Chapter 5
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
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Shyam walked up and down his room, feeling sweat run down his neck as he thought about all that had happened that day.
He had never intended to kidnap Khushi. Never. The chloroform had been meant to subdue her, to get the file from her. But the circumstances... How could he leave an unconscious Khushi in the car park of Arnav's office without anyone noticing them?
He had been forced to drive away with Khushi. It had been a necessary step to save his hide. A necessary but dangerous step. An impulsive reaction to seeing Khushi approach Arnav's office with the dangerous file.
Like a rat with its back against the wall, he had reacted wildly. He had not planned it, he had not prepared for it...
He had been lucky that day, what with the office premises being crowded with vehicles and visitors to the other offices in Arnav's building. He had been fortunate that the car park had many entrances and exits, and the traffic had been heavy at that particular moment. The lax security had helped him.
He breathed deep. He had to be very careful now! A nervous Shyam ran his fingers through his hair as his nose twitched in agitation.
But he had burned the papers. He sighed in relief. He was safe from discovery. But Khushi... What could he do with her now? What were his options?
He halted and caught hold of the back of his chair.
Persuade her to abandon Arnav and go away with him? But would she listen to him? It was doubtful...
And leaving Delhi with Khushi meant giving up the pot of gold and his personal ATM in RM, Anjali. He would be financially ruined, unable to afford all the good things in life, all the luxuries he had become accustomed to...
What if he released Khushi? She would blab. She would tell the whole world that he had tried to kidnap her, that his eyes were on Arnav's wealth... He would lose his money & Khushi...
Rani Sahiba... He couldn't risk a rebellion from the goose that laid the golden egg. Nor could he take her shrewd eyes on the debits from their joint account...
Could he keep both Rani Sahiba & Khushi with him?
Persuasion would not work with Khushi. It would have to be force. He could force Khushi to accept him as his husband. He could physically force her...
He needed time. To think and plan. To devise a foolproof plan that would let him keep both Anjali & Khushi, one for his purse and the other for his heart... Shyam smiled.
He was intelligent, more intelligent that all the idiots in RM. And he had the ability to turn unfavourable situations in his favour. All he needed was some time to think and plan...
The nitwits in RM would start missing Khushi soon. They would start making enquiries. Shyam smiled. They could enquire all they wanted, but he was safe. There was nothing to link him with Khushi's disappearance.
He quickly called Rocky to make sure that Khushi was still unconscious.
"Shyamji..." came his wife's whining voice. "Aap please neeche aa jayiye. All are so worried..."
Shyam clutched his hair. If only he could be rid of this whining hag without losing out on the money!
Arnav returned home at night, after making another visit to Buaji's house and reiterating his promise that he would find Khushi.
The whole family was awake, all gathered in the living room. Payal looked exhausted after weeping for hours.
Shyam sat in a chair behind Nani, his arms crossed, his face carrying false concern.
"Arnav Bitwaa!" Mami exclaimed. "Kono khabar mili kaa?"
All the ladies and men, with the exception of Shyam, moved towards Arnav.
Arnav stole a look at Shyam as he said softly, "The Police Commissioner thinks that Khushi has been kidnapped."
Shyam's face paled.
Arnav sighed in hidden relief. He turned to look at the tearful faces looking at him, aghast.
"He said that we can expect a ransom note soon." Arnav said, gauging Shyam's reaction. "He feels that she has been kidnapped because she is Arnav Singh Raizada's wife."
Shyam jumped up. Words left him without his volition. "You went to the Police Commissioner, Saale Sahab? Why did you have to involve him in this...?" He noticed the astonishment on the faces of both families, and strove to gain control of himself. "I mean, what if the kidnappers kill Khushiji because you approached the police for help?" He tried to look the very soul of reason.
"What else can Chotey do, Shyamji?" asked Anjali, confused. "He can't go from house to house looking for Khushiji. He has to take the help of the police!"
"Aur naahi to kaa? It ijj their job to find missing persons!" Mami added her mite.
Nani nodded. NK & Akash sided with Arnav.
"I haven't received any call from the kidnappers, Jijaji." Arnav explained calmly. "No one has asked me not to approach the police for help to find my missing wife. So far."
All nodded. Shyam was isolated in his protest.
Arnav sat on his recliner, his face buried in his hands.
