Chapter 83
Adam twisted his head to the side to get a better look at it. It looked somewhat familiar. Was it? NO.. It couldn't be... Could it? He reached into the pocket of the car door and finally had it in his hands. He didn't know if he should cry or laugh... Maybe the situation calls for both.
"Rishab..." Adam managed to call out softly. Formulating words at this time was proving to be difficult. "Rishab.." Adam tried again, more urgently, tapping him on the shoulder. Shrugging his hand away, Rishab questioned back, "What now Adam? Do you want to share your feelings too?"
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"It was so nice to see you smiling and laughing. If you were beautiful when I first saw you.. the smiles and laughter just enhanced it even more. I remember the first time I saw you laugh with them, I just couldn't take my eyes off you. I was mesmerised... more trance like.. like you had placed an enchantment over me." Sikander reminisced about the good old days when he would stalk Madhu, not that he would ever call it stalking...
"And then Deepali and I landed at the same place as you... mountain climbing. I had this whole fantasy played out in my head. The way it was supposed to go. First I would befriend you... then slowly we would fall in love. As we scaled the mountain to get to the summit, so would the love we have for one another scale. And then when we would reach the mountain top I would get down on my knees and propose to you and you would say yes."
Watching the smile on Sikander's face, Madhu felt the fear slowly receding and utter disgust take its place. "Well isn't it just awful when things don't go as planned?" Asked Madhu, mockery lacing her voice.
Sikander turned towards Madhu and smiled pleasantly, not interpreting the mockery behind her voice. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. "Yes it is. But don't you worry Madhu, this time my plans for us will not fail. We will be together for all time.." She bore through it with gritted teeth and silent prayer.
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There was just one way Adam could get Rishab's undivided attention. "Madhu..." Adam called out literally in a whisper. Even though it was barely a whisper Rishab heard it and stepped on the brakes suddenly. "Where?" He cried out looking around frantically. Adam and Deepali braced themselves for an early death. The possibility of instant death increases when one suddenly applies the brakes in the middle of the road. The car behind them stopped merely inches away and now the driver of the car seemed to be trying to achieve the Guinness Book of World Record for the most number of abuses hurled in varied languages. For a second or two Adam was distracted from the mission on hand as he committed to memory some of the abuses which he didn't seem to have heard before.
"Rishab can you please park to the side first." Rishab wanted to argue but stopped short seeing the resigned look in Adam's eyes.
As soon as Rishab put the hand break in place, Adam stretched out his hand and opened his palm to reveal the pink swede bow with a gold border. Rishab grabbed it out of his hand, looked at it carefully and raised his head to look into Adam's eyes for confirmation of what his heart and mind had already told him.
Adam smiled and nodded. "It is hers. It is the bow from her shoes, the same shoes she wore the night she was coming to meet you."
Deepali's eyes grew large in surprise as she realised the meaning of all this. "No it cannot be. It must be from one of my shoes."
"No it isn't. It is from Madhu's shoe. I am gay for God's sake. I know my shoes. It is the bow from the Michael Kors Delphine Suede Bow Pumps in Hot Pink & Gold." Adam insisted.
Rishab turned on Deepali like a hungry lion finding his prey. "Where is she Deepali? Where is my Madhu?"
"I don't have her. You have got to believe me." Deepali shrunk back in her seat.
"I was ready to break your wrist just when i was fishing for a clue. And now that I know you have her imagine what more I would be willing to do." Rishab's eyes blazed ready to burn anyone and anything standing in his way to get to his Madhu.
Deepali was never more terrified in her life. She could only see death and destruction in his eyes. "But.. but.. I don't have herrr..." She stammered pleading her innocence.
"I don't have time for this interrogation. I need my answers now." Rishab was frustrated. Time wasted on trying to get answers from Deepali was time away from Madhu. Rishab reached for his phone. "Adam... I need answers and I know how to get it. Keep an eye on her. Tie and gag her if needed."
Adam nodded and got out of the back to transport Deepali into the back with him. "Adam... you have to believe me. I have nothing to do with this."
"We shall see about that." Adam replied as he shoved her into the back with him. "In the meantime why worry if you have nothing to do with Madhu's disappearence?" Adam asked raising his eyebrow in question.
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"I was estatic that we were getting into the friendship zone, after all it was my first step. Finally I was close enough to talk to you.. to touch you... to smell you." Sikander said raising his hand in the air as if to touch something. He closed his eyes for a mere second and took a whiff. He opened his eyes soon after. "Sorry I was transported to that first moment at the lodge when I was so close to you that I could reach out and touch you. And then the moment in the jeep when I could smell you in the air."
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"Bittuji I want the information sent to my phone in the next 10 minutes. I cannot afford to waste another second. Please Bittuji." Rishab pleaded.
Bittuji was stunned to hear those words from his chief's mouth. He really did love Madhu a lot. "Yes chief. I will get the work done."
NOTE - Rishab is sooo close to finding Madhu... And just the knowledge of this is getting me excited..
