Chapter 20:

MP Bose's Banglow.

Rathod and Aisha were waiting for the urgent meeting of Mr. MP's end from last an hour. And finally, that assistant called them in.

After exchanges greetings, Rathod directly asked him the question.

Rathod : Sir, we're here to inquire about actor Yatin Mehra and his Mansion. We came to know you both were at good terms in your green days.

Bose : Yes, you heard it right. We did our Architecture degree form same college; he was my friend at that time. But why you are asking about him, he passed away about 23 years ago.

Aisha : Sir, recently 3 cropses as found in that mansion...

Bose : I know that, but it was an case of unnatural death, I suppose? Then why you are here?

Rathod : We found something there and it's quite serious. We doubt that Mehra mansion is used for smuggling and your frind Yatin Mehra & Maya is involved in this...

Bose : It's impossible, that man is dead, & Maya is someone else's wife now.

Aisha : She is authorized for remaining Mehra empire, may be she & her husband is involved in this.

Bose : But Maya is ... it's impossible !!

Rathod : Sir, would you mind share your days with Mehra. We know you were involved in his coven and...

Bose : Just a second ACP. (looking at his assistant) Privacy plz... You two, come upstairs.

Bose take them to his study, and show them an old photo album.

Bose : This is the green time of my life...I involved in political movements in my college times, so my dad tried to save his son from that so called filthy politics thing and send me US to study Architecture. There I first met him. He was my roommate and only Indian around; we found some similarities between us, so gradually we became friends. After we came back here, our friendship grew stronger. He loved to dream, so he lived his dream, & I found courage to live my one. You can say, today, I am here because of him.

Rathod : So, he inspired you to become a politician. But he was involved in some black magic thing & you also...

Bose : There was no black magic, ACP Rathod. It was mere fun. We all loved mysteries, thrill, fun, adventure. But real life is far different from fiction. There is no Santa Close or Jack Frost in real world, so we made a world of our own. Saturday nights were our fun time, we used to play treasure hunt, fortune telling, tarot card & palm line readings, planchet, perform voodoo arts, watch movies or stage our own play... It was like some kids having their time.

Rathod : But you were not kids...you performed some black magic & you had a coven...

Bose : Haan, I admit, (show them some pics), look these pics, we had a good time together.

Aisha : Then why you stopped it after Yatin's death?

Bose : There's no certain cause, just nobody interested to arrange one, besides, Maya was so scared & scattered, and nobody of us didn't want to make her more uncomfortable again.

Aisha : What made her uncomfortable? As far we know, she believed in all these.

Bose : That's the thing. She completely believed in those stuffs. In addition, she was a Libra, so she used to be our medium. However, those fortune telling & planchet sessions, when she was hypnotized, was quite tiring for her. And Yatin used to handle those after effects. You cannot push anyone to do such things against his/her will. Therefore, it was stopped.

Rathod : But if she believed in those things, why she denied continuing it, she had a full access to that Mansion.

Bose : The Mansion was took over by bank, Yatin was under a huge debt.

Aisha : She could arrange it some other place...

Bose : No way !!! Mansion was the perfect place for this party...it had quit impossible to find a similar place. She also had some personal issues & she had to shift to her mother's place, Benguluru. In short, after Yatin everything was finished.

Rathod : Hmm...how was your relationship with Maya?

Bose : She was amical to everyone, & she was a good girl, Yatin loved her. Then why should I have a problem with her?

Aisha : So you met her after she came back?

Bose : Haan, I met her after she came back in the city. Why?

Rathod : Then why I feel you are hiding something?  Look sir, you said you have no problem with her, now she is a suspect of murder and smuggling. Still you want to hide something.

Base : What exactly you want to know? I've told you everything.

Rathod : Sir, we have evidences that Yatin is alive, and we assume some of his close friend helped him hiding for these long years. Moreover, Maya and her husband involved in it.

Bose : Hmm...

Rathod : Sir, did you helped him, or trying to save him?

Bose : You think I've helped Yatin to hide? Look ACP, Yatin was my best friend & he is dead. Maya was an actor but I don't think she is that clever to do all these. Another thing, if Yatin is alive, he never tolerated Maya with anyone else. He was very possessive about her.

Aisha : Then why Maya married NC so hurriedly? Didn't she love Yatin?

Bose : I don't know, I never met that NC guy. May be Maya's mom made this decision for her...

Rathod : Yatin & NC knew each other... He even came to some of his party...

Bose : May be, but not in our Saturday nights. If he came, he would be at last one of these photographs. You can have a look. (He pointed to the album)

Aisha: Who is this man in black robe? His face is hidden.

