The story so far: The
narrator, by mistake in swerving, was returning home from office through a dirt
road, instead of his usual route. Just near the narrow culvert of the dirt
road he saw a VOLKSWAGON (VW) car parked wrongly and blocking partially the approach
to culvert. He came out of his Bolero and before he could locate the driver of
that VW, some goons hit him from the back making him senseless. After regaining
his senses, he drove fast and stopped near signal crossing. He heard the wail
of a dog inside his car. For Part 1 Please click http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja.html
The
wailing sound was coming from the floor of the back seat. Turning and lowering
my head, I saw a small silk black Spaniel curling comfortably at the floor
adjoining to the backseat. As our eyes met, I braved myself to make a soft
whistle and signaled the dog to come up. The dog obediently followed my signal
and sat near to me.
I
now saw the silk black Male Spaniel minutely. Dogs of this class cannot be
stray dogs and are pets only. The cover on his body with proper bags for nature
call further confirmed it.
Has
anyone gone for an evening stroll in this lonely road and left his or her dear
pet dog?
Perhaps
this is the dog of
that abandoned car owner. However, no pet shall ever abandon the master
and enter into my car.
I
looked at the small dog and it looked back straight to me. It appeared to me
that something scared him and he is looking for a shelter from me.
For
the night, he would stay in my apartment and tomorrow, before entering the
office, I would keep him in a kennel and better put an advertisement in the local
daily so that his owner might contact me.
I
whistled at him and called him as Pluto. Pluto took out his tongue and licked
his face twice and agreed reluctantly to his new name, with a low bark “grrr,
grrr”
The
pain was coming back, reminding me that the effect of the analgesic is temporary.
As the signal became amber to green, I quickly shifted gear to reach my
apartment soon.
As
I entered my flat, Pluto made a quick round of my apartment and settled on a
mat at the corner between the sofa and the divan of the big living room. Instead of freshening up, I opened the fridge,
made a drink, took out a packet of Snacks, and put the marinated chicken for
roasting in the Microwave.
I offered Pluto, few biscuits in a plate and a
tumbler of water. He drank the entire water within a minute but pushed the
plate away. I knew pet dogs take some time to accept food from a new
environment. The aroma of roasted chicken was filing this living room. He might
like a portion of the chicken.
Resting
comfortably on the sofa, I put on the TV and my idea was to have a drink and
see something in TV to brush off the bad memory of the happenings of past one
hour from my mind before soaking in the warm water of the Tub of the bathroom.
Little I was unaware that something else would happen in the following moment.
As
I pressed on the remote button, the News channel came first. Right then, I was not interested in any News
but looking for a reality show or music-cum dance channel. However, the News
channel kept me glued.
There
was a flash News. Some miscreants possibly
kidnapped the well-known builder Monty Singh.
Monty
is a bitter name to me with even a much bitter memory. He came up from the underworld with good
connections in social high ups and power corridors. His kidnapping is big news
in this city. A video clipping followed, showing his abandoned car. My heart
thumped a bit.
It
is that VW car in the same location of the dirt road where I stopped my car just
an hour before.
The
Newsreader was showing a clip of the interview with his family members. They
said that he went out in his car after receiving a call in his mobile. He wore
his usual blue Jeans and off white heavy snickers.
Media
people are smarter than police are. They found out two guys, who crossed this dirt
road to highway few hours before.
One
of them saw a black spaniel, who barked at him loudly protruding his tiny head
from the front seat of a Sky blue Bolero. There was no driver or passenger in
that Bolero. Someone, just near the culvert, parked this Bolero in the lay by
of the dirt road.
The
other guy saw a man, who stood near the bonnet of the Bolero towards the
passenger’s side. He has to slow down his car before crossing this Bolero and
seen this man clearly. This jet-black curly haired man was tall and slender. He
was wearing a formal black trouser and white full sleeve shirt and at the time
of crossing, this guy was busy in picking up his striped golf cap from the
bonnet of the Bolero.
