You Are Missing In My Heart!

Haha dear Adharv, unga hero dhan kaal kai ellam odanju paduthirukare, epdi kalathula eranguvaru.. avaru ena namma kollywood hero va? You will know more about Viren in the coming chapters!

 

Posting the next episode now. You will get to know dear CM!

 

Haha Kolaveri ah Nethra va save panalena enna summa viduvingala.. You will get a few answers in this episode!

 

Hey @kkrish I am surprised to see your comment and I am truly honoured reading your appreciative FB. Do continue reading and let me know how it goes!

 

Previous Chapters:

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 -Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25 - Part 26 - Part 27 - Part 28 - Part 29 - Part 30 - Part 31 -Part 32 - Part 33 - Part 34 - Part 35 - Part 36 - Part 37 - Part 38

Chapter 39

Viren Malhotra paced in his colossal bedroom, his 6’2” frame making the room look smaller. He, lost in his thoughts, smoothed his moustache and twirled its already pointed end. He stopped and looked at the letter that lied half open on the bed. He slowly walked towards it and took it again in his hands. His eyes ran through the words, written in her beautiful handwriting.

Dear Viru,

Thank you for reading this! I know you would be furious enough to kill me if you get a chance. Then, why I did come to meet you, you may ask, because, I need your help. Only you can help me in this! The moment I saw you in Bangalore I knew that only you could save me. I am hoping and praying that you have not left the city yet.

Of course, I truly am aware that you would not want to help me after all that had happened. But, give me a chance to explain - to explain what/who forced me to leave you and do those things that I did. I wanted to clear myself for a very long time but was afraid to get in touch with you. But, now, despite knowing your wrath, I have no other option than to come to you.

All I ask of you now is a few minutes of your time - please hear my side before you decide anything! Please Viru! My life is at stake and I will accept whatever pay back you expect in return!

Anita​

Viren threw the letter again on the bed and resumed his pacing. “What is she after now?” he murmured. He had read the letter multiple times by then to find a trap, to see if he could get a clue of her intentions, but all he could see was desperation. ‘Why is she so desperate to meet me?’ ‘Did she say only I could save her?’ he laughed arrogantly at the thought. ‘How dare could she come to me for help?’ he punched his fist at the side of his leg. ‘But, what is this new story about someone forcing her to leave me?’ he wondered, his curiosity slowly overtaking his rage. He took the letter again and read the last line aloud – “My life is at stake and I will accept whatever pay back you expect in return”. “Do you think I will fall for that?” he asked aloud and erupted into a roar of laughter. His laughter shook the entire room and his secretary who waited outside grew a little uneasy hearing it. ‘No! This is definitely a trap! The desperation, the offer all are baits’ he firmly thought, but he also wondered what her motive was. ‘Please Viru’ he imagined her say. Anita was never the pleasing type. She had never pleaded him or tried to please him. She had always had a strong attitude. ‘It would be fascinating to watch her plead’ he mused. He then sat in his cushioned rocking chair and closed his eyes, his brows knitted. The room remained dead silent except for the rocking sound of his chair. When he opened his eyes after about five minutes, his decision was made and his moves planned. He called in his secretary.


Anita sat in her small living room with a book in her hand, but her eyes were not in the opened page. It looked far away, lost in thoughts. ‘I have done my part, now I have to wait for his reaction’ she thought. ‘But how long?’ she wondered. As if in response to her question, the calling bell rang. She rushed to the door and opened it. There was no one out. She peeped out and looked on either side, checking if someone was there, but she could find none. She frowned and as she was about to close the door back, she saw the ivory envelope that lied in front of her door. Her heartbeat picked up instantly. There were no ‘From’ or ‘To’ addresses on the envelope, but without any doubts, her instinct screamed where it was from. She immediately bent and took the letter, half with anticipation and half afraid.

She locked the door and opened the envelope. It had an ivory colored scented paper folded in half. A mixture of vanilla and floral scent touched her nostrils. Her heart still beating at the pace of a horse, she unfolded the paper. It read -

“The black Café, Whitefield - 7:00 PM”


Abhinay was on his wheelchair facing Guru, who was sitting in the chair near the bed. Both Mithun and Arundati were sitting on the bed and Samyuktha was sent home as usual.

“Any update Guru? Any clue at all?” Mithun asked, while Abhinay just stared at him with a mixture of anticipation and frustration.

Guru shook his head slowly embarrassed. He is not used to be clueless in his job. “Nothing much sir”, he slowly said. “After your call yesterday, I have sent two people to shadow Ms. Anita and another two to find and check on Mr.Arjun” he continued, “Anita came to her residence at 7 PM yesterday and have not moved from there yet. Today morning around 10 AM, a man came to her door step but before she could open the door he went away. One of the two men watching over her went after him but on enquiring he turned out to be a courier delivery boy and he said he went to a wrong address, so he came back immediately. Something about him looked fishy, but we could not get any further information from him, so I have informed Inspector Sam and he would have taken the guy into custody by now. We are hoping we could get a clue from him”

“What about Arjun?” Mithun asked.

