Part 9 Xerox?

Khushi was shocked to see Arnav going somewhere with a girl. Who was she? Where was he taking her? How did he know the girl? He should have gotten her friendship through Facebook or Instagram. Or she may have gone to Scotland for some purpose. There were many possibilities to get girlfriends these days. Didn't Aman say, Arnav had been out of India for more than seven years and he could even have a family there?

She could not tolerate it. Was this why she waited for him for seven years? Why did she have a crush on him leaving thousands of students in her college? Damn... it was because no one was like him, from in and out. She had a crush on him not just because he was handsome. It was because he was the only one who helped her when she needed it. Still, she could not believe Arnav would be wrong.

Khushi was restless. She looked at the car that was fading from her sight. The signal was still RED. She could not follow the car, no matter if she rode the bike fast. Still, she was not ready to leave this issue. She wanted to catch Arnav RED-HANDED if he was wrong. Taking a U-turn, she again headed Aman's residency.

"Let me see, now what will he say" She murmured.

Though she wanted to catch him, she didn't want him to be wrong. Her hands shivered and her heart rushed. She prayed to god that Arnav should be at home, taking a rest.

Khushi came to Aman's residency and stopped the bike. She wondered seeing the door open. She pushed the door wide and entered.

Aman peeped from the kitchen and saw Khushi standing. He widened his eyes and smiled. He pointed at a room. Khushi walked into it and sighed, seeing Arnav lying on the bed. He looked weak. She sat on a chair with a thud.

Arnav smiled at her. They heard,

"Didn't I say?"

Khushi turned behind and saw Aman smiling.

"I told him, Khushi. you would not stay back after knowing he was not well. See, she is here"

Arnav nodded yes. Aman handed him a glass.

"Thanks, Aman" Taking it Arnav sipped it.

"I'm sorry, Khushi. I can't give it to you because this is ORS" Arnav smiled weakly.

"But, I can... wait" Aman went out.

Khushi came to the bed and sat next to him. Arnav stopped drinking and looked at her.

"Arnav, I saw the man who looked like you"

"It seems you are seeing me in everyone who crosses you" Arnav smiled mildly.

"No, I saw him clearly. He was wearing a cap and coolers. I just can't believe there is someone who resembles you to this extent. It's unbelievable."

Arnav shrank his eyes.

"Anyone will believe he is your TWIN. He is resembling you to that extent. He looked like your XEROX copy."

Arnav gulped down hard. There was an unknown restlessness on his face.

"Are you... are you sure?"

"Damn, sure... I'm sorry to say this. I felt dejected, seeing him because I thought it was you. That's why I came here to check whether you are really ill"

Arnav looked at her jerking.

"So what if he resembled me? What's there to feel dejected?"

"It's because he was with a girl. She was sleeping, leaning on the seat, wearing a mask"

"A girl?" Arnav was horrified.

"Yes, I'm not sure if she was the same girl..."

"Did you see her face?"

"I saw the bike girl but the car girl was wearing a mask and was sleeping"

"Car..." Arnav was thoughtful.

Taking a pen and paper, Khushi wrote something it and passed it to Arnav.

"This is the car number"

Arnav took it but he didn't seem interest to even look at it.

That was when Aman came there with a teacup and handed it to Khushi.

"I'm glad to see you being caring for Arnav," Aman said.

Arnav looked at Khushi meaningfully.

"I'm sorry Aman, I came here to confirm if he is really ill"

Aman looked at Arnav who nodded yes.

"But why should he lie? Why did you think so?"

"Because of you, I thought so"

"Because of me?"

"Yeah... didn't you say, he can have a family in Scotland? I thought he canceled the program for his family"

Aman stared at her for a whole minute and burst out laughing. He didn't take it seriously.

"You are so funny" he continued laughing.

Arnav was in deep thought. He didn't get into their conversation.

"Actually I was worried about how to leave him alone in this state..." Aman said.

"Don't worry, I will be with him"

"Really?"

Khushi nodded yes. Aman sighed in relief.

"So, will you be with ASR?"

"I said yes"

"I'm sorry Khushi. I got to go..."

