73

Sham was desperate. He needed money. All his accounts were frozen. The normal source of fund suddenly dried up. He was worried. All his resources seemed to have cut off. He did not know what was happening. He had the hunch that he was followed everywhere by the informants of police. He couldn't take any risk. He tried Rattan Singh, tried his old acquaintances, his accomplice in his crime in vain. No one even picked up his phone. He was frustrated.

"No! I should keep cool!" he thought resolutely. He started putting the pieces in places. He could visualize the jigsaw puzzle. Some pieces were missing. 

"I know his past. I know her father was interrogated for his father's murder. I know he does not know the full story yet. I know she does not know anything of this. I know this will be the final blow to their relationship. I know with this they both will break down. Rattan will have his share of the cake and I will have mine. Arnav Singh Raizada will be cornered. I will regain my position!" smirk appeared on his face. But the next moment it shadowed with worry. 

"Something is missing! Something very crucial is missing! I should find out! I should find out where is Arnav right now!" he got up with a jerk. He dialed Rattan's number again. "No reply!" Rattan was busy fighting his own losing battle.

As a last resort, Sham dialed another number reluctantly... "Babuji...!" he called! 

****** ***

"Now that everyone is here, tell me grandmother... do you want them to stay here?" Arnav asked.

She gaped at him. For the first time in her life, someone was giving her the authority to take the decision. She looked around proudly, loathing at the men on one side and pitying the women who too for the first time gathered in the hall standing opposite the men in the family. She felt sorry for the women. 

"Look at them... these animals... what they have done to their wives and daughters... " she started off again raising her voice. A young well built Thakur Boy came forward gritting his teeth..."Oh! Shut up budhiya!" he screamed coming on to her in rage. Arnav stepped in raising his hand. "The police is waiting outside with media!" he said in his deep voice and pushed the boy aside. The old lady laughed hysterically.

"Tables have turned.... !" he said and looked at the elderly man. "You better control your anger..!" he turned to the old lady again for her verdict.

"I don't want to see any of these people in this house.... " she said in shrill voice pointing at the Thakurs. "But then... I feel sad about these women... look at them.. where will they go?" she had tears in her eyes.

"And after all they are my family!" she said hopelessly. "I can't oust them out like this!" she said. 

Arnav could sense relief on the Thakurs faces. He gauged all of them for a while.
"Yes.umm... but... I won't let them stay in this house. This is my house too!" he said looking at Rattan. He was taken aback. The Thakurs exchanged glances and then Rattan had a smirk on his face....

"Chotte...!" he started off disdainfully. "I think you should stop this drama if you want to go out of this house alive!" he said in a threatening voice. Arnav knew what was coming.
"Oh! Yes! I will go out of this house alive and you will go behind bars... with full media exposure!" Arnav said in a deadly voice coming forward and placing his hand on Rattan's shoulder making him wince in fright. 

"I have already given a statement to the media and if I don't go out by end of the day, all your deeds will be out in media" he said smiling.

"I don't think you can afford this, Rattan, looking at your position here! You will be behind bars in no time! I have all the evidence of your forgery and criminal deeds! And I know who your real father is and where is he now" Arnav was as deadly as ever. Rattan was speechless.
"What do you want?" asked the elderly person. Arnav ignored him and continued.

"Your father is in Jail, Rattan!" declared Arnav. Arnav took out a photo from his pocket and handed it over to Rattan. Rattan was thunderstruck. Arnav heard a faint sob. He looked around at the women side. One of them dashed inside sobbing hard. Arnav could recognize her. She was the one in the wedding photo with his father which they produced to prove that his mother was not the legally wedded wife of his father. He clenched his fists.

"See... what they have done... I am sure they killed my son too! You killed Nirmal ... with ... with that scoundrel Zaa... that bugger... that... bastard.. that rascal... " She poured all her vocabulary... cursing the Thakurs. Arnav got alerted. He came back to her...

"What did you say? Zaa?" he wanted to get it confirmed. She went on...
"Yes.. that Krishna Kant Zaa! He is the one who spoiled the entire generation of Thakurs... and the one who opposed him... got killed or vanished.... He killed my son... your father...!" she started crying... !

