Mystery Arjun SS: Let Go.....Arjun Case Story Part 8 Page 14 Updated - Page 7

He could not let emotions rule over objectivity. Things that were shrouded in mystery were becoming a lot clearer. It pained his heart at what he would be required to do. He prayed for strength. But a tiny voice in his soul also prayed for him to be completely wrong about the whole affair of the Rajneesh Sickand Murder Case.

It was not as if he had developed personal feelings for Aadhira. But he was a patron of good souls. They were so hard to come by in this materialistic world that when one does actually comes by out of the blue he had to stand and appreciate it for a few moments even. Aadhira and Alisha were those rare gems that one comes across only a few times in one's life.

Arjun Rawte would forever cherish the memories of these two forbearing women.

He walked in purposefully into the station house. Alisha met him outside the interview room.

AR: Is she here?

AD: Yes Sir. But I thought we had decided to interview her tomorrow.

AR: No, Alisha. We cannot wait any longer. Come. But she is all yours. By all means go after her. I want her thoroughly rattled.

He walked ahead of her into the room.

Alisha looked after at him in slight confusion. Then composing herself she followed him in.

Ramona Jaiswal was fiddling in her seat with a sour expression on her face. It did not matter to her that where she was asked to come was a police station. She was dressed in blinding gold and green saree and had slathered on layers of make up. Which was now caking in spots all over her face in the warm interview room.

She let loose her irritation the moment she spotted Alisha.

" And just why couldn't this interview be conducted in the comfort of my home? Why do I have to bake in this oven?" she spewed at her.

Alisha coolly glanced at her and threw the file in front of her. With exaggerated action she pulled out her chair noisily and flopped down on it.

Arjun too stared at her nonchalantly and sat down.

"Don't you have an air conditioner here?" she barked

Alisha pursed her lips and plonked a glass of water in front of her without saying a word. Arjun leaned back in his chair watching Ramona unblinkingly.

Ramona stared at both of them with her mouth open. Their attitude was far loftier than she could ever throw around.

"Make yourself comfortable. Its gonna be a long night," Alisha informed Ramona who went beserk.

"I want to speak to my lawyer. You don't know who you are dealing with," she barked rising from her seat.

"I know I am speaking to the late Rajneesh's mistress. And may be his murderer also. Calling a lawyer would be a good idea" Alisha said in loud ringing voice.

Ramona stood halfway frozen with her mouth hanging open.

"Sit down." Alisha ordered.

Ramona blinked at both and sat down slowly.

"Good. Now let me make a few things very clear here, Ramona. You cooperate and we will make this as comfy for you as possible. Throw us attitude and I'll make sure they throw you in for night in a filthy cell with prostitutes and drug peddlers for company. How'z that for a deal?"

Ramona stared at her with open hatred but to Alisha's satisfaction she also saw a sliver of fear in her eyes.

"So we have a deal here. Good!" Alisha rubbed her hands eagerly and flipped open a file.

Ramona tried to catch Arjun's eye hoping for some leeway as men usually bowed to her beauty and appeal. But the man in front of her looked through her stonily.

"So how long has this hanky panky with your neice's husband been going on?" Alisha asked acidly.

Ramona bristled. She had somewhat recovered from the shocks and decided to put up a fight.

"What nonsense are you talking, Inspector? He was Aadhira's husband. I'll have your badge for making such filthy accusations against me," she roared.

Staring hard at Ramona Alisha turned the file around in one swift motion and jabbed hard at the phone records in them.

" Six calls per day, forty per week. Why were you calling your nephew in law all day? To talk about the weather?" Alisha thundered.

Colour drained from Ramona's face as she stared at the records as if they were tiny reptiles.

Flipping some more Alisha pointed forcefully to another set of records.

"You roomed with him at various resorts and hotels. Why? Prayer meetings for both of your well being?" She drove it in nastily.

Ramona recoiled and could not speak a word.

"Why did you kill him?" She asked quietly. "Have you  gotten a new toy boy to play with? May be he didn't like it? So you got rid of him!"

"NO! I did not kill Rajneesh, DONT TALK NONSENSE!" Ramona shrieked.

"Then may be he was trying to get back with his wife, Aadhira? And YOU didn't like to let him go?"

Ramona stared at Alisha for some time and then burst out laughing.

Arjun pursed his lips and sat up.

"Yes, Rajneesh and I were having an affair. And I kept him very happy. Why on earth would he leave our warm bed with me and go sleep in that deep freezer?" she said smugly.

Arjun's nostrils flared. He never hated anyone so much in his life.

Alisha was disgusted. "So apart from licking off from her vast riches you also very conveniently helped yourself to her husband!"

Ramona snickered.

" Despite being married twice Aadhira doesn't know the T of keeping a man happy. Rajneesh needed a real woman  in his life. And he found that woman in me," she said silkily.

"As for the fortunes, remember I am a Mansingh too. I am entitled to my share in the property. So did Rajneesh. Everything was fine.There was no reason for me to kill him. None at all," she finished glaring at both Arjun & Alisha.

"Where were you exactly the night Rajneesh was murdered?"

Ramona had relaxed a lot by time. Lounging herself in her chair she replied haughtily, "With my friends at the Hilton Hotel having my weekly kitty party. Check with the hotel, they'll confirm for you."

