Murder at Crescent Point by G. S. Dutt Read Free Book Online Page B

forcing me into the car?’
    Mohan Lal was now imploring, ‘Please, don’t be so harsh. This is a humanitarian cause. Ma has already suffered a lot. We told her that we will bring her granddaughter to meet her. You would never have come if three strange men approached you just like that!’
    ‘You have no right to tell your mother lies. I cannot do this.’
    ‘Please see her condition yourself and then decide.’
    ‘Where are you taking me?’
    ‘We are going to Shyamabad where Ma lives. We will reach there by the evening.’
    Nikki couldn’t believe this weird turn of events.
    They reached the outskirts of a town at sunset. Instead of going into the town the car turned into a small lonely road. After driving for some time, the car entered a gate. Nikki saw an old and dilapidated house. They all got out of the car. A somewhat elderly man came out of the house and greeted them. Mohan Lal said to Nikki, ‘He is the attendant here. Please go upstairs with him to your room. After you freshen up, come down and see the old lady.’
    The attendant said politely, ‘This way, Miss,’ and escorted her to the first floor through rickety wooden stairs. Nikki saw a door at the other end of the landing. The attendant opened the door and said, ‘You must be tired. I will bring you a cup of tea.’
    He went out closing the door from outside. Nikki looked around. There was nothing in the room except a bed and a small stool on which a glass of water had been kept. The ceiling of the room was very high. There were no windows but only two ventilators. Another door opened into the room. Nikki went in. It was a bathroom with a dilapidated bathtub and a wash basin with rusted taps. Apparently this place had not been inhabited for quite some time. The attendant soon returned with a cup of tea.
    After half an hour, Mohan Lal came to Nikki’s room. He said, ‘Please come down with me, Ma is anxious to see you.’
    Nikki said, ‘I will come but I am not going to tell her that I am her granddaughter.’

    Mohan Lal begged, ‘Please come in just for five minutes.’
    Nikki went with him. Mohan Lal took her to a corner room on the ground floor. The room was poorly lit. An old lady with dishevelled grey hair was lying on a bed. A chair was placed near the bed. Mohan Lal gestured towards the chair and said, ‘Please sit.’ He himself remained standing nearby. Nikki looked at the woman. Her face was haggard and sickly. She appeared to be in great agony. The woman turned towards Nikki. Her eyes were full of tears. She extended her arms towards Nikki. There was a strange pathos in her eyes. Nikki involuntarily extended her own arms towards her. The woman grabbed her and hugged her. She did not release her for a long time. Nikki’s face was getting drenched with her tears. After sometime Nikki released herself from the arms of the old lady and sat back on the chair. She was strangely moved by the affection of the woman who was now intently gazing at Nikki. After a while, the woman looked towards Mohan Lal and made a gesture asking who this girl was. Mohan Lal took out the letter of Asha Sayal which she had written to Jyoti asking her to meet her at Crescent Point and held it in front of the woman so that she could read it. She read it and again made a questioning gesture towards Nikki.
    Mohan Lal said, ‘She wants to know whether you are Asha’s daughter.’
    Nikki looked at the woman. Her eyes were watching her with great expectation. She was now making repeated gestures and looking more and more miserable. Mohan Lal gave a piece of paper and a pen to Nikki and said, ‘Please just write on it that you are Asha’s daughter.’
    Nikki hesitated. Mohan Lal implored, ‘Please do this. It is a matter of life and death for her.’ Nikki looked at the woman then picked up the pen and wrote, ‘I am the daughter of Asha Sayal.’ The woman looked very happy. She again looked questioningly at Nikki. Mohan Lal said, ‘She wants to know your name.