I'm just one call away

Chapter 1

Daya was in kitchen making coffee for himself when his cellphone started ringing. He received the call. It was Abhijeet.

"Han bolo Abhijeet." Daya said.

"Daya kya kar rahe ho tum abhi?" Abhijeet asked.

"Kuch nahi, kyun?" Daya said.

"Kuch nahi kar rahe ho to jara TV on karo. Tumhara interview telecast ho raha hai." Abhijeet said excitedly.

"Achha!" Daya exclaimed. It was his first interview and he was excited.

(Story set up in early days of Daya's career. He is only inspector Daya not the 'senior inspector Daya'. Imagine a young Daya here 😙 )

"Ok ok main dekhta hu. Thanks batane ke liye. Baad me baat karta hu." He said and disconnected.

He walked in the living room and switched on the television. He was exhilarated seeing himself on the TV screen.

It was his first media interaction. He had shown a great bravery in the last case in nabbing some powerful criminals and was getting applauds by everyone including the public and the media.

He talked about his experiences as a cid inspector and the dangerous criminals he had come across so far in his career.

"I want a crime free society." He said in his interview. "Aur ek crime free society ke liya cid ko public ki help chahiye. Agar aapke samne koi crime ho raha hai to use ignore mat kariye. Cid ko inform keejiye aur us crime ko rokne me humari help keejiye. Agar aap khud kisi problem me hain to bhi turant local police ko ya phir cid ko contact kariye. Agar aap kisi wajeh se police ya phir cid ko contact nahi kar pa rahe to aap direct mujhe call kar sakte hain. Mera number hai..." And he told his personal mobile number. "Is number pe call karke aap mujhe help ke liye bula sakte hain. I promise...din ho ya raat...dhoop ho ya chaw, andhi-toofan, barsaat kuch bhi ho...main aapki help ke liye jaroor aaunga. I am just one call away!" He said smiling.

Daya was watching his own interview biting his nails. He looked slight unhappy in the end and let out a sigh. "Lagta hai excitement me kuch jyada hi bol gaya main. Abhi cid join kiye huye mushkil se 4 din huye hain. 2 gundo ko kya arrest kiya apne aap ko tees maar khan samajh liya. Josh me aakar kitna kuch bol gaya main interview me jo nahi bolna chahiye tha. Personal number public ko nahi batana chahiye tha. Main ek cid officer hu. Ek mamuli sa inspector. Koi superman to nahi. Agar log sach me help ke liye mere mobile pe call karne lage to main kya karunga? Kis kis ki help karunga akele?" He held his head in his hands. "Par ab to ye interview telecast ho chuka hai. Sari public ko mera number pata chal gaya hoga. Ab kya kar sakte hain. Jo hoga dekha jayega. Agar koi sach me help ke liye call karta hai to jana hi padega. I just hope acp sir ye interview na dekhe! " He was regretting and cursing his stupid tongue.

3 days later.

It had been raining heavily since morning with terrible thunderstorms. Streets were almost flooding.

Daya and Abhijeet were enjoying coffee at Abhijeet's home.

"Daya koi phone aaya tumhe?" Suddebly Abhijeet asked.

Daya looked at him. "Kaisa phone?"

"Are wo tumne interview me apna personal mobile number diya tha na ki koi musibat me ho to wo tumhe call kare aur tum uski help karne jaoge." Abhijeet reminded him.

Daya nodded his head, "achha wo.." He sighed, "Mat pucho yaar. Maine bahut badi galti kar di. Pata hai interview telecast hone ke agle din mujhe ek old lady ka call aaya. Usne kaha wo musibat me hain and she needs my help. Jab main uske bataya huye address pe pahucha to wo mera wait kar rahi thi. Mujhe dekhte hi khushi se uchal padi aur boli 'wow! beta tum sach me aa gaye. Mujhe koi problem nahi hai main to bas dekhna chahti thi ki tum sach me aate ho ya nahi."

Abhijeet burst out laughing.

Daya made a face, "tab se yahi haal hai. Kabhi school ke bachhe prank call karke pareshan kar rahe hain to kabhi ladkiyan. Ek ladki ne mujhe call kiya aur jab main uski help ke liye pahucha to pata hai usne kya kaha. Usne kaha ki maine aapko sirf ye kehne ke liye bulaya hai ki aap bahut handsome hain."

