Shackles of Desire - Chapter 28

“When was the last time you spoke to her?” Viman asked dialling her number again.

“I didn’t speak to her. I just got a message, which said that she was going off to sleep. After that, I haven’t heard from her.”

Saying this Annie collapsed on the nearby chair. Suddenly as worry and panic took hold of her completely, the strength to fight ebbed away. She looked at Rudra with pleading eyes.

“Please tell me where she is, I swear I’ll give you anything you want. You want the NGO? I promise I’ll give you that. Just tell me where she is, please.”

For the first time in his life, Rudra couldn’t say anything. He kept on staring at Annie.

It was unlike her to switch off her phone. She never does that. Suddenly his brain started conjuring up every bit of possibility that could have happened.

“Where’s Ram?” Rudra asked looking at Mayank.

“He is downstairs Sir.”

“Call him right now.”

Saying this, he flicked his gaze at the man who had been staring at him since he had entered the room.

Subhash Gaikwad!

“When was the last time you spoke to her?”

Subhash didn’t answer his question but kept looking at him. There was something disturbing in his eyes that penetrated deep within Rudra.

Finally, he spoke.

“I still can’t believe you are alive. And Annie he is not the reason for her disappearance.”

Rudra’s face hardened just as he heard him. But before he could say anything Annie broke the silence.

“Subhash Kaka what are you saying?”

“Yes, Annie he is not. This was something I didn’t tell you because Ishani didn’t want you to know. He is Veera and he isn’t the reason for her disappearance.”

Annie shot up from the chair hearing him.

“You are Veera? You are alive? But how? I thought the robbers killed you,” she said coming near him.

Rudra’s jawline hardened more and he took a step behind.

“Veera is dead. I am not him,” he said looking at her and then at Subhash.

But it was as if Annie didn’t hear him.

Coming closer to him, her gaze travelled from top to bottom and then staring right into his eyes, she asked, “How are so sure Subhash Kaka that he hasn’t done anything to her?”

Hearing her, everything inside him burst with rage.

“Ms Mohan, if I wanted to kill your friend then I would have done that a long time ago.”

Ignoring Annie’s angry gaze, he looked at Subhash and then shifted his gaze to the door, which opened again. Ram came in and looked at him questioningly.

“Ram when did Manna remove her security?”

It didn’t take much time for Ram to figure out who he was talking about.

“Hukum the day she left Jaipur.”

“You are the reason she has disappeared. Now tell me where she is,” Annie attacked again.

Rudra finally just lost his patience with her.

“Ms Mohan, I believe I told you—”

Annie shoved the letter in his face and said, “Read it.”

Just as Rudra started reading the letter, something inside him started to bubble up. But his inner voice shoved it aside.

Even though it did, still rage took the centre stage of his mind as he read the last line. However, along with it something else also took hold of him.

Anxiety!

And he didn’t know why he was feeling this surge of unease but somehow he couldn’t shake it off.

Annie stepped away from him and then turned towards Subhash.

“Let’s go Subhash Kaka. This man will not tell us anything. The police will twist it out of him.”

Saying this, she started towards the door when the call of her name stopped her.

“Ms Mohan if there is anyone who can find your friend, it is me. You can go to the police if you want but one word from me and they will stop the search,” Rudra said putting the letter inside his pocket.

As he turned towards her, he saw her glaring at him.

“Thank you Rudraveer Sangawat, I’ll find her.”

Rudra flicked his gaze towards to Ram, who instantly stepped in front of Annie, blocking the door.

Subhash was still staring at Rudra but suddenly he shook his head and looked at Annie.

“Annie, he is not the one who should be blamed. If Ishani is really missing then I know who is behind it.”

Saying this, Subhash told them everything.

“I believe she was aware that they would do something to her and that’s the reason she left the letter for you,” he told Annie.

Hearing Rajneesh’s name made Rudra’s blood boil.

“How did she leave your place?” he asked Subhash.

“In an auto.”

“Mayank switch on the tracker.”

“What tracker?” Annie asked looking at Mayank.

But he ignored her and looked at the device in his hand.

“Nothing Sir.”

“Keep a watch on it,” Rudra said and then held out his hand to Annie.

“Your phone.”

But Annie did not give him her phone instead she looked at him angrily.

“If you want me to find your friend then give me your phone.”

As she handed it over, he gave it to Mayank and said, “Check the messages and find her last location.”

Mayank took the phone and went to the wooden panel on to his left. The moment he tapped it, it opened with a click and a screen with a keyboard jutted out. He wirelessly connected the phone and then looked through her messages.

Annie saw him tapping on some buttons on the screen and then suddenly a red dot started to blink on the city map.

Closing the panel, he turned and said, “Sir her last location was Karol Bagh.”

Hearing him, Rudra’s forehead creased. He pressed his fingers to his lips deep in thought. Then suddenly as if something had struck him, he fetched his phone and dialled a number.

“Shastri, get somebody to find the auto that Ms Raijdas boarded outside Subhash Gaikwad’s apartment. Also, get someone to check the traffic cameras of Karol Bagh. Look for anything that seems suspicious. Mayank is sending you the exact locations.”

“And Shastri, ask Arshad and Chinna to be ready.”

Done with the instructions, he dialled another number.

“Arvind, Sangawat Towers, now.”

The moment he disconnected the call, he looked at Mayank who instantly started typing on his Ipad.

“What are you doing?” Annie asked coming near Rudra.

“Saving your friend, Ms Mohan. Isn’t that what you want?”

“What if he has—”

Rudra didn’t even let her finish. Grabbing her by the arm, he forcibly pulled her towards him.

“I am not letting her die. Death would be too easy for her.”

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.