For the first part, go HERE
The second part is right THERE
Roy was feeling drowsy. Last night he couldn’t sleep well. The unanswered questions haunted him in his sleep and perturbed his peace of mind. Knowing full well that ACP Gupta was not going to help him in any way, as the case was officially closed, he contacted Mrs Singhania in the morning to fix an appointment. The bereaved lady listened calmly and said that she was free that evening and if Roy could come over to Kasauli, there was no problem from her side.
So, Roy was now on his way to Kasauli, located about 185 kilometers from Dehradun. He hired a car as he wanted to think about the sequence of events and didn’t want to concentrate on driving. The journey would take hardly 4 hours with mild traffic with enough time for contemplation. But now his eyelids were acting on their own will and he was finding it hard to keep them open.
“Saab, chai lijiye” , Roy squinted and came out of his torpor. Oh! chai…I needed it much. After finishing the sweet syrup the locals lovingly called ‘chai’ , he looked at his watch, 1.45 pm, still about two hours to reach Kasauli. “Hurry up Ravinder, I need to reach there well before 5.30”. “Don’t worry Saab, we’ve much time”, smiled the jovial chap as he started the car stereo.
Roy had been to Kasauli a few times before and even an insouciant person like him, was mesmerized by the gorgeous beauty of this small hill-station. The evergreen line of oaks, willows and firs, on both sides of the road, formed a delicate leafy canopy with their foliage. The picture perfect place owed much its beauty to the British who used to throng in there once upon a time. Age old Victorian mansions still stood gracefully here and there adding serenity to the divine beauty of Kasauli.
It was almost 4.00 pm when Ravinder parked the car in front of the local police-station. Sudeb Rane, the Officer-in-charge was an old friend and Roy wanted to take advantage of his hospitality to freshen himself up before the appointment.
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At precisely 5.31 pm, an uniformed person, perhaps one of the housekeeping staffs, ushered Roy to the spacious and ornamented living room of the Singhania Mansion. Sitting on an exquisite Moroccan leather sofa right under the dazzling Swarovski chandelier, Roy couldn’t help but to think again of the mortal comfort and excellence that money could buy. After waiting for another couple of minutes, a maid appeared and informed that Mrs Singhania would like to meet him in her study.
A redolent bed of roses invited Roy as he passed an open verandah on his way to the study. The maid gracefully knocked at a door and asked Roy to enter the room.
Beauty is skin deep, Roy heard that cliched phrase but never could get the meaning. The lady, who was sitting on the high-backed oak chair, looked like a pristine lily in a white gown. Her skin looked luminescent, her hair, hung over her like a brown silken veil, and her eyes, looked deep and mysterious. Roy had no idea that Mrs Nishita Singhania could hardly be in her early thirties while Mr Singhania aged fifty-two! For the first time in his life, he was finding it difficult to start the conversation. The pulchritudinous lady seemed to understand his discomfort. Smiling, she said,”Good evening Officer, please take your seat, I hope you won’t mind a cup of coffee….. the wind is playing hard throughout the day.”
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Mrs Singhania looked visibly puzzled, “So you want to say that someone was there that night who played very cleverly?”
“Yes, Ma’am, I don’t have any evidence, no concrete proof….but all the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle are getting stuck with the appearance of that mysterious lady. Do you have any idea who she could be? Anyone you have ever met or your husband used to know?”
“No, the vague description fails to ring any bell”.
“Mr Singhania went to Dehradun to attend some business conference, right?”
Nishita changed her sitting posture,” Yes, everybody knows that”.
“Are you sure?”
“What do you want to say? Your question reflects insolence”!
“Sorry, I was just asking”.
“Any incident you remember…anything regarding any person who could be vindictive to Mr Singhania?”
“Look officer, a vast business house like us has its regular friends and foes, but I don’t think none of them would play any such foul play”.
Roy sighed. The evening was becoming dull and gloomy even with the bodacious beauty sitting in front of him. His questions, his logic and intuitions…they failed..for the first time ever.
