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SEEKING THE TRUTH
It was a cold rainy day, and Ramya too, was feeling the cold vibes of the unforeseen climate. Seated on a recliner chair, she aimlessly stared out of the window as the drops raced across the window, from the sky to the ground beneath. Save the creaking noise of the moving chair and the tipper tapper of the descending shower, there was perfect silence in the Room.
Out of the blue, came a sudden jerk, it appeared as if someone had fallen right before the door. Impulsively, she got up from her spot and rushed to help. But before she could, the door blasted open and entered a woman, completely soaked and well broken from within. She fell into her arms and knelt onto the wet floor. Her hair disheveled and eyes shooting blood, she moaned in a cry : "Arjun has been kidnapped!"
It was Maya, the 'Beyhadh' lover of Arjun. The man meant the world to her and she had the power and passion to fall or rise to unprecedented extents for his love and life.
"It's okay, it's alright Maya. We'll get him back", Ramya assured in a soft tone. "It's NOT okay", she roared scarily. But Ramya simply smiled and patted her back. After an hour, one could see the two ladies sipping on hot coffee and discussing the details of the case near a warm and comforting fireplace.
"Where did you see him last", she questioned.
"Today itself, at 6 o'clock. We were to go on a family dinner prior to our wedding tomorrow.", she revealed in a shaky voice. Ramya glanced at her watch - it was 9.30.
"Any suspects? Or anything suspicious you want to tell me?"
"Only one person : the destroyer of my happiness, the one who has sworn to not see me in peace - Ashwin Mehrotra". Ramya let out a low grunt and slipped in deep thought. Then, she asked her to stay calm and also pleaded her to go home.
Before leaving she said, "Ramya, all of this lies in your hands. Please, do look into it. I want my Arjun back, please", begged Maya. She nodded assuringly and cordially dropped her till the car.
Once again, she was seated on her recliner, thinking and joining dots. She got up and called her teammates cum assistants.
One by one, they arrived. First entered Srutha and Shreya, together as always. Then came Proteeti, dripping in the rain as her umbrella had withered out. Last, arrived Mahi, puffing and panting and late.
Ramya shot her glances in anger but all she could do was smile.
"Common fellas. We've a case to crack."
They were the sharpest and the weirdest bunch of crazy detectives the town had seen. Right from a person gone missing to the counting of chickens in the farm, they did it all. Leading the group was Ramya, enthusiastic and extremely talented. Others included Shreya, Srutha, Proteeti and Mahi, her accomplices.
They headed straight towards Arjun's home. The door was opened by Mrs. Sharma, his mother. The room was full of worried faces. There was Ayaan, his younger brother, Saanjh, his best friend and Prem and Suman, Saanjh's parents.
"Did Arjun return home after work?"
"No", replied Saanjh. "He and I work in the same office. I had some pending work so I had planned to stay back till 9pm and he'd left around 6".
Ramya nodded to the fact while Srutha started taking details.
"Shreya, Srutha - you guys go to Maya's house and start collecting facts. Keep a watch on Ashwin and do not let him go out in any case". The two of them left immediately for the task.
After an hour, the doorbell rang. Mahi opened the door and found a parcel lying on the floor. There was no one to be seen around. She brought it in.
Proteeti opened it carefully, using gloves. It contained his photograph, taken recently. He lay unconscious on a chair, with hands and legs tied.
A small note accompanied it :
You, proclaimed Sherlock fan, catch me if you can!
Ramya started observing the photograph keenly while Mahi examined the box. Proteeti was in touch with Srutha and Shreya. According to them, Ashwin didn't know anything about the abduction and was quite happy in fact. He had made no attempts to go outside the house, in fact he had retired to sleep.
"Ashwin has no hand in this", declared Ramya. "Ask them to come back". Proteeti nodded.
"Any cue from the box?"
"Not any, save this fashionable string used to tie it. Where could he be?", Mahi looked puzzled.
Ramya once again observed the photograph.
"He has left office. He hasn't reached home. Where could he go?", She looked worried.
It was nearing twelve. No one had any clue on this mystery. Everyone were half asleep, half tired. Ramya was the only one awake and working. Mahi was dozing off on the sofa, the others too had gone asleep. In a sudden screech, Ramya exclaimed in absolute certainty,
"Why, it's the godown! The office Godown! He is in there, quick!", She announced. Mahi literally fell off the sofa, baffled.
"Pro, call Maya quick!"
She leapt towards the car keys and dashed through the door, clumsily followed by Mahi. Srutha, Shreya and Proteeti were to arrive in another car with the families.
"Maya isn't picking up her phone!", Said Pro.
Ramya's phone buzzed as she picked it up. "Hello Rammy!", It was Srutha. "We just got this information that Maya has left the house since an hour and has told no one about where is she going and why".
She made a queer expression and cocked her head. This was funny!
They reached the Office in a few minutes. They saw Maya's car parked there.
"So Maya knew about this", Ramya told her team, rather annoyed. The case was getting eerier by the minute.
They rushed to the Godown. It was completely dark and isolated. Srutha and Shreya arrived shortly with everyone. Proteeti groped along the walls for the switches.
There was a spotlight, all of a sudden, flashing in the center, on Ramya. The three girls looked around to see that they were alone in the Room. Everyone else had disappeared and most importantly, Arjun was no where to be found.
"Is this some kind of trap?", Srutha and Shreya muttered simultaneously.
"Are we going to die?", Feared Mahi. "Don't be silly!", Hushed Pro.
"You were smart enough to come here", echoed a voice. It was Maya.
"You weren't afraid at all", came another. It was undoubtedly Saanjh's voice.
"It's Midnight, dear friends. So here's ..."
"It's Arjun's voice!", Shouted the four of them.
"... Wishing Ramya a very happy birthday!", Said all three in unison.
Ramya shook her head and laughed. So this was a set up in which she was dragged.
The lights went on and there was a shower of rises on the Birthday girl. There was celebration all around, with everyone clapping and rejoicing. Ramya was a bit pissed off and angry though.
"Oh common! Cheer up Rammy! Didn't you like the surprise?", Laughed Maya. She smiled shyly, not sure of what to say.
"Overwhelmed!", she told finally.
"And if you've any complaints against this, it was Arjun's plan to surprise you", teased Saanjh.
"Dusky, Teri toh!", He chased her.
"Accha, but how did you reach here?"
"Simple, it was. When I saw that photograph, I could see he wasn't wet. Which means he hadn't been taken out or kidnapped. So I guessed he was in the office. To top it all, I also saw the coloured stains on the walls behind which confirmed that it was the Godown."
Maya blushed hard, recalling the incident as Arjun smirked.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAMYA!
-- APNI GENIUS PRITEC (Private Detective) --
|| Radhikerani || KrishnaPriyaa || Shrinika13 || Artist_Forever ||
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