by Sana Shetty
“Pankaj!” she said a little more firmly, “Sit down, will you?” The sharpness of her tone had the desired effect and he stopped pacing.
But he did not sit down. He looked very uncomfortable and stood staring at her, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.
“Don’t get me wrong, but if Ved is here, you have to tell him to go. He is in grave danger and so are you if he continues to stay here. Jay wouldn’t listen when I warned him and look where it got him. Please Misha, please. Don’t let him get involved in this. His brother is fine and will return soon. They want this. They will kill him. Just please…tell him he should go back. He will listen to you.”
Misha stared at him. “Who are you talking about, Pankaj? Who will kill him and what did you warn Jay about? You are not making any sense.”
“I…I. Can’t talk about it. The lesser you know the better for you. Just please, tell Ved to go back.”
“You will have to tell me more than that. Who are the people you are talking about and what do you know about Jay’s death? You said Tarun is fine. Where is he? Maybe Raunak can help you.”
“No, Raunak cannot help me. No one can,” he snarled. When he saw her expression of shock, he calmed down and sank down tiredly on the sofa, his head in his hands. Misha was taken aback when he broke down. She sat down beside him and gently touched his shoulders. He did not look at her but he raised his head and stared at his hands.
“I never thought things would turn out like this. Everything is…everything is so out of control. You cannot trust anyone, Misha. Not the police, not the village elders, not anyone. These guys are dangerous. Don’t you see? The whole village looks the other way when something goes wrong. Haven’t you wondered why no one is too bothered about Jay’s so called suicide or Tarun’s disappearance? Another death will mean nothing. People are ever willing to accept the flimsiest of explanations for everything that goes wrong around here. No one cares anymore.”
Namita, who had been quiet up to now, spoke gently “Maybe, if you tell us…?” she began.
This seems to agitate Pankaj once again and he almost shouted at her, “No!” There was no trace of the gentle, soft spoken boy he had once been. “You are a stranger in this village. You don’t know what happens to anybody who tries to meddle.” He turned to Misha again, and pleaded, “I have a family, a wife and child to protect. In spite of that I came here to warn you all. I have tried. God knows, I have tried to protect my friends. There is nothing more I can do.” He abruptly got off the couch and without even saying goodbye, walked out.
“Pankaj, wait,” Misha called running after him.
He turned around at the gate and said, “Don’t trust anyone.” And then he walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
For a long time, neither of them said a word and then Namita said, “That is one scared guy.”
“He knows what happened to Jay,” Misha said staring into the darkness. “But he is scared to talk.”
“Who is scared?” Vedant walked into the living room from the back door.
Misha and Namita recounted to him what had just transpired.
“Who do you think he is scared of?” Misha asked.
“I don’t know. Do you know what has been going on with him?” Vedant countered.
“No. I have been away too, remember. But I have heard some rumours.”
“What sort of rumours?”
“He is supposed to be working for the wrong people. Some powerful man from the city.”
“Hmm…Sebichacha told me the same thing.”
“Sebichacha?”
“Yeah. After I was attacked I went to the hospital. Besides wanting to see the doctor for obvious reasons, I thought the old doctor could help me. He used to get all sorts of gossip from his patients, remember?”
“But the doctor died almost three years ago,” Misha said.
“Hmm....I know that now. Sebichacha told me.” He recounted his conversation with Sebastian earlier in the day.
“It looks like this Sebichacha knows something too,” Namita said thoughtfully.
“Yeah, though he is the first one to talk. All others want me gone.”
“All others?” Misha asked. “Who else wants you gone?”
“First Dinuanna tried to warn me. Then it was Sunil and now Pankaj. It means they all know something, although no one wants to talk.”
Misha sighed. What had come over this peaceful village and its people? This had been their haven, the safest place on earth. Now it looked like they never really knew this village anymore. Why did Pankaj try to warn her about trusting anyone? He said no one could help him, not even the police. Did he mean Raunak as well? Did Raunak know something that he was not telling her? No, she wouldn’t let such doubts seep into their relationship. Raunak would never ever lie to her about something as important as this.
***** That night Misha couldn’t sleep, though. She kept thinking about what Pankaj had told her. Was Raunak keeping something from her? She tried to tell herself that he was just trying to protect her. But what about Pankaj? Why couldn’t he help his own cousin? She got off the bed and paced the floor. She needed to talk to someone. Namita. Maybe Namita was awake. She opened her door and tiptoed to Namita’s room. If Namita was asleep, she did not want to wake her.
Her light was still on. Good, maybe if she talked to her, she would feel better. She was about to knock, when she heard Namita’s voice. She pushed open the door a little and peeked. Namita stood at the window talking to someone on the phone. She was recounting Pankaj’s conversation word by word! Misha’s gaze went from her to the bed. There were some papers spread out and on top of that was a revolver. She stared at it, stunned. Why did Namita need a gun? She was a journalist wasn’t she? That too an out of work photo journalist? So why would she need a gun? Unless Raunak and Namita had lied to her! She thought with shock. What were they hiding? Who was Namita really?
