Naina's Navel - "Rise of a Queen"

Chapter 10: Mysterious Man

Three days had passed since Naina was back from her ordeal. Mukund had his doubts about Naina's story, he still was not able to figure out if there was any connection between Naina's kidnapping and Laila running away with her brother Tauqeef. Mukund pulls out a blank paper and starts building a timeline;

Tauqeef and Naina had left the building around noon.

The car they were traveling in had crashed.

Naina went missing before reaching home, so why did Tauqeef not report?

Naina did not mention Tauqeef as her kidnapper? Is she hiding something?

Was it all planned so Tauqeef and Laila could steal the money and run?

And what happened to that suspect Ravi apprehended, name was Uslal? Us???

Is Ravi investigating th.............................

Before Mukund can continue his thoughts. Naina walks over. Mukund crumbles the piece of paper and throws it away in the corner.

Mukund "How are you feeling now? It has been three days already."

Naina showing concern "Mukund, I have to talk to you about something important."

"What is it? You look dull?"

"It is about us and our future. I wanted to wait till your father gets back home from his retreat. But, I feel this is the right time so................."

Mukund's phone rings.

He jumps up in shock and asks "Which hospital?". It was about Girdhari Sachdeva, he had a heart attack and was admitted in a hospital. Naina and Mukund both rush to the hospital. Doctor tells them about his critical condition and he is undergoing treatment.

Ravi and Syed were working a case. Ravi "Syed, I feel the deal we made with Naina was wrong and very unethical. We are police officers and we broke our code in haste, we completely lost our way in that weak moment." Syed replies "Sir! I also feel the same way since she left the station that night. Maybe we should go and apologize to her?" Ravi shakes his head "I agree, but let's wait for 3-4 days... that way we get time to think of how we should apologize to her... Anyway let's focus on this case for now. And after we clear things with Naina, we should pursue our investigation to catch Tauqeef and Laila, so they cannot scam anyone else... and those truck drivers too...."

Next morning, Naina was ready and waiting for Mukund to go see Girdhari Sachdeva. All of a sudden she hears a bang, a rock that was thrown through the window with a letter wrapped around it that said "Nahar Lodge today at 11am. Room# 22. Time to honor the deal. Or else I will tell everyone!!!!" She immediately thought it could be Ravi and Syed, but then she debated, why would Ravi and Syed ask for it in this manner when she had already agreed to honor their wish once things settle down a little. She runs to the window to see if there is anyone she can notice, but there was no trace of any human being other than a few servants of the house. Naina continues to think of all possibilities "Could it be Nandu?... she checks on him, he was working in the front lawn. Could it be Tauqeef? But then again he ran away with all that money and would not risk coming back here so soon.

Mukund comes out of the room, all set to go to the hospital. He asks Naina what she was doing looking out the window like something happened. She dismisses it by saying she was just checking to see if it was going to rain and in her nervousness she drops the letter behind her and kicks to the side and out of sight from Mukund.

Mukund "Forget about rain. Let's get this over with. I hate to go see that old man, but I have to do it for show. After all, I am the one who will succeed the Chairmanship of "Golden Cement's" and all its other businesses once he is dead."