"I spy you!" - 50

The next was sunny and bright. Vasu was just wearing her slippers to leave the room when there was a knock on her door.

Amruta was standing there smiling.

She was wearing a bright red colored sari and was carrying a matching purse. She looked at Vasu who was wearing a bright green colored sari and holding a matching vanity bag.

“Wow, you merge in the nature of this place! Come let’s have breakfast. I am very very hungry!” Amruta said and again pulled Vasu’s arm. Vasu locked the room door and left behind Amruta who seemed to be bubblier than the usual.

They had khara bhath, Kesari Bhath and coffee.

The lazy walking in the place brought them to the center of the town.

A board attracted them. It said ‘Houses for sale’

Both looked at the board together and looked at each other.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?” asked Amruta with stars shining in her eyes.

Vasu nodded her head and both went into the office on which the board of ‘Houses for sale’ had been displayed.

There was a young man sitting on a chair and reading the day’s newspaper.

He was very enthusiastic to show the houses which were about a kilometer away. He was thrilled to see two young ladies coming there to see the houses. He was very enthusiastic and kept on talking to them while they traveled in his jeep.

Finally when they arrived to the places where the houses were built, they gasped with surprise and delight.

The houses were picture perfect. They were built on a flat area and about 6 houses were there, 3 on each side.

“Which one you want? The last houses on both the sides are for sale”

“We want both!” they exclaimed together.

Now it was the turn of the youth to get surprised and happy. He must have had the best time by selling both the houses, thought Vasu. He would get a good amount for commission.

She had decided to stay alone. She did not want to stay with anyone in her own house. Of course! Till she gets married.

The word marriage brought her the face of Pushpahaasa in her mind. This man does not seem to leave me in peace, she grudgingly admitted.

But when the price was mentioned by the youth, her heart sank. She had saved some money for this day. But the amount asked was too much. Her face was read by Amruta who offered to give the money. When Vasu hesitated, “Take it as loan and repay me when you can!” said Amruta.

"I spy you!" - 49

“How did you get caught here Vasoo?” the person who came there was Amruta! “How come you are in such a situation?”

“Please...Ammu!  I will answer all your questions. Please get help. The rock I am holding is giving way” Vasu hissed through the gritted teeth.

“Hold on!” said Amruta and surveyed the area. Vasu was observing her hoping that this lady would bring some help from nearby.

But Amruta did a surprising thing. She tied her duppatta to the trunk of a tree nearby and held the duppatta in her hand and let the other end to Vasu.

“Vasoo, it is only about 6 feet. I am sure you can try to hold on the duppatta and come up!” said Ammu with lot of effort. She was holding on to the duppatta dearly.

Only Vasu knew how much she got scared to come up. But she finally came up and hugged Amruta very tightly.

“Thanks Ammu, for saving my life” she said. She was breathing very fast.

“You can thank me later. Let us go to your hotel room and relax. You must be very hungry” said Amruta.

Vasu found that she was hungry and walked hurriedly towards the hotel.

But something was bothering her. She went on putting two and two together and found that it was not giving a result of four! So, what was missing?

“How did you come here? How come you came there at the right time?” asked Vasu.

What could have been the reply of  Amruta was never known to Vasu. They had reached the hotel entrance.

Amruta, instead of replying, said, “I am ravenous! Please stop questioning me. Let us eat. I don’t about you. But I want to stuff myself! I have not eaten from quite a long time” and pulled Vasu holding her right arm and entered the restaurant.

They had Rava idli and Dosa. Vasu was thinking how good these snacks in this part of the country and at the same moment Amruta said, “You may tell whatever you want. But these eatables taste very great here!” and attacked a piece of Dosa.

They had a cup of coffee each and left for Vasu’s room.

“Come inside!” invited Vasu. But Amruta declined and said, “I have taken the room next to yours. Please take rest. Let us meet tomorrow morning. I am sure I won’t be able to consume one more piece of food tonight” and opened the lock of the next room.

Vasu had no other go but to enter her room and lock the door.

But the feeling of something being missed went on nagging her. Funnily she could not place the feeling properly. Is it something to do with Amruta’s sudden appearance? She could not tell.

"I spy you!" - 48

This time she thought she was lucky. She found a sharp rock jutting out of the earth. She latched on to it dearly like Markandeya held on to the Shiva linga when Yama came to take away his life!

Now she was left to wait. Not that anyone would come at that time in search of her. She felt that she could stay holding the rock as long as possible or as long as someone comes looking out for her.

But her discrimination mocked at her. ‘Who will come all the way here to save you? Who knows that you are here?’

She found herself disappointingly replying her inner conscience that no one knows that she was here. Then the idea of someone saving her is defeated.