Where was Khushi? Was she safe? Was she scared? Hungry?
Khushi... Khushi... don't be scared. I will reach you soon... his heart murmured.
His hands were tied. He had to wait for the Police Commissioner and the private detective he had hired to give him her location and information on what had happened that day...
Laxmi walked in to his room and sat down at his feet.
"She will be back. I will bring her back." Arnav promised the goat.
His phone rang. Arnav grabbed it. It was the detective.
"Arnav Singh Raizada here." he croaked.
The soft voice of the private investigator said, "Sir, I found a cloth and a bottle with chloroform in Shyam Manohar Jha's car parked in your drive."
Arnav shut his eyes, feeling every nerve, every sinew stretch in alertness, ready to squeeze the life out of Shyam Manohar Jha, the worm. Khushi had intended to meet him, and Shyam had used force on her to carry her off. Why did Shyam have to use chloroform on Khushi to make her accompany him if they were lovers as he had insinuated?
Shyam had lied on Payal & Akash's wedding night. He had lied through his teeth. And an overwrought Arnav had fallen for his tricks. Arnav clenched his jaw hard. He would make Shyam pay. For hurting Khushi, for cheating his Di, for lying about Khushi and making him shed tears of blood...
"Khushi... Khushi..." he whispered. "Hold on. I am coming."
Laxmi turned her head, her beady eyes trained on him.
Shyam strutted across his room, jubilant. Arnav had solved his problem for him! Now he had many options, all profitable.
All he had to do was make a ransom call! He could make crores out of Arnav, and then carry Khushi off.
Or he could take the ransom off Arnav and force him to sign a document willing Shyam his property after his death. He could kill Arnav, and then carry Khushi off.
It was a win-win situation.
Shyam laughed, his madness reflected in his wild guffaws.
Now Arnav was trapped. He and he alone held all the cards. Now he could make Arnav jump through the hoops, dance like a puppet... Shyam patted himself on his back, feeling on top of the world. He deserved a good night's sleep so that his brilliant brain could come up with a plan that would get him all of Arnav's money and his girl!
A few minutes after midnight, Arnav received another call. The call he had tempted and prompted Shyam to arrange.
"Arnav Singh Raizada here." he said.
"We have your wife with us. If you want to see her alive, bring 5 crores in a box today evening." Rocky said.
"What... how...?"
"We will call you later with the details of where you have to bring the money."
"But... how do I know that Khushi is with you?" Arnav asked.
Rocky laughed. "Check your phone. I will send you her photo soon."
Arnav swallowed.
"If you want to see her alive, don't bring the police. Come alone. And don't try your dirty tricks on us. Your wife will pay for your smartness." he threatened Arnav.
"But..." Arnav started.
Rocky cut the call.
Arnav checked his phone. There was a photo of Khushi. She was unconscious, gagged, her hands were tied behind her back, her feet were tied together. She lay crumpled in a heap in one corner of some dingy room. His heart stopped.
"Khushi..." His pain-filled whisper made Laxmi turn her head to look at him.
Soon, the Police Commissioner contacted Arnav with what they believed was Khushi's location. They had Shyam's phone records and had also managed to trace Rocky's call.
Arnav called Akash & NK to his room. He sat them down and told them everything, right from seeing Shyam hug Khushi on the terrace to the information that the Police Commissioner had given him.
"I want to keep this low key." Arnav told them. "The newspapers should not get wind of this. I am going to get Khushi. After I bring her back, we can tackle Shyam with the help of the police."
Akash & NK could not believe their eyes.
"Nannav! Jijaji... he is such a scoundrel?"
"Bhai! I.. I can't believe... Jijaji... Khushiji... kidnapping..."
"Stay here. Take care of Di and the others. Keep a close watch on Shyam." Arnav instructed them.
"I will come with you, Bhai. I won't let you go alone. They will have guns... it will be dangerous..." Akash caught hold of Arnav's arm, his tone urgent.
"I will come with you, Nannav. It is not safe to go alone." NK said, his face serious for once.
Arnav shook his head. "Stay here. Shyam thinks that I have no idea that he is behind this. He thinks that he is playing me for a fool. Let him think that. When the others wake up and ask after me, tell them that I got a ransom call, and that I have gone to arrange the cash."
They nodded.
"Watch Shyam. I wil call you once I have something to tell you." Arnav said.
