Khushi episode 2
#KhushiEpisode2
#RhituparnaChakraborty
#Disclaimer: This is an original work of fiction. Any relation to any person or organism living or dead is purely coincidental. This story cannot be published, copied or reproduced elsewhere without the consent of the author Rhituparna Chakraborty. This is a work of imagination with no intention to hurt anyone.
Mushtaque was wearing a pair of track pants, a round collared white t shirt with comfortable flip flops on his feet. The gun stood fixed in the holster. He came and met Hemant, Kavita and Mohit. Kavita was quiet. The look on her face, her blood shot red eyes narrated the pain of a mother whose daughter was missing. Hemant sat there with a distressed look on his face. Mohit kept on pacing around. Mushtaque looked at Hemant and said, ‘Sir, let’s talk in my cabin.’ Mushtaque’s brown eyes reflected concern. His haphazard hair and his home attire said he had come there in a hurry.
In his cabin, Mushtaque made Hemant, Kavita and Mohit sit comfortably. Mushtaque sat in front of them and said, ‘I need a picture of your daughter and I need all the details you can tell me about her, right from her hobbies, habits, friends, likes, dislikes and so on and so forth. Also, I need all the details about all of you, your extended family, your net worth in terms of money and property.’ Hemant said, ‘I live with my wife Kavita, my daughter Khushi and my brother Mohit in Montreal street. I have my apparel business. In the name of property, I have this 5 bedroom house in Montreal street and two more houses in Mumbai and Delhi which are on rent.’ Mushtaque then said, ‘As per the FIR report, Khushi went to college in the morning and Mohit had dropped her, right?’. Mohit nodded and said, ‘Yes. I always drop her at her college.’ Mushtaque said, ‘ Any family enmity with anyone?’ Hemant said, ‘No. This is my independent business, I don’t have any partners.’ Kavita said looking at a blank spot, ‘Please find my daughter.’ Mushtaque’s heart went out to her. He remembered his daughter Mehek. What daughters mean to parents. Mohit looked at Mushtaque and said, ‘My niece means the world to all of us. Please help us.’ Mushtaque looked at Mohit and said, ‘I will find Khushi. I need the contact details of all her friends.’ Mohit said, ‘I have heard some names from her whenever she talks about college. Umm… one name is Sohum and the other I guess is Trishaan.’ Mushtaque replied grimly, ‘Hmm. Do you have their numbers?’ Hemant interrupted and said, ‘There is a girl called Sneha also. I will give you her number. I have numbers of her other friends too. I will give them to you.’ Mushtaque took the phone numbers and said, ‘We have to first find out whether it is a case of ransom or enmity. If anyone calls you, inform me immediately.’ Mushtaque looked at Mohit and said, ‘ Give me your phone. I will add my number.’ Mohit gave Mushtaque his phone. Mushtaque added his number in contact list and said, ‘Take your brother and sister in law home. I will see you all tomorrow.’
After the meeting, Mushtaque booted up his laptop. He immediately searched Khushi’s profile on social media. He checked thoroughly. She used to be very active on social media. Mushtaque checked all her conversations on social media. He had to find some clue where to look for her. Her phone was untraceable. He looked at his watch. It was 3:00 a.m. He decided to go home now. He will start early at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow.
Mushtaque reached home at around 3:30 a.m. Mushtaque opened the door softly ensuring Saanchi and his little daughter Mehek would not wake up. However Saanchi had not slept a wink after Mushtaque had left for police station. When she heard the living room door open, she went to the living room. Seeing her, Mushtaque said, ‘Oops! Did I make a lot of noise?’ Saanchi came closer to him, smiled and said, ‘No. I was worried, hence came to see you.’ Mushtaque went closer to Saanchi, held her gently, kissed her forehead and said, ‘ With a wife like you praying for me, do you think I will die this soon?’. Saanchi touched Mushtaque’s lips with her pretty fingers and said sternly, ‘Don’t ever utter negative words again’. Mushtaque smiled and said, ‘Okay baby, I won’t.’ Saanchi then said, ‘ Are you going to catch up on your sleep now or shall I make a cup of coffee for you?’ Mushtaque sat on the couch, rubbed his eyes and said, ‘I can’t sleep Saanchi. That young girl Khushi is missing. I don’t know what condition she might be in. I can’t rest till I find her and who is behind this.’ Saanchi looked at Mushtaque. It has been a month since she got married to Mushtaque. With every passing day she fell in love with her husband more and more. He was such a compassionate soul. He was the one who had rescued her from such ghastly monsters. And now, he will not leave any stone unturned to find Khushi. Saanchi was proud of Mushtaque. At the same time, she was pained to hear the news about that innocent girl Khushi missing. She knew what it was to be trapped amidst devils. She prayed silently for Khushi. She then quickly went to the kitchen to get a hot cup of coffee for Mushtaque.
