Graves Beneath the Feet (Complete)

Chapter 15

Sidharth is surprised to find Sana at his door at this hour. He asks,"What are you doing here? Are you alright?" Sana looks at his hand and says," Why were you not picking up my call?" Sidharth remembers, he had kept his phone on silent. He says,"My phone is silent so may be.." Sidharth's mother finding him standing and talking at the door,comes and says,"Kisse baathein kar raha hai?" She finds a girl standing and asks,"Sid, who is she?" Sidharth says," Maa yeh Sana hai. Woh actually she is an actress. That case." His mother interrupts and says,"Oh, toh yeh hai Sana. Jay has told me about her. Why are you making her stand here? Sana andar aao bacha." She holds her hand takes her inside.

Ritaji makes her sit and asks," Kya khaogi bolo." Sana smiles and says," Nothing aunty. Actually, I wanted to know if Sidharth is okay or not. I was there when he got hurt." Ritaji says," Don't tell me, I am so worried for him. But what can I do, police wale ki Maa hun, tension ho bhi toh kuch kar nahi sakti." Sidharth says,"Maa, bas..Sana is not here to listen to your worry story. Sana please come inside my room, you have something to say related to the case, I guess." Sana is about to say something when his mother interrupts," Hain you can talk but not now. First dinner. Sana join us. I know there is nothing special but." Sana replies," Don't say like that Aunty. I will join you."

The three of them sit down at the dining table. Ritaji serves Sana and in the midst of talks, they have their dinner. Sidharth stays silent watching his mother and Sana talking. A smile remains all through the time. They look so comfortable with each other as if they have known each other from years. After dinner, Sana helps Ritaji in kitchen.

Sidharth is in his room reading a file when Sana knocks at the door. He smiles and signals her to sit in the chair beside him. Sana sits down and her smile slowly disappears from her face. She lowers her face and holds his injured hand. Sidharth lifts her face with his other hand and asks,"What is it? I am fine then why are you so upset? What is your intuition telling you? Is it about me?" Sana is surprised on hearing him say so. She says,"You leave the case. Please." Sidharth smiles and says,"You know I can't do that. What is it, tell me?" Sana's eyes starts watering up, she says,"I haven't seen anything. But I feel, something will happen to you again. I just had a flash of something that looked like an accident." She hugs Sidharth and starts crying,"I can't live if anything happens to you. Please Sidharth, leave this case." Sidharth says,"Shh..Relax.."

After sometime Sana's whimpering subdues and she leaves Sidharth's embrace. He smiles at her and says,"You know I can't leave the case but I promise nothing will happen to me. And tum ho na meri bodyguard." Sana smiles and Sidharth continues,"Now tell me, what was your real purpose of coming this time to my house." Sana looks confused and says," I wanted to tell you this and see how are you. Nothing else." Sidharth leaning on the chair says," I thought you came to meet my mother. You have made a good impression on her. Irada kya hai?" Sana blushes and says," Aunty is very sweet. She will love just anybody" Sidharth asks," Are you just anybody?" They both look at each other and their eyes do the talking.

Next day, Sidharth reaches the headquarters. His team comes up and they start the meeting. Kambli says,"Sir, Shantanu aur kuch nahi bol raha hai. We checked his phone, he has received a mail containing the photographs. The number he had received the call is as usual registered at fake id. It is presently not in service." Sidharth says,"Yeh toh pata tha. Try to locate the shop that are still giving such sim cards. The killer must have got them from somewhere. Find the shop. Have you checked the IP address from where the mail has been sent?" Kambli replies," Yes sir, it is from one internet cafe near Worli. We are trying to find out more about it." Sidharth asks,"What about the writer?" Bhonsale replies," Dharavi ke khabri active hai, jaise kuch pata chalega, we will know." Sidharth shakes his head," We don't have time Bhonsale. The girl in the photos with Shantanu, is there anything about her." Ranne replies," Not a struggling actress but she is a prostitute. She has been picked up from the red light area last night. Custody mein hai." Sidharth says, "Roshini's father, Is he here?" Gaikward replies," Yes Sir. He is in the other room." Sidharth says," Get me the files on the film crew. I want to see their information. First let me talk to Roshini's father. Get him here."

