Disturbed
(An investigative, romantic and psychological thriller)
By
Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
“She went into the market to buy something for herself. She shall be here in no time.” Suddenly my face lit up with pleasure. “Hi, she has come.”
“Hi, uncle when you have come?” smiling charmingly and looking into his face Menaka asked him.
“I said to you not to leave Miss Dazzle even for a moment. Where have you gone?” he asked her angrily.
“I am sorry. I went out for little shopping to purchase some very personal items.”
“Its alright.” Smaran became normal and nodded his head before continuing. “But you both may please try to understand that the situation is very precarious. Miss Dazzle is in real danger. Don’t leave her even for a moment.”
While Smaran is going away a thought crossed my mind making me feel full fear once again. I called after him “Mr.Smaran.” I got off from my chair and went near to him.
“Yes, please.” He turned back and is looking into my face.
“One detective was murdered just because he was going to tell me some secret. You are another detective trying to know a secret which is causing all the problems to me. We both are positive that it is the same secret that Salmon wanted to tell me and you are going to unravel……” I am trying to say something more and Smaran intervened
“And your father so desperately wanted to tell you.”
“Alright I agree.” I am saying after a positive nod. “Some people are so desperate that it should not be known to me and they silenced Salmon in such a way. What is the guarantee that they don’t try such a thing on you also?”
“What Miss Dazzle saying is worth thinking uncle.” Menaka also expressed her fear.
“Thank you very much for your concern Miss Dazzle.” Smaran is smiling and there is no fear in his face. “I shall be in my care. They cannot do anything to me.”
&&&
“What you are telling me is true Dazzle? Is it is true?” Viola’s face is clouded with fear and we are all assembled in the hall itself. Menaka, my aunt and Williams are also with us.
“Hundred percent true.” I confirmed them.
“My brother appointed a private detective for investigating something. Not a very much surprising thing. In business he might have had such a necessity. But why that detective remained silent all these months? When he was trying to say something why he died like that?” there is lot of surprise and fear in my aunt’s face.
“Smaran said it is possibly a murder.”
“I am also thinking about it like that.” My aunt nodded her head and is saying. “But what I cannot understand is what on earth what he wanted to tell you and why did not do that till now? If it is your father appointed him, it must be months back.”
I hissed out heavily before saying. “That Smaran said he was about to say the same thing which my father so desperately wanted to say to me and he came to know about it only recently.”
“Is it is just an assumption or he knows it for sure?” Viola asked me.
“Of course, it is an assumption.”
“But what that Smaran is assuming appears to be true.” Williams is saying. “I heard about that Smaran. He is quite a capable one.”
“He is quite confident that he can solve the problem within the time he promised to me. That means in these eighteen days or so.”
“What else we do want dear? If the problems are solved in all respects that is enough.” With relief in her face my aunt said. “I really want to talk with that great man. Can you take him to our home?”
“Sure why not? He comes to our home if I request him.” with a smile on my lips I said.
“Then please. I can feel more relaxed and happy if I talk with him.”
“Sure I do that.”
“One thing here Dazzle. Even it makes you feel uncomfortable and uneasy. One thing has become quite certain here if that Salmon’s death is a murder.” Williams said.
“Yes. That someone does not want me to know about what that Salmon wanted to say to me.” I replied to him.
“Yes, that is what I want to say. The other thing we need to notice is, that someone may try such a thing on this Smaran also as he is investigating into the same thing.”
“I have expressed this fear to him and he said to me that he would be in his care.” I leaned back in the chair but I am still feeling fear. How much careful that Smaran can be? If those people are so desperate to harm him they may harm him in some way or the other.
“I am feeling in the same way you are feeling dear.” Observing the fear expression on my face Williams is saying. “We may better request him to take extra care.”
&&&
“I am very happy Mr.Smaran that you have come to our home honoring my words.” Looking gratefully into his eyes my aunt is saying. “Really I am feeling happy.”
“There is no necessity to thank me at all. What is the difficulty in coming and seeing you people? In fact I am feeling happy conversing with all you people like this.”
“Dazzle is a precious thing to all of us.” After a nod my aunt is saying again. “We all do love her a lot. She is like a daughter to me. This Dazzle and that Viola both are my daughters even though I have not given birth to them.”
“Whether you gave birth to us or not does not matter. You looked after both of us so affectionately, lovingly and carefully. You are more than a mother to both of us.” Gratefully looking into the face of my aunt Viola said.
“I am also of the same opinion. You always worried, is worrying and shall worry about us both than your own son too.” I said with complete feeling of gratitude in my heart.
“Williams is a boy. He does not need as much care and affection as you both need. Girls are delicate things comparing with boys.” With a smile on her lips my aunt said.
