An untellable secret
(Some secrets may better remain secrets for ever)
Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
“And I need not ask that your daughter did not say anything to him either about that thing which crushed her heart that much and led her towards ending her own life.”
“If she did” what amused him Smaran could not understand but there was a smile on the lips of Ranganath. “I need not come to you at all.”
Smaran too smiled. “I start my investigation with your wife.” He said.
“There may not be any use asking her any questions. She does not know anything more than I do in that matter. Moreover…..” Ranganath paused for a second before saying. “……if she comes to know that some investigation is going on to know about the cause of our daughter committing suicide she would become terribly upset and may turn real mad.”
“You don’t worry. I don’t let her get any doubt that some investigation is going on in that regard. I know very well how to deal with her.” Smaran said.
“But …. She may be disturbed even more. She may not like answering your questions.” Now there were frowns on the forehead of Ranganath.
“I have to do it. I am thinking it is necessary.” Smaran’s voice was firm. “I said I do this carefully.”
“However much carefully you may do, I just don’t like her being asked any questions.” There was dislike in the face of Ranganath.
“Mr.Ranganath, you signed on the contract and you know the terms of it very well. If you don’t let me do what I want, I drop the assignment now itself.” The firmness was just so in the voice of Smaran.
“Alright…alright…” Ranganath capitulated. “When do you want to talk with her?”
“On this day evening itself. After agreeing an assignment, I don’t delay at all. There are other assignments also I have to look after simultaneously.”
Then Ranganath gave his house address and phone number to Smaran before leaving that place.
***
On that day evening Ranganath was talking with someone by the time Smaran went to his house. He greeted Smaran with a smile and said.
“This is Niranjan, our relative and psychology professor. I think I have told you about him.”
“Yes, you did.” Smaran also smiled and made handshake with Niranjan. He was appearing aged about sixty two years or so. He sprouted black beard and it covered almost all his face and his eyes were completely inconspicuous behind the black glasses of his spectacles. Those black spectacles were odd on his face and Smaran could not think why Niranjan wore those out of fashion black spectacles.
“You are Mr.Smaran, detective. You are going to investigate to know the reason that compelled Nirupama to commit suicide. Ranganath just told me about that.”
Smaran nodded his head continuing his smile.
“Smaran wants to talk with Nirmala. I told him about her condition but he is not listening.”Ranganath said.
Immediately there were frowns on the forehead of Niranjan. But they were cleared fast and he said “Let him talk. There would be no danger whatsoever by it.”
“Thank you very much.” Smaran did not at all expect this from Niranjan.
“Anyhow I do go now. There is some important work I need to attend. I do meet you both later.” Getting out from the chair he sat, Niranjan said.
“I want to come to you to talk in one or two days, if you don’t mind.” Smaran said looking at Niranjan.
“Please give me that pleasure soon. I always be at home in the evenings and Ranganath will say to you where I am living. It is walkable distance from here.” Niranajan said before moving away from there with fast pace.
“This gentleman is really very much in urgency.” Ranganath said with a smile. “You saw how fast he went off.”
Smaran nodded his head and asked “Where is your wife now? I don’t trouble her much, you need not worry.”
“She went to a grocery shop and be back at any time. Just wait few minutes.” Ranganth said.”I already told you. She can do all the other works in the normal way. The only abnormality in her is; she does believe that her daughter is still alive.”
‘Interviewing his wife might not be that much a difficult task’ Smaran thought. “Alright then. I forgot to tell you. Don’t introduce me as a detective to investigate into your daughter’s suicide. Tell her I am your friend came to you from a faraway place. I do try to get my answers somehow or other.”
“This is appearing good. I do as you say.”
Smaran was about to ask something more but then Nirmala entered into the home with the grocery bags in her hands. She looked curiously at Smaran.
“He is my boyhood friend. Came from a very faraway place. His name is Smaran.” Ranganath said.
“I know all about your friends. You never have told me about this person.” There was still curiosity in her face.
“I told you that he is in a faraway place till now. He did not come to our marriage either. How I can tell you about him then?” Ranganath smiled.
“Its alright. That does not matter. I ask Niru to make coffee for you both.” Taking the grocery bags into the kitchen Nirmala said.
Ranganath and Niranjan exchanged glances.
“That’s the way. She is going to ask her daughter who died six months back to make coffee to us.” Ranganath said with a sorrowful tone.
Smaran deeply breathed and remained silent. He was feeling curious to see what was going to happen next.
After some time Nirmala came there with coffee cups in a tray. “I forgot. Nirupama went to her friend’s home. It takes sometime to her to return.” Handing over the cups to them both she said.
“What your daughter is studying now?” taking small sips of the coffee she gave to him Smaran asked her.
“First year psychology post graduation. One of our relatives made her do that. Otherwise she wanted to study economics.” She too sat herself in the nearby chair.
