Chapter 15

The phone rang shattering the quietness around and woke Anshuman with a start. He had slept like a log…he couldn’t believe it. He shifted and beside him, Simrat stirred and turned around and continued sleeping. She probably didn’t have her quota of sleep too. He quickly walked out of the bedroom and shutting the door checked the phone. It was Kader… why was he calling so early in the morning…?

“…Hello…? Kader…?”

“…Hi Anshuman…I am sorry to have bothered you so early in the morning… but I have some information that might help you… I have found someone from that period you are looking for…”

Anshuman still hadn’t got rid of his suspicions around Kader and the only way to find out was to visit the guy. But right then he could only think of his explosive reunion with his Angie… it was difficult for him to acknowledge her as Simrat. He went to the kitchen to fix breakfast for them. Should he call Manpreet here…? He didn’t know how the boy would take the intrusion in his life. Especially watching his mother in this house. He heard Simrat use the washroom as he poured the scrambled eggs in the plate and two cups of piping hot coffee. He took the tray to the drawing-room as she emerged fully dressed. He gestured towards the breakfast but Simrat shook her head.

“…Anshuman… I have to get going… Manpreet must be waiting for me…”

“…uh… About Manpreet… I wanted to…”

“…Anshuman… I am sorry… but please stay away from my son…now that you know about my profession… just keep away… you will bring danger to him…”

“…But Simrat… he is suffering… his stuttering, learning problems… I can help him Simrat…”

“…No… No Anshuman… I am very close to finishing this mission and this is the last mission of my career… I am then retiring and… will move from this place with Manpreet and my mom…”

Gosh, the woman was exasperating. “…Simrat…. Manpreet and me…we get along so well… I love that boy Simrat… he has hugely impacted my life… Please don’t do this… I promise I will protect him by all means… and no one would know about us…”

“…Cut it Anshuman… I don’t have the energy to deal with this… my mission…”

“…Manpreet isn’t your Goddamn mission Simrat… He is a little boy who needs… someone to help him battle his demons…and I… I need him too…”

Simrat straightened her back and narrowed her slits as she stared at him. “…for the last time Anshuman… get this straight… you will not keep any contact with my son… he doesn’t need any kind of distraction right now…he misses a father figure and so is drawn to you…but I can’t complicate his life…”

“…I promise I won’t leave him…”

With her hands on her hips, she moved closer. “…If you ever meet Manpreet… I shall be forced to use restraint… so stay away…” She turned around and left the house, the banging of his door echoing through the walls and his heart as well.

Didn’t last night mean anything to her? Didn’t she trust him with her son…? What the hell…? He rubbed his face. He had to meet Kader and start putting an end to this chapter that was now pushing its tentacles deep into his heart and soul.

Soon after Simrat left he made his way to Passion. Kader was pacing along the now empty lobby. He gestured him in and served him freshly ground coffee. For the usually calm and composed man, Kader appeared nervous. Anshuman didn’t know if it was his observation or some kind of bias. In a few minutes, Zulfikar chacha wobbled his way along with another man in a grown white beard who looked even older. Kader moved quickly to assist the other man and helped him settle on the chair. The older man was panting with the little walk and he stared at Anshuman.

Kader spoke. “…Well… Anshuman this is Salahuddin Kazi… he used to officiate weddings in this area till a decade ago… can you show that picture…?”

Anshuman took out his mobile and showed the picture. Salahuddin Kazi held the instrument with his trembling hands adjusted his glasses as he squinted to watch the photo. After about a minute he returned the mobile to Anshuman even as the latter held it with a thudding heart, wondering what was to unravel.

The old man coughed deeply and cleared his phlegm panting again as he spoke. “…Beta… I remember this beautiful girl… it was the last wedding I… got done… weird… totally ajeeb… I don’t her name… she was a Hindu girl… nikah with Muslim… name changed… Nikahnama very quick… they were already married for a while… Her husband…namaqul… Allah will never forgive him… I heard he died… no Jannat for him…” The man started to cough violently and Kader had to order hot water to help him sip. The man held up his rough trembling hand and continued panting. Every breath he inhaled was labored. “…Allah punished me too… I wanted money so did it… but I had tried to rectify it when I heard the poor girl died… I told police… and that Army man who had arrived… senior man… the girl was Hindu… he thought she was his daughter… but later found she wasn’t …He cremated her…performed Hindu rites…I was there… right there…” He rubbed his wrinkled face struggling to breathe. Anshuman was finding it difficult to hold back his tears even as rage boiled inside him. How he wished his sister had called him just once… how he wished he had listened to his gut feeling after her last call and not waited. The old man cleared his voice as he continued. “…you see… Allah never forgives wrongdoings… I am suffering too… I have lung cancer…won’t survive long beta…”

Anshuman inhaled deeply and spoke. “…Kazi saab… I thank you for telling me all this but I… I already know about it… I was hoping to get additional information…”

The old man held up his hand to stop him. “…Beta… Kader here said… your sister was pregnant when she died…”

Anshuman nodded. “…Yes, Kazi saab, 3 months pregnant I was told…”

“…That can’t be beta… you have the wrong information…”

Anshuman’s head shot up. “…What…?” he saw even Kader who was pouring hot water for the old man still in his tracks.

“…Beta… I was always guilty about ruining that girl’s life to an extent… I had tied a sacred thread from our dargah to her wrist… hoping Allah would protect her from that villainous husband of hers…But when I heard she died the same week… I rushed to find out what happened… I know the doctor who handles such deaths… the post-mortem was conducted before that Army man reached here… that woman who died… was not pregnant but she had a brain tumor in the terminal stage… and …” He looked into Anshuman’s eyes. “…the dead body was bloated beyond recognition but there was no sacred thread on the wrist….”

Anshuman stood up on wobbly legs, the news becoming too much to sink in. 

The old man spoke as if no one existed. “…Either your sister had taken off the thread and she wasn’t pregnant… or… that woman wasn’t your sister at all…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 14

Anshuman sat on the nearest chair with a thud. His head was reeling and suddenly he realized what had been off with Simrat last night. She had a little limp in contrast to her regular taut spine whenever she walked and she had been holding her left hand as if it was paining her. Oh God, she was the one who was shooting last evening and he had ruined it for her. Rewa had to know that, hence she must have hinted. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Nirvi and Keshav sat next to him. Amandeep had gone to drop Rewa till her vehicle.

“…Are you all right Anshuman…?” Nirvi asked in her soft soothing voice.

He rubbed his face. “…I don’t know how to feel Nirvika… I just… I just want this to get over…I… I want to know what happened to Meera… what exactly happened that she had to be killed and she was goddamn… pregnant… why…?” He also remembered Zulfikar Chacha’s doubts which irked him…but at the moment he kept silent. Those were just postulations after all and Rewa had proof…

“…Anshuman…” Keshav spoke. “…We can’t run from our destinies…it always catches up… if I have learned anything in my life… it’s that we have to face whatever is thrown at us… you know about Avanti and me…don’t you…?” Anshuman nodded. Avanti was Keshav’s wife. Her father had been like a father figure to young Keshav and had been working on a wonderdrug in this very place Vedshastra. He was a farsighted man and arranged for his older daughter, Avanti’s sister to marry Keshav as a means of cementing a business relationship. Fate had other plans and the old man had been killed in an airplane crash. Just on the morning of the wedding, Avanti’s sister had taken off and Avanti had married Keshav instead. What was initially a friendship between the two had soon blossomed into love and Avanti and Keshav were each other’s strength and support systems. Keshav had hereditary Huntington’s disease and the miracle drug was to help him contain the symptoms and it did. He didn’t have any symptoms to date. Anshuman had seen the camaraderie between Keshav and Avanti and also between Amandeep and Nirvika. Whenever the men were in the same room as their partners the sparks always flew. Anshuman had felt it many times. He often remembered Angie…alais Simrat those times but now… he lost all hope. Simrat had probably been playing a role that night four years ago… probably trying to pry information out of him. Didn’t she feel an iota of attraction that he felt for her…?  Was it just a casual lay for her…?