“Absolutely I agree with you.” Smaran is also smiling.
“Ah, Mr.Smaran. I am feeling happy that you took up the matter which is troubling our Dazzle a lot. I became completely upset considering the recent incidents. She was about to jump over the parapet wall on the terrace! If your Menaka did not stop her I don’t know how the situation on this day.”
“I heard about this.” Smaran said. He is about to say something I think but my aunt started in before.
“It is not the first time Mr.Smaran. She tried such a thing in the past also. At that time my son Williams saved her.”
“I heard about that also.”
“I am feeling so much of fear. She is saying that she is hearing a woman’s voice and following it blindly. But none of us heard it. Why it is happening like this, I just cannot understand.” My aunt’s face is with full of fear and anxiety.
“I am sorry that I have to make you more anxious now. But Dazzle’s life is in real danger. She must be quite careful. I have already said that to her.”
“Mr.Smaran indeed you made my fear trebled! How can we save her? How long we have to suffer like this?” my aunt’s face is full of anxiousness now.
“I promised that I do solve the mystery just in one month. There are only seventeen days remained. After completion of the seventeenth day there shall be no mystery. Everything shall be so clear. If I cannot solve the mystery like that by then, question me.” There is the same confidence and assurance in Smaran’s voice. How he can be confident like that?
My aunt’s face suddenly lit up with happiness. I think everyone there is feeling happiness including me on hearing that. “Very nice Mr.Smaran. I am feeling very happy on hearing what you have said. All I want is my Dazzle should lead a very happy life. In fact…..” she took a pause before continuing “thousands of families are depended on her. I think you probably know how big our Penkins Conglomerate is. Six very profitable companies are under this Conglomerate and they are giving food, shelter and clothing to thousands of people directly and indirectly.”
“I know about that all. I know about Mr.Thomas also very much. I have not had an opportunity to meet and talk with that great man but I know about Thomas very well.”
I am just listening intently whatever conversation is going on there. I have not have a chance to interfere. I am really feeling very happy seeing the concern of my aunt so. I know that my aunt worries always about me like that.
“One thing I want to say to you here sir.” Williams said
“Yes please. I am all ears to hear.” With a smile on his lips Smaran said.
I can guess what Williams is going to say. Williams and I are thinking it is quite necessary also.
“May be it is a person or group of people I don’t know…who don’t want that Salmon said that to her, murdered him. I don’t know for sure what that something that Mr.Salmon wanted to discuss with our Dazzle.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “But I am thinking that you are going to reveal out the same secret for all of us. Those people surely don’t want that you either know about it or reveal it to anyone. They may try the same thing which they tried on Salmon and became successful. Be very careful please. None of us want because of our Dazzle or this investigation does something unwanted happen to you.”
“You are hundred percent right.” There is gratefulness in the eyes of Smaran. “I know those person or persons are so desperate to silence me also. They just don’t want that secret to be known to me, to that matter to be known to anyone else. I shall be in my care. Don’t worry about me.” And he is saying after few seconds pause. “Anyhow I am very much thankful for your concern on me.” He deeply breathed and hissed out before saying again “How is my Menaka with all you people? She lacked a little in manners, a little lazy and a little careless.” Smaran said with a smile on his lips and while looking at Menaka.
“Menaka is a very sweet girl.” Viola is saying. “She became a darling in so little time to all of us.”
“Then I am happy.” Smaran got off from the chair. “If you people excuse me, I do take leave now.”
“Thank you once again for your visiting our house Mr.Smaran.” my aunt is saying again. “I am feeling happy and relaxed after talking with you.”
“You need not thank me at all. I also enjoyed a lot here on this day.” Then Smaran is looking at me and saying “Be in the company of Menaka always.” Now he is looking at Menaka and saying “Full responsibility is yours Menaka”
Then I remained observing Smaran while leaving our house.
“We are all indeed relaxed after hearing this gentleman. I am positive that he can solve the problem.’ My aunt sighed heavily.
“But I am not feeling much positive in what he said.” I am saying. “How he is going to solve this complicated problem in such a little time I cannot understand.
“Just wait and see. He threw such a challenge also to us to question him if he cannot solve it within these seventeen days.” Viola said.
“I am hundred percent positive about this” it is Menaka. “You question me also if my uncle does not solve the problem within these seventeen days.”
“Oh, Menaka dear, we all forgot that you are here.” My aunt is saying. “Please pardon us for doubting your uncle’s skills like that. But there are our reasons for our doubting. We don’t see your uncle’s skills personally yet. At the same time this problem is that much complicated.”
(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.)
