Preeti
Ugh! I'm so worried now. This is the third day of Mrs. Sinha being absent. I can't believe that it's normal. I mean sure it would have been normal if someone just didn't turn up for work for a couple of days, especially when they have accumulated paid leaves; but this is Mrs. Sinha we are talking about. In my whole time at the University that has been over five years, she has never been absent without prior notice.
I might have not even noticed had it been someone else. However, it's her. She has been more than a teacher for me always. She's like an elder sister I never had and a mentor who can solve any of my problems in a blink of an eye. She was my only family after Mother whom I can call a family here at the University, before Kirna came along. I can't wait any longer I need to see her. I'm not having a good feeling about her absence and my guts have never deceived me until now, so I'm going to trust my instincts and go check on her.
***
I reached Mrs. Sinha's residence late in the evening. I had to leave for a meeting with my activist group and thus got late. However, it was all right since one of the members dropped me off so I wasn't more late than I already was. I was about to enter the main gate of her house when my phone rang. It was Him.
"Hey" I said as I picked the call.
"Hi, so where are you busy? Your text said you're done with your meeting," He asked.
"Yeah I'm done with the meeting but am visiting one of my teachers," I told him while climbing up the porch of the house.
"What? At this time?" he asked worried, "Preeti it's so late, shouldn't you wait till tomorrow to see her at the University?"
"I know but she's been absent for a few days and I'm worried. My instincts are pushing me to check on her and- Oh No"
"What? What's wrong?" He asked worried on my sudden exclamation.
"Her house is locked. Maybe she really did go somewhere; wait let me try her cell once more" I said or more like stated before dialling her number putting him on hold.
I heard the phone ringing from inside the house, which was weird because the house is locked. However, I noticed an open window and realised that the ringing sound was coming from there. I wouldn't usually go around snooping someone's house, but something pushed me to do that. So I moved towards the open window to take a peek inside, and what I saw, left me in a state of shock.
I wasn't able to process what I was seeing and thus didn't realise when the call I'd made to her phone disconnected, allowing the call with him to resume. His voice brought me back to my senses.
"Preeti! What happened? All good?" he asked.
I took a shaky breath before saying,
"Call the ambulance please"
"What? Ambulance! Preeti what are you saying? What happened?" he asked frantically but I was in no condition to form proper reply.
"You'll understand later; but please for now just trace my GPS and send an ambulance here fast. I need to call the Police," I said and disconnected the call to make another.
***
Prem
I was left shocked with the happenings of last couple of hours. I was just done with the days' work when I called Preeti. I had seen her text from a few minutes ago that she just was done with her meeting. Since it was late, I thought I'd pick her up from wherever she is if required. I can't thank God enough for making me call her when I did, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to help.
I sent an ambulance for the location as Preeti asked of me before leaving for there myself. I just reached in time to watch them pulling away leaving me to follow them to the hospital.
I reached just behind them and reached for Preeti at the entrance.
"Preeti" I called for her and she turned. As soon as she saw me, her eyes filled with tears and she ran up to me; and hugging me tightly, she started sobbing. I got worried and tried to soothe her. I wanted to know what happened and who was it in the ambulance but she wasn't in the condition to reply at the moment.
A Police Officer approached us when I was still comforting Preeti.
"Excuse me Miss. Dixit," he called for Preeti. Instantly, as if realising the situation just now, Preeti stopped crying and turned to the officer while trying to get her composure back.
"Yes Officer; did you have her admitted?" she asked him.
"Yes Ma'am, Mrs. Sinha has been admitted." He told making Preeti relax a little. "Do you have any idea what may have happened?" he asked Preeti.
"Yes Officer, I do have an idea. And I believe the basis of my suspicion will be enough to get an arrest warrant as well provide some security to the patient." Preeti was looking agitated as well as worried. I couldn't do anything except to observe and till they wound up their conversation.
After the officer left leaving some security, then only can I ask Preeti what happened exactly.
"When I called Mrs. Sinha after putting you on hold, I realised the phone was ringing inside the house. The house was locked so I got worried and decided to check through the window that was open. There I saw her. She was lying there in the pool of her own blood and she..." Preeti took a shaky breath as if it was difficult to say whatever she was going to speak; "she was naked with marks of assault. I called the police after asking you for ambulance and with their permission went inside to at least check if she was... if she was even alive. She was breathing but there was so much blood that I feared that it might not have been the case have I been a little late."
"I covered her with the bed sheet and noticed that she was tied to the bed from ankles. I couldn't do anything to help her, as it was crime scene and had to wait for the police and ambulance. After they had done their routine then we can bring her here." Preeti was no longer crying, but there was a shadow on her face that spoke of more darkness that was hidden. I held her close and asked her what she knew about the culprit.
"It's her husband. No one except me knows this but her husband is a cheat. He married her by trapping her father in his fake innocence and loyal image when he was on his deathbed. He just wanted to claim her property. Mrs. Sinha's father was a businessman and had many ancestral properties as well. He married her for that and as soon as her father passed away, he started using the money to exploit his immoral desires. I asked her to report him many times but she said he had something of her father, which is very valuable to her, and he would destroy it if she ever tried to revolt. I don't know what it is but she valued it more than her life. Moreover, she said he never bothers her as long as he has her property. He didn't even mind that she left home to live on her own. He was never bothered about her." I knew of the darkness prevailing in the world around us, but this was the first time I was witnessing it firsthand. I realised why Preeti is so calm and simple. Her work has made her witness so much darkness and pain that she values every bit of love and light.
"Then how did he manage to do all this and why?" I asked Preeti on realising that even if her husband was a con there didn't seem to be any reason for him to be culprit.
"He did it all because he is a coward" Preeti spoke aggressively. "He lost all the money in gambling, alcohol and prostitution. He even managed to get bankrupt in a short period of five years even thought he had Millions in his hand. Mrs. Sinha told me that she was planning to move abroad as it was getting more and more difficult to avoid him. He was constantly calling her to threaten for money and she was on verge of losing all her hard-earned money. The only thing left for him was to know her location. He never knew about her job or address, so she always thought she was safe. But guess it wasn't the case."
"But why..." I couldn't even utter the words to express the heinous deed, "why would he do this to her if she was giving him money?" I asked frustrated.
"I guess alcohol withdrawal and lack of prostitution could be the cause. Anyhow, I'm sure it's him and now I'm not going to let him escape. I just don't understand what could have been more important than her life for her that she took five years to actually decide to act."
"It's okay, she'll be fine. We'll get the best doctors and get her back to health and then we'll help her to go wherever it is that she wanted to go." I told Preeti. After that, none of us talked anymore and just waited outside the operation theatre to wait for any updates on Mrs. Sinha.
We both called our kids to inform them that we were out for work without indulging in details of the event, so they can relax and not bother waiting for us. Bitto was with Anand as it was weekend we were going to spend it at his place.
Thereafter, we were just left to worry for Mrs. Sinha, as it was long before we can have any update on her.
***