He knew he couldn’t openly confront Simrat, she couldn’t blow her cover. Even as he boarded the return flight that evening he couldn’t help getting annoyed at the woman. Why on earth did she drag her son into the mess. The boy was suffering because of his mother’s need to keep secrets about her job and cover. The little fellow was forced to live with an old temperamental lady just so his mother could keep up the farce of her work. Later in Goa, as he got into the cab to get to his condo, he suddenly realized the danger involved in her job. Last evening was an example. He chided himself for hurting her, though it wasn’t intentional. Simrat was exposed to danger constantly. He now knew that the hotel job was a front. That’s why the hotel looked shabby… it wasn’t a real hotel at all. He remembered Manpreet crying on nights when his mother didn’t get back home from work. The little boy missed her and she was trotting around in dangerous waters. How could she do this job now that she had Manpreet. How could she put his well-being at stake…?

As he neared his condo he checked the time it was almost 1 AM…. It was pretty dark since the street lights weren’t functional for a while outside his condominium and he reminded himself to put up a letter to the local authority soon. It was dangerous for the scarce residents who lived there. As he navigated the dark pathway towards his condo, he thought he saw a shadow at the entrance and he was alert. He shone his mobile light in the direction but there was no one. He was sure he had seen someone. He shut the light and walked slowly in the direction. He wasn’t a trained operative but knew how to walk without making a sound. He could feel the presence of another human being. But he also knew that if they had to kill him, they would have done by now. Heart thudding he walked towards his house and just as he opened the door someone pushed him inside and shut the door. Before he could get up the lights came on and he saw Simrat standing with fire in her eyes and hands on her hips. She had the same outfit from outside Passion last evening and her sleeve had a bulge at the arm which indicated a bandage.

“…What the fuck do you think you are doing…?” she spoke. Her voice dripping in anger.

“….Simrat…I…”

“…Do you know… how you ruined our mission yesterday… just to satisfy some stupid curiosity…?”

“…Stupid curiosity…? Do you even realize what you are talking about…?” He stood up to his full height towering over her.

“…huh… you ruined months of hard work and alerted the enemy… you idiot… you have been messing around ever since you arrived here…”  She spewed the words staring daggers at him.

“…Cut the crap… Simrat or should I call you Angie…?” At her stunned look, he chuckled. “…you think I wouldn’t find out…? How on earth would I know about some goddamn mission of yours… my sister didn’t know either…she was fooled and got caught in between… just like me and …now… you have the nerve to accuse me…?”

Simrat recovered quickly “…Why the hell do you civilians interfere in such things when you have no business to poke your noses…? Why the fuck did you ask around in Baga about your deceased sister…” she spoke accusingly pointing her finger at him.

“…I came here to find out the truth about my sister… her last days… I didn’t even get to see her ashes… do you even know what that means…? Had you all done your jobs well… my sister would probably have been alive or I would have known the truth… I wouldn’t have led a life of desperation for the last decade… like a vagabond in quest of the truth…” he was panting and he walked close to her. She moved back till her back hit the wall and right then under the glowing brown light her face looked flushed and now sans all that make-up she looked beautiful. The nose stud that had been his Achillies heel shone brightly illuminating the darkness in his heart. Her eyes softened and filled and a tiny drop of tear tried to slide its way down her shining cheek. He held the errant tear on his fingertip and she sucked in a quick breath. She was as affected as he was… he could see that.

He palmed her cheek and she leaned into it shutting her eyes. At that moment she wasn’t a hardcore operative but a vulnerable woman who had been fighting a battle. Despite everything, his heart went out to her. The hibernating attraction rose with full force and in the next moment, he slammed into her lips. She circled his neck holding him by the death grip as if her life depended on him. They kissed like there was no tomorrow. In the solitude of the night, the only sound they heard was their lips slurping at each other amidst heavy breathing. He feasted on her as if she could take away the hunger pangs from his stomach deprived of food. But at that moment nothing mattered… he felt the same arousal and his boner was penetrating his boxers painfully for the first time since that night four years ago.

She suddenly moved back and looked into his eyes. She wet her lips and he thought he would explode right there. “…Anshuman…please…”

“…What is it..Simrat…?” his heart fell at the thought that she would want to leave.

“…please… make love to me…” She pleaded softly and he didn’t know what got over him, he lifted her in a fireman’s carry and took her to his bedroom.

They undressed each other in record speed and his eyes fell on her bandaged arm. “…I…I am so sorry Simrat… I didn’t know…”

“…Shut up Anshuman… don’t talk about that… please I just want to forget it……just…”

She didn’t have to say anything more. He had recently purchased a fresh pack of condoms… his heart soared at the trust she put in him as he sheathed himself and he stared at her lying eagle spread on his bed with passion-filled eyes gripping the bed on either of her sides… though the room was dark except for the soft glow of the corner night lamp, he saw those indents on her stomach. He bent forward and kissed her on her belly and she gripped his hair. He kissed her torso all over upwards till he reached her beautiful and full bosom. He loved the way they felt in his palms and took in a soft nub into his mouth and sucked at it even as he gently fondled the other globe. She was writhing holding his head close to her chest and he gave her a tiny bite on the nub. In the next moment, she shattered shuddering to his arousal. He couldn’t hold it any longer. He moved to position himself at her apex and plunged into her wetness. Finally, he was home…

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 13

Anshuman went through the daily news updates… which was just to while away his time and drive away from the accompanying restlessness. He was seated in the meeting room of Vedshastra, and he waited for the others to arrive. Something constantly pricked at his conscience… what was it about Simrat that disturbed him…last night…? He wasn’t even curious about what she was doing in that women’s home… that was her life, maybe a part of her job at the hotel… but then something was not right. As he pondered over a cup of fresh coffee there was a commotion outside and Keshav entered the meeting room followed by the burly Amandeep and Nirvika. He couldn’t miss the beautiful couple in love holding hands and communicating with each other through their eyes. It was only when they saw him that they separated and smiled greeting him. He couldn’t help but chuckle… would he ever have that with any woman…? He didn’t believe in love at all but as the thought passed his mind there was only one image that came up before him… his mysterious doe-eyed beauty who had taken his breath away every time she had encountered him.

He stirred out of his thoughts as Keshav and Amandeep enquired about his stay and life in Goa. As they spoke there was a knock and the door opened. Anshuman was amazed to see the tall beautiful woman in a Navy blue suit jacket and trousers looking every bit professional, walk inside. She carried an air of supremacy and attitude which charged up the atmosphere in the meeting room. Anshuman didn’t need to be told She was Rewa Nagarajan. He had heard about her a little from NIrvika… she was the one who had found out about his late sister and he was grateful to her for that.

Rewa placed her laptop on the table and Amandeep quickly made the brief introductions for Anshuman’s benefit. Without wasting any more time Rewa opened her laptop and projected her presentation on the flex board behind her. “…Well as you all know this is classified information and nothing that we speak here goes out of this room… the only reason I am here is that the recent intel we have gathered is linked with Amandeep and Anshuman to some extent and we would like your inputs in the time to come… am I clear on this…?”