This means she has to try to climb up the 8 feet she had slipped. She tried to look near her feet. Her heart came to her mouth. She was in a precarious condition. If she slips, she would go down by at least 100 feet. That means she would not be available to anyone in one piece.

Sweat broke out from her temples and started flowing on her eyes. The eyes started burning due to the salty nature of the sweat.

Still holding on to the rock she tried to press her feet on to the ground and pushed up. She held the rock with the left hand and groped for some other strong thing to hold.

She was not in luck. She could not get any solid support to climb up.

The darkness suddenly came and engulfed the area. She started slowly losing hope.

She tried to shout for help just in case someone comes in search of her. Her inner-self mocked at her that she has high hopes.

But still she shouted for help many times. Actually too many times. but after sometime, the throat became like parchment and she found herself becoming hoarse by shouting continuously.

After some time she could not shout also. At that time she heard a small noise and a thin  ray of light.

That thin ray of light gave her the strength of a hill. She opened her mouth to shout, but her throat did not support her. Her voice sounded like a croak of a frog.

Oh God! here is a chance to escape, at least someone is coming to the place where she is dearly hanging on to a rock.

When the light came very near, she wanted to grab the attention of the person. she started waving her left hand.

Now, to her horror the rock started slowly moving. It must be giving way due to her weight and movement.

But luck was on her side. The person holding the torch came very near to her and the light was shown on her face.

There was an audible gasp by the other person when the other person found that it was Vasupradha who was hanging for her dear life.

Even Vasupradha was left wondering whether to be surprised or to feel happy when she saw the person who had come in search of her!

"I spy you!" - 47

She would have loved to marry Pushpahaasa. But her face clouded when she remembered that he is already married.

In fact, she had discussed this matter with Durjaya during lunch time one day.

“What? You want to marry a colleague?” he had raised his voice.

She shushed him. But she need not have worried. The canteen was a place which has umpteen numbers of voices speaking together.

“Hey! Did I ask you like that?” she said indignantly. Then continued, “All I asked was whether the office allows colleagues to marry each other?”

“Oh, have you found a girl for me?” he asked with a lot of hope.

She had punched him in the shoulder and changed the subject.

But Durjaya insisted on telling that the company does not encourage marriages among colleagues. The reason given was that the husband and wife are bound to bring the problems of their home to the office and the office work is sure to suffer.

She had left a day after that. She had not seen Pushpahaasa anywhere though her eyes searched for him everywhere in the office.

The worst part was she started seeing him everywhere though he was seen nowhere!

Then she had applied for leave and left in a hurry. She had taken the cab to the hill station down South.

She found the surrounding to be very beautiful. She started climbing small hillocks which were around. She found a good number of flowers, vividly colorful and pleasing to the eyes.

She thought, ‘The rains have made the place so breathtakingly beautiful’.

But what she did not anticipate was the dangers brought out due to the rains. Her foot slipped twice and she had hang on to the branches of trees nearby.

She thought she had enough of climbing and decided to return to her hotel. The sun was going down spreading out pinkish light.

Pinkish? Oh God, which means the time is past the safe time as far as climbing alone is concerned.

She hurried back to reach the hotel. The steps became faster and reckless. The result was that she suddenly felt the ground below her feet giving way and she slipped!

Her heart skipped a beat and started chanting ‘I am falling I am falling’

She must have slipped at least 6 feet. She tried to hold onto some hard portion to break the fall. But it did not happen. She slipped 2 feet further. She groped and tried to hold on to something again.

"I spy you!" - 46

The news that Pushpahaasa was married shook Vasupradha. Her conscience chided her. ‘Hey Vasupradha! He is handsome, he also looks 30 plus in age. How can such a man be unmarried all these years? You had a hallucination that he is still single and you can hook him. Poor Vasupradha!’

She did not feel like working in the afternoon. She wanted to know where his office is and felt like meeting with him. But her decency pulled her away from such an advice.

But the heart pangs continued.

She could not stay in the office any more. She started having a shooting pain in the head. She staggered to Padmanabha’s office in the same condition.

He was shocked to see her in that condition. He suggested that she take a break of a week and join back.

She went back to Durjaya, told him about her leave.

“Please forget about the office. Enjoy your holidays and come back revitalized!” Durjaya said and shook hands with her.

She went home and packed her bag and checked for a good place on the net.

She found a place near the State capital was interesting. The place is about 5 hours from the State capital city.

She thought for a moment whether she should call Amruta and then decided against it. She did not want any other human being during this trip.

She took a flight to the State capital and took a taxi to the place of her choice. She reached the destination with sunlight still intact. The place looked lovely. She checked in a decent hotel and had her cup of coffee with some biscuits. The coffee, the scenic beauty which she was watching from the window of her room in the fourth floor.

