The Game Of Wits - PVV Satyanarayana (moboreader TXT) 📗
- Author: PVV Satyanarayana
Book online «The Game Of Wits - PVV Satyanarayana (moboreader TXT) 📗». Author PVV Satyanarayana
of us in this lane have arranged a person for fetching us drinking water from a nearby source”.
He was not sure if he should believe her. He bent over her and stared deep into her eyes. “Are you sure you aren’t befooling me?” He asked her pointedly.
She smiled again. “If you can’t believe me, why not you yourself open the door and see?” she had suggested mischievously.
He hesitated for a moment, as the pounding on the door had increased by now.
“You are a real timid fellow!” she teased him. “You seem to be scared of your own shadows”.
He glared at her, as he resented her unsavoury comments. He walked to the door in a huff and opened it.
Even as he unbolted, the doors had flung open with a force, driving him backwards.
Venkatesh was startled as if a bomb had exploded in his pocket, at the sight of the police.
“Drop the knife!” Yelled the Inspector, with the revolver in his hand. “Hands up!”
Venkatesh dropped the knife instantly on seeing the weapon that was staring at him. He raised his hands in surrender, with fear writ large on his face. He was a petty thief, after all.
The Inspector picked up the knife with a kerchief and pocketed it.
The stunned man had no words, nor did he resist as the police handcuffed him.
Jalaja greeted the Inspector. “Thank you, Inspector. You are just in time”.
“There was a little delay in locating your house, madam,” the Inspector was a little apologetic. “This fellow appears to be an old criminal”.
“Yes, sir. You have guessed it right. He is an old hand. A few months ago he was caught red-handed while snatching my gold chain at the Luz Corner and went to jail. He is released recently. He wanted to take revenge by killing me, he has said,” she told the Inspector.
Inspector glared at Venkatesh and slapped him hard.
Tears welled up in the man’s eyes even as his jaw was shaken at the impact.
“Inspector! I went to visit the Mahalakshmi temple at the Elliots beach this evening. I found this man shadowing me right from there. Afraid, I stopped en route and rang up the police control room…” continued Jalaja. “He has gate-crashed into my house as soon as I entered it…”
She stopped for a brief second, eyeing Venktesh with a concealed triumph. “…The first thing he did on sneaking into the house was to snatch away my gold necklace…”
“No…!” Shouted Venkatesh in panic. “She’s lying!”
“…He even tried to molest me, and threatened to rape me before killing,” said she, painting a thick coat of innocence on her face. “Had you been a bit late to arrive, you would have found me raped and murdered by this loony”.
Venkatesh was dumbfounded. He listened to her story with awe and gaping.
The police had carried out a body search of the man and fished out the necklace from his person. It was the one stolen by him from a devotee at the temple.
“That’s the one!” said Jalaja coolly.
Even as Venkatesh’s face paled, the Inspector gave him another resounding slap.
He had then handed over the necklace to Jalaja who had thanked him profusely and wore it on her neck.
Obfuscated, the poor Venkatesh looked at her in utter disbelief. ‘Apparently, the bitch saw me snatching the chain at the temple,’ he told himself, gritting his teeth.
She had outsmarted him again – a second time! With ease!!
Not only she could escape a certain death, but robbed him of his labour too – in style! … He could not help admiring her wits and guts.
He stared into her eyes. They seemed to be laughing at him tauntingly.
Even before the man could recover from the shock, the cops pushed him out roughly…towards the waiting police jeep.
“Come in the morning to the Saidapet police station to give a statement, madam,” the Inspector told Jalaja while leaving.
“Okay, Inspector. I don’t know how to thank you. Had you not come in time, my honour and life would have gone. I am really indebted to you”. She thanked him with folded hands.
“It’s all right,” the Inspector touched her hand gently, reassuringly.
His vengeance doubling now, Venkatesh stopped for a moment and looked back.
Jalaja squinted at him and let out a faint, mischievous smile, which seemed to convey many things.
He boiled up inside but was too helpless to do anything. Swearing bitterly under his breath, he got into the jeep – well aware of the fact that her taunting smile would be haunting him for the rest of his life.
Jalaja heaved a sigh as she watched the police jeep turn the corner of the lane… Her mother was presently on the mission to finalize a marriage alliance for her. With her marriage in the air, Jalaja had resolved to bid adieu to her ‘profession’.
