ArShi GONE CASE - Season 1 - Page 54

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5. SPYDER

As Khushi walked towards Shashi's cabin, Arnav's words were echoing in her mind. Keep good control over your laughter! She wondered why he had said that. Remember my tip! "This guy is crazy!" she said to herself. Reaching the door of the cabin, she nervously placed her hand on the handle to push the door. Pausing for a moment, she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She remembered Arnav's words. Don't worry, Khushi... You will do great! She smiled believing in herself and pushed the door open with confidence.

"May I come in Sir?" asked Khushi peeping through the door. She didn't get any reply. "Sir?" she called out looking around as she stepped in.

Khushi saw Shashi standing in a corner facing the glass wall. He had his back towards Khushi. Khushi could make out he was busy doing something. But why wasn't he saying anything? She slowly moved closer and was shocked to see a rope in his hand. He was holding one end of the rope in his mouth and hence wasn't able to speak. Khushi could only make out that he was tying a knot. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Suicide?!!" She gasped at the thought. She quickly looked up. "There's no fan in this room, where is he gonna hang himself from?" Khushi was looking around the room. She thought for a moment and then said, "Sir, if you want to hang yourself, you can do it in the waiting room. It has got a ceiling fan" suggested Khushi.

Hang myself?! Shashi froze in his place.

"But why in office? You better hang yourself at your home... You will have no disturbance, you can die peacefully" said Khushi as if she had given Shashi a brilliant idea.

"What?!" thought Shashi still holding one end of the rope in his mouth. Is this girl crazy?

"But wait a minute! Why do you want to commit suicide in the first place?" asked Khushi.

Shashi couldn't bear this anymore. Oh God! This girl will drive me crazy! He quickly tied the rope around his waist so that his pants wouldn't slip down any more and he turned towards Khushi to speak.

But before Shashi could say anything, Khushi said, "I can understand your frustration... Even after conducting so many interviews, you are not finding a perfect candidate capable of becoming a good detective" Khushi made a sad face and placed her hand on Shashi's shoulder as if to console him.

What the hell is going on? Shashi was totally confused and he was about to stop Khushi but she didn't let him speak.

"But no problem!! I am here now!" she said proudly, "I am the perfect candidate for your post of detective! And I am sure..." Khushi was at loss of words as she saw the rope tied around Shashi's waist. Her face bore a mixture of feelings as she cursed herself for saying all that she had. She covered her mouth with both her palms as she stared at the belt. As she slowly lifted her gaze to meet Shashi's, her eyes filled with tears thinking that she had lost the job even before appearing for the interview.

Khushi gulped seeing Shashi's angry face. Shashi could hear her muffled voice as she kept speaking something without removing her palms that covered her mouth.

"Put your hand down!" ordered Shashi and Khushi followed at once. "Now speak" said Shashi sternly.

Khushi's heart was pacing faster by the moment. She clutched her kurta nervously and tried to speak. "A-a... I am s..sorr..."

Shashi laughed and said, "It's alright! Have a seat"

Khushi was surprised that Shashi wasn't angry. She quickly sat down and so did Shashi.

Keeping aside the plate covering the glass of water, Shashi picked up the glass to drink some. Khushi snatched the glass from him saying "Thank you Sir!" and gulped down the water. She sighed keeping the empty glass on the table. Wiping her mouth with her hand, she smiled at Shashi who was staring at her in amusement.

Khushi began speaking again. "You have no idea, Sir, how scared I was! I had thought that you will throw me out of here... But you didn't. Thank God! You are such a nice guy!" Shashi just smiled. Before he could say anything, Khushi went on, "You know what! Seeing your photo itself I had guessed that you must be a very kind person. And see, I wasn't wrong! I am very good at recognising people's character, you see! And that is an important quality for becoming a good detective, right Sir? Had I not said, I am a very..."

"Miss Khushi!" interrupted Shashi looking into the register, "Am I right?"

"Yes, Sir! That's me!" said Khushi. "And I am sure that I..." she began speaking again.

"So, Miss Khushi..." said Shashi interrupting her chatter once again, "Do you have any past experience in this field?"

"Oh yes! I am a born detective!" said Khushi with a big smile and a pair of gleaming eyes. "When I was in class 1, I had lost one of my books. And I had found it using my detective skills... It was lunch break and I was..."

"Any other experience?" Shashi cut in.

"Sure! There were many such incidences in school and not to forget that I always used to win the treasure hunt competition for my team. Okay, let me tell you how I proved that my friend Shruti had not rung the school bell when we were in class 7. She was being wrongly accused and I had saved her from being punished. It was around 11 AM and we all were..."

"Any experience other than the ones in school?" asked Shashi helplessly.

"There are many!" said Khushi in excitement.

Shashi sunk in his chair seeing this. His throat went dry only at the thought of listening to Khushi's stories.

"Ummm... Which one should I tell you?" said Khushi as she thought which one of her "solved cases" she should tell. "Yes!" she exclaimed as she found one to narrate. "A large amount had got stolen from our orphanage funds. Everyone was sad and worried. I decided to find out who was behind it. And you know who it was? Our cook, Lakshmi! I am sure you will love to know how I got her caught! It was a Monday the day the money went missing. We all were..." And Khushi went on.

