looking for Payal or Nidhi specifically, but I did check if anyone else was trapped inside. Surprising that I did not spot Nidhi when I was dragging Payal out.”
“Second time in two consecutive nights. I don’t like coincidences.”
Rujuta nodded silently.
Prakash egged on. “Did you see any evidence of any wrongdoing? Broken glass? Loose cables? Something? Anything?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. If there was any, I did not notice. You?”
Faint glimpses of sunlight were now visible in the eastern sky. Prakash had finished his third drink by then. He had carried the bottle of Jack Daniels from the kitchen with him. He fixed himself another. He ignored Rujuta’s question and asked, “How did you find Payal?”
“Like I said, I wasn’t looking for her specifically. WhenI reached Vie, there was such confusion. I went in through the beach, where the kitchen is. I saw her lying unconscious on the kitchen floor. I don’t know from what though! There wasn’t a lot of smoke and she did not have any evident injuries. Maybe she was scared or something. I don’t really know. But she was unconscious. I shook her a couple of times but… I then dragged her out.” Rujuta looked contemplative.
“You know, I went through the bar but I could not find anything amiss. The forensic team has ruled out short circuit or kerosene. Vicky Taluja insists that it’s a case of sabotage and has blamed his old partner for it. Apparently Nidhi chose to do Vicky’s film over his. But I am not sure. I have this feeling that the two incidents are related.”
“That’s a possibility, Prakash, but what if they are separate and we are on a mere wild goose chase. No?”
“Maybe. But I don’t want to rule out anything yet. Like I said, I don’t like coincidences. Are you sure you have told me everything that I should know? Sure you aren’t forgetting something?” Prakash asked, urging Rujuta to think over it carefully.
“I think so. If I remember something else, I’d let you know. Did you eat something?” Rujuta wanted Prakash to stay over and since she had sensed that the conversation was almost over, this was a weak attempt to get him to stay back.
“Yes yes. Thanks. I’d leave now.”
“What? It’s too late. Why don’t you stay back?” Rujuta was suddenly at a loss of words.
“No, I need to pick a few reports from the lab on my way back,” he replied, as if he had decided beforehand thathe would not stay back.
“Don’t you think you’ve had one too many? You sure you don’t want to stay back?” Rujuta came closer.
Prakash got down from the ledge, stared into Rujuta’s eyes and left without answering.
Rujuta kept looking at the door that Prakash had disappeared through. It was almost twilight by now. The sky had turned purple and a few clouds that were too unshapely and too out of place caught her attention. Few minutes later, she heard the unmistakable sound of a Royal Enfield being fired and revving up. Rujuta felt confused, dazed, humiliated and happy. All at the same time.
She then heard the sound of the bike being driven away from her. It took away the morning calm. And the man of her dreams.
∗ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Belle_Otero
∗ Kleshas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Hinduism )
∗∗ Avidya. httpj/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidya_(Hinduism)
9. Day 3, Morning. Police Station.
Prakash wandered aimlessly on the streets of Mumbai. He stopped for cigarettes and some lemonade. After Amar Juice Centre was shut for public at midnight, it remained open to select patrons till it reopened at eight the next morning. Prakash was welcome at all such night joints. And unlike most policemen, if he stopped working for the police, he’d still be welcome.
The entire idea of biking around the city was to clear his head, to put the loose ends together. He knew that until he solved the Nidhi Kapoor mystery, he wouldn’t be able to rest. Very few cases had perplexed him like this and he
“Second time in two consecutive nights. I don’t like coincidences.”
Rujuta nodded silently.
Prakash egged on. “Did you see any evidence of any wrongdoing? Broken glass? Loose cables? Something? Anything?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. If there was any, I did not notice. You?”
Faint glimpses of sunlight were now visible in the eastern sky. Prakash had finished his third drink by then. He had carried the bottle of Jack Daniels from the kitchen with him. He fixed himself another. He ignored Rujuta’s question and asked, “How did you find Payal?”
“Like I said, I wasn’t looking for her specifically. WhenI reached Vie, there was such confusion. I went in through the beach, where the kitchen is. I saw her lying unconscious on the kitchen floor. I don’t know from what though! There wasn’t a lot of smoke and she did not have any evident injuries. Maybe she was scared or something. I don’t really know. But she was unconscious. I shook her a couple of times but… I then dragged her out.” Rujuta looked contemplative.
“You know, I went through the bar but I could not find anything amiss. The forensic team has ruled out short circuit or kerosene. Vicky Taluja insists that it’s a case of sabotage and has blamed his old partner for it. Apparently Nidhi chose to do Vicky’s film over his. But I am not sure. I have this feeling that the two incidents are related.”
“That’s a possibility, Prakash, but what if they are separate and we are on a mere wild goose chase. No?”
“Maybe. But I don’t want to rule out anything yet. Like I said, I don’t like coincidences. Are you sure you have told me everything that I should know? Sure you aren’t forgetting something?” Prakash asked, urging Rujuta to think over it carefully.
“I think so. If I remember something else, I’d let you know. Did you eat something?” Rujuta wanted Prakash to stay over and since she had sensed that the conversation was almost over, this was a weak attempt to get him to stay back.
“Yes yes. Thanks. I’d leave now.”
“What? It’s too late. Why don’t you stay back?” Rujuta was suddenly at a loss of words.
“No, I need to pick a few reports from the lab on my way back,” he replied, as if he had decided beforehand thathe would not stay back.
“Don’t you think you’ve had one too many? You sure you don’t want to stay back?” Rujuta came closer.
Prakash got down from the ledge, stared into Rujuta’s eyes and left without answering.
Rujuta kept looking at the door that Prakash had disappeared through. It was almost twilight by now. The sky had turned purple and a few clouds that were too unshapely and too out of place caught her attention. Few minutes later, she heard the unmistakable sound of a Royal Enfield being fired and revving up. Rujuta felt confused, dazed, humiliated and happy. All at the same time.
She then heard the sound of the bike being driven away from her. It took away the morning calm. And the man of her dreams.
∗ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Belle_Otero
∗ Kleshas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Hinduism )
∗∗ Avidya. httpj/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avidya_(Hinduism)
9. Day 3, Morning. Police Station.
Prakash wandered aimlessly on the streets of Mumbai. He stopped for cigarettes and some lemonade. After Amar Juice Centre was shut for public at midnight, it remained open to select patrons till it reopened at eight the next morning. Prakash was welcome at all such night joints. And unlike most policemen, if he stopped working for the police, he’d still be welcome.
The entire idea of biking around the city was to clear his head, to put the loose ends together. He knew that until he solved the Nidhi Kapoor mystery, he wouldn’t be able to rest. Very few cases had perplexed him like this and he
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