Part 6 Clue
Khushi stood looking at the way in which the bike went. She was
not so sure if he was Arnav but the man looked like him. Though he was wearing
a helmet, she saw his eyes when he looked at the girl behind him, turning his
head. She was weary. Was that Arnav? No... He should not have been!
Taking her phone, she dialed him but she jerked as someone
flicked the fingers in front of her face. She looked at the person flinching.
She was thunderstruck, seeing Arnav standing in front of her.
“You?” She murmured and her lips curved into a smile
unknowingly.
Arnav looked behind him, widening his eyes, and said,
“Haan... Me...! Are you expecting someone? Are you not here for
a coffee date?” He asked, chuckling.
“No... I didn’t mean it”
“Thank God, let’s go” he smiled.
They came to the cafe day and were seated.
“By the way, what reaction was that?” He asked with a lopsided
smile.
“Actually, I saw someone like you” she sighed.
“Someone like me? Interesting...”
“Yeah... His physic looked like you”
“Means?” He frowned.
“He was wearing a helmet but I saw his eyes when he looked at
the girl behind him. It was exactly like yours”
“I just came to India yesterday. I don’t even have a bike.
Adding to it, having a girl behind me is highly illogical” he chuckled.
“But, his eyes looked like yours”
Arnav leaned on the chair, folding his hands. A meaningful smile
crawled on his lips.
“Are my eyes familiar to you to that extent?” He smiled.
Khushi bit the corner of her lower lip suffocating.
“Someone crossed you in the bike. You saw his eyes only for a
few seconds yet, you identified them looking like mine...?”
Khushi looked here and there.
“I too always INTIMATE with your eyes” He smiled
Khushi widened her eyes, hearing the word INTIMATE.
Arnav chuckled at her expression.
“This is the EXPRESSION that got me close to your eyes” He
smiled.
Khushi blushed, looking down.
The bearer came to their table to take orders. Before Khushi
said,
“Two MOCHA...” Arnav said.
Khushi looked at him surprisingly. She didn’t know whether he ordered
Mocha coincidently or knowingly.
“Do you know I like Mocha?”
Arnav smiled without answering.
“I started liking it recently...I always preferred Cappuccino
when we were in college”
His smile broadened which made Khushi frown.
“Were you stalking me?”
He laughed and Khushi sighed.
“How is your friend’s place? Are you comfortable there?”
“I made myself comfortable in a foreign country. Now, I’m in
India... Why won’t I be comfortable here?”
“If you have so many sentiments with India, why did you go to Scotland?
You could have settled down in India?”
“Circumstance... Circumstances forced me to go there”
Khushi didn’t know she could ask what circumstance forced him.
“I didn’t expect you would leave India after your UG. I thought
you would join PG in our college but you went to Scotland. That too without
bidding bye to me. I was fed up you know,” She said looking at the table.
Arnav sensed her disappointment.
“I thought I would not see you again because there were no
updates from you. I didn’t even expect you would attend the alumni function.
But, you have been getting updated about me. You not only attended the alumni
function but also confessed to me. You were even ready to meet my parents. If
you are so willing in me, why didn’t you contact me in these years, at least
for once?”
Arnav moved a little forward.
“Khushi, I had a valid reason for my every action. I didn’t
contact you, only for you...”
Khushi frowned.
“For me? What do you mean?”
“I don’t want to spoil this pleasant date talking about it.
Trust me. After our marriage, I will surely tell you about it”
Khushi became more confused who was already confused. He didn’t
contact her only FOR HER but he didn’t want to spoil their date by talking
about it. What could it be?
The bearer served them Mocha. Khushi sipped it, thinking about
Arnav’s point, whereas Arnav was looking at her confused face.
“As of now, I would like to tell you something that I wanted to
tell you long ago,” he said.
“What?” She asked.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, making her blush.
“You look more beautiful when you blush” he added making her
blush more.
“Are you ready to come to Scotland with me?” He questioned.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Of course, if you are not interested, we will settle down in
India,” Arnav said making her speechless.
Was he even ready to compromise his career for her?
“I will get a good job in India for my profile” he smiled.
“We will think about it later. Let me talk to my parents about
you”
“Mmm... Don’t make me wait...”
“Didn’t you make me wait? What about that?” she asked.
“Are you going to take revenge on me?”
“How could I take revenge on you? If I revenge you, that means
I’m taking revenge on myself” she said, pouting.
He found it cute.
“I realised what I missed” he regretted.
“I just...” She felt bad.
“That’s ok... He who has eaten salt would have to drink
water...”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you”
“I know...”
“I will talk to my parents today.”
“Thanks”
“Mmm... May I ask you something?”
Arnav nodded.
“How did this scar occur?” She pointed at the scar that was on
his left eyebrow.
Arnav suffocated to answer.
“It happened when I was fourteen”
Khushi looked at him as if he was mad because that was not an
answer to her question.
“I think I should not ask you anything” she smiled.
“I will give you the answer one day”
“I hope it will happen before I become old” she tested.
Arnav rolled his eyes.
“Ok...I will tell you everything exactly after one week of our
marriage. Ok?”
Khushi nodded ok confusingly and also excitedly.
“If you want to know the truth soon, make your father arrange
our marriage soon,” Arnav said making her smile.
Arnav took his phone from his pocket, hearing its phone ringing.
He attended the call.
“Haan, Aman…”
“ASR, I got all the missing case details through FAX.”
“That’s good. Get them to your home. I will go through it”
“Ok… by the way, where are you?”
“I’m at Café day”
“With Khushi?”
“Mmm…”
“Oh, enjoy…”
“Thanks” Arnav disconnected the call and was supposed to say
something, but he stopped as Khushi’s phone rang.
She bit the tip of her tongue, seeing the number. She attended
the call.
“Hello…”
“……”
“Yes, sir…”
“…..”
“Yes, sir…”
She disconnected the call and looked at Arnav pouting. Arnav
smiled and said,
“No problem. We will meet tomorrow… if you have time”
“How do you know I want to go?”
“Your lowered tone told me” he smiled.
