"Rajveer, tumhare pass saboot hai, location hai and that's enough to arrest the suspect.. upar se uske pass acha khasa motive bhi hai murder ka..what are you waiting for?" The words of his senior were echoing in his ears. Whatever he said was true...and he has to do it, no matter what his instincts say.

Rajveer's heart was constricting while doing so but that's what his duty and law commands him to do.

Naina's swollen and teary eyes were pricking him, he tried to avoid her piercing gaze. He can't do anything, law sees facts and evidence and not someone's instincts or gut feelings.

All the evidence is against her so he has to arrest her.

A sob escaped from her mouth as she innocently said "maine unhe nahi mara...Maine kuch kuch nahi kiya"

His soul was screaming at him, asking him to let this innocent bird free in her sky, she is innocent, she doesn't belong here but he can't do so as that's the law of the land.

He saw her broken self, she was more devastated than before. Till yesterday she was just a victim of the situation and now she herself is an accused, a potential murderer.

"O Madam, yaha ane ke bad sab yahi bolte hai, humne kuch ni kiya..hum nirdosh hai...par hame sab malum hai....kitni bholi Surat hai, aur kand itne khatarnaak..do log tapka Dale..." Rekha exclaimed.

"Un par abhi charges lagaye hai, sabit nahi huye" Rajveer spoke out of reflexes and everyone looked at him in shock as he never behaved like this for any suspect or criminal.

Rajveer realised what he did just now "ahem-ahem, lady hai...Zara dhyan se..." Saying this he moves out and takes a large gulp of breath.

He is feeling suffocated, why is she effecting him so much "pehle bhi itne criminals ko saza dilayi hai, meine aise kabhi react nahi Kiya....fir aj Aisa kya ho gaya hai mujhe...kyu uski ankhein mujhe apni taraf kheech rahi hai....kyu mein sare sabooto ko nakar kar uss par bharosa karna chahta hu....nahi nahi..ye thik nahi hai, this is wrong.."

"Kya galat hai sir..." Dharam speaks from behind making him startle.

"Tum...ah wo....investigation thik se nahi ho Rahi hai isiliye.." he avoids looking in his eyes as this is the first time he is lying.

"Thik nahi hui...magar madam ke khilaf hame saboot mile hai na" he said getting confused. "Incident Spot ke pass unka earing...sabse bada saboot hai wo...aur murder ke agle din phone ki location bhi wahi ki hai..Anirudh ke murder spot ke pass, wo waha agle din maujood thi".

"Aur wo waha kyu thi....yahi to puchna hai..." There was a sudden shift of emotions in him "accuse ko interrogation room me bulao.."

_________________________

In a confined room Rajveer and Naina were sitting across from each other with a table between them. A female constable was also there.

"Yaha hum dono ke beech Jo bhi conversation hogi wo iss tape mein record hogi" Rajveer said switching on the tape "are you ready?".

"Jee" she whispered.

"Mein apse kuch sawal karunga...aap chahe to chup bhi reh sakti hai wo apka right hai, ya apko apne lawyer ka wait karna hai.." he asked before continuing.

"Mein sab batane ke liye taiyaar hu...sach sach, Jo kuch bhi mujhe pata hai..." She said this time with strange confidence.

His presence instead of making her nervous was empowering her, making her believe that nothing can go wrong with her when he is there.

He stared at her for some time, they had an eye lock, they could feel so much emotion at a time, craving, yearning, pleading, agony, and much more... when Constable Rekha coughs breaking their moment.

"7 June ko aap kaha gayi thi, kis se mili, kis se baat ki...Puri detail bataiye..." He asked his first question.

"Uss din subha hamesha ki tarah meine Ghar ke sare kaam kiye the..nashta banaya, Anirudh ka lunch pack Kiya, unke kapde set kiye, unhe breakfast serve Kiya aur fir wo 9 baje Tak apne office ke liye nikal Gaye the...uske bad meine apne bache huye Kam pure kiye..jaise kapde dhona, Ghar ki safai aur..."

"Mr. Seth itne bade business man the unhone koi servant nahi rakha tha..." He stopped her, was she his wife or a servant.

"Unhe pasand nahi tha ki koi bahar ka insan unke Ghar ki batein jaane" her eyes were lowered." He wanted to keep his private life confined and now his life is like an open book." She let out a rueful smile.

There was no problem, if the man is earning and the wife doing household chores, 80% of Indian houses still work like that but what bothered him was his double standards. He felt disgusted at that man, his wife worked like a maid while he himself enjoyed his life in adultery.

"Private person" he whispered in mockery, now look what is happening to his private life after death. He shakes his head and focuses back to work "apke phone location se pata chalta hai ki app murder ke next day incident spot par gayi thi but my main concern is murder ki sham aap kaha thi?".

"Doon Hospital gayi thi kyunki...." She stopped in between as she realised something. The tears which had turned dry now again were leaking, she started sobbing again.

Her sudden shift of emotions surprised them "Kya..kya hua..ro kyo Rahi ho..."

Rekha comes forward "Madam, kya ho gaya...achanak ro kyu padi.... Bura lag raha hai pati ko maar ke..."

She stopped when Rajveer glared at her for talking like that "ahh Mera matlab kya hua...aise ro kyu rahi hai app" her tone suddenly turned soft. Seems like her Sir has developed a soft corner for her.