It
appeared to him that this tall man, most likely, is the owner cum driver of
this bolero. The tall fellow had an anxious face and possibly, he was waiting
for someone. However, none of them noted the Number plate of the Bolero.
Police
is trying hard to trace Monty, this tall man and the sky blue Bolero Station
wagon with dog but without any success until now. At the bottom of the culvert
space, they found a single Kolhapuri Chappal, Few foot-marks and the top lid of
a cheap briefcase. Incidentally, I saw a single pair of Kolhapuri Chappal and a
handle of a briefcase just on the parapet of the culvert.
They are suspecting a kidnap case and looking
for all his friends and known persons particularly those with whom he has
business transactions. However, until now nobody telephoned and asked for
ransom. This clip was enough to send tremors in my heart.
Monti
was one of our bad clients. We agreed to prepare an integrated package of
design of a shopping Mall to be built by him. Monty paid only half the amount.
Although we submitted all the drawings before time, he turned out to a
defaulter for the remaining amount. We sent in few reminders and finally gave
up.
Things
may go hot for me for the following reasons.
·
Monti is a
defaulter of fifty lakhs to us. There are cases when people resort to this
practice of kidnapping to recover their debt. There are other points to make me
an easy suspect.
·
My physical
description starting from the height, color and jet black curly hair on my head,
matches well with the description of this tall person.
·
I own a light
blue colored Bolero and often wear a stripped golf cap.
·
Only this afternoon,
possibly just at the time of kidnapping, I changed my usual route and took this
dirt road route. There is also an icing on the cake.
·
Just before
the highway, I stopped at the signal. Many people are now possibly ringing up
the TV persons that they saw a sky blue Bolero coming from the dirt road with a
protruding face of a black spaniel from the front seat and the vehicle driver
was a curly haired possibly tall and dark person. Someone might have noted my
Number plate, which the first two people did not.
Most
likely, I am on the top of the suspicion list and the moment Police starts
grilling me, the consequences are bad
for me.
City
group has not yet finalized the deal in black and white and they may make some
excuse to withdraw from the contract. I have few ongoing projects of other
companies. Going by legal reasons, they may not withdraw but may make things
tough for me.
All these things may make me back to square
no.1 of my struggle days.
I
was about to call my lawyer friend but dropped the idea after thinking few things.
Just
now, this News channel told that there was a call in Monty’s mobile following
which he went out in his VW. Police is
busy in tracing this call or the ransom call already done by the miscreants but
not disclosed to media. Whatever may be the case, the Police shall be busy for
the rest of the night in either one of them or both. I am not coming into
picture in either of them. Let me not apprehend things and panic.
Monty’s
underworld friends are much professional than Police .They must be on the prowl
right now. With their strong network and
connections, they are quite capable to narrow down the place where the
miscreants kept Monti as a hostage.
The
chicken roast is ready in the microwave. The aroma and the beep sounds were both
telling that. I placed some portions of it in two dishes, one for me, and the
rest for my guest Pluto. Pluto licked it and had a bite. As I leaned to Pluto
to serve him the dish, a nauseating smell of Ether entered my nostrils. Surely,
this dog was made senseless by spraying Ether, during the incident. I made
another drink and carried the dish and the glass to washroom.
I
shall have my dinner as well as soaking in the lukewarm bathtub. Before leaving
from the living room, I changed the channel to a local music video channel and
kept the bathroom door open.
Before
I undressed, I had a bite from the soft roasted chicken breast and a big gulp
of whisky and kept my drink and the plate on the wide side wall of the bathtub so
that I can take majestically both of them while soaking in the tub.
The
channel stopped music and possibly some anchor started saying something. I
reached for my glass and heard the loud barks of Pluto. Pluto came running to
me in the bathroom and went back to living room and balcony.
Monty’s
Voice was filling the room. I quickly got up from the tub, put on the bathrobe
and ran to the living room.
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