Getting up on his feet, Bhau limped toward the dead body, took a good look at it, got off the street, and sank in a chair on the sidewalk, drawing long breaths. His associates ran toward him. Helen opened the back door, got out of the car carrying the backpack and her purse, and wobbled toward Karishma's dead body.
Londhe staggered out of the car in a daze and leaned against the side of the bonnet.
Helen knelt down on the ground and rested Karishma's head on her lap, looking fixedly at her face.
"You filthy whores! Just passing by, were you?" huffed Bhau, blood beginning to drip from a wound to his forehead. One of his associates handed him a handkerchief, which he held to the wound.
A few moments passed.
Bhau's breathing started steadying.
"Call Vidya here," said Bhau, addressing Londhe. "Right now"
Londhe thought for a moment and took out her mobile phone. She walked a few steps away from Bhau and his associates and had a minute-long conversation on her mobile phone. Then she slowly walked toward Bhau.
"She will be on her way soon"
"Sit down"
"I'm good," said Londhe warily.
"I didn't say you may sit if you like," said Bhau. "Sit her down if she doesn't sit on her own," Bhau said to his associates.
Londhe looked over to Bhau's associates. Then she sat down on the street, near the sidewalk.
"Help me understand this," said Bhau scratching his beard. "So you try to plant Karishma Karmarkar's body in my constituency and accuse me of the murder? Is that it?"
Londhe did not react.
Bhau burst out laughing. "And whose master plan was this? Dhanu's?!"
Londhe remained silent.
"Who is that girl?" said Bhau, pointing toward Helen.
"Helen, Karishma's sister," said Londhe.
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Bhau, knitting his brows. He thought for a few moments.
"Call Machhi here right now," said Bhau to one of his men. The man dialed a number on his mobile phone and had a short conversation.
"He was already on his way here," said the man. "Reaching in five minutes"
"Gharad, what would've been the headlines in tomorrow's newspaper if this ridiculous plan had worked?" Bhau asked an associate.
"Brahman girl whom Bhau had mercifully got a job in Agriwada at Machhindra Patil's dad's drama theater, found dead outside Bhau's office. Bhau held as a murder suspect," said Gharad.
"I said headline, not the complete article. Cut out the love for your friend and say it again," said Bhau. Gharad gave a mischievous smile. "Brahman girl whom Bhau had mercifully got a job in Agriwada, found dead outside Bhau's office. Bhau held as a murder suspect."
"Bhau, and what about the fancy dress competition?" asked one of his associates.
"Oh yes! Let's redo this." said Bhau, scratching his head for a moment.
"Tai sent Londhe to judge the fancy-dress competition, Londhe denied Helen the prize, Karishma was so shocked she died, Helen got mad at Londhe, Londhe got mad at the dead body, tai got mad at everyone. So what do we do now?"
Bhau looked at his associates for an answer. "Anyone?"
The associates started grinning among themselves, as if anticipating a punchline soon.
"Let's gang up, dump the whole mess on the men, and flee," said Bhau.
The associates went up in laughter. "Story of life, Bhau!" remarked one of them.
Helen gave Bhau a dirty look.
"All right. Let's get to work. All of you, take pictures and videos of the car and the dead body. Make sure the number plate is clearly captured," Bhau told his associates. The men whipped out their mobile phones and started taking pictures and videos using their mobile phones.
"Stop it," screamed Helen.
The men paid no heed.
Helen covered Karishma's face with her hands. One of the men walked up to her and kicked her hands away, sending them flying into the trunk of the car, leaving a muddy mark on one of Karishma's cheeks. Helen's hands dropped limp for a few moments. She looked daggers at the man, who smirked back at her. Then he turned around, took out his mobile phone, and clicked a series of selfies with her and Karishma, making orgasmic faces.
"You'll all pay for this," said Helen nodding to herself, breathing in and out through her mouth. Then, with some effort, she moved her hands and examined her knuckles. Then she weakly held the left side of her head, grimacing with pain.
"While we wait for tai and Machhi, let's hear what really happened," Bhau said to Londhe.
"Bhau, please trust me--we weren't trying to plant the body here. I was taking it to the crematorium, and Helen held a knife to my neck and asked me to take the body to Mumbai for organ donation"
Bhau gave Helen an intense look. Helen did not make eye contact.
"How did she die?" said Bhau.
"She most probably starved herself to death," said Londhe.
Helen gave Londhe a dirty stare.
"That's called suicide. Are you telling me she committed suicide?"
"Yes"
"So where's the suicide note?"
"She didn't write one"
"Tsk. Tsk. What an unfashionable way to commit suicide."
"Don't each of you forget all the things you have said about my sister. I'm going to make you pay for all this," said Helen.
"How did you find out about the death?" Bhau asked Londhe.
"Karishma's phone was switched off for several days so I guess Helen suspected something's wrong"
"So she could've been saved had Helen arrived earlier. Tsk. Tsk. What has the world come to. Sisters have become heartless these days. Look at tai for example."
Helen shut her eyes tightly.
A large and fancy vehicle approached at a distance, with a Bollywood item number playing at full volume on its audio system.
