The Astral Alibi

by Manjiri Prabhu

  “That was easy enough,” Mohnish explained. “A few inquiries around the neighbourhood and the information dropped into my lap. The neighbours told me that the two sisters had just recently moved into the bungalow. It had laid vacant for years and the owner, who lived somewhere abroad, had left an agent in charge to deal with the renting of the place.”

  “It was now obvious that something fishy was going on for sure,” Sonia told Jatin. “But I wondered what your role was in this whole business. Why had you been roped in and why was Naina leading you on? That she wasn’t in love with you and was using you for some private end was now sadly apparent. But what was her motive? Then I remembered how you had rushed to the medical store to purchase the inhaler when Naina had her asthma attack. And out of the blue everything fell into place. The two sisters were testing counterfeit money on you! First at Shettychacha’s, then the inhaler, and then the gift money given by Priya. But that certainly wasn’t the end. Naina had been duping you for far too long a time, angling for you by playing the right cues, slowly and cleverly provoking you to forge a relationship with her. Something big had to be in the offing. A larger goal. You were a stepping stone for a bigger scapegoat. What or who was it? My instinct told me that if we had to see what that game was, your relationship needed an impetus. That’s the reason why I telephoned you yesterday and gave you the green signal. Naturally, Naina accepted your proposal. And when you told me that you were going to buy the rings, I suspected that the big moment had arrived. She was going with you to the jewellery store, using your good relationship with the owner to establish confidence. If Naina was indeed dealing in counterfeit money, she would definitely try to pull a fast one in the jewellery shop. This was our one chance to catch her red-handed!”

  “But she turned out to be smarter than us,” Mohnish remarked dryly.

  Sonia nodded. “The moment Naina and you left for the Jewellers this afternoon, Inspector Divekar paid Naina’s house a surprise visit. And sure enough, they found a computer and a colour photocopier and heaps of currency in mostly smaller denominations. The police immediately took Priya into custody, but she claimed that she was nothing more than a small-time actress out for a little extra cash and that Naina was paying her to enact the role of her affectionate but grouchy and confrontational sister! That explained the different horoscopes!

  “After that, Naina’s objective became clear. Her last and probably final stop had to be the Jewellers. And our next duty was to keep tabs on you. We planned to storm in and catch her red-handed in the nick of time, as she paid for the jewellery. But, like Mohnish said, she was smart. We underestimated her. She faked another asthma attack and used the chaos of the festive atmosphere to high-tail it with the jewels, leaving you to pay with the counterfeit money!”

  Silence filled the room as Sonia finished her narration. She gazed anxiously at her Assistant.

  “But I still don’t understand. If she wanted to use counterfeit money, then why steal the jewels?” he asked.

  “I believe that her original plan was to buy the jewels with the counterfeit currency. But I think somewhere along the line she began to suspect something. Didn’t you say that she made a phone call?”

  Jatin nodded. “Her mobile beeped a reminder for the call. But I don’t think she got through.”

  “Exactly. I shall have to confirm this, but my guess is that Naina called home. Probably it was preplanned. A precautionary measure, before she actually took the final plunge. After all, a lot of money was at stake—I mean fake money. It was a do-or-die situation. Had she got caught, it would’ve meant jail. Naina had to be sure. But when Priya didn’t answer the call, as she was supposed to, Naina definitely caught the whiff of something suspicious. She must have realised that all was not well. And then I called you up on your mobile, informing you that I was dropping by to help you choose the rings. A wrong move on my part, but I was worried about you. Anyway, that was when Naina’s doubts were confirmed. She decided to act fast. After all her months of planning and scheming, she was unwilling to relinquish her goal—the jewels. Since she was forced to drop her original plan, she used another ploy. Her ever-useful asthma attack. She cleverly and callously vanished with the diamonds, leaving you to face the music.”

  Jatin shook his head angrily. “Why me? Why did she have to select me for her game?”

  “It probably had something to do with you being an Investigator. Like a thief hiding loot in a policeman’s house. That is the last place the police would ever consider in their search for a thief. Similarly, by involving you, she ensured that no one would suspect that she was in any way connected with anything hanky-panky. Besides, you were young, gullible, and an easy prey. Though Naina’s Mars in conjunction with Venus in Gemini in her ninth house made her attractive and eligible enough for any guy to fall in love with her! And easy enough for her to feign her emotions.”

  Nidhi rose, arched, and meowed, jumping into her mistress’s lap. Sonia’s hand automatically caressed her silky fur. Her eyes were trained sympathetically on her assistant.

  “I tried to protect you from being incriminated in a counterfeit case, but I’m afraid I couldn’t shield you from the inevitable hurt,” she added gently.

  “Everything she ever said to me…was untrue? How could she fake all those…feelings? I still can’t believe she tricked me like this. I…I thought she was so wonderful and…!”

  “She had us all fooled,” Sonia conceded, feeling deeply sorry for him.

  “But why didn’t you tell me, Boss?” Jatin asked querulously, sounding more like himself.

