Chapter9
Shanta presented herself again in front of Dr Praful reddy.He was shocked to see her in a pitiful state. Her normally nicely groomed hair was hanging loose. Her eyes were swollen and cheeks red as though somebody had slapped her repeatedly. HE WAS ALSO ANGRY. He felt as though things were closing in on him and this lady was adding to his troubles. He also had a sneaking feeling that shanta was exploiting a situation. It could be true that the bloody Gurkha was working her over demanding compensation and threatening exposure. Police were going about their work,seemingly making little progress. . He could understand police drawing a blank, but this lady was capable of spilling all the beans .She had to be handled delicately.
Shanta was screaming away. ’ you are day dreaming while I am suffering. That wretched man is not leaving the house. He wants more money. If you don’t pay he will go to police. It was nice for some time engaging him but to have him around your neck all the time is terrible. You have to save me. When he gets angry , he is very nasty.
Praful was thinking. He said; ’shanta I can not keep paying just because some body is threatening. I will give you packet of notes. It is not real money but it will fool him.
Shanta laughed in between sobs. ”are you joking, man. That man is smart .If I try to deceive him he will surely kill me. He is strong and can slap you silly. You pay , he is more likely to go away. But if you act funny, god help you.
I am not going back with any dummy money. He has already told me how he dealt with SRI LANKAN GIRLS WHOM HE HAD CAUGHT SPYING. It seems he was in the army and fought in the Sri Lankan war.
He is more likely to cooperate when you pay. So settle with him for 10 lacs or so.
The Doctor was very upset. He said, ” No chance. I paid you once. That is all. Now handle your problems on your own . Don’t bother me. Get out of my sight.”
Shanta felt very insulted. She came close to him and wagged her finger, and screamed at his face, ”you prick. You have not done a single thing to save my husband who is still rotting behind bars in some stupid police station. Because of your stupid couriers, this horrible man has got me by hair . and you say you wont pay. Ok I will go straight to the police and tell them exactly how you used my man. Then I will watch you squirm like a worm.’ Hot angry words from a woman exploited to the core.
Dr praful hissed like a snake , ’you won’t dare.’
Don’t challenge me , idiot. You are in no position to challenge, you worm.
Doctor was hot with anger. Nobody spoke like that to him. He was a big man, A Dora as his friends called him. He was used to ladies deal with him with fear and courtesy. He wanted to kill her and there were men at his command who would do it gratefully. But he knew that would be a mistake. with great control of mind, he calmed himself and spoke, “Hold on . Forget whatever I said. here take this money and keep away for some time. Let this matter settle down and I will compensate you and your husband properly. “
Shanta looked at the wad of notes that he was pressing in her hand.
How much is it?
I don’t know. There must be more than six , seven lacs.
She pushed the wad in her purse and moved towards the door. At the door she turned and said, “get my husband out. He can think and find a way out of this mess. He is smarter than all you doctors.”
The doctor said in a low tone, ‘ok, will do.’ He waited for her to leave and called up his security chief and informed him, ’shanta reddy is leaving my office just now. Put two men to follow her to her house. It seems there is a Gurkha, an ex army man who is bothering her in her house. Throw him out of the house in whatever way you can. Then deal with the woman. She is carrying my money in her purse. Get hold of that money and deposit back in the accounts department.”
The chief assured him that he will do as instructed.
Dr Praful reddy wiped the sweat on his face and put the phone down
Dickey who had followed Shanta to the hospital, had parked his car at a discrete distance from the hospital. He waited till he saw her emerge from the hospital. He watched her get into an auto riksha. He toyed for a moment with an idea of visiting the hospital to confront the doctor but gave up the idea when he saw two tough looking security guards of the hospital come out in a hurry. They took a motorcycle from the parking lot and raced away trying to catch up with the auto carrying his Shanta. He came to the conclusion that the good doctor had decided to teach his shanta lesson of her life. He was tempted to follow the goons but better senses prevailed. He rang up Mouli and requested him to send Inspector Kamath with a couple of tough policemen with arms to proceed immediately to shanta’s house to deal with two ruffians who were all set to thrash Shanta. He also suggested that they should take photo of the ruffians.
Mouli listened carefully. This was the escalation he was looking for. Some action at last, even if it meant he had to beat up some honest security men who were simply following instruction of their big boss. He hoped that through this incident, they can reach DrPraful Reddy. He called Kamath and advised him to proceed to shanta’s house. Dickey followed the men in the motor cycle.
The men reached Shanta’s house two minutes after Shanta entered the house. They gave her five minutes to settle .Shanta was disappointed not to see Dickey in the house. She kept her hand bag on the table and went to the wash room to have a wash and make herself a little more presentable. When the bell rang she thought it would be Dickey. She put the purse away in her cupboard and then proceeded toward the door.. She pulled the bolt down and was thrown back when the door was violently kicked open by two men. Down on the floor, she looked up at two men in hospital uniform and realised that the doctor had double crossed her. One man bent down to pick her up and slapped her face asking , ’where is your boy friend?’ The other man ran inside the house to search for the person to beat up and saw no one. He told his friend that the woman was alone. While one kept beating up the poor woman, the other began to search for the purse. He saw the hurriedly closed cup board which had not shut down properly. He found the purse and the wad of notes inside. He came to the front room and joined his friend to belabour the helpless woman. They kept saying this is what happens when you play the fool with good Doctor. Kamath and his men entered the room un noticed and rained blows on the un protected heads of security guards from hospital. Soon they were bundled up and hand cuffed .Dickey entered the room casually and complimented kamath on fast work. He helped Shanta to her feet and pressed her bulging purse with money in her still shaking hands. She put her head on his shoulders and cried silently. He carried her to her bed and put her down softly. He came to the front room and helped Kamath to take photos of the men from hospital and marched them toward the waiting police van. Kamath asked one police man to stay back at the house to keep watch on shanta.