Her heart beating furiously, she retraced her steps. Her heart sank as she thought of Raunak having lied to her. He had been her anchor, her rock these past few days. How could he lie to her? Pankaj’s parting words came back to her, ‘Raunak cannot help me. You cannot trust anyone. Don’t trust anyone.’ What was she going to do? She thought of Vedant. Could she trust him? Years ago he had walked away from her, breaking her heart and her trust. Could she trust him again?
She cracked open his door and peered inside but it looked like he was fast asleep. She would wait and watch. Silently, she withdrew and tiptoed back to her room.
***** Next morning, Misha went about her work as usual. Though her mind kept going over the events of the night before, she tried not to show it. Raunak stood leaning against the table, watching her.
“What is the matter, sweetheart? Is something bothering you?” Raunak asked suddenly, taking her by surprise. Apparently, he knew her well.
“Of course not,” she forced a smile.
“Why don’t you tell me what is bugging you? Something is wrong. Is it something I did?” he asked.
“No…not really. I’m…okay,” she hedged. Should she tell him? “Come on, tell me,” he urged.
She was about to tell him about Pankaj’s nocturnal visit when
Namita walked in saying, “She is probably upset after Dr Pankaj Goud’s visit last night.” “Pankaj? Why was he here? What did he want?” Raunak sounded a little irritated. So it wasn’t him, Namita had been talking to the previous night. So then… who?
“He came here to tell me to go away,” Vedant announced. Raunak stared at Vedant. “To tell you to go away?”
Between Namita and Vedant, they recounted Vedant’s encounter
with his attacker, his conversation with Sebastian and Pankaj’s nocturnal visit. Raunak looked thoughtfully at Misha, though he said nothing to her.
“If he is afraid and knows something why didn’t he come to me?” he asked when they finished.
“You tell us Raunak. Shouldn’t you know? Why is it that the police here are the last to kn
ow anything?” Vedant sounded irritated. He did not look as if he had been sleeping too well.
Misha saw a hint of anger flare in Raunak’s eyes and he retored. “Because people do not come to us and then blame us for their troubles. Maybe if people talked to us more we would know.”
“Maybe they don’t trust you and are afraid to approach you,” Vedant shot back.
“You though don’t seem to have that problem, even when you are lying?”
Vedant curled his hands into fist and asked angrily, “What do you mean, I was lying?”
“My men were at the hotel yesterday. You told me Dinkar’s body was lying in the store room in a pool of blood. Well, not only did they not find the body, there was no trace of anyone’s dead body being there. They questioned Mrs Birajdar and the guys at the hotel. Everyone had the same story to tell. Dinkar had a tiff with Mrs Birajdar and left yesterday afternoon for his village.”
“That’s not true.” Vedant denied hotly. “I saw Dinkar with my own eyes. He was laying lifeless next to me when I gained consciousness and I…I tried waking him…and he wouldn’t move. They are ones who are lying! And where did they say I was?”
“Your sis-in-law told my men that you came to the village yesterday morning and haven’t returned since. She presumed you were staying in the village with friends.”
“She presumed?” Vedant said mockingly. “And you believe her. I was attacked at the hotel yesterday and in the village today. She obviously knows something more than what she is telling you.”
Raunak held up his hands, cutting him off. “I don’t know who is lying anymore. If Dinkar was lying in a pool of blood as you claim, shouldn’t there have been traces of blood? My men could find nothing there at all. There are so many unanswered questions…so many mysterious disappearances…”
“Then I think you should check on what your men have told you. And what other unexplained disappearances are you talking about?”
Raunak watched Vedant with narrowed eyes. “How about yours? Why did you leave so suddenly eight years ago, Ved?” he asked his voice dangerously quiet.
There was stunned silence as Vedant stared back at Raunak. Misha was taken by surprise at Raunak’s sudden attack. She was not sure why he was asking Vedant about something that had happened so many years ago. Why was he making it personal? She knew, he had been curious about what had happened between her and Vedant, but she did not think Raunak would bring the topic up when they were discussing something as important as another death. Misha saw the anger rise in Vedant’s eyes.
“What has my going away got to do with what happened to Dinkar or Jay? How is it connected to Tarun’s disappearance?” he asked just as dangerously.
She expected Raunak to counter Vedant’s questions with another angry retort but to her surprise, Raunak said tiredly, “Maybe nothing, maybe everything. But it is something I need to know.”
Vedant though was still angry and retorted, “No there isn’t! You want to know for a purely personal reason and I refuse to answer it.”
“No, this is not personal, I promise you. If you want my help you will have to tell me everything. I have to connect the dots and until I know everything, I cannot help you. Everyone is hiding something or the other and then they blame us for the deterioration of the law and order in this village. Do you know how many murders have taken place these past few years? There has been many strange things happening in this village for many years now and people are turning a blind eye to anything other than the ordinary, clinging to the belief that all is fine. Some people are using it for their benefit. And if we don’t act fast, we will all drown in it. We are all contributing by our silence.” Raunak appealed to him.
