Chapter 4: An investigation

"Her body was drenched in blood when I entered the house" Miss Layla was looking straight into the officer's eyes.

"You said the entrance to the house was already open when you parked your car in the garage." The officer was writing Miss Layla's words.

"I said the guard opened the gate for me, and when I entered the house, she was laying on the ground fully covered with blood." Miss Layla repeated by clenching her teeth.

"Now repeat the whole incident." The officer placed the pen back in the penholder and put his arms on the table, looking at Miss Layla.

Miss Layla leaned back on the chair, closed her eyes, then opened her eyes again and moved forward on the table.

"What's the point of asking me all of this again and again?" Layla asked by hitting the table hard.

"Maybe you will change your story, or maybe you forget what you have seen." The officer was smirking now.

Miss Layla nodded her head angrily, and again started in a slow, lower tone.

"My daughter asked me to see Miss Ilyana. Her daughter is my daughter's close friend, and so we both have had good relations since our daughters' friendship. When I reached there, the guard opened the gate for me. I parked my car there and came near the door. The door was open. When I entered, I saw Ilyana lying on the floor, covered with blood. I called the guard and came near her to see if she was dead or alive. I checked her nerves, but she had died. I called the guard many times, but he didn't come. The police showed up when I took my phone out to call Ilyana's husband. And they arrested me for the murder." Miss Layla explained everything to him humbly.

"Didn't you think you should called the ambulance, instead of calling her husband?" The officer asked suspiciously.

"I did whatever seemed suitable to me." Miss Layla said grimly.

"Or whatever they paid you for," Officer shouted.

"She was dead when I reached there and that's it, You can't force me to change my statement." She stressed each word.

"You said, the guard opened the door, but as per information by the victim's heirs, they had no guard for almost a month. Your statement is misleading from what happened at the place of the incident." The officer got up from his chair and started circling the table.

"If there was no guard, then who the hell you think will open the gate for me." She shouted.

"Maybe the one who you hired." He bent near her over the table.

"He did his work and then remove the CCTV footage, so no one can see what you have done and then run, as you both have decided." He started walking again in the room.

"If I murdered her, then why I was there even when police came?" She clenched her teeth again.

"Because police reached there before time and you didn't get time to run away."

"It's a conspiracy against me and my family" Miss Layla felt weak this time and placed her head on the table.

"Then prove it in the court."

"I want to meet my family."

"you can't until court orders came."

Miss Layla leaned back on the chair again and closed her eyes, a tear fell through her eyes but she wiped it instantly. The investigation officer went to his office, two lady officers came and took her to the cell. As she was walking outside the room, she saw her family standing outside the window. Moneeza's face was looking pale from the distance. Miss Layla's eyes became watery.

"My love, I wish, you didn't tell me to meet her." She said by capturing her sight.

She reached her cell and officers locked her inside.

She sat near the locked door, and closed her eyes. "How everything turned against me. My family is in a problem because of me, how I could be a burden to my family. What if they proved me wrong? What if my lawyer lost the case? No! no! no!. This shouldn't happen. I must figure out everything by my own. Otherwise, I will lose my family." she opened her eyes, facing the roof, looking at the ceiling and then the fan. Tears fell down and a smile came on her face, she wiped her cheeks. "I will make everything right. My family will not suffer anymore. I will make everything right. Just like it used to be. Everyone will be happy again. But...." She became serious again. Her expression was saddened. She looked at the locked door and then at the ceiling, then at lights, and then on the floor. "I can't do this, what would my children do without me? Layla! How could you think that without you everyone's life will be better? Your husband can't live a day without you. Don't you remember he didn't allow you to stay at your mother's place for more than three hours? How you think, you will kill yourself and everything will come to normal after your death. Don't think this again Layla. Your family is nothing without you." Layla wiped off her tears. "I will fight for myself, for my family, and for my happy life. I can't lose. I will win. Everything will be in its place. Calm down, Layla! Everything will come to its place." She repeated these last words and her voice became lower and lower and then quiet. She leaned on the floor, her eyes closed and she fainted.

Moneeza was walking from here and there in the waiting area of the police station. Aaron was sitting quietly on the bench. He was still shocked and was continuously looking at the ground. Mr. Arsam was talking to the officer. Leo was continuously looking at Moneeza. His eyes were moving with Moneeza's movement.

"There is no pain greater than seeing you in pain and still I can't do anything for you," Leo said slowly to him. "But still I am trying to take every step to help you." Leo was there for almost two more minutes when an idea rushed to his mind. He came to Moneeza for the car's keys, "where are you going?" Moneeza asked, "just coming." and he drove the car towards his destination.

"I think I have found a solution. No one will stop you from meeting your mother and you will live a happy life again. That's Leo's promise."

Leo was smiling and increases his car speed. He was going to take back Moneeza's happiness.

(To be continued)