Murder at Crescent Point (12 page)

On the afternoon of the next day the girls were discussing something in hushed voices and appeared somewhat upset. Nikki asked, ‘Is anything wrong?’ Seema said hesitatingly, ‘No, nothing’s wrong. We had bought tickets for a movie for this evening. We didn’t know that you were coming. Otherwise, we would have bought a ticket for you too and now they’re all sold out.’

Nikki laughed and said. ‘That’s no problem. Please don’t worry about me. I’m used to staying alone. I’ll go to the park in the evening and if you give me a good book to read, I’ll be fine.’

‘Thank you. You are really nice,’ said a grateful Tina.

In a way, Nikki was relieved. She was now free to find out who would come in the evening to collect the cassette from the letter box in the park, which was the real purpose of her coming to this place.

— CHAPTER FIFTEEN —

Caught in the Web

At 5:30 that evening, Tina and Seema left for the movie. Nikki put on her walking shoes and went to the park. She found that the letter box was at the far end of the park close to the main road. She chose a stone bench near the hedge close to the letter box. From this place, she could watch the letter box without being seen from the road. After about half an hour, she saw the ‘big black car’ approaching. The car stopped by the road side a little away from the letter box. Mr Khanna came out of the car, crossed the road and casually walked to the letter box. He took out a white envelope from his pocket, looked around and put it in the letter box. He quickly moved away and got back into the car which went ahead and entered the gate of his house.

Now the real vigil began. Nikki was pretending to read a book which Seema had lent her. But it was getting dark. Although lights had been switched on, it

would still look odd to be seen reading a book in the park lights. Gradually, the park was getting empty. Only a few people were left who were walking on the stone path which ran all around the park. Nikki got up and started walking, keeping her eyes all the time on the letter box. There was no light near the letter box and a tree close to it had spread its branches above it making it difficult to see the area. Only half a dozen people were now left in the park. Nikki was becoming anxious. Obviously, she could not stay there much longer. Suddenly, she saw someone coming on a bicycle towards the letter box. The man parked the bicycle nearby. He removed a cloth bag from the cycle, opened the lock of the letter box and transferred its contents to the bag. Nikki drifted closer. She could only see the man’s back. He was wearing the uniform of a postman. He soon picked up the bag and placed it on his cycle. Nikki was very keen to see his face. She moved quickly towards the letter box. The man climbed the bicycle and took the road going in the opposite direction from the Khannas’ house. Nikki started running after him. It was dark and the road was deserted. Near a lamp post, the man turned his face and looked to see who was following him. Their eyes met. There was no one on the road except the two of them. Nikki noticed his bald pate shining in the light.

The man had reached close to the end of the road where it merged with the main road. Nikki had slowed down and was about twenty feet behind him. The man got off the cycle. He got hold of the mail bag and threw the cycle in the hedge. Then with lightning speed he rushed to Nikki and caught her by the arm. He took out a gun and placed it menacingly close to her body. He said, ‘Keep walking with me. If you try to get away, I will shoot you.’

They both walked a few paces and reached the main road. Nikki saw a red car standing close to the turning. The man opened the back door and pushed her in, and then got in after her. As he was getting in, Nikki saw his face in the car light. He was not completely bald as the sketch shown to her by Inspector Rajan. He had short hair above his ears and around his neck. He also had no moustache and no sign of any cut on his face as in the sketch.
So he is not the man who went to Sangalina Hills.
The man shut the rear door and said, ‘Let’s move.’ The man who was driving asked, ‘John, who is this girl with you?’

John replied, ‘She was following me. I had earlier seen her coming out of Taneja’s house. She has also seen my face. It will be dangerous to leave her loose.’ John turned his face towards Nikki and asked, ‘You girl, what were you doing on the streets at this time of the evening and why were you running after me?’

Nikki tried to defend herself, ‘I was not running after you. I had come to stay in the house of my friends. I was just jogging. You can see I am wearing sneakers.’

The driver shook his head. ‘John, she seems too smart.

You’d better blindfold her. We should consult the boss about her.’ John took out a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it over Nikki’s eyes and pushed her down until she was reclined on the seat.

The car was moving at high speed. After driving for about an hour, the car came to a halt. The man untied the handkerchief and said, ‘Get out of the car.’ It was dark outside. The car had stopped in front of a house. The driver got hold of Nikki’s arm. The bald man who was carrying the postal bag rang the bell. Someone looked through the peep hole and opened the door. The house was dimly lit. The man who opened the door said, ‘Come in. The boss is waiting for you, John.’ Then he looked at Nikki and said, ‘Who is this girl with Albert?’

