A/N: HAPPY HOLI FRIENDS… IN ADVANCE. HAPPY AND SAFE HOLI. ACHE SE KHELNA. TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES AND HAIR (GIRLS SPECIALLY.. BAAL KA BAND BAJ JAATA HAI COLORS SE ;) ) AND USE HERBAL COLORS IF POSSIBLE. MAY THIS HOLI BRING A LOT OF COLORS IN YOUR LIFE.
CHALO NO MORE BAKBAK. NOW WITH THE STORY
Daya reached home at night but abhijeet was not back yet. He called him so many times on the way also.
Daya: kahan chale gaye ho boss phone toh utha lo… yeh abhijeet bhi na… tarika se hi baat kar raha hai kya abhi tak? par phone band kyu aa raha hai? upar se… kahan shaam ko 7 baje nikla tha.. abhi 11 baj rahe hain? itni der.. nahi nahi nahi nahi yeh nahi ho sakta … toh phir kahan chala gaya? kahin sach mein kisi khabri se milne… yaar bata ke toh jaata na…
He waited for abhijeet to come back. Meanwhile he was completing some files. After he finished the file. He looked back at the watch 11:45
He checked his phone. No calls no new messages.
Daya: kahin kuch ho toh nahi gaya…
He immediately called the mobile company and asked for abhijeet's location. They told him that his mobile's IMEI number location was at the café only.
Daya: kya? Café mein abhi tak kya kar raha hai? café itni raat tak khula kaise hai? jaake dekhta hoon.
He drove to the café. It was already closed.
Daya: location café mein… café toh band hai… phir?
Just then he found a cell phone scattered into parts. It was not broken just the parts had split up. He assembled the parts and switched on the phone. Yes! It was abhijeet's phone.
Daya: phone yahan pe hai toh abhijeet…. (looking around) phone bhi aise bikhra pada hai… yahan hua kya hoga? Hey bhagwaan… kisko poochu. Raaste pe log bhi nahi hai itne raat gaye. mai kya karu ab?
He checked the call history. LAST CALL :outgoing to Tarika
He called tarika.
Tarika: daya? itni raat ko call kar rahe ho? sab theek toh hai na?
Daya: I'm sorry tarika itni raat ko tumhe disturb kar raha hoon. Par baat aisi thi ki…
Tarika: daya koi disturbance nahi mai jaagi hi thi. Kal ki conference ke papers set kar rahi thi.. tum woh sab choro sab theek hai na? abhijeet? theek toh hai na woh… haan?
Daya: tarika woh baat abhijeet ki hi thi… tumse abhijeet ki baat hui thi kya?
Tarika: haan par… shaam 7:10 mein… kyu?
Daya: usne tumse kuch kaha tha ki kahin ja raha hai ya kuch bhi?
Tarika: nahi… par kyu?
Daya: tarika woh..
Tarika: kya daya? kya hua hai abhijeet ko? Woh theek toh hai na? kya hua hai usey batao na… (panicking) baat karwao meri uss se…
Daya: abhijeet jaise hi mujhe milega mai baat karwa dunga tumhari bas mil toh jaaye..
Tarika: mil jaaye matlab? Kahan gaya woh?
Daya: isliye hi toh tarika. Call log mein last call usne tumhe hi kiya. Kuch bhi yaad aaye toh socho please…
Tarika: nahi daya… aisi koi baat nahi hui. Usne bas poocha ki hotel kaisa hai aur maine kaha ki mai hotel mein nahi delhi mein Shilpam ke ghar pe ruki hui hoon. Bas! Aur kuch nahi…
Daya (thinking) shitt! Abhijeet ka yeh sunke toh dimaag ghoom gaya hoga. Yeh sunke phone patak ke gaya hoga yahin pe… par abhi tarika ko kuch aur kahunga toh bichari tension mein aa jayegi.
Tarika: daya? hello? Daya?
Daya: h.. haan haan mai hoon yahan bolo.
Tarika: abhijeet ka pata kaise chalega? Kahan gaya hoga woh? Sab theek hoga na?