“He is still in Bangalore and he is staying in one of the Government guest houses. He has made his visit on the pretext of finding Ms.Nethra. ‘One of his close relative is missing it seems. So, he is personally involved in the case and is working with our AC here’ one of the inspectors I spoke to said. Looks like, he has even got an appointment with the Bangalore City Commissioner”, Guru answered.

Everyone present there remained silent, clearly not impressed on how the investigation turned out. For Abhinay, who was temporarily handicapped, the lack of any progress was frustrating beyond words. He looked at his bandaged leg and arm with vehemence. In the past two weeks, he was always in turmoil of emotions. His inability to directly get involved in anything added to his anxiety and helplessness. Never in his life had he felt useless, even during their personal crisis when their father left them, though he was overwhelmed, tired and emotionally drained, he stood strong, but his physical limitations at the present moment made him totally dependent on others and that very dependence made him feel so useless. ‘Health is Wealth’ – the Himalayan truth in that small old proverb made sense to him.

As no one spoke anything further, Guru continued uncomfortably, “We are also tracking their mobile phones. Neither of them contacted each other after yesterday evening. There were also no other suspicious calls from or to either of them”

“What if they were using a different number?” Abhinay spoke for the first time in their whole meeting.

The corner of Guru’s lips slightly trembled in a small smile, which disappeared the moment it appeared and in his same inexpressive tone he continued, “We are not just tracking their numbers. We are tracking all the calls in their current location range. So, all the calls made from Ms. Anita’s apartment block are being tracked. With Arjun it’s a little difficult as he is in the move, but with Sam’s influence, we are able to get help from a department resource and we are putting in our best efforts to track his location and range most of the times. And, we are most certain that these two did not contact each other yet”

Abhi just nodded. Mithun went near his office case, but before he could take his cheque-book out, Guru stopped him with his usual embarrassed look. “Let’s finish the case first”, he said and left swiftly.

Arundati let out a long sigh as Guru disappeared out of the door. After a heavy silence, Mithun asked Abhinay, “What are you thinking?”

Abhinay smiled a frustrated half smile. “I can only think – only think but not act” he said, his helplessness heavy in his each word.

“Anna!” Arundati warned and continued in the same tone, “Haven’t I told you not to rot in such self-pity? I know it’s easier said but aren’t you matured and wise enough to understand that these emotions are not helping you? Instead they are just affecting your health!” she paused and again taking her brother’s hand in hers she spoke, “Ok! You are worried that you are laying here helpless. I understand your concern and pain, but let me ask you, in case you are not injured, what would you have done? You would have gone to the accident spot like a Sherlock Holmes? - That is what Guru has done and he is more a Sherlock than you are. You would have pressurized the department more? That’s what Mithun is doing. He is constantly in touch with Sam and the AC in charge of Nethra’s earlier case and met them multiple times. You would personally shadowed Arjun? You would have personally gone behind Anita? But you can’t be in both places, can you? Obviously, wouldn’t you need help? That’s what is happening now! Guru’s men are shadowing all our suspects! Remember anna, they are more efficient and experienced in this. They have the right technology and connections to do such tasks. The only difference now is that you are not roaming on the streets unnecessarily like a mad man. Also, we are very fortunate that I happened to see them both yesterday. At least we know our enemies now! Though we suspected Arjun earlier, we were completely clueless and uncertain a day before. And most importantly, we now know that Nethra is safe and alive. Though he is keeping her sedated, with his intentions clear, we now know that he won’t harm her. For heaven’s sake, we are definitely in a better place than we were a couple of days before! Think about that!” she finished her breathing slightly heavy due to the long speech.

Abhinay sighed and releasing his palm from her hold, fondly rested it on her head and ruffled her hair. She leaned in and rested her head carefully on his left shoulder. “True Achu ma! We are definitely in a better place. We know that she is safe. As you said, with his intentions clear, if Arjun wants to harm someone, he will only harm me”, he said relieved. The relief in his tone made his sister angry and she retorted, “but, of course, Anita will not allow that”

“Hmm.. May be.. but what else is their plan? How are planning to separate us and keep both of us alive? That’s what is baffling me”, he said.

“Or, are they trying to backstab the other and get what they want?” Mithun asked and continued, “in that case, no one is completely out of danger yet”

Arundati glared at Mithun, worried that his observation might hurt her brother, but Abhinay said, “he has a point Achu and both of them are capable of doing that. .Backstabbing!” he said with bitterness and in the same bitter tone continued, “Though I know about Anita, I have never imagined that Arjun would stoop to such levels. Even though I doubted that he had feelings for Nethra, I respected him a lot. Even when I remembered seeing him in the accident spot, I was hopeful that there would be a reason for his weird behavior. Even when Guru told about his part in Nethra’s stopped wedding, I didn’t completely lose hope!” he paused and then laughing dryly, he said softly, as if speaking to himself, “It feels like my own friend has deceived me! I had trusted him much more than I thought I did. I have completely misjudged him!”

“Or May be not”, a new firm voice opined. The trio, startled by the intrusion, turned towards the door from where the voice came!

(Contd.)