“A final question Ma’am”, Roy took out the handmade bookmark,”I found this in your husband’s room in the hotel, have you seen it before?”
Nishita took the bookmark in her hand,” No, never seen any such thing before.”
Roy lifted himself up from the chair.
“Thank you very much for your time Mrs Singhania, I’m very obliged that you managed to…………” he stopped halfway, his gaze fixed on a book kept on a table at the far end of the room. BOOKMARKS !!! A bunch of them! Almost like the one he was holding in his hand….the same type of design, colour and shape. It was beyond doubt that all were made by the same person.
Nishita’s eyes quickly followed Roy’s gaze and a number of emotions played over her countenance within seconds, fear, hate and anger, the last one settled itself in her beautiful eyes too making them gleaming abnormally.
They both stood silent for some moments. Nishita spoke up first, her voice sarcastic, “But what proof do you have? You can’t frame Nishita Singhania with a bookmark!”
“I know Mrs Singhania, a perfect planning, everything was in place and officially it’s closed. But why? Why did you do that?”
For the first time, she looked vulnerable. Her décolleté gown was revealing a faint view of the deep abyss of her cleavage, wonderfully offsetting by the ups and downs of her bosom as she was breathing heavily.
As if in a trance, she started, “Anand Singhania was one of the hundreds of employees who worked in my father’s office. I fell in love with him. I was only twenty-three years old, a pampered, young, rambunctious girl. He was much older than me. My father was against this affair but finally succumbed to my decision. We got married and my nightmarish journey of life began soon after it. Dad believed Anand and handed him over all the responsibilities before his death. He started practicing his own ways compromising the reputation which my father’s brand used to hold. He had no feelings….a churlish, hedonistic person he was! He used me just as a way to enter the world of rich and famous. He never loved me, cared for me…”
Nishita was almost out of her breath. She took a sip from the glass kept on the table and started again. “You know, he used to find pleasure while making me cry…while having sex he tortured me brutally every time…..he was a bloody sadist! Not only that, he was a philanderer. You were asking me why he was there in Dehradun? He was there to enjoy with some sex-worker. He had an affinity for them. I tolerated him for 8 years. But I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to have freedom, I wanted to live my life.”
“I hired a room in the same hotel. One of my father’s former employees prepared some fake identity proofs for me and I wore make-up and a white wig accordingly. The disguise was that of an old woman. Singhania was a patient of high blood pressure. He had to take medicines regularly for that. I replaced his hypertension tablets with sleeping pills before he started for Dehradun. The bottle remained same, but the content changed which meant he was without his medicine for two days. I consorted with a local sex worker and she planted herself at Singhania’s suite on that night. But she was not registered as his visitor as she first came in my room and then went to his. She made him take some aphrodisiac too and the effect was great. No medicine for his hypertension for two days and those aphrodisiacs!” Nishita was laughing insanely.
“I would be ever grateful to that woman. She also mixed a couple of sleeping pills in his drink and was there to make sure that he was fast asleep. After she left, I entered the room, opened the bedside window to let the chilly Himalayan winds in. Well, God sometimes did help miserable souls like me. Singhania was also a patient of asthma. The extreme wind did its work, I was right there watching him when he got his asthma attack. He was panting for breath….I was enjoying the sight…really. I waited in the other room reading a book until he got his comeuppance. The heart attack occurred around 4.30 am. I made sure that he was dead as a stone, replaced the bottle of sleeping pills with his regular medicine and left the room.” She paused, “But I missed that bookmark.”
“I make these bookmarks myself for my books. I love my library. Books are my only friends.” There was no hint of repentance in her voice.
Myriad emotions were filling Roy’s mind. A young girl, her dreams, her family…all were gone.
“The case is closed Mrs Singhania, from my side too. I got my answers. Wish you a new life ahead.”
He could hear faint sobs as he closed the door behind him.
Wow! What a story! Thanks for giving me the link after you posted all the parts. Otherwise, it would have been a distressing wait.