Vedant looked back at him, his anger gone. After a few moments, he said, “I don’t know if all this has anything to do with my going away, but I intend to find out. I’m sorry Raunak, I…..promised someone and I cannot break that promise.” He stepped away, starting to back up towards the door. “But this I promise you, no matter what happens, I will not walk away this time. I am going to find out what happened to my brother and Jay and now Dinkar. If you think I am lying about Dinkar being dead, I can provide you the name of his village. Check it out. You will find he never reached there. I know he isn’t there!” he said emphatically. “And yes, you want to know what happened eight years ago? I will tell you. But not before I find my answers.” He turned around and walked out, as the rest of them watched the door shut softly behind him.
“He is not talking, that’s for sure,” Namita broke the silence.
Misha looked around at Raunak and found him looking at the shut door in frustration and anger.
“Why did you do that? Why did you have to bring that up? You know it is a sensitive topic with him,” Misha said.
“What do you expect me to do? Not ask questions? And yet you all want answers?” he snapped. Misha stared at him. She had never seen him like this before. Seeing her shocked expression, Raunak suddenly realised what he was doing and he sank down on the chair.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” He ran his fingers through his hair and Misha’s heart melted at how tired he looked.
She walked across to him and put her arms around him, forgetting her earlier doubts “It’s alright. It was wrong of me to tell you how to do your job, I guess.”
He laid his head against her and said, “Nevertheless, I shouldn’t be taking out my frustrations on you. It is just that I am hitting a dead end no matter what I do.” He was silent for a few minutes and then said softly, “Don’t doubt me, honey. I can’t lose your trust now. I just need some time to figure this out.”
“I don’t..,” she started to say, when he stopped her with a finger on her lips. “I know you doubted me after Pankaj told you he cannot trust the police. That is why you have been upset,” He said ruefully. “You are wondering why he didn’t come to me. Why he couldn’t trust me. I know you too are grappling with the same questions that Ved just asked me. The truth is, I don’t know. I don’t have any answers yet. I just need more time to figure this out. And the more time it is taking the more people are ending up dead.”
She wanted to ask him about Namita and tell him about the gun in her room. But Namita was standing there, watching them. And he had just asked her to trust him and she would. “I do trust you. I really do. It is just that suddenly my safe haven is not so safe anymore. I can’t tell who is wrong and who is right and that frightens me.”
He stood up, drawing her into his arms. “I know. And I promise I will make all this right soon.” She did not see the look that passed between Raunak and Namita and Namita quietly slipped away.
₪ ₪ ₪ Chapter 9
Lying on her back, Misha stared at the ceiling. Raunak had left soon after and there was no sign of Namita. She thought about the conversation they had earlier. Why had Vedant reacted so badly when Raunak had asked him why he had gone away? It had touched a nerve with him. Why had Vedant refused to answer Raunak’s questions? What had happened that day? Jay had been reluctant to talk about it too. Had he known something that she didn’t? Could Jay have been killed because of something that had happened on that day?
***** She thought back to eight years ago. She had been too hurt and angry back then. She turned around on her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. She had been what….? Eighteen then, perhaps. Vedant and she shared a close friendship; she had been able to tell Vedant everything, even those secrets that she could never tell Jay or her father. Yet what had happened that had made him walk away from her without an explanation? What had been so bad that Jay and he had severed all ties between them? And yet when Jay had needed help, he had turned to Vedant, who was miles away, rather than someone here.
The three of them had been fishing by the riverside that day, when she overheard the two of them discussing their plans for the night. Their ‘boy’s night out’ type plans. Vedant had just received his results and had passed with flying colours. As usual, she warned them about going out and g
etting drunk. Someday, she was sure they would get themselves into trouble, but they always ignored her warnings, laughing it off.
Their modus operandi would be something like this. Vedant would sneak out of the hotel through the secret passage and wait there for Jay. And Jay would slip out once he was sure his father was asleep. It was then up to Misha to make sure the door was kept slightly ajar, so that he could sneak back in without waking their father.
Usually, when Jay went out, Misha would stay up reading a book, waiting till she knew Jay was back safe. Jay would come straight to her room and they would talk for some time before they retired for the night. That night, though she heard Jay come back, she did not to see her and she had assumed he had been too tired to talk. It had been later than usual and she did not bother to check on him as she had been tired too. Next morning, she had been shocked to see him down in the garden with dark bruises all over his face. He was sneaking out again.
“What happened to you…?” she began to ask, when he shushed her with a finger on his lips and slipped out. She knew he had wanted to avoid their father and had let him go, thinking she would corner him later.
That afternoon, when their father had gone out, she had found him in his room and demanded to know what happened.
“We got into a fight,” he said, not looking at her.
“What…? You know father will find out. What will you do then? You cannot hide from him for ever. He will demand your presence at dinner time. What will you tell him?”
“I will tell him, I was in a motorcycle accident,” he was still not looking at her.
“Jay, what did happen? Who did you get into a fight with?”
“It’s nothing…”
“Jay!”
It was then that he looked at her and she had been taken aback at the tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Misha. We messed up and now Ved is gone,” he said.
“What do you mean you messed up?” she asked alarmed.
“We got into a fight and now Ved has left for the city, for good and he isn’t coming back.” He was almost choking.