Teri Lakeerein

11. She visits Her

"Maddam sir, lagbhag dhai mahine pehle Suresh ke paas ek call aaya tha, jiske baad vo Lallan thakur ke kisi aadmi se mila aur uske baad uske account main pese transfer huwe aur woh investigation ki saari jankari uss aadmi tak pahunchane lag gaya. Vo ek burner phone se contact maintain rakhte thhe aur isiliye humein call records se kuch suspicious nahi mila tha", Santosh stated to Haseena who nodded thoughtfully.

Cheetah and Pushpa ji, too were standing in her cabin, having returned after handing over SI suresh for departmental enquiry.

"Ji madam, aur Suresh apne bayaan main iss baat par atal hai ki uski aakhri mulaqat uss shaks se do mahina pehle tha, aur fir uska koi sampark nahi tha. Na hi usse jankari tha ki uski team ke sath aisa kuch ghatit hoga", Cheetah added.

Haseena slid back her chair and rose. "True, kafi buri tarah torture kiya usse. Lekin usse kuch pata nahi tha na?"

Cheetah shook his head, " Usne bas yahi kaha ki usse kisi hard drive ke baare main pooch rahe thhe jiske baare main usse koi khabar nahi thi".

"Hmm..." Haseena hummed and added, "teeno officers ke ghar ki checking se bhi aisa koi clue nahi mila hai. Toh ye hard drive kahan hai? Aur iske baare main agar Suresh ko bhi nahi pata toh fir ye baat bahar kese gayi?! Kahin ek aur mole toh nahi hai" Haseena rubbed her head stressed.

"Theek hai, aap log jaa sakte hain", The three nodded and turned to leave when Haseena stopped cheetah.

"Cheetah, are you sure that there was no dagger in that cabin at the factory?" She asked hopefully and he nodded, "Maddam sir, aapne uss din jese hi khanjar ka zikra kiya, hum uss hi raat wapis uski khoj karne gaye thhe par humein kuch nahi mila".

"Okay, thank you", and she turned away when something clicked with cheetah and he added, "Haan yaad aaya!"

Haseena turned to him, perplexed at the exclamation.

"Aapka jo madad kari thi, wo mahila..." he trailed, searching his memory for her name but was drawing a blank.

"Miss Singh?" Haseena suggested unsure and he immediately nodded, "Ji! Wahi! Unhe humne uss din kuch chaaku churi jesa istemaal karte dekha tha".

And as Cheetah exited the cabin, Haseena groaned. Chances of Ms. Singh having that dagger were not much and most importantly, she had no means of contacting that woman!

And it had been barely 3 days, since their last meeting. Had Ms. Singh happened upon something of substance relating to Thakur, she would have informed Haseena for sure, or she was occupied with other things.

Haseena clicked her tongue. "It's not like that dagger was mine! If it's gone than there is no need to look for it, is there?"

But-

Haseena sighed. That dagger had been her lifesaver that day. Had it not been there in her pocket, things could have been very different now.

"Ah, whatever!" Throwing her hands in frustration, she placed the cap on her head and picked up her baton.

"Sitapur can't be that big! Ms. Singh mil hi jaengi", And with that, she walked out of cabin, her eyes falling on the familiar ruffian lying crumpled in the cell's corner. Their gaze met and after a brief contact, Haseena looked away, a mysterious glint dawning in her eyes.

"Hum abhi nikal rahe hain, humein kuch personal kaam hai", Haseena informed Pushpa ji who nodded and wished her senior, who nodded in kind and soon disappeared from the thana.

*****************

Haseena drove through the streets of Sitapur and couldn't help but compare it with Bedelia. The stark contrast was astonishing. Well laid, cemented roads with perfectly functioning streetlights.