“I’m sorry… this is unexpected”
“Our career is like that. It’s unavoidable. Let’s go…”
They came out of the Café day, after paying the bill.
“How did you come?” Arnav asked.
“Two-wheeler”
“Do you have one?”
“Without one, I can’t survive…”
“Oh, that means, the two-wheeler is essential than me for you…”
Khushi looked at him raising her left brow.
“I mean, you survived without me but without your two-wheeler…”
“Good comparison” Khushi chuckled.
Sitting on her bike, she wore her helmet.
“Bye…” Khushi started the bike and left the place.
Arnav stood, looking at her until she took a turn. He stopped an
auto and got in to head Aman’s residency.
Aman saw Arnav entering.
“ASR, I’m so impressed with your interest. For this case, do you
come leaving Khushi behind?”
Arnav rolled his eyes.
“She got a call from her office. So, she went”
“Oh…”
Aman brought the file and gave it to Arnav.
“Where is the serial murder file?”
Aman took it from the table and kept it on the tea table.
“I don’t know how you think these cases would have a
connectivity”
Without telling him anything, Arnav checked them keeping them on
the tea table. he compared something in them. His eyes sparkled. Taking a pen,
he wrote something on a paper.
“These two cases would definitely have a connectivity”
“How could you say?”
“Check the dates… On the second day after each girl went
missing, there was a murder happened in Delhi”
Aman pulled the files and checked. He raised his head towards
Arnav slowly, with an unbelievable expression.
Arnav leaned on the couch with a smirk.
To be continued…
Part 7 Resemblance
Aman looked at Arnav unbelievably who was smirking.
“Brilliant, ASR”
“Go and investigate the girls’ parents and friends. You will
find something common in them. Then you will get a clue about the killer”
“I can’t understand one thing”
“What?”
“The girls belonged to the various areas around Delhi. If it is
so, why did the killer bring them to Delhi to murder them? He could have done
that in their area itself. Why did he choose Delhi where the security is always
tight?
“To confuse the cops. If he had thought in the way you think, he
would have gotten caught a long ago. That’s why he should have chosen the
toughest way. So that, the police will not think and connect the cases”
“Yes, now also I can’t think it’s possible”
“Until you get into the case… until you get a clue, you will
think like that only. Go and start investigating. Then everything will be
revealed one by one. And, don’t fix these two cases. If you start
investigating, you may get loops to other cases too…”
Aman nodded thoughtfully.
“Ok, let’s go…”
“Where?”
“To investigate the case”
“Hello, Mr Inspector, it’s your job… remember that” Arnav
smiled.
“Helping your friend is your job. Don’t forget that”
Arnav rolled his eyes.
“What are you going to do sitting at home, ASR? Come with me. it
will be helpful for me if you are with me”
“Will you expect me to be with you in all the cases?”
“No… it’s not necessary because I don’t think I will get such a
problematic case again. Even though I will get such a case again, I will handle
it because I will get enough experience through this case, I suppose”
“Mmm…”
“Let’s go…”
“Now?”
“Yes… why? Do you have any work?”
“Nothing… let’s go”
Aman feed all the addresses on his mobile and left with Arnav.
“Where are we going now?”
“Okhla… it’s just fifteen kilometres from Delhi”
“Oh… ok”
Though Okhla was just fifteen kilometres from Delhi, it took two
and half hours to reach the place due to traffic as it was PEAK HOUR.
They came to the missing girl’s house. A woman in her late
sixties opened the door.
“We are Delhi Police. We are here to inquire about Radha…” Aman
introduced himself.
The woman became serious. Her eyes tear up.
“It’s been six months… the cops are coming and going but no one
is finding my granddaughter. Do you know
how we raised her? She won’t even step out of the house
unnecessarily. She won’t talk to strangers. Her daily routine was, from home to
college and college to home. That’s all” The old lady wiped her tears.
A man came out of the house, hearing her.
“See, they are Delhi Police. Okhla police can do nothing and
Delhi police is here…” The old lady mocked.
“I’m Vasudev. Radha is my daughter”
“We are from Delhi. We are here to investigate your daughter”
Vasudev nodded.
“come in…” he said looking at his surroundings as his neighbours
were peeping from their houses.
Arnav ran his eyes in the house. The man should have finished
his evening Pooja just now. The smell of the incense sticks was so pleasant.
“Sir, did you get any information about my daughter?” The man
asked.
“We just got the case in our hand… that’s why we came to meet
you”
“Mmm”
“Which college does your daughter study?”
“Dadabhai Naoroji Women’s College…”
“Did she have friends?”
“She had two or three friends but none of them visited our place
nor she went to their houses”
Aman raised his brows wondering.
“Her concentration was always on her studies, sir. She won’t
even talk to anyone unnecessarily”
“Did she have any personal problems?”
“There was nothing called personal in her life, sir. She won’t
hide anything from us”
“Shall we see her room?”
“She didn’t have an individual room. She stayed with my mother
in her room”
“Didn’t she have an individual cupboard and locker too?”
“Yes, she had…”
“Shall we?”
Vasudev nodded and guided them. The room looked simple and clean
with two wooden cots.
“This is Radha’s cupboard” Vasudev opened it.
Aman searched in the cupboard but Arnav stayed still. He didn’t
touch the cupboard. Aman searched it thoroughly but he didn’t find anything.
that disappointed him.
Taking Vasudev’s leave, they came out. Arnav saw Aman’s hung
face.
“What happened?”
“I thought we would get some clues about the case…”
“Didn’t you get it?”
Aman looked at him perplexed.
“Did you get?”
“All the other girl’s family will also be like the same…”
“Means?”
“Orthodox… the girls would also be good girls with limited
friends and would belong to conservative families”
“How are you saying that?”
“I just guessed”
“How?”
“You will get to know that if you inquire Radha’s friends”
“We will go to her college tomorrow morning”
“Mmm”
“By the way, why didn’t you show interest in searching her
cupboard?”
“The local police would have already searched it. There is
nothing other than college books and clothes. Then, what’s there to search?”