‘I saw her following me. I had seen her earlier coming out of Taneja’s house. I didn’t want to take a chance and brought her along.’

The man said, ‘Albert, take her upstairs. Keep her in a separate room.’

Albert gave Nikki a push towards the door.

The door opened into a corridor. They entered a hall. Nikki saw a round table in the hall around which three or four ferocious looking men were seated. John and the man who had opened the door went ahead to another room. The stairs going upstairs were at the far end of the hall. Nikki and Albert had to pass by the side of the table to go to the staircase. A ruffian asked Albert, ‘Who is this bird?’

‘One more guest,’ Albert responded.

‘Good. The more the merrier.’ Another man sitting beside him laughed and said, ‘Yes, more guests, more money.’

Nikki and Albert climbed two floors and entered another corridor. A bunch of keys was hanging on a peg on the wall of the corridor. Albert took the keys and opened a door. It was a well-furnished bedroom with a television, a telephone and an attached bathroom. Albert said, ‘This is where you will stay. Isn’t it rather nice?

I will get you your dinner after some time.’

Nikki who was rather surprised at this politeness, asked, ‘How long are you going to keep me here?’

Albert replied, ‘I guess another four, five days. After which, either you will be set free, or you will die along with that Taneja woman.’

Nikki asked, ‘Is Mrs Taneja also in this house?’

‘You are very inquisitive. That is how you have landed yourself here.’ He went out locking the door from outside. Nikki lifted the telephone. It was dead. The television, however, was working. Quite surprisingly, she did not feel scared. She knew that she was not important to them. They suspected that she was following John and brought her here just to eliminate any risk.

After some time, the door opened. Albert came in holding a tray. He kept the tray on the table and returned without saying a word. As soon as he was out, he locked the door from outside.

Nikki finished her food and switched on the television, and turned on the local news channel. She heard the full bulletin. There was no mention about the kidnapping. Mr Taneja had obviously followed the advice of Mr Khanna and not contacted the police. The next day the same routine was followed. Albert would open the door, place the food tray on the table, pick up the old tray and go out without speaking a word.

When Nikki looked out of the window, she could see a lot of greenery. The place appeared to be a guest house in an out-of-the-way resort. The food also looked as if bought from a restaurant and came in disposable cartons along with bottled water and canned juices. This solitary confinement was getting on her nerves. She had never felt so bored and useless. Moreover, she could only imagine how worried the Khannas and Mr Taneja must be! On the third day, she shouted at Albert, ‘Why are you keeping me here! I want to speak to your boss!’

Albert pretended to have heard nothing. He quietly closed the door and went away. Nikki made sure to shout at Albert every time he came to deliver the food. On the fourth day, when Albert brought her breakfast, Nikki said in an agonised tone, ‘Mr Albert please appreciate my position. I am a student. I should have gone back to my school. I have not committed any crime. Why don’t you allow me to leave?’

Albert remained oblivious. At midday, however, the door opened and he came in. He locked the door from inside. Nikki was surprised. It was not lunch time. He said, ‘Look Miss, I know that you are innocent. But I have my orders. I cannot let you go. You should understand my position. It is only a matter of one more day.’

‘How can you be sure that it is a matter of only one day?’ Nikki retorted.

Albert said, ‘Today the boss and the others have gone to get the money. As soon as they get it they will let you go. If everything is all right, you could perhaps go back to school tomorrow morning.’ Nikki kept quiet.

The next day, Nikki was still sleeping when Albert woke her up. It was still dark, she realised when she looked out the window.

‘What is the matter? Why have you woken me up so early?’

Albert sounded cheerful, ‘Everything is fine now. Time for you to go. I have brought some tea and biscuits for you. Get ready and come down. I will drop you somewhere in the city.’

He went out. This time the door was left open. Nikki quickly got ready and went downstairs. Besides Albert, John was also in the hall. Both of them looked quite relaxed.

‘I hope, Miss, you did not have any problem here.’

Nikki spat back, ‘The biggest problem was sitting all the time in the room doing nothing. I wonder what you gained by bringing me and confining me to this place!’

John laughed at her spunk and said, ‘We have gained quite a lot, actually! Now, come, we will drop you in the city.’ As the day dawned, they reached the outskirts of the city. John stopped the car on a lonely stretch of road and said, ‘Now get out.’ Nikki got out of the car which immediately sped away.

— CHAPTER SIXTEEN —

Change of Priorities