12~NOT just a passionate affair~ Pt 53 14 SEP- The 3rd quarter!

THE MUHAMMED IMPORT AND EXPORT GROUP OF COMPANIES - JALAL'S OFFICE

'Bade bhaiyya?' he chuckled 'What am I supposed to say about a conversation that lasted for five seconds? It was Hi-Thank you-Bye... basss...he was out of the house faster than he'd entered...' spinning around his sleek Iphone on one of its corners he deftly caught the instrument before it toppled onto his desk 'So, that was it this morning...'

'Bah! With those extra-sheepish grins, I'd assumed ki kuch rishtaa wishtaa pakka ho gayaa...' Renu scoffed, passing a comment that sounded just as playful as it sounded skeptical 

'Pagal!' Abdul nudged his girl-pal 'Sheepish grins because of bade bhaiyya? It's all because of someone special, yaar...' he indicated towards the inquisitive chap seated at the opposite end of the flashy fibreglass desk 'Look at his puffy eyes. Didn't he tell you that he'd indulged in a midnight chat session with HER?'

'Yeah he did!' Renu's firm frowns softened up a bit 'But so much of gushing and blushing over a mere phone session?'

'Arre... don't underestimate the power of a common phone session!' the prankster winked 'Sometimes the mischief and masala you can get up to over phone can be ten times worse...and our janaab sitting here tho, is khiladi in all that sorta stuff...'

'Hey... hey...' Jalal shook his head, embarrassed by their silly tease-a-thon. Granted, such leg-pulling was pretty standard-fare for his impish group. However, with Meera also being privy to all this talk - and with the venue now being his 'work-place' - he better curtail the masti before it went too far 'It's my office, yaar... and I think... I hear Krishnaiyya...again!' 

No sooner than he'd completed the statement, a few knocks were heard from the other side of his glass door 'Come in' he sighed, stretching back on his leather recliner 

The door swung open and a well-dressed office attendant traipsed in - a small tray in one hand and a truckload of paperwork in another 'Here madam, aapke liye chai...' he set the tray down in front of Meera, before turning to his boss with the bundle of documents 'Please go through these sir...and...' 

'Not again ...' Jalal winced 'I've been working on these proposals with the project-heads all morning Krishnaiyya...and it's not even THAT urgent... besides, I specifically remember telling you an hour ago that I don't want to be disturbed for the rest of the day... yet, this is the third...'

'I understand sir...' the man's liveliness withered 'In fact, I've been avoiding Shiva sir's cabin ever since... fir bhi... he called for me and compelled me to hand these over to you, saying it had to be done today!'

'Ufff' Jalal palpated his forehead. It was Saturday evening for Heaven's sake! This Mr. 'Serious' Shiva had to be the most annoyingly-inflexible manager his Taaya could have employed 'Do one thing...' the reflective young man looked up a minute later, knowing the issue wasn't going to go away easily 'Just disappear from the floors for a while along with the rest of the office attendants ... take an extended chai-pakoda break... you deserve it... submit the restaurant bill to the accounts department... if anyone asks, let them know that it was a treat from my end...'

'Sir!' The man straightened-up, stunned by the unexpectedly generous offer 'Really?'  

'Yup...' the boss acknowledged with a faint lop-sided smile, as he stood up from his chair 'Now jaldi... off you go...' he indicated towards the door with a sophisticated look 'Before Mr. Shiva catches you!' 

'Thank you' Krishnaiyya nodded, beginning to retrace his steps towards the exit 'Thank you sir' he nodded once more - as graciously as he could - before letting himself vanish behind the glass door 

Having latched his cabin door from within following his assistant's disappearance, Jalal turned around - only to catch the hush trio darting him some pretty amused frowns. Well, his audience of Renu, Abdul and Meera were still reeling from the spectacle of watching him acting all boss-like. Not that this new 'Vice-president' avtaar didn't suit the guy to a T though.  

'Meera' he eventually grinned - seeking to shift their focus away from himself 'Have the adrak tea when it's hot...ABDUL has so kindly ordered it in, for YOUR sake...' 

