16. THE INSPECTOR!

Palak and Abhimanyu enter Cabir’s house with high hopes and find him waiting for them in the living. “You must be Mrs. Murthy and Mr. Abhimanyu, right?” Cabir asked while pointing at both one by one who nodded in acknowledgment. “Please come, I was waiting for you. Naira told me that you guys have some urgent work with me.” Cabir said, pointing at his daughter who had been anxiously waiting for them for an hour. 

“But before work, tell me what you would like to have, coffee, tea, or juice?” Navya asked entering the room with a big broad smile followed by her son, Rishabh. 

“No mam, we aren’t in the mood to have anything right now. We just need Sir’s help.” Abhimanyu refused politely for beverages and looked at Cabir with hopeful eyes. 

“What is the problem gentleman? I will try my best to help you.” Cabir asked with a gentle smile only to hear an immediate reply from Mrs. Murthy, “You have to help us anyhow… We have no one except you who can help us to find MY NANDINI.” 

“NANDINI?” Naira exclaimed worriedly and continued, “What happened to her? She is also not responding to my calls. I tried almost 20 times to contact her to wish her birthday but she…” Navya cut her in the middle while saying, “Naira, please at least let them say about the matter. Just wait and all your questions will be answered in a minute.” 

Naira kept quiet waiting for Palak Bhabhi to continue and within 10 minutes everyone got to know about everything which shocked them to the core. “How can Nandini decide to marry a guy? She just turned 18 today.”

“Naira, this is not a matter to think about. First, we have to look for Nandini. The kidnappers can do anything to her.” Cabir calmed down his daughter and thought about the next step he has to take to find Nandini. “Look, Mrs. Murthy, I can’t work in this case…”

Palak cut him in the middle and joined her hand while pleading, “Please sir, don’t say like that. We come here with high hopes. You can’t just deny helping us. At least think about Nandini, she was just an 18-year-old teenage girl.”

“Mrs. Murthy, first, hear me out clearly, I can’t work on this case because you guys didn’t file it in the police station but I can help you to find Nandini, unofficially.” Cabir completed and saw them smile a little while he continued, “I also have a daughter and I can feel your emotions. Don’t worry, I will put my full police force to look for Nandini.” 

“Then, do it fast…” Abhimanyu urged desperately. 

“I will… but I need Nandini’s photo to circulate it to my team who will look for her,” Cabir asked for Nandini’s photo which Palak handed him. He further says without looking at the photo, “Mr. Abhimanyu, do you doubt anyone can commit such a crime? You are her bodyguard and stay beside her all the time, so is there anything that you find suspicious?” 

“No sir!…” Abhimanyu replied after thinking about it for a moment but he didn’t find anything suspicious. 

Naira informs her dad, “Dad, Nandini is the cutest girl in the college. She always helps others who want her help. So, there was no chance that anyone had a rivalry with her.” 

Cabir nods curtly and looks at Nandini’s photo only to gasp seeing the same face after many years. For a moment, he can’t believe his eyes. “Is she Nandini?” He asks merely in a whisper, making everyone frown. “How can this be possible? How can she be alive?” 

“What are you saying, Cabir?” Navya asked, seeing the unexpected reaction from her husband. Before she could say anything, her husband yells, “SHE CAN’T BE ALIVE. THERE IS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING.” 

“Sir, what happened to you suddenly? She is NANDINI, OUR NANDINI.” Abhimanyu said, eyeing Nandini’s photograph and finding it weird seeing Cabir’s expression as if he saw a ghost. 

“SHE CAN’T BE HER!…” Cabir is still stuck to her words and seeing him like that Navya took the photograph to find the reason for her husband’s condition. And as soon as she saw the girl, her eyes too went wide just like her husband. “SHE IS NANDINI!… OUR NANDINI…” A tear fell from her eyes, making her sob. 

