It’s 7: 30 pm in Mumbai. As the flight takes off for Manhattan, SP Bhosle’s mobile beeps with a fresh message. Although he didn’t have much work, he is feeling knackered and lethargic. He knows this tiredness is because of mental stress. The case of Aditya Oberoi which led to the dead-end of Manu Mathre’s death has made him go through lots of mental calculations. Unfortunately, many equations are still unanswered. Bhosle rubs his heavy-lidded eyes and unmindfully grabs the mobile. His short glance turns to a squint and then wide in astonishment. He springs up from the chair and yells to a constable,

“RAO! I am leaving…arrange my desk.”

He grabs the police cap, adjusts his belt and checks the revolver before exiting the room in haste. He heads to the police car parking place and opens a car door to get in. In a blink of an eye, his car whizzes past the police station premises. Bhosle grips the steering tightly and opens the message inbox once again.

“A dead body of a man has been found in the ravine of Panchgani. It is the same place where Aditya Oberoi was attacked for the last time. His name is Ashok Salgaonkar. He used to work in one of the factories of Aditya Oberoi. He doesn’t have any previous criminal record.”

Bhosle skirts his predator eyes on the lines a couple of times. His jaws become hard. Suddenly it seems that every bit of the puzzle is getting fitted in its right place to make it a full picture. Bhosle starts calculating,

“So, these all are the plan of the great manipulator Aditya Oberoi. He planted his own man to attack him just to gain the sympathy of Nandana and to mislead the police. He knew that only playing a victim role could have saved him from being the accused. He didn’t have another way to keep Nandana Basu with him. Hat’s off Aditya Oberoi. Well played but I caught you. There are so many questions which you have to answer. I really feel bad for Mrs Oberoi. She again trusted you and you again broke it.”

Bhosle’s car screeches stop in front of Aditya’s bungalow. He hastily gets down and heads to the gate. A uniformed guard rushes to the gate.

“Open the gate. I have come to meet Aditya Oberoi. Inform him.”

Bhosle commands in a hurry but it doesn’t affect the guard much. He keeps on staring at Bhosle with quizzical eyes.

“What? Open the gate. It’s a police enquiry. Can’t you see?”

He tries to attract his attention to his police uniform. This time the guard opens the door but instead of letting Bhosle come in, he steps out.

“Who is Aditya Oberoi, Sir? This bungalow belongs to some Aryan Khurana but he doesn’t stay here. I have just joined my job today. I only know his name. Right now, this bungalow is empty. Only I and a caretaker are there. I don’t know who are you talking about. I have never met any Aditya Oberoi.”

The guard clears his doubt. His answers give a jostle to Bhosle. He roams his eyes on the dark and closed windows of the bungalow. It looks like nobody is there inside. Sweat beads are formed on his forehead. He thought that every mystery about Aditya Oberoi has been solved but now it seems that mystery is synonymous with him. Bhosle taps Bakshi’s number.

“Yeah, hello…have you contacted Aditya Oberoi? I have just got some information from the Panchgani police station. I think until now, we have been misled by Aditya Oberoi very cleverly. We need to arrest him for interrogation. This case is not so simple.”

Bhosle mouths in one go. He is panting in excitement. The answer from the other side pushes him into more shock and agitation.

“His number is getting unavailable. I came to know that he has left India with his wife and brother-in-law on today’s evening flight. He has sold his every business and shares to other people. He has winded up his all business connections in India. It seems that he has decided to never return to this country. He is definitely up to something, Sir or else he would have never wiped all footprints of his behind so meticulously.”

In reply, Bhosle only utters in frustration,

“DAMN….It’s a whisker. We lost him. Ummmm..did you try to contact his manager Ayan Agnihotri? He must know everything.”

Bhosle asks in hope. Bakshi replies in a disappointed voice,

“I just have but his phone is also switched off. I am afraid the bird has also fled.”