Daya: arey… tarika… tarika abhi yaad aaya. Dhat! Aaj humare ek dost ki party thi. Usi ke ghar pe hoga…
Tarika: kya daya tum bhi?
Daya: sorry sorry… very sorry tarika
Tarika: jab ghar aa jaye toh meri baat karwa dena uss se please?
Daya: haan haan sure…
Tarika: bye good night take care.
Daya: good night aur sorry.
He ended the call.
Daya: waah! Tarika ko toh bol diya (teasing tone) tarika.. abhijeet dost ki party mein hai.. khaak party! Abhijeet ko kahan se dhoondhu?
He started calling his friends. officer friends woh were usually awake even at this time at night and messaging other common friends woh could possibly be sleeping right now.
Just then he got tarika's call.
Daya (thinking) ho gayi gadbad ab agar kahegi ki abhijeet se baat karwao toh mai gaya kaam se.
Tarika; hello daya? abhijeet mil gaya?
Daya: ha.. haan…
Tarika: baat kar sakti hoon uss se?
Daya: woh actually bahut thak chukka tha, seedhe sone chala gaya.
Tarika: ajeeb hai?!
Daya: kya?
Tarika: arey woh actually mujhe abhi yaad aaya jab maine uss se kaha tha ki kal baat karte hain toh usne bhi kaha tha ki haan abhi mujhe bhi ek khabri se milna hai uske paas kuch information hai. time lag jayega mujhe bhi. 12:00 ya 1:00 baj jayenge aaj uske saath..
Daya: (attentive) khabri ka naam bataya abhijeet ne?
Tarika: nahi.. par kya zaroorat abhijeet toh ghar aa gaya na?
Daya was silent.
Tarika: abhijeet nahi mila na daya… (hurt tone) Tumne jhoot kaha na?
Daya: Tarika woh… mai
Tarika: daya tumne mujhe samajh ke kya rakha hai? kya laga tha mujhe pata nahi chalega? Daya CID team ki forensic department se hoon. Abhijeet ko ache se jaanti hoon mai. Woh yeh sab late night parties bilkul pasand nahi karta. Upar se Abhijeet ka phone dekhe bina tumhe kaise pata ki mere baad kisine usey call kiya ya nahi? Aur agar phone tumhare paas hai aur tum abhijeet ko dhoondh rahe ho toh iska matlab kuch gadbad toh hai.
Daya; Tarika I'm sorry. mai tumhe aur pareshaan nahi karna chahta tha iss waqt.
Tarika: daya abhijeet yahan mil nahi raha aur tum kehte ho mai pareshaan na ho jaun? Daya agar usey kuch ho gaya toh.. mera… h.. humara kya hoga? Tum jitni respect karte ho uski mai bhi karti hoon, tum jitni fikar karte ho uski mai bhi karti hoon. Tum jitna pyaar uss se karte ho mai bhi…
Daya; tarika?
Tarika: daya.. please abhijeet ka jaldi se pata lagao please kuch bhi karo. Aur.. aur jab bhi mile woh turant call karo mujhe. Chahe jitney bhi baje ho… please daya.
Daya: tarika relax kuch nahi hoga usey. mai call karta hoon tumhe. Ok? Mai call kar dunga pakka. shant ho jao. Kuch nahi hoga abhijeet ko … mai call karunga tumhe ok. Bilkul mat ghabrana. Bye.
He ended the call.
Daya: abhijeet yaar kahan ho? Tarika bhi itni pareshaan hai yaar tumhare liye. Mobile chor keg aye ho, bike ya car leke nahi gaye ab tumhara location kaise trace karu.. (thinking something) beach! Maine pehele kaise nahi socha. Jab bhi udaas hota hai wahin jaata hai. Shilpam ke ghar pe tarika ruki hai yeh sunke bahut gussa ho gaya hoga wahin gaya hoga.
He immediately reached the beach. He sighed in relief as he saw abhijeet sitting there.
Daya: abhijeet yeh kya mazaak hai? mai tumhe poori Mumbai mein dhoondh dhoondh ke pareshaan hoon. Phone bhi patak kea a gaye café ke saamne. Tumhe andaaza bhi hai mai kitna pareshaan tha?