'Thanks...' Meera responded with an edgy smile - trying not to appear too abashed by Jalal's emphasis on the word 'ABDUL' 'By the way...you'd called me here to discuss something important na... was it only about that video clipping Jodha received or is there something else too?' she sipped on her chai 'Sorry for my impatience... it's just that I would like to go home and lie down... this cold has made me so groggy I couldn't even muster energy to attend the presentations at college...' 

'Yeah...I understand...' Jalal sobered-up and subsequently reoccupied his seat 'But... it's not only about the breakup... or Jodha... or about that clipping...it's about something else...' 

'Achaa?' Meera continued, after a mini-sneeze into her hanky 'Waise, before we shoot off... one small doubt...does that mean you and Jodha are officially back together or not... I'm confused... '

'Good question!' he smirked, jesting at the complicated nature of their drama 'For latest updates on my relationship status... the ideal person to contact would have to be your best friend, herself...' 

'Yaar...' Renu jumped into the conversation 'I understand Jodha did all this because she turned paranoid on receiving that MMS... but, did she presume that YOU wouldn't be able to defend yourself from the psycho and SHE'd be able to fight him alone? Kuch bhi...'

'Don't be silly Renu...' quipped Abdul 'It's obvious from the creep's actions that his PRIME intention is to get Jalal out of his way. And didn't you hear what Meera had to say earlier?' he halted shortly - his temperament losing its playfulness now 'That video was supposedly shot while Jalal was sitting inside his car, just outside his house... par, this mister didn't even have an idea he was being filmed... tho ye kyaa kar letaa? How could he have stayed safe when he didn't even know he was being watched? He's no Superman, is he?'

'Hey hey...' a more composed Jalal tried to pacify his concerned best mate with a smile 'It's ok Abdul... I'm here... fit and fine, as always...lo now...' sliding open a desk drawer, he took out a packet of the chap's favourite mints 'Take a mentos... and chill, ok?' waiting for his pal to pop one in - the moved young man then reverted to Renu 'Though I wish things didn't have to happen this way, Abdul does have a point... he IS right...' he paused on a pensive note 'And so is Jo!'

'Jalal, I am confident that you can protect yourself from an enemy you know... but how can you protect yourself from one you don't know or can't see?' she'd repeatedly asked him in the past, just like his best friend was doing so now.

Both people closest to him shared the same line of thought - and they both made sense. There was no way he could have kept himself safe from an 'unknown enemy'. That is why he knew they were still not safe. Neither him. Nor his girl. Much as Jodha or the police or anyone else believed otherwise, Jalal had a strong hunch that the man was 'unidentified' and out there - and time was running out to have this hunch proved.

'So...' Meera interrupted the confounding spell of silence pervading that office 'What is it you wanted to discuss about Jalal?'

'About the identity of the stalker...there's been some pretty strange developments since yesterday!'

TUITION - PROFESSOR RAM CHARAN SIR'S RESIDENCE

Cough. Ahem.

Having muffled an oncoming irritation, she returned to the worksheets sitting in front 'Hmmm' only ten questions done so far. EIGHTY more to go! Jodha cast a glance at her watch '4:40 pm' did Ram sir have to spring this mock test upon her TODAY, of all days?

As it is, she had little time. She'd hoped for an early escape from tuition. However, this 'important' mock test wouldn't really allow for that. Moreover, thoughts of what would happen later that evening - of how she'd feel when she saw Maan and Payal at the station, were constantly making her queasy. In fact, she could barely think straight - forget concentrate on a paper that she hadn't even prepared for!

Like those pressures weren't enough, the evening held another significance for her too. She was finally going to see HIM. It was going to be their first meeting after all that emotional upheaval. After they'd both re-confessed their feelings for one another. She was finally going to be reunited with her boyfriend following three months of separation. She had some plans in mind - a small surprise that she hoped would live up to the promise she'd made last night

'I'll make it up to you in a BIG way the next time we meet...'

