CHAPTER 2: Investigation begins
Tia’s body lay in the pool of blood…. The knife lying beside her…. Her gown was completely soaked with her blood…. The families were standing a little away as the police continued with their work…. Gauri, Trisha and Soumya were also standing at some distance…. The sun rays entered through the gap between the curtains making Tia’s diamond jewelry twinkle…. Today she was going to become Oberoi daughter-in-law…. Her name would get attached with Shivaay Singh Oberoi’s name…. All her dreams were going to come true…. But away from all that she lay here lifeless…. The families were all lost in their own thoughts…. They had planned so much for this day and how it was turning to be…. Their chain of thoughts was broken by a man who entered the scene at that moment….
He had a well built up body…. A perfectly chiseled jaw line…. Some specks of hair around his face…. A pointed sharp nose…. His black eyes had an intense gaze as he examined his surroundings…. Following him another man entered the scene…. He was tall and well built up…. His black hair was perfectly gelled…. His lips turned muttered something…. He took out his shades and looked around the place….
Man 1: Abir check everything properly, I do not want even the slightest thing to be left unexamined.
Abir: Don’t worry Veer, I’ll check everything myself.
Abir continued with his examination of the room…. He was checking everything properly…. The forensic team was checking Tia’s body…. The photographer was taking photos of the entire crime scene not missing any corner…. The constables were checking around for any other clue other than the knife stained in the blood….
Ranveer turned to the other people in the room…. His eyes traveled around everyone…. He was finding his suspects…. He checked if anyone was nervous, or if someone tried to escape his gaze…. This was his first step of investigation…. Reading the eyes of the people…. From his experience he had learnt faces could deceive you but eyes could not…. He could sense some nervousness in some eyes, some fear in others, some had tears, some had surprise and some showed that they did not care of whatever was happening…. He was busy with his observation while the people being observed felt odd and uncomfortable sensing his continuous gaze on them….
Shivaay: I think you should focus on investigating the crime scene rather than staring at us.
A smile crept on Ranveer’s face as Shivaay’s words reached him…. So now a businessman would teach him how to do his work, the work he had been doing for years…. How would Shivaay feel if Ranveer gave him suggestions in business deals? Ranveer brushed aside his thoughts and looked at Shivaay….
Ranveer: Mr. Oberoi, this might be the first time you are witnessing a crime scene but believe me, I have seen many. So I know what I should do and what I should not. It is better you keep quiet and let me do my work.
Shivaay was enraged by Ranveer’s behavior…. No one had the guts to open their mouth when he spoke and this random police officer not only opened his mouth but also asked him to shut up…. Shivaay was about to say something but Om held his arm and nodded a no…. Shivaay protested but Om was also not going to listen…. Finally Rudra too signed Shivaay to stay quiet and Shivaay had to give up…. No matter how much he wanted to answer back to this officer, he could not do anything against his brothers…. Taking a deep breath, Shivaay took his steps back and stood between Om and Rudra…. Ranveer gave a slight smile and resumed his work….
Abir also smiled to himself nodding his head at Ranveer’s antics…. He had been working with Ranveer from many years and in all these years he had understood that Ranveer was a completely different person on and off his duty…. While working Ranveer did not like anyone’s interference even if it was the Shivaay Singh Oberoi…. Abir himself wondered how he had become Ranveer’s best friend to such an extent that he called him Veer which Ranveer would never allow anyone else to do…. Putting a break to his thoughts Abir assumed his work…. He was closely examining Tia’s body…. There was only one wound on her body that was because of the knife…. No other bruises or wounds…. No signs that she had struggled with her killer…. The room was also perfectly set…. Nothing had moved from his place…. It meant that either Tia knew her killer and did not know that she was going to get killed or that the killer had already planned everything and did not give Tia any chance to save herself…. He was thinking about the possibilities when his eyes fell on something shining…. He picked up the thing and having a closer look, he saw that it was a silver jhumka….
Abir: Veer, I found something.
Ranveer looked at him and Abir showed him the jhumka….
Ranveer: Maybe belongs to our killer.
Ranveer picked up the jhumka and turned to the other people in the room…. He looked at all the ladies…. He held the jhumka in front of them….
Ranveer: Does this belong to anyone of you?
All the ladies looked at the jhumka…. He one by one looked at the ladies and they all said that it did not belong to them…. When he looked at Gauri, he could see the change in her expressions…. She had fear, and some hesitation…. Ranveer looked at her and sensing his gaze made it difficult for her….
