13, raccoll street-3

MERCY HOSPITAL

The green flashy lights showed the name at the top of a big multi-storied building. The hospital was busy despite the time was about 9 pm. Bharat parked his car in the parking lot and reached the reception. The woman sitting with the “ENQUIRY” board in front of her table was busy with few people around her table. He waited patiently till the last one moved away.

“Excuse me madam”

“Yes… How may I help you sir?”

“I would like to see Mrs. Deepali, who got admitted here two days before….”

“But sir, you can’t visit her now as the visitor’s time is already over…… Moreover, she is in ICU…. So I can’t be sure whether you would be allowed to visit her anytime soon….” She checked the details in the computer and told him.

“But I have to meet her….” Bharat insisted.

“Then come back tomorrow morning between 7 am to 9 am…. But I can’t be sure that you would be allowed to visit her, because it would be based on her doctor’s decision….”

“Are you related to Mrs. Deepali?” She asked.

“No…. But I must see her…. I am a channel reporter….” He showed his ID.

The lady was hesitant for few seconds then she signaled with her hand to wait as she took the phone receiver. She talked with somebody for few minutes and put down the receiver.

“Sir, I talked with her doctor, but he says she is not in a condition to talk….. But if you still insist, you can talk to her husband Mr. Natraj, who is here right now and I can arrange a meeting….”

Bharat felt relieved.

“Oh, sure madam….. Thanks a lot” He smiled.

“Please wait there sir…. I would ask Mr. Natraj to come meet you…” She said.

Ten minutes passed. Bharat was sitting in a chair with a medical magazine in his hand when he heard someone asking for him. He kept the journal there and raised his head.

“I received a call from the reception saying you were asking for me…. I am Natraj….” A man in his forties stood in front of him with a stretched hand. He looked dull with sleep deprived eyes.

Bharat stood up and shook his hands. Then both of them walked out.

“I am Bharat, I work as a senior reporter in a channel….” He showed him his ID.

“How is your wife now?..... What do the doctors say about her present condition?” Bharat began with a formal question.

“Her condition is critical….” Mr. Natraj said sadly.

“I would like to know what happened to your wife….”

“My wife was attacked by two thieves while returning from her office…. The road was almost empty and it’s her usual way… If come home early from office, I used to pick her up but otherwise she walks… She was beaten and made unconscious… When the thieves heard somebody coming they just took off in a bike…. Police also found a small cloth dipped in chloroform…. She is in coma as she was beaten with some heavy rod behind her head….” His eyes welled up.

“I am sorry to hear this…. Did they rob her” He asked though he really did not want to ask about that at that moment.

“Yes …. She had Rs.15000/- withdrawn from the ATM just an hour before the incident took place… She called me from the ATM…. They might have seen her withdrawing and have followed her….”

“Did the people who rescued your wife saw them clearly or could they able to give some hints about their physical features?

“They said, they could see nothing clearly as it was dark and no street light there…. But they said there were two of them in the bike which drove off very fast. They were wearing helmets and one who was sitting behind the bike had something long in his hand…. May be a rod…. But police could find nothing in these two days…. The loss is mine…. I almost lost her…. I don’t know whether I would get her back or not….” He said painfully.

Bharat didn’t want to disturb the poor man anymore. He wished him his prayers and relieved himself from there. Before leaving he gave him his card.

While returning home, he couldn’t understand anything. Something in him said it was not just any random crime. He tried to compare the incidents of Amrita and Deepali. The two incidents took place in two different locations separated by about 300 km distance.

“Something is wrong…. Something is wrong….” Something in him repeated. He is very much known for his instincts among his friends. He used to have this weird feeling when something wrong was about to happen. At some points of time, it would happen too. But he used to call his instinct as foresight.

It was early morning when he reached home. He went straight to his bed and could not wake up till evening. Before reaching home itself he has informed his superior about his absence for the day.

Bharat opened his heavy eyes forcefully when he was disturbed by the continuous buzzing sound of his mobile phone. It was a call from Amrita. He looked at the wall clock. It showed 6.45 pm.

“Hey Ammu….” He sounded rough because of his sleep.

“Where were you?.... You took leave from office since day before yesterday….. I have been trying to get you on phone but you are not attending….” She sounded angry.

“I was busy babe…. Sorry…. Was out of station…. It is confidential…. Can’t say about it now….”

Amrita didn’t ask anything further since she knew that their job included secrecy at times.

“Nirmal called me yesterday….” She said.

“And….?” He asked.

“And he said he is coming home with Nisha to visit me…. this Sunday ….” She sounded excited.

“Really?.... So I want you to invite me too babe…..”

“Of course you are invited honey…. What is the meaning of a get together without you?”

“So,….” He asked.

“So?.... So what” She repeated him mischievously.

“So, if you give me my usual candy…. I could go on with my sleep…..”

“No way…. I am hanging the phone down. Bye…. Love you….” The call got disconnected.

Two minutes later Bharat received a text from Amrita which made him smile. He typed one back and kept the phone back in his bed and went inside the bathroom to freshen up.

Sunday….

Nirmal, Nisha, Bharat and Amrita were sitting in the living room of Amrita’s Home. They were meeting after a long time. Nisha was on her family way and it brought cheers among them. They were great friends who cared for each other. After a elaborate lunch Amrita, Nisha and Amrita’s parents decided to settle in the dining room for a chit chat. Bharat and Nirmal went out as Bharat wanted to discuss his visit to Mercy Hospital.

“I feel something is not right…. It is not just a random crime…. I think it is deeply rooted…..” Bharat said after discussing everything with Nirmal. Nirmal looked at him unbelievingly.

(To be Continued…):coffee