Killer in the Shadows! (14 page)

Naina looked out of the window at the fading sunlight as it formed shadows on the lawn.
Just like in her nightmares
, she thought. In every shadow she thought she saw the silhouette of a man. She was more certain every day that the vision in her dreams was the man who’d killed her parents. And if she could just remember that night and see his face, she could make him pay for destroying her life and murdering her family.

The phone rang interrupting Naina’s thoughts.

“Naina, it’s Uncle Chauhan.”

“Hello Uncle,” she said cautiously. She wasn’t sure what to expect after his last phone call.

“Tara told me that she enjoyed having lunch with you.”

“Yes,” Naina croaked.

“I’m so glad that you both are friends. I’m calling to invite you and a date, of course, to my house for a private dinner party tomorrow night. Can you make it?”

“I thought you didn’t want me getting close to your family,” she said softly.

“Naina, that was a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean it like that,” he said. “I’m sorry. Please, I really want you to come.”

“Ok, I am not sure about the date. But I’ll try and come,” Naina said wondering if Abhay would go with her to the party.

“Great! It means a lot to me. See you at seven,” he said and hung up.

Naina dialled Abhay’s number and he picked up the phone and lowered the stereo volume. “Hi Naina. I wasn’t expecting your call. I thought you would be busy with Aashiq. Oh sorry, Ashish.”

Naina’s face turned red at the mention of Ashish. “Abhay he was just here to see me as he was genuinely concerned about me. He ran back to Mumbai after meeting Constable Shukla. He isn’t even taking my calls anymore.”

Abhay covered the phone and laughed out, but controlled and said in a sullen tone, “Oh! That’s so sad. Don’t worry.
Main hoon na!
”

Naina slipped in her proposal. “Stop mocking that poor guy. Plus, I want your help. Uncle Chauhan has invited me to his home for dinner.”

“Should I turn back towards their home? I am coming from there only.”

“No! He has invited us
tomorrow
night!
Uff!
”

Abhay replied immediately, “I would love to go there and spread my love to dearest Girish and Suchitra Devi. I even want to get their fingerprints as they are prime suspects in my eyes.”

N
aina was dressed in a black sari, and a simple but elegant gold bracelet, necklace and earrings. She wanted to look her best to meet Uncle Chauhan’s family. Tonight might be the night she unlocks the key to her past. And if it was, it would be her last night with Abhay. The case would be over, she would deal with the past, and she would move back to Mumbai. She had to do, what she had to. Naina retouched her makeup and brushed her hair one last time.

She heard loud music and the brakes of a car. She ran to the door and saw Abhay sitting in his jeep. Like a king on his throne. He was dressed in a black suit and white shirt. His red scarf made him look even more handsome.

Abhay was amazed to see Naina. His eyes lit up when he saw her.

And the jeep stereo continued: “
Dekha jo tujhe yaar,dil mein baji guitar…
”

“You look beautiful, Naina,” he said.

“Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself,” she said.

On the way to the party, Naina mentally prepared herself to meet Uncle Chauhan’s family members. One of them could possibly be her parents’ murderer and the thought that she was going to be at a party with the person deeply disturbed her. They soon reached the mansion. At
the door, a maid greeted them and ushered them into the dining area.

Uncle Chauhan came over to Naina, his face aglow. “It’s so nice to see you,” he said wrapping her in a warm embrace.

All the doubts that Naina had about him vanished from her mind. Her uncle loved her. He could never do anything to hurt her. Abhay shook hands with Pradeep Chauhan when he finally let Naina go.

“It’s nice to see you, Inspector Abhay Pandey,” he said.

They walked into the luxurious dining room where the rest of the family was gathered. Naina’s eye met with the formidable-looking Suchitra Devi Chauhan, who came and stood at the head of the table.

“
Aagayi budhiya!
” Abhay muttered in Naina’s ears.

“Mother, you remember Naina?” Uncle Chauhan said.

“Yes I do. How are you, Naina?”

Naina forced a smile and ignored the sharp look the old woman gave them. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Would you like a drink?” Uncle Chauhan offered.

“Fresh lime will be fine.” Naina wanted her wits about her tonight.

Tara came around and gave Naina a tight hug. “Hi, Naina. I’m so glad you could make it.

“Me too,” Naina said, grateful to have a friend in the family.

Girish looked unshaven and quite drunk when he stumbled into the room. He slapped his father on the back, then hugged his grandmother.

Suchitra Devi winced. “Remember my sore arm, dear.”

Abhay didn’t fail to notice that Suchitra Devi’s arm had suffered an injury. The older woman’s wound was in the same place he thought Naina had stabbed her attacker.

Uncle Chauhan shot Girish a hard look. “It looks like you’ve been at it again, son.” He wrinkled his nose. “Smells like it too.”

“Girish, behave yourself!” Suchitra Devi admonished. “We have guests.”

Everyone took their places for dinner.

“Bring Girish some fresh lime soda,” Uncle Chauhan told the maid. “It will help him.”

“No way. Get me a scotch,” Girish said, his words slurring heavily.

The evening couldn’t have been more uncomfortable. Naina picked at the fancy food and listened to Suchitra Devi Chauhan chatter about her social work. She made a futile attempt to ignore the foul smell of Girish’s whiskey breath and his constant rude interruptions. Tara smiled at Naina across the table and helped ease some of the tension while Uncle Chauhan tried to change the topic of conversation to politics, primarily about Girish’s campaign. Abhay wanted to punch everyone, it seemed.

“How’s it going?” Abhay asked Girish.

“Who cares how it’s going. Dad just wants somebody to carry on his legacy. That’s why he adopted me. He’s never considered me to be his own son. Are you going to–”

A collective gasp rose from the dining table.

