Previous cut:- Sarmishtha paused, then said quietly, "Leave it to me. I'll handle whatever needs doing." With that, she rose and walked out.
Sarmishtha stepped outside and paused for a few moments. What should she do now? Her mind was churning with unease. Suddenly, a thought struck her—her father had a close friend at his office, a well-established criminal lawyer. She would have to tell her father everything.
Back home, she recounted the entire incident to her father in detail. Without wasting a word, he called his lawyer friend. The man listened attentively, then replied in a calm, measured voice, "Alright. Send your daughter to my chamber tomorrow morning."
The next morning, an unknown number flashed on Sarmishtha's phone. As soon as she answered, a man's deep, grave voice came through the line.
"Are you speaking to Sarmishtha Jana?"
"Yes, this is she. How may I help you?"
"I need to tell you a few important things."
"Go ahead."
"It concerns your husband, Rupam."
The moment she heard the name, Sarmishtha's body tensed. She quickly composed herself and said, "Please, go on."
"Rupam used to be my colleague at the office. However, I cannot reveal who I am or what my relationship with him was—not right now. After an incident, he was thrown out of the company. And the fault was entirely his."
Sarmishtha asked clearly, "What exactly did he do?"
"He stole money. We worked at a steel manufacturing company. A major order worth two crore rupees had come in. As per the contract, the company was supposed to receive a specific advance amount. Rupam was the assistant manager there, so he was the primary point of contact for signing the contract with the client.
According to company policy, the advance was to be twenty percent. But Rupam told the client it had to be thirty percent—meaning twenty percent would go to the company and the remaining ten percent straight into his own pocket. But lies never stay hidden for long. While finalizing the deal, the head of the company noticed that the client was paying less than expected. The client confirmed he had already paid thirty percent as advance. Yet, according to the company's accounts, eighty percent should have been received, while the client had only paid seventy percent.
The head officer immediately summoned Rupam and asked about the missing money. Rupam had no satisfactory answer. That very day, he was dismissed from the company."
Sarmishtha said calmly, "I see. Is there anything else you know about him? Please tell me."
"It wasn't just the theft. He also had a serious character flaw. He was a regular visitor to the red-light district. Almost half his salary was spent on such indulgences."
"Anything more?"
"Nothing else. What I've told you is more than enough for your purpose. Whatever task you are about to undertake, do it with full attention."
Sarmishtha grew alert. "What do you mean?"
"I mean just this—one thing: even if you don't know me, I know everything about you."
"What do you know? And who are you? Tell me!"
Before she could finish, the line went dead.
Sarmishtha remained silent for a few seconds. Then the corners of her lips curved into a firm, resolute smile. She would not let this opportunity slip away. The information she had just received was more than enough to prove Rupam guilty. Her phone had a special feature—every call was automatically recorded. This conversation would surely have been captured as well. It would serve as powerful evidence.
That afternoon, Sarmishtha set out for the criminal lawyer's chamber.
To be continued....