Jatin whipped out a pad and began making notes. Sonia nodded in appreciation.
“Is the cupboard always locked?”
“Yes, though I did it more out of a force of habit. Hardly anyone ever enters this room. My guests always meet in the hall and the dining room. Very rarely do I allow anyone in here. Except my wife - I mean, Sheetal - and my Secretary, Ganesh.”
Sheetal walked in with a tray. As she handed out cups of hot tea and Kaaju barfi - cashewnut sweet - she told him, “Ganesh Pandit has been working with Pankaj for more than a year now. I believe he’s quite trustworthy.”
“Can I take a look at the statues?” Sonia asked.
“Of course!” Pankaj readily rose and fished out a key from his pocket. He opened the cupboard door and moved aside to allow Sonia to make her inspection.
The wooden statues of the prominent figures from the Ramayana, polished with age, stood in a straight row. Sonia lifted one. It left a dent of dust on the shelf. She studied the statue, noticing the fine carving, the tiny painted thrones on each head, and the delicate features of Ram, Sita, and a deer. The statue surely was unique and no doubt worth considerable money. She replaced it and swept a casual hand over the rest of the antiques. They were impressive pieces of sculpture.
“They are teakwood, made out of whole wood. Notice especially the Ram and Sita couple with the deer. Isn’t it fantastic?”
“Absolutely,” Sonia agreed. “Are you sure that the lock wasn’t picked?” she asked as she turned from the cupboard.
“No, the lock was intact.” Pankaj turned the key in the lock and dropped it into his pocket again.
“Which means someone who has access to the key has taken the statues,” Sonia concluded. “And these windows? Are they always fastened from the inside?”
“Always. Almost throughout the year it’s so windy, and during the monsoons it’s so stormy that I have to keep the windows shut,” Pankaj replied.
Sonia took a seat on the sofa, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Which means that no one can climb in through the windows. No outsider ever enters this room and apparently no member of the house would’ve taken the statues”
“It’s a real mystery, isn’t it?” Pankaj grimaced. “That’s the reason why I had to invite you. I’d heard that with the help of horoscopes, you’ve solved many cases”
Jatin flashed his Boss a glance full of pride, but Sonia looked a little abashed.
“Yes, it’s my main crime-solving tool. And in this case, too, I shall need all the horoscopes. Including your Secretary Ganesh Pandit’s horoscope.”
“But you said it’s unlikely that it could be anyone from the house,” Sheetal reminded her.
“I said ‘apparently,’ ” Sonia corrected gently. “There are so many hidden crevices in a person’s character. And a horoscope invariably does define a character. One may believe in the predictions or not, but no one can refute the capacity of a horoscope to reveal the real character of a person.”
“Oh, that sounds very interesting!” Pankaj exclaimed. “In that case, I shall immediately fetch you the horoscopes. Sheetal, you have yours, don’t, you? And I’d already asked Ganesh to bring his today. Also, I told you yesterday that I would need Jeetu’s horoscope. Did you get it from him?”
Sheetal looked a little uneasy. “I did, but is it really necessary? Jeetu has nothing to do with the antiques theft.” She frowned.
Pankaj laughed. “I know he doesn’t. But I’m curious about him. And, after all, he’s a good friend of yours. Why not try to find out more about him?”
Sheetal stared at her husband for a moment, but he maintained a smiling posture. Sonia glanced from one to the other but said nothing.
“All right,” Sheetal sighed. “I’ll be right back.”
The moment she left the room, Pankaj turned eagerly to Sonia. “Look, I know you must be wondering. But I must be frank with you. Jeetu has been Sheetal’s friend for a long, long time. Though I’ve never met him, I’m aware that he’s a very important part of my wife’s life. Before our marriage, I was almost afraid that she was in love with him. Thankfully she wasn’t, and we got married. But I’m truly curious about him. To be very honest, even a little jealous. I hope you understand. I love Sheetal a lot, but I have to know that there’s nothing between them. You do understand, don’t you?” His pleading voice and anxious gaze made Sonia nod.
“I know what you mean. But if I were you, I wouldn’t make your jealousy so obvious. I understand that you’ve just been married,” she remarked.
“Yes. After Anju, my first wife, died in a car accident, I was grief-struck and lost. I was incapable of even taking care of Tina. So I had to find a Governess for my daughter. I was lucky to find Sheetal. She’s studied child psychology and wanted to be with children before she embarked on another definite, more lucrative career. After I hired her, I totally ignored Sheetal. Life had lost its interest for me. But gradually, I realised how good she was with Tina. Tina also seemed to adore her. And then as days passed I began to find her terribly attractive. Before long I was in love and couldn’t bear the thought of her ever leaving. Luckily for me, Sheetal had also begun to have feelings for me. My only worry was Jeetu, who featured regularly in her conversation and in all her decisions. But ultimately it all
