by UD Yasha
‘Prescriptions can be forged. Also, check for first time buyers in the past year. That's an overkill but this was planned in advance. Doesn't hurt to err on caution.'
‘I’ll let you know what happens.’
‘Did anything else stand out while talking to Malini?’
‘No. The ACP took the lead and the questioning was tough on her just like it was on the ACP. He first wanted to explore if she was behind the murders and the kidnapping. But she is clear. She has multiple alibis.’
‘She could’ve hired someone.’
‘That’s possible but not probable. We’re looking into that angle and checking her finances.’
‘Despite everything we've found, something tells me Manohar isn't our guy. I keep saying this, but it doesn't make sense. Why would someone who disables CCTVs stay on at the crime scene for six additional minutes?'
‘I thought of the same earlier. It doesn't add up logically. But that's beginning to change. Our initial background check on Manohar makes him seem like a nice and normal guy. Nothing eyebrow-raising. No prior offences. But what Malini revealed about his wife’s miscarriage changes everything. Manohar was angry. His family had been harmed, and for most people that is worse than getting hurt themselves. Humans do funny things when they are inspired by rage. Maybe he wanted to take revenge and that’s why he killed the Sinha family, took Rucha and then froze when he realized what he had actually done. The best athletes freeze on the biggest stage at crunch time. Manohar was a rookie. I'm still not convinced because the evidence is yet to come in. But going by what we know, I feel Manohar is the guy.'
Chapter Sixteen
My phone buzzed as I entered the car. A text message. Atharva. He had sent the location of his cousin’s house. It was nearby, even closer than my house. I reached there in eight minutes.
Atharva’s cousin stayed on the top floor of a ten-storeyed building. As I entered the elevator, I thought about what I wanted to know from Malini. More than anything else, I wanted to let Malini know that she could trust me. I was expecting her to say little right now that would help me directly. I was glad I was meeting her at her temporary house because at times, the ambience during a police interrogation and the presence of inspectors can make a person forget some things. It happens to the best, especially if they are directly affected by the crime. On the contrary, a familiar setting can ease the nerves and make you remember something you could have forgotten earlier.
I rang the bell. Atharva opened the door. He had changed from earlier into black shorts and a grey T-Shirt. He guided me into the bedroom where Malini was lying down. I sat next to her on the bed.
‘Atharva told me what you’re doing. It really means a lot,’ Malini said.
‘Anything to help you. I still remember how kind you were to us when maa and dad had disappeared. Rest assured that I’ll do everything I can to get Rucha back,’ I said and paused. ‘Can you tell me something about the friend she was visiting today?’
‘They are the Mittals. Vasu and Asha Mittal. Their daughter is Janhavi. She goes to school with Rucha.’
‘When was the day planned?’
‘Probably yesterday or the day before. You know how things are with these young girls, right?’
‘How many people knew about where Rucha will be?’
‘Everyone at home. Maybe some friends at school.’
‘Why did Rucha come back early?’ I said, knowing the answer to it already but I wanted to make Malini feel comfortable.’
‘She wasn’t feeling well. She has a lung problem. She has a condition called bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It’s a chronic disease that causes her lungs to get inflamed. It has led her to have asthma. She starts feeling breathless without warning.’
‘And who knew she was going to be back home early?’
‘Asha Mittal tried calling me, but I had bad connectivity in Mahabaleshwar, where I had gone to conduct a workshop on women’s reproductive health. Then they called Daksh. So, I am guessing he and my in-laws at home knew. Why are you asking me this?’
‘The attack was premeditated and I think it had been planned much in advance. When was your workshop scheduled?’
‘About two months back.’
So they had time, I thought. I said, ‘Could anyone have known that Rucha would not be at home?’
‘No, this plan was made just a couple of days back at most.’
Then the killer did not care whether Rucha was home unless he found out about her plans somehow, I thought.
‘Can you think of anyone who wanted to harm your family?’
Malini teared up. ‘No, not at all. Why would anyone do something like this to anyone?’ she said and broke down.
Atharva rushed to her side and Malini hugged him.
‘I don’t know. We didn’t even have much money at home for this to be a robbery. And the police officers at CID said nothing was missing from home. Why would anyone want to kill them?’
I had never thought this was about a robbery, not after a child had gone missing.
Malini went on. ‘Rucha needs to take her night-time medication. She was already not feeling well. She’ll feel worse if she doesn’t take the medicines. I just want to tell whoever took her to please give her the medicine even if they don’t return her.’
Atharva hugged his sister tightly as she broke down completely. He patted her back to calm her down. But only her daughter's safety and safe return were going to make her feel any better. I was afraid to know what would happened to Malini if we did not get Rucha back.
Chapter Seventeen
It was almost three thirty by the time I returned home. Radha, Rahul and Shadow were still awake, waiting for me. Radha hugged me tightly the moment I got in. I knew she was afraid that this case would push me over the edge. Especially as a child was involved. I did not fault her. Somewhere deep down, I was afraid myself. I was thankful that the bouts of energy came at just the right times to lift me up. At other times, like these, a few minutes with my lovely family sent dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin fluttering through my brain.
