The Astral Alibi (2 page)

“Then why not spend some time with someone who can treat you your age? And in the process have a good time?”

“Oh, that sounds incredible. Who exactly do you mean?” Sonia feigned innocence.

Mohnish bowed his head. “Your very own good friend at your service!”

She laughed. “What a surprise! And what exactly is your definition of a good time?”

“Spending time together, getting to know each other…”

“Hmm…I’ll have to see if I can find some time….”

“Here’s the
chai
!” Jatin announced, and his timing made them both laugh.

He placed their cups on the table and, whistling, returned to the outer office.

“Seriously, Sonia…” Mohnish began, on a quieter note.

The journalist looked quite handsome, with abundant straight hair swept sideways and a straying flick falling over a high forehead. A firm jawline hinted at a stubborn nature. But a ready smile displayed a neat set of teeth and a very attractive dimple in his right cheek. The smile always reached his deep brown, almost black eyes, which tilted slightly upwards at the corners.

Now as his gaze rested steadily on her face, she found her pulse quickening.

“Sonia, you must surely know by now that I find you very attractive. There’s something about us that connects. That gives me a good feeling. And I want to explore that feeling.”

Sonia nodded, trying to control her erratic heartbeat. She liked Mohnish, a lot. Not only had he been a great help to Stellar Investigations in the past year, but he had also been a marvellous source of enlightenment for the public, making them aware of her technique of solving cases with Astrology. Though she’d never quite spelled it to him, Mohnish had shouldered an equal share of the teething problems of Stellar Investigations. Considering she had taken an instant dislike to him the first time he had stepped into her office, high-handedly demanding an interview, he had turned out to be surprisingly supportive and eventually a good friend. Yes, she most certainly liked Mohnish.

But another pair of blue-green eyes and a drawling voice insinuated itself regularly into her memory. Varun Thakur, or The Owl, as he was known in the police circles. She seethed at the way he had tricked her into finding his diamonds. He was clever, she had to admit, and every bit as intelligent and crooked as his reputation marked him to be. And yet fascinating…

Sonia was too confused to distinguish right from wrong. And Mohnish from Varun…

“Sonia…?” Mohnish was observing her closely.

“Mohnish, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say nothing. I’m simply asking you to spend some time with me. We’ll just enjoy being together and find out where that leads us. Will you do that?”

“Okay,” Sonia agreed.

“Good! Now I can enjoy my
chai.
”

“I’d love a cup, too!” Inspector Divekar, encased in a khaki-coloured uniform, sauntered in, a wide smile on his plumpish face. “It’s cold out there!”

“Good morning, Uncle.” Sonia greeted her Father’s good friend warmly.

“Hello, Sir,” Mohnish added, drawing over a chair.

The Inspector sat down. “I was just passing by and thought that I’d drop in and see how the new year has begun for you.”

“Not too well, Uncle,” Sonia sighed. “Not a single case in hand, but I haven’t given up hope as yet. I’m quite confident that the diary Jatin gave me for Christmas is going to be full of appointments!”

“You’re right, Boss,” Jatin said, entering with a cup of
chai
for Inspector Divekar. “Just wait and watch.”

“Full faith in her, huh?” Inspector Divekar took a long sip from his cup.

“Of course,” Jatin said. “Besides, Boss gave me a mobile phone for Christmas and I have every intention of putting it to good use, too!”

Sonia laughed. “Anyway, how are things with you, Uncle?”

“Busy, as usual. The Owl’s escape from under our very noses still rankles. Had we been more alert, we could’ve caught him!”

“Provided he
is
The Owl,” Sonia reminded lightly.

“Of course he’s The Owl!” Mohnish retaliated impatiently.

“Oh yes, the guy who met you was most definitely The Owl,” Inspector Divekar endorsed. “And he now has the Kerkar jewels to add to his grand collection.”

“Don’t remind me.” Sonia sighed again. “The Owl or not, I definitely have a score to settle with that man.”

“Be careful,
beti,
” Inspector Divekar warned. “You never know with these guys. Don’t go on that outward suave and sober front. They could get dangerous. Best not to provoke such types.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle. Varun Thakur didn’t seem particularly dangerous to me, but I’ll keep that in mind. Not that our roads will cross again. If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay right out of my path!”

Mohnish and Inspector Divekar exchanged quick looks.

“Be careful, that’s all,” the Inspector repeated. He gulped down his tea and stood up. “Well, see you later, then. Got to get back to the Police Station. Bye.”

Mohnish studied Sonia in silence. She seemed deep in thought as she fondled Nidhi. And it troubled him. In fact, he felt positively disturbed.

