Sea Mist

Chapter 23

"How did you figure it was me Arnav?" Shyam asked in a mocking tone.

As the rains continued to lash, the skies lit up with flashes of lightning, followed by deafening thunder.

I don't believe a liar like you Akash Singh Raizada!

Do you think you can do whatever it is that you like -- just because you are rich and influential?

You of all people shouldn't talk about truth

How can I talk only to you when you have people covering up for you?

For some reason Shyam's words kept reverberating in his head long after his outburst a few weeks ago. He had deliberately exposed Khushi in front of everyone by bringing up Payal's death and his arrest. Even though he had accused him of Payal's death, it seemed like his anger was directed at Akash. It felt like he knew about Akash and Payal. He had begun to suspect Shyam and had asked Rathod to investigate him.

When Delhi police had questioned the security guard for Khushi's kidnapping, he had revealed two names that were oddly familiar. When he had casually asked Anjali earlier in the evening, she had confirmed that they were Shyam's party workers. That was when he had begun to connect the dots.

When there was a knock on the door, Akash stepped in looking completely shaken up as a man with a knife in his hand pushed him roughly.

"Akash?" Arnav was shocked to see his brother.

"I got a call that you had met with an accident Arnav," Akash said, "I didn't want to alarm the others so I didn't tell them. They told me you had come to the beach house --"

"Why did you do that?" Shyam asked him, "you should have brought my wife along -- she is so hell bent on getting free from me. I could have helped her."

"Shyam!" Just as Arnav made a move toward Shyam, two of his burly looking men held him. "You are a coward – why don't you face me alone?"

"Why would I do anything like that?" he snickered.

Arnav saw a man bringing Khushi down to the living room. Including that man, there were five men other than Shyam. He would have to bide his time.

Khushi's eyes widened with shock. "Shyamji?" She turned to look at Arnav.

"How the hell did you find her?" Arnav asked him, "that attic door isn't easily visible."

"It's because he used to live here," Khushi replied, "I found old family pics in the attic."

Shyam clapped his hands. "There you go!" he exclaimed, "Khushi, you are a true journalist! You are so good at digging into the truth. But curiosity kills the cat."

"Tie the two men with the rope!" Shyam barked out orders to the men.

The men made Akash and Arnav sit on the dining chairs and tied the ropes around them. "Sir, I should warn you– there is a storm coming up. The tide is also rising at an alarming rate --"

"You go and do whatever I have told you to do!" He dismissed two of the men.

He looked at Khushi. "Since you are so curious – let me explain. We lived here when I was younger. My father was a big business man. He built this house for his family -- but his partners cheated him and we lost everything. The bank seized this house. My dad was such a loser!"

"How can you talk about your dad like that?" Khushi asked him.

"You probably had the greatest father on this earth," Shyam said, "when people bring children into this world isn't it their duty to take care of them?"