Anshuman looked at a grim Amandeep who had interlocked his fingers with Nirvika. Anshuman had known traces of their story… Amandeep was an army major who had been badly injured in a sabotage attack on his battalion a decade ago… almost the same time his sister had met with her watery grave. Amandeep was an amputee who had faced all odds and battled his demons. Nirvika had stood by him as he had cruised through the plot laid by the enemy and had emerged victorious. Amandeep and he shared the same nemesis named Haider-ul-Rehman Alais… Rehmat, a wanted terrorist. The bastard was married to his sister only to kill her… Anshuman’s blood boiled at even the thought of what had happened to Meera…

Rewa flipped the slides and the projector threw up a grainy image. “…this… is Wajid-ul-Rehman, the founder of Al-Harb-Alfaith…the criminal syndicate from across the border. The guy never dirtied his hands but hired and brainwashed young men from the bordering villages of Baluchistan to carry out the mission across the world… mainly in our country. Since the last decade, he has been inactive because of his health which is failing him, and the funds running dry, thanks to our government and the ever-vigilant army. As you already know, he had two sons… one his biological son Kasim known to be his commander in charge in India whose whereabouts now aren’t known, nor do we have any picture of his. It’s like he disappeared a decade ago. The other is his adoptive son Haider alais Rehmat. Rehmat was killed in the encounter with the army last month. And before that, we got to know of his deceitful rendezvous with Army a decade ago… We also know that he had married Meera and impregnated her before doing away with her because she was privy to their secrets….” Anshuman cringed as he heard the words which were not unknown but still… they hurt. He sighed as he looked at Rewa. Rewa stared at him and continued. “…the SOP had been requested by the GOI to track and weed out any sleeper cells belonging to Al-Harb-Alfaith existing from that time before they get woken up and launch an attack on us… So we first checked out all their active members. All are dead and accounted for but for Kasim. There is news that he went abroad and is settled in the UK though the news is yet to be confirmed…”

Rewa took a sip of water and changed the slide. “…Anshuman, the reason I requested for you to be here is we now have intel about a sleeper cell being active in Goa. They have been there for the last decade or so and are now gearing up to cause trouble. We don’t know the details but there have been talks about the perps taking advantage of the pandemic and infusing life into their members financially to activate them. They are also recruiting local guys… in their late teens or early 20s to tackle the backlog and to leave them high and dry if things go south…having locals also makes tracking for us difficult…” Rewa looked at Anshuman.

“…I get it till here Rewa… but what does that have to do with me…?” Anshuman asked

“…the SOP had been active all over the country for years tracking down any kind of untoward activity to nip it in the bud. We have our undercover operatives spread across the country. The SOP channelized a special division with our special operatives and they are active in Goa as we talk. They are gathering information by blending with the locals. And Anshuman we have just discovered that the new sleeper cell is being activated to complete a mission left undone because of your sister’s interference a decade ago… though we aren’t sure as yet as to what the mission was and how it was linked with the sabotage on Amandeep’s battalion…”

Anshuman began to breathe hard. What was this leading to…? What had his innocent Meera done those years ago? Rewa continued. “…Anshuman we are keeping a discreet watch on you just in case… you are our bait for those perps now… because you have been asking around and ruffled feathers… So you have two choices. Either you leave Goa till we are done or stay and help us… we cant take away the vigilance… because you are in danger as well…”

“…but…I have no clue about anything…”

“…We know that Anshuman… but those perps don’t… they believe you may have the information they need and may go to any extent to cover up… so you have to be alert… and don’t worry you won’t even know you are being watched…besides our special agent has been doing active work there for years now…”

Anshuman’s head reeled with the information overload. There was no second thought on what he wanted. He agreed to help the SOP. That was the only way he could get his closure as well.

Rewa wound up the meet and just before she left she walked up to Anshuman. “…One more thing Anshuman… our guys will contact you if needed and there is a code for each of our operatives. The one in charge of ur protection… who has been doing a good job so far goes by the name… Angie…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 12

Anshuman was still in a daze as he walked into his condo later that night. He was aching from the sudden run and fall, not to mention the scuffle with that woman. He didn’t know who those people were. But they had blindfolded him and held him up for an hour interrogating him. He had to give them references the main being, his friend Amandeep Singh Sehgal and the latter…God bless him came to his rescue by contacting his old Army colleagues who intervened. Mission…? Fuck… what was happening…? What kind of mission did those people have in Passion…? He had to visit again but for now, he had to stop his limbs from trembling. The adrenaline had flown away and fear now set in. Why did he feel everything he was facing had something to do with Meera… Oh dear God… where was his sister headed…? She didn’t even know what hit her… his poor naïve sister. Did Simrat mean all this would transpire? How did she know and how on earth was Manpreet involved…? Was Simrat scared to be associated with him? Nothing made sense…

 Sudden spikes in anxiety left him panting as he lay on the cold times in his living room and sleep had gone away hours ago. He suddenly stood up after an hour. He didn’t know what came over him, he walked outside his house and along the beach towards the clove… he just wanted to be close to her… Simrat. Something about her always calmed him and now that he knew she lived so close he couldn’t help himself. It was about 3 AM… and he walked outside along the roaring sea, the black infinity reminding him about his life right now. Suddenly his life felt like that black hole where nothing could escape the spacetime area. Could he just time travel to a decade ago…?

There was not a soul there right now as he walked towards the clove. As he neared it he saw someone walk outside the house through the gate and shut it. The person was covered with something like a shawl and he hid quickly at the side of the clove. Darkness favored him and he couldn’t be seen. Was it a thief…?  he wondered… no.. a thief wouldn’t be so calm in escaping. The person had an awkward gait…

Suddenly breeze increased its violent streak and the shawl blew off the person’s head and Anshuman didn’t need light to tell him it was Simrat. Where on earth was she going at this ungodly hour..? She was hugging herself protectively and there was something strange in the way she walked… he couldn’t make out in the dark though. What kind of hotel called their employees so late at night…? His protective radar was on red alert. She was rushing along the shore and he followed her from a safe distance. In the noise dominated by the sea, his footsteps were camouflaged. She moved away from the beach and began to walk along the empty silent streets, dimly lit by minimally present streetlights. What he loved best about Goa was he didn’t find a single homeless destitute lying drunk or sleeping on the pavement. At least where he lived and where all he had been so far. He brought his focus back to the intriguing woman.

He didn’t know why he didn’t stop her but just continued to tread the same path. They walked for about twenty minutes and she reached the auto stand and quickly got into one of the only two standing autos. Being close to the outstation bus stop he was fortunate to find another auto and getting into that one he instructed the driver to follow the first auto. After about half an hour of the back-breaking ride, they reached a place which he got to know was Benaulim town.

 He got off a little away in the dark and kept following her with queries hovering on his mind. She moved towards the thicket and as it cleared she walked into the gate of a three-storied white-colored building. The security guard knew her and allowed her access to the inner sanctum where she disappeared. Anshuman stood across the premises hidden in the dark and just as he strained to see her disappearing silhouette he read the glow signboard. “ Annie Gomes home for women”. He was still irked by her bizarre gait when he saw another printed board next to it with a long list of honorary doctors and as he read the visible boards he realized it was a home for the terminally ill and destitute women. Why on earth did Simrat come here…that too at the dead of the night…? If he stood for a longer time, he would call for attention not to mention the nocturnal creepy-crawlies…

As he rode back to Varca, his mystery woman, he realized was just the tip of an iceberg… What were you hiding Simrat…? And the biggest question of all how was her life linked with his…? The more he tried to analyze the more the astute businessman in him was puzzled… He had his job cut out… he had to visit Passion again.

