DEATH SENTENCE

CHAPTER 12

Ishant sat in his office,drinking coffee,the fifth cup on the same day. He was relaxed. Having finished all the reports , he decided that he deserves a good break. Probably a few days of leave too.

He groaned when Rakesh entered the room,unannounced.  Whenever that happened he knew that it meant something had happened and it always involved his plans for holidays.

"Ishant, new case, here are the reports about it. Just start digging it up" Rakesh tossed the file at him and exited immediately.

That is Rakesh. No nonsense. Straight to the point.

Ishant took up the file and eyed it. He then opened it and read through it uninterested. It was all the same. A rich businessman killed, no motive, no clues whatsoever. He has seen hundreds of cases like this in his five years in The Express.  

One information caught his eye. 

"The victim had hired an EAGLE's EYE DETECTIVE AGENCY when he suspected something foul was happening shortly before his murder. The detective was Ms.Ayesha Zaid. After the murder the victim's brother gave that case to her"

So Ayesha is involved.

He remembered only too clearly that case. 

His mind wandered to the past. Those days of sleeplessness and depression shortly after his wife's death. After two months of waiting his boss had assigned him a case. He had to investigate about the bribery case in which Ayesha was accused. 

He, like every other reporters waited outside her house and swarmed in as she came out to go to the court. She barely managed to escape their pestering and mikes which was extended towards her. At the start of his career, he felt pity for these people who had to fend off their annoying questions and accusations which will sound too much even for the reporters. But now he was used to this. His job is to pester the people whom he had to question. he had to break them mentally until they answered all his questions.

She escaped and climbed into the waiting car. The reporters grumbled about the failure and started going to the court. 

By the time Ishant had reached the court, every other reporter was there, and the case was going on. Everybody started discussing about what would be her sentence. Everybody were sure about one thing though. That she did accept bribe.

But to everyone's surprise the court had given the verdict in contrary. Ayesha was innocent. She did not accept any bribe after all.

It was a big shock. But they did not hesitate. Immediately as Ayesha exited the courtroom, talking enthusiastically with her lawyer he swarmed towards her. Now the lady spoke.

"I am very pleased that you are all disappointed," she said smiling brightly.

These are the words that Ishant could never forget. How rude? yet how true.

Since then Ayesha had become a very bad person. A person who had cheated the court. She was criticized and shunned. Then after a week all was forgotten. They moved on. 

Now she was about to resurface. He knew somehow that this is a big new. The victim is no layman. His murder would be a nightmare for that little detective.

He sighed and got up. He has work to do. At least it is interesting.