  “What would I have told you, Jatin? That the girl of your dreams, the girl you love and were ready to devote your entire life to, is a criminal? Would you have believed me? I doubt it! Love doesn’t listen to reason. Love is crazy and wild and careless. You were too intensely involved, and nothing I could’ve said would’ve made even a dent in your obsession. Instead, you would’ve almost certainly tried to argue with me. Besides, I didn’t want Naina to suspect a shift in your feelings. Everything had to be natural. You had to be in love with her and she had to believe you to be in love, to lend her the confidence to pull the final act!”

  Jatin sighed, a little mollified. “I guess you’re right, Boss! I would’ve gone ahead and taken the plunge anyway. But the fact that I’ve been made a big fool of in this whole episode still hurts. God knows, my only fault was that I loved her! And look at the reward—all this unbearable pain? This hole in my heart!”

  “The lure of love is often like a mirage,” Mohnish remarked. “You never know what lies at the end of the road. And inevitably, love and pain are always meeting at intersections. None of us are excused from these meeting points.”

  “But how can I believe it! I would’ve sworn she really loved me.”

  Sonia flashed Mohnish a quick, concerned glance. Jatin’s going into denial was more dangerous than his hurt. Mohnish rose and squeezed Jatin by the shoulders. “Naina was obviously a good actress.”

  “Besides, love has its own commerce—too tough to figure out—and many faces,” Sonia added. “Maybe Naina’s is one expression of love we may never recognise? Who knows, perhaps in her own queer way, she really did love you?”

  Jatin gazed at his boss and read the compassion in her eyes. “Who knows? I still can’t believe that she’s gone!”

  “Not forever! The police will find her, sooner or later. We’re still unaware whether she was working entirely on her own or if she was acting on behalf of some big gang. But the police think that this may have been her own brainchild. Regardless, sooner or later, she’ll try to either sell or pawn the diamonds, and that’s when they will nab her.”

  “But she was smart, wasn’t she?” Admiration inadvertently crept into Jatin’s voice. “Bold and gutsy! She should team up with The Owl! They’d make a good pair. Handsome and intelligent, but what conniving criminal minds!”

  “You’ve got a point there!” Mohnish agreed. “Well, I’ve got to go. I’ve got a Te
levision coverage to attend to. Please watch me on Cable TV, you two. I can tell you it’s not going to be easy shouting into the mike over all that din for more than twenty-four hours and going hoarse!”

  “We will. Bye. Thanks for everything.” Sonia smiled.

  She watched as the Journalist left. Then she turned to her assistant. He had extracted the velvet box from his pocket and was staring wistfully at the ring inside.

  “She was beautiful, Boss. I really did love her and I’ll never forget her!” he said in a low voice.

  “No, you won’t forget her. But she doesn’t deserve to be loved. She was beautiful and charming, but not from the inside. And most important, she misused your innocence and love. I don’t think any self-respecting person would or should forget or forgive that!”

  Jatin looked up. “You’re right, of course. I would be a fool to even think about her!”

  “No, Naina taught you—taught all of us—a very valuable lesson. But she’s more a target of sympathy than real hate. Learn the lesson and move on.”

  He grimaced. “I guess that’s it. My search for the perfect life-partner begins all over again!”

  “The next time, I’ll be the one to make your choice for you,” Sonia stated firmly.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Jatin responded with a cheery smile.

  And Sonia heaved a sigh of relief. It was great to have her good old friend back.

  Jatin returned to the outer office and switched on the TV, channel-hopping till he paused at a soulful Hindi film number. The melody and the poignant lyrics evoked countless memories and insatiable desires. He stared at the ring for a long moment, fingering the sparkling diamond, regret topping the torment in his mind. Condemned to remain at the intersection of love and pain…Then, brushing away a drop which had appeared at the corner of his eye, he pocketed the box and sighed. A sigh which rose from the bottom of his heart, and which was loaded with the anguish of a lost paradise.

  7

  The Last Wish

  Jatin swept a fond hand over Nidhi’s silky body. The little cat had settled comfortably on the window seat. Moonlight streamed in through the pane, onto the colourful cushions. What a pampered cat she was. She was so used to demanding attention and getting it, it was no wonder she had left The Owl’s home and found a more loving one! And she couldn’t have chosen a better home than Stellar Investigations. Sonia was not only a perfect mistress but also a perfect boss. Just as Naina had said.

  Jatin winced. It still hurt. A passing thought. Even a fleeting image. Someone like her on the street raked up a volcano of emotions. It was the end of October, more than a month since that nightmare which had changed his life and the hurt was still raw. The nine-day celebrations of Navaratri—a festival celebrating and worshipping Goddesses Durga, Laxmi, and Saptashringi—had only succeeded in aggravating the memories. Now, he was dreading the approaching Diwali festival.

  Day in and day out, he had harboured a hope for some news of Naina. Even secretly dared to imagine that she would attempt to contact him. But as days merged into weeks, the hope had dwindled. Naina was not returning. His heart had accepted it for a fact now. There was absolutely no trace of her. The police were still on her lookout, but it was as if she had disssolved into thin air.

