Into The Shadows by Aayush Borulkar (smart ebook reader txt) 📗

anywhere after the party,” Ishaan interrupted. “I mean, I don’t remember most of the party as I was very high, but I did want some painkillers, and Vibha was the right person in our group when it came to medicines. So I was trying to find her but couldn’t find her anywhere,” he added, looking at Vibha.

“Oh, I see we even have a witness now saying that you were missing from the party. That’s enough to make you a suspect and take you in for some interrogation at the station.”

“But I didn’t say she was here,” said Ishaan, pointing at the photograph.

“But I did not do anything!” cried out Vibha.

“Just imagine if this news about she being a prime suspect in a murder case leaks out, then her career might just get over,” said Avinash.

“No, it wasn’t me!” cried out Vibha.

“What if she gets convicted? What then, huh” suggested Avinash intensely

“Vibha, you have no alibi, and this is enough for taking you in for some rigorous questioning.”

“But no! I wasn’t with this guy. No, trust me!” said Vibha sobbing.

“Oh No! Vibha you are checkmate.”

“There is no escape now!” said Erika raising her voice as the atmosphere in the villa had intensified and the hysteria and chaos were reaching its peak. The others in the room did not know what they could do to stop this commotion as Avinash and Erika were heavily accusing Vibha, and she was crying out loud, justifying herself.

“That’s not Vibha in the photograph!! Because she was in the bedroom making out with Vivek because he never left the Villa!!” Kaajal shouted out loud as the clouds overhead could not bear the water in them any longer, and they burst open, pouring down on the villa.

“Vivek was with us. He never left the villa,” repeated Kaajal, her voice getting dampened by the noise of the rain hitting the windows.

Everybody in the room was aghast. They had never imagined that Kaajal would say something like this and put an end to it. Nishant sat on the couch with his head in his hands. Abhimanyu was surprised. He knew this wouldn’t stay a secret for long. But he did not predict that it would come out in this manner. Vibha was still crying and sat on the couch with a thud. Both the inspectors looked at each other and smiled as they were waiting for someone to break down and spill the beans.

“There you go,” said Erika with a smirk. “And to be honest, this photograph is too little evidence for even arresting anyone, let alone a conviction,” she added, looking at Avinash and getting up from her seat.

Still sobbing, Vibha looked up at Kajaal and asked, “But how did you know we were together that night?”

“Oh, I can help you with that,” Erika said. “Here, this is your picture, taken in the dark,” she added, handing a picture to Vibha.

“This picture was in the camera handed over as evidence. But due to corrupt investigation, this was never investigated, and as the “Vivek” angle was never considered before, this photo never made sense,” Avinash explained.

“Who clicked this photo, though?” wondered Vibha.

“It was none other than Kaajal. She clicked this photo,” said Erika going back to her seat.

“But why?” Vibha asked

“Because I loved you Vibha!” shouted Kaajal.

“What!?” asked Vibha looking at Kaajal in disbelief.

“Yes. I was in love with you back then, and I just couldn’t bear the thought of you with any other man, so I just crept into the room and clicked that photo,” Kaajal cried out loud.

Vibha couldn’t believe her ears and sat there completely amazed. “You could have told me,” she said in disbelief.

“And what difference would that have made? I would have just become an outcast and wouldn’t be able make you love me, Vibha!” Kaajal explained.

“But creeping up on me like this. That’s disgusting!”

“But this doesn’t prove anything about the murder,” said Ishaan getting up from the couch hastily. “And who was the woman and man in the photograph?” he continued.

“Oh! This is just a recent snapshot from a CCTV in Mumbai of a couple moving their furniture. Vibha was never there in the picture. And plus, you can’t even make anything out from this picture,” Erika said.

“We just played a bluff here,” added Avinash.

“And what you said that it doesn’t prove anything about the case, that’s true. But now we have a new revelation that Vivek never left the house. So if Vibha could care to explain what exactly happened that night,” said Erika getting comfortable in her chair.

Chapter 17

A sense of calmness had suddenly spread in the atmosphere. There was dead silence in the villa as the clock struck four in the afternoon. The only sound heard was that of the much needed rain that battered down on Bardez, cleaning it of all its sins. As heavens let loose, all the six friends sat with their secrets, deeply guarded and buried in their hearts, which were now about to spill out slowly and gradually. Richa sat on the floor, rocking to and fro, least concerned about what was happening around her.

“Ma’am, one is what one reveals to be. You just show the world what the world wants to see, and you are all set to go,” said Vibha sitting on the couch fidgeting with her fingers. “Vivek never left the villa. That night, when he was about to leave, I stopped him,” she continued narrating.

23rd September 2000…

“Stop right here. You are staying the night,” said Vibha stopping Vivek as he was about to leave.

“But I have to go. I have a night shift, and also, I have to reach back home early tomorrow,” Vivek said.

“I don’t know anything about that. I just want you to stay, and you can leave early in the morning,” she said.

“But I really can’t…

“Oh, you really can. Come on now,” said Vibha pulling Vivek back into the house. She pulled him back into the villa. “Wait here. I will be right back. Don’t go anywhere,” she