The Pearl Necklace

Part 1

*Phone rings*

Vikram Ahuja, a 39-year-old business man, picks up the call and puts it on speaker.

"Vikram, watchman called the police", her second wife, Shumona was sounding very happy. "You are truly a genius. You understand other people's psychology so well. How did you guess that he would connect the dots and call the police?", her excitement was at cloud nine.

Vikram was driving his car while talking on the phone.

"Good. His call was an important part of the plan. Btw, how did you know that he called the police? Did the police contact you?", Vikram asked.

"Yes. The lady constable took all basic details of Richa. They told me not to leave our apartment for my safety. They were also asking about the suitcase you have carried with you in your car. Shitt, I wanted to laugh so hard. I never thought that we would play the police like this", Shumona said.

"Okay. Now just tell them about the money in that suitcase once they come home. I am in the car, on my way to the 'kidnappers'. And, did you send Shahida on paid leave? She cannot be there when the investigation goes on", Vikram said.

"Yes, yes. I have sent her on leave. But you know that maid. She considers herself as the mother of Richa. She is calling me every hour to ask about her. Btw, I saw a very good dress online, I have ordered it. It's a bit expensive, but I couldn't control Viku", Shumona said.

"Are you mad Shumona. Don't you understand simple language. I told you clearly not to buy anything", Vikram blasted on her.

"I thought you loved me", Shumona sobbed.

Realising how naïve and childish Shumona was, Vikram exhaled. "I am hanging up Shumona, and please for God's sake don't do anything till I come back. Please, please stick to the plan", he said and hung up the call.

He changed the setting of his car AC from 'normal' to 'cool'. Even in his car with AC on, he was sweating. Now whether it was May's heat or his plan's heat, no one knew.

He was racing his car as fast as he could.

He again got a call. But this time, on a different phone. It was Jio company's normal keypad phone. A number flashed on the screen.

Vikram picked up the call.

"What?", he said angrily.

"Sir y-y-y-you t-told t-to c-c-c-call", the man stammered.

"Yes. Good you called. How is everything? Wait, give your phone to Ashraf. You will take an entire decade to complete your sentence", Vikram waited for Ashraf to answer the phone.

"Yes janab. Everything is fine. She is still unconscious. But she screams a lot when she wakes up, she's a tough girl", Ashraf said.

"Okay. Just stick to the plan. I will be there soon with the police", Vikram said.

He hung up the call and threw the phone on the passenger seat beside.

He was thinking about his plan. They say when you come through successfully the first half of your plan, you become a little bit more anxious and sub-consciously excited about its remaining half.

Though Vikram's hands and legs were driving his car, his mind was wandering into this huge, empty, locked warehouse, an old model of white Tata Sumo standing on his opposite side, two people wearing masks holding a 9mm pistols in their hands, he himself hiding in his royal blue Baleno, a team of police taking cover in their Mahindra Scorpio, all of them aiming guns on the kidnappers in Tata Sumo, gun shots being fired from both directions and then, standing in between Tata Sumo and Mahindra Scorpio, trying to save her life there was R..................