Abhijeet was silent.
Daya (jerking him) abhijeet. hosh mein ho? tumse baat kar raha hoon mai.
Abhijeet turned towards him. daya was shocked to see him. he could clearly make out that abhijeet had been crying since a long time. Red swollen eyes, tear stained cheeks, heavy voice.
Daya: (with concern) abhi? kya ho gaya?
Abhijeet: T.. ta. Tarika… tarika shilpam ke ghar pe hai..
Daya: boss.
Abhijeet: mai tarika ko bata nahi paaya daya. tum sahi kehte the bata do usey. bata do usey. par mai… bas sahi samay aane ka wait karta raha. Bas sochta tha ki Tarika ko mujhpe thoda aur bharosa ho jaye, humari dosti thodi aage bad jaaye, usey mai zara bhi pasand aa jaun. Pata nahi yeh sab kitna hua? hua bhi ya nahi! Par waqt toh chala hi gaya.
Daya: abhijeet.. tum bekar pareshaan ho rahe ho. abhi kuch bhi nahi bigda hai. Tarika se baat karo. Woh parso aa jayegi. Sab theek ho jayega. Parso baat kar lena uss se. I promise sab theek ho jayega. Bharosa rakho mujhpe.
Abhijeet: kya theek ho jayega daya? Tarika shilpam ke mummy papa se baat karne gayi kal. Matlab samajh rahe ho? jo tumne kaha tha sach ho raha hai.
Daya: arey nahi abhijeet tum galat samajh rahe ho.. uss din maine…
Abhijeet: sahi kaha daya mai galat hi samajh raha tha. galat soch raha tha. maine kaise soch liya ki Tarika mere saath khush reh sakti hai. mujh jaise insaan ke saath? Mai ek CID officer hoon. Aaj hoon kal rahu ya nahi kise pata?
Daya: abhijeet! kaisi baatein kar rahe ho? aur uss hisaab se toh tarika bhi humare team ka hi hissa hai. attacks sirf officers pe ho aisa koi rule toh nahi hai. hone ko tarika bhi toh…
Abhijeet (immediately) nahi… usey kuch nahi hoga. Mai nahi hone dunga usey kuch bhi. (looking away) aur sirf life risk ka baat nahi hai. tum toh meri dimaagi haalat jaante ho. jab apni maa tak ko bhula diya ab … abhi bhi kabhi attacks aate hain toh poori team ko bhula deta hoon, kitni mushkile paida karta hoon tum sabke liye. Mujhe kya hak ki mai uski khushi, uski life spoil karu?
Daya: (sighs) abhijeet ghar chalo. Dopeher se kuch khaya nahi tumne. Thak gaye ho. ghar chalo hum kal araam se baat karte hain.
Abhijeet: daya mujhe akela chhor do please.
Daya: abhijeet. please chalo ab. Bahut late ho gaya hai. please chalo. Hum kal baat karenge iss bare mein araam se. chalo. Please.
Abhijeet: daya.
Daya: boss kya chahte ho seedhe seedhe batao ab kya chahte ho? haath joru pair padu? Abhijeet tum bahut zyaada soch rahe ho. ghar chalo.
Abhijeet got up and moved with him silently.
They reached home soon and abhijeet moved upstairs in his room silently.
Dayay moved in the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Daya: arey aaj dopeher ko bhi extra nahi bacha, hotels bhi abhi khule nahi honge. mai hi kuch bana deta hoon.
He moved to abhijeet's room.
Daya: abhijeet tum fresh ho jao mai kuch bana deta hoon kha …. (noticing something)
He moved inside.
Daya: yeh toh so gaya seedhe. Kya karu utha doon? Aise hi chidha hua hai. shayad khayega bhi nahi. Rehne deta hoon. Zyaada kar diya maine.
He came out of the room and saw the watch. 1:00 am
Daya: tarika ko call karu ya nahi? Disturb hi jayegi. Par nahi kiya toh aur pareshaan rahegi.
He decided to call her.
