CHECKMATE

Chapter 34

Happy Diwali 🎉🎉

"But how's that possible!" Exclaimed Pratap in sheer disbelief. "She called at 3:03 AM and then died at the same time! Not one minute after nor before...."

"It evades me also...because....the location from where you got a call from is different from the location the body was found." Said commissioner Khan with a slight sigh.

"Either...it was two different women or," he paused and looked at the commissioner, "or...the woman was killed in the same location from where I got the call from and then taken and dumped elsewhere."

"There were no traces of blood in the location you sent. The woman's blood and the weapon was found in a garbage dump outside the city." Said the commissioner pausing for a breath and then continued, "The lady was copped and put in a garbage bag and the weapon stuck into the bag with a note stating-

Catch me if you can

"That's sounds like an insult to the police department." Muttered Pratap pressing his temples.

The commissioner handed him a plastic bag in which the note was placed as evidence. Pratap took it and frowned reading the message and then sighed, "It's like someone deliberately masked their handwriting so that he or she wouldn't be caught. If you look closely the person has made desperate attempts to write like a child."

"Yes you are right." Nodded the commissioner already knowing the obvious fact. "What evades me is...the call location and the dump location. Look," he began in a rather serious voice, "if she would have been killed in the location you sent, few traces of blood or something would have been found, on the contrary there was nothing there which means that..."

"That the woman who called me was someone else and the woman who died was someone else and the only connection between the two is the timing and the phone." Completed Pratap.

"This looks like a plan to have you either trapped in something or engage you in something so that you evade the bigger picture."

Pratap shook his head in dismay saying, "There's surely a master mind behind this but who....?"

Even the commissioner was silent and then gave a sheet with call records mentioned on it saying, "This was the victims call list, both incoming and outgoing."

Pratap went through the list with scrupulous eyes looking for even the tiniest of clue but it was in vain. He kept the sheet aside and rubbed his eyes mumbling, "Nothing looks suspicious."

"Exactly."

"Any other clue?" Asked Pratap with some sort of hope.

The commissioner shook his head in denial. This looked like a dead end, the woman was murdered, the call was from another location and the scrawling on the letter looked like a child's handwriting.

The weapon had no fingerprints on it and on investigation the woman's family confirmed the lack of any enemies.

Just then Pratap's phone rang and he immediately picked it up. "Yes Sid?"

"We've gotten into a soup."

"Now what?" Groaned the man in sheer irritation.

"One of the employee was found with a packet of dead rats." He said.

Pratap nearly had an attack as Siddharth continued, "Unfortunately or fortunately the media was there and this whole thing has blown up as a deliberate attempt at trying to fool people."

"Oh God....." Groaned Pratap wanting to die right there. He held his head sinking into the chair and mumbled, "What's Shiv doing?"

"He's twiddling his thumbs." Replied Siddharth almost immediately. "And...what about the shit you had gotten into?"

"It's a dead end...." sighed Pratap not knowing how to react nor what to do. "I have zero control this time and everything feels like it's slipping out of my grip."

"You can't control everything that happens." Replied Siddharth sounding dejected himself. "At least you are out of your mess. Just thank God."

Pratap simply nodded with a small hmm and said, "Let's meet up...oh wait I'm getting a call. Talk to you later."

"Cool."

Cutting the call, Pratap picked up the phone and he stood up from the seat as soon as he heard the voice from the other end.

"Why the hell did you call me?" He snapped in anger.

"I'm...with your wife Anjali..." She smirked and continued, "Want to hear her voice?"

"Pratap...." Mumbled Anjali over the other end.

"Anjali are you alright?" He asked immediately getting into the car.

"Yes of course!" She exclaimed. "In fact Urmika told she...she's your friend and that's the whole reason I let her inside the house."

"Oh lord...." Groaned Pratap cutting the call. "What the hell is happening? First the rats, then the dead woman, then an employee found with the rats and now suddenly Urmika is with Anjali!"

Slamming the accelerator of the car he zoomed home as fast as he could. Anjali opened the door with a rather uneasy smile and he walked in only to find Urmika come and hug him.

He immediately pushed her away saying, "There's a certain dignity everyone has to maintain. Why the hell are you here?"

"Looks like you never told anything to your wife about us..." She began with a smirk over her luscious lips. "Our...love story..."

Pratap rolled his eyes snapping, "Get out or I'll throw you out."

Urmika winked at him and walked out waving a bye to Anjali who was frowning at the woman. Anjali shut the door as soon as she left the house and then looked at Pratap asking, "Was the case solved....and most of all are you out of suspicion?"

Pratap blinked like a fool at her for two minutes wondering what was wrong with his wife. "Are...aren't you not going to ask anything about...Urmika....?"

"Am I supposed to ask something?" She asked inquisitively. "What am I supposed to ask?"

"Wh...what did she tell you?"

"She just said you...loved her and you..." She shrugged uncomfortably, "slept with...h....her..."

"Slept with her!" He exclaimed in sheer horror. "No what the hell!"

"I know you didn't." Came his wife's another casual reply completely surprising Pratap. "Because...you aren't a guy who'd do that."

"How can you be so sure?" He asked narrowing his eyes at her.

"Because you are extremely traditional and conservative." Smiled his wife hugging him. "Plus... everyone has a past so it's nota big deal."

Pratap hugged Anjali back but his mind was busy overworking now. What on earth was Urmika trying to do? Separate me and Anjali?

"I think she was trying to create a misunderstanding." Replied Anjali glancing at her husband. "I...know her by nature....she's a flirt..."

"How do you know her?" He asked sounding alarmed.

"I had heard about her from Indrajeet that's why and I also know what sort of a man by husband is." She smiled making him smile back and say, "I must say a thank you for trusting me."

"That's no big deal." She replied and then shook her head a little and pressed her temples.

"What happened?" He asked frowning at her and holding her by her arms.

"No... nothing" she mumbled pressing her temples and then collapsed in Pratap's arms.

"ANJALI!"