He was shocked... "This... this sajjan Thakur.. killed your father with his help... That zaa... he is the real culprit... I am sure... there was a big conspiracy... they locked me in for several years...!" she started off shouting again incoherently. Arnav tried to assimilate the things. The old skeletons were getting unearthed. 

"Oh, come on! She has lost her mind!" said the elderly person... coming forward to stop her from further blabber...! Arnav stopped him in the middle.

"Who is this zaa?" he asked him again. No one answered. Arnav took out his trump card. He dialed a number and said "I am calling police. I already have filed a complaint and they have arrest warrant against you Rattan! Imagine what will happen...!" Rattan shuddered
"No ... Stop!" Rattan said dialing a number.

"Comissioner...! What's happening? How dare you register his complaint?" Rattan shouted on phone. Arnav smirked. Rattan looked aghast. 

"You.. you planned it...! You planted the evidence...!" he came on to Arnav. Arnav raised his hand to stop him.

"No use, Rattan! Its over! You are finished!" Arnav said smirking.
"What do you want?" asked the elderly person.

Arnav looked at everyone gauging their reaction...
"Rattan.. I can stop all this....!" He said again ignoring the elderly person. Rattan looked at him completely defeated and asked
"What do you want?"
"Ok... to start with...!" Arnav took his time to create right kind of atmosphere.

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

Khushi got up in the morning. She remembered her conversation with Arnav. When she said she knew where he was, he was shocked.

"Khushi.. don't you ever disclose my whereabouts. Promise me! And don't do anything dangerous" he had said gravely. She had promised.

"Arnav ji!" she blurted missing him a lot!
She had promised Arnav that she will not go after Sham, but she couldn't resist. She had seen him on the same spot twice. She grew curious. 

"I will find out what is he up to!" she said resolutely and came down. She finished her chores and after breakfast asked nani...

"Naniji can I go out for some time? I have to go Mandir and then I need to go to the office. Arnav ji had asked me to pick up a file from the office!" she said looking around. Nani ji nodded. She took a sigh of relief and stepped out of the room. 

She drove her car out of the gates and came on the road. She drove slowly looking at the time. She again saw him. But this time an unknown person was with him and they were in deep discussion. She looked around. 

"He stands here ... that means he must be staying nearby!" she looked around for some clue..There were two lodged side by side. She smiled. Sham had started moving towards the car. The other person drove the car and they started moving. Khushi took a U turn and followed them. The car ahead was weeding through the busy Roads and it was difficult for her to keep pace with it. They were in Paschim Vihar .. She followed the car closely. 

The car ahead stopped and Sham got down. Khushi waited stopping her car. She did not have to wait for a long. Sham came out of the building and started walking down the road. She waited in the car. He was clutching his phone to his ear talking frantically. 

A broad smile appeared on Khushi's face. She started shaking her leg and humming. She waited for a while and dialed a number.

Sham was busy talking over the phone and he saw another number calling. He looked at the unknown number and ignored. He couldn't continue the conversation and disconnected the phone. He looked around and waited for the call.

His phone rang again... "Who is this?" he asked picking up immediately and stepping down from the footpath.

There was no answer. He disconnected. There was a message... "We are watching you!" he looked around and a car came racing towards him. He just jumped backwards in a nick of time. The car raced away. He wiped off sweat from his forehead. 

"I haven't failed! I will not!" he said to himself. He took a taxi and came back to his lodge.

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

Khushi came back home happily humming....!
"What is it Khushi ji? You look happy!" asked Anjali. Khushi smiled broadly.

"Yes Di! I am happy today!" she said.
"I know why she is happy!" said Nani. Khushi looked surprised.

"I know chote is coming in the evening!" declared Nani.
"What?" asked Anjali. Khushi couldn't believe her ears. 

"yes Anjali bitiya... he is coming! He had called up!" said Nani. Khushi was confused.
"What the...! Yesterday night he had called me!" she thought. Something is wrong... Her heart skipped a beat! She was puzzled.

"umm.. Naniji... I mean when did he call?" she asked trying to sound normal.

"Oh! Someone from his office had called and gave the message!" said nani casually.
"Is this a decoy again?" Khushi was really worried. She had no option than to wait for Arnav ji's call!! Her happiness vanished..!