Gauri: It…. It is mine….
All eyes in the room turned to her…. How did her jhumka land near Tia’s dead body? Was she related to the murder? Was she the killer? Many questions formed in everyone’s mind…. And Gauri did not dare to look at anyone…. Her eyes were only staring at Ranveer who smiled that she had accepted the fact without him trying to make her accept it….
Ranveer: So….
Gauri: Gauri…. My name is Gauri….
Ranveer: So Gauri, we need to talk. Come with me, I need some answers.
Ranveer handed back the jhumka to Abir…. Gauri just nodded and quietly followed Ranveer as he walked out of the room…. All looked at them going out…. Abir kept the jhumka neatly in the evidence bag and continued with his examination…. Trying to find any other clue…. Abir was busy with his work when he heard a familiar voice and he turned to the voice….
A girl in her mid-twenties entered the room…. Her hair was tied in a bun with some curls left lose flowing around her face…. Her eyes scanned the entire surroundings…. Her pink lips muttering something as she looked around…. She had a notepad and she was noting down a few things…. She walked around the room in her blue jeans and white long slit kurti…. Everyone was looking at the new comer…. She ignored the gazes and looked at a familiar face….
Girl: Abir….
Abir looked at her and gave a slight nod…. How did she always manage to reach the crime scenes on time? When no one from the outside world knew about this, how did she manage to reach there and that too at the correct time?
Abir: How do you do this?
The girl chuckled while the others were confused neither understanding his question nor recognizing who the girl was and how did she come here when none knew about the murder outside the hotel….
Abir: No seriously, how do you manage to do this, Ishu? Do you have any superpowers?
Ishana smiled a little at his question and at his habit of calling everyone by a nickname…. She herself did not understand how and when had Abir started calling her Ishu…. When she came to more about him, she learnt that this was his habit calling all his friends by short names…. But alas she could never come up with a name for him…. Sliding away her thoughts and concentrating on the surroundings she answered….
Ishana: I have my sources and someday if you get time from your busy schedule, you may try and find them ACP Rajvansh. Leave all that, tell me everything.
Shivaay: Excuse me, who are you and how did you enter without permission?
Ishana turned to the voice and saw Shivaay and a few others staring at her clearly showing that they did not appreciate her interference….
Ishana: Mr. Oberoi, I am Ishana, and I do not any permission to come here, this is my job, I am a reporter and this is what I do, bringing the truth to the world.
Tej: And who the hell told you that we want this truth to be told to the world, this is our family matter.
Ishana: I don’t think so, this is a murder case and being a crime reporter, I have to report a crime and make people aware.
Shivaay: Really, as far as I think, you are doing this to harm our reputation and gain some for yourself.
Ishana: I must say you think too low, Mr. Oberoi, everyone is not like you, caring about name and fame. Even if it was someone else, I would have done my job. It doesn’t matter if it some Oberoi or some random person, all are the same for me. And as far as using your family name for fame is considered, I would have done that long ago, if you understand what I mean.
Ishana gave a slight smirk and her eyes radiated confidence…. She had this slight threat in her voice which did not go unnoticed by anyone…. She surely did know things Oberois would never want the world to know…. Shivaay was getting angry…. This girl how dare she answer back like this…. He had kept his cool with that arrogant DCP but now with some random reporter, testing his patience, he could not keep quiet…. Sensing the situation going in another direction, Om and Abir intervened….
Abir: Don’t worry Mr. Oberoi, Ishana knows her work well and she is trustworthy. So other talks later, Ishu, you look around the place and note whatever you want and like I always tell you, do not touch anything. I’ll give you the necessary details later.
Omkara: Shivaay, let them do their work. We already have a lot to deal with; do not make matters worse when not required. Let her do her job.
Omkara said looking at Ishana…. He then turned to Shivaay and signed him to calm down…. Ishana looked at Om once, then nodded at Abir and continued with her observation…. Abir also resumed his work…. The Oberois, Kapoors, Trisha and Soumya went out as Abir asked them to wait outside till they finished their work….
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AUTHOR’S NOTE: A big thank to all my readers for the overwhelming response on the first chapter. I am happy that the story got such a good welcome. I know you all are excited for the entry of many other characters, and I promise everyone will come at their right time. And I also assure you all to try my very best and make the story worth following.
Till then, keep reading and smiling!!!