Abhijeet was still laughing.

"Had ho gayi hai." Daya said, "Majak bana kar rakh diya hai. Ek bhi serious call nahi aayi ab tak mere paas. Tung aa chuka hu nain is shehar ki stupid public se. Main number change karne ki soch raha hu."

Abhijeet stopped laughing and patted his shoulder. "Koi baat nahi aaj ek din aur dekh lo. Kal se number change kar dena. "

"Han sahi kaha tumne." Daya said.

Suddenly Daya's phone started ringing.

"Lo ek aur phone." Daya murmured.

Abhijeet chuckled. "Receive kar lo. Kya pata iss baar koi serious call ho."

Daya nodded. "Ok, This is the last call. Iske baad main kisi ka phone nahi uthaunga." He said and received the call.

"Hello..senior inspector Daya speaking!"

A second later a wispy voice of a girl came from the other side.

"Inspector Daya mujhe aapko kuch batana hai "

"Ji pehle aap apna naam bataiye."Daya said.

"My name is Shreya!" The girl said

"Ok miss Shreya, What can I do for you?"

"Maine aapka interview dekha tha. Aapne kaha tha ki agar hum apne aas paas koi crime hota hua dekhe to aapko inform kare."

"Ji han...kya aapke aas paas koi crime ho raha hai?"

"Ji ho nahi raha but hone wala hai."

"Main kuch samjha nahi."

"Inspector Daya main ek murder karne ja rahi hu. Agar aap mujhe rok sakte hain to please rok leejiye." Shreya said.

Daya exchanged a look with abhijeet. "Are you serious? Kya bol rahi hain aap? Kaha se bol rahi hain aap?"

Shreya told her location .

"You have only 30 minutes and your time starts now!" Shreya said.

Daya quickly checked the time.

"Ek minute ek minute...wo sab theek hai lekin aap kiska murder karne wali hain?"

After a moment of silence shreya spoke.

"Khud ka!"

Daya was stunned. "What?"

"Suicide karna bhi to ek crime hai na. Let's see aap ye crime hone se rok pate hain ya nahi. You have 29 minutes left now." Shreya said and cut the call.

Daya was shocked. "Kahi ye bhi koi prank to nahi. Ye ladki pagal to nahi. Abhijeet mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha main kya karu."

Abhijeet was not bothered much. "Just chill Daya. Suicide karne wala insaan ye thodi chahta hai ki koi aakar use bachaye. Ye ladki definitely prank kar rahi hai. Tum tension mat lo. Kahi jane ki jarurat nahi hai. Waise bhi itni tej barish ho rahi hai. Mausam bhi theek nahi hai. Chup chap baitho. Bhool jao iss phone call ko."

But Daya was panicked. "Kaise bhool jaun Abhijeet? Agar ye prank call hai to koi baat nahi lekin agar... Agar ye ladki sach bol rahi hai aur...aur sach me wo suicide karne wali hai to? Abhijeet agar mujhe pata chala ki us ladki ne suicide kar liya aur marne se pehle usne mujhse baat ki thi aur mujhe khud ko sucide karne se rokne ke liye bulaya tha to...zindagi bhar mere dil par ek bojh rahega ki main kisi ki jaan bacha sakta tha lekin bacha nahi paya."

Abhijeet was just staring at him. Abhijeet knew he can't convince Daya to ignore that girl and her call. He rolled his eyes annoyingly. "Daya keep calm! tum itne sentimental kyun ho?"

Daya shook his head and looked at his watch, ''Oh Shit! 5 minutes to yahi lag gaye! Mujhe jana hoga Abhijeet. Mere paas sirf 25 minutes hain."

"Mujhe nahi lagta ki ye ladki sach me suicide karne wali hai." Abhijeet said.

Daya looked at him. "I don't know kya soch kar usne mujhe call kiya hai. Ye koi majak hai ya sach. Jo bhi ho us ladki ko kuch nahi hona chahiye bas!" He said and without wasting another second grabbed his motorcycle key and literally ran outside.

"Daya at least raincoat to le lo. Don't panic. Kuch nahi hoga us ladki ko."

Abhijeet shouted from behind but daya had already left to the location told by Shreya without bothering about the severe weather.

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...to be continued