The Cosmic Clues by Manjiri Prabhu Read Free Book Online

doubt! I have this suspicion that the police have missed a signboard along the way, Jatin, and I have every intention to find it. Something is not right here. Something I ought to see, but cannot. Will you please leave me alone for a while? You can switch on the music while you go out and order some lunch for us in the meanwhile.”
    Jatin nodded as Sonia settled in her chair. He switched on the music system, and loud drumbeats rocked the room. Jatin grinned. His boss never failed to surprise him. She insisted on blaring music to motivate her thought processes. She'd once told him about her “I formula” and when he'd looked bewildered she had added, “Nothing like music and dance to
inspire insight
into
intuition,
and
instigate investigation
!” Her source of inspiration was anything from soul-searching and philosophical non-filmy Urdu
ghazals,
romantic Hindi film songs, to hard rock and jazz. The priority, in each case, went to the volume, which had to be almost ear-splitting. Only then did the music flow meditatively deep through the body. Jatin closed the door, which mercifully dulled the sound. He had no relish for his boss's preference of volume.
    Sonia stared into space, her mind working in unison with the quickening rhythm of the drumbeats. A finger absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair. The other hand distractedly fondled Nidhi's silky head. Voices of the people she had met that day repeated their dialogues in her mind, like characters in a film.
    She stood up abruptly and began swaying to the drumbeats, then began dancing. Her eyes were closed meditatively, as the music took hold of her body. Then all of a sudden, she stopped. With renewed resolve, she took the bunch of horoscopes Ajay Patkar had given her, and spread them out before her. Each horoscope was subjected to the minutest observation. One by one, she set each booklet aside, until she stared at the last one in her hand. For a moment, her expression was that of bewilderment and then, impulsively, she exclaimed aloud. She took one of the almanacs from the shelf, referring to it with a great deal of interest. Then once again, she immersed herself in the horoscopes, particularly the last one, simultaneously scribbling furiously on a pad.
    The serviced fan worked noiselessly overhead, efficient in its muteness. Just an occasional squeak betrayed its age.
    Half an hour later, to Jatin's surprise, the musical jing-bang was abruptly turned off.
    He peeped into the room. “Lunch's arrived!” he announced.
    Nidhi immediately meowed her approval. But Sonia stood up, slinging her handbag onto her shoulder. “You go ahead and eat it. I'm going out!”
    Jatin and Nidhi watched, amazed, as she zipped past them and was gone. What had happened? He ought to be kept abreast of the latest, Jatin felt. Grumbling silently to himself, he poured some milk into Nidhi's bowl. Then, together, they set down to accomplish the important business of polishing off their respective lunches. Nidhi finished off the milk in seconds. Jatin, however, took his time enjoying the delicious fried bread and mixed vegetables, the famous
Paav Bhaaji
of Pune. Fortunately, his boss's high-handed manner did nothing to interfere with the justice he usually did to his meal!
    After lunch, Nidhi returned to her new bed and Jatin settled down to wait. Instinctively, he sensed that the music had worked. Something was on.
     
    An hour elapsed before Sonia returned, a pleased, triumphant smile radiating on her face.
    “Come in, Jatin, let's talk!” she said, and waved him into her office.
    “Have some good news?” he asked cautiously, following her inside.
    “Yes, I do. But the first thing you do, after we finish our talk, is to stock the fridge with fresh coconuts!” Sonia declared.
    Jatin groaned. “But, Boss, the details, please!”
    “You know, Jatin, we've been such naïve fools. Trying to eat the raw dish before us without making any changes to it—either additions or subtractions! The