She shakes her head "mujhe laga ki mein...mein akeli..hu....bhul gayi thi...ki...ab....mein akeli nahi hu...koi aur hai...jika mujhe....khud se bhi ...zyada dhyan...rakhna hai..." She said sobbing a lot in between.

Rajveer and Rekha were confused at what she was saying but their eyes turned horrified when she placed her hand on her belly.

_______________________________

"What the fuckk" Rajveer throws paper weight on the wall making Rekha and Dharam flinch in fear.

He strides towards Dharam while he takes a few steps back as he was looking scary "Tumne kaha uske medical reports okay hai, she is fine physically...then how come I don't know about her pregnancy...HOW??" He screamed.

"Wo mujhe Rekha ne kaha ki, reports agayi hai aur wo normal..." He replied in fear closing his eyes halfway.

Rajveer turns to Rekha as she is shivering, she knows him as a calm and composed person never before she saw him like this, is to because of her carelessness or .......the woman is the reason?

"Jawab dogi ya shubh mahurat nikalwaun". He angrily asked.

"Wo ahh wo sir, mujhe laga ki dekhne me thik lag Rahi hai to thik hi hogi.... Do logo ko nipta ke baithi hai zyada se zyada halka fulka stress ayega aur kya...isiliye report ane se pehle hi meine bol dia ki report okay hai..." She blurted in fear.

Rajveer moves near her slowly like a predator while she was flinching in her position "tumse kisne keh Diya ki wahi khooni hai....humne usey Shak ke basis par arrest Kiya hai, ko. Apna blunder chupane ke liye tum Sara dosh uspar daal Rahi ho".

"Sir app itne stressed kyu ho rahe hai, agar wo doshi nahi hai to innocent bhi proof nahi hui hai..." Dharam said after gaining courage as his soft behaviour towards her was bothering him now.

"Baat uske sirf innocent hone ya na hone ki nahi hai..baat ye hai ki wo pregnant hai, agar iss beech usey kuch ho jata ya uske bache ko kuch ho jata to authorities ko, media ko, logo ko kya jawab dete hum" suddenly reality strikes them even Rekha feels guilty now.

"tum logo ko pata hai, ki interrogation kaisi hoti hai kis hadh tak ja sakti hai aur uska kya asar ho sakta hai mental health par, upar se jail ka environment....kitna stressful hota hai sab" he huffed. "Aur agar wo innocent Hui to iss sab ka asar aur double hoga uss par aur uss bich agar unhe kuch ho gaya to naukri to jayegi hi...court ke chakkar alag lagenge, samjhe" he glares at them angrily.

"Sorry sir, mujhse bahot badi galati ho gayi hai." Rekha guilt fully said "iss sab ko jaldi niptane ke chakkar mein mujhse bahot badi galati ho gayi..magar aap chinta mat Karo wo madam ka dhyan mein personally rakhungi..unhe kisi chiz ki dikkat na ho mein dhyan dungi..raat ko unke pas hi rukungi". She genuinely said feeling something about her actions being a woman and a single mother, she feels responsible.

Rajveer relaxes himself by taking a large gulp of breath and says in a harsh but somewhat subtle tone "raat ko rukne ki zarurat nahi, tumhari beti bhi hai... Mein dekhta hu kya karna hai" saying this he went out.

Rekha keeps looking at his back dreamily "aise hi thodi na sir ke liye dill dhadakta hai, gusse me bhi kitni parwah karte hai".

Dharam glares at her "Abhi dant padi na...chalo Kam par Lago" she scurried away quickly "tumhara to nahi pata, magar Inka ka dill zarur fisalne laga hai....kahi iske chakkar mein akar, ye koi galat kaam na kar baithe". He sighed

____________________________________

A plate of full and proper meal was placed in front of her. It consisted of rice, chapati, dal, green vegetables, salad and a glass of milk. It was a better looking meal than the last meal she had. It doesn't look like jail food.

She looks at the person who brought this. It was constable Rekha, who was smiling at her. "Kha lo madam, tumhare aur bacche ke liye acha hai".

Her eyes misted, as it was the first word she heard about her baby from someone. She kept her hand on her flat belly, trying to feel the life breathing inside her.

"Sorry...meri wajah se apki Jaan ko khatra ho sakta tha, aur iss nanhi si Jaan ko bhi" she softly talked to her for the first time.

"It's okay, apne Jaan bujh kar nahi kiya" she replied back in a polite manner.

"Haan par Rajveer sir ne bahot danta, wo to gusse se pagal ho Gaye the..laga ki agle khoon ka charge unapar lagega wo bhi mere" she shivered remembering his scary aura.

Naina was amazed to hear that. There was an unsettled feeling in her heart, what was the need to get so angry. It was a very tiny issue, nothing happened to her then why. Rekha speaks again breaking her chain of thoughts.

"Mein bhi pagal hu wo gussa ho bhi kyu na, apne aap hi chize sochne lagti hu, jaise socha ki samne se app thik lag Rahi ho to koi pareshani hogi hi nahi,.usi tarah soch liya ki sabut mile hai to khooni bhi aap ho..bhala koi maa Aisa kar sakti hai kya" she chuckled and left from there.

Naina was lost in her thoughts as her eyes turned devoid of any emotions but her hand was placed on her belly protectively "ek maa apne bacche ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hai, kuch bhi".