The Lost Souls Dating Agency by Suneeti Rekhari Page B

from?’ I squawked.
    â€˜I thought you had bought one for the office. It was there when I arrived this morning.’ Roxanne looked worried.
    â€˜I definitely did not do that.’ I walked to the phone and lifted the receiver. There was no dial tone. Peculiar.
    â€˜I hope I did the right thing.’ Roxanne looked at me anxiously.
    â€˜That’s fine, Rox, you’re employed to answer phones. And here’s one to answer.’ I gestured sweepingly at it. ‘I just wish things wouldn’t materialise out of thin air in my office. I had just gotten used to The Mythical Weekly’s appearance.’
    I lifted the receiver again and placed it gingerly to my ear. Still no dial tone. Most peculiar.
    I looked at the note Roxanne had left on my desk. The phone call had been from a Mr Singh, enquiring about arranging a match for his daughter. There were no other details.
    Before I had a chance to ask Roxanne why there was no contact number for Mr Singh, the phone rang again. It made me jump with its shrill high-pitched ring.
    â€˜Hello?’ I answered inquisitively. Roxanne watched me closely.
    â€˜Is that Ms Shalini Gupta?’ a male voice asked. He pronounced my name faultlessly.
    â€˜Yes, that’s me.’
    â€˜I rang earlier about my daughter. I left a message with your secretary. Why haven’t you called me back?’ The man sounded annoyed.
    â€˜I just got into the office, Mr Singh. I only just received your message.’ I didn’t know what else to say.
    â€˜Lateness is not an excuse. Anyway, when can I make an appointment to see you?’
    â€˜I-I’m free this afternoon,’ I stammered.
    â€˜Fine, I will come at two p.m. sharp. Goodbye.’ He didn’t wait for me to confirm if the time suited me.
    I replaced the receiver on the phone. After a second I lifted it again, still no dial tone. How had Mr Singh managed to call with no dial tone? Also, since I didn’t know my own phone number, how had Mr Singh managed to get it?
    â€˜Roxanne, I think we need to brew another pot of tea. This needs serious thinking.’ We pondered the phone mystery the rest of the morning. We concluded that Mr Singh must be some kind of supernatural, perhaps he arranged for the phone? It would explain him contacting Lost Souls. But why?
    ***
    It was nearing two in the afternoon and I sat patiently at my desk, reading the news on my laptop. I could hear Roxanne in the adjacent room nervously shuffling papers.
    At one minute to two p.m., I heard the door open, the sound of footsteps and then it shut again. A gruff voice said, ‘I am here for an appointment with Ms Gupta.’
    â€˜Right this way,’ Roxanne said clearly. She appeared at the doorway. ‘I have your two o’clock appointment, Ms Gupta,’ she said professionally.
    In walked a short, broad man, wearing a long white cotton shirt and linen pants. He had sandals on his feet. They were well made, but casual. I stood up and smiled, and pointed to the seat on the other side of my desk. ‘Please sit down, Mr Singh.’
    â€˜Thank you.’ He seemed to be permanently grumpy. He had furrow lines on his forehead. He sat down heavily.
    â€˜Now, how can I help you?’
    â€˜As I said over the phone in my first message,’ he turned around to look at Roxanne, who quickly left the room, ‘I have come about my daughter, Jaya. She is nearly twenty-two and still no hope of finding a husband. I am becoming desperate! So I have come to your agency.’
    Desperate at twenty-two? Wow.
    I didn’t notice any outward signs of the supernatural about him. I wondered what he was.
    â€˜Well, Mr Singh, do you know about the particular clientele we offer matchmaking services to?’
    â€˜Yes of course, why do you think I am here?’
    â€˜So can I ask what you are?’ I tried to be as delicate as I could.
    â€˜My clan is descendent from Bahadur Singh, of the ancient Ragosh