Chapter 24
Once again Geet looked at the locket of Channi that she had found in Brij veerji's room. She remembered how she had seen Brij veerji with what looked like Channi's bag, and now how she had discovered this locket in his room. This was proof to her that her brother had been carrying Channi's things, but she didn't know just what that meant. The only way to find out what happened to her friend was to get a private detective, but that wasn't as easy as it sounded. She couldn't just phone up a place, because she didn't know who she could trust, as well as the difficulty of keeping it from her family. She had intended to tell Maan everything and ask his help, but that idea no longer seemed possible.
"Geet didi," came Rajji's voice from the door, pulling her away from her thoughts.
"What's wrong, Rajji? Why are you looking so upset?"
Rajji tried to tell her sister the problem, but couldn't get anything out. Instead, she took Geet's hand, leading her out of the room and down to the store room. Before anyone could come along, Rajji pulled Geet inside and closed the doors. Then she moved aside a screen to show the wounded form of Gurvinder, pale and bleeding from numerous cuts on his arms, neck and head.
"Di, I didn't know what to do, that's why I brought Gurvinderji here. There is so much blood coming out, I'm just so afraid."
"Rajji, don't worry. Just go get me something to clean the wounds," came her older sister's response.
Geet looked at the wound on Gurvinder's back, noticing that it looked particularly nasty. Soon Rajji was back with the medicine and disinfectant, allowing Geet to tend the injured man. He was in no condition to talk, already exhausted from fleeing Brij and the low fever that he had due to the wounds. Geet and Rajji talked quietly, deciding that they should keep him hidden in the store room while he was recovering. Rajji found him a pallet and blanket, then the two girls left to discuss the situation.
"Didi, I'm afraid," said Rajji quietly, as they sat together on Geet's bed.
"I know, Rajji, I am too. It's obvious that Gurvinder is too impatient to keep away from Brij veerji like he should. It's now urgent that I find a detective and have him search for Channi immediately. But how?"
"Geet didi, can't Jeejaji help us?"
"No, Rajji. There is no use asking him for help. All he knows how to do is assume."
Rajji frowned at her sister's answer, then continued, "We must think of something, Di. You always told me that if we trust ourselves, truly searching for a way, all difficulties can be solved."
Geet smiled briefly, confirming, "Yes, I did say that, didn't I. But this problem is not like the problems that I solved in the past. This time, I think only Babaji can help."
Rajji watched as Geet walked up to the picture hanging on her wall and folded her hands. She soon followed and did the same. Rajji prayed not only that her sister will find a way, but also that Gurvinderji would get well and stay safe. She felt really bad for the young man who had lost his wife and almost his own life. When her prayer was finished, Rajji again looked at the picture on the wall and suddenly had an idea.
"Geet didi, doesn't your Mamaji do something with detectives?"
"I don't think he actually does anything, but I think that he is friends with some detectives," answered Geet slowly, trying to remember.
"Di, why don't you call him and ask for help?"
Geet shook her head, saying, "That won't work, Rajji. If I were to be overheard, or if Daarji sees an unexpected call listed on the phone bill, that wouldn't be good. But, if I went to Amritsar, I could speak to Mamaji without anyone knowing."
"Go to Armitsar?" questioned a shocked Rajji. "But Di, how..."
"Rajji, you stay here and try to watch over Gurvinder. I need to go see Maan right now."
"Geet didi, not again. Isn't it dangerous for you to keep sneaking out to see Jeejaji like this? And anyway, I thought you said Jeejaji couldn't help us."
Geet raised her eyebrow at her younger sister, before saying, "It's no more dangerous than it was for you to sneak out to take food to Gurvinder who knows how many times. At least if I get caught going to see Maan I have a good excuse. But yes, I did say that he can't help, but he can take me to Amritsar."
Maan was busy trying to fix an oil leak on his jeep, something that he had done many times before. For some reason, the nuts and bolts on this particular jeep never seemed to want to stay tight like they were supposed to. That didn't bother Maan, though, for it was easy enough to tighten them back up, unlike people, who just tended to do whatever they wanted. Like that girl he had been fighting with the past few days.
Maan wished that he could just take a wrench and tighten the loose screws in her brain. Then maybe he could actually get things done the way he wanted. Telling himself that there was no point continuing to think about her crazy behavior, he continued his work. He was getting close to finishing when suddenly the jeep horn sounded, shocking him enough that he grazed himself against the jeep's bottom frame.
"Who's there?" he inquired grumpily, not at all happy about the way he was interrupted by this unknown person.
When he got up and saw who it was, his mind instantly confirmed that only Geet Handa could be so stupid as to blow a vehicle's horn while someone was working underneath it. She was standing there like a little, scared rabbit, looking at him like she didn't know what he would do to her. Somewhere his male ego took over and he began to advance towards her slowly, like a silent panther ready to pounce. At the last second, all he did was grab a towel to start cleaning himself off, unable to keep the smirk off of his face.
"This is going to be fun," Maan thought to himself.
It was fun taunting the girl, especially when she declared that she was ready to go to Amritsar with him. As if she had a choice! Maan clearly let her know what he thought of her actions, and how little they meant to him. He was in control of his life and things would happen the way he wanted them too. It was definite that no small town village girl like her was going to affect his plans.
Maan thought he had done a decent job of putting her in her place, but her parting shot was accurate enough that he actually felt a prick. To many times in his life had he felt alone, felt like destiny was forcing him to be alone, for him not to feel troubled by her declaration that his plans would see him alone in life. He assumed that she was hinting at his lack of a romantic relationship, in contrast to her, but that was something that he could not care less about. What really pained Maan Singh Khurana, was that it seemed his own family was going away from him, one at a time, and it was something that not even he could stop.
Precap
"Hello."
"I would like to speak Jugnu Singh."
"Who is calling, please?"
"His niece, Geet."
Edited by laxmi2010 - 12 years ago
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