  His boss had been wonderful these past weeks. Patient, sympathetic, and treating him to festival bonuses to pep up his mood. And he had coped with the situation as best he could. Instead of mooning over his lost love, he had channelled his emotions into serious reading and staying late in the office. He even enjoyed a quiet chat with Nidhi, late in the evening, who lent him a patient ear and rubbed herself against his leg. The ache in his heart felt like a permanent concrete of sadness. It was as if the world had paled from a bright, enjoyable fair to a barren landscape. Only now he looked on the landscape with more compassion and understanding than he used to.

  He knew deep in his heart that life would no more be that glorious merry-go-round to be enjoyed. And he would never be the old Jatin again.

  The Stellar office was bathed in moonlight. The Navaratri festivities were over and the silence filled the building with an eerie tranquillity. Jatin stroked Nidhi one last time and was about to lock up, when he heard a rustling sound. Nidhi immediately raised her head. Something white flashed past the window, and Jatin’s heatbeat quickened. Someone was out there! The ghost!

  Without thinking, he sprinted out of the office and into the garden. Just in time to see a figure, draped in floating white, dash past the expanse of the garden. The moonlight and the wind streamed through the white sheet, billowing it into a big balloon. Suddenly the white material snagged on a branch, dragging the cloth away. Jatin froze. A face turned, framed by long gleaming dreadlocks, and flashed a venomous look. Jatin involuntarily stepped back, shocked. The next moment, the tall man tugged viciously at the cloth, ripping it, and vanished into the street.

  “He’s no ghost! He’s more flesh and blood than most of us!” Jatin remarked to Sonia and Devika. “I never saw such horrible hair! Those dreadlocks!”

  Sonia started. “Did you say dreadlocks?” Immediately the image of the malevolent beggar on the street rose before her eyes. The white bedsheet, the small mean eyes, the dreadlocks…Her skin crawled at the memory.

  “Yes! He was wrapped in a white bedsheet which caught on a branch and slipped, exposing his dreadful hair. And I’ll never forget the expression on his face when he looked at me. So much hate!”

  “If I’m not mistaken, I’ve met this ‘ghost’ before.” Sonia frowned. She narrated the incident of the beggar she’d encountered during Ganpati. “I’m quite sure that our ‘ghost’ is this same beggar. But what I don’t understand is, what is he doing on our premises? Is he passing by? Or does he have intentions of stealing?”

  “I really think we should hire a night watchman,” Devika spoke up, sipping her chai.

  “I’m beginning to agree with you,” Sonia admitted. “From what I remember of this fellow, he’s a type to be wary of.”

  “In that case, we ought to take no risks. We all work late into the night. I’d feel much safer with a watchman outside. Or even a dog!”

  “A dog! You think Nidhi’s going to allow that?” Sonia grinned.

  “Why not? My cat and dog live together. Nidhi is too spoilt. She’s monopolized all your love and attention. She needs to share it with another animal. In fact, the more I think of it, the more I like the idea. A dog would be ideal here!” Devika seemed quite taken with the concept. “At least think about it, Sonia.” She rose.

  Sonia nodded. “We’ll talk about this again. Bye, thanks for dropping by.”

  “Thanks for the lovely tea, both of you. My day really begins well!” Devika flashed them a smile and left the room with a wave of her hand.

  And yet, within minutes Devika had returned.

  “I found this tucked in your nameplate. Take a look!” She thrust a piece of paper at Sonia.

  The detective accepted the now familiar piece of paper, her heart sinking. Another one of those awful notes! Jatin leaned over her shoulder to read.

  “Stop the astrological nonsense or you will never see your cat again!”

  “My God!” Jatin gasped.

  Sonia’s eyes spontaneously moved to Nidhi, who was bathing contentedly in the sun streaming in through the window.

  “I don’t like this at all,” Devika said. “It’s a threat!”

  “Yes, Boss! It’s getting worse with every note!” Jatin protested.

  “You mean there have been more of such notes?” Devika asked, surprised.

  Sonia nodded. “Nothing really to worry about.”

  Devika folded her arms. “That’s not the impression I get!”

  “Hey, you don’t need to worry, okay?” Sonia smiled faintly. “Until now I’d thought that this was a jealous lunatic. But now I realise that I need to look into the matter. I can’t have anyone threatening my darling Nidhi!”

  “Good. I hope at least now you se
e why we need a dog? If only to protect our beloved Nidhi! Well, see you later, then!” Devika sailed out of the room.

  Jatin glanced at his boss as she studied the note carefully.

  “The same print, on similar paper. Undoubtedly the work of the same person who sent the earlier two notes. But who’s doing this, and why?”

  “Someone dead against Astrology, for sure! And against you, Boss!” Jatin picked up the empty cups and some files from the table. “I’m in the outer office if you need me.”

  Sonia nodded absently. She was too deep in thought for his words to register. It was only when the strains of the signature tune of a news channel on Jatin’s TV trailed into the room that she rose. Jatin was watching the news.

  “The renowned classical singer Pandit Raujibua Dharkar of the Gwalior Gharana—a famous and popular musical school and legacy—passed away last evening. He was listening to music when he had a massive heart attack,” the reporter announced.