She then decided to take a stroll. The sun was going down but the light was still bright. The nature which was around her was exhilarating. She forgot about everything which was bothering her and started being happy about everything around her.

Wow! We are so small in front of the nature. The big mountains, the greenery, the rain soaked earth, the orange light emitted by the sun... everything was so beautiful.

She felt happy that she chose to come here. This place is not only worth visiting, but also worth living here permanently.  May not be now, but after retirement.

When shall she retire? It is too early to say anything. But she will retire someday and stay in this place. To stay here, she has to buy now so that the rates won’t be exorbitant.

What will she do after retirement? Get married, get children. But if the retirement age is fifty eight or sixty, when should she get married? It has to be earlier than that.

"I spy you!" - 45

Oh God, is there any way to escape his attraction? Why do I become like wax and melt?

“Sir, the fruit bowl is not yours! Madam’s fruit bowl does not have papaya. Here’ is yours. And she has got chat masala powder added to her buttermilk and fruit bowl” explained the canteen boy apologetically.

“What? You don’t like papaya? Hey, do you know how good papaya to the body is? It kills germs in the stomach!” said Pushpahaasa.

She was mesmerized. His voice, his face, his body, his action ... oh, everything is so attractive! How come he is not ensnared by anyone till now?

Come to think of it! He is so good in everything. He must have been hooked by someone already!

But her mouth was saying, “I don’t like its smell. So I don’t eat. Do you have any objection?” she said defiantly.

He laughed loudly unmindful of nearby people staring at them.

“Smell? You eat after smelling the food? Have you not known that we should not smell our food?” he asked taking his bowl of fruits and buttermilk tumbler.

If she stays for another moment she would surely want to hug him tightly she thought and hurriedly mumbled a bye and tried to slip away.

“Ok, ok, you need to learn a lot. I will get a chance to teach you. So, watch out!” he said laughingly and left from there to sit alone in front of a table. He had a book in his hand. He started reading the book and ate a piece of fruit each with a tooth pick and sipped the buttermilk.

What did he mean? Chance to teach her? Has he planned some lessons for me? Is it part of the agenda? She wondered and walked and sat in front of Durjaya.

“Hey elder sister! What is so interesting at the other corner?” asked Durjaya who found that though physically present in front of him, Vasupradha was somewhere else mentally.

She shook her head and tried to concentrate on what Durjaya was saying.

But her mind wandered towards Pushpahaasa. Did he complete his mission too in the mountain city or is it same as her mission? Is it a pure coincidence that he is back in office the day she is back in office? Does that mean he was involved in the same case?

“Hey elder sister! I am asking you again. How was your trip? Did you have a good time? Was the job successful? You seemed to be troubled when you called?” Durjaya was on a questioning trip.

She smiled at him and said she is fine. Yes, work was good. Result... she is not sure whether she is successful or not.

Then she changed the subject. “Is he married?” she asked out of the blue, nodding her head towards Pushpahaasa who was sitting alone in front a table at some distance.

“Pushpahaasa?” asked Durjaya and said, “I don’t know. Do you want to know?” he asked. She did not say anything. But he must have read something in her eyes.

“Sir, are you married?” he asked Pushpahaasa who came near them to reach the dustbin which was at the other end of the wall.

“Of course yes, I am married” said Pushpahaasa quite seriously and walked away.

He had walked away with the disappointment of Vasupradha. She had a tight knot in her stomach!

"I spy you!" - 44

Her discrimination screamed at her for allowing her heart to rule her head! What was she thinking?

Some blabbering of the heart cannot come in the way of her work. She did join the job with the single aim of serving the country. Come what may, her sole objective is to stay with the truth, however bitter it may be. What if the truth is going to hurt her? If she is going to accuse Pushpahaasa in the recent incidents, then she can’t forgive herself!

She was in this dilemma throughout her way back to her home in the Nation’s capital. She was very agitated when she reached her home. She closed the door and threw her luggage down and fell on her bed and cried her heart’s content.

Oh God! I was so much fine all these years! Why did you bring Pushpahaasa into my life? Ok, he came, but why this duality? Could he not been a nice guy and working in the office so that I could have just loved him instead of this dilemma?

He came in my life, he works in the same field (of course with a higher capacity; who knows I also could reach his level someday!) and he even keeps coming in my workplace!

She went to sleep for quite some time. When she woke up the sun was up and breakfast time had passed. She went down to the supermarket nearby and bought bread and orange juice. She finished her breakfast of orange juice and bread toast and left for the office.

She did not know whether Mr. Padmanabha was happy with her or annoyed with her. He hid his feelings well. He asked her to submit her report and await the next assignment.

