Part 42 Hurting Truth

Akash was not sleeping. How could he sleep when he gave a very sensitive task to someone? He was rotating on the bed in nervousness. He doesn't know whether Hithesh had done the job or not.

Suddenly, something alerted him as he heard a bike sound. He looked out through the window and saw NK and Daniel coming with the villagers. He became horrified as he guessed the real issue. He slowly came out and looked at NK's father who was in deep sleep. Taking money from his bag, he came out of the house through the backside door. Not wasting time, he ran away from there and got vanished in the dark.

Shivshankar got disturbed, hearing a knock on the door. He woke up from sleep and rushed to open the door. He got stuck, seeing the persons in front of him.

"Nanne... what are you doing here in this time?" he asked confusingly.

"Where is Akash?" Daniel asked.

"He is sleeping." Shiv Shankar said.

"Wake him up sir" Daniel requested.

"What happened? Is anything wrong?" Shiv Shankar questioned him back.

"We are here to arrest him, Sir. He hired someone to kill Ankit sir." He said.

"What! Did Akash really do that?" Shiv Shankar asked couldn't believe his words.

"Haan Babuji, Hitesh burnt our house. The president asked us to bring him to our village." NK said.

Shiv Shankar rushed inside to check Akash and became horrified not finding him there. He was standing, looking at the place, regretfully. NK who followed his father got disappointed.

"Babuji, where is he?" he inquired.

"He was sleeping here only." He said with repentance.

NK ran to Daniel.

"Akash escaped." He shouted.

Daniel jumped on his bike and kicked it furiously. The other villagers also started the bike. They searched for Akash, all over the Bolenath village the whole day but no use of it. They couldn't find Akash in the Bolenath village.

In the meanwhile

Shiv Shakti Pur became panicked. People got to know about what Hithesh did shocked about it. They started visiting the burnt house to know whether what they heard is true or not.

Garima's shock was not estimated. They couldn't believe that Akash can do such a thing. But Khushi was not shocked as she got to know about him already. Garima surprised seeing her "Not reacting" manner.

"Doesn't it make you shock?" She asked Khushi.

Khushi nodded no.

"But why Khushi? He is the man who we more than anyone in this world. How could you be so calm?" Garima asked unbelievably.

"He is crueler than what you heard... what you think..." she said emotionlessly.

Garima was bewildered.

"What does it mean, Khushi?" She shook Khushi, holding her shoulders.

"Jeeji had not died accidentally...." She said spilling tears.

Garima's hands lowered from her shoulders. Her expression became horrified. It seems she guessed what is going to come next.

As Khushi also understood that she guessed it, she nodded her head YES.

"He and Mohini (she addressed her "Mohini", cutting AUNTY.) killed Payal Jeeji..." she broke the egg.

Garima moved back with a shock and got hit on the wall. She sat on the floor with a thud. Her eyes spilled limitless tears. Khushi rushed to her and sat beside her.

"I heard Mohini talking with Radha. Radha blackmailed her for money. She is the eye-witness of Jeeji's murder." Khushi said what she heard.

Garima cried hitting her forehead. Khushi also cried, sitting beside her. They thought Payal was happy in her life. They celebrated Akash like a blessing as he displayed himself so good. They were disappointed when they got to know he is a gambler. They could not even bear the truth of him a gambler. Now... peak of everything... he is a murderer... he killed none other than his own wife Payal who never complained about him for once.

Garima stood furiously.

"Amma, where are you going?" Khushi stopped her, clutching her hand.

"I'm going to meet Radha. I will ask her to tell the truth to the president." She said with overflowing tears.

"No Amma... What if she doesn't agree to it? And that Mohini and Akash are murderers Amma... they can do anything..." she said pleadingly.

"Do you want them to be free?" She asked furiously.

"No... not at all... this is a sensitive matter. We need proof. Radha is the only witness. We should not lose her nor should we let her get alert." Khushi notified her.

"What we can do then? Don't' you want them to get punished?" Garima asked helplessly.

"Undoubtedly, I want them to get punished. But we can't do it alone. Let me talk with Arnavji. He will definitely do something about it." She assured.

Garima was silent.

"Trust me...please."

Garima nodded ok.

"Compose yourself... Let's go... the whole village visited their house except us..." Khushi called Garima with her.

Garima nodded yes. She went to the backyard and came, washing her face.

They came to the burnt house and saw Arnav sitting under the tree with Aman and Shyam. The villagers were standing around the house and gossiping about not only what they know about but also more than that. They connected Akash with many bad things that happened in the village before. They suspected him badly as he lost his respect completely.

Arnav saw Khushi glancing at him. He remembered what the young man said.

"Kushboo needs your shoulder... console her..."

He observed her face. She looked indeed sad. Her puffy eyes were evidence of the young man's words.

He gestured her something through his eyes. It was not hard for her to understand what he says. He asked her to come to the forest temple. She wanted to let him know that she understood his gesture. Taking a charcoal piece, she drew a temple pic and a tree on a stone.

Khushi left the place with Garima. Dropping Garima at home, she headed to the forest temple through another path. So that no one could suspect her.

When she came to the temple, she didn't find Arnav in the temple. She sighed in disappointment. That's when she heard "Shhh" from behind the temple. She looked at the direction from where the sound came. She found him standing at the entrance of the forest. Khushi went towards him whereas Arnav went behind the tree and waited for her.

As Arnav didn't expect, Khushi hugged him and started crying which made Arnav panicked.

"Khushi, what happened? Why are you crying? Whatever it is, tell me. I will try to solve it" he tried to calm her down.

"No, Arnavji. We can't do anything to solve it. It's over. It's over...." She cried.

Breaking the hug, Arnav cupped her face and wiped the tears with his thumbs.

"Khushi listen to me. Maybe, we can't do anything but let me try..." Aranv asked her with extreme calmness.

"Jeeji didn't die accidentally..."

"Then?" he frowned.

"Akash and his mother killed her."

"How do you know?" Arnav asked shockingly.

"Yesterday night I got to know the truth. I heard his mother talking about it"

"With whom she talked?" he asked with the same shock.

"Radha... she worked on their farm."

"Where is her house?"

"Direct opposite to the market ground."

"Leave it on me. I will deal with her."

Khushi hugged him again.

"My Jeeji was a good woman, Arnavji. He killed her... he should be punished... he should not escape..."

"He will get punished. I will make him get the punishment... trust me."

"I trust only you Arnavji."

Arnav nodded yes.

"NK and the inspector went to arrest him. They will bring him here today."

"Really?"

"yes..."

This time she hugged him with satisfaction.

"Don't be worry...ok? I will make it alright." He promised her.

"Thank you. Arnavji."

Arnav circled her protectively, giving the warmth she needed the most.

To be continued...