The Passing of a Legend (Part VI)

Here’s the story, The Passing of a Legend (Part VI). I penned this story a few years back after a famous actor was found dead in a Middle Eastern resort.

The Passing of a Legend (Part VI)

Right then, the door-knob turned and Manav Singh Rajput came in with the manager and some room boys. The room lights were also switched on. He uttered, “Welcome, Friends. When the manager told me that we had some interesting guests, I realized that someone had come trying to look for Prakriti.”

“And you had that room boy watching the way to this floor,” Keshav spoke up.

“Yes,” he replied, sneering. “Senior Inspector Keshav, you are smart. But you will not be able to leave here.”

“Whose dead body’s photograph did you show to the press?” Katherine wanted to know.

“That was just a photoshopped image. We wanted to take Prakriti’s photograph like a dead body. Prakriti did not cooperate with us. Enough talk. Boys, tie them up!”

But, before the room boys could do anything, the room was flooded with army commandoes. The leader ordered, “This resort has been surrounded. You have no other alternative than to surrender.”

Realizing that their game was up, all the criminals surrendered and were herded out, together. In the commotion, the girls helped Prakriti up from her chair. She got up weakly. The fivesome triumphantly walked out of the room with the celebrity, they loved.

Radha called the editor, happily, the moment they reached the girl’s room, “Sir, we found Prakriti Ma’am.”

Mr. Iyer replied, “I knew you would. I had a suspicion about the local police. That is why I requested the police commissioner to send Keshav and Kartik with you.”

“Sir, did you ask the army to intervene as well?”

“No, I did not,” he replied, surprised.

When the call was over, Radha asked, “But, I have still not understood, how the army commandoes arrived at the nick of time.”

Keshav spoke up, “It was an arrangement we had with the army. The police commissioner of Mumbai had contacted the high command of the army and it was decided that we would have a joint operation.”

Kartik added, “Manav is not only involved in Prakriti Ma’am’s kidnapping. He has an illegal drugs and arms business going on from here. He also has a strong connection with the underworld.”

“I still wonder how he had fooled the entire world about Prakriti Ma’am’s death with that photoshopped image!” Radha said thoughtfully.

“The fact remains that he could not fool Katherine,” Asha told her, smiling.

Prakriti had by then freshened up and was wearing Radha’s clothes. She thanked the fivesome for rescuing her.