So, she was eager for it all to unfold. To see him. To witness his reactions. To talk to him. To giggle like she used to. To touch him. To be held. To be enveloped within his folds once again. The flutters brought about by this wait were literally knotting the pits of her stomach. Understandable then that finishing a mock test was the last thing on her mind.

Yeah yeah. She could have just refused to commit to this paper, but the obedient student in her was just not used to countering her lecturers' suggestions. So, here she was - with eighty questions still to go.

Nevertheless. She decided to finish how much ever she could and submit the paper when the clock struck 5:45 - whether she'd completed the test or not!

JALAL'S OFFICE

'Wow!' Abdul's mouth was as wide open as it had been fifteen minutes ago 'Is that what the police told Jodha... Maan & Payal? Nooo way! NO F**kING WAY!'

'Well' Jalal frowned 'From your expressions, it seems like you aren't convinced either...'

'I don't even know what to think anymore ...' admitted a somewhat dazed Renu - a reaction quite unusual for her generally nonchalant standards!

'Actually...' Meera set her empty cup down 'The feeling of disgust hasn't left me yet... it's depressing... Payal CANNOT be involved in something so horrid! I KNOW HER!' she swallowed to relieve her crackling sore throat 'I'm not even sure what to do... will the police be able to prove their innocence?'

'But why...' he raised a palm in despair 'Why should they be dragged to prison at all? And disgraced for no fault of theirs?'

'Par...what can WE do about this Jalal? We're just a bunch of MBA students...'

'We are four heads together... and four heads are better than one... even if we hit upon one small point that we might have missed in the past, it could save a lot of people a lot of heartache in future!' getting off his seat to take a breather, he took a short stroll towards the large window - his mind intently adding, deducing, analysing and surmising all clues that he'd learnt of so far 'Meera...' he called out 'Payal lied, didn't she? That she knows of no one from Meerut... do you have any idea as to why she might have done so?'

'Don't know... do you suppose Maan tricked her into it?'

'No!' Abdul stepped in to defend his buddy 'Not Maan! If it's Maan, Jalal would have recognized him na...'

'But it was dark on that night, remember? And Jalal... you'd said stalker was all muffled up in a shawl, right?'

'You're right Renu...' Meera agreed - possibly for the first time with her cynical senior. She then paused. Pondering back upon another aspect that hadn't been discussed yet, she gradually covered her mouth in dread 'Jodha's first text reflected that the stalker knew her well... and the only guy in the entire college that Jodha knows from before, is Maan! God, is it really him? All the clues seem to be adding up against him...'

'And yet... many clues add up that reveal Maan is being framed too...' the resolute young man spoke over their busy voices.

As his companions hushed up, curious to hear what he had to say - Jalal paced back to his armchair. Having relived the incidents from the horrible night for the past few minutes, he subconsciously clutched the headrest for support - his fingers digging into the suede fabric with vehemence 'I was the one who bored into that man's eyes... held him by his neck... heard him scream... and listened to his threats...I would have identified Maan, if it was him indeed...I would have identified ANYONE close to me... ANY of my pals...' he battled to curtail the rising exasperation in his tone 'So what if it was dark... so what if his mouth was muffled... I have perfect faith in my abilities to recognize a friend's eyes and voice... the stalker was familiar... but, he was not a friend... of that, I'm confident!'

'But Jalal... Maan was the one who informed Jodha's family about both of you, remember? Tabhi se ye saare problems started...'

'Yeah Meera... but that's a completely separate issue... he was intimidated by bade bhaiyya that night...' leaning against the table, he turned his attention to Renu 'Ye sab chodo... you know the weird photo that he'd sent Jodha yesterday... that 'supposedly' indecent MMS super-focussed on you and me... it was pixelated... because it was shot from very very far ... that picture was taken when I was bidding you guys a farewell...but, we were all together at that time... ALL FIVE of us... how could Maan have taken the photo?'

'Haan na!' Meera almost sat up, realization dawning upon her. The other side of the arguments were gradually adding up to make more sense now 'And Payal couldn't have taken such a snap either... or I would have known... she NEVER steps out to the canteen or university grounds without me...'