I knew that the day I would not be afraid anymore would come eventually. I would never forget what had happened, but the scars would heal. I was content with that thought. Happiness is oftentimes about being hopeful for a better future. We feel better knowing that things will get better.
Only in that moment of calmness and love for my sister did I realize how tired I was. I had been out for almost six hours. I rested my head on her shoulder and wanted to stay in that comfort. But then I pulled out of the hug because Shadow started jumping on me. I pet him for two whole minutes and gave him a small treat from the kitchen. While he got busy eating it, I told Radha and Rahul what had happened.
‘Manohar would’ve had to use a vehicle to go wherever he went last night,’ Rahul said. ‘If we can find his car, I can look for particulates that would hint where he could’ve been.’
‘I think his car was used to take Rucha. So, my guess is we wouldn’t find it easily. It could be burnt or torn apart in a junkyard by now. I’m interested in getting data from his mobile phone. I will summon the court to give us a working copy of all the data. It can give us some interesting information.’
‘Let me know whatever is required,’ Rahul said.
Radha and Rahul exchanged looks. I got goosebumps, knowing she was going to tell me something I did not want to hear.
‘What is it?’ I said.
Radha inhaled deeply. ‘Maa was asking me where you were.’
My heart sank. I felt hollow in the pit of my stomach.
‘I don’t know how she got to know about it. I think she must have heard or read about the press conference ACP Shukla gave.’
I froze, unable to say anything. We had just given maa an iPad to watch movies and read books. She was fascinated by it as the world she had last been exposed to was back in 2003, when mobile phones were only used to make calls and were as big as bricks. She found some images and videos on the Internet really
amusing. She also wondered why certain stories were even covered by websites given how pointless they seemed to her. Like the articles that described what celebrities wore at airports, or how our state Maharashtra’s Chief Minister going to a dentist was a newsworthy story, or the sensational headlines on most websites that were written just so that people would click on the article. I wondered if she had browsed a news website and gotten to know about the case.
Radha said, ‘She asked me if you were involved. But she already knew. She must have connected the dots. She remembered Malini and Atharva, and then she knew you were out.’
‘What did she say?’
‘She was concerned obviously. She wanted you to wake her up once you were back. She wants to speak to you.’
Maa knew about Kunal Shastri and my failure to catch him. I had told her about it in her first month back home. I would not have rushed in telling her about it had it not been for her psychiatrist Dr. Pande who wanted us to share with her all the major events that had happened since her disappearance—both the good and the bad—sixteen years back. He had told us it was important for her to know everything.
‘She seemed to take it well,’ Radha said. ‘She said she was okay, but just needed to speak with you.’
I had no idea how that conversation would go. I got up to leave. ‘Thanks for staying up, you two,’ I said. ‘You should get some sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.’
Radha crossed to me and massaged my shoulders for a beat. ‘Do you want me to come with you?’
I shook my head. ‘Thank you, but I need to do this alone,’ I said and walked upstairs to maa’s room.
The door was already open. My heart thudded in my ears as I walked into her room. She was sleeping soundly, her body rising and falling ever so gently with each breath. I did not want to be the reason to set back her recovery. She had surprised all doctors with her progress. However, there was still a long way to go. We had been asked to speak normally to her, but her psychiatrist had warned us to keep her away from fresh incidents that involved violent crimes or human cruelty as they could trigger memories suppressed in her subconscious. Despite that, her psychiatrist had insisted that I tell her about dad’s disappearance and Kunal Shastri’s case as according to him they were big parts of who we are as people.
Dad not being with us had hit her the hardest. She had become strangely silent for a week after Radha and I had told her about it. She came to terms with it slowly. She had even asked me once if I had exhausted all options to look for him.
This new case was less personal. But it also posed a direct danger to me if Manohar was not the killer. That would make maa even more concerned about me. I was also worried about how she would take all of this. She had experienced the worst of human behaviour on a daily basis. Would me taking up this case affect her recovery? I could not afford to let that happen. No way. Not for anything in this world.
I tapped her shoulder once, and said, ‘Maa, I'm home.'
She woke up with a start and then took my hand from her shoulder and squeezed it gently. ‘Hi beta,’ she said and smiled.
‘You don’t have to—’
‘Worry, I know. I just wanted to tell you that you need to live your life without thinking about how it'll affect me. You always put others' interests above yours. You've done that since your father and I were gone. While this is hard for me—knowing that my child is out there, surrounded by the nastiest men and women in the world—I know you are a strong kid. I've told you how proud I am of you many times before and I mean it.'
‘I don’t want to hurt you in any way. That’s why I thought of not taking this case.’
‘I know and I understand. But always remember, being brave is not about staying indoors. It's about taking on the world. Accepting the challenges and moving forward. You're the last person who needs to be told this as you embody exactly what I am trying to say.'
I felt tears forming in my eyes. Holding them back was going to be hard. I tried to blink them away but I could not hold them in and they streamed down my cheeks. Maa put a hand on my face and wiped them away.