She was not feeling at the top of the world this time unlike the other times when she was praised for her contribution in closing the case.

She went in search of Durjaya. He was in the canteen having his food. She went up, ordered a fruit bowl, a glass of buttermilk and sat in front of him.

He stared at her for a few seconds.

“Hey, don’t you know that it is rude to stare at another person, especially when the other person is a girl?” she asked with mock anger.

“Sorry elder sister! The mountain air has really done well to you. You look really great! That’s why I was looking at you” he said sincerely.

She laughed and patted his hand which was on the table.

The canteen boy shouted “fruit bowl and buttermilk!”

She did not hear because of the babble of voices in the canteen. When the boy shouted again she excused herself and went to collect them.

She was about to reach for the two when another pair of strong hands caught hold of the two items.

She was stunned to see that the hands belonged to the person to whom her heart now belonged.

Pushpahaasa! 

"I spy you!" - 43

Vasu rushed to Amruta’s side. Amruta had fallen on the ground. Blood was oozing from a gash on her left arm. She checked the wound. It was not very deep, but it was looking very horrible.

“Can you get up?” Vasu asked and when she heard an affirmative nod from Amruta, she made her sit up. With some more cajoling, Vasu made Amruta stand up. Both of them slowly walked towards Amruta’s house.

Vasu checked the wound and treated it with antiseptic medicine. “It is superficial. Thank God that it has not harmed your veins or bones. How did this happen?” asked Vasu after bandaging the wound

“Oh, it’s nothing!” said Amruta. But the way she said, it was evident for Vasu that Amruta has some more things to say.

“Tell me what it is?” asked Vasu.

Amruta looked outside the window as if someone is there. Then she whispered, “Someone knocked the door. I opened it and found that no one was around. I tried to look around because I was sure someone was there. Suddenly, out of the blue, a tall man came and attacked me. I avoided his knife by holding my hands over my face and I got wounded here”.

Tall man? Vasu became alert.

“Can you describe the man?” she asked seriously.

Amruta had a surprised look on her face. But she told, “I have never seen such a handsome person. It was as if lord of beauty had taken birth on the earth. I couldn’t believe that such a lovely man could attack with a knife, that too a girl!”

“Oh!” expressed Vasu. But in the heart of heart, she had a sinking feeling. Oh God! Can there be two people with that description? No, it can’t be! It has to be Pushpahaasa! He was seen here. He did warn me about treading on dangerous grounds. But does he stoop to the level of harming a woman? Somehow she could not digest this news.

But as the time was running out, she bade goodbye to Amruta.

Amruta was feeling bad. “Why should you go away? Why not you stay here?”

“No dear. I have a job. I had a good dose of mountain air. And also, I have a great friend, you Ammu!”

“Wow, Ammu! I like the sound of it. You please call me like that” said Amruta very happily.

Vasu bade goodbye and promised Amruta that she will keep in touch and left for the railway station. The train was to reach in another 10 minutes. She sat on a bench and tried to recollect all incidents. She was thinking of her report to Mr. Padmanabha. She should write everything truthfully.

But does she have to write about Pushpahaasa? What to write about him, did she really see him? Did she really get a message from him? Did he really harm Amruta?  She was not sure of these. Without solid proof, she felt that she could not accuse her own colleague and her heart stealer!

"I spy you!" - 42

Vasu wondered whether she should feel relieved or worried.

She had gone through all the available documents in Amruta’s house immediately. In fact, Amruta unearthed some documents which were well hidden. She could not make head or tail of the documents. May be Mr. Padmanabha would be able to understand them.

It was then she decided to call Padmanabha. She was supposed to keep an eye on SahishNu. Now the man himself is gone.

She started calling from her mobile, checked herself in time and left for the telephone booth. She did the rigmarole of calling twice and disconnecting. The booth in-charge grumbled. But finally he accepted by looking at Vasu’s smile and the money she promised.

She wondered whether she could add these expenses under the expense sheet she was maintaining.

The call came after a few minutes. She told Durjaya who came on the line that she needs to speak with padmanabha and could she go through the landline number.

He said, “Since you have called I do hope that it is urgent. Please wait there only. I will meet with Mr.Padmanabha and call you from his number” and disconnected.

She started thinking what to speak with the deputy boss. After a few minutes wait, Padmanabha came on line.

He was very straight to the point. “You please pack your things and come back. Someone will take care of the closing of the house etc.” he said and the phone got disconnected.

She was about to go after paying the booth in charge when she found that she has another call coming.

It was Durjaya. “Older sis, what type of mess you are caught in? Deputy boss did not seem to be happy. Hope you are fine and the work assigned to you has gone on well?” he asked.