 But if things had to pan out the way humans planned, his sister would have been alive today. Around 8 AM that morning as he freshened after an hour of sleep still groggy, he got a call from Nirvi. If she called so early that meant she had something important to talk about.

Smiling he answered it. “…Hello Nirvika… how are you…?”

“…All good Anshuman… um… there is something I had to tell you…”

“…What is it…? Everyone all right there…?”

“…Yes yes… we are all doing good… but worried about you there…”

His friends were so caring… he was blessed. He chuckled. “…I am good Nirvika…so what’s it…?”

“…Um… Anshuman… you have to visit Mumbai for a day or two… immediately…”

He suddenly sat up. “…Why… what is it…?”

“…Um… do you remember Rewa Nagarajan from the SOP (Special Operatives on Prowl), a unit of Crime branch…? She was the one instrumental in resolving our case… She had found out about your …. Um… sister…”

Anshuman sighed and nodded. “…Yea… I remember…so… what happened…?”

“…she is visiting Mumbai for a training program for police officers and wanted to share some intel with us… she has requested your presence as well…”

“…Me…? what have I got to do…?”

“…Anshuman we know why you are in Goa… so… maybe Rewa’s information may help you… we are all with you Anshuman…”

“…so when do I have to come…?” his head was reeling.

“…Today… take the earliest flight… there is one in two hours… if you leave now, you can reach on time… shall I book it for you…?”

Anshuman inhaled deeply his emotions scattering all over the place. “… all right Nirvika… I shall be there…”

After they hung up he quickly packed his bare essentials and called for a cab. Before going he called Manpreet’s grandmother and spoke with the boy. Though disappointed Manpreet promised to practice all that they had learned yesterday. Once Anshuman boarded the flight to Mumbai, he got busy with his long-awaited online search…Kader Shah. the entire hour he browsed through the available articles. Kader was a management graduate student from the prestigious NMIMS in Mumbai. He had built his hospitality conglomerate from scratch in Pune, with minimal seed capital, and had now ventured in two other places in the country. Passion was his third acquisition. The astute businessman in Anshuman couldn’t help but appreciate the upward growth of the charismatic man. Passion was a loss-making night club and Anshuman had seen for himself how Kader had turned it around already. Looked like the man had the Midas touch.

He alighted the airplane and hired a cab to reach Vedshastra the pharmaceutical company specializing in generic drugs and research for rare genetic disorders. It belonged to his friend and Nirvika’s brother Keshav Goyal… actually to be precise it belonged to his wife Avanti. Anshuman had invested last year into the Vedshastra nursing home which was growing in leaps and bounds. He had plans to invest further if need be.

As the cab breezed along the Bandra-Kurla complex he wondered what kind of intel had the crime branch received that Rewa was going beyond her means to convey it to them… The seeds of his fate were already sown… he had been fighting with his destiny for a decade now. It was time he made Destiny a matter of choice….

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 11

Anshuman was mystified with what had happened even as he sipped his coffee. His morning encounter with his one-night fling had left a sour taste in his mouth which didn’t get rid of by an extra serving of sugar in his coffee. Though she had warmed up to him…melted in his arms she was still obscure. He was now sure Simrat knew something… there were so many unanswered questions in his mind which threatened to explode. There were 2 avenues of information for him and if he played his cards right then he could squeeze out information from both. One was Simrat and the other Kader who had lived here for ages and had contacts he could use.

Anshuman hoped, Kader probably hadn’t realized his folly as yet… and decided to visit Passion later in the evening without prior announcement. There was some event he had read last evening on their bulletin board… about some pop singer performing in the club and the tickets were limited given the pandemic restrictions. He wasn’t interested in the gig but just wanted to look around and see if he could catch Zulfikar chacha or his whereabouts. He had been a successful businessman and had taken his family business to new heights within a short period. He couldn’t have done it without foresight and planning. In hindsight, he realized he had been undaunted, fearless, and confident. He just had to do that now. He had to keep his deep-rooted emotions for Meera under wraps and try finding out information with a logical mind.

He knew Meera wouldn’t return but he owed it to her to uncover the mystery surrounding her last days and most of all he owed it to himself.

As he settled before his laptop trying to conduct some searches on the news from a decade ago… as he had always been doing, his doorbell buzzed. Startled since he didn’t know anyone here, he walked to his door. He was amazed to see Manpreet with his grandmother who was huffing and panting. He invited them in and offered the lady water. Manpreet directly walked to the balcony and settled himself on the rocking chair with his sketchbook as if he owned the place. His grandmother spoke. “…I couldn’t handle the boy… his mother had left for work while he was still asleep… and he brought the house down… but… I am glad in a way…”

It probably was a day full of surprises as Anshuman looked in bewilderment. The woman who till a couple of days ago was hostile towards him was suddenly courteous. She continued. “…His mother had refrained him from doing everything a child of his age does… I hadn’t restricted even my daughters the way she does her son… the boy was troubled always… his father not being there, it was tough you see… but then in two days… he changed… he is…he is alive… I am thankful… his mother doesn’t see reason… but then I saw her talking to you today morning and I know you ruffled her feathers… she normally doesn’t get disturbed like that… so son, if you are fine with it… can he stay here for a while…? Call me on my number… he has memorized it… I will come to get him…”

“…Oh Don’t worry aunty… I will drop him and he can stay all the time he wants to… what time does his mother return…?”

“…She doesn’t have any fixed time… sometimes she doesn’t come back at night… but most days she arrives late… poor girl works hard for Manpreet… for us…” The woman stood up and walked slowly towards the door.

Once she left. Anshuman got back to the balcony with an additional chair and joined Manpreet. He saw the boy sketch yet another portrait of his. “…hey buddy… why is it me all the time…?”

Manpreet replied without looking up from his work. “…I like you…”. He didn’t stutter.

After about half an hour Anshuman fed him the light lunch his housekeeper had prepared that morning and then started to teach him to read. He had learned a couple of techniques using phonics and decided to experiment with Manpreet. To his utmost wonder, the boy picked up the skills like fish to water and they practiced for the next couple of hours. He even helped the boy solve simple maths problems and Manpreet appeared to be a pro. Anshuman wondered what ailed the boy who didn’t seem like a slow learner at all. He decided to speak with Simrat once she had calmed down. As they relaxed after a meal of kadhi chawal, Anshuman casually asked him. “…Buddy who taught you to draw so well…?”

“…No one…” he curtly replied.

“..Oh I thought your mother did…”

Manpreet shook his head. “…maa isn’t at home ever… only Nani loves me…”

“…It isn’t like that buddy… your mom loves you too in fact a lot more than all of us do… but she has to work right…?”

“…But she will leave too one day… like dddda…daddy…” Manpreet’s face crumbled.

“…Why do you say that Manpreet…? Did something happen…? And where is your daddy…?” the moment he asked the question Anshuman kicked himself.