“Mom, Dad, why are you guys behaving like that?” Naira asks with confusion and goes on eyeing Nandini’s picture, “She is Nandini… Nandini Murthy, my college friend.” 

“Will you guys please tell us the reason for your behavior? All this is so confusing.” Rishabh chirped and everyone nodded to know the reason behind this unexpected reaction. 

Cabir and Navya both shared a look before calming their hearts and stopping their tears to fall out. They closed their eyes and signed when all the memories played in front of them like a movie. He opens his eyes and braces himself to tell them A LOVE SAGA… MANIK AND NANDINI’S LOVE SAGA.

{FROM NOW THE BOOK GOES BACK TO THE PAST WHICH WILL SHOW THE JOURNEY OF NANDINI’S FIRST BIRTH.}

“Sir… Sir, the new joinee is here.” A constable barged into the SUB-INSPECTORS’ CABIN to inform about the same and here a curt reply. “Send in…” He left after nodding his head and a figure entered and stood in front of the inspector after saluting, “JAI HIND, SIR!” 

Hearing the salutation, the inspector nods and shakes hands while introducing, “SUB-INSPECTOR CABIR DESHMUKH.” 

“Here, ASSISTANT INSPECTOR NANDINI MURTHY ” The girl introduced herself confidently winning Cabir’s heart. “I hope you will work hard and serve our society with your best.” He said. 

“I will do my best, sir,” Nandini replied politely. 

“I wish that this new city won’t give you any harsh memories,” Cabir said, gaining a sweet smile from her and continuing, “We have a human-tariffing case in our hands. Just go through the file in an hour and you will assist me in trapping the gang. Is it clear?”

“Yes sir, Jai Hind!” Nandini replied confidently and left after saluting him while taking the file from his hands.

X—X—X—X—

After an hour, the whole team is ready to lay a trap to catch a human tariffing gang. All are dressed in casuals to gel with the local citizens. Before starting the mission, Cabir once again gives a brief to everyone about the plan, “Nandini, you will stand near the college gate as a student, and as per our sources they are planning to kidnap a girl today to sell her in Dubai. You will make sure that you will get kidnapped by them and we will follow you closely to reach their spot. Is your GPS on?”

“Yes sir!” Nandini replied, confidently, making him nod his head with a murmur, “Good!” 

“Nandini, try to stand far away from the crowd so that no one will come under risk and stand on the exact spot as informed by our informer.” Another Inspector said and Cabir continued with authority, “So, let’s go guys… it’s show time!” 

X—X—X—X—

“Boss, Suleman is again going to transport one more girls’ consignment to Dubai tonight.” A man informed his boss. 

“He is getting on my nerves now…” His boss, Amir Raheja, said angrily and went on, “He is breaking the same rule for the third time and now that’s it!” He sat down on his chair, making an angry face. “Call Manik, he will handle that bastard single-handedly.” He orders one of the boys to call his star boy, Manik. 

“Boss, you called me?” Manik walks inside after a moment carrying his attitude and sits beside his boss, royally. 

“That bastard is expanding his business in our area. Make him understand in your style and if he doesn’t understand then you are free to do anything to him.” Amir spoke with a sparkle in his eyes, making him chuckle. “I will handle the rest.” 

“Aapka kaam ho jayega, Boss.” ( Your work will be done, Boss ) Manik replied in his casual tone and asked further, “Where will I find him?” 

“In Sona’s old factory.” His boss informed him about the location, “Kaushal will accompany you.”

“He is not needed there but ok, let him come,” Manik said, eyeing Kaushal who shot glared at him. He again fixed his gaze on his boss and continued, “You will need his dead body as proof or I will leave it there to suffer.” 

Hearing him, Amir chuckles seeing the confidence in his eyes, “Leave him there only. Now, go and give me good news soon, young boy.”

Manik nodded his head and walked out, confidently. He doesn’t know that a storm is nearing to blow his heart forever. 

To be continued…