“And Sumeet could sing this taan?”
“Yes, and so could Bishan. Though Raujibua was extremely proud of them, he had forbidden both of them to sing it, since it requires tremendous energy.”
“Thank you, I feel quite learned with all this information.” Sonia spoke sincerely. “Do you think I could read up some more on it? Do you have a book I can refer to?”
“Oh yes, our library is well stocked. After tea, I’ll give you a book that I like very much.”
“One last question, Rimaji. Have you any idea how Panditji’s will is placed?” Sonia asked hesitantly.
Mrs Dharkar nodded. “My husband was very rich. Being a renowned artist, he made a lot of money. Some is tied up in charitable institutions, but the bulk has been left to me and, after me, to Vandana. He has also left sizable sums to Kirit, Sumeet, and Bishan, to get them started in life.”
Sonia took in this information thoughtfully. “But Bishan had a fallout with his Guruji. Did that not affect Raujibua’s will?”
“I think it did. In fact, he did mention that he wished to make changes in his will. But before he could implement them, he passed away.”
Jatin flashed his Boss a quick look. This piece of information had definitely aroused her interest.
“Can you give me that book now?” Sonia asked.
“Of course.”
They followed Mrs Dharkar to the library. Low-roofed and long, it gave the impression of a cozy tunnel. Books lined the walls and thick rugs covered the stone slabs. Mrs Dharkar riffled through the pile of books on the table, then, frowning, she turned to the shelves nearby, scanning the titles. Finally she extracted a book and handed it Sonia.
“This will do for the time being. It’s very basic but provides sufficient knowledge. The book I was actually looking for is not here. Probably one of the boys has borrowed it.”
“There’s something else I need before I leave,” Sonia said, accepting the book. “Horoscopes of the family”
“I know. I’ve kept them ready. Mohnish informed me and I’ve also heard how you work miracles with the horoscopes. I only hope you can work some marvel for me!” The lady sighed.
Sonia impulsively squeezed her arm reassuringly. “Rimaji, I can tell you this much: If there is any hanky-panky in this business, I won’t rest till I find out what it is.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me,” Mrs Dharkar responded with a satisfied smile.
The first day of November was cold. Overnight, the weather had changed and a chilly wave seemed to hit the city. After her morning meal, Nidhi hunted out sunny spots and settled down to warm herself up. She knew it was useless hanging around her Mistress inside the office this morning, when she was in such a mood. And when so much noise seemed to rock the whole earth! And anyway, her Mistress wouldn’t notice her missing, she was so busy caught up with bits of papers.
Jatin had similar thoughts. He felt less tolerant of the loud, blaring music which emanated out of Sonia’s office, which seemed to instigate her thought processes, but which definitely punctured his desire for peace! Thankfully, his Boss had assigned him work, and he was glad to get out of the office.
Unaware of the prejudiced thoughts of her colleagues, Sonia was blissfully dancing with the Beatles’ rock and roll. The song and music entered her brain like a drug, triggering her energy and thought levels, and finally, when the song ended, she felt as if she were walking on air! As the next number thundered, she turned to the horoscopes laid out on the table. Pandit Raujibua Dharkar, Mrs Dharkar, and Vandana. And below, Kirit, Bishan, and Sumeet. Her eyes travelled along the horoscopes, gauging and calculating.
She had arrived at the office that morning with a fresh mind. She knew that she had to be absolutely impartial in this investigation. Since she was dealing with Mrs Dharkar’s intuition and with doubts which could be totally unfounded, she had to be careful. Working with only feelings and no proof was tricky business. So far, the interactions with the dead man’s family had yielded nothing concrete. Sonia had found no reason to believe that anything was amiss in the Dharkar household. Petty jealousies were a part of life, specially those that sprouted from professional rivalry. It did not necessarily mean that anyone of the members would attempt murder. Mrs Dharkar had a strong feeling that someone had killed her husband. Which seemed almost ridiculous, considering he had died of heart attack - a most natural cause of death. But Sonia had learnt the hard way never to scoff at a person’s intuition. The human mind is a stronger force of reckoning than most gave it credit. And she had promised herself never to ignore the warning, however remote or subtle, the heart and mind gave. She had every intention of considering Mrs Dharkar’s suspicions with serious respect. She would try to pin down the remotest possibility of foul play. She had laid out the horoscopes, with a huge responsibility weighing on her shoulders.
But the dancing had changed something. She once again experienced the familiar tingle of thrill as she studied the natal charts. The edge of excitement sharpened. Her eyes fell straight on a very strange planetary position. She caught her breath and stared at two of the horoscopes. And then a third. She bent over them and scrutinized the combination of stars and planets and all her assumptions suddenly veered off-course. This was it! This had to be it! If she was right. The Beatles song continued in the background, and on an impulse Sonia rose and began dancing again. She felt a restlessness, a driving force to uncover the truth.
