Day 1
Mukta watched him out of the corner of her eyes. His concern for his wife seemed genuine. But she had a hunch that he was hiding something.
She had seen too many cases where the husband, who looked and behaved like a bereaved puppy over his missing wife, ultimately turned out to be the predator who had murdered her ruthlessly or hired someone for the same. So when he had first come to her, she had been weary of his story. But now, as she watched him, she knew he genuinely had no idea where his wife was. And was indeed worried. But what was it that he was trying to cover up, she couldn't point out.
Tushar and his team were being thorough in their search of the house. When they had first traced the location of Navya's cell phone in the apartment she stayed in, Tushar had been quick to reach the conclusion that her husband had murdered her and was hiding her body in the house. But Mukta didn't believe that for even a second. Now, as time passed, her conviction about his innocence was growing stronger.
"Nothing in the guest room," Tushar sighed, heading over to the kitchen.
Mukta moved around, taking in the neat and clean decor of the house. Intermittently, she sneaked glances at Sumedh. He had received a call which he had disconnected. And since then, he looked tense and had been fidgeting more than before.
By midnight, they had searched the entire house. There was no sign of Navya's mobile phone.
They told Sumedh, who seemed exhausted enough to drop to sleep any moment, that they would carry on their search in the entire apartment the next day. He enthusiastically closed the door behind them, yawning.
Mukta looked at the wooden door and the beautifully carved nameplate. The names Sumedh and Navya were carved in an alluring Devnagri font.
On either side of the door were pots of green leafy climbers. As she looked at the right one, something shone.
Mukta stepped closer. The mud seemed recently dug in and a small metal seemed to be jutting out from just behind the plant.
She immediately knew what it was.
"Madam, are you coming?" Tushar asked, a bit impatiently.
Mukta was hunched over the pot.
"Gloves," she ordered him.
After a moment's pause, Tushar did what she asked him to.
She took the gloves, wore them, and delicately pulled the cell phone out of the mud in the pot.
"Oh my...," Tushar exclaimed, taking out a plastic evidence bag. He held it open as Mukta carefully dropped the mobile inside.
"Should we inform him?" Tushar asked, indicating Sumedh.
"No. We will tell him tomorrow".
*****
Its midnight by the time the cops give up their search. My house is in total mess. They have stripped every wall of its hangings, every cupboard of its contents, every table of its belongings!
"Tomorrow we will come back for the search in the other flats," Mukta tells me.
"Okay," I sigh. There is nothing much I can do. My body is so exhausted I can feel every muscle in my body aching for some sleep.
I have switched my phone back on within minutes of switching it off. Because I realize Navya might call anytime. I can't afford to miss her call in case she calls.
I close the door behind Mukta and her gang, and take my mobile in my hand. As I open the passkey, I can see there are ten missed calls and many messages.
All from Lavanya.
I call her. She picks the phone on the first ring.
"What is it?" I almost scream at her.
"Where have you been? He called again!" She says in an agitated voice.
"What? But why?" I ask.
As if the trouble I am facing isn't enough!
"He wants more money," she says.
"But we have already given him 50 grand. I can't give more," I say.
"He is threatening to...".
"Well, just ask him to go to hell," I scream down the line and disconnect the call.
I am seething with anger.
And I am not going to give in to any more blackmail.
Let that guy, whoever he is, show whatever he wants to Navya.
I just want Navya to return home safely.
Everything else can be dealt with later.
Even my infidelity.
*****
Day 2
I am walking bare feet on a beach. The waves are small and frothy, and they kiss my feet and recede. The sand is wet and my feet leave footprints, which get washed away immediately as new waves crash on the sea shore. I can feel the soft sand beneath my damp soles. The sky is orange above and blue where it touches the horizon. Seagulls are squawking in the distance. And then I see a silhouette. It's in front of me, walking in rhythm with my pace. As I close the distance between me and the figure, I can make out it's Navya.
"Navya! Navya", I call out.
The silhouette starts running. I also break into a run. The silhouette runs too. I keep calling her name and increasing my speed. But however fast I run, I can't close any more distance between us.
The morning alarm rings shrilly in my ear, bringing me back to this material world. I realize I am sweating and breathing fast. It takes me a moment to calm down.
I look across at the empty side of our bed and a pit forms in my stomach. Where is Navya?
As if on auto mode, I get up, brush, shower and get dressed. I don't remember when I ate last, but my stomach is now contracting with severe hunger pangs. I open the fridge and take the carton of milk out. I make a bowl of cereal, even though this is my least favorite breakfast.
As I am eating the tasteless food, my cell phone rings. It's Mukta.
"Good morning Sumedh," she says.
"Morning," I reply through a mouthful.
"I have some updates for you. Can you drop by at the station? Are you going to work?" She asks tentatively.
Of course I am going to work. I will go crazy thinking if I don't. Plus I need to sort things out with Lavanya.
"Yes," I say, "I will come by before going to the bank".
"Great. See you then".
An hour later I pull into the parking lot of the police station. I have lived in this town for nearly ten years now. And this is the first time I am ever visiting this building.
Mukta is seated in her cabin, working furiously at the keypad of her laptop.
"Hi," she greets me with a smile, atop her glasses.
I nod and take the seat opposite her.
"So, you said you had an update?" I ask.
I have my fingers crossed.
"Yes. First, we found Navya's cellphone," she says.
What? Till yesterday midnight, they were dissecting my home piece by piece. With no result. And today, they have her cellphone?
"Where?" I ask, confused, "and when?"
"We found it buried in the plant pot outside your house," she says, watching me carefully as what she says slowly sinks in.
"Buried in the pot? What does that mean? Why would she...?"
I am suddenly filled with a feeling of dread. If the mobile was found anywhere in the house, I would consider it possible that Navya had come back and kept it, and left again, to avoid getting traced. But if the mobile is found buried in a pot, it means someone else must have had it. And that someone did this to avoid getting caught. Which means that Navya's life is in danger!
"Who has her? Does that mean she has been kidnapped?" I ask, panicking.
"Don't panic. Our experts are going through her mobile phone. Everything, her calls, messages, social media...".
"But why would someone keep it in a pot unless they have her?" I ask.
"We have found something else which indicates that the probability that someone has her is rare," Mukta says.
I get irritated when people talk in circles.
"Meaning?" I ask.
"Do you have any relatives or friends in Ahmedabad?" Mukta asks, ignoring my question.
"What? Ahmedabad?"
Ahmedabad? What is going on?
"No...we don't have anyone there...," I say finally, waiting for Mukta to solve the puzzles she is creating.
"Well, we found out that Navya had booked a ticket to Ahmedabad on a bus, the night she left," she says, and I sit there, unable to understand what exactly in the world is going on.