Talks and Tries

She's missing

For Neil, whatever happened in those 15 minutes revealed a lot of things, things too ginormous to absorb all at once so he just stayed quiet, listening to the accusations the newly arrived member of the Mehta Family, Ashish Mehta, hurled upon his mother, Dayawanti Mehta.

This...this family is a murderer?

Shweta voiced the question in Neil's mind as a mere whisper and watched Neil gulp. Yes he knew the Mehta's were shady but to this extent. Of course there was no proof so he didn't believe it all but when Ashish Mehta mockingly asked Prakash how much is the deal worth of, The Khanna's realized that getting Rhea married off to Neil was quite a predictable move on Dayawanti's behalf.

"What deal?" Shweta asked, non plussed. Prakash then informed her about the cheque he had given to Dayawanti which made Shweta furious. "I'm sorry but my son's marriage is not a deal! How could you do this Khanna Saab?!" Shweta yelled and stormed off from there, Prakash going behind her.

"Mr...Mr. Mehta, who was murdered?" Neil asked, to investigate into this what the world thought was a closed case. "My daughter Avni and her mother Ayesha!" Ashish said, his heart twisting painfully as he said those words. Although he gave a loud and victorious laugh when he realized that the marriage had been called off; as well as Dayawanti's fate on her finances before he went away too.

Neil, a few moments later, left the place too and sat on the driving seat of his car. So Ananya had been correct. She had indirectly asked him to call off the marriage but had been dropping hints anyways. Deciding to let her know she was correct, Neil called her but he felt uneasy when it was switched off.

He had not seen her ever since Ashish Mehta had arrived. He didn't put much thought into this and drove to his apartment, feeling relieved that he didn't have to marry Rhea now.

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Neil along with Dd were working on a case the next morning which put Ananya out of his mind for a while. But just as he was about to leave the police station after his day's duty, he heard the familiar voice of Neela Pareikh and Ashish Mehta coming from the commissioner's room.

He went inside and caught Ashish's words - "My daughter is missing since a day!" His voice did falter.

"Mr. Mehta, didn't you say yesterday your daughter is dead?" Neil couldn't help but ask. "Everyone thought she was...but she's alive..." Neela replied, wiping her face with the  back of her hand.

"Do not worry maam. We'll find your daughter." The commissioner said assuringly. "Can I see a picture of your daughter?" Neil asked, although he had this really strong feeling he knew her.

"It's Ananya. She's Avni." Neela replied, sobbing in her hands.

Neil rushed out of the room as soon as he heard those words. Ananya...no Avni, was missing since a day and he didn't even bother to call her once more after that one failed attempt.

"Dd? Track Ananya's phone right now." He ordered and tried calling her. Again. And again but received the same outcome as the previous day : switched off.

Neil sent some officers to find her at the airport or the railway station and himself went to places where he thought she could be.

The Chamko Cafe was closed so she couldn't be in there. Disappointed, Neil started walking away from there when he received a call from Dd. "Yes Dd?"
"Sir Ananya maam's phone cannot be tracked." He said, some panic in his voice.

"Please be safe..." Neil whispered to himself, feeling the same sense of losing her, that made him go weak, so incredibly weak that he couldn't think of anything else. This feeling was frustrating because he did not know why it existed; Avni and he had always been at loggerheads but he cared for her, inexplicably.

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This story is a three shot. It might be a bit obscure but whatever it is, I would love to know your views on it.