“I can’t understand the way you guess things”
“If you understand that, you would have been a professor at a
Scotland University” Arnav teased.
Aman glared at him.
“Let’s go…”
They started towards Delhi and reached after one hour. They came
to a restaurant to have dinner. Aman saw Arnav thinking something.
“Are you thinking about Khushi?”
Arnav smiled.
“When will you meet her parents to take your love story
further?”
“Soon…”
“What will you do if they don’t agree to your marriage?” he
asked teasingly.
“I will take Khushi to Scotland…simple”
Aman was stunned.
“Simple? Like really? Are you planning to elope with her?”
“Why should I…? I will go after informing them daringly…”
Aman raised his brows.
“But, I don’t think, it will happen. Her parents will agree to
our marriage.”
“May I ask you something?”
Arnav smiled. He knew what Aman was going to ask.
“If you are so interested in marrying Khushi to this extent, why
didn’t you make any moves before?”
Arnav was about to answer, but stopped hearing,
“That’s what I too can’t understand”
They saw Khushi standing. Arnav spilt a surprising smile.
“Hi… what are you doing here?”
“Just going home. Saw you guys entering the restaurant… So, came
here”
She sat next to Arnav, pulling a chair.
“Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet… will have at home”
“Have with us…”
Khushi didn’t deny it.
“By the way, Khushi, are you ready to go to Scotland with him if
your parents don’t agree to your marriage?”
“They will agree,” she said confidently.
“How are you so confident?”
“Why won’t they agree? He is an eligible bachelor. Anyone will
accept him as their son-in-law”
“By the way, how do you know he is still a BACHELOR?”
Aman asked teasingly, making Arnav and Khushi stunned.
“He has been in a foreign country for more than seven years… he
might have a family there Khushi. be careful” Aman laughed.
Arnav punched his bicep and made him laugh more.
“You may be right, Aman. After all, he is a criminology
professor… he should know all the criminal things…”
Khushi said looking at
him through the corner of her eyes.
Arnav chuckled.
“ASR, you should get angry, instead of smiling”
“You guys are talking something interesting that I never thought
of…” he smiled.
“Khushi is not wrong though. You know all the criminal things…
don’t you?”
“Of course, I know… until we think like a criminal, we can’t
reach the criminal. We should think in the way a criminal does…”
“That means, you agree that you are a criminal…!”
Aman teased.
“Just because I think like a criminal, I can’t be a criminal.
Will you say, a writer who writes a killer story killed
someone to write the story?” Arnav asked mockingly.
Aman and Khushi laughed.
“I surrender…” Aman raised his hands.
“By the way, why are you guys here leaving all the good
restaurants in your area?” Khushi asked.
“We are from Okhla…” Arnav said.
“Okhla? Why did you go there?”
“For an investigation…”
“Oh…”
“We will go there tomorrow too,” Aman said.
“Khushi, will you join us?”
“Me?”
“Yeah… because we are going to meet the girl’s friends tomorrow.
If you are with us, the girls will feel comfortable”
“Mmm… ok, I will join you”
“Get ready a little earlier. Then we can avoid terrific traffic”
Arnav said.
“Yeah, sure”
They had dinner discussing the case. Arnav told what Khushi
should do the next day.
Aman paid the bill. They came out.
“Aman, you go home. I will come after dropping Khushi
home” Arnav said.
“Aham aham… go ahead…” he teased.
Arnav extended his hand asking for her bike key. Khushi gave it
to him. Wearing a helmet, he started the bike and Khushi sat behind him. Khushi
waved her hand at Aman and they left the place.
Khushi touched his shoulder. Arnav smiled at her turning his
face. Khushi was stuck. Arnav resembled the bike man whom she saw that evening
with a girl.
To be continued…
Part 8 Program Cancelled
Arnav and Khushi came to GH. Shashi saw them coming together on
Khushi’s bike. It was Arnav who rode the bike. He frowned. Making himself up,
he headed to the living room.
Arnav stopped the bike in front of GH.
“come in,” Khushi called him in.
Arnav didn’t deny it. He came inside with Khushi.
Garima welcomed him with a smile.
“How are you, Arnav beta?”
“Fine”
“Have you adjusted yourself to India?” Garima raised the
question, making Arnav taken aback.
“What question is this, Aunty? India is my country…”
“But, it’s been a long since you left India. That’s why I asked”
“I will be an Indian. No matter what”
“That’s nice to hear”
They saw Shashi descending the stairs.
“Hello, uncle” Arnav smiled.
“Take your seat Arnav” Shashi said and sat.
Arnav took a seat in front of him.
“Uncle, I want to talk to you,” Arnav said.
Khushi looked at him perplexed. What was he going to talk?
Shashi and Garima glanced at each other.
“Tell me, Arnav”
“I like Khushi. I would like to marry her. I came to India only
to take the proposal forward… “
Khushi who was looking at him, switched her gaze to Shashi.
“Do you know this?” Shashi questioned.
Khushi nodded yes and said,
“He told me”
“When?”
“Yesterday… in the Alumni function. According to me, it’s too
late”
“Means?”
“I have been waiting for him to propose to me, Dad”
“what do you mean, Khushi?” Garima asked.
“I too loved him, Amma. I liked him when we were in college but
he kept his distance from me. As he went to Scotland, I thought he had no
interest in me but now, he came and proposed to me…” She stopped and looked at
Arnav.
“I would like to marry him, Dad”
Shashi looked at Garima.
“But, he is in Scotland…” Garima said.
“He is ready to settle down in India with me… for me…”
Khushi took Arnav’s side.
“Do you have anyone for yourself?”
“I have no one except my Nani. She is in an Ashram. I will bring
her if you want to meet her”
“We will go to Ashram to meet her,” Khushi said excitedly.
Arnav looked at Shashi and Garima.
“I mean… all of us…” Khushi said with an awkward smile.
“So, you want us to accept his proposal…” Shashi asked.
“I will be happy if you accept it, Dad”
“What if I won’t accept?”
Khushi was embarrassed.
