The Silent Deaths- Graves Beneath the Feet Part 2 (Complete )

Chapter 10

Sidharth gets down from his jeep and walks across the road. He takes an auto from there and gets down at a traffic signal. He then starts walking to enter a slum. He wears a simple blue and white chequered shirt with sleeves rolled up, glasses, a fake moustache and chappals. He passes through narrow lanes to finally reach an open space.

There is a two storey old house in that space. There are tall, dark and heavily built men standing outside the house. He enters the gate and comes right at the steps where these men sit.

Sidharth looks at one of them and says,"Anna hai? Mujhe milna unse."
"Na..Anna nahi milega kisiko. Tu jaa..", one of his men replied.
Sidharth looks at him,"Tell Anna, Sidharth has come to meet him."
The men start to laugh, "Kon Sidharth? Tu Prime Minister hai? Anna is in puja, he will meet people after two hours. Come then."
"Then let me go in."
The men stand up blocking the entrance, "When I said Anna will not meet anyone then why are you wasting our time? You are not allowed to go inside. Just Go from here."

Sidharth runs his fingers through his hair and looks away. He controls his anger and says,"Listen, I have to talk to him. It's urgent. Just tell him my name, he knows me."
One of the men, taller than Sidharth comes down the steps and pushes him back and says,"Kya re, tere ko samajh nahi aata? Anna is sitting in puja. He will meet after two hours. Now get lost."

Sidharth folds his fingers into a fist, "Don't you dare touch me again."
"Nahi toh kya? Le touch kiya.", the man again pushes him by his shoulders.
Sidharth punches him on his face and he falls down, bleeding from his nose.
"Anyone else interested in fighting?", he says.

"Kya ho raha hai?", they hear a voice as the men are about to surround him to hit him.
They move back and turn to see a man in his 60s standing on the door. He is tall with broad shoulders, curly grey hair and thick grey moustache. He wears a white cloth called Mundu around his waist and a white half shirt.

He looks at Sidharth standing behind his men and one of his men on the floor bleeding.
"Send him in.", he says as he gets inside.
Sidharth looks at the men and slowly enters the house.

He sits on a chair in the living room. It looks old, decorated with antique artefacts, originating from South India. The room smells of fresh flowers and sandalwood.
Anna enters the room and sits in front of Sidharth.

"You shouldn't have come here like this. If anyone finds out who you are then I will face problems. The people here hate police.", he says.
Sidharth smiles,"I know that's why I tried to hide my identity. But your men.."
"Hmm..Have coffee. Laxmi!", he screams.
"No. It's fine. I am here for some work."
A young lady in colourful kanjeevaram saree and jewellery comes with a tray of two glasses. She puts it on the table and goes inside.

"Have it. Today is puja at my home, I can't allow my guest to go away without having anything."
Sidharth nods his head and picks up the glass containing the hot beverage.
"I need help from you."
"I know, otherwise why would you come here like this, at my humble abode. Afterall I am just a criminal and you are an honest police officer."

Sidharth takes a sip and says,"Anna, you do a lot of good work here that's why you have so much respect. Police don't touch you as they don't have much evidence against you. But you know I have everything to put you behind the bars for life. "
Anna smiles and waits for him to continue.
"You know why I didn't arrest you in the Lala murder case? Because Lala deserved to die. And he would have got out if we would have arrested him. You did the right thing. I know you are a good person, just in the wrong profession."

"ACP, I know you very well. And I know why you didn't arrest me then. You being such an honest police officer, sparing me meant you must have thought a lot. Anyways, tell me why are you here today?"
"I need help, actually some information."
"What kind of information?"
"You must have heard about the deaths of sex workers. Murders actually."
Anna nods his head,"I have heard, it has something to do with organ trafficking racket. I don't know who is operating all these. I don't do all that inhuman work, you know. "