The vehicle stopped, and the door on the side of the driver opened. A man of average height and built stepped out. The man walked over to the side of the vehicle and rapped hard at the body. The trunk opened and a diminutive figure stepped out. The man started walking toward Bhau, the figure following, maintaining a distance. The man had unremarkable looks except for a thick, curled-up moustache. He wore glares and walked with a forced swag. As he noticed Helen, he stopped short in his tracks and took off his glares. He drank in her sight, inhaling slowly and loudly, his face twisting lecherously. The small figure came forth--it was an exquisitely beautiful little South-Indian girl around ten, give or take a year. She had a somber expression on her face, and her eyes were lowered.
"Bhau, please tell me she is a gift you got me for running your business well," the man called out to Bhau, pointing at Helen.
The little girl looked up at Helen.
Looking visibly uncomfortable, Helen stood up. She placed the backpack and her purse on the ground near Karishma and walked a few steps toward Londhe, pulling her tutu down to the extent possible. Upon seeing Helen, the girl suddenly set off, racing in her direction. Helen looked on in surprise and stopped. The man started walking toward Helen. The girl reached Helen and hugged her very tightly, looking up at her. Helen looked at her. The girl had the prettiest, large eyes, which were filled with a great deal of pain. The man reached Helen and suddenly held the girl by her hair and pulled her away. The girl screamed.
"Stop it!" said Helen.
The man continued dragging the girl by her hair, her face contorting with pain, and tossed her away. The girl staggered backward and fell on the ground.
"You bastard!" said Helen, walking over to the girl. The girl hugged Helen's legs.
The man walked over to them and stood right in front of Helen, brushing the body of the little girl. The girl shivered at the touch. Helen looked at the man furiously. The man started going around Helen, moving his eyes over every inch of her body. She put her head down and blinked vigorously. The man completed two rounds.
"Let's unwrap the gift," said the man, lightly tugging at an end of her torn belt that dangled.
"Don't touch my dress!" Helen screamed.
"Ooooh!" said the man, amused.
"Machhi," Bhau called out.
"I now know what heaven must be like," Machhi remarked before walking to Bhau. Helen fixed her gaze on him without looking up.
Machhi bent down as if to touch Bhau's feet, but drew back half way through it, just acting as if he had completed the action.
"Shh," said Helen, stroking the girl's hair, who still shivered. "Here, have these," said Helen, taking her wings off. She put them around the little girl.
"Machhi at your service," Machhi said to Bhau.
"Don't parade your debtors like that. I have said this to you before too. You'll get into trouble one day," said Bhau.
"Bhau, as long as your blessings are with me, no one can touch me in Agriwada," said Machhi, still staring in Helen's direction.
"If you would take a short break from your lust trip, go take a look at what's lying over there," said Bhau, pointing in the direction of Karishma's dead body.
"Bhau's wish is Machhi's command!" Machhi said, bowing down before Bhau, and walking over to the dead body. Noticing this, Helen strode over to the dead body, followed by the little girl, and got in Machhi's way. Machhi started at the dead body over Helen's shoulders for a few seconds, made a disgusted face, and returned toward Bhau. The little girl continued hugging Helen tightly.
"She owed us shitloads of money!" said Machhi to Bhau.
Helen looked at Machhi, narrowing her eyes.
"Why do you think I called you here?" said Bhau.
"What the fuck happened here?" said Machhi, running his hands through his hair.
"Karishma's sister here went to meet her and found her already dead--at least that's what they tell me," said Bhau pointing in the direction of Helen.
Machhi cocked his head to the side and appeared to be lost in thoughts. "Wait, did you just say this one here is Karishma's sister?!"
"Yes, but you'd know it if you looked away from her for a while and paid attention to your boss."
Helen arrived near Bhau and Machhi, followed by the little girl who continued to hug Helen.
"What?!" Machhi said incredulously. "So that's how God compensated for the colossal disaster he created earlier."
"What nonsense is this?!" Helen rasped out. "You mind your own business!"
"That's exactly what I'm doing, baby doll!" said Machhi, unable to move his eyes away from Helen. "I had given Karishma a loan of which a large part remains unpaid, which now you'll pay."
Helen let out a nervous, throaty laughter.
"You people clearly suck at making up ridiculous stories," said Helen, trying to fake confidence.
"Look here, girl," Machhi said with a fervent glare. "I have all the paperwork"
"Oh yeah?! So do I!" retorted Helen. "And I have it on me right now, so go try to fool someone else!"
"Let's look at it"
"Why should I show it to you?"
Machhi stepped closer to Helen.
"Because if you don't, I'll load you up in my car and make you my slave like this little girl here," said Machhi in a threatening tone.
Helen started at him blankly. Beads of sweat began forming on her forehead. She knelt on the ground, and drew her backpack toward her. The little girl scuttled around her, and hugged her from behind. Helen opened the backpack, scoured it, and took out a set of documents. Then she drew out the education loan document and started reading it.
"This says Machhindra Patil," stammered Helen.
"Yours truly," Machhi said, bowing to her theatrically.