“I love Arnav, Dad”
Shashi looked at Garima and said,
“What should we do, Garima? Do you understand why your daughter
didn’t like anyone before?”
Garima nodded yes.
“Actually, Dad… It’s because…”
“You love Arnav”
Khushi was silent.
“What do you want us to do, Garima?”
“This is her life. We should go with her I suppose”
“You are right. If we don’t agree to their wedding, we
will find her only in Scotland, I suppose” Shashi said and
Garima smiled.
“Dad…”
“Will you be here if we don’t agree?”
Khushi bit her lip awkwardly. Arnav looked at her smilingly.
“We will go to your Nani’s Ashram to meet her,” Shashi said.
Arnav nodded ok.
“You can shift here if your friend’s place is not
comfortable for you,” Shashi said.
“No, uncle. I’m involved in his case. He needs me. So, I should
have to be with him”
“Oh… if you get into the case, will you have time for your
wedding?”
“Yeah…” Arnav smiled.
“OK, fix a day to meet your Nani”
“Sure uncle” Arnav stood up.
“I’m leaving. I have to go to Okhla tomorrow morning
for an investigation”
“Ok… if you need any help, please don’t hesitate”
“Sure, uncle. Bye”
“Bye…”
Arnav looked at Khushi who nodded smiling. He left
GH.
Shashi waited for him to leave.
“So, this is why you denied marrying anyone?” Shashi
asked.
Khushi was silent.
“If you love him, you could have told me. I would have spoken to
him…”
“No, Dad… I was not sure if he loved me”
“If you were not sure, how did you deny marrying
anyone?”
“I denied marrying anyone not because I loved Arnav.
It’s because they were not like Arnav”
Shashi raised his brows.
“Do you think he will suit you?”
“Definitely, Dad… I thought he too loved me because his gestures
told me so. As I expected, he loves me”
“If he had feelings for you, why didn’t he confess it to you?”
Garima asked.
“He concentrated on his career to make himself firm”
Garima looked at Shashi and asked.
“Without thinking anything, you agreed to meet his Nani… why?”
“I like his approach. That’s why”
“What approach?”
“He proposed to Khushi yesterday and got to know her interest.
Then, came to our house to take it further. Neither I didn’t drag it unnecessarily
nor did he think of roaming around Delhi with Khushi. He looks mature
enough. That’s why I agreed”
“After all, he is a professor”
“Yeah, more than that, when Khushi is equally interested in him,
what was there to think? They were not kids. They knew what’s right and wrong…
let’s do it”
“Thank you, Dad”
“Arnav will be in India for a month, right?”
“Yes, Dad…”
“Mmm… we will send him back to Scotland as a married man, what
say Garima?”
She chuckled looking at Khushi who smiled with a blush.
……
Arnav came to Aman’s place. Aman was watching the news.
“Why are you late?”
“I spoke to Khushi’s father”
“About?”
“About marrying Khushi”
“Whaaat? Have you finished?”
“Yeah, he agreed”
“Really…? Unbelievable…”
“Why?”
“You just came to India yesterday, confessed your love to
Khushi, met her in a restaurant today, went to her house, asked her hand for
marriage, and finalized… Mmmm… after all, you are a foreign Groom…”
Arnav chuckled.
“Aman, you know what, you are using your brain a lot in unwanted
analyses. If you used it in your case, you would have completed it a long ago”
“what to do, this case is too tough to even think about. It
confused my poor brain. Did you notice one thing?”
“What?”
“Its features are only impossibilities. The killer traveled in a
way WE could not guess…”
“Not WE… YOU…”
“Not only me, ASR. The officer who handled the case before me
also didn’t get anything”
“Oh… are not you the first person?”
“No… I got the case only after the fifth murder”
“And, you travelled in the same way the previous officer travelled.
Right?”
“No, I just took highlighted points and moved them in my style”
Arnav nodded. If Aman was the second officer, he must be a
talented officer because the department would hand the critical case to the
talented officer only.
“We will have to go to Okhla tomorrow morning… right?” Arnav
asked.
“Why doubt ASR? Do you have any program?”
“No… you are a police officer. How do we know when will your
higher officials need you?”
“Even though they want me, I’m not ready to go”
“Why?”
“I know what should be concentrated on. I want to do something
about this case…”
“Mmm”
“You know, the commissioner wanted to bring a secret agent to
this case”
“Is it?”
“Yes, I won’t blame him. The situation was like that”
“If you want to contact a secret agent, I can help you”
“Yeah, why not? You are a professor… your students might have
become secret agents…”
Arnav nodded.
“No need, ASR. Help me until I get the EDGE of the thread. After
that, I can manage.”
“Are you sure?”
Aman nodded yes.
“Let’s go to sleep. We will have to leave early in the morning”
“Yup”
They went to their respective rooms.
The next morning
Khushi started from GH and headed Aman’s residency. So that, she
could leave her two-wheeler in his house and go with them in the car.
When she was halfway to Aman’s place, she got a call. She turned
the blue tooth on to answer.
“Khushi, the program canceled…” Arnav said.
“But why? Did Aman get any emergency work?”
“No… I’m not feeling well”
“whattt? What happened?”
“Food poison I suppose”
“But, we all ate in the same restaurant…”
“But ate different dishes…”
“Mmm”
“We will go tomorrow”
“Mmm… shall I come to Aman’s place?”
“Why? Are you going to serve me?”
“Should not I do it?”
“No need… I can manage… will talk to you later” he disconnected
the call.
Khushi looked at the phone frowning. She stood for a few
seconds. She wanted to go to Aman’s place to meet Arnav but she didn’t know if
she could go there as it was just 7 o’clock. Taking a U-turn, she headed to GH.
She stopped the bike in a signal. The left side signal changed. The vehicles
crossed her. When a particular car crossed, she was shocked to see the person
in the car. It was Arnav. He was wearing a cap and goggles. More to her shock,
a girl sitting next to him. She was leaning on the seat, closing her eyes, and
wearing a mask.
To be continued…
Part 9 Xerox?