“A rupee for your thoughts, Madam,” he said in a cheerful note.

She glanced up, surprised. “Sorry, I…”

“It’s all right. We’ve known each other for almost a year now, Sonia. I’m beginning to understand you.” A smile plucked at his lips.

Sonia grinned. “Are you?”

“Yes. Varun Thakur has left a trace of incompletion and dissatisfaction in your mind. And even though I’m totally aware of your skills and courage, I wouldn’t hesitate to add my voice of caution to Inspector Divekar’s. Forget him. Forget The Owl.”

Sonia looked into Mohnish’s face and read the concern there. “You really mean that.”

“Yes, I do. I’m worried about you. And I would hate it if you ever got hurt.”

“Thanks, Mohnish. But I’m not going to get hurt and Varun Thakur is no threat to me. Now, let’s drop this subject, okay?”

“If you insist.” Mohnish shrugged. He stood. “I have to leave anyway. I’m going to be out of town for a few days. I’ll see you when I return.” He stared at Sonia for an instant, then left without a backward glance.

Now she’d done it. She’d upset Mohnish. She sighed. This was all Varun Thakur’s fault, she decided grimly. First he insinuated himself into her life with his bouquets from “A Secret Admirer,” then he manipulated her into finding his diamonds. And lastly he had made his preposterous proposal, thus ensuring a permanent place in her thoughts! The man was truly cunning and charming—an extremely deadly combination. And not in the least for the reasons proclaimed by Inspector Divekar and Mohnish. And for all the well-meant advice that was showered on her, Sonia had no intention of giving up on her revenge.

Jatin popped his head into the office. “Boss, you have a guest.”

“A guest?” She noticed that he didn’t say “a client.”

Jatin appeared a little flustered. “Our new neighbour. She says she’d like to meet you.”

“Send her in.”

Sonia rose and placed Nidhi on her colourful cushions, which seemed to be growing in number. The cat curled off to sleep at once.

“Hello!” a husky voice called.

Sonia turned to face a slim woman of medium height, in her thirties. A warm smile lit up her sharp features, which were crowned by a sleek bob. She wore jeans and a red shirt which gave off a faint, pleasant scent.

“Hi!”

“I’m Devika Bhagat. Your new neighbour. I hope I’m not disturbing you?” The woman stepped into the room.

“Oh no, please come in.” Sonia found herself responding spontaneously to the stranger’s friendly smile and voice.

As Devika sat down, she threw a look around the tidy office. “Lovely setup you have here,” she remarked casually.

“Yes,” Sonia agreed, following her gaze across the room. The room was a mix and match of old furniture. A colourful handwoven Panchgani carpet in the middle of the room gave it more the look of a sitting room than an office. “Though, my colleague Jatin insists that it’s all too feminine for him!”

Devika grinned, flashing a set of almost crooked white teeth. Sonia noticed that they gave her face an odd, childlike appeal. “I wouldn’t agree with him. It’s a charming room! Oh, you have a cat!” she exclaimed in surprise.

Sonia laughed. “My best friend, Nidhi. It’s time for her nap.”

Devika looked at Sonia with frank curiosity. “You’re an Investigator, aren’t you? I read the nameplate outside. But I’ve also heard about you. You solve cases with the help of Astrology. How very, very unique.”

Sonia smiled non-committally and changed the subject. “What exactly are you planning to do next door?”

“Oh, it’s going to be a boutique. I’m actually a designer and supply most of my clothes to Mumbai. Got a good market there, rich women willing to experiment and dare. Pune is more conservative in its approach. But I have to cater to all kinds of people. Also, weather-wise I prefer Pune. Couldn’t stand the hot sultry Mumbai climate, it was beginning to affect my health. So I thought it was time for a change of scene.”

“You must be very talented to do so well. Designing is a very challenging line of work.”

“It is, but it’s very upcoming in India. I just smartly cashed in on the changing trends!” Devika chuckled.

“When do you plan to open your boutique?”

“In another month or so. March, latest. But since I was here to oversee matters, I decided that we really had to get to know each other.”

“I’m so glad you did,” Sonia replied with a smile. “Will you have something? Tea? Or Coffee?”

“Oh no, I must run. I’ve got tons to do still! I’ll drop by the next time I’m in town.” Devika rose hastily, glancing at her watch.

They shook hands warmly and then Devika departed. Her perfume lingered pleasantly in the room. Sonia had liked her instantly. It wouldn’t be bad to have an intelligent and friendly neighbour for company.

Jatin strode in and glanced speculatively at his Boss. “Well? What do you think?”

