Chapter 28: She's Not Alone...

It was afternoon but there was no sign of light in the secret base where the killer's accomplice was working on his laptop when his phone rung.

" Hello?," he picked up the call.

" It seems like he had found something," the person on the other side spoke.

" Found what?," the accomplice spoke, there was a certain steadiness in his voice.

" I don't know, but now he's headed to Mr. Patil's house,"

" Mr. Patil's house.....,"

" There must be something,"

" Okay, keep me informing,"

" Yes," the person on the other side hung up the phone.

******

" Aren't you done yet?," said Shiva to Mohan who went behind the bushes at some distance to take a leak.

" Yeah," said Mohan as he finally came.

" You took so long,"

" Sometimes it takes time, go easy on me,"

" Yeah yeah,"

The boys now reached near Raghav's house and began searching for the old man,

Mr. Patil's house.

" That man said two three houses away from his," Shiva spoke.

" From where?, left or right?,"

" Don't know, I'll check the right side and you check the left,"

" Got it,"

They boys went to their respective sides to search for Mr. Patil's house and Mohan found something.

" Shiva!, here!,"

" You got the house?,"

" Yeah, it's here but...,"

" But?, what?,"

Shiva came near Mohan and looked at the house, it was locked. Mr. Patil was not home.

" Shit!," exclaimed Mohan.

" That's bad," Shiva said.

" What do we do now?,"

" What can we do?, we have to wait,"

" Let's ask his neighbors about him, where he went,"

" Yes, good idea,"

The boys went to some of the neighbour's house and got to know that he had went out of the village for some work and would return the day after tomorrow.

The boys had found Mr. Patil's house meanwhile the police search was going on in the forest to find Raghav. Mr. Pandey stood there with some other cops.

" This area is clear, nothing found," reported a Policeman to Mr. Pandey.

" Okay, search the next area," Mr. Pandey ordered.

A police vehicle arrived at the place. It was Mr. Kadam. He got off the vehicle and walked to Mr. Pandey.

" Found anything?," he asked.

" Not yet, the search is still going on,"

" How long would it take?,"

" The forest is vast, it shall take two-three days,"

" I hope we would find something,"

" I hope too,"

Meanwhile in Ramkrushna's house a huge tempo had arrived. Ramkrushna, Girish and Abhishek quickly unloaded it. It were the things for the engagement.

" You look over here, I'll just come in a minute," said Ramkrushna to Girish.

" Yeah," Girish replied.

Ramkrushna went into the house to take a leak. On the way to the washroom he looked at his table through the open door and saw the letter. His heart began to beat faster. He shook his head, swallowed it and went in the washroom.

******

The day was on its way to end and it was almost night now. Devashish had closed the Library and now was on his way to his home. He hurried up as it was going to be dark soon. Devashish lived with his little nine years old sister, his parents were no more. He took the responsibility of his sister and worked in the Library. Devashish reached home but he found that his house was open. Fear slowly started to take over his mind. Through the open door he went inside, his heart was beating faster now. Just then he heard something, a voice from the kitchen, it was his little sister, Avantika.

Devashish found it weird that his little sister was in the kitchen at this time. He himself would cook and this was the time when his sister would go out to play with her friends or watch television.

" Avantika!, I am home!," Devashish tried to suppress his fear under his cheerful voice.

" Coming!," his little sister replied.

Devashish felt relieved for a moment but the then he heard the footsteps. It were supposed to be of Avantika, they were, but she was not alone, there was someone else walking with her. Devashish had begun to sweat by now. And finally Avantika came and stood in front of Devashish, but then behind her there was a shadow proceeding towards her from the kitchen. Devashish came a little forward to see who it was, he saw and he stood frozen in terror.