Everyone kept a wide berth of Arnav as he entered Sing Steel’s offices, later than usual. He made his way up the stairs, only to seclude himself again in his own office. He was in the process of negotiating a large deal, and while he usually got a gratifying buzz from it, he felt nothing this time.
For three days there had been nothing on Khushi’s whereabouts. The police had confirmed they were interviewing various individuals of interest, while keeping others under observation. Khushi’s parents in Lucknowi were notified. Khushi’s mother,Gamina, had made arrangements to stay with her sister-in-law in Lakhsmi-Nagar,while Khushi’s sister Payal and her husband Akash had arrived at Shantivan. Arnav had no desire to meet with either of them. Their arrival and presence only served to highlight his failure in keeping her safe.
Arnav glared at the pile of letters and packages on his desk. Their presence only reminded him that World went on, regardless of the fact that his world was crumbling around him.
He closed his office door and made his way to his desk. Using his right arm he pushed aside the letters and packages and placed his laptop on the table. He plugged in all the relevant wires. Tilting his head sideways he looked at the one parcel. None of his suppliers used drop and collect courier services, which made the appearance of the package on his table suspicious.
He picked it up and checked the particulars on the service strip. It was marked as a sample, for his attention. Confused, he looked at the remainder of the mail and wondered why any samples would specifically be sent to him, especially since the use of any materials were subject to laboratory testing. Unless it was something he had specifically requested for. But even so, the services of a budget courier would not have been engaged.
He felt the contents of the packet for odd protrusions that would give rise to concern.Finding none, he settled on his chair and opened the seal. Reaching in he pulled out a plastic bag containing actual fabric. He checked the bag to ensure there was no accompanying note, but there were none. He looked at the scrunched up fabric contained within the plastic bag and thought it some joke again.
He ripped the plastic bag and pulled out the fabric, taken aback for a moment on realizing it was a finished dupatta. He was about to check the packaging again when a familiar scent filled his senses. At once he looked about him, searching the office,before again focusing on the dupatta. Carefully he lifted it and hesitantly smelt it.
Khushi. His blood ran cold. Hers was a scent he could identify anywhere.
Arnav also knew only too well the significance of her dupatta and that she would be distraught without it. Bile rose in his throat and his heart thudded in his chest as he reached for his phone. He dialled the required extension and without even giving the person on the other end sufficient time to respond to the call he harshly instructed, ‘Get in here!Now!’
He felt his legs start to quiver, had he been standing he knew he would not have remained upright. He tried not to think of the implications, the probabilities or even the possibilities… Perhaps the kidnappers were willing to negotiate.
Moments later Aman entered his office and asked, ‘What’s happened?’
Arnav looked at him, incapable of forming a full sentence, too scared to even utter the words.
Aman looked at Arnav and then rushed over, anxiously asking, ‘Arnav, tell me what happened?’
Arnav looked at Aman and finally managed to choke out, ‘It’s Khushi’s.’
Aman looked at the dupatta in his boss’s hand and then scanned the office. He noticed the opened parcel and grabbed it, demanding, ‘Is this what it came in?’
Arnav could only nod.
Aman checked the package and then reached for Arnav’s laptop. He turned it around and booted it up.
‘How?’ was all Arnav managed to croak out.
‘I don’t know but we’ll find out soon enough.’ Aman said as he logged onto the tracking system.‘Luckily they were foolish enough to use a courier that has an open track and trace system.’
‘What?’ Arnav asked.
‘If we are quick enough,we’ll be able to determine where the parcel was sent from.’ Aman said as he punched in the tracking number, ‘It will at least narrow the search area.’ He waited for several moments before he again spoke, ‘It was sent from a drop point in Santa Vihar.’
‘What?’ Arnav again demanded. His blood had seemed to turn to tar, rendering his heart incapable of pumping it through his system. His lungs as good as collapsed. Breathing became impossible.
Aman looked at him for a moment then reached for desktop phone. He punched an extension and said, ‘Shukla, what alcohol do we have in the building?’ he remained silent for a few moments, then said, ‘Bring a stiff measure of brandy to Arnav’s office, and hurry!’ Placing the cordless phone back in its dock, he moved around the table and said, ‘Arnav, breathe. God, you’ve gone white.’
Some time later the canteen manager came into the office and was visibly taken aback by Arnav’s appearance. He hesitantly looked at Aman.
‘Get that in him!’ Aman said and then again picked up the phone. For a moment shaking his head before lowering the phone again. He reached for his mobile and scanned thought the numbers before finally selecting one. He hit the dial button and lifted the phone to his ear. Moments later the phone was answered.
‘Detective, we’ve received a parcel.’ Aman firmly said and then appeared to be listening for sometime before replying, ‘It contained her dupatta. On the track and trace system it shows that it was dropped at a collection box in Santa Vihar sometime yesterday. The system shows it was scanned in after three. Aman said looking at Arnav while listening to the officer’s instructions. Aman shook his head as he spoke, ‘He’s not doing well, so I doubt he’s going to go anywhere right now…We’ll wait for them’
For the remainder of the afternoon AR Designs was crawling with police and detectives, who asked questions and filled in reports. By the time the authorities departed, Arnav’s condition had not improved. Aman called a doctor, who prescribed strong sedatives and requested of Aman to accompany Arnav home.
On entering Shantivan, Aman lifted his hand to caution and halt the women, who seemed hell bent on swarming Arnav. Dragging Arnav past them, Aman held Nani’s gaze for a moment as he said to Arnav, ‘Come, let’s get you to your room.’
Only Nani stepped forward and accompanied them into Arnav’s room. The others, including Anjali, maintained a respectful distance as Nani helped Aman get Arnav into bed.