Now, what has happened? She wondered and returned to the house. She started packing. Funnily Amruta was not seen around. May be she has gone some errand.

Then Vasu had a doubt. Errand? That too when she had just then disposed her husband’s body? Is there more than what meets the eye? She thought for a moment and completed her packing.

She called a cab and left for the railway station. The train was running late for more than an hour. But she had a feeling of being stifled in her house. The small railway station, its surrounding made her feel very comfortable.

She felt that she did a mistake by not calling Amruta. She shouldn’t have left without calling Amruta, she thought and made a call. Amruta’s phone was out of range. What is happening? Is she alright? Has she been caught in any problem?

Vasu checked the train’s arrival. It was scheduled to come at least 2 hours late. She came out of the station and caught a cab and went to Amruta’s house.

There was no light in her house. She felt disappointed and decided to return to the station. She could call her from nation’s capital.

But a sound stopped her. It was a noise made by someone in pain.

Oh God! It’s Amruta!! What has happened to her??? 

"I spy you!" - 41

“Are you mad? You were not even there when he fell down! If you say what you told is right, then how do you think you have killed him?” asked Vasu exasperatedly.

“I added poison in his coffee” Amruta said grudgingly.

Vasu faced Amruta and said, “Will you please get up and help me in reviving him?” in a pleading voice.

Amruta smiled sadly and said, “Well, let me give this farce called marriage a logical ending”  and then sat in front of SahishNu.

After two minutes of thorough checking, Amruta said, “Vasoo, he is gone! We have to do something to get this body out from here!”

“Body?” Vasu felt as if a load of ice cubes fell on her suddenly.

“Yes my dear, my husband is dead and made me a widow” Amruta said sarcastically and stood up and came near Vasu and touched her arm.

Vasu looked at her blankly.

“Look Vasu! This is tough! But fortunately I know a lot of people who could help me to get out of this crisis if I pay them some money. But I need to do this alone. Do you understand?” She and then she kept quiet for a few minutes.

Vasu looked at her as if ‘What is the next step?’

“Listen to me carefully. I just need you to go to a movie and leave me here to deal with this situation” said Amruta. She was looking dead serious in taking up this. Was there a relief in her face? Vasu could not tell.

She took her purse and left the house. She thought that she could have made a mistake. But she alone could not handle a dead body. Added to that Amruta was clear about her ‘known’ people many not like to have Vasu when they move the body of SahishNu.

She went to the theater, took a ticket and sat little away from other people. The movie started. But she could not follow even a single scene.

Her mind was in her house. Was Amruta able to dispose the body? What if police come and ask about his whereabouts?

Her inner voice told her that she had made a mistake by coming out like that. How much did she know Amruta? Hardly a little more than 2 months. She felt that she should immediately return to the house and be part of the operation.

Or still better... why not hide behind a tree or rock and watch what she does?

She decided about that and left the theater in the middle of the movie and rushed to reach her house. She must have gone for half an hour. She came near the house. It was getting dark. She looked at Amruta’s house. There was light in her house.

Amruta saw Vasu and smiled. “You have just missed him... I mean his body was carried away by the people I told you just now”

"I spy you!" - 40

‘The man looked anything but cruel. But appearances could be deceptive’ thought Vasu. But her etiquette made her say, “Please come in!”

He came and sat down. He looked very ordinary with his ordinary clothes, ordinary face which could get lost in the sea of people very easily.

This man is torturing Amruta? She wondered for a moment.

She looked for Amruta. She was nowhere to be seen. She must have left from the back door. Now Vasu had to face this man alone.

“My name is Vasu” she started her conversation.

“I know madam contrary to what your friend must have told you about me” he said with a light trace of sarcasm.

“Why are you referring her to as my friend? Is she not your wife also?”

SahishNu twisted his lips with a laconic expression. Was it to mean something? Vasu could not fathom.

She went in and brought an empty cup and poured coffee into it. He started sipping the coffee.

He drank it without a break and then put the cup down.

“Look madam! I have not done anything to harm your friend. If she is carrying such stories, that means she has some other intentions” he said firmly. “I just wanted to tell you that. I don’t think I have anything else to say” he said, got up, walked a few steps and fell down face forward near Vasu!

Vasu got the shock of her life! My God! The shocks are getting better and better every day!

She went near him and started shaking his shoulder.  There was no response from him. She checked his pulse; she forcefully opened his eyelids and put her ear to his chest. She could not understand whether the man was alive or not.

She ran to the main door and opened it. She saw Amruta coming back here in a high speed. She just barged in and said, “What did he say? Did he agree that he is trying to kill me? His torture is unbearable....” She would have continued if Vasu had not pointed her finger towards the man who had fallen on the floor.

