THE LADY IN THE RAIN

A NEW DISCOVERY

A few weeks later
Ritwik  is studying inside his room. Palash opens the door.
‘Ritz! Quickly get ready?' Palash says.
'For what?’ he questions.
‘The clock is already running late. I’ll explain everything to you on the way.’
‘Okay. Just give me five minutes.’
                                             *********
Palash drives Ritwik  to a big multi-storeyed bungalow. He is stunned on seeing the marvellous architectural design of it. His bungalow is considered to be the best in his area. But this bungalow is the best in the whole city.
The bungalow has a huge lawn in it. It has a swimming pool in it as well. The lawns have varieties of garden-plants. Four types of roses and five types of hibiscus are present. Some huge bushes have been cut into a royal elephant style while some into a royal horse style. It has a zigzag path for the persons to walk in between the eye-soothing garden. It is looking like Heaven and not like any ordinary garden. It has two big statues of Royal Bengal Tiger composed of white marbles. On entering inside, he is shocked to look at the royal architecture. The furniture are modern but the style of designs of the walls are of intricate marble work. The balustrades are of RajasthPri style as well. The living room has paintings of many royal kings. It is looking not less than a typical RajasthPri royal palace. The flavour of Rajasthan is well demonstrated by the owners. Ritwik  is lost in looking at such a legendary masterpiece. He never imagined that a house could be so beautiful. He suddenly notices a crowd of people in the houses. Some are mourning while some are consoling. He now understands that they have come to someone’s death anniversary. He turns to ask Palash but he notices his father consoling some people.
‘He is still present among us. He is now a guardian angle, watching and protecting you all from the Heaven,’ consoles Palash.
The man looks up, taking his hands-off from his face. His whole body is still shivering due to sobbing continuously. He is wearing a white kurta and dhoti.
‘You know what Palash ji, we all were very fond of Bhai. He was only of twenty-eight when he left the world. Could you imagine a cheerful and an outgoing young man of twenty-eight got stabbed suddenly despite of having no atrocities from the outside world?’
‘I can understand your pain. No evidence of her till now?’
‘No. But I am hell bent on finding out her. I know she is none other than her,’ the man concludes.
‘Anyway, please have something. I won’t be able to attend full-time. You know guests are coming,’ the man informs.
‘Yeah! You don’t worry,’ says Palash.
                             ***********
Ritwik  is sitting in the front passenger seat with Palash.
‘Baba, on who’s death anniversary did we go? You suddenly took me there and didn’t inform me about anything,’ Ritwik   says.
‘Mr. Amrit Shekhawat. He is the elder brother of the famous industrialist, Aditya Shekhawat.’
Ritwik  leans two steps forward and looks shockingly at Palash due to the two names that he heard just now.
‘What?’
His mouth remains open due to shock.
‘He got murdered by Aditya Shekhawat’s ex-wife, Emma. She is missing since that day. She has stolen all the imported accessories and money. The police are still unable to trace her,’ informs Palash.
‘She can neither steal nor murder,’ Ritwik  says.
‘I don’t know. But the people and the whole Shekhawats say so. Actually, that Emma left a note stating- AS YOU SOW SO SHALL YOU REAP,’ says Palash.
Ritwik  freezes for a while.
‘Hey, you okay?’ Palash asks.
‘Baba, please drop me here.’
Ritwik  asks him to drop in a random stop.
‘Where will you go?’
‘I will go...yeah! I’ll go to Pihu’s house. I have got some school work to complete with her,’ Ritwik  lies.
‘I’ll drop you there.’
‘No, no need. You need to rush to the office, right?’
‘Yes, but it’s fine.’
‘No, Baba, I am okay. I’ll manage.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yep.’
Palash stops the car. Ritwik  steps down from the car and bids Palash goodbye. He then walks straight towards Emma’s house.
                                 ***********
He reaches Emma’s house and keeps on banging at the door. Emma opens it and gets bewildered on seeing Ritwik .
‘What are you up to here? Pari is in. So, no scene creation.’
Ritwik  laughs aloud.
‘Oh Emma! Oh my dear Emma! Why do you always think that I come to you only to pursue you romantically?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I know everything,  Emma. Everything.  You are a fucking liar!’ Ritwik  shouts.
‘Watch your tongue, Ritwik !’ Emma rebukes him.
‘I am. That’s why it’s still fuck. I fell in love with the wrong woman. I was so much blind in love that I didn’t realize that behind this angelic masquerade, is a vindictive devil.’
‘Are you drunk?’ Emma questions.
‘And why do you think so?’
‘It is because you’re nuts. Do you even realize what rubbish are you blabbering?’ shouts Emma.
‘I am speaking the bloody truth. You have murdered Mr. Amrit Shekhawat!’ declares Ritwik .
‘What? What are you even saying, Ritwik ? Why will I murder Amrit?’
‘That’s why I have come here. I know half the answer. But I want to know the complete answer,’ demands Ritwik .
‘I am not getting the root cause of your accusations. How could you blame anybody without any prove?’
‘You are right. It’s my bad that I am here without a proof. But I have felt that realistic emotions which I saw at the Shekhawat's. They were mourning for their son's untimely death. And you know what fact is that they know that you’re the murderer. And freeze! I now got to know why did you and your daughter keep on changing the identities! Only to escape the police, right?’ says Ritwik  in a bossy tune.
‘You are crossing the line.’
‘And yeah! Now I got. That day you stopped me from going to the police because they will arrest on seeing you, right?’
‘You are not bound to speak like this to me.’
‘Yeah! Because I am here to take out the masquerade from your beautiful face. You have robbed them and also left a note stating that- AS YOU SOW SO SHALL YOU REAP! I mean, wow!’
Ritwik  claps.
‘You know what before I used to love you from moon to back but now I hate you from hell and beyond.’
He stares furiously at Emma.
‘Mamma! I am done. Your lunch is getting cold,’ informs Pari.
They notice Pari there. Before Emma could say anything, Ritwik  interrupts.
‘I pity for you, Pari. You’re living with a devil.’
‘Don’t address my mother as devil. She is the best.’
‘Even I also had the same misconception.  But not anymore! Now you will regret, Ms. Emma. I’ll make you pay for your deeds.’
‘Ritwik , they’re lying. Listen the story from my side also. I just hit him in the head because he reached till my room when I went there to take Pari with me.’
‘No, not in the wrong track again. Bye for now! See you soon.’
He leaves. Emma breaks down into tears.
‘I have not done anything wrong. It was just an accident. But wait...! Did Amrit just die because of me? No, no.’
She scratches her head.
‘Oh Jesus! What have I done? Just shame on myself.’
She starts slapping herself. Pari gets horrified on seeing this.