Sonia turned to her table with a shrug. “No fear. I don’t think she’s going to tarnish Stellar Investigations’ image with her boutique. She seems quite sensible.”

“Are you sure? I don’t like the smell of her perfume.” Jatin looked doubtful.

“Jatin! I don’t think we have any more control over who takes up that office than we have over her perfume. Which, by the way, was most acceptable to me!”

He shrugged. “Oh, all right, as long as she doesn’t keep popping into the office like it’s some chitchat joint!”

He stomped moodily away, leaving Sonia perplexed. Really, Jatin was getting more and more moody day by day. Perhaps it was truly time for him to find a nice girl and settle down.

Sonia strode to the outer room and towards the computer. Jatin was fiddling with the Television and she decided to check the mail. Within a minute, she had connected to the Net. Her in-box displayed six emails. Her parents had sent her a reminder of a dinner they had planned. Several friends had sent hellos. And then she opened the last email and froze. The subject line read
HELLO FROM THE MOON
and the message was brief.
“Thinking of me?”
Sonia stared at the sender’s name
—Varun Thakur.
Her heart missed a beat. And then quickly anger surfaced. The Owl had actually sent her an email!

2

Open Secrets

It was a hot March day and the wind swept dry Banyan leaves along the street.

He leaned against the tree, pretending to read a newspaper, which casually hid his face. Occasionally, he glanced up at the building across the road and especially at the windows of the apartment on the first floor. No sign. He glanced at his watch again. It was three in the afternoon and time for her to descend. At the thought of seeing her, he felt almost breathless. God, he had it bad. Even after such a long time!

Suddenly he straightened and ducked behind his newspaper. She had appeared at the foot of the building. Dressed in a grey, geometrical-patterned sari, she was rooting around in her handbag for something. Why did she dress in such unsuitable colours? he wondered. He remembered her as so different. She had loved warm colours and bright dresses, and despite her small frame had looked great in them. He almost couldn’t recognise her in these drab greys and browns she was sporting nowadays. In fact, he recognised nothing about her anymore.

She hailed an Auto, climbed into it, gave instructions to the
Autowala.

He didn’t need to hear where she was going. He already knew. He had been following her for the last month and was aware of all her destinations. It was Saturday. She had to be going to Deccan. Where she would vanish into a white building for a couple of hours. What did she do in there? he asked himself, as he kicked his motorcycle to a start and swung his leg over it. Oh, he would find out one day, when she agreed to meet with him….

“This is about the hundredth time I’m asking you, Sonia! I simply don’t understand your hesitation. But I
shall
ask one last time.” Mohnish sounded strained. “Will you come for dinner with me, tomorrow night?”

Sonia cradled the receiver in her hand and was glad he couldn’t see the pleased smile which sprang spontaneously to her lips. Not only had he remembered her birthday, the 7th March, but he was also consistently persuading her with an invitation for dinner. She couldn’t help but experience a prickle of pleasurable anticipation. But an arrow of guilt stood on standby. Perhaps it was time to ignore it? Sonia wondered.

“All right,” she conceded, and instantly felt a rush of relief. As if she had just crossed a gaping chasm.

“Great! For a heartbreaking moment I thought you would have the audacity to refuse me again!” Mohnish remarked, his tone betraying his exasperation.

“Perhaps next time?” Sonia countered.

“Don’t you dare!” Mohnish laughed. “See you later, then.”

Sonia was still smiling as she replaced the receiver. She’d been out twice with Mohnish in the past month and each time she had thoroughly enjoyed herself. Mohnish was easy to be with—fun and relaxing. Their talk was always impersonal and she liked it that way. She had no intention of plunging into a relationship she couldn’t handle. But she could do with a friend this birthday and Mohnish perfectly fit the bill.

Pushing back unwanted thoughts, Sonia turned to Nidhi. She fluffed up the soft cushions and the cat immediately rolled to her mistress and held out her paw. Sonia adjusted Nidhi’s blue velvet collar and scratched her behind the ears.

“What next, honey bun?” she murmured, and Nidhi stared at her with curious sea-green eyes, almost as if she understood Sonia’s every word. “It’s two months since I had my last case! And I don’t like it. It’s time to do something about it, right?” Nidhi licked her hand with a rough tongue and Sonia grinned. “I know what you’re saying. Stop worrying—things will happen when they have to, right? I think I’ll take your advice, since there’s not much else I can do at the moment. Perhaps go for a walk? It’s closing time anyway.”

She gave the cat another cuddle, then stepped out into the outer office.

“Jatin, I’m going for a walk. You can leave whenever you want to. I’ll lock up after I return,” she announced.

