A scream escaped my lips as the Inspector’s hand tightened around my Dad’s neck. I flung myself upon him and tried to pry his hands off. It mildly registered in my head that my Dad wasn’t fighting back. I could hear him trying to say something as the Inspector punched and hit him.847Please respect copyright.PENANA8w4stC8uKH
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“Sir! What in the world are you doing?” Someone pushed me away roughly and pulled the Inspector away from my Dad. My mind was so confused that it took me a while to recognize the person who intervened. It was Uncle Sunder. He was assisting the Inspector in the investigation. He was also a dear friend of my Dad.847Please respect copyright.PENANAIZ8l1g5yZw
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“What happened?” He asked Dad.847Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3n9QCYP7h
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“The Inspector attacked him out of the blue.” I exclaimed. “He…He…He was trying to strangle…”847Please respect copyright.PENANAo6nVLiDBH8
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The Inspector did not look any less angry. But he seemed to realize the gravity of what he had done. He mumbled something like an apology to Dad and walked away.847Please respect copyright.PENANAmPkpKXNH4W
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“Sunder…Do not report this incident.”847Please respect copyright.PENANAijKC3rIc8k
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“What! Not report…Dad…he…”847Please respect copyright.PENANAlazhjKbjqY
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“It was thoughtless of him.” Dad said. He stroked his neck. I could see the angry red marks of the Inspector’s fingers. Why? Why was he letting it go? Why didn’t he want the Inspector punished?847Please respect copyright.PENANARDyhTmDwj1
Uncle Sunder, on the other hand, was not at all surprised by Dad’s decision.847Please respect copyright.PENANAzbRHieEznM
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“If you say so.” He nodded curtly and said.847Please respect copyright.PENANAFiZEfYhoz2
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The voice, calm and cool, spoke in my head. “Poor Ram…”847Please respect copyright.PENANAtJQKf2htVF
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Uncle Sunder left soon after. The spectators left too as the show was over. As Dad lead me to my class, deaf to the million questions that I threw at him, the rational part of my brain rushed to an unpleasant conclusion.847Please respect copyright.PENANAD7mPNaJUp6
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Everything that the Inspector said was true. If it was so…Could I blame him for attacking Dad? I felt numb, helpless…Unable to even think about the things I heard.847Please respect copyright.PENANAKlstLi0H1d
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“They’re all true, aren’t they? The things that the Inspector said…” I asked him, as we reached the class. “Is that why you are not answering my questions?”847Please respect copyright.PENANAJkQVVNRfPE
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I hoped…I desperately hoped he would shout at me…say that not a word of those dreadful accusations was true. But…He…He just went away. Without a word…Without a single word.847Please respect copyright.PENANACP4hac6IHn
I walked mechanically into the classroom. By the time I sat down on my bench, I was sobbing uncontrollably.847Please respect copyright.PENANAUdrVSaYCss
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To be continued...847Please respect copyright.PENANAFzFvLUKMH5