MaNan: Breaking Free

24|Jigsaw

1 month later.....

Manik's POV

Its 3.10 am. The house is plunged in darkness. Everybody is sleeping in their rooms. Perfect time for me. The first time I snooped over Singhania, Nandini almost caught me. You just have to be more careful this time!

I tiptoe into the house getting past the security system, which I have become well acquainted with in the last month and a half. As silently as I can, I make my way to Singhania's study. The living room and corridors of the mansion are under CCTV survilenc 24*7, but I am sure I was able to dodge all the cameras. I enter the large study and bolt the door from inside. Taking my phone out, I switch on the torch and start looking around frantically for anything that might help me.

After about fifteen minutes of going through files after files, I haven't found anything. Well I wasn't expecting to stumble upon anything big, Singhania wouldn't be that careless. But, I was definitely hoping to get some small clue, anything to get me started. I am now at a point where I know absolutely nothing. I have no idea what to do or even what to look for. The last month has been futile, leaving me with nothing.

Groaning in frustration, I kick the leather couch in the corner. It shifts slightly and what I see instantly excites me. There is a small cabinet at the bottom of the wall. The couch was hiding it completely. Crouching down, I slide it open. All my excitement fades away when I see what's inside.

The cabinet seems to be full of rubbish. Heaps of crumpled papers, broken pens and phones, duct tape and old newspaper articles on Singhania are all I see. Just great!

Stuffing everything back inside, I almost close the cabinet when an old piece of paper catches my eye. I pull it out and as I see the picture on it, my mouth goes dry.

It is a picture of dad with an article.

24 July 2004, Mumbai. The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Vikram Malhotra was finally solved last night. The honest and long standing employ of Singhania Enterprises was found dead in the Chembur factory of the company. A press statement was released earlier this morning by Mr. Praveen Singhania's official spokesperson, stating that Mr. Vikram Malhotra accidently slipped from the 9th level of the East wing of the factory, which was under construction. He died on the spot duty to an internal head injury. We are deeply saddened by this grave news and our condolences are with the family of the deceased in this hour of grief.

Tears start rolling down my face as I finish reading. Wiping them off fiercely, I shove out all the crumpled pieces of paper. Looking through them, I realise it's all rubbish. I look into the cabinet again and pull out a couple of old, tattered files. Most of it is useless junk. But, there is an old channel file here with 2004 printed on it. That's the year dad died. It contains several pictures of a building I do not recognise.

Putting everything back inside, except the article on dad and the pictures, I leave the study and come out of the mansion. Walking across the garden as quietly as I can, I slip through the main gates and cross the road. Looking around one last time, I get into the sleek black car parked at the turning.

"Let's go." I mutter absently. Without a word, Abhi starts driving.

"Found anything?" He asks after a minute.

"Yeah. It's not much, though."

"What is it?"

"Ghar chal, batata hoon."

After fifteen minutes, we reach a high profile building where Abhi is temporarily living. His stereo apartment is on the 19th floor.

"Chal bata, kya mila?" He asks once we have settled down on his dining table. I take out the article and the pictures and lay them on the table. Abhi looks at them for about 10 minutes in silence.