Manpreet stilled and looked at Anshuman. His expressions broke his heart. At that moment the boy looked so vulnerable, his eyes wide and the cleft on his chin pronounced… Anshuman realized the cleft brought out the cuteness in the child. And then Manpreet frowned in annoyance for the first time since he had met the boy, the bushy eyebrows struggling to touch each other in the center, his forehead wrinkled. “…Daddy died… many years ago… aaaa…I haven’t sssseen him… Nanu also ddddied ttttwo years aaaago….Maa was hurt so many times… it scares me…”

Now that caught his attention. Simrat was a widow, but she also had been hurt. “…When did she get hurt…?”

“…So many times… she rushes to the bathroom comes out only after I sleep…  I have acted sometimes lllllike aaaa…I am asssleep… then I saw her cry…I am ssscared Anshuman… what if shshshe… dies too…?”

He held the boy close. Somehow he felt they were bonded in grief. “…Don’t worry buddy… nothing will happen to your mother… I promise…”

He had to have a serious talk with Simrat he decided. Later that evening before he left for Passion, he dropped Manpreet back to his house with a promise to collect him the next morning.

He entered the Passion premises and as expected there was a huge hustle bustle with people in masks trying their luck with the now unavailable tickets. The singer had belonged to the Bombay Rockers band and now had branched out independently. But given the popularity of the original band, he was on-demand too. Anshuman crossed the crowds and walked behind the building towards the shacks and it was empty given that it was still early by partying standards. He settled himself in the corner most seat away from anyone’s direct sight of the vision and watched the sea for a while. He saw little kids running on the sand building castles or just digging their feet. Water sports were not allowed at this end of the beach but he could hear the occasional buzz of the motors. He hoped tourism returned to pre-covid levels soon so that these guys could make a living.

Just then he saw movement in the bushes at his side. Since he sat in the dark, no one could see him but he saw the unmistakable silhouette of… oh goodness… it was a hand holding a pistol. Something got into him and instead of freezing, he crouched slowly towards the bush on the other side. He saw a sleek figure in black overalls bent and looking ahead aiming the pistol. He looked up to see the target was Kader… who was chatting with a couple of guests who had assembled at the far end of the shack. He had his back towards the bushes and though there was a great distance, there was a possibility of him getting shot. Adrenaline surged through him and without giving a thought he rushed ahead and grabbed the person. The shot rang but missed and hit the asbestos roof making a loud sound and ricocheting and hitting the only light bulb that hung close to them. He was now totally plunged in darkness. The commotion caused a furor and the person in his arms struggled to move. Finally, Anshuman held him down and straddled him with his legs on either side. He took out his mobile phone and switched on the torch. He realized the person had given up the fight. Fuck… the guy was injured in his hand and it was bleeding. He bent and removed the mask covering the face and along with it, thick hair came down in waves… Oh God, it was a woman, although her face was still covered with the special clothing she wore and she looked downward. Anshuman jerked up and the woman suddenly held his hand and rushed out from the bush covering.

Anshuman didn’t even know which direction she was dragging him but he ran for the next fifteen minutes or so, along with on autopilot and they reached a corner most shack away from Passion. She pushed him to the ground and he was immediately surrounded by a few men holding guns trained on him. The lights came alive and the woman had disappeared.

A tall man stood before him then bent and patted him throughout as if checking for hidden guns while he was stunned to silence. He was a businessman not a fighter for god’s sake. The man stood up to his complete height and spoke. “…Who the hell are you man…? Which organization do you work for…?” The man had taken his wallet and tossed it to another man close by. That guy took out his Driving license. “…The name is Anshuman Khanna…” he read it aloud.

The tall man continued in a tone that gave Anshuman the chills. “…bloody hell… you are a  civilian… and you just messed up an important mission for the country… you idiot…”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 10

Anshuman paced the confines of his condo like a hungry lion. He was sure he hadn’t mentioned Meera’s name to Kader. He consciously avoided taking her name because of the pangs of despair it always invoked in his heart. Back in Hissar, no one was allowed to take her name and once in a while when cousins got together, someone would just whisper a prayer for her. There was no chance it would slip out before strangers. How on earth did Kader know about Meera. Was he hiding something…? Was he just playing around with Anshuman…? But the million-dollar question remained… why…? Why after a decade…? By any chance was it just a mistake on his part…or did Kader know Meera…? Now that he looked back, Anshuman was certain he had seen Kader affected last evening on seeing Meera’s picture… His gut feeling now told him, Kader was concealing something and he had to find out…

First Manpreet was in danger then…Angie… here of all the places and she turned out to be Manpreet’s mom… and then Kader, out of the blue now under the scanner. He was going crazy.

He couldn’t sleep and only waited for morning to arrive. He had to see Manpreet and how he was doing. He wanted to speak with Angie too… He had felt the strong mutual attraction from 4 years ago. But why did she run…? As far as he knew she wasn’t committed to any man anymore. He sighed. When he had decided to move to Goa he didn’t even know what he was seeking… it was just something that told him to visit the place where his sister breathed her last. Most of all he wanted a break from his life which he had just been dragging for the past decade. He wished for solitude…where he could just mourn his sister in peace, where no one knew him. But just a fortnight here and it had been a hell of a roller-coaster. He had bonded with super-talented kiddo who reminded him every time of his deceased sister and the boy’s mother turned out to be the woman who had given him wet dreams ever since they first met 4 years ago. He still had the note she had left him that morning. He hadn’t known at that time whether she had meant for him to give up on her or his sister… if it was the latter, that meant Angie knew him and Meera as well… at least something about them. Now that he thought of it, she had come up to him that night in the club, as of looking for him.

There were too many questions ricocheting in different directions but he knew eventually they would converge in someplace with common answers. He knew he had to make a start and that was with Angie. He started his run earlier than usual to calm his racing heart and slowed down as he jogged towards the clove. He halted as he reached the house and looked up. As expected, only the roar of the waves colliding as they rushed to the shore broke the early morning silence. The chirping of birds in the clove added to the cacophony and he longed to meet Manpreet… and Angie.  He stood with hands on his hips trying to figure out if he could see anything. He thought he saw the curtain on the first-floor move a bit…

He walked away back towards the rock but Manpreet wasn’t visible. Worry engulfed him… was the guy OK…? He didn’t have any contact number and wondered if he should give Angie a visit at her workplace when the front gate creaked open under the weight of the creepers encroaching on it. Angie walked out in a t-shirt and shorts. She was without make-up and the morning breeze blew her hair in all directions. How he ached to hold the strands and tuck them behind her ears.  She walked towards him and stood before him. “Let’s walk…” She spoke softly and moved briskly towards the rock. He followed her and as they reached the rock cave she halted. She presented an erect stance and a serious facial expression as she spoke. “…Why Anshuman… why do you keep following us…?”

“…Angie… I mean Simrat… I just…Manpreet…”

“…STAY AWAY FROM MY SON…” She raised her voice and panted as she glared at him.

“…Simrat… what the hell… what did I do…? Manpreet and I are friends… he needs…”

“…I am his mother and I know better than anyone else… what he needs… so just stay away all right…?”

“…Don’t do that Simrat…he has problems and I can help him out… he is super talented….”

“…Don’t you think I know that Anshuman…? What we don’t need is some stranger out of nowhere interfering in our matters…”

“…Simrat… we aren’t strangers… are we…?” He purred as he moved closer. Her fresh mint scent, probably from the soap she had used to freshen up wafted through his nostrils.

She looked away but he could see the pulse at her neck throbbing. “…Anshuman… please let it go… let the past go… it was just a one night stand… just forget it happened…OK…? And please stay away from us…” She blinked away tears and he realized there was more to it.