Khushi was shocked to see Arnav going somewhere with a girl. Who
was she? Where was he taking her? How did he know the girl? He should have
gotten her friendship through Facebook or Instagram. Or she may have gone to
Scotland for some purpose. There were many possibilities to get girlfriends
these days. Didn’t Aman say, Arnav had been out of India for more than seven
years and he could even have a family there?
She could not tolerate it. Was this why she waited for him for
seven years? Why did she have a crush on him leaving thousands of students in
her college? Damn… it was because no one was like him, from in and out. She had
a crush on him not just because he was handsome. It was because he was the only
one who helped her when she needed it. Still, she could not believe Arnav would
be wrong.
Khushi was restless. She looked at the car that was fading from
her sight. The signal was still RED. She could not follow the car, no matter if
she rode the bike fast. Still, she was not ready to leave this issue. She
wanted to catch Arnav RED-HANDED if he was wrong. Taking a U-turn, she again
headed Aman’s residency.
“Let me see, now what will he say” She murmured.
Though she wanted to catch him, she didn’t want him to be wrong.
Her hands shivered and her heart rushed. She prayed to god that Arnav should be
at home, taking a rest.
Khushi came to Aman’s residency and stopped the bike. She
wondered seeing the door open. She pushed the door wide and entered.
Aman peeped from the kitchen and saw Khushi standing. He widened
his eyes and smiled. He pointed at a room. Khushi walked into it and sighed,
seeing Arnav lying on the bed. He looked weak. She sat on a chair with a thud.
Arnav smiled at her. They heard,
“Didn’t I say?”
Khushi turned behind and saw Aman smiling.
“I told him, Khushi. you would not stay back after knowing he
was not well. See, she is here”
Arnav nodded yes. Aman handed him a glass.
“Thanks, Aman” Taking it Arnav sipped it.
“I’m sorry, Khushi. I can’t give it to you because this is ORS” Arnav
smiled weakly.
“But, I can… wait” Aman went out.
Khushi came to the bed and sat next to him. Arnav stopped
drinking and looked at her.
“Arnav, I saw the man who looked like you”
“It seems you are seeing me in everyone who crosses you” Arnav
smiled mildly.
“No, I saw him clearly. He was wearing a cap and coolers. I just
can’t believe there is someone who resembles you to this extent. It’s
unbelievable.”
Arnav shrank his eyes.
“Anyone will believe he is your TWIN. He is resembling you to
that extent. He looked like your XEROX copy.”
Arnav gulped down hard. There was an unknown restlessness on his
face.
“Are you… are you sure?”
“Damn, sure… I’m sorry to say this. I felt dejected, seeing him
because I thought it was you. That’s why I came here to check whether you are
really ill”
Arnav looked at her jerking.
“So what if he resembled me? What’s there to feel dejected?”
“It’s because he was with a girl. She was sleeping, leaning on
the seat, wearing a mask”
“A girl?” Arnav was horrified.
“Yes, I’m not sure if she was the same girl…”
“Did you see her face?”
“I saw the bike girl but the car girl was wearing a mask and was
sleeping”
“Car…” Arnav was thoughtful.
Taking a pen and paper, Khushi wrote something and passed it to
Arnav.
“This is the car number”
Arnav took it but he didn’t seem interest to even look at it.
That was when Aman came there with a teacup and handed it to
Khushi.
“I’m glad to see you caring for Arnav,” Aman said.
Arnav looked at Khushi meaningfully.
“I’m sorry Aman, I came here to confirm if he is really ill”
Aman looked at Arnav who nodded yes.
“But why should he lie? Why did you think so?”
“Because of you, I thought so”
“Because of me?”
“Yeah… didn’t you say, he can have a family in Scotland? I
thought he cancelled the program for his family”
Aman stared at her for a whole minute and burst out laughing. He
didn’t take it seriously.
“You are so funny” he continued laughing.
Arnav was in deep thought. He didn’t get into their
conversation.
“Actually I was worried about how to leave him alone in this
state…” Aman said.
“Don’t worry, I will be with him”
“Really?”
Khushi nodded yes. Aman sighed in relief.
“So, will you be with ASR?”
“I said yes”
“I’m sorry Khushi. I got to go…”
Arnav looked at Aman frowning, as he didn’t tell him anything about
it. Aman answered, understanding his look.
“Another missing case filed in Sulthanpur, ASR”
“When?” Arnav sat straight.
“Yesterday night. The girl named Swasti has been missing since
yesterday early in the morning”
Arnav stood up.
“What happened, ASR?”
“We have to do an investigation about the girl”
“But, you are not well…”
“Let’s go to the hospital. I will be all right if I’m injected”
“But, what’s so urgent, ASR? We have a long list to investigate.
We can’t do it right away”
“We have to… especially the one… Swasti”
It was not hard for Aman to understand why Arnav wanted to hurry
up. On the second day after each girl went missing, there was a murder happened
in Delhi. If it was so, Swasti went missing yesterday and the murder might have
happened today. Aman also became nervous.
“You are right, ASR. We should hurry up. I will go and collect
the details of the case. You join me after getting injected”
“Is it necessary?” Khushi asked.
“Yes, Khushi… it’s indeed necessary. If my guess is right, a
murder will happen in Delhi today” Arnav said.
“He is right…”
“Aman, before collecting the case details, made sure that the
security of all the tollbooths and check posts of Delhi tightened”
Aman nodded ok.
“Ask them to track this car number” Arnav handed the car number
given by Khushi which horrified her.
Aman looked at him with confusion.
“Whose car number is this, ASR?”
“Khushi gave it to me. She saw someone taking a girl in the car.
The girl was unconscious it seems”
“So what if she is unconscious? She might be taken to the
hospital too”
“Why should we give the chance to the killer?” Arnav said.
Aman looked at the car number.
“Do you think the killer would daringly roam in this car?”
“No, this car can’t be the killer’s car. He would have looted it
from someone”
Aman and Khushi looked at each other.
“Then, why do you want me to track this car?”