'It's got to be someone else...'

'What the hell...' dropping both her palms on her head, Renu uttered aloud in near-despair 'Fir, how did Maan's student ID show up at the sim-shops? More surprisingly, how did that shop owner recognize him?'

Jalal fell quiet, his gazes fixated upon oblivion now. He couldn't come up with a concrete answer to this set of doubts - the very doubts he himself had been striving to get his head around since morning. He'd made a guess or two, but wasn't too sure. Regardless, he decided to divulge his vague theories about it thereon 'My gut says... how the shop owner recognized Maan's photo is what holds the solution to all this...what if the psycho is someone who GOT AWAY using Maan's ID... the quality of photos in our SRI ID cards is pretty unclear... so...what if the shop owner mistook him for Maan?'

'WHAT!' the trio uttered - in unison

'You mean the guy's a look-alike?'

'Not a look-alike...' Jalal ruffled his hair, slowly beginning to lose his patience over a mystery that seemed to be so close to disclosure - and yet, so far from being solved 'Maybe someone who appears like Maan... Maan also is medium built... and so was this man... Maan is of average height... just like the psycho... Maan has got that nerdy-look going for him... and this stalker too comes across as something like that...so... at first glances, maybe that shopkeeper was mistaken...'

'Damn!' Abdul banged the table 'So, this bas***d has copied Maan's ID and used it to frame him...'

'WOHI THO I've been trying to say...' the two guys reached across to hi-five each other 'Imagine Abdul... this maniac has gone through so much effort... covered up all his tracks so far... purchased sim cards from different shops... if Maan was the criminal, why would he submit HIS OWN student ID for proof... that defeats the ENTIRE purpose!'

'But... who's making Maan the scapegoat?'

'It could be ANYONE...'

'No...' Jalal reiterated 'It has to be someone from college... someone who's able to get close enough to us, but avoid suspision too...'

TUITION - PROFESSOR RAM CHARAN SIR'S RESIDENCE

Cough. Cough. The burning sensations were back 'Umm...' she swallowed many times to soothe her throat. It had to be the pungent smells coming from the kitchen. The linings in her pharynx were prickling 'Ahem...' Cough. Cough.

'I am sorry' echoed sir's apology from within, in response to his student's audible sounds of distress 'One second...' he stepped out 'Done now...I am really sorry for the inconvenience.'

'That's ok sir...uh...uh' she had to grunt 'Cooking? Something special today?'

'Yes...' the smart-looking professor nodded, erupting into a friendly grin 'Aaj bahut khaas din hai... for me...'

'Wow!' Jodha smiled back 'That's nice to hear...ahem...uh' she touched the bottom of her neck again - where her throat continued to feel scratchy 'I...'

'Wait let me get you some water to drink...' retreating into the kitchen, he shut the door behind him so the smoky fumes didn't permeate the rest of the house.

It was then that the notion struck her. She had one remedy on hand that should ease that tickly cough soon enough. Bending down, she grabbed her bag and dropped it on her lap. When she zipped it open, her keen glances fell upon the two articles safely nestled within - two precious presents for the most precious person on Earth! One present that she'd made. One that she'd bought. One for his 25^th birthday that she'd missed. One for wishing him success on having taken on his company as Vice President. Gifts that she planned to surprise him with later on.

She still wasn't sure how this entire 'meeting' was going to materialize after their stint at the police station - seeing how papa was also going to be there with her. However, she could only hope that she would be granted a few minutes of privacy to talk to him - at least, if going by her dad's apparent change-of-heart lately.

Taking out the dainty thermos flask, she screwed open its top 'Wow!' she remarked, impressed by the temperature of its contents. The pineapple halwa that she'd freshly prepared that morning was still warm. Picking up one of the many plastic spoons that she'd wisely remembered to pack, she scooped up the sweet 'Mmm...you're a Master Chef-in-the-making Jodha!' she told herself as the dessert slowly dissolved in her mouth. While the dish was no Sahib Sindh Sultan Pineapple Halwa, it was good enough to leave the person craving for more. Smitten; she was about to help herself to spoon No.2 when she realized what she was doing 'Ok basss... close it now or it'll get cold ... you've tasted enough at home too! Let him have the rest...' chuckling at her own gluttony, she screwed the lid back on tightly and wiped her lips with her hanky.

