The body had been sent for autopsy. Such thing would ever happen with Sameer was not in anybody's weirdest thoughts. The lips had turned blue which was a clear indication of him being poisoned to death. The only question to which everyone pondered was who and why some one in the name of god would murder him? Shaina was broken. Losing a would be husband was one of the toughest phases of her life. The close by kins and other relatives had already started showering taunts about her being left a widow before marriage itself, making her life not less than a hell.
Rajan stood in the conference room waiting for the cops to start their investigation. He heard the footsteps that came from outside of the room. They felt like that of a woman in high heels. Without wasting another second, Rajan strode, walking as fast as he could to have a look outside, but no one was there. Considering it as his own false notion, he sat back on the chair. He was propped over the table with his right hand which fumbled with a Mont Blanc fountain pen and left palm held his chin firmly. After Sameer, he was the most senior person in the company. Dangling over the thoughts that the finger would be pointed on him, he heard someone barged into the room. It was SSP Raman, in charge of the case.
Rajan stepped up, carefully. He didn't want to show any feeling of anxiety whatsoever to the SSP. Placing the pen impeccably in his shirt pocket, he took a quick glance of the man standing in front of him. Raman, in his early thirties, looked younger than his age. His still deep black eyes reflected his sense of strong focus. He was not like the ones with protruding potbellies, but stood erect like an edifice stretching his rock hard musculature. Any body could have got nervous on seeing him in his skin fitting uniform. Rajan could feel his heart racing as high as speed of a bullet. But he tried to stay calm. He didn't want to create an air of tension in the room.
"We have got the report of the autopsy, Mr. Rajan. Sameer was poisoned." He said in a deep harsh tone. Swallowing the lump down his throat, Rajan was trying hard to get his quick wit under stress to come out with a reply. "But who could have done that? We all were waiting for him in the conference room right here!" He tried hard to justify himself. Every body in the office were skeptical for Rajan as they had seen them in a brawl often. When two clouds try to collide, thunderstorms are obvious. Wiping off the sweat from his forehead, Rajan excused himself out of the room. Raman, in the absence of any clue or proof, was not in a position to make any arrests. He alerted all and requested all not to leave the city for whatsoever reason maybe! He alerted one of the hawaldars to stay in and keep an eye. One team was busy in search operations, looking for any clue on which they can get their hands on. Raman, after offering instructions to all, left the office.
At Sameer's home, a wave of mourning had suddenly crept in. Almost everyone was present. From his closest allies to backstabbing rivals. Shaina, who was already broke was consoling Leena, Sameer's mother. The cries of Leena were uncontrollable. Twenty years ago, she was completely broke when she lost her husband. But still she had an agreement with herself to live for Sameer. Today that hope seemed invisible. Meghna was trying to console the incessant mourning of Shaina, but as said time is the best healer. All her efforts were in vain. An old woman, in her seventies was sitting among the crowd. She had crept in the crowd unnoticed. As Shaina passed by the side of her with a glass of water she had brought for Leena, she was shocked to see the woman with old, frail body, smiling.
~~~~ It was around ten in the night, Raman was collecting all the papers precisely arranged in a blue-white folder. The documents were of utmost importance. They could lead to the actual accused. He had received a call from the commissioner to direct maximum force for this high profile case. He packed the folder neatly in a chocolate brown leather bag. It was then only then he received a call from one of his officers. The call lasted short, around two minutes. Banging back the bag on the table, he forced himself down on the chair. The peon whom they had thought of poisoning Sameer was found dead in the pantry located at the basement of Sameer's office.
To be continued.
