The Farmhouse

Chapter 10

I don't know how much time I sat there closing my eyes. I can think of only two things one that I love her but she didn't love me and betrayed me. Two I failed in helping Varsha. I felt something on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see that Varsha standing beside me. She is patting me knowing I failed in helping her. I told her, "I am sorry Varsha. I didn't expect this. I thought Nandu will be coming with police and we can arrest them. I didn't even once think that she will betray me in this way." Varsha nodded and said, "Its okay. You tried your best. You believed me when I told you about this. No one would have believed me. But you still helped me. For that I will be grateful." I shook my head and said, "No Varsha, this is my fault. I should have seen this." She said firmly that, "I told you to believe her. This is not your fault. This is my fault. I will do everything to make you escape from here." With that she disappeared. Cabir looked at me sadly. I can't look at him. This is my fault he is here too now. I dragged him into this. Else he would have been safe. He said, "Don't try to take blame for this. This is not your fault. I know there is danger in this when I helped you. I willingly did everything for you, for Varsha, for a good cause. It's our bad luck it happened like this. But it's not your fault. Do you understand that?" I only nodded my head. I can't say anything. Varsha's cousin also tried to console me that we came this far and we did everything we could. I know that but still I can't feel any good.

At some point of time somebody are untying our ropes from chair and taking us out. We pretended sleep, waiting for a chance to escape so that we can go to police somehow. They carried us to an open area with light shoving above us. We opened our eyes and stunned to find police there. I observed that we are carried by some police officials. I heard some voices followed by footsteps. I looked around and found that some police are dragging Rajesh, Preethi, Dhruv and his fellow members with Nandu ahead of them. I don't know what's happening here right now. I stood there watching everything in silence as all of them climbed into police jeep except for Nandini and two other police officers. They both shook hands with Nandini and thanked her. I looked at cabir. He also looked at me with questioning eyes. I heard that one police officer is thanking Nandini. She looked at us and said to thank us. They came near us and both of them shook our hands. One officer said to me, "Well that's a great job you did Manik. You helped us to arrest these culprits and rescue all of them. Thanks for that again." With that he went away. One officer remained and he asked Nandini, "Sweet heart you will go safely right? You will take care right? Or shall I help you?"

Nandini looked at us and said, "I promise I will be careful uncle. Don't worry about me." She looked at Varsha's cousin and said, "I think I need your help. Take him to hospital. I think it's best for him now. Look at him." She said showing him with her hand. I wondered uncle? What's happening? Is that all an act? But how and why didn't she tell me this before? She said something in his ear and he laughed. Then the officer nodded and took him away. With that she looked at me and Cabir and said, "Ready to go home?" we stood there staring at her neither of us speaking. She smiled and took my hand in her hand and said, "I know I will explain everything, but shall we go now? I want to escape from here." We both nodded. Then she took out something from her pocket and pressed a key. A car unlocked at some distance. She took me to car by holding my hand. Cabir followed us both. I am too stunned to speak anything. She opened passenger door for me in the front and then slid into driver's seat. Cabir sat in the back seat. We all drove in silence. After sometime we stopped near a house. I don't know where we are. I climbed out of the car and stood beside her. She once again took my hand and walked ahead. She opened the door and led us into living room. Cabir sat on a cushioned chair and I sat on the opposite one. She went inside and brought two water bottles. She handed one bottle to Anil and sat beside me and gave me the other. She told us to drink water. So we both drank and kept bottles down. Cabir and I exchanged a look and then we both looked at Nandini. She laughed and said, "Okay! Okay! I will tell you. Be cool and listen to me. Don't get mad at me after I finished." She took my hand and continued,

"During our holidays, I got a call from varsha. She said she is going somewhere but told her parents that she is going outside city for a case study. If their parents asked me I have to tell the same. We both are friends since eleventh standard. We both have same goals of becoming lawyer. So we both joined in same college. After her call I felt something is wrong else she wouldn't do such a thing. I asked her whether she is alone. She said no and that her cousin is with her and asked me not to worry. That's how I told you her cousin is with her when you asked me. Anyway I felt strange after her call. I thought I have to find out what she is doing. Later I called her once more and tracked her number. I found that she is in the same city. I want to know what's wrong but I didn't approach her. I silently tracked her using an app on her mobile. One day Preethi asked me to meet her and I met her near barista and she asked me about Varsha. She got a call from someone. I heard some words about some club called Colonel. I heard from Varsha that she was going there along with some of our friends before. I was at my uncle's home at that time so I didn't go there. She said she has to go urgently and took off from there; I got doubt and followed her. She went to the first address we found in Varsha's phone dressed in black and covering her face with scarf. I understood something is going on. I came from there and I traced her phone. After one day, I got call from Varsha telling that preethi called her and asking me to collect her phone. I collected and opened it with passwords she gave me. I found those video clippings and photos. I understood connection between them, Preethi and Colonel Ganj. That night she is with Varsha and those photos confirmed my doubts of her. I can't track Varsha since her mobile is with me. So I tracked preethi's mobile I heard nothing for two days but next day I found that they are taking Varsha and her cousin to somewhere in the outskirts of city. I carefully followed them there. When I went there I was already late and Preethi hit on the Varsha's head hard and she fell to the ground. I thought she is just unconscious but I don't know that she is de....dead. I followed them carefully. They buried her at the back yard of some house. I think it is your farmhouse I don't know, but after that they left. I didn't see Varsha's cousin there. I dig that out and found that she was dead. I cried a lot. I don't know what to do. I sat there for some time. When I returned home I told my uncle about what happened to Varsha. He is DCP and with his help I tracked her calls and heard her calls and he sent me to that area near your farmhouse with four security guards before. When preethi hit Varsha I thought of confronting her but the guards did not allow me told me it was dangerous. They held me in their hands until they all went away. I couldn't do anything while they were taking Varsha away from me. I told my uncle after I collected enough evidence that he can arrest them. But except the photos in her mobile and what I saw that day there is no strong proof. I convinced him that I will find out somehow. He told me to stop this that he will take care of this but I insisted that I want to do justice for my friend's death. He reluctantly agreed and he set two members to follow that gang. But we didn't find much. So I was thinking how to know about them. Then I got call from you saying that you wanted to speak about varsha. So I came there and talked with you. I was shocked when you said she was dead because I don't know how you know about that since there is no one around that day. So that's why I shouted that day and after that talking to Varsha personally I felt something when I listened to her voice, it made me sad. I slowly processed everything and planning what my options are. I know that I can't do this alone and by the facts you told me it's better to help you. So I took chances with you and after that what I did and how I did that all you know, "she stopped and drank some water.

I processed all this and I asked her, "If you already know about Preethi, why didn't you tell us before. It could have saved us some time and how did you know Rajesh and those guys and what about Dhruv?"