Tarika: daya? abhijeet? abhijeet mil gaya na? haan? theek hai na woh? Kuch hua toh nahi usey? sab theek hai na? kahan hai woh?... daya bolo na. kuch bolte kyu nahi?
Daya: tarika… tarika tum bolne dogi tab na?
Tarika: sorry.
Daya: tarika abhijeet bilkul theek hai. kuch nahi hua usey. beach pe tha. Mood thoda off tha isliye.
Tarika; baat kar sakti hoon?
Daya; actually woh so gaya hai.
Tarika: daya?
Daya; nahi sachhi. Iss baar sach mein. Room mein so raha hai.
Tarika: ok kal subah?
Daya: kal jaise hi uthega mai baat karwa dunga tumhari promise.
Tarika: thanks. Aur haan sorry… Woh uss waqt maine gusse mein tumhe kuch zyaada hi bol diya…
Daya: tumhara gussa jayaz bhi tha.
Tarika: tumhara reason bhi valid hi tha…
Daya: galti dono ki hai. so cancel apas mein.
Tarika: hmm.
Daya: kal baat karte hain. tum bhi thak gayi hogi na… araam karo. Aur haan best of luck for your conference.
Tarika: thanks. Dhyaan rakhna …
Daya: arey don't worry mai apna…
Tarika (cutting him off) abhijeet ka.
Daya: oh sorry. mujhe laga tumne mujhe kaha . dhyaan rakhunga uska.
Tarika: nahi… (bitting her tongue) I mean dono tum dono dhyaan se rehna wohi… mai woh…
Daya: (smiling) haan haan I know what you mean … kal suabh uthne do bhaisahab ko! ache se class lunga.
Tarika: ummm zyaada daatna mat usey. aise hi naa jaane kis baat se pareshaan hai…
Daya: arey haan baba mai mazaak kar raha tha. dhyaan rakhunga uska aur usey nahi datunga. Aur kuch?
Tarika: aur…
Daya: subah tumhari baat karwa dunga uss se… aur kuch?
Tarika: (smiling) nahi… aur kuch nahi. bye.
Daya: good night bye.
He ended the call.
Daya: dono love birds ke beech mein mai kahan phans gaya? hey bhagwaan bacha le mujhe. Ek baat batayi nahi tarika ke bare mein ki abhijeet pareshaan. Abhijeet ka kuch bola nahi ki tarika pareshaan. Dono ek dusre ko akhir batate kyu nahi? Maine itni planning ki abhijeet toh batane bhi waala tha ki tarika chali gayi… kal bata dun kya abhijeet ko? Nahi… ab itne din pareshaani jheli toh thodi aur sahi. Chalo boss bhook toh mujhe bhi nahi hai. mai bhi so jaata hoon.
He headed off to sleep.
Next day he woke up aftering hearing sounds of utensils from the kitchen. He went down to see abhijeet making breakfast.
Daya: boss Sunday itni subah subah? Bahut bhook lag gayi kya?
Abhijeet: (still buzy in making food) kal mai bina khaye so gaya toh tune bhi nahi khaya hoga. Meri pareshaani mein tu kyu bhookha rahe. Aur waise bhi… (smiling) sach kaho toh mujhe bhi bhook lagi hai.
Daya: chalo mere bare mein yaad hai toh sahi tumhe. Warna mujhe laga ab bhi Tarika ji ke khayalon mein khoye hue hoge.
Abhijeet: (looking away) tarika toh ab bas khayal mein hi mil sakti hai.
Daya: acha? Toh khyaal mein hi milke atleast usey itna bata dena ki kitne der tak aur kahan gayab rehne waale ho… uff! Kal toh pareshaan kar diya yaar usne.
Abhijeet: kya matlab?
Daya: arey kal mai tumhe dhoondhne nikla toh tumhara phone mila café ke saamne. Last call tarika ka tha. socha usi ko pooch loon ki agar tumne usey kuch bataya hoga kahana ja rahe ho ya kuch bhi? Toh jab tarika ko pata chala bahut pareshaan ho gayi thi woh. Har 10 minute mein call karke pooch rahi thi tumhare bare mein. Dekhoge mera call list.
