The Tenants Of Shanti Villa

Chapter 7: On a search

Mr.Mittal paced out of the Apartment gates with Sridhar by his side.
Sridhar for once, knew not, what Mr.Mittal was upto. So, after hesitating to ask for a while he finally decided to have a go at the question.

"Where are we going uncle? To find that man?" he looked up to the face of Mr.Mittal trying to gauge his response by his reactions.
Mr.Mittal however kept quite for a few seconds, as if arranging his thoughts to offer the perfect reply.

"Well, yes, I think we must search around here in the colony very carefully. That is someone very suspicious who we must locate"

"Did you enquire and inform the police?" Sridhar asked, surprised at why would Mr.Mittal ask him for help when he could have instead gone to the police for help.

"Well....they are not quite willing to help me find that man, as they dont deem it important for this investigation."

"Where do we start from uncle?" Sridhar was still a little bit confused, but decided it would be best if they find out what happened to that man and his dog after all.

"I think we must look towards the outskirts of the colony, since no one seemed to have any knowledge of him or seen him around here."

"It would be a very long walk there" I wish we had a car or hired an e-rickshaw.

"Oh you must not worry about that!" Mr. Mittal smiled as he said.
"One of my friends is going to help us, he must be waiting with a motorbike near the station road."

Sridhar kept walking, but he did not really like the idea of meeting Mr. Mittal's friend again.

It must be that man he had seen in his room many weeks ago.

But to show objection in this fashion would be somewhat rude, so he decided it is best to keep quiet.

Soon they found that man, and to Sridhar's dissapointment, his thoughts were proved right.

It was that same man, wearing a tight sweatshirt and light grey coloured trousers.

Both Mr. Mittal and his friend seemed to be in quite hurry as they climbed up the bike seats.
And then, the bike bulleted its speed up and raced off towards the city outskrits.
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At the apartment Mrs. Gupta got a little worried for her son.
She was not too much concerned as she knew Sridhar feels quite safe around Mr. Mittal.

But she has just got the news, a few minutes ago, that a new police officer from the Narcotics department will be coming to investigate the apartment today.

How come this case has anything to Narcotics even remotely related to it!?
She wondered while sitting on the living room charpoy.

Not much of a living room though if there is only one other room in the whole house.

This landlord was clearly the worst of them all. God knows why we rented this place. Such a poor decision from Sridhar's father!!

She had been cursing people in such fashion silently, when the police jeep sounded its arrival infront of the apartment gates.
Everyone was supposed to be questioned again, atleast that is what has been informed.

So Mrs. Sridhar quickly, pulled her saree up and around the edges, applied some vermilion on her head and made her way downstairs to the ground floor.

Everyone was gathered. The Khannas, with their five children, who were all running about, from one end to another.

Arun who lived with his wife Bimala on the topmost floor. Pritha, the girl who lived just adjacent to them.

Even the landlord along with his wife, were standing there, ready for questioning.
Only Mr. Mittal and Sridhar were absent, having gone in search of that man.

The new officer, wore a blue shirt, and black shades in his eyes, has already started his questioning from the landlord himself.