Just loved the way you wrapped up the end! I couldn’t guess till the last chapter that it was Nishita.
A very beautiful read! You are awesome as usual with prose or poetry, both!
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Thankkkk you…. 😀 feeling so happy….
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Fiction n I…far away from each other
Not because I don’t like it by I am not good at making stories. 😉
But I loved your work.
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Thanks 🙂 I’m happy to know you liked it 😀 Welcome to my blog…
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This was an excellent and satisfying ending. It is not like she will go out and kill again. Our sympathy is with her, Maniparna. Thank you for sharing and I think by it being on your blog it is not to be copied. Best to say this unless it specifically says written by your full name. Also, someone who is inspired by your story again needs to give your name as credit. Or say,”This is an homage to a story by Maniparna Sengupta Majumder.” Just my feeling about this. . . Only caring about you, my friend.♡
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That was actually my aim- to grow up a sympathy on her and, yours words made me sure that I’ve done that successfully 🙂
Thanks a lot for your genuine concern, Robin…it really means a lot. I’m really happy to have a friend like you… ^_^ ❤
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Pingback: Everything Was Perfect (Part II) | Scattered Thoughts·
Fantastic, Maniparna. I was a little surprised by the ending where he let her go without pursuing. I liked that it ended that way. Made it unique. 🙂
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Thanks Elizabeth, the ending is not a conventional one..but wanted it to sound different… 🙂 Your comment made my day… 🙂
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Reminds me of a recent blockbuster…well-written plot and makes way to a decent short story. There are some like me who especially like fast moving short story than a long dragging ones..so don’t worry that you could not extend it further..keep writing!
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Thanks Uma for the inspiring words 🙂
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Maniparna, I came across your blog through Anoop’s recent post. You are a wonderful writer of fiction. And this story; wonderfully plotted and penned down!
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Thank you so much Soumya for your generous words. Glad you find this interesting 🙂
Thanks to Anoop to 😀
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Pingback: Everything Was Perfect | TRANQUIL yet Alive·
Mani,
I am going to use this story a bit in my blog. A story occurred in my criminal mind and I am going to base it on your story, rather it’s your story modified a bit.
I am sure you wouldn’t mind 🙂 Still giving you a heads up. Sleepless night ahead..buhahha..
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LOL..I’m a night-owl 😛 …
Please go ahead, it’s an honour to me that your criminal mind finds food in my story… 😀 Looking forward to read yours… 🙂
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I know that you are a night owl. Hence I was sure I’ll get my reply right away. 🙂
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Hehehe… 😀 good observation…
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I dont know what to say , I ma going to write just one WORD
AWESOME
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yes truly enjoyed reading the whole story and the in the end i had a little smile tooo.. surly we all got the answer ..
WELL DONE for sure .. I ma hoping ot read many more stories now here ..
best wishes
I have written so many words now
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Yesss…thanksss a lot..such words of appreciation from fellow bloggers really provide a lot of encouragement and inspiration… 🙂
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I smiled after reading this, satisfied. Not many stories do that. This, was a not so complicated (Wouldn’t say simple) yet gripping one. Waiting for more stories from you 😀
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Thank you so much Ranju for your words of appreciation 🙂 Will try to pen another mystery fiction in future… 😀
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while Maniparna, it is a surprise package, simple with a nice twist, congrats. but where do you get such decent officers?
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In fictions, of course… 😀
Thanks for dropping by Sir 🙂
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Good job! Well done!
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Thanks Suresh 🙂 ….
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An estranged wife. Well written story, crisp and keeps the reader wanting to know what follows next.