‘What happened?’ Nani asked Aman once Arnav was settled.
‘The doctor gave him some sedatives,’ Aman said reaching into his pocket. He extracted a slip of paper and handed it to Nani, ‘This is his prescription. He should remain heavily sedated for the next twenty-four hours. I’m not even going to suggest keeping him away from the office, since I know better than most how stubborn he can be, but try to keep him sedated.’
‘That still does not explain…’ Nani started, gesturing to where Arnav lay.
‘The reality of the situation has struck home.’ Aman said, then turned to look at Arnav. ‘While he has been able to divert his anxiety with work, he can no longer run from the truth.’
‘But what happened?Certainly there is a reason for this. I know my Arnav quite well and this is…this is not him,’ said Nani, shaking her head to some extent, denying the reality of the situation.
Aman took a deep breath before he said, keeping his voice level, ‘He received a package today.’
On hearing this Anjali entered the room and hesitantly asked, ‘What… what was in it?’
Aman turned to look at her and then glanced at Nani before replying, ‘Khushi’s dupatta.’
‘N…no. That cannot be. Khushi would never…’ Anjali started but never completed her train of thought.She instead shook her head.
‘The police are following up on it,’ Aman quickly countered. ‘There’s a point of origin for the package, but until they have anything to go on I fear for the worst.’ Aman then looked at Arnav as he continued, ‘The doctor advised that he speak to someone,it need not be a professional, but he needs to –as the doctor said– process his thoughts.’
Aman turned his attention back to Nani and Anjali, the latter of whom was shaking her head as she said, ‘Chote does not talk to anyone other than Khushi about his concerns.She’s the only one he’ll disclose his vulnerability to.’
‘Yes, she is the only one who knows how to calm him.’ Nani said.
‘She’s not here and He needs to speak with someone,’ Aman pressed.
Nani nodded as she said,‘I understand, we will discuss it with the family.’
Arnav slowly became aware of his surroundings. His head felt fuzzy, his body lethargic. He looked about, instantly recognizing the room as theirs. He swallowed against the cotton wool sensation in his mouth and wondered how it was that he came to be there. He looked towards the bedside table, expecting to find his phone there,only to be greeted by a jug of water and a glass.
He carefully sat up and tried to remember what he might have consumed the night before, or how it was that he safely gotten home. He tried to remember the events leading up to that moment… and then wished he hadn’t.
The thought of her dupatta and the multitude of interpretations that could be derived from its appearance at his office… But most upsetting of it all was the fact that it had been sent from Santa Vihar, the very area where he had sensed her presence yet had not trusted his intuition enough to follow through.
He lowered his head into his hands and released a frustrated groan, knowing that even if the police were to follow up on the lead, she would no longer be there. She would have been moved. The thought suddenly jolted him, his entire body stiff as he processed his thoughts. Finally, he shook his head in dismissal. Shyam was in jail, the man would not have the funds to arrange a kidnapping. But even so, he will have the man’s actions and interactions investigated.
Arnav looked at the clock then got out of bed. He looked around the room for his phone. He shook his head and considered the possibility of having left it at the office, effectively placing his plan of action on hold, if only temporarily.
Everyone at the breakfast table fell silent at his appearance. A quick perusal of the table confirmed the return of a multitude of dishes, indication enough that someone else had taken over that aspect of Khushi’s duties. An odd sensation settled in the pit of his stomach as he fought the thought that Khushi’s presence in his life was slowly being suppressed, erased even. He fought the desire to reprimand everyone present, especially since he knew that he did not have the time or inclination to deal with their reactions or arguments.
‘Arnav,’ Anjali cautiously spoke, ‘Where are you going?’
He turned his attention to his sister and noticed her concern and anxiety. She had never been good at hiding her emotions from him, while he had no desire at that time to traverse her demands. Arnav quickly evaded what he knew was likely follow by stating, ‘I think I left my phone at the office, I’m going to go get it.’
‘But Aman left your phone here,’ Nani said looking questioningly towards Anjali.
‘Arnav,’ Anjali started again, ‘You need to sit and eat something. You also need to take your medication,’ She then turned from the table and called, ‘Hari-Prikash, please bring Arnav’s medications, the new ones as well.’
Dismissing Anjali’s concern, Arnav demanded, ‘Who has my phone?’
Everyone looked at him,visibly tentative, as he glared at Anjali.
‘Arnav sir,’Hari-Prikash said, causing Arnav to look at him and then at the tray he was carrying. His medications were on a small plate next to a glass of water and his phone. Arnav looked at the medications and picked up those for his diabetes, in the back of his head he could hear Khushi’s insistence that he take his medication, and then took the glass.
‘You need to take all the medication,’ Anjali insisted as Arnav returned the glass to the tray.
‘I don’t need the other,’ Arnav firmly declared as he picked up his phone. ‘Hari-Prikash, bring me coffee in the study.’
‘Arnav…’ Nani started, only to be cut short by Arnav’s, ‘I’m fine granny.’ He checked his phone and automatically hit the speed dial, for a moment turning to his family still seated at the table, ‘I’ll be in the study…’ His attention then turned to the person on the other side of the line. ‘Yes Aman, you can update me later. I want to know exactly where Shyam Jha is and who he has spoken to in the last two months,’ Arnav started to move from the table, ‘He’s the only one I can think of who was obsessive enough about Khushi and would derive some sick sense of satisfaction by torturing me…’Arnav did not see the varying expressions of shock, concern and disbelief on the faces of the table’s occupants as he continued. ‘I don’t care if we have to obtain court orders for it, get my attorney to deal with any legal aspects… I don’t care if the police are busy with the investigation, I want my wife found– Now!’
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