Innocent Culprits (Completed/Unedited)

Chapter 29 (Innocent Culprits)

We talked, we laughed, we complained and we ate. The food that Zach makes can replace the menu in many of the restaurants, it is simply irresistible. We shared our stories that brought us on the verge of tears once again but none of us wanted to ruin the perfect moment so we drank the tears back and maintained our honest smiles. I was so grateful for that moment because it cleared the haze between us.

When I came out of the house, Stella and Mark were still there. Their lips were gaped when they saw me wearing the liveliest and satisfied smile. I told them everything and Stella began to scream in excitement. Mark and I had to cover our ears. Then they both hugged me. It was a kind of moment that a team shares after winning a game that almost seemed impossible.

Now I am heading to the hostel to tell Miss Jane everything and to write down my speech for the grand finale. I have never been this happy. I feel like my feet have gained wings and now I am flying instead of walking. My heart is at peace. My skin is embellished with the buds of joy. My smile is not dead yet and I do not want it to die. God knows how much I had waited for this moment and now I have embraced this moment completely.

I knock at the door but receive no answer. The door is already opened so I directly walk in.

"Miss Jane, it's me." I announce and drop down on her bed. She is bathroom so I decide to wait.

I drop down on her bed because the pain of my wound is threatening to rise again but I do not forget to pull in a long breath of gratification. I lift myself up to settle the pillow for myself and just when I lift it up, a bundle of pages appear from underneath. I would ignore these crumbled pages if my name was not written on it so naturally I pick it up and begin to read.

"Lisa, I know you do not read my texts, you do not attend my calls so here I am writing it all down on a paper. I hope that Miss Jane has given it to you on time. I know that you are badly heartbroken on your arrest. It was Maya. I strived to stop her could not because I am cuffed by some reasons. I am helpless but I am trying to help you. There is a new piece of information; the person who knows about your father is in your circle. You have to be super careful. Just observe everyone carefully, may be you get a clue. I am doing this job, too, but I have not come up with the name of the right person yet but I am dead sure that person knows you and you know him. Take a good care of yourself.

Zach."

I gasp when I read the letter. He wrote it the day when I was arrested and I did not even receive it. This is not it; there are a lot of letters, letters asking for forgiveness, letters explaining his every act, letters wishing me luck before my quarter and semi finals, letters warning me to stay away from Maya and letters of take cares. He kept on giving them to Miss Jane and she did not even bother to give even a single letter to me. All the way, Zach was trying to guide me! Why did Miss Jane do it?

I can feel it rising within me-the heat, the heat of anger, the heat of curiosity and the heat of doubt. There is a diary, too. I open it and leaf through every page with my frown getting deeper and deeper. There are dates, there are the names of different cities, names of different people and half of these names are written with a tick sign. What is Miss Jane up to?

The sound of unlocking the door makes me jerk. I gather the pages, close the diary and put them in their old place in a flash. She comes out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped on her head.

"It has been so long since we met. How are you? How is the wound?" She rushes towards me. I do not know why but for the first time it feels like she is being sarcastic, like, she is ridiculing me.