Part 53 Rescue

Arnav and Jeff reached Holligen within fifteen minutes but it took them extra fifteen minutes to find Charles's house. Holligen was not completely different from Bern but the area in which Charles resided was different. It was outer Holligen, looked calm and neat. Houses had enough gap between one another. So was Charles's house. As Jeff was with Arnav, they found his house without any fuss.

Jeff stopped the car in front of Charles's house. The house looked big from the outside and had a car shed attached to it. The car shed was not being closed. Jeff rang the calling bell. Arnav and Jeff waited for more than two minutes to get the door opened. It was Charles who opened the door. There was a shock on his face, seeing Arnav in front of him. it seems, he didn't expect Arnav in his place. He smiled at Arnav composing himself.

"Jeff, he is Charles. Khushi's friend" Arnav introduced him to Jeff.

"What can I do for you?" Charles asked them formally that wondered Arnav.

Being Khushi's friend, he didn't query him about Khushi. Arnav thought he will ask, "Where is Khushi?" But he didn't.

"Actually..." Jeff was about to say something,

"May we come in?" Arnav asked.

"Yeah... sure" Charles allowed them to enter, taking a step aside.

Arnav came inside.

"Please take your seats..." Charles asked them pointing at the couch.

"Thank you" Arnav sat with Jeff.

"Yeah, tell me..."

"We want to know about Khushi's friends," Arnav said.

"Khushi's friend? She doesn't have many friends... in fact, she talks less with our colleagues... she hardly interacts..."

"Then how did you become her friend?" Jeff asked.

"I too not a thick friend of her... we just talk... that's all"

"But Khushi said, you considered her as your friend... you helped her a lot..." Arnav said.

"Of course, I do... not only for Khushi but also for everyone. Khushi was from India. She had no one in Switcher land. So, I helped her whenever she was in need. That's all"

"You mean she didn't even have a single friend?" Jeff questioned.

"She talks with everyone formally but I never had seen her mingling with anyone so deeply," Charles said.

Arnav sighed. That's when something got his attention. He looked at Charles suspiciously but Charles didn't notice it as he got a call on his mobile. He refused to attend the call.

"By the way, why are you asking about Khushi's friend?" Charles asked them.

"She is missing..." Jeff said and Arnav was watching Charles's face keenly.

"Missing?" Charles asked shockingly.

Arnav nodded yes.

"From when? Didn't you guys go somewhere two days ago?" Charles asked.

"We just came back to Bern this morning. Khushi is missing from today morning"

"She must have been gone to meet someone..." Charles said.

"You said she has no friends... then whom she could have gone to meet?" this time, Jeff questioned.

"Who knows? She would have gotten friends in her neighbourhood..."

"No... she doesn't have..." Jeff said.

"By the way, who are you?" Charles asked.

"I'm Jeff. Her apartment secretary..." Jeff said.

"Oh, I see..."

"That's why we came here to know whether she had friends"

"Do you think she should have gone to meet her friends?"

Before Jeff said anything, Arnav pressed his shoulder.

"Yes, we think she must be with her friend," Arnav said and Jeff looked at him with confusion. Why didn't Arnav tell Charles what happened?

"But, how could she go without letting you know?" Charles asked.

"I don't know..." Arnav looked at Jeff who was frowning.

"Can I get some water, Charles?" Arnav asked.

"Oh, sure..." he went inside to bring water.

Jeff was about to ask him something, Arnav gestured to him, keeping his index finger on his lips. Jeff was taken back. Arnav rushed to the table and took a mobile phone that was being kept on it. He looked emotional because the phone looked like Khushi's. It was the same model phone and had the same cover. Arnav kept it in his pocket and came to Jeff.

"I suspect him, Jeff..."

"Is the phone Khushi's?"

"Looks like..."

"What are we going to do now?"

"Don't ask him anything about Khushi... we will discuss it after getting confirmed that this is Khushi's phone"

Jeff nodded yes. They kept silent, seeing Charles coming with a water jug. He passed water after filling it in a glass.

"Your house looked so nice..." Jeff said.

"Thank you" Charles smiled.

"Is it your own house?"

"Yes... I brought it five years ago"

"That's nice... I like this silent atmosphere... it looks better than Bern" Jeff said.

Charles nodded yes.

"Ok, Charles, we have to go..." Arnav said.

"Yeah..."

They came out of the house and Charles closed the door.

"Jeff, start the car and move a little. He may watch us. We should not let him know that we are suspecting him" Arnav said.

"Yeah... you are right..."

Jeff started the car and Arnav removed Khushi's phone. He turned it on. He gritted his teeth as the phone lightened with HIS pic.

"Jeff, stop the car..." Arnav said.

Jeff saw the pic.

"What does this mean, Arnav? Is that Charles who kidnapped Khushi?"

"Undoubtedly...That's why Khushi's phone is with him..."

Jeff stopped the car at the side of the road and they got down from the car. They came back to Charles's house on foot. They stopped, seeing the car shed. Arnav pointed at the car.

"Jeff... see there..."

"What?"

"The car..."

"it must be Charles's car..."

"It's Ferrari... didn't the girl tell us the car was Ferrari in which Khushi went?"

"oh, yeah... that means, he is the one who kidnapped Khushi"

Arnav nodded yes gritting his teeth.

"Just knock on the door... I will see the rest" Jeff said.

Arnav nodded yes. They knocked on the door... correction, they banged on the door. Charles opened the door. In no time, a strong punch fell on his nose. Before he composed himself, Arnav kicked him. Missing his balance, he fell to the floor.

Jeff clutched his hands from behind. Arnav gave a few more punches.

"Where is Khushi?" He yelled.

"I don't..." before he completed, Arnav raised his hand again.

"She is in the room" Charles shouted.

"Arnav, you go... I will take care of him" Jeff said.

"No, Jeff... Bring him with us..." Arnav made him stand and pulled him towards the room.

Arnav opened the room door and saw Khushi sitting on the chair with her head hung. She was unconscious. Her hands were tied up with the chair. Her mouth was also being tightened with clothes.

"Khushiiiiiii" Arnav rushed to her and removed the ropes from the chair.

"Pick her up, Arnav," Jeff said.

Arnav picked Khushi in his arms. Jeff pulled Charles to the chair and tied him up in the same way Khushi was tied up.

"We have to call the police..." Jeff said.

Arnav nodded yes. Jeff dialled the police and called them to Charles's house. Arnav brought Khushi to the living room and sprinkled water on her face. She opened her eyes with a horrified expression.

"Khushi... it's me Arnav..." Arnav said clutching her shoulders.

"Arnav...." Khushi hugged him fearfully.

"Khushi, you are safe... don't worry..." He caressed her back.

Khushi tightened the hug. Arnav felt her body trembling.

To be continued...