The Mystery Of The Ghost Writer And Wheat - Part 11

Team Name: BlogStirrers

You can read part 10 (click here) which was written by Karan Sampat for Game of Blogs by Blogadda.

Daily newspaper copies of all publications were there in the office as usual. Tara could notice it as soon as she entered the office. “Cipher Media”, that is the name of her organization having its headquarters in Mumbai. More than 3000 people work for the company across 11 office across the globe.  She was early today. Usually she used to come in time, by 9 AM. Today she was there in the office at 8 AM. There were many reasons to it. 

‘Good Morning Ma’m, you are early today?’ asked the security officer on duty.  Her chauffeur driven SUV had to stop before the automatic barrier just opposite to the security office. She had to pull her identity cum access card from her purse to swipe it against the RFID reader installed on the right side of barrier. Swipe erected the barrier up and her car drove in towards the basement parking.

‘Morning!’ She did not bother for the inquisitive query of the security officer, while swiping the card and closing her power window by pushing the button on side of her seat.

“Renowned writer and his daughter missing. The wheat flour trails on.”, was the headline of daily newspaper “Mukhbir”, the largest circulated in the city and published by Cipher Media. Newspapers from other media too had similar headlines.

Two things Tara was not able to control after yesterday evening were the frequent shiver passing vertically through her body as soon as things flash in her mind – gun, Shekhar, Roohi – the complete mess that has happened. Shehkar was hiding in his own house as a thief and then ran away on hearing the police sirens. Roohi has vanished from the house and Tara was not sure about her whereabouts. When Shekhar had kissed Tara before jumping out of the back window, after dropping his gun, she could feel herself stamped on the floor with no life inside her. Just a still frame. It was after Shekhar was gone that she quickly removed the gun into a safe. Tears coming into her eyes like the Mumbai rain, unalarmed, slow, off and on. Tara was puzzled totally on this sudden turn of sequences in her life.

“Is Shekhar a culprit?” Her heart was totally unable to absorb this but then what about evidence given to her by Cyrus. Cyrus has agreed to keep this information of  secret piece of evidence between the two and not sharing with Police. “What is Cyrus’ role in this?”, “How Cyrus has got this evidence?”, “Why Roohi has been abandoned?”, “Where is Shekhar right now and how do I contact him?”, “How do I ensure that Shekhar and Roohi are safe?” and a lot more questions were coming into Tara’s mind.

But before that she had to handle the ACP who was about to reach to her office to meet her on this case.  Tara was confused if she should discuss about the video clip that Cyrus has shared with her as a piece of evidence or not.

Her intercom was buzzing. She picked it up – ‘Yes.’

‘Ma’m, ACP is there to meet you.’

‘Send him in to my cabin.’

‘Yes Ma’m.’

There was a slight knock on the door and it opened gently. ACP was standing there, tall, in uniform, serious but there was something in his eyes that caught her attention.

‘She is not going to share anything related to the evidence with ACP’, Tara thought and stood up from her seat to greet ACP.

‘Please come in’ said Tara, preparing herself to tackle ACP’s queries on the case in which she was the first party now due to Shekhar, and had come under the clouds of doubts due to his vanishing all of a sudden.

‘Good Morning, I am here to investigate about the wheat case and got to know that your husband is under the point of doubt.’ said ACP.

‘I am not convinced at all on what is happening in my family on this front. I am also much worried about Roohi and her whereabouts. And I am hundred percent sure that Shekhar, though under doubt right now, is as clean as he has been ever!’ said Tara.

‘I am here to help you, be assured. I can understand the shock and pain that you could be passing through. Believe me, if you trust me and Mumbai Police force, give me 3 days to get Roohi back to you. That should be our first priority.’ Said ACP.

‘And I am sure Shekhar has become a victim of circumstances else he can’t do what he has been framed for. It is good that you called me when my men reached your home in the evening in hunt of Shekhar.’ Continued ACP. ‘As far as I feel, this is something related to Shekhar’s acquaintances for whom he has written on their behalf (as a ghost writer) or it might be related to Shekhar’s own named writings. If you can arrange for a complete collection of Shekhar’s work, it would be quite helpful for me in getting Roohi back to you and fulfil my commitment.’

Tara had tears back in her eyes which she somehow managed to subside in the presence of ACP.  

‘I will get it arranged to reach your office by evening.’ Said Tara.

‘No! I want them at my residence. You let me know what time you will reach home and I will send someone to collect it from you.’ Said ACP

‘Sure, send someone by 6’. Confirmed Tara, ‘and the packs will be ready. I will arrange all the stuff in three bundles. One, all his fiction writing in his own name. Second, all his writing as a ghost writer, and Third, his poetry.’

‘Sure, I will meet you tomorrow evening on next course of action and the results so far. Meanwhile I have few suggestions for you on personal and professional front. Shall I?’ asked ACP.

‘Yes please.’ Said Tara who had by now got a substantial amount of confidence built for ACP.

‘Well, first and the only thing on professional front, let this story move away from the front page as soon as possible! Don’t let it remain in limelight for long. It will unnecessary build a wrong pressure on the media and Police and the real culprit might walk off on a red carpet under this pressure on us.’ Said ACP.

‘On personal front! As I said above, about the real culprit, clearly says that Shekhar is not the culprit in my eyes and I will prove it soon. My suggestion to you is – never ever be in doubt that something wrong will happen to Shekhar or Roohi as long as Shekhar is innocent. I will ensure his safety wherever he is.’

‘Sure, thanks ACP, your words have given me lot of mental strength!’ said Tara.

‘Do you remember the famous lines from the award winning poetry book of Shekhar?’ asked ACP. And before Tara could answer he started it:

ऐ वक़्त, ज़िन्दगी तेरा सरमाया है 

यहाँ कौन किसके काम  आया है 

किसके तकिये सपने छोड़ गया था 

किसके सपनों में कौन आया है !

‘And one last word of caution,’ said ACP, ‘Don’t trust digital media in a blind manner! A video might look real but there are techniques to make it real beyond proving it as morphed…’

And ACP left leaving Tara bewildered, her eyes wide open and mind put on complete rest, refusing to think anything.

Read the next part of the story here.

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