Read Online The Astral Alibi by Manjiri Prabhu - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Manjiri Prabhu
Ads: Link
tolerance, her horoscope revealed a strong-willed person. Parmeet’s, on the other hand, showed definite signs of submissiveness. Perhaps it was this submissiveness that was responsible for Vidya’s harassment. The young husband’s lethargy had allowed his parents to cruelly dominate his wife. But where did he fit in the murder?
Sonia studied the four horoscopes again, trying out various permutations and combinations in her mind. Was she being biased? Was she being influenced, subconsciously, by Parmeet’s passionate declaration of his love for his wife? Jatin had said she was naïve. She wasn’t, of course. She knew exactly what Parmeet meant. More so, now that she had read all their horoscopes. But if her suspicions were right, she was going to have a tough time proving them. Inspector Shinde had been right. This case was really quite simple. Too simple to be proved! She couldn’t shrug off the strange feeling that she was walking on a road scattered with banana peels. And the danger of skidding off, every time she put a step forward, in whichever direction she chose!
Sonia swept a last thoughtful gaze over the horoscopes and then shut them. She had seen enough.
She buzzed the intercom and Jatin instantly popped his head in. In a glance, he read
breakthrough
written all over his Boss’s flushed face.
“What is it, Boss?” he asked in anticipation.
“Two things. Call up Renuka and tell her I need to have a look at the apartment again. Especially Vidya’s room. And then call Kartik. I wish to talk to him.”
“Right, Boss!”
Sonia closed her eyes. Be calm, she admonished herself. There was yet a lot to be done. A lot to be proved. But if she was right, she knew exactly which path to tread on!
She rose and headed towards the computer in the outer office. Jatin was making the calls. He observed her as she connected to the Internet and surfed for a while. Finally she stopped and turned to her assistant.
“What do you know about dowry deaths?” she asked him.
Jatin shrugged. “Nothing.”
“There were amendments made to the Dowry Prohibitions Act of 1961. Under a new section 304-B in the Indian Penal Code, dowry death is an IPC offence, punishable with not less than seven years, which may extend to imprisonment for life.”
“Boss, what are you getting at?”
“Jatin, could you please call up Inspector Shinde? I need to talk to him.”
“Right, Boss,” her assistant responded promptly. Sometimes it was better to do these menial tasks than follow his Boss’s thought process.
Sonia stood outside the Sahay house for a moment, then walked across the street, to the building opposite. Jatin followed her silently. She hadn’t uttered a word for the last half hour. At the foot of the building, she paused and stood gazing up at the window of the first-floor apartment. It was exactly opposite the Sahay bedroom window. So this was the place from which he had spied on her. She moved to the list of apartment owners printed on a black board. Her eyes travelled along the embossed names. Then she turned and Jatin saw her triumphant look.
“What is it, Boss?”
“Come and take a look.”
Jatin frowned. “I…don’t understand….”
“You will, soon.” Sonia smiled. “Come on. We promised to meet Kartik at five. Let’s go!”
Bewildered, her assistant fell in step with her firm and determined stride.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Sonia asked, gazing up at the building.
Kartik nodded. Sonia, Jatin, and Kartik stood outside a gate in the Deccan area. The traffic crowded around the signal, honking impatiently at the two-wheelers, and the crisscrossing pedestrians. Gift and greeting-card shops stood at each corner of the wide intersection.
“I would park my bike on the opposite side and she would stop her auto right by the gate. Every alternate day,” Kartik explained.
“And you have no idea whom she went inside to meet? Or what she did?” Sonia reconfirmed.
“No. I assumed
Sonia studied the four horoscopes again, trying out various permutations and combinations in her mind. Was she being biased? Was she being influenced, subconsciously, by Parmeet’s passionate declaration of his love for his wife? Jatin had said she was naïve. She wasn’t, of course. She knew exactly what Parmeet meant. More so, now that she had read all their horoscopes. But if her suspicions were right, she was going to have a tough time proving them. Inspector Shinde had been right. This case was really quite simple. Too simple to be proved! She couldn’t shrug off the strange feeling that she was walking on a road scattered with banana peels. And the danger of skidding off, every time she put a step forward, in whichever direction she chose!
Sonia swept a last thoughtful gaze over the horoscopes and then shut them. She had seen enough.
She buzzed the intercom and Jatin instantly popped his head in. In a glance, he read
breakthrough
written all over his Boss’s flushed face.
“What is it, Boss?” he asked in anticipation.
“Two things. Call up Renuka and tell her I need to have a look at the apartment again. Especially Vidya’s room. And then call Kartik. I wish to talk to him.”
“Right, Boss!”
Sonia closed her eyes. Be calm, she admonished herself. There was yet a lot to be done. A lot to be proved. But if she was right, she knew exactly which path to tread on!
She rose and headed towards the computer in the outer office. Jatin was making the calls. He observed her as she connected to the Internet and surfed for a while. Finally she stopped and turned to her assistant.
“What do you know about dowry deaths?” she asked him.
Jatin shrugged. “Nothing.”
“There were amendments made to the Dowry Prohibitions Act of 1961. Under a new section 304-B in the Indian Penal Code, dowry death is an IPC offence, punishable with not less than seven years, which may extend to imprisonment for life.”
“Boss, what are you getting at?”
“Jatin, could you please call up Inspector Shinde? I need to talk to him.”
“Right, Boss,” her assistant responded promptly. Sometimes it was better to do these menial tasks than follow his Boss’s thought process.
Sonia stood outside the Sahay house for a moment, then walked across the street, to the building opposite. Jatin followed her silently. She hadn’t uttered a word for the last half hour. At the foot of the building, she paused and stood gazing up at the window of the first-floor apartment. It was exactly opposite the Sahay bedroom window. So this was the place from which he had spied on her. She moved to the list of apartment owners printed on a black board. Her eyes travelled along the embossed names. Then she turned and Jatin saw her triumphant look.
“What is it, Boss?”
“Come and take a look.”
Jatin frowned. “I…don’t understand….”
“You will, soon.” Sonia smiled. “Come on. We promised to meet Kartik at five. Let’s go!”
Bewildered, her assistant fell in step with her firm and determined stride.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Sonia asked, gazing up at the building.
Kartik nodded. Sonia, Jatin, and Kartik stood outside a gate in the Deccan area. The traffic crowded around the signal, honking impatiently at the two-wheelers, and the crisscrossing pedestrians. Gift and greeting-card shops stood at each corner of the wide intersection.
“I would park my bike on the opposite side and she would stop her auto right by the gate. Every alternate day,” Kartik explained.
“And you have no idea whom she went inside to meet? Or what she did?” Sonia reconfirmed.
“No. I assumed
Similar Books