“Is he dead? If, good riddance! Let us call the police and handover the body” said Amruta.

“Ok, then what?” asked Vasu shockingly. “Then what what?” asked Amruta as if she did not care for anyone in this world.

“He is a healthy man. He suddenly collapses for no reason. What does police think?” asked Vasu.

“Oh, that’s easy. I will tell that I killed him” said Amruta. “In fact I should have done this long ago” she said and started breathing heavily.

"I spy you!" - 39

“Can I come to your house and explain to your husband about your friendship with me?” she said to Amruta.

“No need for you to come. I am here. What do you want to explain to me?” came a gruff voice from the main door.

Both Amruta and Vasu lifted their heads. Amruta had a shock and Vasu had a surprise respectively on their faces.

He stood there. The man who was torturing Amruta. It was SahishNu, Amruta’s husband!!!

Vasu wondered whether things were going too fast!

"I spy you" - 38

She went near Amruta’s house to check why there was a delay from her side. She was about to knock the door when she heard a horrible scream from inside. Vasu’s heartbeat became faster. It was Amruta’s scream!

Vasu was contemplating whether to knock the door or retrieve to her home, when the door suddenly flew open and a heavily disheveled Amruta ran out. She did not see Vasu who was standing at one side of the door. She blindly rushed to Vasu’s house and started banging the door.

Vasu ran back to her home and steadied an almost falling Amruta. She opened the lock and took Amruta inside by putting her arm on Amruta’s shoulders.

She was about to close the door from inside when she accidentally turned her face towards Amruta’s house. There! He was standing. Amruta’s husband? Yes, he is the same person who was smiling in the photograph inside Amruta’s house. But now his face had a murderous rage. Vasu hurriedly closed the door and tried to pacify a sobbing Amruta.

Vasu shook her holding her shoulders. She then dragged her on to the sofa in the hall and made her sit. Then she went inside the kitchen quickly and brought a tumbler of water. Amruta drank the water little by little in between her sobbing.

After a few more minutes she calmed down. Vasu went and sat next to her. She had somehow started growing fond of this lady.

“Can you please tell me what the problem is? Did he hurt you?” asked Vasu in a very calm tone which smoothened the ruffled feathers of Amruta.

“He came and started bombarding me what I did all these days? Have I picked up any new friendship?” she sobbed.

“You should have told him that I am your friend and as far as I know you are moving with me!”  Vasu said and patted Amruta’s back as if to make her calm.

It did have a calming effect on Amruta. Slowly her sobs reduced and she wiped her tears and smiled at Vasu.

“See, this is why I come here running. Whenever I feel bad, whenever I have happy news to share, the first thing I think of is Vasu. Is it wrong? I now doubt the institution of marriage itself. There must be something very wrong in our pairing itself” Amruta was talking to herself rather than addressing Vasu.

Vasu’s heart felt full of compassion towards Amruta. ‘This girl is feeling down and out. I should pacify her and make her feel comfortable’ thought Vasu and got up to make coffee for Amruta. Even she was feeling little dull by the dramatics of Amruta. She too badly wanted a cup of coffee.

She thought what would be her next move now since Amruta’s husband, SahishNu has come back. Being so close to Amruta, would it be difficult to meet SahishNu? Was her first thought.

With the cups of coffee in a tray with some biscuits too being placed on it, she came and set the tray on the table.

"I spy you!" - 37

Vasu stared at the slip for a few minutes and went into the kitchen. She found a candle and a matchbox. She lighted the candle. She steadied the candle by pouring a little wax on the stone platform on which the stove was placed.

She then held the slip of paper little above the flame of the candle. After two minutes brown letters appeared on the slip. She read it and felt very uncomfortable.

The secret message was ‘You are treading on a dangerous ground. Please be careful. Destroy the message immediately after reading’.

She absent mindedly held an edge of the slip to the flame. The fire hungrily ate away the paper. She could let down the last slip of the paper just in time. Otherwise she would have burnt her fingers.

That was the power Pushpahaasa was having on her. Her mind to the message details. What did he mean, you are treading on a dangerous ground? Of course, the job never was a bed of roses. It is always full of thorns and sharp stones. I will be careful. And the last one, destroy the message. As if she would have kept it as a prized possession! She may not have been in great number of assignments. But she had been trained well or it can be told that she looked out for hidden lurking dangers.

‘Did he mean I should be careful of SahishNu, husband of Amruta? May be! So, I shall be very careful during the complete execution of the project, whether I have been warned by my own colleague’ was Vasu’s final thought.

After the excitement of the first day, the following days just rolled by. It was almost a formed routine. Amruta was coming to her home running. Does this lady not know how to walk? Thought Vasu smilingly.

