Vidya.
Sonia stared at the note, her eyes moist. Vidya had never intended to harm anybody in a long-lasting manner. Sun and Jupiter in her horoscope had helped Vidya keep her conscience awake. It was Sonia’s belief in the horoscope that had made her realise that the girl must’ve left a suicide note. An emergency note, in case matters got out of hand. And there was only one place where it could’ve been hidden. In the photograph which Vidya had returned to Kartik.
“Can I keep this note?” he asked softly.
“I’m afraid not. It is evidence and will have to be handed over to the police. I’m sorry.”
“I understand.” He shrugged. “But will this mean that the three Sahays…?”
“No. Mr and Mrs Sahay have been arrested. For harassment. That is proved beyond doubt. And Parmeet is in grave trouble for abetting suicide, which he has admitted. Their crimes still stand,” she remarked grimly.
“Thank God!”
Sonia rose and stared down at Kartik.
“Pain is life. Remember, without pain and death, life would have no meaning,” she told him. Then she took his hand in a firm handshake. “Goodbye, Kartik. Remember what Vidya said. Think of the happy times you spent with her, because it’s the only way to live. Transposing bitter experiences into happy memories.”
“I’ll try,” Kartik whispered.
As Sonia made her way through the tree-lined path to her van, for some strange, inexplicable reason, she thought of Sarang. Her little brother. Lost and gone forever. Mohnish’s words rang in her mind. “It’s the only way to live. Transposing bitter experiences into happy memories…”
CHAPTER III
Anything for Love
“Are you sure?” Sonia asked, keeping aside the newspaper she was reading.
“Positive. I was in late, taking stock of the new material which was going to arrive from Mumbai. Due to some problem on the Express Highway, the van arrived well after midnight,” Devika replied. “I was alone, waiting for the delivery, when I distinctly heard a noise outside. At first I thought it was Nidhi, but then I saw something white flash past my window. I couldn’t let it pass as my imagination, so I went to the window - just in time to see a bloated figure in stark white turn the corner of the wall to your office! It was definitely someone moving around. Of course, I didn’t dare pursue the search!”
“What do you mean ‘a bloated figure?’ ”
“It was just a flash and a lot of white, like a white plastic bag or balloon filled with air. Only there was a person inside it, for sure. That’s what I wanted to ask you. Does this place by any chance have a reputation of being haunted?” Devika asked, with a grin.
Sonia returned the smile. “Not that I know of. But this is a very old building, you can make that out from the architecture. More than a hundred years old, at the least. So there could be ghost stories attached to it. I didn’t think of asking when I rented it!”
“Neither did I, though of course, my agent found this place for me.” Devika finished off her cup of chai and rose. “Anyway, I thought you should know that there was a prowler here last night. Could be a petty thief, of course, or maybe someone looking for a shortcut to the main road.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
“I’ve been thinking.” Devika frowned. “Have you thought of keeping a night watchman for the office?”
“I’ve never felt the least bit of necessity for a watchman. But you sound quite concerned. Do you really think this figure in white was more than a passing shortcut finder?” Sonia raised a questioning eyebrow.
Devika shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I’m being unnecessarily paranoid. It’s just that I’ve got a lot of valuables in the boutique - designer jewellery, clothes, semi-precious stones. But on the other hand, would a petty thief understand the value of designer jewellery?”
“He probably wouldn’t. Unless he thinks that it’s all real?” Involuntarily the image of The Owl flashed through Sonia’s mind. At least there was no danger of him being tempted to visit the boutique. A connoisseur in diamonds like him could smell fake jewellery planets and oceans away!
“Quite true. Anyway, let’s hope it doesn’t happen again. I better get back to the boutique. Thanks for the lovely tea, and see you later!” Devika sailed out of the door and Sonia smiled.
The designer always seemed to be in such a tearing hurry. Though of late she had made it a habit of dropping in for a morning cup of chai, before the stream of buyers crowded her shop. Devika was doing well and she was very pleased with the turnout of enthusiastic Punekars.
Sonia turned her attention to the newspaper, which she had put aside when Devika had burst into the office. Her eyes ran over the detailed account of the Sahay case - journalist Mohnish at work. And Sonia was pleased that Mohnish had featured their first case of the year in glowing words. Perhaps he’d realised, just as she had, that Stellar Investigations could do with some positive publicity. Apart from narrating the Sahay case accurately, he’d also added his own comments on how poison - the oldest weapon of death - was still a favourite in suicides and murders. As Sonia folded the newspaper, she conceded that she shared his concern. Easy accessibility, in a variety of forms, had lured even the common man into the world of crime and this was definitely a disturbing prospect.
She had called up Mohnish and thanked him for the well- written article. But in typical Mohnish style, he had brushed off her acknowledgement, saying that he had merely done his duty by reporting an important case.
Sonia glanced at the wall clock. Eleven! And Jatin still hadn’t arrived. Strange. He was usually here first thing in the morning to open the office. It was totally unlike him to be absent without notice. She
