Graves Beneath the Feet (Complete)

Chapter 2

Sidharth is in a meeting with his team on the latest case. Inspector Prabhat Gaikward, Inspector Shivaji Ranne and Sub Inspector Kambli along with Head Constable Bhonsale are in the meeting. Sidharth asks,"What information do we have on the case?" Bhonsale  says,"Three deaths in the span of two months, all related to the same movie. Director, manager and assistant producer, all were found dead at the same spot." Sidharth asks,"Cause of death?" Kambli says," All deaths in the same manner. Autopsy report states death by asphyxiation. Victims were strangulated using a string. No fingerprints found. " Gaikward asks,"Sir, do you think it's a serial killer case?" Sidharth replies,"May be. All the victims were killed in the same fashion. Strings were left behind on the body. What is interesting is the difference of days between the murders is about 20 days." Ranne says,"Another thing is that the time of all the deaths are quite the same. All the deaths happened between 3 and 4 in the morning."

Siddharth thinks and asks,"Why will a director or a manager be present in a probably empty studio at 3 to 4 am? Hmm..Have you checked the phone records?" Bhonsale says,"Yes sir, but I haven't found anything unusual." Sidharth asks for the records and checks himself. His eyes catch something. He puts the pages on the table and points to three different numbers. He says," See these three numbers are different. But see the victims have received them only on the day of their deaths between 8 to 10 pm. It could be something. Check whose numbers are these. Okay when is the producer, actor and the..actress coming for interrogation." Bhonsale replies," Producer will come tomorrow. The actor is outside the city shooting. He will come in two days. I haven't talked to the actress but have sent the message." Sidharth gets angry," Kya karteho Bhonsale? We have so many people to cover. We don't have time." He replies," Sorry sir...aap ko lagta hai aur ek khoon hoga?" Sidharth looks at him and says," Hope not.."

The Producer arrives at the CBI headquarters the next morning. He sits in the room with his PA. He is talking on the phone when Ranne and Kambli enter the room. Ranne says,"Put down the phone and who is he with you?(Pointing at the PA) You go and sit outside." The Producer Rastogi puts his phone in his hands and says,"Bas ek minute.." He starts talking on the phone  again. Sidharth comes in with Gaikward and pulls the phone from his ears and drops it on the ground. He slams his hands on the table and pointing at the PA says,"You get out." The Producer picks up his phone and looks at him. Sidharth says,"Yeh CBI ka headquarters hai, not your home. You were told to keep away your phone. Baat samjhe mein nahi ayi?" The Producer gets nervous and puts his broken phone in his pocket.

Gaikward asks,"What were you doing on the nights of murders?" Producer Rastogi replies," I was at home. You can ask my wife, my servants.." Gaikward again asks," What is the script of your movie? Is it true that it was changed at the last moment? Why?" Rastogi replies,"Woh actually we were making the movie based on a thriller novel by P.S. Sahani. But I found a new novel so I decided to use it. I wanted to give more importance to the hero of my film." Sidharth smiles and asks,"Aur iss bajaye se tumhare aur director ke bich problem chal rahi thi. Right?" Rastogi smiles meekly and says," No, we.. had no.." Sidharth interupts," Don't lie Mr. Rastogi. We know the truth. Okay how much money did you take from mafia king Shekh?" Rastogi's face turns pale, he says,"I.. I..don't know any Shekh..I.. didn't take any  money.." Bhonsale says,"Sir ne abhi kya bola, jhoot nahi, jhoot nahi bolneka yahaan pe..We know everything." Rastogi breaks into sweat. Sidharth puts his hands in front of Rastogi on the table, looks into his eyes, gives a smirk and says,"Rastogi Ji ko koi pani pilao, pasina pasina ho rahe hain. Laukar ye..(Come fast)"

A constable gets a glass of water and puts it on the table. Rastogi picks it up and drinks quickly. Sidharth sits down in the chair in front of him and putting his hands on the table, he bends forward. He says,"You changed the story, Raj Kamal was silent. You wanted to give the hero more footage. But the director was not in favour of it. You had money from Shekh. Contract was signed so it was not possible to remove the director so easily. So you did what you asked Shekh to kill the director. To make sure nobody doubted you, you also killed two other innocent people. Am I right?" Rastogi is almost in tears, he says,"I accept I know Shekh bhai. He wanted to put money in my films. But I didn't take any money from him and I didn't ask anybody to kill Raj. I promise on my mother.." Sidharth smiles and says,"I know you didn't do anything like that.." Just then a constable comes in and whispers something in the ears of Bhonsale. He says to Sidharth,"Sir, koi milne ayahai aap se. " Sidharth gets up and says," Take a break boys. (Looking at Rastogi)Aap se kuch der baad baat hogi. Give him tea.."

Sidharth comes out of the interrogation room and enters his office. He is followed by Gaikward. He says,"Who has come now? Bejho usse." Gaikward calls the constable to send the person who has come to meet him. A few seconds later, a girl in her mid twenty's enter the room. She is wearing a simple white Salwar Kameez with dupatta on her head and a black sunglasses. She removes her glares and Sidharth looks up to see her. Their eyes meet and both recognise each other. Sidharth gets up from his chair and says,"Sana..I mean Miss Kaul. You here?"

Hi everyone who are reading my story,
Hope this different story will be appreciated..Just hope you will read the chapters and like them..Keeping my fingers crossed...
Let the suspense continue..