A Single Breath – Part 16

Geet couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. She was standing there like a statue. Maan a police officer? It was the last thing Geet could imagine. Maan was ignoring her. He was busy talking with Pratap pretending he was not aware of her. 

“What are you standing for? Keep the tea here and go” Pratap said Geet. She looked at Maan all surprised and defeated. 

“Who is this girl?” Maan asked. 

“Servent, she is new here.” 

” Who else lives here with you?” Although Maan was not looking at Geet, he knew two eyes were watching him from some far And he also knew that thousands of questions would be making noise in her mind. 

“By the way Maan, what is the purpose of coming here? Is everything alright?” Pratap asked eagerly. 

“Didn’t commissioner Sir tell you?” He asked while taking a sip of tea. 

“Yes, but this much only you wanted to meet me. But what the purpose he didn’t tell” 

“Geet murder case investigation is my purpose,” he said little loud so that Geet can also hear. And the same happened. Geet got alarmed.

“Investigation?” Pratap repeated with wonder. “What investigation, I didn’t get?” 

Maan stood up and started roaming around in the house while talking. “If I am not wrong Mr Pratap Singh, Geet was your alone niece or I would say, alone relative?” 

“Yes” 

“Can you tell Who could have benefited from her death?” Maan looked at him, ” I mean she had nothing which could be the reason for her murder?”

Pratap got alarmed “You may be right, but money can’t be the only reason to kill anyone. Rich people have more enemies than friends.”

“But when I said money was the reason for her kill?” Maan smirked, finding a sweat drop on his forehead. “Anyways, Did you get a phone call for ransom after her kidnapping?” 

“No, nothing. I was waiting. I was ready to give as much money as they wanted. But why did they snatched my Geet from me?” Pratap wipes his fake tears with a handkerchief. 

Maan found Geet, hiding at the corner of the room. She was trying to hear their convo and that is what Maan wanted. 

“Ranjit Singh, was this the name of your elder brother, I mean Geet’s father?” Maan asked boldly. Pratap was stunned hearing this name after decades. No one knew much about him. 

“Yes” 

“There is not a single picture of him in the house. Why? ” 

Geet heard this. She too had not noticed that there was not a single picture of her parents in house” 

“That’s because Geet should not remember them so I removed all their photos” Pratap wanted not to take this topic further, so he called Geet, “It’s lunch time Maan, shall we go?” he gestured to Geeta to put food on the table. But Maan denied to have lunch. 

“”Your house is very beautiful. Can I see what is up there?” Maan asked. 

“Upstairs? Nothing. There is a Geet’s room which is now locked. It has been too long for me to go there.” Pratap tried to avoid him going there but he couldn’t refuse a CID officer demand. They took the key and went up. Geet also followed them hiding. She was eager to see her lovely room. 

It was the prettiest area of the house. Geet used to spend most time in her room and attached terrace only. She did not have many friends. Even the guests did not come. Only people who knew Pratap and related to the business people used to come. 

The room was quite big. There was a bed in one corner and a small library and study in the other corner. Adjacent to the room there was another small room where a grand piano was kept. There also guitar and other music accessories were neatly arranged. There was a beautiful terrace across the sheen curtains. She had made a beautiful terrace garden which was decorated with lots of flowers. The entire room was filled with teddy bears and soft toys. The room was no less than a fairy world. But now this fairyland was in a state of dust and darkness. All the flowers wither away.

Maan walked and opened the terrace door so that fresh air could enter. Now the room started breathing. Geet’s heart was crying to see her room. She wanted to run and snuggle into her cozy bed. 

“Seems, Geet loved music?” Maan asked. 

“Love? You should say that she used to live in music. When she was alive, the piano sound used to echo in this house all the time. I can’t bear it anymore. I miss Geet a lot. I am not feeling well Maan, I am going to my room to take some rest. When you get satisfied to see the house, I will tell Geeta that she will take the key from you.” Saying this, Pratap left quickly with a fake sob. Actually, he wanted to avoid Maan’s questions further.