“Okay, I’ll leave as soon as I’m done with these emails,” Jatin agreed.

The brown Banyan leaves crunched underfoot as Sonia took her habitual stroll in the Agricultural College which was close to her office. The evening sky peeped between the Tamarind, Mango, and Banyan trees, which stood like sentries on either side of the road and clustered overhead to form a tunnel which opened into the big garden lawn and the majestic stone structure of the College. Arches curved along the full length of the ground floor. A huge white dome rose strong and sturdy on top of the College. The sun was sinking behind the hill ranges on the west, as Sonia took a breather on the velvet lawn. A flock of birds swooped in a curve across the dusky sky.

March had arrived with a vengeance, hot and dry, but mercifully the evenings were cool. The walkers, the couples and pensioners lounging on the lawn all appeared relaxed. Sonia wished she felt the same. She felt far from relaxed, feeling restless. The fact that she had no case had begun to worry her. Not that she hadn’t put the intermediate free time to good use. She had read good books, specially on Swami Vivekananda and his intellectual preaching; she had meditated, listened to good music, and even entertained some of her parents’ business friends. The lull in her usually busy schedule had been quite enjoyable. She had even started on a warm footing with Devika, who had inaugurated her boutique by the end of February. The steady stream of buyers created a lively atmosphere in the otherwise dull building. Not that Jatin agreed. His worst fears had been confirmed. He insisted that the boutique, with its clusters of giggling girls and pompous ladies haunting the shop, had robbed the dignity off the Stellar Investigations Office. All were either too young or too old for his bride-hunting project! And hence entirely useless in terms of peace or availability!

Nidhi had done her bit by playing with her mistress and demanding constant attention. But Sonia knew that even Nidhi couldn’t do much about the concern that was beginning to gnaw at her. She sighed, rose, and dusted her jeans. She may as well return to the office, lock up, and go home, she decided. The sun had set, the afterglow a warm memory behind the clouds. She retraced her steps, deep in thought.

F.C.Road was a busy main street, specially in the evenings. The Police Parade Ground set the scene for a number of popular restaurants and cafes. Offices, quaint bookstores, and boutiques flanked either side of the road, which was dominated by the Fergusson College—a more than century-old sprawling icon of education. Stellar Investigations office was opposite Vaishali Restaurant, the favorite joint of students and, in the evenings, families.

As she turned off the main road and into the Stellar Investigations building, she caught sight of Devika talking to another woman on the porch which separated their two offices. Both women were deeply engrossed in a conversation. But Sonia wasn’t looking at them. She was staring in surprise at Nidhi, who was cuddled in Devika’s arms.

A prick of anxiety made her hasten forward.

“Oh, here she is!” Devika greeted warmly.

“What’s up? Has Nidhi been up to something?” Sonia couldn’t keep the apprehension from her voice.

Devika laughed, handing over the furry golden body to Sonia’s outstretched hands.

“Nothing serious actually. But if you count playing with my designer clothes hanging from the closets as naughty, then she has been quite naughty!”

“Oh no!” Sonia exclaimed. “I’m sorry, did she—”

“No, nothing’s spoilt, don’t worry,” Devika interrupted good-naturedly. “Nidhi’s been quite a good cat actually, considering how I’ve disrupted your peace. This is Renuka Gunaji, by the way. Renuka and I were discussing something and Nidhi chose that very moment to introduce herself. She jumped up and sat on Renuka’s lap and refused to leave!”

“Oh goodness,” Sonia said faintly. “I’m really sorry. She never does that to strangers. She’s awfully pampered, actually, but I’ve never seen her sit on somebody’s lap like that.”

“Don’t worry.” Renuka brushed off Sonia’s concern. A tall hefty girl in a blue-and-yellow-striped cotton Salwar Kameez, she seemed to be studying Sonia with a curious glint in her eyes. “I like cats, though she startled me, the way she jumped onto my lap.” A frown creased her forehead. “Actually, I’m quite glad we have met. I was sharing a very serious problem with Devika and we were just discussing whether I should approach you. I was in two minds because, you see, I didn’t know if I had the right to reveal someone else’s problems. But the moment your cat sat on my lap and I stroked her silky fur, my doubt dissolved and my mind was instantly made up.”

Sonia stared at Renuka in surprise, then quickly glanced down at Nidhi. The cat raised her head, blinked innocently, then purred throatily. A feeling of amazement filled Sonia’s heart. Darling Nidhi!

“Can we talk?” Renuka asked.

