Calming The Storm🌌 (#wattys2019)√

34. A change in course

Dedicated to vasusetia
You are my brother from another mother... I can never forget you or the fun times we've had. You are supportive and just the brother I always desired to have. Hope all your dreams come true. Thank you❤

"Rivers never follow one single course... They change direction with time and distance... Happenings and circumstances tend to be like rivers... Unpredictable, unexpected and sudden."

-Elegiac_Damsel

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17th September 2019

Sampurnaa's pov:

The new discovery was yet to be revealed to the world. I had secretely got in contact with Frieda's midwife, 24 years ago, in the village with help from Arpita.

With the minister and his son, dead, Frieda missing and Mr. Sequira seemingly unaware, the major unanswered question for us was, 'How do we prove that Mr. Vijay Desai was Frieda's son?'

The court hearing was scheduled to begin at 12 pm.

I was in the office early at 9 because I wanted to go through the archives. I just wanted anything that would join the dots and connect everything together. There was one forgotten file which contained details about shut down, old and abandoned factories in and around Mumbai.

I really don't know what prompted me to do what I did... But I started turning the pages in the file and reading all the details.

I spent more than an hour in the room going through the same file when finally something caught my attention.
There is an abandoned farmhouse in Panvel near one of the abandoned factories. The factory was a clothes manufacturing unit belonging to Mr. Sequira. We have to go there once!!!

It was past 10 when I left the archives and records room and proceeded towards my cubicle in the office. I needed to apply for certain equipment that would help me get details about Ms. Frieda Sequira or more appropriately, Ms. Anya Siddiqui.
.......

12 pm

The court hearing is about to begin. Today, Sridha and her friends are not here. They have examinations and assignments at the college. Her parents were unable to come too owing to an emergency. The courtroom is surprisingly empty. I was sitting next to Indrayan and Zakir since the seats were vacant and so was Arpita.
The defendant appeared bored.

Mr. Sequira was soon brought into the courtroom just as the judge took his place. I had not yet informed anyone about my secret plans of going to Panvel sometime this week. All that would have to wait though as the cross examination began.

The defendant went first and she immediately called Mr. Sequira's chauffeur so he could tell the court about Ms. Frieda Sequira's 'disappearance' since that night when Zeenat had been shot. The chauffeur revealed the escape route that had been used by Mr. Sequira and his sister. Apparently, they had bribed one of the officers of the Colaba police station. They had tapped phone calls just as I had suspected in order to get deeper details about our plans.
The hearing was quite uneventful after that and the judge had also got a petition from Sridha. She had requested him to postpone the next hearing since she had examinations.

The next hearing was announced to be on 11th October.

My face lit up at that. Durga Puja ends on 8th which means that I can actually go to Kolkata!!!

I refrained myself from squealing out excitedly.
The judge announced the adjournment of the court for the day and we rose to pay respect.

Once he was out, a grin made its way on my face.