‘You don’t have to protect me,’ she said. ‘I feel wonderful knowing my children and now Shama and Rahul stand for admirable values. By protecting me, you’re not living fully. You’re not giving the world the best gift you can offer and that is your grit and undying quest for justice. There will still be times when I will wake up from a nightmare or not do the simplest thing because it reminds me of something bad. However, that doesn’t mean I would stop doing everything. There’s a certain grace in embracing uncertainty. That’s what makes life special. You told me this yourself when you decided to take on the case that eventually freed me. I’ll be okay no matter what because I am surrounded by my loved ones. They make even the bad days worth living. That’s why you don’t have to worry about me.’
Maa hugged me. She was tearing up as well. She patted my back and said, ‘Enough of being sentimental now. Please go and rest. I’m sure you’ve a lot of work to do tomorrow.’
We let go of our embrace after a spell. Maa slept almost immediately. I lay down next to her. I could not sleep and kept thinking about the case. Manohar looked guilty from all angles, but something did not sit right with him being the killer and kidnapper. I felt I needed to answer three big questions.
First, what was Manohar protecting his wife from by lying to her?
Second, where had Manohar been the previous night?
Third, why was Manohar not willing to tell me the truth?
I kept thinking of various scenarios to see if something clicked in my mind. I wanted to know more about Manohar. What kind of person he was, what made him tick and what values he stood for. I knew I would get a better idea after speaking to his colleagues and friends tomorrow.
With that thought, I closed my eyes. To my surprise, I fell asleep right away. In hindsight, I should not have been surprised, as that night my biggest fears—of maa relapsing and of me being haunted by my mistake—seemed to be far away. I did not realize then just how wrong I was.
At that exact moment, not so far away, the young girl was sobbing. She did not bother to wipe her tears away. They were coming down no matter what she did. Why isn’t mom coming to get me?
She looked around.
Only one small yellow light burnt in the room. The last she remembered, the room had been completely dark. She had not seen anyone come in and turn it on. She tried to remember how long she had been there. She could not quite place the events in her head. Now that she thought about it, she realized she had not seen anyone for a long time.
Who got me here?
She got up, remembering that she had been bound. She had been hurt the last time she had tried to get up. She moved her legs slowly with caution.
She was surprised. She could move them freely. Her shackles had been unchained. Am I free to go?
She got up and looked around. Her eyes got used to the darkness. She started making out faint outlines of the objects in the room. She walked around, feeling it all with her hands. There was not much. Just a couple of armchairs, a table, one massive bookshelf. The room itself was almost the size of her own bedroom at home. She crossed to the small light, hoping she would be able to carry it with her around the room. But when she reached it, she realized it was just a night lamp, plugged into a socket. That reminded her of her mother once again.
She could sense her memory was returning…
She remembered eating something. She tried to recall when it was. Probably not long ago. Who had given the food to me? Her head began aching again.
Why can’t I remember anything?
Then the face came back to her. The scar, red and raw, staring back at her. But it was not that man who had given her the food. Who had given me the food? And why was I remembering the face of the man with the scar? Who was he?
Her body began shaking once again and her palms became sweaty. She did not remember who he was, but she knew she was afraid of him.<
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Then it came to her. Someone else had given her the food. She did not remember the face of that person. Nor the voice. But she remembered the food she had—daal, rice and kheer; all of her favourite items.
A stinging pain pierced her neck. She pressed the spot with her finger and felt a slight bump.
Before she realized anything, the world around her faded away…
Chapter Eighteen
Everyone was sleeping when I woke up at eight o’clock the next morning. I felt fresh, despite getting just a little less than five hours of sleep. Shadow was sitting next to me, waiting for me to get up when I opened my eyes. I patted him with some extra love because he usually woke me up by licking my face and ears. But today he had waited. We went downstairs together. He kept hovering around me while I made coffee for everyone. He somehow understood my work face and body language.
He followed me out as I took my cup to the garage. Sheila Manohar had sent me the contact details of her husband’s closest friends. Both of them taught at Ad Astra International School like Manohar.
Ad Astra was not far from where we lived in Baner. A twenty-minute drive if I left in the next half an hour. It was a Tuesday, so the school would be open. I called one of them, a lady named Madhura Patil to ask if she would be at the school that day. She was already there, so I decided to go to the school to meet her. She also told me that Manohar’s other friend, a man named Vijay Krishnan, was travelling abroad.
My stomach let out a low growl. I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. That's when my phone started buzzing in my shorts. I pulled it out and found myself smiling when I saw who was calling me.
‘Good morning,’ Atharva said. ‘I hope I didn’t wake you.’
‘You didn’t. I’ve never felt fresher with just five hours of sleep. How’s Malini holding up?’
‘She couldn’t sleep for the longest time yesterday after you left. Her head was hurting and her blood pressure had also shot up. She took medicine for both along with a sleeping pill that knocked her out. She’s a mess but what else can you expect,’ Atharva said and paused. ‘I called for something else. I wanted to know if I can help you with anything.’