Tu muskuraye har jagah

33

[Annika - A, Shivaay - S, Bhavya - B]

Annika stood there, looking at Sanket leaving

Neil: What the hell man! I get it he was pissed but he shouldn't have used that tone with you. He didn't ask once about your health.

A: He's upset right now. I should have told him about Shivaay

Neil: Why are you defending him, Annika?

A: Neil, stop. I'm not defending him. He has every right to be mad at me. He shouldn't have misbehaved and I will talk to him about that tomorrow. Saying anything right now would have only created a scene.

Neil: If he lays another finger on you, I will kick his ass.

A: After I kick his ass first.

The next morning, as expected, the media printed all sorts of garbage, linking Annika and Shivaay, questioning their friendship. But Annika paid no heed to any of it.

Police had made no progress so far in finding the real killer. The forensic report stated that Sarthak was hit on the head repeatedly with something hard and compact like a hammer. Police were still looking for the murder weapon.

Annika decided to go over to Sanket's place and talk to him. His temper must have cooled down by now.

She rang his doorbell and a cleaning lady opened the door. Sanket was currently in the bathroom so the lady asked her to wait.

After cleaning the lady left, but Sanket did not know that.

Sanket: didi, get my robe from the bedroom

Annika heard that and since no one else was there, she went to his bedroom. She saw the bathrobe was lying on the ground. She bent down to pick it up. Something got her attention. She bent down again and saw a bag kept under the bed. Slowly she pulled it out. She placed the bag on the bed and unzipped it.

Inside the bag, she saw a handkerchief with bloodstains, placed on top of a wooden handle. She couldn't believe her eyes.

A(in her mind): What is all this? Why does Sanket have this?

She picked up a pen from the bedside table and peered inside the bag.

A(in her mind): A hammer! Is Sanket involved in Sarthak's murder?

She clicked a picture of the bag and its contents.

Beneath the hammer was a phone. The phone might still have his prints on it and there was no guarantee it was Sarthak's phone in the first place.

Annika zipped the bag and placed it back under the bed.

Since the cleaning lady did not respond, Sanket came out of the bathroom with a towel tied around his waist.

Sanket: Annika? What are you doing here?

Annika masked her emotions and acted normal

A: The cleaning lady had left and you needed the robe so I came to look for it.