Murder in Motel Mount

Chapter 21 -"She is in danger..."

"Do you get anything important by searching his hotel room, Inspector? I mean anything that can help in Aliya Murthy's murder case?"

Nandini asks yearningly. Officer in charge Gururaj Tamang places his elbows on the desk. An expression of obligation appears on his reluctant face. If Nandini had been only an investigative journalist then maybe he wouldn't have given her any information. However, Retired ACP Shravan Murthy still has some unofficial influence on the WB Police force. Gururaj Tamang leans forward to answer in a disinterested tone,

"He had come here just the day after your sister came. It could have been a coincidence. At least Mr Harshad Saxena gave us that statement when we interrogated him as you requested. However, when we checked his mobile..."

Nandini interrupts him. She knows what information they might get from Harshad's mobile. He was here to snoop around. No doubt about that.

"His camera...did you get anything from his camera?"

Nandini asks inquisitively. Mr Tamang wobbles negatively and replies,

"Nothing important. Some landscape pictures, some wildlife images and some old pictures of random models. Those were shot out of this area. Maybe in Kolkata."

"And in his luggage?"

Nandini doesn't lose hope. Tamang replies with the same uninterested tone.

"Same. Nothing important. His clothes, toiletries, some books and a diary."

The last word makes Nandini's eyes beam with hope.

"Diary! Can I see that?"

She sounds excited. Officer in charge Tamang frowns and then gets up from his seat unwillingly.

"Okay, I am showing it to you, Ms Murthy but I can assure you that you won't get anything important or exciting in that."

In reply, Nandini just bites her lip. Within a minute, Tamang gets a brown leather-covered diary and places it in front of Nandini. Nandini eagerly opens it and keeps on turning the pages. All the pages are full with shoot dates, location addresses and time of shooting. Tamang is right. There is nothing that can be related to this case. Being frustrated she was about to close it when something caught her attention. On the last page, some random numbers are jotted down. It is like this:

(1) 5,22,9 18,4,14,5,16

Nandini keeps on gazing at the haphazard numbers for a while and turns

the diary towards Tamang.

"What are these?"

She asks quizzically. Officer Tamang glances at the page and replies in disdain,

"Maybe some dates. Might be his shooting dates. I told you that..."

Nandini stops him and sighs in disbelief. He is not even interested in using his brain. She jots the numbers down in her notebook and leaves after thanking Mr Tamang. Her mind is clouded with so many fleeting thoughts. At the same time, a despondency sours her mood. Nothing is happening. All roads eventually lead to a blind alley. Ruminating on her thoughts, Nandini enters the switchback amidst the jungle. This narrow road is the shortcut to their guesthouse. Manik introduced her to this road. Nandini is passing through the woods, self-absorbed and oblivious, when a bike stops near her. Before she can understand anything, two stout hands grab her and pull her to sit on the bike. In the blink of an eye, the bike vanishes into the dense forest.

.............................................

Navya walks towards the toto stand. 4-5 toto drivers get their heads out of the vehicles and call her for a ride. Navya nears the first driver and shows him a picture on her mobile. The driver observes it minutely and then wobbles his head in denial. She goes to the next driver and asks the same question. He also can't recognise the picture. Next and next person gives the same answer. Being frustrated Navya stops her foot on the rocky road and immediately whines in pain. Suddenly someone pats her shoulder from the back. Navya cranes her neck to look back and the sight brings a frown to her forehead. The person shrugs and asks casually,

"Ms Navya! Are you looking for a ride?"

Navya observers the person. He is also on his feet. Then it was definitely not an offer for a lift. She can't resist being sarcastic.

"Do you drive a toto, Mr Bir? Why? A famous precisionist doesn't earn enough for a living?"

She giggles out. Cabir doesn't give any heed to her tease and retorts,

"I can drive any vehicle...especially for a beautiful lady like you though my salary is pretty handsome. But unfortunately, today I am not riding my bike. But no problem...they are here...at our service."

Cabir points towards the toto queue dramatically.

"If you are scared of going alone then I can accompany you. It will be my pleasure to help you."

He adds. Navya glances at the drivers and flares her nose.

"I am not going anywhere. I was just asking them something."

She states exasperatedly. Cabir squints his eyes and repeats the last word,

"Something?"

Navya looks at him with annoyed eyes and opens her mobile gallery.

"I want to go to this place. But none of them could recognise it. It is a small hill station and still, they are so ignorant of this locality."

She says vexedly. The image automatically makes Cabir crunch his brows. It is a photograph of his and Manik's house. Who took this picture and how it came to Navya's mobile? Most importantly, why does she want to go there? All these questions crowd his mind within a second. Navya nudges him and asks again,

"Hey, Mr...I am asking you something. Do you know this place? Do you know who lives in this house?"

Cabir musters his thoughts and brings his smile back.

"I know this town like the back of my hand. Come! I will get you there."

He mouths and clutches Navya's hand to pull her. Before Navya can react, both get in a toto and Cabir commands the driver.

"Tibetan Chowk. (Tibetan crossroad)"

..............................................

Since the helmet-cladded biker forcefully made Nandini sit in front of him and rushed towards the deep forest, she has been trying to free herself from his iron grip. He grabs her tiny frame in one hand and holds the bike handle with the other hand. Nandini is continuously scuffling to remove his strong arm around her shoulder and neck but he is way beyond stronger than her. Being panic-stricken, Nandini is sweating, her limbs are getting numb. For the first time, she cursed herself for not obeying her Appa and staying here insistently. The bike is running deeper and deeper inside the dense forest. The thick canopy of trees doesn't allow the sunrays to penetrate. As a result, the surroundings are not as lit as they should be in the daytime. Nandini struggles for the last time and suddenly bites his wrist over the gloves. It works instantly. The unknown biker flinches in pain and loses his balance. In a moment the bike lurches and both of them plummet onto the bushy ground. Nandini hits with a tree bark. A painful wail comes out of her mouth. Still, she doesn't lose her presence of mind. The biker is lying on the ground, motionless. Is he dead? The possibility peeks in her mind. She rises with difficulty and nears his lying frame with staggering stapes. He is a man, no doubt. Well built, tall and stout. The black helmet is still obscuring his face. Nandini scouts down. He is lying supine. With a hesitant and trembling hand, she tries to slide up the helmet shield. At the drop of a hat, the person claws her wrist and pins her down on the ground. Like a helpless soul, Nandini observes that now she is under his heavy torso. Some pavid words escape her gaped mouth,

"Who are you?"

Author's note: If anyone decodes the riddle in Harshad's diary, please step forward. I will dedicate my next update of this story to that person. Why Cabir got Navya to that place where Manik and he stay? Who is this biker? Is he perilous for Nandini? We will get to know in the next chapter. Until then, enjoy reading. Plz vote, share, comment and follow. Love you all.

Suk💕