~ CHAPTER FORTY-TWO ~
Manik's eyes flickered as he struggled to answer Cabir's question. How the hell am I going to say this? I can't... If I tell him or anyone else about what happened back there, I'll get into more trouble. Serious trouble.
"Hello?" Cabir's rich voice boomed from the phone and startled him out of his trance. "Are you there?"
"Y-Yeah buddy," he sighed and rubbed the nape of his neck.
"How did you find her by the way?" asked Cabir curiously.
"Ermm... I was just... passing by," the minute he uttered those words, he knew that it sounded like a pathetic lie.
"Passing by where?" Cabir continued to probe him.
"The... the stairwell," he answered as he grew increasingly restless.
"The stairwell?" The air of doubt in Cabir's voice was really disturbing.
"Y-yeah..." Cabir's CBI avatar was making Manik nervous. Really nervous. Knowing this guy, he would dig out the truth sooner or later.
"And you just found her? Like that?" he asked.
"Yes!" snapped Manik in annoyance. He was now determined to change the topic before things got out of hand. "Cabir! You know... you sound like I did something to her. As if she's in the hospital because of me."
"Dude! Chill!" replied Cabir in a pacifying tone. "Why do you even feel that I'm accusing you? I was just asking. You know, it's good that you thought of passing by. I mean... what if you didn't. What if no one did? She could have still been there. Without medical attention. Hurt and all. Get what I mean?"
"Hmm," Manik mumbled in reply.
"Achcha see listen, I'm on my way back to the office now," Cabir continued in his usual casual tone. "Just let me know which hospital you guys are at? I'm coming over. Send me the address."
"Thanks Cabir," answered Manik. "But hey, see listen. I think we'll need to inform someone. Her family..." His words broke off in between as his mind raced back to the time where he had taunted her over the puja. She had no family. They were all gone. "Damn..." he hissed and screwed his eyes shut as realization hit him. And almost instantly, he felt a painful clench grip his heart.
"As far as I know, the only family she has is her Chacha and Chachy," informed Cabir, "but they're in Mangalore."
"So what's next?" sighed Manik in exasperation. He was immensely tired from the huge wallop of adrenaline that had blasted through his body before.
"She stays in a hostel here," replied Cabir. "I'll pop in and inform her roommate."
"That's great," said Manik. For some reason, he felt much relieved as compared to before. "Ask her to come over. About informing her relatives... we'll think about that later."
"You're right," answered Cabir, "we'll see what we can do from here. So hang on there. I'll pop into her hostel and be around in a while."
"Okay."
********************
By the time Cabir managed to fight through the city traffic and reach the hostel at which Nandini stayed, the sun had already prepared to set behind the horizon. It grew darker with each passing minute as the sky turned from a rich orange hue to a brilliant purple.
"I'm looking for Nandini's roommate," said Cabir as he walked up to the watchman, "Nandini Murthy?"
The watchman, a giant of a fellow with a huge bushy moustache glared up at Cabir. "Who are you?" he asked in a funny voice. Compared to his size, his voice was surprisingly tiny.
"I'm Nandini's colleague," answered Cabir with a crinkly smile. "Now can I see her roommate please? It's urgent."
"Wait here," said the watchman and disappeared into the block.
Cabir leaned onto his car and glanced at his phone. Couple of missed calls. From Manik and Mukti. Mukti. He dialled her number and waited.
"Hello Cabir?" she answered.
"Hey Mukti," he drawled, "What's up?"
"Where on earth have you been!!? I've been trying to call you like... forever!"
"Chill darling," he replied casually, "now tell me. What's eating you away?"
"So you didn't know..."
"Know what?" asked Cabir.
"Manik..." Mukti paused before she continued. "He has been suspended."
Cabir's breath got stuck in his throat. "What!!??"
"You didn't know..." she said drearily. "It happened this morning. Haven't you seen the mail from Mukherjee?"
"What mail?"
"Check your inbox," she replied. "He's out for three days."
"But..." Cabir was so lost. Does Manik know about this? We just spoke a while ago. Or does he already know? "But why? Do you have any idea?"
"Nandini..." Replied Mukti. "She raised a complaint against him. At least that's what everyone thinks. Not me."
"Nandini?" Cabir's mind was racing now. He was now beginning to see the entire picture. Nandini complained against Manik... suspension... Nandini's hospitalization... her seizure... Manik was trying to hide something... was acting funny... something's not right. "Mukti... I'll call you back."
Saying this, he hung up and accessed his e-mails from his phone. His inbox was jam packed with unread mails, but Mukherjee's mail stood out from the rest. Probably, Cabir has never been that eager to read Mukherjee's mails before... until now. With each line that he read through, his eyes narrowed. His heart raced. And there was just one piece of the puzzle that was left to fall into place. Manik's confession.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cricket
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Tum Se Tum Tak