Her eyes then trailed over to the other article - a gift that she'd snapped up at a mall-sale during the short while she'd managed to take off from college that noon 'I hope you like it, Jalal...' she wished, letting her fingers run over its posh wrapper. Well, her doubts weren't unjustified. Getting a guy a gift was tough enough. Getting a rich guy a gift - a guy, who already owned everything he wanted - a guy, who was very specific in his likes and dislikes - was a challenge infinitely worse.        

'I had no time ... and only a modest budget...but, I loved it and I hope it suits you...' she sighed, envisioning once more how her debonair Mr. Vice President would look when wearing it to office. A metallic bluish grey Louis Vuitton checked formal shirt with a midnight blue tie to contrast 'Hmmm' it HAD to suit him. She'd spent many minutes staring at it. Fantasizing him wearing it - and in all those imaginations, he'd looked as dashing as ever 'It will look great on you...' 

'Here Jodha, your glass of water... and how's your test coming along?'

JALAL'S OFFICE

'Arre yaar...' her chirpy voice echoed from the other end of the speakerphone 'My dadaji used to live in Meerut yearsss ago... but now, no one from my family lives there... that's why I'd said I know no one from that city ... in fact, dadaji's house hai wahaan... but, that's also been locked up for ages... everyone has moved elsewhere...' a short wait ensued 'I'm confused Meera... why are you asking me so many questions about Meerut? Aur woh bhi, achaanak?'

'O...oh nothing...' she tucked a lock behind her ear, struggling to mask the nervousness in her voice. Momentarily glimpsing up at the three friends for positive assurance, she continued with the fabricated story 'I told you na... my parents might be visiting the city during their North India tour...woh Kailash Parvat Rachna hai na wahaan... so just wanted to know if you have any idea about the city...'

'Oooh' Payal giggled 'I can always talk to my parents and get you more info, if you want...'

'Ok...thanks so much yaar... anyway...ab... I gotto go...'

'Sure dear... and please take care of yourself...'

'Yup... bye...' Meera wished, before switching off her phone in haste - finding herself more emotional than she'd assumed she'd be for testing her friend this way

'So, that should rest all our doubts...'

'True...' Meera rubbed her forehead with her palms 'It's obvious Payal never meant to hide anything about her Meerut connections in the first place...this was just a silly miscommunication that's been blown out of proportion!' quite disturbed by the whole debacle, she stared up at Jalal with a blank frown 'Good that you got me to call her... warna... this gnawing doubt... I mean... I'm just so relieved now...'

He watched her reactions with an understanding smile 'Have faith in your friends Meera...especially those that have selflessly stood by your side during your highs and your lows...' as he ended that statement, his affable gazes veered towards Abdul and Renu - and they returned the sentiment with an equally grateful smile. It was a rare exchange between the three best mates. One that only lasted a few seconds - but one that conveyed a million words 'Ok!' he murmured thereafter, rejoining the trio to sink into his recliner 'So...we now know that both, Payal and Maan are only pawns in this game!'

'Haan...' Abdul spoke up 'One more thing... this student is not from our group, but seems to know EVERYTHING about you and Jodha... stuff that friends outside our group would never know... so, he's not only using Maan and Payal's addresses... he's also manipulating updates from them...' the tense man paused 'Socho na Meera... which college-friend... which classmate of Payal could fit the profile of that creep?'

Jalal slowly looked up - from the bleak expanses of the fibreglass table and up to the deep frowns now marking Abdul's brows. Something. Something that Abdul had just said. Something about those statements had struck a chord 'Why would a FRIEND use Payal's late dadaji's address? How would he even know about an address that she herself has no current connections with? Makes no sense. Unless...'