Khushi sat there in a corner in the dark room with her hands and mouth tied. Her eyes were covered with a black piece of cloth tied tightly. It was a tiny room with only one tiny hole in the wall for some air to come in so that she does not die of suffocation. The person came and took off the tape from her mouth. Khushi yelled, ‘LET ME GET OUT OF HERE. WHAT DO YOU WANT?’ The person said, ‘Shhh…. don’t scream.’ Startled Khushi said, ‘Wait, I know this voice.’ The person went near Khushi, took off the cloth which was tied in Khushi’s eyes. Seeing the person, Khushi froze. She cried, ‘How can you do this to me? Why are you doing this? What do you want?’ The person came closer to Khushi, gave a wicked smile, bent, and touched her slender neck. Khushi shivered, cried and begged, ‘Don’t touch me…. please, let me go. Please let me go.’ The person laughed and said, ‘Let you go? To whom?’. He smiled wickedly again and said, ‘Not so soon baby. Not so soon. I need you to myself first and then my needs….’
Next day in college, Mushtaque first met Sneha. Sneha told Mushtaque that Khushi was the happiest girl anybody would ever come across. She can never have any enemy. When asked about Khushi’s love life, Sneha said, ‘Khushi had a crush on Hrehaan. They usually used to talk to each other in college. Rest, if they met after class or not, I don’t know.’ Mushtaque asked, ‘Where can I find Hrehaan now?’. Sneha said, ‘Most probably in class.’ Mushtaque said, ‘Thank you for all the information. I will be in touch with you. I will need you to find Khushi.’ Sneha tried fighting her tears. With a choked voice, she said, ‘Please find my Khushi. I will provide all the help I can.’ Mushtaque nodded and said, ‘I will find her.’ Saying that, he went ahead to meet Hrehaan.
When Mushtaque walked in the college premises, heads turned. Dressed in a cobalt blue collared tshirt, blue denim trousers, Armani lace up sneakers, not to forget his rayban aviator sunglasses, Mushtaque looked as handsome as always with his sturdy structure, splendid height and fit looks. The girls in Hrehaan’s classroom stared at Mushtaque when he asked the teacher about Hrehaan. Hrehaan was not there in the class. Mushtaque went ahead to see if he could find Hrehaan anywhere. He had seen Hrehaan’s picture in social media, so he would recognize him the moment he saw him. He saw Hrehaan in a dark corner of the huge garden of the college premises. Hrehaan was getting cozy with some girl. Mushtaque went ahead to meet Hrehaan. Seeing Mushtaque coming, the girl with Hrehaan left. Mushtaque looked at Hrehaan and said, ‘This is ACP Mushtaque Khan. Do you know Khushi?’ Hrehaan trembled. Mushtaque said, ‘Khushi and you used to talk, isn’t it?’. Hrehaan fumbled and said, ‘ Y..y..yes’. Mushtaque took off his glares, looked at Hrehaan and said, ‘Apparently you knew Khushi had a crush on you and after that you started meeting her. Am I right?’ Hrehaan was scared. He said trembling, ‘I…I don’t understand.’ Mushtaque patted Hrehaan’s cheek softly and said, ‘I will make you understand everything soon.’ Hrehaan was scared to his spine.
Next morning Mushtaque received a call from his colleague Chetan. Khushi’s best friend Sneha was missing. She had not come home last night…..
To be continued……