“Girish! Stop blabbering nonsense,” Uncle Chauhan lost control and shouted at him.

Seeing the situation go out of control, Suchitra Devi interrupted. “Enough of this for the moment. We can discuss this matter later.”

Girish leaned forward on the table. “Well, Dad, are you going to tell everyone what this little dinner party is all about?”

Uncle Chauhan broke into a cough.

Girish gulped down another glass of scotch. “Oh, come on, Dad. I know why you invited Naina. You want us to get to know her.”

Aur kitni jaan pehchaan badhaogey, jaan logey kya bachchi ki
, Abhay thought.

“Well…that’s right,” Uncle Chauhan stuttered, his face turning red.

Tara Chauhan’s spoon hit her plate with a thud. She frowned at Girish, “Daddy, you really should have never adopted him. He’s an embarrassment to this family and not fit to be your heir.”

Naina looked at Abhay and saw him studying the scene with an inspector’s eye.

Girish stood up, making the table wobble. Silverware clinked and Tara caught her water glass just in time. Girish banged his fist on the table. “You guys are such fools. You’re so caught up in your stupid politics and social work, you don’t even see it.”

“What are you talking about?” Tara looked shocked at her brother’s outburst.

Uncle Chauhan reached for Girish’s hand. “Let’s talk in private.”

“Shut up, Dad!” Girish yelled and shoved his father’s hand away.

Suchitra Devi Chauhan gasped.

Girish steadied himself and glared at Naina. “I just found out that Dad’s going to put her in his will!”

Chaos erupted in the room. Naina froze, too stunned to move as everyone stared at her.

“You can’t do this!” Suchitra Devi Chauhan shouted.

“She’s not a part of the family!” Girish yelled.

Tara’s expression was unreadable as she watched her family fighting. It seemed as if she was already aware of these facts.

Seing all this confusion, Abhay slid away to get Suchitra Devi’s and Girish’s fingerprints.

“You little gold digger,” Suchitra Devi said, pointing an accusing finger at Naina. “You came back to Allahabad to try and get money-”

“Mother, that’s enough!” Uncle Chauhan yelled.

“Don’t you talk to me in that tone, Pradeep Chauhan,” Suchitra Devi snapped. “I’m your mother!”

The air in the room grew hot and heavy. Naina tugged at the neckline of her blouse, unable to breathe. Her head felt light and soon darkness descended around her, blocking out all the faces in the room. She closed her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see the anger and fury as the people in the room fought and cursed. But she still heard their voices. The ugly names. The way it had happened many years back. The people talking about her as if she wasn’t there, blaming her, telling her she wasn’t a part of the family, arguing about her. Then, she saw the faint image of a man’s face, etched with grief and anger. The man stretched his arms towards her, but his face was distorted, his hair hardly visible in the dim light. She could hear her mother’s lullaby. The face moved closer, his eyes a grey mist in the glow of the bedroom lamp.

It was Uncle Chauhan.

Her mother screamed, her father cried out in agony. Uncle Chauhan was there. Blood dripped down her mother’s stomach and collected in a pool on the floor. “No!” Naina screamed. She wrenched herself free from the
memory and stared at the people around her. Her outburst silenced them all.

Naina’s feet pounded the marble steps of the house into the night air. She flew across the lawn, panting and heaving for air. She had to escape. She had to get away from Uncle Chauhan. It had been him and she never once suspected him. She felt the cloud of betrayal breaking her heart. Suddenly someone’s arms caught her, making her stop.

“Naina!” Abhay reached for her, but she pulled away and ran towards the gate. “Naina, wait!” he called out after her.

She fought him, thinking it was Uncle Chauhan.

“Stop running, Naina, it’s me Abhay!”

His calm voice penetrated through her panic, and she stopped and fell limp in his arms.

“L
et’s get in the jeep. We’ll talk there,” he said.

When they were in the jeep and driving away, Abhay asked her. “You want to tell me what happened in there?”

Naina was quivering like a leaf in a storm. She took a deep breath. She’d come there to find out who her parents’ killer was, and now she thought she knew. Only it was too hard to believe. Naina waited until the house disappeared from sight. Finally she closed her eyes, hoping the image would disappear too. She had to be wrong.

“Tell me what you saw,” Abhay asked gently.

“Uncle Chauhan,” Naina almost choked on the words.

“What do you mean…Uncle Chauhan?”

“He was there. At my parents’ house the night they died.” She stifled a sob. “I heard them arguing. My mother screaming. My dad. It was him.” Naina covered her face with her hands, and Abhay pulled her to him.

“
Kya keh rahi ho Naina
? Uncle Chauhan was at your house a lot since he was friends with your parents. Could he have been there another night and you’re confusing the nights?”

Naina shook her head. “I know what I saw. He was the vision in my dreams. Only this time I saw his face.”

Abhay stroked her back. “I don’t think he would have killed your parents.”

“I only know what I saw,” she said quietly.

“Maybe he showed up after the murder. I think it’s someone else in the family,” Abhay continued.

Naina nodded.

“Also, I managed to get Girish and Suchitra Devi Chauhan’s fingerprints.” Abhay said with a smile. “I’m going to drop them off at the lab later tonight.” He glanced in the rear-view mirror for the first time. He’d been so worried about Naina that he hadn’t noticed a black Mercedes with tinted black glasses on his tail. “Hold on. I think we’re being followed.”

She glanced back. Abhay swerved and sped up, turned onto a side road and took a U-turn. He wasn’t the one to run. He headed back down the small road when the dark car came barrelling around the curve. Before they knew it, a gunshot exploded through the windshield.