Part 48 ploy?

Arnav looked at Khushi with a broken heart. The doctor came there

"Doctor, I'm her husband and he is her father. How is she?"

"Head injury is a little deep but the scanning report is clean. There is no blood clot in her head. So, nothing to worry about. Her hand and leg got fractured. She is unconscious. It will take a few days for her to recover"

"May we go inside?"

"Take five minutes and come out fast. She may get infected otherwise"

"Thank you, Doctor"

They entered the ICU. Khushi was lying on the bed lifelessly, having plaster around her head, hand, and leg. The slight scratch on her cheek didn't make her face a flaw. Arnav's eyes tear up. He gulped down hard. He clutched her hand that was being connected with a butterfly needle.

"Khushiii..." he softly called her even though he knew she won't respond.

A lonely tear slipped from his eye. He gritted his teeth and came out. He saw a policeman waiting.

"How did it happen?"

"Accident Sir... drunk and drive..."

"Where is he?"

"He is in the police station cell, sir. The public trapped him and surrendered him to the police station"

"What about the cab driver?"

"He is also injured but not severe as he jumped out of the car, seeing the truck advancing his cab"

Arnav closed his eyes in frustration. He came to the doctor and said,

"I would like to shift her to the private hospital"

"As your wish...! Complete the formality and take her"

Arnav nodded yes and completed the formalities. He brought her to the famous multispecialty hospital and admitted her there.

Ratna, Garima, and Lavanya came to the hospital with Arvind.

"Mom, be with Khushi and take care of her. I will just come"

"Where are you going?"

"Police station"

"I will also come," Shashi said.

Arnav nodded ok and walked. They came to the police station where the guy who hit Khushi's cab was in the lock-up. Arnav came to the inspector.

"I'm Arnav Singh Raizada, A2 propagator. Khushi is my wife"

"Nice to meet you, sir..."

"Who is the driver?"

"He is a minor boy who drove the truck"

"Whaaat? A minor boy drove the truck?"

"Yes, sir... he said he drove the truck for a thrill," the inspector said looking at the lock-up.

Arnav fisted his fingers, looking at the boy who was also looking at him with attitude.

"Is driving a truck and making someone's life fun for you?" Arnav asked gritting his teeth.

"Who knows my truck would hit the cab? Would I have done that if I had known that?"

"Why would you drive the truck if you don't have enough experience?"

"Without driving it, how would I get experience?" he questioned him back.

Arnav walked to his cell wrathfully. The boy moved back, seeing his anger. Arnav clutched the bars and shouted,

"You will feel the pain only if you are in my place... when you see your beloved one on the hospital bed being inserted with tubes... " he panted hard.

The boy's facial expression changed. He became silent.

"He should not get released..." Arnav said, looking at the inspector.

"He won't sir, but as he is a minor, he will be sent to the minor jail and get only minimum punishment."

Arnav bit his jaws wrathfully and walked out. When he came out, he heard,

"Ss..."

Arnav looked at the direction and found a constable there. He signaled him to come aside. Arnav went to him frowning.

"Sir, this is a ploy"

"Whaaat?"

"Yes, sir... involving minor boys in the crime is a trend now. The boy would have gotten money to do this accident"

"But, the inspector said, he was drunk"

"It's for an eyewash sir... he would not have drunk but just sipped the alcohol to make the police believe. Someone would have been behind this, sir"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir... as per law, the minor criminal should not be beaten up and will get minimum punishment. Using the law, they are playing well, sir"

Arnav was thoughtful. Who would have done that? Did Khushi have a rivalry with someone? Who could it be that he wanted to kill Khushi? He saw a girl looking at him, hiding behind a jeep. She pulled her head when Arnav looked at her. He frowned seeing that.

"Thank you for your information, sir. Please let me know if you get to know about anything" Arnav said and gave him money.

The constable took it from him, looking at his surroundings cautiously, and left the place.

Arnav walked to the place where the girl hiding. She slowly peeped again and got stuck seeing Arnav standing at a hand distance. Arnav clutched her hand.

"Who are you? Why are you looking at me like this?"

"I'm Prem's sister"

"Who is Prem?"

"The one who did the accident"

Arnav left her hand and turned to leave, but stopped hearing,

"He didn't do it for the thrill..."

Arnav looked at her.

"Then why did he do that?"

"For money... To save our mother..."

"What do you mean?"

