man was so possessed and obsessed with her.

Swara was a girl who would admonish anyone , especially women if they cried. She hated tears.

Today, she was shedding tears without her knowledge. She knew what was coming, but her determination shone bright in her eyes.

Seeing her defying stance, he stopped for a minute, then with a manic glint, started laughing.

In a husky voice that could send chills down the spine even in a dead man, he whispered in her ear.

"You will be tied like this every time we make love. There will be no escape. I want you, I need you, if i don't get what I want, I will make sure that no one gets the same."

She shivered. His cold beastly voice was sending tremors through her body. Not knowing what to do, she was about to shout, when he shut her mouth with a brutual kiss. Before he could proceed with tearing her clothes and making her his, he was pushed back forcefully.

One second he was on Swara about to force her, the next second, he felt himself pushed forcefully away from her. His head hit the wall due to the force and he became unconscious.

Swara couldn't do anything. Her hands and legs were tied and she knew the whole guesthouse was made soundproof.

She started turning her head as far as she could, to find out the source who pushed that monster and saved her.

She saw a woman who was standing near him, checking that monster's breathing. After confirming that he was unconscious, the mystery woman immediately came and opened her knots.

"Go away, don't tell anyone what happened here. If anyone asks where you had gone, tell them that you went to send off your friend at the airport. I'll take care of this bastard."

Thanking the woman, Swara went away from there.

The woman smirked. She looked at the unconscious figure and said to herself "time for some fun baby!"