They nodded.
"Akash, go to Laxmi Nagar in the morning. Tell them not to come to RM. I don't want them talking to Nani, Mami, or Di, and letting it slip that Happy Singh drove Khushi to Laxmi Nagar before taking her to my office. I don't want to alarm Shyam. Let him feel safe and complacent. It will be easier to trap him."
"I will take care of that, Bhai."
Arnav nodded.
Arnav drove his rental car to the outskirts of Delhi to the location he had been given.
It was early in the morning, dawn breaking, suffusing the dark sky with mild, diffused rays of light.
He left the car at a distance from the warehouse in which Khushi was being kept, and walked on silent feet towards the building. It was set apart from the rest of the town, isolated in a big patch of land.
He looked at the building. It was big, untidy, not well-maintained. It looked unoccupied. He walked around, inspecting the doors and dirty windows, some having panels hanging by one hinge. The bathroom was a shack built behind the huge building.
He slowly peered in through one window.
Broken chairs and tables. Cartons and other packaging material strewn about.
He moved to the next window.
Two men were dozing, their heads resting on their arms on the table, two guns, three empty bottle of alcohol, and 5 used glasses littering the tabletop.
Arnav moved to the next window. Three men were lolling in their chairs, resting. One woman was sitting away from them. He could see only a part of her body.
Arnav leaned forward and looked in to the building, trying to locate how many people were guarding Khushi.
A total of six guards, one woman & 5 men.
He tried the next window.
Khushi was lying as he had seen in the photo, all trussed up, her mouth covered with a bind. She was alive! She was safe! His heart thudded with joy, relief sending his limbs trembling.
He slowly moved closer to see her more clearly. As he watched, she stirred.
Khushi opened her eyes. Her head was hurting as though someone had hit her with a boulder. Where was she? Where was Arnavji? This was not their bedroom. Or RM...
She looked around, confused. The light was dim, and her head and her body hurt. She tried to move her arms, but they were tied behind her back. Her legs were shackled. A cloth was wrapped around her mouth...
Shyamji! The scoundrel! He had caught her before she could enter Arnavji's office. He had hurt her arm and pushed her in to the car... She looked around. He must have brought her here.
She looked at the 5 men & one woman guarding her. All were asleep.
She squirmed. If she could free herself... She tried to move her arms, but... her legs were tied too tight. The band around her mouth hurt. She twisted and turned on the ground, fighting against the bonds holding her.
The woman guard woke up. She saw Khushi moving. She got up and walked to Khushi.
"So the sleeping beauty has woken up, eh?" she smiled maliciously, looking down at the helpless girl.
Khushi tried to speak, but...
"Want to use the bathroom?", the woman asked.
Khushi bobbed her head.
The woman picked up her gun and trained it on Khushi.
Arnav gulped.
"Keep your chalaki with you, or I will shoot you through your leg. Got me?" she asked.
Khushi nodded, her eyes wide.
"You are far from Delhi. And there is no one here to rescue you. If you give me the slip and try to escape from here, I will shoot you down like a dog."
Khushi nodded.
"Or you will die of hunger and thirst in the jungles nearby. You will never reach the city alive. Got me?"
Khushi nodded again, tired, hungry, weak.
The woman untied Khushi's arms & legs. Khushi writhed in pain at the feel of blood flowing through the numb parts. She sagged against the wall.
Arnav winced.
The woman dragged Khushi up, and led her to the door of the building. She opened it and pushed Khushi out.
Held up by the strong woman, Khushi made her way to the bathroom. The woman pushed open the bathroom door, nudged Khushi inside, and locked it from outside.
"Knock when you are done." she said.
The woman waited a while. Then she lifted her arms in the air, stretched, and flexed her muscles.
As she dropped her arms, relaxed, Arnav caught her from behind in a wrestler's tackle. He trapped her neck in his strong arms and twisted it, leaving her unconscious on the ground.
Khushi tapped on the door.
Arnav unlocked it.
They stood staring at each other for a moment, both of them unable to believe their eyes.
Khushi threw herself in to his arms that had opened to receive her. He hugged her tight for a long moment before he put her away from him.
He removed the gag.
"Arnavji...you came..." Khushi whispered through a dry throat.
He nodded, cupping her face. Then he said, "Khushi, let's go. There is no time to waste."
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