"Where is Ellie, Mrs Jaiswal?" It was Arjun's cool steely voice.

Her eyes instantly became guarded at this and she took a moment before answering.

Both Arjun and Alisha stared icily at her.

"E..Ellie?"

Thumping his hand on her table Arjun said roughly,"Yes, Ellie. And don't be playing games with me here. Ellie, tell me more about her"

Frantically trying to compose herself Ramona said,

"Ellie was Rajneesh's daughter from his first marriage,"

"Was?" Arjun pounced.

"I...I mean Ellie is Rajneesh's daughter." She looked away uneasily.

"Where is she now?" He asked her with force.

" Her mother came for her and took her along to South Africa."

"When was this?"

"Six months ago,"

"Why did Rajneesh let her go? After staying with him all these years?"

"Because she was a nuisance in his life. Rajneesh never cared about his daughter.  It was Aadhira who used to crazy for Ellie."

"Tell me in detail about Aadhira, Rajneesh & Ellie," Arjun ordered her.

" That fool Aadhira was more interested in becoming a mother  than a wife to a man like Rajneesh. In their case it was the opposite. Aadhira married Rajneesh so she could make Ellie stay with her. She cared a damn about Rajneesh. Both her and Ellie were inseparable. Then one day Rajneesh's first wife landed here. Out of the blue.  Demanded Ellie be sent with her. Aadhira went hysterical but Rajneesh was glad to get rid of her. Sent her without further ado,"

"Why was Rajneesh so averse to his own daughter?" Arjun asked.

"Because Rajneesh was a debonair. Perfect in everything. Looks, upbringing, life style. His daughter was deaf and mute. An embarrassment. Watching her struggle through her day making weird noises like some animal drove him up the wall. Then seeing Aadhira do it every where with her was beyond irritation.On the dining table, in sitting rooms. It was impossible staying around those two weirdos. I am glad that kid was sent where she belonged." Ramona said disgust dripping from her voice.

Alisha wanted to punch the woman and it was Arjun's warning glare that was holding her back. Barely. Something had snapped inside her. Ellie being ignored then abandoned touched a raw nerve within her.  And a new respect of Aadhira flowered in her heart. She was the Agnes Mom in Ellie's life.

"Rajneesh sent his daughter away just because he could not stand her communicating in her deaf and mute state?" Arjun asked her skeptically. He was quick to catch Ramona glancing away furtively.

"It is interesting you keep referring to Ellie in the past tense, Mrs Jaiswal"

It was fear he saw in her eyes.

But she tried to salvage it by saying," She isn't here now, right Inspector? She is in South Africa with her mother,"

Arjun gazed at her thoughtfully which made her more uncomfortable.

Finally he said," You can go. But remember. You cannot leave town without our permission,"

"Really?" Ramona heaved a sigh of relief and scrambled to her feet.

" Yeah, Really really," Alisha cut in acidly.

"I have no intention of further worsening those prostitutes & drug peddlers woes by imposing you on them for the night,"

Ramona stared at her and stalked off angrily.

Arjun and Alisha sat silently each lost in their own thoughts.

Things were finally falling in place for Arjun but he was still groping in the dark for key elements. He needed a few more things to confirm and then ...he didn't want to think any further.

Rousing himself he glanced at Alisha who was fighting her own demons. 

He knew what had hurt her and felt bad.

"Alisha,"

She looked up and it pained him to see traces of tears in her eyes.

Alisha could not bear the empathy in his eyes. She quickly calmed herself and pulled out a sheet and handed it to him.

"An interesting thing has come up. I wanted to tell you earlier but then you insisted on meeting Ramona first," she said.

"I don't even know if it's important but this is a missing complaint. About six months ago a manager of the Sickand family was reported missing by his family. No one knew where he went. The investigation ran cold after a couple of weeks."

Arjun looked thoughtfully in a distance. He saw an instant connection. The disappearance of Ellie and that manager at about the same time cannot be a coincidence.

"Alisha, begin enquiries into Rajneesh's first wife. We need to confirm if that child is with her."

She nodded.

"Meanwhile I will further look into that disappearance of that manager. Something is fishy,"

It had been a long day. But a lot fruitful nonetheless.

Both stepped out of the station house preparing to leave for home.

Arjun tentatively offered to have dinner with her but Alisha politely refused.

Arjun could see there was some sort of turmoil within her and she wanted to be alone to deal with it.

Promising to meet the next day they took leave of each other.

What the hell was happening to her? She wondered for the millionth time.

It had started sometime early in the morning and had worsened as the day progressed. Arjun made her loneliness rub into her, then there was his keeping her out of the loop of the investigation. He had discovered something important. Why was he being all secretive about it?

Ramona proved to be the icing on the rotten cake. Her constant looking down on Alisha grated on her nerves when she was no better than the women who sold themselves for a few coins. Ellie's story was the last straw. She reminded Alisha one more time that she was an unwanted child who was only alive through a kindness of a complete stranger. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she began sobbing.

She got in to bed after reaching her room and straight away slept.

Arjun fared no better. His mind was working overtime and he silently cursed the night which prevented him from following up on important leads that had come up during the day.

He could not wait for the sun to rise as he lay in bed wide awake gazing into the ceiling.