A moment later, the overcome young man took everyone in the room by surprise. Grabbing a notepad and a pen from aside, he started scribbling down his thoughts in a frenzy - mumbling aloud as he did so. He wanted to SEE all the points for himself - he wanted to HEAR all the clues again

1)       Medium build, dark hair, dark eyes, average height, not too athletic

2)      Looks like Maan

3)      Studies at SRI - knows the college around well enough

4)      Wears decent shoes, sends classically romantic texts, listens to 90s pop songs, a bit olde worlde

5)      Doesn't use modern sms language... not too familiar with technology or multimedia

6)      Close to Payal. Close enough to know about her late dadaji's unused Meerut address...

By the time he'd completed bullet-point 6, he ceased what he was doing. The grip around his pen had loosened. His fingers had turned numb. A picture had just flashed by his eyes. An unthinkable picture. This was an individual who was otherwise dignity personified - and yet, this was the only individual who fit all the criteria. He had an innocent face that had stayed above all forms of suspicion - and yet, his face was eerily beginning to morph into the profile of the dark murderous fiend!

'F**k! Damn! Bloody hell!' he pushed away the notepad - almost like the images that the paper had shown him were too disgusting to stomach 'F**kING HELL! UNBELIEVABLE!'

The deceit. The deception. The immorality of it all was unimaginable. Kicking back his chair in shock, he paced towards the window and opened up a glass pane. His hyperventilating self could do with a few gulps of fresh oxygen. Yet, that didn't stop the veins on the sides of his neck from throbbing. That didn't stop the cold sweat on his forehead from cascading along his jaw.

'This is screwed-up stuff!' he thrust his fingers deep into his tresses, as he felt the mental strains of the ugliness he'd just witnessed 'The stalker has constantly escaped detection because we always assumed he was a student...' he fumed 'This is not a student... this is not a FRIEND of Payal's...this is someone closer... it's a relative of hers...someone we all know very well...'

TUITION - PROFESSOR RAM CHARAN SIR'S RESIDENCE

'5:10 pm' she perused through the paper 'Still sixty questions to go... shucks...and my silly pen...' she flicked it's tip over and over 'Huh?' pausing in her tracks, she suddenly swore aloud 'Goddd!' her crazed actions had ended up spilling the leftover water from the glass nearby 'What have I done...' as the water began finding its way towards the books piled up on the table, she panicked 'Sorry sir...can I...'

'It's ok...' he smiled from the other end, calm as ever

'Is there something I can get to dab the...'

'Just get a clean towel...' he indicated towards the chest of drawers sitting at a far corner 'It's in the drawer there...'

'Sure sir...' with no time to waste, she stood up from her chair in an instant 'Oh' she gasped as her head did a weird somersault-and-spin 'Ouch' she held her head tightly. Had she stood up too quickly? Hadn't she eaten enough from morning? Was it the stress? Maybe she was coming down with something 'Anyway' she subsequently brushed it off, once she felt more normal - and traipsed towards the ornate cabinet.

She opened the first drawer. Nope. Wrong one. It was filled with medicine cases. Shutting it close, she opened drawer no.2. 'Arre? Medicines again?' Pushing it back into place, she opened the third drawer 'What? How weird!' she mused 'More medicines?' Didn't sir live alone? Wasn't he fit and fine? Why the excessive stash of tablets, then? 'Anyway... not my concern...' she secured the drawer shut

'I meant the bottom one...' his mellow advice reverberated from the dining table

'Jee sir...' she affirmed and squatted low to open the last drawer 'Phew' there they were. Neatly-folded stacks of fresh towels. Plucking one hand towel out of the lot, she slammed the slider back into place and was about to leave - when she halted her strides. Had she just seen something? Something familiar? Something shiny?

'Should I?' she mulled for a while, before deciding to give into her morbid curiosity. Reopening the drawer, she moved aside the cloth and there it was. The shining metallic blue object that'd caught her attention a second ago. Tucked underneath those towels. 

'My clip...' she wondered 'I thought I'd lost it...' and then, the serenity on her features steadily disappeared...

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