PROVING INNOCENCE: 8. Crime

'So you planned to give me away, isn't it?' He spoke, as softly as he could manage. He gave her a sarcastic smile as he tied her hands to the bed.
'Nayan, I was doing nothing. Please let me free. What the hell is this? What are you doing with me?' Ishita tried to resist by pulling herself away from him but he was way too strong for her.
'Oh, you don't know what I'm doing with you? I'm kidnapping you dear. Let's see if the love of your life comes to save you'
With that statement he sedated her with chloroform and put her to sleep.

Suchit reached Creamstone at 5:30. He was late, given the time spent to give Ananya the confidence to carry out her plan. But when he reached, he didn't find Ishita. Either she must have left thinking I wouldn't reach, or she might not have come at all, he thought. He went to the waiter and asked for her, describing her in every sense, when he found out that she had left in a hurry after looking at her phone with an anxious expression. He asked the waiter if he saw whose phone calls she had received but he didn't know. With little information, he stormed out of the place.

Ananya reached the site. She opened the gate slightly so as to make no sound if possible. She slid through the small gap between the two gates and rushed upstairs. It had been a great day for her so far. In the morning, she had gone to Suchit's house and pretended to his mother that she hadn't spoken to him since the incident. She asked for information about him and his father's death, to which, she obviously burst out. Instead of troubling her mother for more information and considering her mental health, she visited Vishal uncle's house who was their neighbour and a family friend.
'Hello Uncle. I hope you remember me' Ananya said as he opened the door.
'Yes of course, why not Ananya dear. How are you?'
He asked her to come inside and sit. He also asked his wife to bring her something to eat, for which Ananya had politely refused.
'I'm fine uncle. It's just that I haven't spoken to Suchit for a very long time, I hardly know about the incident. I think it's high time I regain my contact with him'
'Yeah, I understand my dear. He has been through a lot. Honestly its not his fault. What can we do, destiny is sometimes very cruel'
Ananya looked at the interior of the house, which seemed to be unusually posh. Vishal uncle was a government employee and she didn't think he would earn so much.
Seeing Ananya silent, Mr. Vishal asked
'What made you come here and talk to me dear?'
'I don't know uncle, somehow, I thought it would be better to know about the incident completely before I talk to Suchit. Which is why I came here'
'You have come to the right place. Hari and I were very close, he would share every single thing with me. But the last year of his life, things were very unusual' Ananya felt a pain in his voice
'He stopped being very social, hardly talked to anyone. When he did, he mumbled things that no one understood. In fact, I thought there was some problem with his health. I also told Anita madam about it. But she seemed very confident that her husband was fine. But one day, he confided in me. He told me how his company was in loss and how he found it very difficult to pay his employees. There were many he fired without advance notice. I do not know for sure, but a lot of employees protested I think'
'Who were these employees uncle, do you know?'
'There were about 5-10 I think. There was Raju, George, Jayant, Farhan. I guess Mukul and his son Ankit were also included'
The word Ankit alarmed her. She saw her expression changing, but controlled herself so he didn't find out.
She finally spoke after a few seconds.
'So he decided to...?'
And before she said anything further, he continued
'Yes. He decided to do whatever he did.'
'What did he do, uncle?'
'I guess I've given all the information you need dear. Rest, let it be unknown. I don't want to disappoint you'
She had known though. After Hari uncle's supposed fraud, his family had been on news channels for a very long time. Ananya kept her eyes glued to every news channel to find out.

Ananya reached the second floor. She noticed that both the rooms were locked. She was prepared for it though. She had practiced breaking locks with a hair pin. 'It shouldn't be a difficult task', she thought. She picked her hair pin and tried opening the lock of the office door. She found success in her second attempt. When she opened the door, she found the setting of the desks changed as compared to the last time. Without wasting any time, she went in and started looking in the drawers as well as cupboards. After almost ten minutes of search in one cupboard, she found what she wanted. There were three files, all with original documents signed by Hari uncle. Several documents stated that the company was in loss and was about to shut down.
Her next task was to look out for the forged documents. She put the three files in her bag and started searching in the other cupboards when she heard footsteps nearing the office.