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Thank you Saru… 🙂
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Wow Maniparna, finally the twist and turn has a ending here. Loved the series and wish to read more like this…
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Thanks Arpita for your words of appreciation and encouragement… means a lot 🙂
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I was waiting so much for the last part Mani and am content. The language superb, the description nice an vivid and the suspense looked justified and well crafted. All in all a super story 🙂 Three cheers for all the three parts. 🙂
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Thank you so much dear….the three parts are dedicated to three of us..Awesome Threesome 😀 ❤
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nicely wrapped up Mani … but as always. when a good mystery ends, it feels bad.. sach mein
So its a compliment dear girl that I felt bad when it ended .
why Nishita was not careful enough to let Roy huff and puff a bit more 😛 😛 Ya I know its being selfish 😛 🙂 Waiting for more such ….
wishes and love 🙂
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Actually Kokila, you’re quite right. I, myself, wanted to extend the tension a bit more but writing on a blog has some of its disadvantages. You can’t write an exceptionally lengthy post …it will make most of your readers impatient. 😦 I somewhat compromised with the ending…you got it so correctly. If, any day, I happen to publish my own book of poems and stories I would surely make necessary amendments to this one… 🙂 Thanks so much dear for your valuable inputs… ❤
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I’ll be waiting for the day Mani …:) And you know it 🙂 Best wishes for it ..:)
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I know… 🙂
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Awesome Maniparna .Nicely woven plot like a film story. I love suspense and enjoying reading!
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Thank you so much. Really glad that you liked the story… 🙂
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Awesome Maniparna 🙂
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Thanks Alok… 🙂
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Great job! You should write a book sometime in the future 🙂
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Thanks for the generous comment…. it made me happy 😀
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it was my pleasure 😀
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The bookmark case nicely closed 🙂 Waiting for the possible supernatural episode 😀
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Hehe…the primary plot for the supernatural episode is ready… waiting for approval from Uncle Dracula 😀
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Such episodes are usually automatically approved unless there is offensive material against vampires, right? 😀
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How can I put something offensive against vampires…it’s a sacrilegious act !! 😀
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I believe that Uncle Dracula “khush hua” with this 😀
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😀
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Kasauli is a beautuful beautuful place ❤️
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Yes, it is… 🙂
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Nicely woven plot … I love suspense … enjoyed reading! 🙂
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Thank you so much..glad you liked it 🙂
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I have tagged you for #UseYourAnd activity for BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus. Please visit my entry at https://rubysingh147.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/addition-of-and-elimination-of-or/. and write your entry before 18th January 2015.
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Two friends have already tagged me, so sorry this time Ruby 🙂 …
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Oh, great! Why don’t you write some film stories ????
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Haha, thanks for your generous comment…. never thought of becoming a script-writer… 🙂
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Aww.. Well done Mani 🙂
You know there is a malayalam movie, very similar where the police officer allows the culprit to leave. The story was as good as that movie, which was very good too 🙂
Cheers! Hope I can come up with something smaller than this in the coming days 🙂
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Thanks Anoop, Hope someone would like this plot of mine and offer me a hefty amount for making a movie out of it 😛
I’ve seen that you’ve already started that punishment called ‘to be contd’ 😀
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I hope you write scripts for Hindi movies. They need someone good. 🙂
Exactly, it’s revenge time 😀 But I won’t make you wait long, like you did to us. Call me a nice guy… 😛
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Yes yes, you’re definitely a nice guy 😀 Now where is the next part? Write it soon 😛
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Will do… 😀
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Waiting….. 😀
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Arre baba… Thoda aur wait 😛
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Write it soon if you want to retain your ‘nice guy’ label intact 😀 😛
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Hehe 🙂 I wish I could just pass the ball to you. Writing the first part is joy, the remaining is a pain.
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You nailed it… 😀
On a serious note, your story has a very different flavour and I’m liking it more for that..those medical details etc… 🙂
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Something has to different right 😛 Or how will I retain you in my report card 😀
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😛 right…I think you’re doing a great job so far..I’ll top the list this year too 😀
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Thanks for that assurance. 🙂
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Loved the setting at Dehradun and the description of Mrs Singhania. The lady with the white bob in the earlier part was hard to miss, so I was like oh now I know 🙂
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Thanks Somali…glad you liked the story. 🙂
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This is a nice and unexpected twist. Great reading. 🙂
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Thank you so much 🙂 …
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