Bose ; It's kaali, Yatin's biggest surprise.

Aisha : Would you like to tell us about him?

Bose : Nop, he's a big mystery, Yatin & Cornworth brought him. He always came like this, hiding his face in black robe, he never ate, drank or talked to anybody. He only chants those mantras when we start praying, hypnotized maya and any other for planchets & fortune telling acts, that's it.

Rathod : Your best friend didn't tell you anything about him?

Bose : I asked, but the problem is, if he didn't want to tell something, nobody could make him speak. He was a hard nut.

Aisha : So he didn't tell you about those secret passages?

Bose : I know those passages; in fact, Yatin gave me a blue print of the mansion when we planned to renovate it. I entered there for many times with him.

Aisha : so Maya also knew those passages?

Bose : I don't know, if Yatin showed her or not.

Rathod : Can we see that blue print?

Bose : Right now, it's little difficult to find it...You know, it's about 23 years I haven't seen it. I'll send you once I found it.OK?

Rathod : Ok sir. Thanks for your time.

Aisha: Sir, you didn't answer, what made Maya scared about that mansion?

Bose  : Maya wasn't scared of the Mansion, she was (he stopped abruptly). I ...I don't know.

Rathod : Sir, you cooperated  with us. But when we ask this question, any of you involved in that coven; You all stop answering. Why?

Bose: (sighed) Sorry ACP, We promised something to our friend, and we cannot break it.

Rathod: But sir...

Bose: Look ACP , although it as fun, but there happened something which should be hidden there. It is good for all of us, for both our personal and professional life.If you give me a solid reason to break a blood vow, I'll definitely answer this question. Now excuse me, I've an important meeting in the ministry.

Rathod : so ,sir. You want to say something illegal was running there?

Bose : What?

Rathod : Haan, from this statement of yours, we can easily conclude that your secret coven was a smuggling den or a place for some illegal works and you all are involved in those. Or you all involved in that so called suicide of Yatin and still involved in this illegal thing...so I can easily arrest you for that, Right?

Bose : (jumped from his chair) Are you nuts, ACP? You can't arrest me without any  solid proof.

Rathod : For further investigation, I can do that sir, I have that power.

Bose settled again in his chair.

Bose : Kaali used to hypnotize Maya for planchet and fortune telling sessions. When she was fully hypnotized. We asked hr questions. Some silly ones like how many notes  have in our pocket, what is our sleeping gown's color etc; and about our futures, She used to forecast and we made it true...

Rathod : Like help someone & hurt someone to prove her right, so that she & other people believe on that superstitions things...

Bose : (shrugged) you can say that, but it is sillier. If she said someone having a good time, we used to put some chocolates or flowers into his/her pocket or purse. If she pointed someone and said something terrible would happen to him, then pour some cold water on him or put a cockroach in to his shirt...but...

Rathod : But??

Bose : you know aandhre main 100 teer chalaoge toh ek ya do nishane pe lag hi jaata hain.. Aise cases main vi do-char sahi prediction nikal jaata hain. Yahan vi aisa kuch hua...& Maya frightened.

Rathod : As in?

Bose : Nitu's blood cancer. ... Yatin's death... Mohan and my bright future etc.., She blamed herself for Nitu's illness. W all tried to convince her but she was not ready to listen. Then Yatin & we all took a blood vow to keep these prediction things secret.

Aisha : Say it elaborately,plz.

Bose :Nitu was little unwell in those days, & Maya predicted her illness ould prove lethal to her, she'll die of it. After Nitu's medical reports came, she became scared & blamed Maya responsible for her illness. That time Yatin managed her, and settled things between her & Nitu. Then some more incidents happen, Mohan was cotracted to a famous film magazine, I got a promotion in my party, some of Yatin's projects were successful, Yatin's lawyer met an accident and broke his leg, Shetty ko uska patient doggy ne kaat lia, dino ki mom ka death ho gayee, it frightened her most.And finally...

Rathod : Finally what?

Bose : A little argument took place between Yatin & Maya. Maya cursed him on the spur of her rage...After two days of that, Yatin... It completely broke her & her mom took her home.We tried to talk her after she came back, but she simply refused to start it again. & we respected her decision. Till then we all were busy in our lives & didn't had much time to met each other, so we all split away.

Rathod : Thank you for this information, sir. But if we need..

Bose : You can ask anything , ACP. As I broke a vow, I have nothing to hide now.

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Another boring part...just came out of my frustration. Read at your own risk...& then...you know what to do.