He brought his phone.
Daya: dekho yeh kal humari 12 se leke 1 baje ke beech yeh 1…2 … (counting) 100 se upar calls aaye hain tarika ke.
Abhijeet; (face lighting up) s.. sach? Tarika mere liye itni pareshaan thi?
Daya: aur nahi toh kya? Aur… yeh lo. kal subah 3 baje se 5 baje tak…. 45 missed calls. (looking at him) acha hua maine phone silent kar diya warna mujhe toh sone milta hi nahi raat bhar. Kal usne kaha tha ki jaise abhijeet uthe meri baat karwana uss se. maine usko kaha ki abhijeet ke phone pe mat karna so raha hoga toh disturb ho jayega toh tarika ne mere hi phone pe calls kar diye. Matlab tum nahi toh mujhe utha hi dena tha aaj. (smiling) ab baat kar lo warna mujhe maar dalegi woh.
Abhijeet was happy from within. Something joined inside him again. He still hoped things could work between him and her. maybe she did care for him afterall.
He dialed her number immediately.
Abhijeet: daya yaar number switched off aa raha hai.
Daya: ek do aur baar try karo.
Abhijeet: 5 baar kiya daya.
Daya: acha ruko mai dekhta hoon.
The same result. Phone was switched off.
Daya: conference mein hogi.
Abhijeet: conference jis hotel mein ho raha hai uske reception mein try karo. Mere paas number hai wahan ka.
Daya: boss..
Abhijeet: kya? Try karo wahan ka. Number hai… *******
Daya: boss conference se aake tumhe khud call karegi yaar. pareshaan mat ho bewajah.
Abhijeet: daya mujhe kuch theek nahi lag raha. Please call karo hotel mein. Tarika conference mein phone humesha silent pe rakhti hai kabhi switched off nahi. Poocho na reception pe.
Daya: acha acha relax.. mai poochta hoon.
Daya: hello? Hotel STARLAKE? Jee haan… mai CID Mumbai se inspector daya bol raha hoon. Haan humari forensic doctor Tarika… ji mujhe bas jaan na tha ki woh abhi tak aayi hai ya nahi? Kya? Are you sure? Conference shuru ho chuki hai? aap dubara check kar sakti hain? jee mai hold karta hoon. Kya? Sure? 100%? Ok… ok thanks. Thanks bye.
Abhijeet: kya hua?
Daya; tarika nahi hai wahan bhi. Conference shuru ho chukka hai woh wahan nahi pahuchi hai.
Abhijeet: mai jaanta tha kuch problem hai… woh jis hotel mein reh rahi thi uska number bhi nahi hai mere paas.
Daya: woh shilpam ke ghar pe… shilapm ka number hai mere paas.
Abhijeet: (strict tone) call karo usey… pooch usko tarika kahan hai?
Daya: boss uska number bhi…
Abhijeet: (scared) switched off?
Daya nodded.
Abhijeet: mujhe pehele hi sochna chahiye tha. koi bhi banda bin matlab itna sweet, charming, caring nahi ho sakta… mai bhi…
Daya; bosss. Shilpam aisa kuch kar nahi sakta tum galat samajh rahe ho.
Abhijeet; daya beech mein mat pado. Bilkul sahi samajh raha hoon mai. Aaj agar tarika ko kuch ha na iss shilpam ke bache ki toh mai…
Abhijeet dialed another number.
Abhijeet: haan hello… mai CID Mumbai se senior inspector abhijeet. mujhe do number ke location chahiye abhi…
A/N: NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER. SUNDAY TAK LIKH DENGE!
Guest, Shah khanam, sakshi, avni, rajvigirl thanks for your reviews.
A.S. anjaana:- hmm hope you enjoyed today's chapter.
Kamikaze me:- same here. Mujhe bhi likhne mein maza aa raha hai.
Mistic morning:- thanks. Btw nice name… unique and cool.!
Ishani: bas Sunday tak ruk jao. Last chapter mein aapka kaam ho jayega.
Loveabhi:- thanks di. Aage aage dekho shilpam bhaiya ki tang khichai.