Gunadasa, at the very beginning, did not believe that his wife had cast a spell on Yasawathi. He, keeping a watchful eye on her and observing her reactions, told of the news of Yasawathi's disappearance. He could see the difference on her face. With his suspicion, he went on questioning her and she could no longer hide it from her husband and finally let the cat out of the bag. She admitted that she had gone to the Pitiye Devalaya and cast a spell on Yasawathi. Gunadasa was perplexed more on the consequences his family would face, in case the spell was neutralized and sent it back.
Kapilasena guessed that Gunadasa was attempting to hide something of what he knew regarding the cause behind Yasawath's disappearance. Since he could not get any reliable information from Gunadasa, he decided to go to an exorcist whom he knew well, as he didn't have any other alternative. Kapilasena came back home with the idea of telling that to Koinmenika and getting her permission for that. To his surprise, he found nobody at home and straightly headed for the bungalow looking for them.
"Barely had I seen Koinmenika and her niece inside the car… they came up to that point… stopped the car… started again and drove away…" Pointing out to the portico of the second floor and other places, Periyavar explained to Kapilasena.
Since it was about one hour after their leaving, Periyavar guessed he would return shortly. Both Periyavar and Kapilasena reflected on some of the disasters caused by black magic, referring to the stories they had heard of. Kapilasena was convinced of the impossibility of getting any support from Gunadasa as he was well aware of the consequences of neutralizing the impact of the spell and also in case the spell was backfired, the disaster his family would face. Periyavar's better understanding of that subject enlightened Kapilasena further.
Darkness had invaded everywhere by the time Bernard came back to the bungalow. The news of Koinmenika's hospitalization brought more fear to Kapilasena's mind. He couldn't bear the premonition of the disaster that all the family members were going to face because of the spell. Nandana Menike had to be a temporary attendant to look after her grandma at the ward. Bernard, in disbelief, listened to what Kapilasena said about the impact of the spell on Yasawathi and her family. Bernard suspected that Yasawathi's disappearance could have been owing to a family problem. Since he had been aware of Koinmenika's chest pain, he never believed it to be a result of black magic.
"Stop going behind invisible demons wasting your time now…! Better go to the police and lodge a complaint…" Bernard came up with the most appropriate solution that could be taken to locate Yasawath.
"What Hamu says is also true… Lodge a complaint at the police tomorrow itself…" Periyavar too raised his voice approving of what Bernard suggested, soon after Bernard went away from them.
Kapilasena went out of the bungalow deciding to make a complaint at the police station about Yasawathi's disappearance. Yet, he thought to consult Koinmenika before arriving at a final decision.
* * *
Examine the bed-head ticket and prescribing the necessary treatments, the doctor told that the patient could be discharged. In the meantime, Bernard had made all arrangements to provide food and other requirements from outside for Nandana Menike and Koinmenika. Soon after Kapilasena came to the ward, Bernard too came in to see Koinmenika.
"Child, here are some clothing items… There is one for Koinamma too…" said Bernard giving the parcel to Nandana Menike.
Kapilasena repented of his oblivion, as though he came from home, such an idea had not struck his mind.
"How are you Koinamma…?" Bernard asked kind-heartedly.
Her facial expressions indicated that she was fairly alright.
"Now I'm fine Hamu…" She tried to get up and speak, but Bernard prevented her.
"She can go home today..." Nandana Menike informed Bernard of what the doctor said during his ward round.
"Is that so…? Then you can go with me…" having said that Bernard walked up to the senior nursing officer to get more details.
Koinmenika turned her eyes towards Kapilasena wanting to learn the latest news about Yasawathi. He, in a low voice, disclosed the news about the person who had cast the spell on Yasawathi.
"Though Gunadasa brother did not tell me anything, I found out the place…"
"Who can assure…, that exorcist will send it back…?"
"No… no…, Peter made me meet another exorcist… He knows the person also who cast the spell on Yasawathi… He swore that it could be neutralized and sent it back… but…"
Before he mentioned about the cost for that, he had a watchful look around to check whether there was someone listening to him.
"I'll see to the expenses…" Koinmenika could guess why Kapilasena swallowed the words half way.
"Asked for five thousand…!"
She paid no attention to the amount.
Koinmenika and others came out of the hospital and got into the vehicle to go home. Bernard had to chivvy Kapilasena several times to sit in the front seat.
"On our way back, let's go to the police station and lodge a complaint…" Bernard, while starting the car, suggested to Kapilasena.
Nobody uttered a single word against it, which indicated their agreement.
They went to the Minor Offense Branch of the police and sat on a bench placed in front of the MO office. There was a passage to the left of the MO office leading to the OIC office. They were waiting for their turn as there were some people, who had come to lodge complaints and for some other purposes. Nandana Menike sat next to her grandma and looked around as she had no prior experience of being exposed to an environment of that nature. Nandana Menike became the focus of almost everyone, who was moving around for various duties.
With Bernard's arrival and his whisper with the Officer In-charge of the MO Branch paved the way for Koinmenika to lodge the complaint. They had been waiting there for their turn for nearly one hour and felt quite relieved with Bernard's interference with the officer. A policeman and a policewoman attended to Koinmenika's matter with more alacrity. Yasawathi's leaving from home was a mystery for Koinmenika as she couldn't find any clue regarding that. The problem of Yasawathi's husband began to stir in her. Nandana Menike felt rather embarrassed as she could note that the police officer's eagle eye was on her. The police officer went on asking for details about Yasawathi's conduct excessively. The police woman suspected that Yasawathi might have eloped with someone. The news of that unmarried woman, who had given birth to a beautiful girl spread all over the police station within a few minutes. Instead of paying attention to the search operation of Yasawathi, most of the officers gathered around them and started giving their comments based on the beauty of Nandana Menike.
"You can't say… you do not know anything about your daughter… If she had any dealings with someone close by, tell us without hiding… then we can proceed with that clue…" The police officer's cunning look turned towards Nandana Menike.
"According to this one, her mother also could have been a beauty…" The police woman provided a stimulus for that.
Though Nandana Menike wanted to shout loudly and disclose the truth, she confined that only to a thought.
"About five day ago, around ten o'clock, I saw a woman moving suspiciously under that Mara tree near the bus stand…" A police officer, who was paying attention to the investigation, revealed that gazing at Koinmenika suspiciously.
"Why suspiciously…?" The investigation officer asked the police constable.
"On that day, I was on duty in that area… A lottery ticket seller told me that a woman hiding her face had been there near the Mara tree for about one hour. After that I walked up to that place and found the woman… I spoke to her…" Koinmenika and Nandana Menike attentively turned their ears to what the police constable was telling of a 'hiding face' as that clue was rather relevant to Yasawathi.
"I asked her whereabouts… and where she was going… She didn't give me a proper answer at the beginning… Then I suspected her and asked again…"
The clue increased the curiosity of the investigation officer and looked at the police constable with an indication of the worth of that piece of information.
"That woman's face was rather ugly… There was an abnormality on her face… That's why; I think she had covered her face in that way…"
The revelation left no room for any doubt to ascertain that the woman was none other than Nandana Menike's mother. The police officer cast a sarcastic look at the police constable for wasting his time as he thought that piece of information had no relevance or connection with the complaint being inquired.
"No… no… She is the one…! She is the one...! She has a problem with her upper lip…" Koinmenika said impatiently like getting up in the middle of a dream.
In astonishment, the police officer looked at Nandana Menike, thinking of how a woman of that nature could have a beautiful daughter like that.
* * *