A Single Breath – Part 27

 The lawyer on the phone told Jagan that there was very bad news, Jagan rushed to his house.

 “What happened, why did you call me?  What was the problem you’re talking about? “

 “The problem is unbearable my friend.   If you listen your senses will fly away too” 

 “Do not extinguish the puzzles, say straightforward what is the matter. Anyway, there is a flood of disaster in my life nowadays.” Jagan was really frustrated. 

 “I have to say with great sadness that even after so much hard work, your hand will remain empty my friend ” There was pity in the lawyer’s voice. 

 “What do you mean?  Say clearly” Jagan heartbeat  got faster, 

 “This means that even after the death of Geet, nothing came of your part”

 “What! Why, so”

 “This is so, because in the will that his father had written, it was clearly written that you will be the only caretaker of Geet.  If she gets married then you will be given 5000 months of  work.  If Geet wants, she can increase your expenses of the month on her own wish.  And if something happens to her or if, she dies, all the property will go to the trust”

 “What are you talking about, have you become mad?  You had never said such a thing before” He was in big shock. 

 “That is what I found on this paper. I am sorry but Ranjit Singh had kept this paper to the court. Which was given to me today.”  (Lawyer was lying.  He was acting as told by the police.) “ Look at this friend, He prepared the false paper and showed it to Jagan. 

“Don’t give me a heart attack”. Jagan said in anger. “You all together you will ruin me”.

  “Now you have only 10 days left, Jagan. If Geet is not found within 10 days, then all her property will be in the name of the trust. And your share will be the same 5000 months that the trust will give you every month”.

  “What? Now where should I get Geet? And only 5000 months. What happens in 5000”.

  “Friend, when Geet’s father was alive, this 5000 used to be very much”.

“I took care of her for a lifetime, and got only 5000 months?  You had to tell me this thing earlier. I would have married her to any lame- lump. What do I do now “.

In this state of anger, he came back home. Seeing his car coming back, the guard called Maan inside. Maan and Savitri could not find any evidence yet.

When Jagan came back home, Maan understood the whole thing when he saw Jagan furious. He was smiling in his mind. He knew what the lawyer would have said to him. Both left Jagan alone for the day. 

It was midnight, when Savitri came out of her room making noise.

“So  many mosquitoes are there in your house. I just can’t sleep. I’m going to the upper room”.

  “What’s the noise?” Jagan came out angrily. “Nobody even lets sleep peacefully”

  “I’m going to sleep in the upstairs room. Give me the key there” Hearing the noise, Maan also came out of its room.

  “Take it yourself in the study room,” Jagan said, not pulling the matter further.

Jagan was going back to the room when suddenly, the sound of piano started coming from Geet’s room. Savitri stopped on the stairs. “Where is this voice coming from?”. Jagan understood that this voice of Piano was coming from Geet’s room.

 “The voice is coming from that closed room,” Savitri said screaming.

 Suddenly, the lights of the whole house started to turn off and on automatically. (This was guard job, turning the main switch of the house on and off)

 “Yes there is definitely a ghost,” Savitri said fearfully and went and hid behind Jagan.

 Even Jagan was feeling scared but still, “what are you talking about, there is no ghost here.” he said.

The sound of the piano was getting louder. Now the guard came running from outside. “Sir, I saw Geet Madam on the balcony above. Like the same day as she was standing on her balcony”.

 “You guys have gone mad”. On saying this, Jagan agreed to go up. That’s when Maan pointed to the guard. 

Guard rushed  “Sir, you don’t go, I’ll go and see”. Having said this, he  started going up. He reached the front of the room. Suddenly he started shouting. 

“Aaaa…. sir, save me” 

He came running and pretended to fall down the stairs. He was pretending as if someone was jerking his hand vigorously. “My hand, my hand, Geet Madam, leave my hand”. Saying he was crying

“Everyone run away from here, otherwise I will kill everyone.”

Suddenly everyone heard a female voice. Now Jagan was also scared. 

“This man murdered me? He has betrayed my parents. I will kill all his family.” (Actually, Geet was speaking with a loudspeaker hiding in her room)

“Mom what’s up with all this, I’m so scared” Maan said.

  “Why don’t you people run away. Go from here”, Geet shouted so loudly that everyone ran to their rooms and closed the door behind.