“…Simrat… I remember that night as clearly as you do… I know there was a connection… deeper… that ran deeper than the surface emotions…”

“…there… there was nothing of the sorts…” Simrat looked away.

He held her shoulders and turned her to face him. “…Why are you doing this Simrat…? I know you are struggling with Manpreet… I just… I am not interfering… Manpreet and I met by chance… the boy is lonely and gets bullied… his confidence is low…he has trouble with his studies….most of which he cant do with the crappy internet here…And his drawing… he is a genius artist… Simrat….I just wanted to be his friend and help him…. That’s all…”

Simrat blinked back tears and bit her lower quivering lip and he knew he had hit the bull’s eye. He pulled her towards him and hugged her. “Relax Simrat… just let me help…I promise I won’t ask anything…please…”

He felt her stiffen and move away. “…My answer doesn’t change Anshuman… I can’t allow that… don’t make my life difficult by visiting us again… If you care then leave us alone…”

“…I am not going anywhere till you give me a reason Simrat…” he stood on his ground.

She didn’t reply but he continued. “…I need answers Simrat…this last decade has been a living hell for me… and now I get to know everything was a façade… Manpreet was the only silver lining…”

“….Manpreet is not any ‘silver lining’ for you…Anshuman…”

“…Simrat… don’t do this… please…”

“…getting close to Manpreet will only put the two of you in danger…mortal danger…” She spoke with eyes pleading to understand and before he could reply she stormed out of there.

Anshuman only looked on. What the hell was this now…? He…in danger…? The layers of the metaphorical onion were getting peeled only to reveal newer layers…

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 9

Angie alias Simrat straightened the bedsheet to free it from the wrinkles. She looked at Manpreet’s sleeping form and her heart broke. His tears had dried on his cheeks. He had been furious yesterday at being dragged away from his ‘new friend’. He had barely stuttered before her but yesterday his speech was filled with blocks and facial contortions as he struggled to express himself. He had thrown a tantrum and flailed his legs as he had come home. He wanted to go back to his ‘friend’. No amount of cajoling had helped and she was at her wit’s end. Man[reet had never given her any trouble from his birth till date but this kind of tantrum was new to her. She was stern at her workplace and got things done easily but this little charmer couldn’t be handled. She had eventually slapped his back and he had retreated to the bedroom shocked at her use of corporal punishment…for the first time in his life. Ever since she had been miserable and unable to rest at a place. Manpreet had cried himself to sleep and her sleep was miles away, as she twisted and turned in her bed yet again staring at the dark expanse of the sky outside her window. Usually, the roar of the waves calmed her soul but today it did nothing to reduce the pace at which her heart galloped away…

 She had died multiple deaths today, when she had got the call from the police… she had reached the hotel early after finishing her errand and the call had come. Fortunately, Inspector D’Lama knew her well and he had recognized Manpreet. If something were to happen to Manpreet then she wouldn’t have been able to survive.

All these years in Goa she had struggled to stay in hiding without being promiscuous and all that was going for a toss with that guy Anshuman butting in. She never thought someone she had left behind four years ago… would come back like this. It wasn’t meant to be anything beyond general chat but she was carried away by the intriguing man with a trusting face and despondence reflecting in his eyes. It was only a one-night stand that happened by chance… but she hadn’t forgotten him. She could never be with any other man after him. He hadn’t looked at her like she was a piece of meat up for grabs like usually men did with her kind of get up that night. His eyes had shown with passion unfolding in their depths. She had seen honesty in those orbs. Something innately soulful had connected them… probably they shared similar grieves. For that night she had thrown caution to the wind and had decided to go with her heart which urged her to trust the man. It was her first and last one-night stand.

The last decade of her life had been spent in disparity and unfulfilled promises as she worked hard to achieve her goals, for the sake of her loved ones. She had lost so much a decade ago that she feared losing anymore… She only had her mom and Manpreet… the little boy, her life revolved around him.

Their life wasn’t ordinary. If only people knew about her, the façade called life that she had led so far… it would put Manpreet in danger. She was close to achieving her target for which she had given up the last 10 years of her life.

She wished to rush to Anshuman and tell him everything about her. She was thrilled to see him again but caution had reared its ugly head as she was reminded of what she was doing in Goa. She had built a conniving web of deceit around herself just to catch her prey and Anshuman was in danger of falling into it. No, she couldn’t let that happen. He was a wonderful guy; she had known it instantly that night years ago. She had gone with another purpose totally but hadn’t expected the fierce attraction to the man with chocolate boy looks. She had been burnt in love a decade ago…mercilessly that it had robbed her of her faith in men or to the extent the species could go to ruthlessly. Her abdomen still bore the scars from that night years ago… and she had sworn off men for good. But Anshuman had challenged her beliefs that night and she had gone with the flow. He had kissed those scars and she had been a goner. Even now as she touched her abdomen, she remembered the shower of passion that night in that dingy room. She just wished she had met Anshuman under different conditions…

She was a lone soldier fighting an important battle… a battle she couldn’t afford to lose. All that she had worked for in the last decade would go down the drain. And most of all it would endanger the most precious entity in her life, the innocent being who lay murmuring in his dream as he slept. Her Mannu was what made her face life perils and she would give up her life for him in a jiffy. She had managed to safeguard him in this clove for nine years. Only Inspector D’Lama knew about her.

 Her mother had told her everything that had transpired after Manpreet was admonished to bed last evening. She had to be the ruthless mother everyone thought she was for Mannu’s sake. She knew he had a speech problem… but his therapist had said it was psychogenic in nature and he needed to express more. He had been diagnosed with dyslexia a little before the lockdown last year and she couldn’t take him to the learning center. It would expose him to different people around… she wanted him alive even if that meant he wouldn’t be able to read and write well. Her work kept her away from home most of the time and her mother took care of Manpreet. So far it had been just the three of them managing well. But off late Manpreet had started to revolt and after what happened yesterday, she was scared… really scared.

Morning arrived changing the hues and shadow patterns on the walls from the moving trees outside and she still didn’t have a wink of sleep. Standing up she stretched and walked towards the window.

As she looked up through the bedroom window, she saw him. Heart thudding, she went towards the window and drew the curtain peeping through the gap. Anshuman stood in his running shorts, probably waiting for Manpreet. She had seen the lust shine in his eyes yesterday and all she wanted to do in that mall was kiss him to oblivion and have her way with him. But that was not possible.

Any other man in his place she would have investigated him and even thought about the camaraderie they shared. She would have done anything to help Manpreet. However, Manpreet was getting swayed towards this particular man and Anshuman was synonymous with danger.

He was Meera’s brother.

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 8

Anshuman stood rooted to his spot his eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at the woman who had raided his dreams more often than not over the last four years. Here was the woman who had ruined him for everyone else and there hadn’t been a straight week where he hadn’t thought about her. And here she stood her unruly curls all over her head, radiating anger and she was Manpreet’s mother…? The thought got him back to the present.  He didn’t know what shocked him more… seeing Angie or the fact that she was Manpreet’s mother.

Angie too hadn’t moved as if the cat bit her tongue but then she recovered fast enough blinking her stunned kohl-laden eyes. She looked pale and Anshuman realized she looked fatigued as hell. Was she working too hard to support her family? He felt for her. Manpreet had said he was 9 years of age that meant she was already a mother when they had their rendezvous in Mumbai. What on earth was she doing in a Godforsaken nightclub in a shady corner of Mumbai…? Was there a husband in the picture at that time… gosh… had he bedded a married woman…? He shuddered at the thought. And what was that about the note she had left behind? He still had it with him…it had plunged him into a chasm of curiosity and he was yet to find an outlet for the same.

