Graves Beneath the Feet (Complete)

Chapter 16

Sidharth goes through the files on the film crew. He has no idea what he is looking for exactly in them. The files has been sorted as per department. There is photograph of each individual along their basic information like name, address, post they are working, phone number etc. He looks for the name Govind and he finds about 8 of them of this name. Three are old, two too young and rest three he is not sure could be a friend of Roshini. But then the question remains that could that guy be so stupid to not change his look or name to be in the crew. He decides to show all the photos to Pranjal to identify Govind among them. He somewhere feels this Govind could be one vital link to the case.

Lost in his thoughts, he finds his phone ringing. He checks it to find it's his mother calling. She asks," Bacha where are you? Are you with Sana?" Sidharth says," Maa, I am at the head quarters. And what this Sana thing? Do you think I am always with her or what? I have work Maa. I don't have time to meet just anybody." His mother says," Hain toh maine kab mana kiya hai. But it's nothing wrong meeting her after work. I like her by the way. Sweet girl." Sidharth knows where this is going on, he says," Why have you called?" His mother replies,"Topic change mat kar. When will you get married? I have been waiting too long now. Sana likes you, I could see in her eyes and tu bhi usse kab se pasand karta hai. Jay ne bataya tha." Sidharth says," Maa bas karo. Why are you after my marriage? Aap na uss Jay ki shaadi karwao. I am good being single. Aur rahi Sana ki baat, she is a celebrity so stop dreaming. Phone kyun kiya tha boliye." His mother replies," Jay ka bhi karwangi aur tera bhi. Arey it's already late. When are you returning? Jay is here too. Come fast, we are waiting for you." Sidharth hangs up the phone and the phone rings again. It is an unknown number. He picks up and the voice says,"ACP Sir, Aap mujhe kyun dhund rahein hai? Maine kuch nahi kiya." Sidharth says," Kon bol raha hai?" The voice trembles and says,"Sanjeev Doshi." Sidharth says," Where are you? Listen you don't have to worry about anything. We just need to ask few questions about your book. I know you have not done anything." He replies," I can't get out of the house. He follows me around. I ..I can't get out of the house." Sidharth says," Yeah, it's okay. Tell me where you are, I will come to you."

Sidharth leaves the headquarters towards the Dharavi slum area. He knows he is taking a risk going alone. He is not sure the call was actually from Sanjeev Doshi, the author or not. But he didn't have time to tell anyone. Reaching the area, he leaves the Jeep behind and goes through the narrow lanes of the slums looking for the room he is staying at. Few people sitting outside looks at him. He reaches the room and knocks at the door. Nothing, he knocks again. He takes out his gun, unlocks it and knocks again. The door cracks open and a man peeps. Sidharth puts his gun down and says," Sanjeev? ACP." He opens the door and he gets inside. The room is very small with just dim bulb lighting the place. There is nothing much in the room except for a single rope bed with a bed sheet, few clothes on hooks on the wall and few utensils at one corner with some containers and a kerosene stove. Sidharth puts his gun in his back and looks at the guy now. He is a man in his late 30s or early 40s, full black beard and curly hair. He is wearing a old faded kurta over a trouser and slipers in his feet.

Sidharth looks at him and says," Where did you get my number?" He looks around and says," I was observing some men asking for me and looking at homes for me. I had stolen one of the men's phone and had found your number stored as ACP Sir. I called you up." Sidharth says," Why are you hiding here?" He sits down on the bed and says,"When the murders started happening, I got scared. I thought I will be blamed. So..but I didn't do anything..Trust me sir." Sidharth says,"I trust you, but you need to come with me. It's not safe for you to stay here." He shakes his head and says," He will kill me sir, if I get out of this place." Sidharth asks," Who?" Sanjeev replies," Chanu bhai." Sidharth says," Nothing will happen to you. Come with me." After sometime, he gets up and goes behind Sidharth. They walk through the narrow lanes again to reach his vehicle, when suddenly a drunken man comes towards Sanjeev with knife. Sidharth holds his hand when the knife is just a few centimetres away from Sanjeev's stomach. He bends the hand of that man behind his back and the knife falls out of his hand. Sidharth punches him and he falls down holding his bleeding nose.

Sidharth holds Sanjeev from his back and quickly move towards his Jeep. He takes Sanjeev to the headquarters and making him sit on the chair, hand overs him a glass of water. Ranne and Gaikward enters the room. Ranne says," Yeh aap ko kahan mila?" Sidharth looks at him and says," Later." He turns towards Sanjeev and asks,"Now tell me everything that relates your story with the murders." Sanjeev gulps down his saliva and says,"I have been trying to write novels from a long time now but never had any success. One year ago, I was sitting in a small restaurant when a man came and sat in front of me. There was no empty tables so he was sharing it with me. We started talking and he came to know that I was a writer. He told me that he has a plot that can be converted into a book. But he gave me a condition that I have to finish writing it in a month and publish it soon. He gave me the story and I started writing on it. It took me two months to finish and then it got published too. But the book didn't get that amount of attention or success. Later I came to know that my publisher had sold the rights of the book to some movie producer. He had sent me a cheque. I was fine with whatever money I earned. But then murders started happening of people from the same movie. I got scared and hid in that slum. But the man, Chanu bhai was after me as I owe him some money. So I was inside the house always. "

Ranne asks,"Did the man give his name to you? Did he meet you or call you later?" Sanjeev replies,"Yes. He had told me his name as Krishna. But no he didn't call or meet me later." Gaikward says," Can you recognize the man?" He nods his head and Sidharth puts the files of the film crew in front on him and says," Try to identify if that guy is among them." After more than half an hour of going through the pictures, Sanjeev shakes his head and says," I can't find him in here." Sanjeev is taken away and Sidharth slams his hand in frustration and says,"How can this be possible? He must be in the crew. I know it. Sketch artist ko bulao. Get that man's sketch drawn. Show him the pictures of the file again. He must be kept hidden and safe, that is very important."

Sidharth had a major breakthrough. He knows he will find the killer soon. He thinks all these while returning home. It is already quite late and he has been getting calls from his mother. 8 missed calls from her. His phone rings again and he checks to find it's Sana. He puts on the Bluetooth and connects the phone. He asks," Thinking about me?" Sana replies," Always. But where are you? You haven't reached home yet." Sidharth asks,"How did you know? Wait Jay or Maa had called you right." Sana says," Yes. I talked to both of them. But why are you still outside. Please go home. I am worried." Sidharth marks a truck coming from behind and he says," I am on my way. I will reach home in five minutes. I will talk to you later. Don't worry." Before Sana could say something, he hangs up the phone. Sidharth gives signal for the truck to overtake and it does. He thinks,'I am taking Sana's words bit too seriously now.' But just then a minidor suddenly comes in front of his vehicle. He turns his steering wheel and his Jeep hits an electric pole. He removes his seat belt and gets down to go after the driver. But by the time he reached, he had left the scene. A few footpath dwellers come around and asks if he is okay. He nods his head. He sits down on his vehicle and drinks water from his bottle and then his eyes fall on something. He goes to the minidor and opens the driver's door and there is the body of Pranjal lying in the seat next to it.

Friends,
Krishna,who is he? Pranjal, Roshini's friend dead now. Can Sanjeev Doshi, the writer of the book on which murders are happening help them find the killer? Keep reading to find out..Don't forget to vote by clicking the star and give lots of comments.
Let the suspense continue..