“He is presently in this car. He would use it until he finished
the girl. So, we should hurry”
Aman nodded ok and grabbed his phone from his pocket. He called
the control room and asked them to track the car. Khushi was gazing at Arnav.
Why did he connect the dots hurriedly?
“And find the owner of the car,” Arnav said,
Aman dialled the RTO officer and asked for the address of the
real owner of the car.
“Give me five minutes, Sir. I will send the address”
“Yeah,” Aman disconnected the call.
“Go to the hospital, ASR”
“Mmm”
“I will take him” Khushi said.
Aman nodded ok.
Arnav and Khushi went to the hospital. Arnav was looking at his
watch again and again. He was nervous like hell. Khushi’s words were echoing in
his head.
*Anyone will believe he is your TWIN. He is resembling you to
that extent. He looked like your XEROX copy*
Arnav was injected. He was asked to be in a rest for a while.
“Let’s go, Khushi” he stood up from the bed.
“No way… the doctor wants you to rest”
“It’s not necessary, Khushi”
“It is… sit…” she sat on the bed.
Arnav rolled his eyes and sat next to her.
“Take a rest for a while, like a good boy”
Arnav smiled.
“Why do you think the man who resembles you would be the serial
killer?”
“Just a guess” Arnav checked the prescription.
“Guess? You have not seen him… you don’t know who he is… but,
you guess he would be the killer?”
Arnav was about to say something, but, he stopped as his phone
rang. he removed his phone and attended to it.
“How are you Chotte?”
“I’m fine Nani. How are you?”
Khushi sat straight.
“I’m fine… when will I get a chance to meet you?”
“Will come to meet you soon with your Bahu”
“Really?”
“Yeah… I spoke to her parents. They want to meet you”
“If you want me to come to meet them, I will…”
“That’s ok, Nani. They are ready to come to the Ashram”
“I will be waiting for you”
“OK, Nani, see you”
“Bye,” She disconnected the call.
Arnav smiled at Khushi and closed his eyes, leaning on the bed.
Khushi let him sleep for a while. Though Arnav didn’t sleep, he
was closing his eyes to avoid Khushi’s questions.
They left the hospital only after the doctor permitted them.
That was when Arnav received the call from Aman.
“ASR, your guess is right. The next murder happened in her
outskirt Delhi” Aman said.
Arnav fisted his fingers, closing his eyes.
To be continued…
Part 10 The Twins
“ASR, your guess is right. The next murder happened on the
outskirts of Delhi” Aman said.
Arnav fisted his fingers, closing his eyes.
“But, this time, we got a clue unlike before, ASR...”
“What clue?” Arnav asked curiously.
“As we alerted the tollbooths and the checkposts about the car,
the police found the car by tracking it.”
“But, I told you it would not have been the killer’s car”
“Yes, you are right. It’s not the killer’s car. We checked it.
The RTO officer sent me the owner's details. I called the person. He said his
car had been missing for two days. He has an FIR copy too”
Arnav didn’t wonder. He knew somewhat this was how it must be.
“Ok, then what clue you guys got?”
“The police found a half-burnt dead body of a girl”
“Is it?”
“Yes, ASR, this is the first evidence we have ever gotten. In
the previous cases, we found only ashes. We didn’t even know whether it was a
man or a woman but now, we found it. I think we are traveling on the right
path. I hope we will reach the killer soon. Thank you so much, ASR. If you had
not guided me, I would have missed the killer this time too…” Aman’s voice
overflew with joy.
“But, we could not save the girl” Arnav regretted.
“At least we got a clue. According to me, it’s the biggest progress
of the case.”
“Mmm”
“How are you feeling now, ASR?”
“I’m all right. Khushi made me take enough rest”
“She did a good job. I’m going to the spot. I want you to come
to the spot if you feel better”
“I will come...”
“Thank you, ASR”
“Mmm”
Arnav disconnected the call and looked at Khushi.
“The next murder happened. Aman wants me to go to the spot”
“Whaaaat? Have you gone mad? You are not feeling well…”
She was shocked.
“I’m much better now, Khushi. You too join me…”
“Then? How can I let you go alone in this condition?”
“I’m all right, Khushi”
“This is how you work without a rest?” She asked frowning.
“Not all the time… only if it is necessary”
“What’s necessary that you are going to the spot now? Is it your
work or what?”
“I promised Aman that I would be with him in this case. He wants
me”
Khushi rolled her eyes.
“Ok, let’s go… we will keep your promise together…” she
mocked.
“You can stay if you are not interested”
She glared at him and said,
“Stop annoying me. Let’s go” She walked.
Arnav followed her smilingly. Khushi started the bike and looked
at Arnav.
“I can ride,” He said.
“Won’t you sit behind a woman? Is it a prestige issue for you?”
She asked sarcastically even though he was not that kind.
Arnav rolled his eyes and sat behind her, giving her an answer
by his action.
Khushi drove the bike. He guided Khushi to the location sent by
Aman.
“Khushiii…” Arnav called her, coming close to her.
“Mmm?” She looked at him through the mirror.
“I have no prestige issues… especially, with you”
Khushi smiled.
“I can even hug you” he added.
Khushi pressed the brake and looked at him stunningly. Arnav
controlled his smile for a few seconds and burst out laughing.
Khushi shook her head from left to right smilingly and started
again.
“Why did you show so much shock, hearing the word HUG? Is it
wrong or what?”
“Mmm… You had a crush on me but didn’t let me know, you grew
your feelings for me but kept quiet but when you proposed, you directly want to
hug me?”
“Directly? I already hugged you more than five thousand times…”
Khushi again pressed the brake and looked at him stunningly.
“At least two times per day… in the last seven years…” he said
meeting her hazels.
Khushi gulped down hard.
“I just am longing for my imagination to come true” he smiled.
Khushi sat straight averting her gaze. She didn’t know how to
react to it.
“If you are suffocating, may I ride?” he asked.
Khushi made up herself and geared the bike up. Arnav was
continuously smiling and she knew that. She watched him through the rearview
mirror.
They reached the spot. Stopping the bike, Khushi followed Arnav.