Arnav looked at Aman frowning, as he didn't tell him anything about it. Aman answered, understanding his look.

"Another missing case filed in Sulthanpur, ASR"

"When?" Arnav sat straight.

"Yesterday night. The girl named Swasti has been missing since yesterday early in the morning"

Arnav stood up.

"What happened, ASR?"

"We have to do an investigation about the girl"

"But, you are not well..."

"Let's go to the hospital. I will be alright if I'm injected"

"But, what's so urgent, ASR? We have a long list to investigate. We can't do it right away"

"We have to... especially the one... Swasti"

It was not hard for Aman to understand why Arnav wanted to hurry up. On the second day after each girl went missing, there was a murder happened in Delhi. If it was so, Swasti went missing yesterday and the murder might have happened today. Aman also became nervous.

"You are right, ASR. We should hurry up. I will go and collect the details of the case. You join me after getting injected"

"Is it necessary?" Khushi asked.

"Yes, Khushi... it's indeed necessary. If my guess is right, a murder will happen in Delhi today" Arnav said.

"He is right..."

"Aman, before collecting the case details, made sure that the security of all the tollbooths and check posts of Delhi tightened"

Aman nodded ok.

"Ask them to track this car number" Arnav handed the car number given by Khushi which horrified her.

Aman looked at him with confusion.

"Whose car number is this, ASR?"

"Khushi gave it to me. She saw someone taking a girl in the car. The girl was unconscious it seems"

"So what if she is unconscious? She might be taken to the hospital too"

"Why should we give the chance to the killer?" Arnav said.

Aman looked at the car number.

"Do you think the killer would daringly roam in this car?"

"No, this car can't be the killer's car. He would have looted it from someone"

Aman and Khushi looked at each other.

"Then, why do you want me to track this car?"

"He is presently in this car. He would use it until he finished the girl. So, we should hurry"

Aman nodded ok and grabbed his phone from his pocket. He called the control room and asked them to track the car. Khushi was gazing at Arnav. Why did he connect the dots hurriedly?

"And find the owner of the car," Arnav said,

Aman dialed the RTO officer and asked for the address of the real owner of the car.

"Give me five minutes, Sir. I will send the address"

"Yeah," Aman disconnected the call.

"Go to the hospital, ASR"

"Mmm"

"I will take him" Khushi said.

Aman nodded ok.

Arnav and Khushi went to the hospital. Arnav was looking at his watch again and again. He was nervous like hell. Khushi's words were echoing in his head.

*Anyone will believe he is your TWIN. He is resembling you to that extent. He looked like your XEROX copy*

Arnav was injected. He was asked to be in a rest for a while.

"Let's go, Khushi" he stood up from the bed.

"No way... the doctor wants you to rest"

"It's not necessary, Khushi"

"It is... sit..." she sat on the bed.

Arnav rolled his eyes and sat next to her.

"Take a rest for a while, like a good boy"

Arnav smiled.

"Why do you think the man who resembles you would be the serial killer?"

"Just a guess" Arnav checked the prescription.

"Guess? You have not seen him... you don't know who he is... but, you guess he would be the killer?"

Arnav was about to say something, but, he stopped as his phone rang. he removed his phone and attended to it.

"How are you Chotte?"

"I'm fine Nani. How are you?"

Khushi sat straight.

"I'm fine... when will I get a chance to meet you?"

"Will come to meet you soon with your Bahu"

"Really?"

"Yeah... I spoke to her parents. They want to meet you"

"If you want me to come to meet them, I will..."

"That's ok, Nani. They are ready to come to the Ashram"

"I will be waiting for you"

"OK, Nani, see you"

"Bye," She disconnected the call.

Arnav smiled at Khushi and closed his eyes, leaning on the bed.

Khushi let him sleep for a while. Though Arnav didn't sleep, he was closing his eyes to avoid Khushi's questions.

They left the hospital only after the doctor permitted them. That was when Arnav received the call from Aman.

"ASR, your guess is right. The next murder happened in her outskirt Delhi" Aman said.

Arnav fisted his fingers, closing his eyes.

To be continued...