18 WHO'S THE GIRL?

Shiv wouldn't have even considered Dhruv's offer in any normal circumstances but this time was different, he was desperate to find his son's murderer. But his instincts told him not to take the offer. He was unsure of what he might have to face by the decision he will take, he found himself in a big dilemma. His want for the truth was clouding his decision-making skills and he could see it. He answered Dhruv,

Rathod: NO! I don't want this deal. I have wasted enough time on you already, I can't waste any more time on you.

Dhruv: That's fine with me! But I won't be the one in losses. I mean you have seen for yourself, haven't you?

Rathod: What do you mean?

Dhruv: The time you 'wasted' on me, I mean was it wasted? You had predictions to solve the mystery of the murders and now with me, you have a theory, one that I gave to you. You even an eyewitness to prove your theory right. And if you are lucky enough then I might just give you the proofs you need to finish this mess once and for all.

Rathod: What exactly are you implying?

Dhruv: Spend a little more time with me and we might just catch your son's murderer.

He denied the offer at first but Dhruv's little more convincing influenced his decision to the end. It took a lot of him but his will to resist finally was exhausted. Now it wasn't S.H.O Shivkumar Rathod making the decision it was Vikram's dad. Shiv knew in his heart that maybe, this was a bad decision but if it's something that can lead him to his son's murderer he is willing to take the risk.

Shiv started talking, he told every little detail of his conversation with his eye witness to Dhruv. He looked after that nothing was left out, Shiv's desperation was seen in his face. He wanted answers and he expected those from Dhruv, in some twisted way he trusted Dhruv. As Shiv finished telling everything Dhruv said,

Dhruv: I was right! Your witness is hiding something from you. That part about seeing me near your place is probably a lie.

Rathod: Probably?

Dhruv: I mean I did meet your son on the 13th, but I am not sure if that's the day she saw me?

Rathod: Why did you meet my son?

Dhruv: I already said you; he was fourth on my list! But he was a lucky bastard, I didn't kill him!

Rathod: Why didn't you kill him?

Dhruv: I think I know who your witness is! Give me the name and I can confirm if it's her.

Rathod: You didn't answer my question Dhruv!

Dhruv: Well answer mine and you might even receive yours!

Rathod: What?! I don't get it!..... FUCK IT! Ok this witness is Pooja Mahajan!

Dhruv: YES! I KNEW IT WAS THAT BITCH!!

Rathod: You knew? How? How can you know that? ..... This is very confusing to me!

Dhruv: I know it is!... But let's give you some pointers for first, shall we?

Rathod: I certainly need them!

Dhruv: So Priya Mahajan is your son's ex-girlfriend, both of them were in a relationship for like a year or so, they broke up like four months ago maybe?

Rathod: She is my son's girlfriend?! How could I not know that?

Dhruv: You live in India Officer! Nothing infuriates Indian parents more than their child being in a relationship in their teenage years. It was obvious why didn't think it was a good idea to tell you.

Rathod: That's not entirely true.

Dhruv: Don't lie on my face! You would have beat the shit out of Vikram if you knew about the relationship. I am going to be very blunt here, I don't care what you would have done to your son. It's your property, you can do whatever you want to do with him. But if you have to talk about these things, I can talk for hours but then don't say I wasted your time.

Rathod: You are a douchebag!

Dhruv: That one isn't exactly a compliment but I'll take that!

Rathod: So how long did you say it has been till they broke up?

Dhruv: I don't know the time exactly; it was just the news that spread like a wildfire that 'school's wildest couple' broke up! And judging from the time we found out, I'll guess it was four to five months ago.

Rathod: Then that's near the time things started looking bad for you. And what more do you know?

Dhruv: And with my tortures, I found out from Yash that it was your son who wanted to get me to write that 'LOVE LETTER'.

Rathod: If it was Vikram's plan, then all it makes sense, why it was given to Pooja. It was his way to apologize for his mistakes. But things got messed up when she went to the teacher and you got caught for it!

Dhruv: Exactly! But don't think it was the only reason why your son was on my list. I found out from the second in the list which is Raj, that it was Vikram who made Raj do whatever he did and also found out that the showdown I had with the boys wasn't a coincidence. I mean I didn't stumble on them, they were waiting for me! I know I made the first blow by grabbing Raj but me getting beaten up was already planned even if I hadn't attacked. And that's why I went for your son. But again, I didn't kill him! I showed up at his place, I mean… YOUR place! And before I started with my usual fistfight, torture, kill routine, I confessed to him all my crime. He didn't believe me at first but I had my ways to prove it to him and...

Rathod: Wait! What ways?

Dhruv: Stick to things I am telling Officer, stop being a cop and just listen to what I am saying! So what was I saying… ahh.. yeah! I was saying that I had my ways to make him believe and as soon as he found out, he was terrified. I couldn't smell at that time but I am pretty sure he shitted in his pants! (Chuckles)

Rathod: TAKE IT SERIOUSLY DHRUV!

Dhruv: Opps, sorry! He was terrified and scared of what I would do to him and he said sorry for what he did to me and all, that exact moment his phone started ringing, it was Pooja. He was in complete terror, so he kept avoiding the call, that's why I forced him to pick it up. The scared little bastard obeyed my order as a lion in a circus would! She was shouting, threatening Vikram, and saying some pretty bad things.

Rathod: Bad things?

Dhruv: She said, I quote, "I will fucking kill you!!" and as he wasn't allowed to answer he stayed quiet and she spilled out the beans. Apparently, during their time as a couple, Pooja had sent some compromising pictures to your son as signs of 'TRUST' as she says, I don't believe that shit to be honest! Both of them were frankly sexting and it was her being a horny bitch with the wrong guy! I mean seriously, if a drug addict like Vikram was her choice then the relationship was destined to a bad end! But teenagers are teenagers, after all, they take decisions in moments and regret them for ages.

Rathod: I have a perfect example for that in front of me.

Dhruv: God, your sarcasm is getting better with every minute! But cutting to the point, your son was blackmailing her for something, I don't know what it was because if I had to know then the call would have continued for long without Vikram answering, she might figure out something's wrong and I didn't want it, so I snatched the phone from him cut the call and asked him to make me a cup of tea, and…

Rathod: Wait! A cup of what?

Dhruv: TEA! Don't be surprised! I just wanted to see how much of an 'obeying lion' your son was! (Chuckles)…. And you know what! He did make that cup of tea, and that's when I know that the biggest bully in my school is scared of me, and he is scared that I might kill him any moment, all he was doing was buying little time or shall I say buying a little more life to live! And the horror on his face was enough for me. The only reason I left him undead that day was his fear. From that day onwards every day he will feel his death closing by, and it won't come, he would see me and fear that I'll kill him at that moment itself, but it won't happen! He was going to live in fear of death and I guess that was better than killing him!

Rathod: It's still hard to swallow that those words came from the mouth of a 17-year-old. How much could you have hated my son to give him such a terrifying fate.

Dhruv: Not enough!

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