The atmosphere crackled up in the tiny office room and Manpreet moved towards Angie with the shopping bag. She sighed and almost snatched the bags from him and handed them to Anshuman. “…I am sorry but we can’t accept this from…strangers…” As she held Manpreet’s hand and ushered him out Anshuman spoke.

“…Angie.. wait… this is a gift… for Manpreet and I am not a stranger… am I…? I mean… I am Manpreet’s friend… aren’t I buddy…?”

“…Manpreet doesn’t need friends…” Angie abruptly replied. “…And henceforth do not get in touch with my son…” She dragged the boy outside followed by Anshuman who was now annoyed at her attitude.

“…Angie, wait… we need to talk…”

She suddenly halted making Anshuman almost crash into her back. “… As I said, there is nothing to talk about… just stay away from my son…” she started to walk again.

“…No, I won’t do that Angie…” making her stop once again near the mall’s exit. She turned around and stood folding her hands and her bright full-length loose t-shirt which flirted with her curves wasn’t helping him one bit as her firm bosom moved up causing a hopeless stir in his loins. He looked away and then back at her face now clearly beautiful sans the heavy war paint he had seen that night years ago. The fact that she still affected his libido after all these years, spoke a lot about their connection. “…look Angie…I… Manpreet is…”

“…Is MY SON… he is my business… my responsibility…” She glared at him staring daggers as she interrupted whatever he was to say. “…And today I almost lost him because of your… stupidity…” She held up her hand as he tried to reason out. “…Look, Mister… um… whoever you are, this is my last warning to you… henceforth if I see you hovering around my place or my son, I will not tolerate it… I shall have a restraining order issued against you…”

Turning around she grabbed Manpreet’s hand and rushed out towards a waiting autorickshaw. Anshuman watched the vehicle speed away till it disappeared out of his sight. What on earth had just happened…? The only living humans who tugged at his heart were related and now they were just torn away from him… He touched his heart as the pangs settled and he sighed. Just then a police constable ran towards him with his phone which they found lying around. He was sure they would have gone through his call records… of course, he had nothing to hide. But as he checked his phone gallery, he saw the rascals had deleted all the pictures. Manpreet’s pictures to be specific. He only had two more pictures, an old picture of Meera and Manpreet’s sketch of his. It was a warning to him to steer clear of the boy. What they didn’t understand was it made him more curious about the little guy and his beautiful mother. There was no father in the picture now… that he was sure.

As he stood looking around taking the place in, he got a call. It was Kader Shah. “…yes Kader…”

“…Hello Anshuman… all OK…? you don’t sound so…”

“…No… nothing… just a little tired. What’s up…?”

“…I have some news for you brother… I don’t know how much it will help you though… why don’t you come over to Passion…? How about 7 PM…?”

“…I will be there Kader…”

“…And one more thing… get a picture of the person whose information you are looking for…”

Anshuman nodded and disconnected the call. Holding the bags of clothes, he had purchased for Manpreet he hailed a cab for his condo. At home, as he kept the bags away, he saw the folded papers on which Manpreet had been sketching. He took them out and straightened the pages. He smiled looking at the topmost page…it was a simple drawing that Manpreet had just started… of him. As he moved the paper, he saw the next finished sketch and he couldn’t help the tears that sprang into his eyes. It was a beautiful sketch of them holding hands together. It showed how much that grasp meant to Manpreet. Tears escaped the confines of his lids as he remembered how the boy refused to budge from his hiding place despite his fears. The embodiment of trust initiated by Manpreet meant so much to him.  He decided, no matter what… he would help the boy. he couldn’t sit on the fence anymore… within a couple of days the boy had etched his mark in his heart and it was irreversible. He would make headway in his argument with Angie… for all her toughness he knew she was a softie inside… he was sure he could convince her. He couldn’t wait for the next morning.

But before that, he had to make that visit to Passion. It was still afternoon and he had a few hours. He used the time to do his research that was long due.

The same evening, he walked into the brightly lit club and walked to the backside shacks as Kader had instructed earlier. He saw a well-dressed Kader seated with an old man with a skull cap and a beard. They both stood as he walked up to them.

Kader shook hands with him and indicated to him to sit while the orderly served them fresh fruit punch. On Kader’s indication, Anshuman showed Meera’s picture to Kader to pass it on to the old man. Kader held the picture up to his eye level and Anshuman saw a strange emotion pass over the man’s face. Kader cleared his throat and passed the phone to the old man who squinted holding his glasses as he looked at the photo. Kader looked back at Anshuman and patted his hand. “…your sister… was a beautiful woman…she looks like a kind-hearted soul too…” Kader’s deep voice was seductively soft and Anshuman even sensed it cracking towards the end of the sentence, But Meera’s picture always evoked a similar response in people. The goodness of the soul reflected in her pictures and her sketches. He nodded and sipped on his drink as they waited for the old man to recall something. Kader continued. “…this is Zukfikar chacha… he was the supervisor in charge of the entire row of shacks belonging to a famous club this side. He retired eight years ago after the club was dismantled and the owner’s sold the property. But he had been there at the timeline you mentioned…”

Zulfikar chacha returned the phone to Anshuman. He spoke with a voice heavy and cracking due to age. “…Look beta, I am not very sure… but about a month back there was a high-level inquiry into the nikahnamas and death certificates in this area with regards to a similar case. It was from very high authority and I had been called as well… but the name wasn’t Hindu…”

Anshuman bent forward in anticipation. “…Actually, she was married to a Muslim and had changed her name to Shifa…Shifa Begum…” the old man was lost in thought but he thought Kader just cringed…or was he just seeing things…? Anshuman had got this information from Crime Branch Mumbai and Amandeep as they had decoded their decade-old case.

The old man shook his head. “…I am sorry but that’s the information I could unearth for them as well… the woman who died was by the name you mentioned…”

Anshuman sighed. “…Actually, she was also pregnant… and…”

The old man sat upright. “…wait a minute beta… there seems to be a mistake… Shifa Begum…her body was found for sure and I remember signing off with the police as they shut the case… but I do not recall anything about a pregnant woman…”

“…What…? My sister wasn’t pregnant…3 months pregnant…?”

Even Kader sat up and was all ears to what Zulfikar chacha had to say.

“…I am sorry beta… but my memory isn’t helping much… the woman who died… I don’t think she was pregnant… didn’t hear anything of the sort from the preliminary investigation on the scene…”

Anshuman bid him adieu and walked out towards the exit with Kader in tow. He rubbed his face at the absurdity of the situation. As they stood at the exit, Anshuman saw young guys and girls without a care in the world thronging the entrance of the club and he couldn’t help but smile at their antics. Kader saw that and patted his shoulder. “…Don’t worry brother if one door closes there is another one that opens up…”

“…I don’t know Kader… off late my luck sucks… whenever it was about my sister…luck always was the traitor… I couldn’t do anything for her when she lived but even now…  a decade after her death… I am helpless… I feel everything is just slipping away…”

“…sincere efforts don’t go in vain brother… keep faith in yourself… you will unearth the mystery behind Meera’s life someday…”

Just then someone called for Kader and he excused himself and left the place. As Anshuman took the route towards his home something troubled him at the back of his mind about the turn of events today evening.

 It was only when he went to bed that night he suddenly sat up and realized, he had never mentioned Meera’s name to Kader. How on earth did the man know…?