“Who is that relative? Why Nirupama obeyed him that much?” Smaran continued his questioning.
“He is a cousin to me in fact, name Niranjan. I would have married him if I had not this man.”Nirmala smiled. “He is a retired psychology professor and Nirupama impressed by him a lot. In fact he is a very interesting man.”
“I met him here. He was here just before your coming home.” Smaran said.
“Oh, he stayed here until you came!” Nirmala smiled. “He came here before I left for groceries.”
“But I cannot talk with him much. As soon as I entered here, he left.”
“Is it is so? I don’t know when he comes here again. No problem. My husband shows you his home tomorrow. You really like his company. A very interesting guy.” She said.
“But I am not going to stay until tomorrow. I do leave in half an hour or so.” Smaran declared.
“But why? You are my husband’s close friend. I am expecting you to stay in our home atleast one week.”
“I cannot stay now. I have some urgent work to attend. I sure shall come again and stay here then.”
“Atleast stay until my daughter comes to home. I introduce her to you.”
Involuntarily Ranganath and Smaran exchanged glances again.
“I cannot stay more than half an hour now. If she comes before that time I shall be quite glad.” Smaran said.
Smaran noticed complete relief in Nirmala’s face. The frowns on her face were cleared without a trace.
“I cannot guarantee it. She stays hours together whenever she goes to her friends’ houses.” Nirmala said. “But don’t forget coming here again. Nirupama is a very interesting girl. You really like her.”
Smaran nodded his head. “I think Nirupama helps you a lot in your work.”
“She helps of course.” Nirmala laughed. “But it all depends on her mood swings. If her mood is good she does not let me do any work. If it is sour she yells and quarrels with me and would not help me even a little bit.”
“Do her friends come here to talk with her?”
“Why don’t they? It is a strange question. They come here and she goes there. Especially that Sukanya. I don’t see such close friendship between any friends. That Sukanya also is a lovely girl.”
“I think now also she went to that Sukanya’s house.” Leaning back in his chair and crossing his fingers, Smaran said.
“You guessed it right. They both sure would have involved in endless talking and playing. I don’t know how long she stays there. My husband should go there to fetch her back.”
They talked like that for some more time. So far not very much useful information but he felt satisfied as he made her talk like that.
Suddenly Smaran got up from the chair and said. “My time is up. I cannot stay any longer. I do come here again.” Ranganath also stood up to accompany Smaran.
“Remember that you owe a visit here again.” Nirmala said from behind.
“Sure I do.” Smaran laughed and said without turning back.
“That is the way she behaves.” When they both came out, Ranganath said.
“You don’t worry. It is not serious madness.” Smaran said.
“But she is always imagining Nirupama so.”
Smaran was about to say something but stopped. “When I do come here again we talk at length. But one thing I can say precisely here. You need not worry about your wife’s madness.”
After that he did not stay there
***
Menaka was completely involved in the novel she was reading at that time. That book was very much interesting to her. Very rarely such type of books came into her possession to read. She was that much indulged in what she was reading that she did not come into this world until her cell phone rung long. She snatched it with a jerk and felt a pleasure shock as it was her uncle that her mother’s brother. Hurriedly she pressed the answer button.
“What is that book you are reading?” her uncle Smaran asked her. “That made you not attend my call this long.”
“Tell me your dreams” by Sidney Sheldon. I think you also read that book.” Menaka felt so happy talking with her uncle. She always felt like that while talking with him.
“I read all Sidney Sheldon’s books.” She could hear his laughter. “We discuss about his books later. But there is an important assignment for you if you want.”
“Really!” Menaka sat bolt straight on the bed. Sometimes Smaran would involve Menaka also in his investigation works and Menaka liked it very much. “May I have the details?”
“Sure. But not over phone. You should come to me.”
“I shall be with you just in half an hour. Bye” Menaka end the call and threw the cell on to the bed. It took her just ten minutes to dress herself up for the outside journey.
“Where you are going?” while she was coming out, her mother Madhuri came across her and asked.
“To uncle’s office. He asked me to come.” Menaka was still cheerful and joyous.
“Alright then, go” her mother never would object her daughter’s going to her brother’s home.
Menaka did not wait even her mother finished saying that and came out of that place. Madhuri just remained looking at the way that Menka went out. After the death of her husband, Menka has become all to her. There was no other aim to Madhuri except to show to her daughter better future with a better husband.
After her, the other person who would that much bother about her daughter was her brother Smaran. He was even more unfortunate than she, lost his wife in a road accident when she was third month pregnant. He always would treat Menaka just like his daughter and never bothered about his own children. In the recent days of the death of his wife, Madhuri tried her level best to make him marry again but he never listened to her.
(I hope that you enjoyed upto here. I shall publish the next chapter as soon as possible. Please don’t forget to rate and review.)