Her strength was her non-stop talk. Most of the times the talk had no meaning. May be Amruta loved to hear her voice! Vasu very carefully listened to her talk. She was sure that she will get useful point in Amruta’s talk about her husband.

Why not she record Amruta’s conversation so that she could listen to the talk more carefully for any possible clue? This was another idea Vasu had.

She could not find any bug in the room. She had quite relieved. Not that she had some secret meetings with her colleagues and what transpired among them would get transmitted. She felt happy because she had the practice of combing the whole area for any presence of a hidden microphone.

She was wondering what to report back to office if sahishNu does not turn up for the whole of three months. Her cover was that she was not well and the doctor had advised her to have some fresh air of the mountains so that she can recoup her health.

‘Oh, it is already 75 days!’ thought Vasu looking the calendar. Amruta had fixed a movie watch in the theater near the Mall Road.  Amruta did not turn up that day. Generally she would come at least half an hour earlier than she promised. 

"I spy you!" - 36

She did not get even one more word from him. This means, this case is more dangerous than the other ones till date.  I have to be extra careful, she thought.

She decided to go through all the corners of the house inch by inch to see whether any bug has been fixed. She wanted to remove and throw the bugs away if found.

But the next moment, she realized that, if she removes the bugs, whoever had placed the bugs would get a doubt. So, she had to leave them as they are and she should be careful about what she talks loudly and with whom. She had been walking for some distance while thinking. Then she found a restaurant.

She had a coffee sitting alone. Her thoughts wandered first about Durjaya, then the present case, Amruta and finally it got settled about Pushpahaasa.

She was attracted to many classmates during her college final year. She was attractive with a nice way of talking and behaving. When she compared in her mind the classmates with Pushpahaasa, the difference was striking. Her classmates were like young boys. Pushpahaasa was a man! Wow, what a man! His height, body, face, and walk – everything was attractive.

When she gave a serious thought she felt that he had never encouraged her in any fashion. But his touch on her arm when she tripped in the hotel was still burning on her arm. What should she call this fatal attraction? She thought.

She must have spent more than one hour there. She asked for one more coffee with sandwich when the waiter came again.

She munched her sandwich and washed it down with coffee. She waited for the bill so that she could pay the money and leave. The waiter who came with the bill put the bill in a small folder and suddenly signed her something. It took her 5 seconds to understand what he was trying to say.

When she realized his action, she thanked him and left the money on the folder. He took the money and left. She looked around very casually and opened the folder. There was a small slip of paper. She picked it up and kept it tightly in her palm and left from there. She did not feel anyone looked at her when she picked up the slip. 

She reached home, closed the door and opened the slip of paper.  There was a picture of a flower which was smiling. Flower – Pushpa, smiling – Haasa. Pushpahaasa! Her heart beat fast by seeing his name.

No other writing was there on the paper. Does it contain a secret message? Vasupradha’s sharp brain asked.  

"I spy you!" - 35

They came back after the breakfast. Vasu looked out for Pushpahaasa. She went on thinking about it on her way back home. Home! She should get used to the feeling of the new house being her home for the next few months!

The more she thought about the man she saw through the window, she was convinced that it was Pushpahaasa whom she had seen. If he was working on some other case, he could have said ‘hello’ to her. Why did he not do it? She had seen a sort of admiration and some other unfathomable feeling in his eyes during the short meeting they had on the day she had got made up as Charlie Chaplin.

So something else is cooking! Does that mean Pushpahaasa is following Amruta? If he is doing it, why pick on me? The best spy is there taking care of the case.

Her head started spinning. She reached her home and bade goodbye to Amruta.

“When are we meeting again?” asked Amruta.

“I will come myself” said Vasu and closed the door.

She went and slopped on the bed. She has been here just for a few hours and the case is already taken a curious turn.

She decided to call Durjaya. She found that he is the only one who could give her some direction.

She dialed his mobile number. He came on the line almost immediately. But his voice was cautious.

Why he is being so careful? She could not understand.

She said, “I have a problem. I came here and.....” her sentence was never completed.

He said, “Hold it! Cut the phone. Go to the nearest telephone booth and call me” and the line went dead. She shook her head and got up.

She went to the kitchen. Fridge was not required. The water in the jug was quite cool. She drank some water and took her bag and left the house after locking it behind her.

She came to the back of her house thinking about not being seen by Amruta. When she came there, she saw the difficulty in going to the marketplace that way. There was a small hillock behind her house! She was thankful that she was wearing Churidaar. She climbed the small hillock. She was gasping for air. She decided to start exercising again.

She found a booth and dialed Durjaya’s number. He came on line and asked “Hope no one followed you?”