Roshini's father enter the room after sometime with Gaikward. Sidharth gets up from his seat and asks him to sit down. He must be a man of mid 60s but looks even older with thin body and white hair. He is wearing a simple half shirt and trousers, dons a thin rimmed spectacle and has a jhoola on his shoulder. Sidharth asks,"How are you sir? I am Sidharth. Aapne kuch khaya hai?" The man nods his head and says,"Mari naam Haridas Gupta Che.(My name is..) Roshini mari ekamatra chokri hati.(Roshini was my only girl.) I have no idea I could loose her like this." He starts to cry. Sidharth says,"Sir, I can understand,  it is very difficult to talk about her. But we need to know something." Haridas Gupta wiping his eyes says," Why now? It has been over a year now. The police previously closed the case telling it is a suicide." Sidharth looks at him and says,"We can't say with surety but perhaps the death of your daughter is related to the recent murders in the studio." Haridas Gupta stands up and says," So what can I do. My daughter died and nobody thought of finding the cause of her suicide. Why should I talk to you people now for others?"

Haridas Gupta saying this, turns to leave the room. Gaikward stops him saying,"Sir hasn't asked you to go. Chup chap baitho.." Sidharth says," Gaikward, no. Sir, I request you to please sit. I know you are hurt but please first listen to me." Haridas Gupta returns and sits down. Sidharth asks Gaikward to leave the room. He says," You are a teacher. My father too was a professor. I have immense respect for the teachers. Sir,I know your daughter's case was not handled properly. But I promise I will find out the cause of her death and put the people involved behind bars. I believe, all the murders are connected to her death. If we can find the cause of her death we can find the link to the murders too. If you know something please tell me." Haridasji replies," My daughter could never kill herself for something like not getting work. She was very strong headed girl. She had been struggling for a long time and had never broken down. But what is important is that she was happy. She was upset few months ago but before her death, she was happy. She had told me that she might get a big break soon. Everything was finalized, she will soon sign a big banner film." Sidharth asks," Did she tell you under whom she was getting her break?" Haridas shakes his head. Sidharth asks," You don't have any close relative. Do you know if Roshini had a boyfriend?" He shakes his head again and says," She had not told me about anything but she was happy lately and talked over phone quite often when she used to visit me. Her friend Pranjal might know. I can give her phone number to you." Sidharth asks,"Anything else that was out of ordinary? Any name that she had ever mentioned?" After thinking for sometime, he says,"Punit. Yes..I had heard the name Punit from her mouth one day while talking over phone."

Who was this Punit with whom Roshini talking? The answer could be with Pranjal, Roshini's friend and ex-roommate. She now works at a television soap. She is called to visit the headquarters that afternoon. She sits in the interrogation room when Sidharth enters. Ranne and Bhonsale is with him. Sitting in front of her, Sidharth asks," So Miss.Pranjal Choksi, you knew Roshini Gupta?" The girl in her late 20s, answers," Yes. We were roommates here. We were staying together for over three years before her death." Ranne asks," Why did she kill herself? Was she depressed?" Pranjal replies,"I don't know sir. There was always a phase with her. She was upset about something but then again she was very happy and one day before her death, she was..I don't know what to say.. different.." Sidharth adds,"Not in herself." She nods her head and Ranne asks," Do you know if she had a boyfriend?" She thinks for sometime and says," She had many boyfriends but she was never serious about relationships. She was adamant to make into movies. She was ready to do anything for that." Sidharth says," Anything..hmm..Punit, do you know about this name?" Pranjal looks at him and says," Roshini used to talk to him and meet him before her death. He was the Assistant Producer.." Sidharth completes the sentence,"Who was murdered in the studio..Right?" Pranjal looks at him and nods her head. Sidharth smiles and asks,"You said Roshini had too many boyfriends. Was there any one in particular for whom she was serious or who was serious for her?" Pranjal thinks for sometime and says," Roshini was never serious for anyone but she had a friend Govind whom she cared too much. But yes there was a guy Kiran who was mad for her. He used to stalk her, write letters in blood, call her in odd hours.."

Gaikward says,"Sir, team has been sent to find this Kiran. This might be the one for whom Roshini killed herself. But is he the one killing others?" Sidharth leans on the chair with closed eyes and says,"Roshini was upset then happy and suddenly not into herself. She could do absolutely anything for getting a chance in movies. She was meeting Punit. She killed herself and exactly a year later murders begin. No Gaikward, a stalker cannot force a strong headed girl to kill herself nor he can avenge her death. A true lover or a real friend..Govind. Find me this Govind.."

Hi all,
Who is Govind? Is he the killer? Keep reading to find out more..Do vote and give comments..
Let the suspense continue..