They saw Aman examining the half-burnt dead body. Khushi stopped moving,
looking at the dead body shockingly.
Arnav saw her not moving.
“What happened, Khushi?”
“Arnav, didn’t I say, I saw a girl with a man who looked like
you?”
“Haan...”
“The girl was wearing the same tops” she pointed at the dead
body.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m damn sure... Because I too have the same tops” she said
panicking.
Arnav looked at Aman and called him.
“Yes, ASR...”
“Aman, contact the parents of the missing girl and ask them to
come”
“Who?”
“Swasti...”
“Do you think this girl would be Swasti...”
“Yes, give it a try first”
Aman nodded. He removed his mobile and dialled the Sulthanpur
station. He asked them to bring the parents of the missing girl, Swasti.
Khushi was silently watching Arnav with a lot of questions in
her mind.
They waited for her parents to arrive. They were nervous,
frightened, tensed, whatnot.
“Ma’am, could you please check if she is your daughter?”
The woman nodded, NO crying.
“I can’t… she would not be my daughter… she would not have come
this long…” she said fearfully.
“This is torture…” Khushi murmured looking somewhere feeling sad
for the woman.
Arnav also felt bad for her. That was a punishment for anyone to
identify their loved ones.
“We will be glad if she is not your daughter. You too will be
happy. That’s why we want you to check. Does your daughter have any
identification marks on her body?” Aman asked.
The woman nodded yes.
“Please…”
The woman came to the dead body and checked its left ankle. She
saw a mole in the girl’s ankle of the body and cried her heart out which
squeezed their hearts.
It was confirmed that the missing girl was the one who was
killed. Arnav went to the father of the girl who was crying.
“Sir, please don’t mistake me. I should not disturb you at this
moment but we need your help. Then only we can catch the killer. Do you have
your daughter’s photograph? If yes, please give us”
He nodded crying and took his mobile out. He had kept his
daughter’s photo as his mobile screen saver. Taking it, Arnav showed it to
Khushi.
“She is the one who you saw, right?” Arnav asked.
Khushi looked at him shockingly. Yes, she was the same girl she
saw with the bike man.
She nodded yes.
“Aman, connect the murders with the missing girls, according to
the dates of the murder,” Arnav said.
Aman nodded.
“If the missing girls are murdered, the case will come to an end
ASR...”
“Not until the killer is caught,” Arnav said.
Aman nodded and left the place. Arnav saw Khushi gazing at him.
He smiled at her. Her question made his smile vanish.
“How did you guess the guy would be the killer?”
“Just guessed...”
“No... No one could guess CORRECTLY without knowing about the
man deeply. I just said he resembled you. Without any second thought, you
handed his car number to Aman and asked him to trace the car. That’s not a
simple guess... It could not be...! But, you did... How did you do it?”
“I said it’s a guess”
“No... There should be an invisible but strong string between
you two that made you guess it. Who is the guy that resembles you? What’s the
connection between you and him?”
Arnav walked from the crowd. Khushi stood gazing at him. Arnav
stopped walking and looked at her. He sighed. He again came to her.
“What do you want to know?”
Khushi looked at him without answering.
“Ok, I will tell you. Now, come with me” Arnav again walked.
Khushi walked with him parallel and asked,
“What does that mean? Do you know him?”
“We will talk later”
“Why not now?”
Arnav continued walking without answering.
“Tell me, Arnav... What are you hiding from me? Why?”
“Khushi... Be patient”
“No… I won’t… enough of being patient… I have been patient
for seven years…”
Arnav closed his eyes.
“Tell me who the hell is he?”
Arnav opened his eyes and said,
“My brother… my Twin”
To be continued…
Part 11 About the Twin
“Tell me who the hell he is?” Khushi asked.
Arnav opened his eyes and said,
“My brother… my twin…”
Khushi was shocked.
“Whaaaat? Brother? Is he your twin?”
Arnav plainly looked at her.
“Is the serial killer your brother?”
“Unfortunately…”
“Why didn’t you tell me about him? Why no one knows
about him? Why did he become a serial killer?”
“I want to tell you everything. This is what I
wanted to talk to you about after our marriage”
“That means, is he the reason you went to Scotland?”
“Yes… he is the reason I hid my feelings for you”
“What do you mean? I can’t understand anything” She
clutched her hair wearily.
“I know it will make you tense. That’s why I wanted
to tell you about it at one relaxing moment… from the beginning”
“From the beginning?”
“Yes… it’s not a matter of today…! Let’s go,”
Khushi stood without moving. Clutching her hand,
Arnav walked. He brought her to her bike. Taking the water bottle, he forwarded
it to her. Khushi didn’t deny it. She gulped a few sips of water. Arnav waited.
She looked at him and said,
“Could you tell me now?”
Arnav nodded.
“We are twins. Aarav is an elder. Yeah… his name is
Aarav. When we were five years old, our parents died in an accident. Our Nani
took our responsibility. Aarav would not be quiet for a while. He always nagged
me…. fought with me… wounded me...! My Nani thought he was naughty. She
struggled to handle him. She could not control him no matter how hard she
tried”
“Didn’t he like you?”
“I too thought the same but he did the same with his
schoolmates too… we kept receiving complaints about him because he became more
mischievous. Some students tried to attack me because they thought I was Aarav.
They could not find the difference between me and him. in fact, there was no
difference between us. We resembled like hell. He became a headache to me and
Nani. One day, he threw a flower vase at me… for fun”
“For fun…?” she frowned.
“Mmm… It wounded my left brow and I started bleeding
like hell. I had two stitches on my brow. The doctor shouted my Nani as the
wound was so close to my eye. Only a few millimeters gap between my eye and the
wound. I would have lost my eye if the vase had hit my eye”
Khushi looked at his left brow and saw the stitching
scar.
“Is this the scar?”
Arnav nodded.
“Then?”
“Nani decided to send him to a boarding school
because she understood he was hurting me intentionally. We thought he just
hated me. Nani told him about the boarding school but he didn’t react to it. We
didn’t expect it. He left the house as if he had no relationship with us. We
thought he was upset with us”
“What was his age when he went to the boarding
school?”