For a moment, Bhosle keeps mum. He has never felt so defeated in his entire career. Everything was so explicit in front of his eyes but he couldn’t whiff the missing link. Aditya Oberoi not only has played with Nandana Basu’s trust but he has also played his game with the entire police team. Bhosle cuts the call and stares up at the starry sky. An aeroplane is passing over his head, blinking its lights in the dark sky. Bhosle murmurs with a snicker,

“Goodbye, Mr Oberoi. But we will meet someday and that day you may not be so lucky and I won’t be so oblivious.”

The rustle of the leaves shatters the silence of the bleak surrounding.

............................

“I was peeping outside of the flight window. I bought all the tickets for the business class. I didn’t want to be disturbed. The plane is passing over the curve of Mumbai city where the sea and the land meet. The city lights are twinkling like diamonds amidst the dark night. It seems like a mini New York. Goodbye, the city of dreams…forever. The view is beautiful but not enough to hold me back. I have other things to cherish in my life. I turn my face to see Nandana. She is sitting with Rishi at a short distance, having his head on her shoulder like a protective sister. I can do anything for this woman and I have done everything to get her back in my life. The day Manu Mathre made the attack on me inside the lockup, I made up my mind to encash the situation. Nandana, I knew you are too emotional and naïve. You can’t see anybody in pain. And I am your love. How many times you denied it I could read your eyes. So, I decided to take the pain to get you close…bit by bit. Every attack, every wound on my body was pulling you back to me. Manu Mathre showed me the way and I just stretched the game. I am thankful to him for that but as you know, Nandana I don’t owe anyone. He had to pay for his deed and eventually, he is resting in peace. I just had to take the underworld’s help to threaten him. It is a simple case of abetment of suicide but who will be blamed for that? The underworld? Come on…it’s not that easy. However, I am thankful to Mathre for another thing. In this process of extortion and threat, I got my old friend. Aryan…the mafia king of Manhattan. He can do anything for me and he just did what I expected from him. Very soon you will meet him, Nandana once I cage you in my paradise. Your Brute’s paradise. I chuckle inwardly. I planted Ashok to attack me in the Panchgani when I came to know that you are planning to leave me. I knew the police will find me because of the tracker and I exactly wanted it. Ohhh…it was too fun to play the victim card. Poor Aditya Oberoi…his life is at risk. Either in the court premises, in his bedroom or in the jungle….ha…ha... I pat my back in my devil's mind. But…but Nandana you made it simpler for me. I didn’t know that you will come to that place to save me…your love and eventually you ended it to kill Ashok…tch..tch…tch poor soul. He was just acting and following my instructions and he lost his life. However, it gave me more hold on my plan. Accidentally you became a killer and that was enough to convince your family to let you go with me. I convinced them how vulnerable you can be if this matter comes to the eyes of the police and like you, they also can do anything to save you. I only approached them to send Rishi with us because I wanted to be surer of their obedience. Who can go against that person who has both their daughter and son with him? You can say Rishi is the pawn to get their lifelong loyalty. Don’t blame me for this, my Angel. After all, everything is fair in love and war and you are not only my love; you are my freak. To keep you with me I not only can leave this country but this world too. You are mine, Nandana. Only mine. No one can take away you from me…not even you. Yes, I am a brute…a devil-mind creature who can do anything for his Angel. Sorry, Nandana…my Angel. You thought you have totally changed me. But in reality, it’s not so easy to change Aditya Oberoi. I learned that I can’t forcefully get your love but I can get it with emotional influence. Again, Nandana….love can’t be wrong or right. It’s madness and I am insane. I get up from my seat and near to her. Her eyes are closed. The rise and fall of her chest indicates that she is sleeping peacefully..maybe dreaming about her brute. I bend and reach her forehead. Only her fragrance can tranquil my restless heart. My lips softly touch her skin. Sleep angel…sleep…tomorrow will be a new day for us. We will be in our paradise where nothing can separate us. I come back to my seat and recline on it. Until now, Ayan and Abhiroop uncle may have left for Boston. Every connection of mine in India is now wiped off. Sorry, SP Bhosle. By the time you realise it, it will be too late. After a long time, a peaceful slumber makes my eyelids heavy. With a sigh of relief, I close my eyes.

“He set fire to the world around him
But never let a flame touch her….”

.................................................END...........................................