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.

Chapter 7

Anshuman crouched towards the shop in the now-empty first level…the crowd had as though suddenly disappeared in thin air. He stuck to the railing bending and from the holes in the railing, he could see people assembled on the ground level and there were 4 masked men with guns guarding their escape routes looking around to check for any kind of police intervention. Speaking of, Anshuman wondered where they were. Was this the lousy security in a mall that boasted of major tourist influx…? Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any bloodshed.. thank God. Nonetheless, he now had greater things to worry about. He was much behind the toy store where he had hidden Manpreet. Did the boy come out of hiding…? What if they catch him…? But suddenly a greater doubt gnawed at him. Why…? Why on earth did they want the frail scrawny little boy…?

He stilled at a point where he could see a little of the shop interiors. He just had to check on Manpreet and assure the boy he was safe. Anshuman was sure the police would be here any moment and he had to buy time till then. But the shop lights were off and from the turning of the wall towards the shop, he saw 3 men in masks covering their heads peeping into the shop. The owner had probably locked the hard glass door before running off. Thank God for little mercies. But poor Manpreet must be scared shit. Anshuman crouched further and saw the trio trying something with a toolbox… Oh God… what if they. And just then the door clicked open and the trio rushed inside. Anshuman’s heart stilled. He had brought Manpreet here first, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if something were to happen to the little boy. As it is guilt ate at him because of Meera… he couldn’t lose another life… He had wanted to use his phone in the washroom earlier but it had fallen off probably in the earlier scuffle with the crowd.

Without bothering about the consequences now, he picked up a security guard’s stick lying in the corner and moved towards the entrance. Just then there was a loud announcement from the outside. Looked like the police finally had graced them with their presence. “LET THE PEOPLE ALL GO… OR LEAVE THE PLACE QUIETLY… DO NOT HARM THE INNOCENTS… YOU WILL BE SURROUNDED IN NEXT THREE MINUTES…”

What the fuck was that…? They were letting these assholes just run away…?

But it probably worked and the three men in the shop sprinted out through some entrance and they were soon joined by their brethren downstairs. Before Anshuman could reach the shop, police and the bomb squad rushed and one of them pushed him out of the way. “…Wait… wait… the boy… is in the shop… let me take him out…” Anshuman screamed and the policemen halted in their tracks. One of them walked towards him with questioning eyes and looked at the shop. Anshuman continued. “…the boy with me… he is hidden in there… please let me get him out… he must be scared…” His voice broke at the very thought. The policemen pretended they didn’t hear him and walked towards the shop pushing him away. Anshuman knew better than to argue. He stood his ground and observed them keenly.

A tall, well-built policeman with greying temples and a stern look on his tanned face, probably spearheading the group, came forward towards the shop from the other side and examined the hard door. He asked in a gruff voice. “…In this the… toy shop …? That’s where those bastards had been a moment ago…hadn’t they…? What were they looking for in that toy shop…?” the policeman looked back and forth. “… Jesus… is there a bomb planted…?”

All blood drained from his face as Anshuman stood rooted to his place in shock while the inspector ran making some arbitrary noises… But he had heard those guys… they were looking for a boy specifically. But before he could say something he saw the bomb squad at the shop’s entrance as the policemen kept a harried owner away. Anshuman rushed towards the shop. “…Please let me get my boy out… he is alone and scared…” But the police pushed him away yet again and the two men from the bomb squad disappeared inside the shop.

The policeman who had spoken to him earlier asked for the child’s name and Anshuman told him along with Manpreet’s description. After about 20 minutes the policeman walked out followed by the two men in the bomb squad complete with their heavy attire and all the instrumentation, he had only seen on TV. The head policeman came up to him. “… a little boy is fitting your description in some godforsaken dollhouse. But he didn’t respond to the name call… Are you sure he is your kid…?” the police looked at him suspiciously. Anshuman nodded. “…Please let me get him out…” “…go ahead but I am watching you, man…”

The policeman he now saw the name, Julio D’Lama watched him hawkeyed as he scampered inside the shop amidst the fallen materials strewn around. The dollhouse was in the farthest corner and he realized and even he could see Manpreet’s reflection in the mirror attached to the rack bang opposite. No wonder those bastards must have seen him too. Cursing himself he cruised through the litter and reached the dollhouse. Not wanting to intimidate the boy further he squatted there and knocked at the dollhouse door. “Manpreet…? Buddy, it’s me… Anshuman… you can come out…”Before he could complete the sentence, the door opened and Manpreet rushed into his arms almost toppling him in the process. The boy sobbed into the crook of his neck even as Anshuman rocked him and rubbed his back. He then lifted him into his arms and walked out of the store.

The inspector stopped them and Anshuman had to put him down. Manpreet hugged Anshuman and dug his head into his belly. Inspector D’Lama spoke softly. “…Little man, are you all right…?” Manpreet still clutching at Anshuman’s mid-section looked slightly at the official and nodded his head, his tear-streaked face, melting hearts all around. D’Lama continued. “…What is your name…?” Anshuman was impressed at the change of tone by the Inspector and his respect for the man increased. He knew his job well. Manpreet looked up at Anshuman who nodded the go-ahead. “…mmmm…Mmman…Pppppreet…ssssinnng …. Ggggil…” Manpreet stuttered away to glory.

“…Is that Manpreet Singh Gill…? Wait…I have heard the name somewhere… what’s your father’s name man…?” The inspector rose to his height and looked at Anshuman who was an inch shorter. “…And who is this man here…?”Anshuman was now a little shaken as reality sank in. “…Inspector, my name is Anshuman Khanna and I have recently moved to Varca… this boy is my neighbor and we had come to visit the mall today… His… grandmother knows he is with me…”

The inspector looked at Anshuman with suspicious eyes. “…look, man, no offense but it’s my duty to check your credentials… and vindicate what you just said…” Anshuman and Manpreet were taken to an office in the mall itself and as they waited, the inspector made a few calls. They were shut in the small room with refreshments and Anshuman arranged for blank papers and pencils for Manpreet. The latter in turn merrily sketched away without a care in the world and that’s what Anshuman wanted. The boy must have been traumatized…

He realized the other policemen had all left and the mall had been swept to check for anything untoward and given the all-clear. An hour later Inspector D’Lama stepped in and spoke. “…the boy’s mother is on her way…and man… she is furious if her voice could be judged over phone…” he chuckled and Manpreet stopped sketching withdrawing into his shell back again. It didn’t go unnoticed by the inspector who raised an eyebrow and shook his head before leaving the room. The door was now kept ajar. A few minutes passed and Anshuman noticed Manpreet fidgeting with the pencil. He pulled the boy close to him and folded the papers neatly. Their shopping bags had been retrieved and Anshuman pushed the papers and stationery into one of them. He held Manpreet’s hands. “…buddy… you don’t have to fear anyone or anything… I am always here for you… alright…? You know my house too…don’t you…? I will meet you every morning at the rock… If you have any problem, you can always come to my place…? Is that OK…?”

“…THAT WON’T BE NECESSARY….” The door opened with a bang startling Manpreet to widen his eyes and Anshuman stilled… hearing a familiar piercing voice. He slowly turned around to look into the angry eyes of a tall pretty woman with Kohl-laden eyes and the unmissable nose stud that had very often invaded his dreams last four years. He stood up even as the woman’s eyes widened, as recognition set in. “…Angie…?”

©priyagole. No part of the story can be copied or shared anywhere without the consent of the writer.