“Thirteen… we were studying ninth standard at that
time. We thought he settled down in the boarding school as we didn’t receive
any complaints from the school. His boarding school was located in a hill
station. It gave a pleasant feel to anyone. We thought he too liked the
location. So, he adopted it wholly. But, when he came home on holiday. I didn’t
see any difference in him. He did the same with me… in fact, more severely”
“Won’t you defend yourself?”
“I JUST defended…! For my Nani…! I don’t want to
trouble her by doing the same as Aarav. More than that, I tolerated him because
it was a matter of a few days. I felt happy and relieved when he went back to
the boarding school.
“Why was he so?”
Arnav nodded his head like WAIT.
“When we were in the twelfth standard, my Nani
received a call from his school. My Nani fainted hearing the news”
“What news?”
“Aarav was arrested for killing a girl”
“Whaaaat?”
Arnav nodded yes.
“We ran to his school. We listened to many stories
about him there”
“What stories?”
“There was a girl called Nita in his class. She fell
in love with him as he looked charming. At first, he didn’t show interest in
her but she didn’t back off. She roamed behind him wherever he went. At one
point, she was even ready to submit herself to him and she
did that”
Khushi raised her brows.
“She was also twelfth right?”
Arnav nodded yes.
“She was a rich girl. Her parents were abroad. Many
boys had a crush on her but Aarav didn’t give heed to her. That made her fall
for him…”
“Then?”
“That was the point, he found something…”
“What?’
“As it was his first time, he became excited to see
a girl’s nudity. He intimated with her violently which the girl could not stand
as she was a virgin. She screamed in pain… he LIKED it”
“What do you mean?”
Arnav gulped down hard.
“That’s what he is… he was CONDUCT DISORDER affected
guy”
Khushi was horrified because she knew what conduct
disorder meant. The conduct disorder guys would ENJOY other’s PAIN.
“Being a forensic personality, you would have known
what conduct disorder is. The YOUNGEST SERIAL KILLER OF THE WORLD had conduct disorder…”
Cutting him,
“Amarjeet Sada… an eight-year-old boy…killed three
kids in Bihar…”
Arnav nodded yes.
“He was just eight years old. So, he directly killed
kids to get happiness. Aarav was a teenager… he tortured others until he got to
know the pleasure of SEX. At the same time of sex, he admired their painful
faces. It gave him an extreme level of pleasure… he hit two birds with a single
stone through sex”
“Did he kill Nita?”
“No… he called her again the very next day to
intimate”
“Whaaat?”
“As she didn’t come, he broke up with her and
started to trap girls. He did that with his good looks. Girls fell for him
easily. He started to apply his skills to do that. His eyes fell on a girl who
had fetching features but she didn’t give heed to him as she was already
committed. It made him furious. He called her to a lonely place.”
“Did she go?”
“Yes, because he sent a little boy and asked him to
say, her boyfriend was calling her. So, she ought to come”
“Did he kill her?”
“After raping her…”
Khushi gulped down hard.
“That was the case he got trapped. The little boy
who carried his message became the witness of the case. The police arrested
him. They subjected him to medical tests. That was when they found out that he
was a conduct disorder patient. Aarav was sent to REFORM school as he was an
under nineteen. Though he was subjected to the treatment, he could not come out
of it. He escaped from the Reform school. He was caught again and sent to jail
as he was not a teenager at that time and turned adult”
“Did his sentence get over?”
“No… he got a few criminals’ friendships in the jail
and again escaped”
“Is it?”
“Yes, after rapping a girl, he came to our house to
hide but Nani denied helping him. I informed the police which made him furious.
He stabbed me with a knife and ran from our house”
“Whaaat?”
“I was admitted to the hospital. after a long
struggle only, I was saved. After my discharge, I got a call from Aarav”
“What did he say?”
“He felt bad…”
“Is it?”
“Yeah… for not stabbing me well…” he chuckled.
Khushi widened her eyes.
“He challenged me that he would not let me be in
peace and would ruin my life for betraying him”
“This is ridiculous…”
“Mmm…”
“Didn’t police find him?”
“No… they could not find him. Some of his criminal
friends helped him I suppose. I still don’t know why they helped him because
the criminals would not help anyone without benefit. I don’t know what they got
from Aarav”
“Then?”
“I joined Criminology only to tackle him because I
kept getting his calls. All of them were threatening calls. I could not take
him easily because I knew he would do anything”
“Was he in Delhi at the time?”
“No… he was not in Delhi because no crime occurred
in Delhi. After some days, a few girls were killed in Allahabad. Of course,
they were raped. I got an alert. I went to Lucknow and told them about Aarav.
They collected his fingerprints and DNA samples from the previous cases. Aarav
got to know that and shouted at me that he would kill me for sure. That was
when I got to know he was watching me closely”
“But how?”
“Through some of his criminal friends, I suppose”
“Oh…”
“That was when you joined our college. I know he was
closely watching me through someone. that was why I didn’t get close to you nor
did I confess to you because I didn’t want you to get into trouble and he would
definitely do that to revenge me”
“Then, how did you get the courage now?”
“I thought he was dead”
“Whaaat?” he frowned.
“Yes, six months ago, I got a message from the
Lucknow police that Aarav had died in a fire accident. They confirmed it”
“How is it possible in a fire accident?”
“They found a few of his things at the spot. His DNA
and fingerprints matched. Until you said you saw a man who resembled me, I
didn’t know he was still alive”
“As you got to know he is still alive? What are you
going to do now?” She asked hesitatingly.
“Do you think I will back off from your proposal?”
“I just…”
“I’m not the same Arnav who ONLY defended him a few
years ago. I’m a skilful criminology professor now. I know how a criminal will
think and act. I will tackle him…”
“What if he attacks me?” She bit her nail nervously.
“Just follow my instructions… you will easily tackle
him”
“How?”
Arnav said how to tackle him. Khushi was shocked to
the core to hear that but Arnav looked calm.
To be continued…
Comments
Post a Comment