“Ronnie. Main sure nahin hoon ki mere bulletin mein ye clip chalani chahiye,” Richa said.

“Kabir se discuss kar lein?”

“Haan wahi best hai.”

They hesitated when they saw that Tarini was in Kabir’s cabin.

“Ananya ko pata bhi nahin hai, Tarini, ki aaj uske Papa ki death anniversary hai. Kaise bataun main use ki uske Papa ka murder hua tha, meri aankhon ke saamne, aur maine kuchh nahin kiya?”

The retreated in shocked silence at the revealation.

“Main ‘I told you so’ nahin kahna chahti, Ronnie. But kuchh to gadbad hai is bande mein. Woh Ananya ko aise hi nahin phansaye hue hain. Shayad woh jitna batata hai usse zyada involved hai Ananya ke Papa ke case mein, aur khud ko bachane ke liye Ananya ka istemaal kar raha hai.”

“Mujhe nahin pata ki tera conjencture sahi hai ki nahin, lekin hamein Ananya ko batana hoga.”

“Woh meri baat nahin sunegi, Ronnie.”

“Meri to sunegi.”

They found Ananya in the canteen with a boy on wheelchair.

“Ye kaun hai, Ananya?” Ronnie asked.

“Anurag. Tarini ka bhai,” she looked at Richa definatly as she said that, “Tarini ko shahar se bahar jaana hai. To ye kuchh dinon ke liye Kabir ke saath rahega.”

“Aur Ananya Didi mere liye badhiya-badhiya khaana banwa kar layengi.”

“Bilkul!”

“Ananya tujhse kuchh baat karni thi, yaar.”

“Main Anurag ko wapas chhod aati hoon Tarini ke paas. Phir baat karte hain?”

Ronnie nodded, while Richa stood stiffly next to him.

Ananya took Anurag back to Kabir’s cabin, where he informed her that he was stepping out with Tarini and Anurag and would meet her in the evening.

“Mere stinger ka phone aaya tha,” he said, “Hamein ek bande ko follow karna hai.”

“Theek hai.”

She found Ronnie and Richa sitting morosely when she came back to the canteen.

“Batao tum log. Aur lecture dena hai mujhe Kabir ke baare mein?”

“Dekh Ananya. Mujhe pata hai ki tu meri baat ka bharosa nahin karegi,” Richa spoke, “Lekin abhi jo hum tujhe batane ja rahe hain woh hum dono ne suna hai. To please dhyaan se sunna.”

“Bata.”

“Ananya,” Ronnie spoke now, “Hum log Kabir se Richa ke bulletin ke baare mein kuchh discuss karne ja rahe the, tabhi…” He repeated the exact words of Kabir as they had heard it.

The expression on Ananya’s face changed from skepticism to horror.

“Tu sach kah raha hai, Ronnie?” her voice trembled.

“Dekh Ananya. Ho sakta hai ki iska kuchh explanation ho, lekin haan –  humne exactly yahi suna hai. Aur ye bhi clear tha ki Kabir tujhse jaan-boojh kar kuchh chhipa raha hai.”

“Excuse me,” she said and walked away.

Ronnie tried his best to talk to her and offered to drop her when she insisted on going home. But she would hear none of it.

“Mujhe akela chhod de, Ronnie.”

—

She met Kabir in the evening at the appointed time.

They got into a minor scuffle with some local goons while following their lead. While Kabir and another reporter were subduing one of the particularly vicious one, Kabir saw another one approaching Ananya. He was about to go to her aid, when he saw her hitting the goon in the crotch. She had hit him with unusual violence and he was caught completely unprepared. In the next moment he was lying on the ground and writhing in agony. Kabir grinned even while struggling wih his captive and decided to follow her example to be rid of his charge as well.

“Tumhara to ye signature move hai, Ananya. Bada hi khatarnaak hai. Tumse dar kar rahna padega,” he whispered to her as they left the goons behind and caught up with their actual target.

“Kya matlab?”

“Raat ke Romeo waala move.”

He had expected her to either rebuff him or laugh with him. But she just looked away.

With others around he could not persuade her to talk. But after they were done with their spying task, he managed to get her alone.

“Kya baat hai, Ananya?”

She squinted her eyes at him for a moment, as if trying to read him. Then asked suddenly, “Kya mere Papa ka murder hua tha? Aapke saamne? Kya aaj unki death anniversary hai?”

His mouth opened wide in shock.

“Tumhein… kisne… bataya?”

“Aap batate to behtar hota. Lekin I am sure aapki majbooriyan rahi hongi. Isliye na iske baare mein kabhi likha, na mujhe batana zaroori nahin samjha.”

“Ananya. I can explain.”

“Nahin. It’s okay, Kabir. Mujhe aapse explanations nahin chahiye. Main samajhti hoon. Apni socialite wife ke saath keep up karna aapke liye aasaan nahin raha hoga. Ek dead bande ki begunaahi se kissi ko kya farq padta. It’s okay agar aap succumb kar gaye. Bas agar ho sake to itna bata dijiye. Kya iska matlab ye hai ki mere Papa begunaah the, aur jo asli gunahgaar the unhone unka munh band karwane ke liye unka murder karwa diya.”

“Haan. Lekin tum… tum kya karna chahti ho, Ananya?”

“Aapse door rahna chahti hoon. Lekin ghabraiye nahin. Main resign nahin kar rahi. Lekin aapko inform kar doon ki main is case ko investigate kar rahi hoon. Main aapse kuchh nahin poochhongi. Aapka munh kholna aapki integrity ke against hoga. Jo bhi deal aapne ki thi tab, uske khilaaf hoga. Lekin mere investigation mein interfere bhi mat kijiyega. Na hi mujhe influence karne ki koshish kijiyega.”

“Tumhein mujhse jo bhi shikayat ho, Ananya, khud ko khatre mein mat daalo, please.”

“Meri adrenaline rush ke bare mein to aap jaante hi hain. No interference, Sir. Please.”

She left, ignoring his pleas to hear him out.

—

“Ronnie! I need you help,” Kabir called him immediately after Ananya left, “Tum abhi bhi office mein ho? Main mil sakta hoon tumse wahan?”

He explained to Ronnie what had happened.

“Ronnie. Maine tumse hamara make-up karwane ke liye help nahin maang raha. Main shayad Anaya ko deserve nahin karta hoon. Main sach chhipaya tha usse. Lekin problem ye hai ki ab woh meri baat nahin sunegi. Jin logon ke peechhe woh ja rahi ahi woh log – ek different level ke khatarnaak hain.”

“Ye sab meri wajah se hua hai. Main baat karta hoon usse.”

“Sunegi?”

“Shayad nahin.”

“To usse behtar hai ki tum uske plan mein shaamil ho jao, aur mujhe updated rakho. Main kam-se-kam jaanta hoon ki hum kis cheez se deal kar rahe hain. Shayad main use khatron se door rakh sakoon.”

“Ji. Aur mujhe pata hai ki hamari help kaun kar sakta hai.”

Kabir sat brooding in his cabin for a long time  after Ronnie left. When he came to, it was four in the morning. He had made up his mind, but he would have to wait for a few hours before making the call.

—

To be continued