“Right now?” Sonia hesitated. It was a little late. And she had no idea if Jatin had left. He was always full of criticism for the way she accepted clients without appointments. But on the other hand, she couldn’t afford to turn her back on a much-needed case. Never mind Jatin and his advice about appointments and creating impressions. Even he would agree that getting a case deserved top priority at the moment. And, most important, she couldn’t fail Nidhi, who had worked very hard to tip the scales in her favour!

Sonia said brightly, “Okay, let’s go in and talk.”

“Good. I’ll leave you two and return to my shop. See you later, Sonia,” Devika remarked.

Sonia flashed her a smile and led the other woman into her office. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Renuka pause to read the nameplate and experienced an immense sense of pride. She swung the door open and to her surprise found Jatin still at the computer. He glanced up as they entered and within seconds he had grasped the situation. His eyes gleamed in anticipation.

“
Chai,
Boss?” he asked hopefully.
Chai
was their code word for business.

“That will be nice, Jatin, and you can join us, if you are not in a big hurry to leave,” Sonia told him.

“Right, Boss!”

Sonia deposited Nidhi onto her cushioned windowsill and the cat immediately began licking her golden fur. With an unconscious smile, the detective turned to Renuka, gesturing her to sit.

“Yes, should we begin, Miss Gunaji?” she asked politely.

Renuka nodded, then took a deep breath. Jatin entered with a pad and pen and drew a chair next to his Boss.

“You can call me Renuka,” the older woman began. “First of all, let me tell you that I’m not supposed to be here. And I’m not even sure that you can help me. But when I was at Devika’s boutique, I saw your nameplate and I was tempted. Besides, Devika spoke extremely highly of you.”

At this point Sonia couldn’t resist flashing Jatin a look, to gauge his reaction. But her Assistant seemed to have mastered professionalism faster than her. His face was impassive.

“I thought there’s no harm speaking to you because it couldn’t get worse, could it? Already too much harm has been done and I simply didn’t know how to deal with this situation.”

“Renuka, could you please explain what you mean?” Sonia prompted firmly.

“It’s about this very good friend of mine. Her name’s Vidya. A very sweet, soft-spoken, wonderful girl who has never hurt a living soul in her whole life. And that perhaps is the real reason for her misery!”

A mild tap on the door was followed by the
chaiwala
from the hotel next door. He handed out steaming cups of tea. Renuka accepted hers absently. Sonia took a sip and relaxed against her chair. It was now completely dark outside and the moon was streaming in through the big windows.

“Vidya and I studied together in BM College of Commerce,” Renuka continued. “We both were really keen to do Chartered Accountancy and we even studied together till the intermediate exams. But then quite suddenly, Vidya’s father took ill and he wished to see her married. Vidya comes from a very conservative family and she had already consumed a lot of time on her studies, which according to them was a waste, since she had to ultimately marry and settle down. Vidya had no choice but to give up her CA and marry the boy of her father’s choice. Parmeet Sahay was an Engineer and a good match. Life was smooth for a while, until Parmeet’s parents began making demands on Vidya.”

“Demands?” Sonia frowned.

“Dowry demands. They began with small items like a Tape Recorder, then a TV, and then they asked for a car! A car! Can you believe it? In this age, when demanding or accepting dowry is completely illegal! My blood boils when I think of it!” Renuka exclaimed.

“It’s a crime,” Sonia agreed. “But not an unusual crime. It’s happening in the best of households. What did Vidya do?”

“She hasn’t given in to these unreasonable demands. But that’s where her problems really took firm hold. Her in-laws began harassing her. Screaming and shouting at her for petty mistakes, insulting her in public, calling her names, and threatening to send her back home if she didn’t concede and get them the car they demanded.”

“Goodness!” Sonia couldn’t suppress her rearing anger.

“Vidya confided in me that she was going nuts. I told her she had to talk it out with her husband, but she said that Parmeet was helpless against his domineering parents. I was horrified to hear that. If your husband is not in your corner, marriage becomes bondage. A suffering. And I told her so—I told her to leave Parmeet. What was the point continuing a relationship which was based entirely on mercenary gains? But she refused to listen to me. She believes that marriage is for keeps and that she must endure the harassment for the rest of her life! She really
does
believe in this age-old Indian thought that a daughter was given away and married into a family for life or death.”

“But that’s absurd!” Sonia exclaimed.

“I know. I was annoyed and impatient with her. I can’t imagine in which age she’s living.”

“Obviously in the same age that most young Indian girls live in—caught in the trappings of tradition and culture, and a transition period fraught with the process of finding their own identity,” Sonia murmured. “Did she speak to her parents about this matter?”