Bad news. The girl already left for Delhi, but hasn't come to office yet. Brigadier will be here tomorrow. Postpone
Yours etc.
****
'Hello.'
'It's me.' she groaned, she didn't want this so early in the morning.
'What do you want?' she snapped
'How was she?'
'Fine.'
'Your husband doesn't have any clue right?'
'No.'
'Coming down on Friday?'
'Yes.'
'They're all going to be there.'
'I know. Do you have to say something important or not?'
'Oh yes. I almost forgot.'
She rolled her eyes, 'No surprises there.'
'Shut up. Oh, he asked her to help him.'
'What? Why?'
'Don't know. But it's not good news.'
'Are you kidding? This is suicide.' Her voice was distinctly frantic now. 'What do we do?'
'Keep an eye on them both. Have to do something by the Ball. If she is killed then, no one will notice.'
'What? Do you think –'
'Think about it.' he said abruptly, and hung up.
****
'Officer's Ball then. There will be no one upstairs. Coming down on Friday. Notice where the girl is. Don't let her find out about him.
Yours etc.
****
Captain Alekh Sharma was fuming. First, his best friend left with an overly cheerful goodbye, which he saw right through. Then, this week would be hard at work, he could tell. The only prospect of happiness was the weekend Officer's Ball with Maia. He would've kept day-dreaming if the phone hadn't rung.
'Hello. Captain Sharma speaking.'
'Morning Captain. Captain Shekhawat here.'
'You bas***d!' he exclaimed before he could stop himself, and then regretted his words. He had promised Naina he wouldn't tell anyone about her 'love.'
'Excuse me, Captain?'
'No, I'm sorry, never mind. I thought you were someone else.'
The pause at the other end showed that the shrewd Capt. Rajveer did not buy this, but he let it go.
'Anyway, Captain the Cyanide Research of Poison Project Case has come up after a year. Could you tell me who closed it?'
Alekh was wide awake now. The CRPP case has come up again! He widely remembered it, and the mere fact that it has come up now, was enough to wake him up. And hearing Capt. Rajveer speak about it heightened his curiosity.
'Colonel Nair.' He replied.
'Right. We have received an anonymous source saying that the case was not finished.'
'Of course it wasn't. I still don't know how Colonel Nair managed to pull it off.'
'Yeah, well, they suspect me again.'
'Again? But, there was no proof.'
'Since when has the Army worked on proofs, Captain Sharma?'
'You're right. Do go on.'
'Thank you. I have a hunch something will happen during the Officers' Ball. Will you be there?'
'Yes, of course.'
'Thank you. And do keep notice, the Officers' Ball isn't the best time of the year for me, Captain.'
Alekh was silent, he didn't want to think about it, and all his previous anger for his ex-mentor vanished.
'Of course Captain. Don't let the security team know. We will keep watch ourselves.'
'Yes. And inform Major Singh. Its her area, after all.'
'Will do. Good day Captain Shekhawat.'
Rajveer didn't reply as he hung up.
****
'Major Singh here.'
'Major Bhargav.'
'Ahh, good morning. Thanks for last night, I really needed some encouragement.'
'No problem. Listen carefully, Major Singh. I just got a phone call from Rajveer.'
Her stomach lurched at his name. She couldn't help thinking that something bad had happened to him, but managed to ask, 'you haven't told him about..' she trailed off.
'Don't be silly. Major, this is important. The CRPP case has been opened up again.'
'The what?'
'Ahh.. of course, you wouldn't know about it in detail. You have joined the Northern Division only some time ago.'
'Yes.'
'You've heard about the infamous CRPP case, I presume?'
'Of course' she repeated
'Major, something is going to happen at the Officers' Ball. Don't alert the security, but keep your eyes open.'
'Okay.'
'And Major, don't talk much about CRPP with Captain Rajveer. It's a touchy subject for him.'
And then he hung up
Naina kept on wondering what he had meant by the whole conversation. One thing was sure, she had to spend some sleepless nights researching CRPP.
****
Major Ali Baig was upset. Something was seriously bothering him, but no one, including himself could pinpoint at it. To top it all, he was expecting a phone call from the Headquarters which promised to be bad, and he was having severe marital problems. As if on cue, the phone rang jangling him quite a bit.
'Major Ali Baig.'
'Good morning Major. We have bad news.'
If he was as outspoken as Alekh, he would've straight away said some sarcastic. But he didn't. instead he kept quiet, indicating that he was still listening.
'Major Baig, the Cyanide Research of Poison Project case has been reopened.'
'Jesus. H. Christ.'
'My sentiments exactly. Captain Shekhawat is under suspicion again. We've received an anonymous tip-off that something will happen during the Officers' Ball.'
'Shit.'
'Major Baig, Who is in charge of the Northern Division now?'
'Major Singh, sir'
'Naina? The one in your KMA batch? Weren't you under Captain Shekhawat?'
'Yes sir.'
'And she doesn't know anything about CRPP?'
'Not the details, no.'
'And she is on friendly terms with Capt. Shekhawat.'
'I presume so.'
'Jesus Christ.'
Ali was bewildered. What was his superior getting to? 'I beg your pardon, sir?'
'Major Baig, Major Singh is in fatal danger.'
And then he hung up.
Preview for Part 14
He grabbed her hand and yanked her back to him, until their lips were just touching, and looked down at her, 'We can't do this,' he whispered.
'I know.' she smiled and whispered back.
'I still love Ritu.' He whispered again
'I know.' she smiled and whispered back again.
Indian Idol 15