Shashi was almost half-asleep as he felt it difficult to keep his eyes open listening to Khushi's non-stop talks. Unaware of this, Khushi went on and on, lost into her own world.

Shashi finally took a deep breath and sat up straight in his chair. "Great!" he said to stop Khushi from narrating further.

"But I haven't completed yet!" said Khushi impatiently. "So I followed Lakshmi without her knowledge into her room. And you would be surprised to know what I saw there. There was a..."

"Miss Khushi, I know by now that you are very clever..." said Shashi interrupting her. "And talkative!" he murmured. He then asked her to tell only her latest experience and not all.

"Latest?" said Khushi. She remembered all that had happened the day before when police were behind Gagan. "Yesterday!" she said, "The police were searching for a goon named Gagan and..."

"Gagan?" said Shashi remembering the photographs of the case report which Arnav had shown him some time ago. "So you are the same Khushi who helped the police catch Gagan?" he asked.

"You know about it already?" asked Khushi, confused. "Have I become so famous?!" she said in excitement.

"Well, actually Mr. Arnav had mentioned about it during his interview" told Shashi.

Khushi was surprised. "Arnav? He told you?"

"Yes... You are a brave girl!" said Shashi with a smile. "You may wait outside till the results are out"

Khushi nodded, still not believing that Arnav had mentioned her name for having helped the police. She walked out silently and went to the waiting room.

"Khushi? How was it?!" asked Arnav who was waiting for her reserving her place.

"You told him about yesterday's incident?" she asked at once.

"Yes, why?"

"And you mentioned my name too?"

"I think I shouldn't have..." said Arnav teasing her.

Khushi just smiled.

Arnav asked her about her interview. Khushi narrated everything in detail - how she had messed up everything initially thinking that Shashi was going to commit suicide... and then she told about all the "cases" she had solved till now. Arnav was lost into her as she explained everything. He was lost into those eyes that spoke more than her words, those changing curves of her lips as she spoke, the actions she made throughout as she narrated. He just kept looking at her.

"Are you even listening?!" she asked moving her hand in front of Arnav's eyes. "Say something!"

"You are one of a kind!" he said dreamily.

"That I am!" she said proudly.

They didn't realise how much time had elapsed till Lavanya came there to announce that all the interviews were done and now it was time for the result.

Khushi was nervous. Arnav was too. And yet they both didn't show their nervousness to each other.

"Hope you remember the challenge!" said Arnav with a wink.

"Be ready to do whatever I tell you to" returned Khushi with the same attitude.

Arnav and Khushi were called in Shashi's cabin. They both looked at each other at once. Oh God! That means one of us will be selected!

Lavanya told Arnav and Khushi to wait in Shashi's cabin till he arrived.

Arnav and Khushi sat silently in the chairs. They were waiting for the result in anticipation but on the other hand they were feeling sad that only one of them was going to be selected.

"So..." said Arnav, "It's ultimately between you and me..."

"That means we both are better than the others" said Khushi as she laughed half-heartedly.

"We will be parting ways once the result is out..." said Arnav sadly.

Khushi just looked at him without saying anything. Why was she feeling so sad to part ways with a stranger she had met just a day ago? The question was - Was he a stranger anymore? Khushi looked at him and found him staring at her.

"I wish we both get selected somehow" they both thought looking at each other.

Just then Shashi entered the cabin with his usual smiling face. Arnav and Khushi stood up as they saw him come. He told them to be seated as he too sat down in his chair.

"It was a tough decision" said Shashi. "As you already know, one of the two detectives we want is already selected"

Arnav and Khushi exchanged glances.

Shashi further said, "I had selected Arnav. But..."

"But what?!" asked Arnav and Khushi together.

"But the person who is already selected is also a guy. I thought it will be better to have a girl on the team than just guys. So..."

"So... what?" Arnav and Khushi asked impatiently.

"So..." Shashi paused, making Arnav and Khushi wait a little more. "I have selected both of you!" he finally announced.

Arnav and Khushi took a moment to take in what Shashi had just said. They were so happy that they just hugged each other without even knowing.

"Thank you Sir! Thank you so much!" they both thanked Shashi.

"Send him in now!" Shashi told Lavanya over the phone.

There was a knock on the door and a person entered.

"Meet Mr. Shyam Manohar Jha, your team mate!" Shashi introduced the person to Arnav and Khushi.

*****

Arnav, Khushi, Shyam and Lavanya were given a bungalow to stay which was not far from the office. The Detective Agency was registered in the name of "SPYDER Detective Agency". The salaries were discussed. Arnav, Khushi, Shyam and Lavanya were made to sign a contract which had many clauses.

Arnav, Khushi and Shyam were given a special training including martial arts. They were made to undergo some tests after which they were certified as detectives.

The board with "SPYDER" written on it was put up outside the office; advertisements were given in the newspaper announcing the opening of this new detective firm. And now everyone was set to solve cases... officially!

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