‘It is for the last time now, that I have laid my hands on the stolen necklace, thanks to the man. Enough is enough, and no more’ – she told herself resolutely.
He was not sure if he should believe her. He bent over her and stared deep into her eyes. “Are you sure you aren’t befooling me?” He asked her pointedly.
She smiled again. “If you can’t believe me, why not you yourself open the door and see?” she had suggested mischievously.
He hesitated for a moment, as the pounding on the door had increased by now.
“You are a real timid fellow!” she teased him. “You seem to be scared of your own shadows”.
He glared at her, as he resented her unsavoury comments. He walked to the door in a huff and opened it.
Even as he unbolted, the doors had flung open with a force, driving him backwards.
Venkatesh was startled as if a bomb had exploded in his pocket, at the sight of the police.
“Drop the knife!” Yelled the Inspector, with the revolver in his hand. “Hands up!”
Venkatesh dropped the knife instantly on seeing the weapon that was staring at him. He raised his hands in surrender, with fear writ large on his face. He was a petty thief, after all.
The Inspector picked up the knife with a kerchief and pocketed it.
The stunned man had no words, nor did he resist as the police handcuffed him.
Jalaja greeted the Inspector. “Thank you, Inspector. You are just in time”.
“There was a little delay in locating your house, madam,” the Inspector was a little apologetic. “This fellow appears to be an old criminal”.
“Yes, sir. You have guessed it right. He is an old hand. A few months ago he was caught red-handed while snatching my gold chain at the Luz Corner and went to jail. He is released recently. He wanted to take revenge by killing me, he has said,” she told the Inspector.
Inspector glared at Venkatesh and slapped him hard.
Tears welled up in the man’s eyes even as his jaw was shaken at the impact.
“Inspector! I went to visit the Mahalakshmi temple at the Elliots beach this evening. I found this man shadowing me right from there. Afraid, I stopped en route and rang up the police control room…” continued Jalaja. “He has gate-crashed into my house as soon as I entered it…”
She stopped for a brief second, eyeing Venktesh with a concealed triumph. “…The first thing he did on sneaking into the house was to snatch away my gold necklace…”
“No…!” Shouted Venkatesh in panic. “She’s lying!”
“…He even tried to molest me, and threatened to rape me before killing,” said she, painting a thick coat of innocence on her face. “Had you been a bit late to arrive, you would have found me raped and murdered by this loony”.
Venkatesh was dumbfounded. He listened to her story with awe and gaping.
The police had carried out a body search of the man and fished out the necklace from his person. It was the one stolen by him from a devotee at the temple.
“That’s the one!” said Jalaja coolly.
Even as Venkatesh’s face paled, the Inspector gave him another resounding slap.
He had then handed over the necklace to Jalaja who had thanked him profusely and wore it on her neck.
Obfuscated, the poor Venkatesh looked at her in utter disbelief. ‘Apparently, the bitch saw me snatching the chain at the temple,’ he told himself, gritting his teeth.
She had outsmarted him again – a second time! With ease!!
Not only she could escape a certain death, but robbed him of his labour too – in style! … He could not help admiring her wits and guts.
He stared into her eyes. They seemed to be laughing at him tauntingly.
Even before the man could recover from the shock, the cops pushed him out roughly…towards the waiting police jeep.
“Come in the morning to the Saidapet police station to give a statement, madam,” the Inspector told Jalaja while leaving.
“Okay, Inspector. I don’t know how to thank you. Had you not come in time, my honour and life would have gone. I am really indebted to you”. She thanked him with folded hands.
“It’s all right,” the Inspector touched her hand gently, reassuringly.
His vengeance doubling now, Venkatesh stopped for a moment and looked back.
Jalaja squinted at him and let out a faint, mischievous smile, which seemed to convey many things.
He boiled up inside but was too helpless to do anything. Swearing bitterly under his breath, he got into the jeep – well aware of the fact that her taunting smile would be haunting him for the rest of his life.
Jalaja heaved a sigh as she watched the police jeep turn the corner of the lane… Her mother was presently on the mission to finalize a marriage alliance for her. With her marriage in the air, Jalaja had resolved to bid adieu to her ‘profession’.
‘It is for the last time now, that I have laid my hands on the stolen necklace, thanks to the man. Enough is enough, and no more’ – she told herself resolutely.
*****
Publication Date: 08-09-2010
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