The Murderer of Aarav Singh Raizada

Prathibandapuram

And before he could stop, the securities of orphanage took the baggage from Khushi and walked inside the orphanage building.

"Mr and Mrs. Raizada, welcome!" Asha didi greeted them. With the third letter gone inside the sack, Arnav gave a tight smile.

"Who is this young lady?" she asked.

"Ah this is Fida. Aarav's friend!" Khushi said.

"Oh!" Asha didi's face lit up, "You're Fida! Aarav used to talk a lot about you!"

Fida smiled and Arnav looked at her.

Aarav have never talked about a girl named Fida to them!

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Khushi went away to distribute things to children and Fida followed her. Arnav sat under a tree with Asha didi as the older woman talked about Aarav.

"It's unbelievable. Someone out there killed my boy....he was such a kind soul! Why would anyone do that to him?" she cried.

Arnav said nothing but looked up at the sky.

After a few minutes of silence he asked, "When was the last he visited you?"

"He never visits me! Busy boy" Asha didi said sadly, "But he always called me, once in every week! The last time I saw him? It was a few years back! When he came to know about his birth parents!"

"And you told him?" Arnav asked.

Asha looked at him. "You didn't know that?" she frowned, "Aarav said that he came by your permission and also that you wanted to meet his real parents!"

Arnav said suddenly, "Yeah....I gave him...permission! But after that he never spoke about it! So I thought he never came to you!"

"He did!" Asha said, "We don't know who his parents are! One of the orphanage employee found him in the streets of Prathibandapuram!"

Arnav looked at her recalling the words from the letter.

Go ask about Aarav, NOT AARAV SINGH RAIZADA, just Aarav to anyone at Prathibandapuram!

"Err....Asha ji, Aarav's clothes aren't folded well. Can I see them! Let me set them right!"

"Ah it's alright beta" Asha said, "We'll fold them!"

"Nahi" he cried and calmed himself down under Asha's confused glance, "I'll do it! Waise bhi....looking at these children, who once played with Aarav, makes me a bit....."

Asha smiled sympathetically and nodded.

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Pocketing the letter in his pants, Arnav walked to the car where Khushi and Fida were waiting for him. All he wanted to do was chuck them both on the roadside and find a lonely place to read the letter! But alas! He has to wait!

"Where should I drop you Fida?" he asked locking the seat belt.

"Bus stop uncle! I'll go home from there!"

"Arrey, aise kaise" he said, "I'll drop you home. Tell me the way"

"Uncle I'll manage!"

"Maine kaha na!" he said sternly and she didn't argue anymore.

"Today was fun!" Khushi said leaning back on the seat.

He hummed and looked at Fida through rear view mirror. The girl was looking out of the window and he could see the tears that were flowing out of her cheeks.

He frowned.

You're Fida! Aarav used to talk a lot about you.

Aarav never talked about her to him or anyone in the family! Yet he told Asha didi when he met her after a long time! And Fida....she was really close to Aarav it seems. Aarav had told them about Anwar, Raina, Akhila, Aditya and some more friends but never about a girl named Fida! Then who is she and why did she pop up days after his death/

"Where are you from Fida?" he heard Khushi asking.

"Dad and his family were settled here in Delhi, aunty! Mom hails from Rajastan!" Fida said.

"What do they do?" Arnav asked.

"Dad is a motivational speaker! Mom is housewife! Uncle, turn left from here! Ah see that blue painted house, that's the one!"

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Dropping Fida and greeting her parents, Arnav drove the car with Khushi sleeping on the passenger seat. Smiling at her, he lifted his cell and dialled Aman, his most trusted man.

"Aman do you know a place called Prathibandapuram!"

"Err yes sir. It's in the outskirts of Delhi. A very small town but very crowded. But why sir?"

"Nothing"

"Err....is everything okay sir? Why would you want to know about that place?"

"Why, is anything wrong with that place? Well, someone contacted me asking for....some designs in clothing and..."

Aman cut him off, "Sir I advise you not to have any deal with the businessmen of bases at Prathibandapuram!"

"Why?"

"Don't you know?"

"What?" Arnav asked irritated.

"Sir, it's a red light area! Not for our business sir! AR haven't gone bankrupt that we need to design clothes for prostitutes!"

Thanking Aman Arnav hang up the call with his PA's words bouncing in his ears.

It's a red light area.

The words from second letter hit him like lighting.

Asha didi's words came running back.

One of the orphanage employees found him in the streets of Prathibandapuram.

Go ask about Aarav, NOT AARAV SINGH RAIZADA, just Aarav to anyone at Prathibandapuram!