Chapter 34

Gautam concluded his meeting with Tanveer Raisingh and a private detective, he had hired some time back to help him with the investigation he had been doing. First was to look into the event that happened twelve years ago and second, looking for his birth mother. He wanted Tanveer’s help at a personal level so that anything they did didn’t cross the legal boundaries. His phone was switched off. He wasn’t comfortable with it but the location of the Crime Branch head office was currently under wraps and it was compulsory for visitors to keep their phones switched off.

He hadn’t revealed anything about the meeting to Preeti. She would have insisted on being here. But he didn’t want to endanger her. At least back home Bhim Singh was watching over the house which had a good electronic security system in place. But still it was barely over an hour and he was restless. He wanted to hear her voice…to assure himself she was safe.

They had tried to unearth information from everything they had found so far. But the questions still remained. Who wanted to hurt Preeti twelve years ago? And why? Who gave Vikram the information about them being in the alley and why did Sukhi drive them there? Who killed Sukhi and little Rohit? He was thinking about those threatening messages. Who was against her signing the documents? Why did Romila Devi or anyone else want the ruined fort? The restoration was not affordable for Romila Devi… then… for what?

Tanveer Raisingh was helping him with getting further details about the law for the Gagorn fort acquisition. Somehow his gut feeling had told him the two were linked. They were missing something vital. The rifles in her parent’s home were also intact. In fact there were no finger prints on them nor any evidence of recent usage. Everyone’s alibi had checked out fine… Her father, tayaji and Yash. Even for the burner phone.There was no evidence of money transfers for any sniper… His blood boiled to think of someone harming Preeti. Who the hell was that? And the biggest question remained…. WHY?

He switched on his phone immediately as he left Tanveer’s building and saw a spate of missed calls from Bhim Singh… His heart skipped a beat and he wasted no time in calling him back as he started his car.

All blood drained from his face as he heard the frantic man on the other end. Preeti was kidnapped. He got out of his vehicle and ran back towards Tanveer’s building.

His anger knew no bounds. He wanted the person responsible…he would kill him with bare hands. He called Tanveer from the parking lot and updated him. The local police too had sprung into action. Bhim Singh thankfully had informed them. Preeti’s phone was dropped and crushed outside the Café. Fortunately she had informed Bhim Singh about meeting her cousin. A team of police was sent to Sengar house to bring in Yash for questioning. But he wasn’t there and no one knew about his whereabouts.

Time was running out and Gautam was frustrated. He wanted to punch someone…his eyes kept welling up every time he thought about her smile… her concerned eyes when she knew he was in turmoil…her adoration towards him and her blind trust… Her trust on her folks…she still believed someone was using her family. No wonder she went to meet her cousin. Oh God … what would he do if something happened to her? He couldn’t survive the blow… No…he had to find her…she had to be safe. Whoever had her… also wanted the fort… there was only one way to know that. He called Romila Devi.

“Hello Gautam…to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

“Preeti has been kidnapped…”

“WHAT? Wait…Gautam is it some way you are delaying tomorrow’s signing procedure? If so then you will never know about your birth mother…I Swear on the Almighty…”

He tried to keep his cool. Preeti’s safety was of utmost importance. He swallowed his anger and spoke.

“Romila Devi… Preeti had received threatening messages for not signing. Whoever did that has her. Most probably her cousin Yash Sengar has some hand in it but we need to know why…we have to find her…”

Silence… did he hear sobs?

“..That bastard Yash…. He wasn’t satisfied ruining my son that now he wants what belongs to me?”

Was she smoking weed? She made no sense at all.

“What are you saying Romila Devi?”

“ VIk…Vikram was heterosexual…I think you know that… Yash was involved with him twelve years ago… that pansy had called Vikram to that godforsaken alley and my … my Vikram fell into his trap…”

She wailed but wasn’t still making sense. He ended the call.

Tanveer was hearing this conversation and simultaneously instructed the lady Inspector to pick up Romila Devi for questioning.

“Gautam…” Tanveer called  out to him. “…We have got the footage of the vehicle which took Ms. Sengar…”

“…Mrs. Rathore… or Preeti…” Gautam spoke cutting his short.

Tanveer smiled and continued. “…Preeti was taken in a blue coloured versa. But the number plates were fake. We are following up other CCTV footages obtained across the roads taken….”

“…Which direction did they go Tanveer…?”

“Towards Tijara…”

Oh God they were taking her to the same location…. That alley in…

“Morodi”

“Morodi”

They both said together and Gautam quickly sat in Tanveer’s vehicle as they drove towards the direction…

Gautam looked at the passing scenery his anger building up… His poor Preeti had to face the nightmare all over again. That place … that huge godown in Morodi was where he had first found her.

If only he knew the reason for her suffering he would have moved heaven and earth to end it. But he was determined to give her the closure this time. The mastermind…probably Yash… had to pay for what he had done. Inspector Tanveer kept getting updates from the CCTV footages regularly. They were on track. However after Kishangarh the Versa disappeared and was not spotted. But they both knew she was been taken to that godforsaken place from twelve years ago…

As they crouched slowly on the muddy road…some shortcut which Tanveer took up, Gautam knew only one way to keep his rising anxiety in check. He shut his eyes and brought in the vision of his beautiful Preeti. Just last evening the way she had given herself up in the red room. She had trusted him whole heartedly. It had taken all his anxiety away… he had felt relieved and calm… he usually did whenever she was around. The very vision of her shattering in his arms gave him the determination to keep going toady. He had to be strong for her…

They soon reached the road leading to Morodi. Tanveer parked almost a kilometre away.

There were few other local police with them and a harried looking Bhim Singh also had joined him.

Gautam had asked Bhim Singh to get his revolver along. He had kept his licenced revolver in his locker and was accessible only to Bhim Singh besides him. Tanveer raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

Holding his revolver in position he strutted towards the alley where his life had changed twelve years ago… His mobile phone buzzed with an incoming message. He didn’t want to get distracted but you never knew….It was from a private number. He checked the message.

‘Come alone….else she is dead…’

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