“Hey, I just came and settled. How come you are asking such a question?” demanded Vasu.

“Elder Sister! Please listen to me carefully. When you go back take the bug detector from your bag and check for any bug. Second thing, don’t become friendly with anyone. Later you will face a problem if they have to be taken into custody. Thirdly, whenever you want to speak with me, please call from any booth ring twice and cut the call. I will call back” Durjaya was not wasting any words. 

"I spy you!" - 34

Amruta was talking nineteen to the dozen. It was evident that she missed people around. Especially as she mentioned, she had missed people of her age.

Vasu wondered whether it is a good sign to be friendly with Amruta when she has come to spy on her husband. She thought for a moment and decided that she will take it as an advantage to know the wife when tackling the husband.

How come she saw Pushpahaasa? Is he on a mission in the same city? Come to think of it! How many missions can happen in one city simultaneously? These questions bothered her. But she did not allow them to be distracted from her main job.

After listening to Amruta who was talking so much, she tried to budge in between. She did succeed after sometime!

“Where are you from Amruta?” asked Vasu in a very casual tone.

“Oh, did I not tell you? I am from here only. My parents migrated long ago. He was in a Bank here. He loved this place so much that he did not take any exams and he stayed here till he got retired” said Amruta with a dull tone.

“Why what happened?” asked Vasu with a concern in her voice.

“My parents died in a bus accident. The bus fell into a valley here” her voice got choked.

Vasu put her hand on the hand of Amruta which was resting on the table.

“Then, you found your husband here?” She probed.

“Oh, no! Ours was a love marriage. Before marriage full of love. Now even marriage is a farce. I don’t know what happened to him! He has changed completely” she had a sad look in her eyes.

“What change Amruta?”

“Ooh, I love the way you pronounce my name! I think I am going to fall in love with you....” Looking at the expression of Vasu, Amruta laughed and continued, “Don’t get me wrong. You are a good friend material, that’s all” she had a twinkle in her eyes.

What is real about this woman? She keeps changing her moods like the dresses of heroes and heroines in movies especially in a dream song!

“My husband is SahishNu. He does business. He keeps travelling a lot. I generally do not know when he comes back. I have a feeling that he spies on me. He is keen to know with whom I talk and with whom I move around. I have become recluse because of him. Fortunately you have come in such a time that he has not told where is going and when he is returning” said Amruta and lowered her voice and whispered “I have sent a message to the Intelligence Office and complained about him”

Vasu felt as if someone had hit her in her face. Is it right to spy on such a person?

This woman is blurting out everything! She looks so innocent. Either she is one or she is a very fine actor thought Vasu.

"I spy you!" - 33

She was wondering how to make the first move to get introduced to the woman, when there was a knock on the door. Vasu became alert. How anyone can know that she has arrived here?

She looked at the window. The woman, Amruta, was nowhere to be seen.

She now went to the door and opened a little.

To her surprise, it was Amruta who stood in front of the door.

She opened the door ajar and smiled at Amruta. She returned the smile and said, “Thank god! Finally someone of my age! I saw you coming in the morning. I was sure you would go to sleep. That’s why I took a chance now..”

Vasu let her inside and closed the front door. She motioned her to sit on a chair in the hall. She sat and said, “I hope I told you my name. My name is Amruta. Today I am free. That is why I came. Otherwise, my husband... ooh, I forgot my mobile! I will bring it. Otherwise, if he calls and I don’t pick up he goes wild” and made a face, got up, opened the door and rushed out.

Even when Vasu was contemplating what to do, Amruta was back in the house.

“If you have not prepared anything, better don’t. There is a Coffee House nearby. Let us go, come!” Amruta said and pulled Vasu’s hand.

Then Amruta left Vasu’s hand and slapped her forehead herself and said, “Oops, I am sorry! I was so overwhelmed by seeing you that I have not even asked your name!” and smiled sheepishly.

Vasu smiled brightly and said, “I am Vasu!”

“Vasu? Vasundharaa?” asked Amruta for which Vasu nodded her head half positively, half negatively.

Vasu got up and washed her face and came. She was feeling hungry. She did not have time to see whether some groceries are also stored in the cupboards in the kitchen. She decided to play along Amruta since her mission was to observe her husband.

The weather was good. It was a mixture of cool breeze and the sun which was trying touching the ground through the branches big Devdaar trees.

They reached the coffee house. It looked as if Amruta was a familiar figure there. They sat next to a window from which they had a nice view of some old buildings.

It was while eating a sandwich Vasu’s attention was caught by a small movement outside the window. She suddenly turned and color drained out of her face. She was not very sure, but her eagle like eyes were sure that she saw Pushpahaasa!