CHECKMATE

Chapter 43

Yukti stared at Siddharth and then at Shivendra and left an audible sigh from her lips.

"I'll see what I can do...." Mumbled an anxious Yukti.

"I'll see if I can bail you'll out." Sighed Pratap and left.

Luckily, the bail was sanctioned by dusk and Shivendra and Siddharth were released from the holding.

"Did I not tell you two to check your houses for money?" Growled Pratap glaring at his friends.

"Bro...how was I supposed to know, all that lump sum money would be in my and Shiv's house!" Exclaimed a frustrated Siddharth.

"Did you'll not see anything going on at your own homes?" Asked Pratap nearly rolling his eyes.

"C'mon...half the day all of us are out busy working...." Replied Shivendra pressing his temples. "It's only the servants who are at home...."

The servants....thought Pratap nodding thoughtfully to himself. Looking back at his friends he said, "Now both of you'll don't do anything stupid. Got it?"

Siddharth and Shivendra nodded without a word. They couldn't believe that they had not only gotten into an embezzlement but also the government officials who had come to raid the house found all that money in their respective homes.

Pratap sat down beside Yukti who was checking all the CCTV footage's from outside their home while commissioner Khan was checking that of Shivendra's.

"Did you find anything suspicious?" Asked commissioner Khan, his eyes glued to the screen.

"No sir." She replied without lifting her eyes. "How about you?"

"Nothing." He replied and then reclined back on his chair.

"I doubt we'll find anything suspicious at all." Said Pratap with a slight frown.

"What's your plan?" Asked Yukti glancing at Pratap.

"Let's go and check the office first, there might be something there." Shrugged the advocate.

Along with the commissioner and inspector, Pratap went to the huge glass building and straight to the CFO's cabin where the vault was kept.

The vault was a small safe, hidden carefully behind a section of books. As Pratap searched the safe and commissioner Khan rummaged the drawers for any evidence, Yukti scrolled the computer.

In the end they all looked at each other in dismay and walked out.

"We'll have to question everyone." Sighed Yukti shaking her head.

"One second," snapped Pratap and rushed back into the cabin.

Yukti and the commissioner followed him in curiosity and followed his gaze to the ceiling of the room where a tiny camera beeped a red light.

"Something might have been captured in this!" Exclaimed the commissioner hopefully.

"Let's check." Muttered Pratap as the three sat down and began watching the footage.

Hours whizzed by and their eyes had begun stinging and their necks had become stiff. They yawned and pandiculated without the least hope remaining that they would find anything at all.

Just when they were about to give up, the footage blanked out. Yukti, commissioner Khan and Pratap immediately sat upright and blinked at one another.

"Why is this blank?" Asked Yukti looking at the security guard in the control room.

"Madam on that day there was a power failure for an hour." Replied the old security guard.

"How long did it last?" Asked Yukti once more.

"One hour." He replied.

Yukti looked back at the blank footage and then said, "Someone deliberately cut the power and then....swept the vault clean."

"Hmm...one hour is more than enough to embezzle." Sighed Pratap. "Now the question is who was there and wasn't there in the office on that day."

"Let's check." Said the commissioner and took the office records and began checking it. "There....wasn't any outsider....and I can guarantee one thing; and that's someone who knows everything did the deed."

"Sir I speculate that there is more than one person involved in this." Said Yukti.

"Yes there is...." Muttered the frowning commissioner.

Taking a copy of the footage and the employee records, they went back to the room Siddharth and Shivendra were staying.

"Two days ago in the office there was a power cut." Began Pratap looking at both his friends intently. "Where were you'll at that time?"

"I and Shiv had gone for a meeting at Udaipur." Replied Siddharth immediately. "There was a power cut?"

"You'll didn't know?" Asked Yukti.

"No...of course not...." Replied Shivendra shaking his head. "First tell me, what time did that happen?"

"Evening...around 7pm." Replied Yukti.

"We were in Udaipur." Replied Shivendra. "We...had to sign a contract with the local sugarcane industry there."

For a moment all was silent until commissioner Khan asked, "Was there anybody else with you'll on that day?"

"No." Replied Siddharth. "It was just the two of us."

"Do you'll suspect anybody?" Asked Yukti looking intently at the two men.

Siddharth and Shivendra glanced at each other and then exclaimed, "We can't suspect our own employees!"

"Hey!" Exclaimed Pratap in irritation. "Dump your overwhelming love in the trash can. This mess was an insider's doing."

"Exactly." Added Yukti, looking annoyed. "Look.... you'll better think and answer."

"I don't know whom to suspect!" Exclaimed Shivendra. "How can I point fingers at my own people who work so diligently for me?"

"Oh emotional fool!" Exclaimed the furious commissioner. "Do you want to serve prison time for sake of some diligent worker of yours?"

Shivendra sighed in dismay and looked away mumbling, "Whom should I suspect....? I can't think of it...."

Yukti looked at Siddharth and asked, "Do you have anyone in mind?"

Siddharth shut his eyes thoughtfully for a moment and then opened them saying, "He's a member of the board of directors who keeps standing up for Vinayak."

"Who's he?" Asked the commissioner, the inspector and Pratap in unison.

"Pranav Malhotra." Replied Siddharth. "He's one of the oldest board members in the company and...also the most sneaky one." He paused for a breath and then continued, "he...always supported Darshit when he was alive and now... secretly supports Vinayak."

"That's our guy then!" Exclaimed Pratap.

"Yes...but we need proof." Mumbled Yukti. "Supporting anybody isn't a crime, but what you do out of support makes an activity legal or illegal."