"Our mother is admitted to the hospital. She is the need of an operation. To get money for her operation only he agreed to do that, sir. He loves our mother so much. To save her only he agreed to this, that too halfheartedly. He tried for money but no one was ready to help him, sir. Without having the choice to save our mother only he did that sir. Please don't punish my brother"

"Do you know what he did? Because of him, my wife is in the ICU now."

"Not because of him sir... Someone wants her to die... That's why they agreed to give two lakhs"

"Who gave two lakhs?"

"I don't know his name sir. He contacted my brother through an agent"

"Agent?"

"Yes sir, there is an agent for such activities"

"Do you know him?"

The girl hesitated.

"If you tell me who is that, I will bring your brother out of prison and will help with your mother's operation"

"I don't know who is but my brother knows"

"Ask him about the details of the person. I will take care of the rest"

The girl nodded no.

"Why?"

"They are dangerous fellows, sir... They won't leave my brother alive if he revealed about them"

Arnav became thoughtful. Who put such effort into killing Khushi? What would be the reason? What did she do that someone had this much grudge?

"Do you know why did they want to kill her?"

"We don't know sir. They just told him what and how to do it. That's all..."

"Did they give you money?"

"They gave half of the amount as advance. After finishing the task only the remaining amount will be received"

"Why are you telling me about them?"

"You are angry with my brother and shouted at him that he would feel your pain only if he saw his beloved one on the hospital bed in a serious condition. After seeing his beloved one only he did that sir. I agree what he did is unforgivable but he is not a bad guy sir. He did that spoiling his life only to save our mother"

"Still you have a chance to save your brother. His life won't be spoilt if he helps me. I can save his life if he tells me the truth. I will forgive him and help him to come out of the case. Trust me... I just need one name... Who is behind this..."

"I will try to get it from him, sir"

Arnav removed his card and gave it to the girl.

"Call me..."

She nodded OK and left.

"Why did you promise her to save the boy, Arnav? After all, he tried to kill Khushi"

"He did that for money. If he didn't do it, someone would have done that. However, the accident would have taken place. The main problem is not an accident but the one who wanted the accident to happen"

Shashi nodded yes.

"Who it could be? She doesn't interfere with anyone's problem" Shashi said painfully.

Something clicked in Arnav's mind. Didn't she interfere in Nikhil's matter? She was the reason for him being behind the bars. Was he behind this? He wanted to back-check him. He called someone he knew in the police department and asked him to watch Nikhil's activities. Disconnecting the call, he called HP and asked him to bring a set of dresses to the hospital to change.

Arnav came back to the hospital. He wanted to see Khushi. She was in the ICU, losing her consciousness. He went to the ICU and saw Ratna, Lavanya, and Garima sitting out of the ICU.

"How is Khushi?"

"She is still unconscious...!" Lavanya said.

"I'm scared Chotte, she has a deep head injury. By God's grace nothing should be wrong" Ratna said.

Garima cried upon hearing that.

Arnav asked the doctor to allocate a room for them. He took a quick bath and got fresh. Changing the dress, brought by HP, he went to see Khushi. He didn't want to enter the ICU without getting fresh as it would infect Khushi.

He came to the ICU and sat in front of her. He didn't know who wanted her death. Whoever it was, they would be served a deserved food. He thought. Khushi didn't get consciousness for the whole day and Arnav didn't leave the ICU. He got special permission from the chief doctor to stay with her.

The next day

Arnav was gazing at Khushi expecting her to get conscious. He saw her slightly moving with a slight moan. Arnav rushed to her and touched her cheek.

"Khushi... Khushi, open your eyes and look at me...!"

Khushi slowly opened her eyes.

"Khushi... Are you..." He stopped not completing it who was supposed to ask her YOU ALL RIGHT? Because he knew she was not all right.

"Is it painting?" He asked painfully.

She gazed at him.

"I will ask the doctor to give you a painkiller... Don't worry. ok...? I will take care of everything... I will be there for you..." He said emotionally.

Khushi's next stance shook him to the core.

"Who are you? Why I'm here?" She asked in a feeble tone.

Arnav was shocked. Did she lose her memory? He gulped down hard. His eyes tear up. He could not stand that but he saw Khushi smiling.

"Don't be scared Mr. Raizada... I don't lose my memory..." She said smiling painfully.

Arnav closed his eyes and chuckled. He sat next to her and kissed her forehead.

"Crazy woman...! You took my breath away..." He choked.

"I love you," she said and took his breath away again...!

To be continued...