by UD Yasha
‘I’m sure it also has a bunch of hitmen that he has hired over all these years,’ Rathod said.
‘How should we go about exposing the bastard?’ Radha said.
‘I know a Supreme Court Judge,’ I said. ‘He has heard high-profile cases before and is a man of great honour. My mentor, Santosh Hegde, was a close friend of his. We can share everything we have found with him. We can rest assured that the matter will be taken seriously. Action will be taken against Motilal. It’ll take a while to build the case but he will be taken into custody right away. The video evidence is enough to put him away pending procedure.’
‘Sounds like a plan. We’ll send what we have to the office of the Chief Justice of India as well,’ Rathod said. ‘Jay can help us get it delivered securely.’
‘We’ll do it right away as the risk to our lives will reduce only after Motilal is arrested,’ I said. ‘We’ll stay here till then.’
‘I just don’t understand why Kabir Ahuja was killed. Did Motilal order a hit on his own son and daughter-in-law?’ Rathod said.
‘I think only Roark Coutinho can tell us that. But I went through Kabir’s work and I’m guessing he was a man of honour. Even back then, taking on someone of the stature of Motilal was going to be difficult. That’s why Kabir would have thought that if he broke the story, then it would be taken even more seriously. Motilal would have probably got to know about it or Kabir might have confronted him. Either way, Motilal is a heartless cold man. He killed innocent people, labelling them as terrorists to further his career and then murdered his own family to preserve that.’
‘And all along, he was trying to act innocent so as to not attract suspicion. He started his own investigation into the murders of his family members to make it look like he was helping the police,’ Rathod said.
‘We’ve got him,’ I said, smiling.
There was a knock on the door. Rahul opened it.
It was Dr. Rastogi’s assistant. He said, ‘We just finished the operation. Roark Coutinho is still serious but out of danger.’
I turned to Radha and said, ‘We did dad proud and now Coutinho will tell us what happened to him as well.’ A tear trickled down my cheek when I saw Radha’s eyes water. ‘We should always remember dad for who he was. A loving father and husband and a brave friend.’
Chapter Forty-Nine
Four days later
Roark Coutinho’s road to his recovery was going to be a long one, but he was going to live.
Rathod and I went to see him when Dr. Rastogi told us that he was stable. Coutinho looked at least five years younger when we saw him even though he was on a hospital bed.
‘We brought some apples and oranges for you,’ I said, placing them on the side table.
‘Thank you, both of you. Not just for the fruits but also for everything else’ he said. ‘I was told that Motilal Ahuja has been arrested.’
‘Thank you too. It wouldn’t have been possible without you,’ I said. ‘The Chief Justice of India is personally looking into the matter.’
‘You know, Siya, your father would be extremely proud of you,’ Coutinho said. ‘He had a big role to play in this.’
I felt my body stiffen. ‘I wanted to ask you about him.’
‘I’m sure you would have many questions.’
‘What happened to him?’ I said.
‘I’ll have to tell you everything from the start,’ Coutinho said.
He raised himself to sit up on the bed. He said, ‘Your dad had come across a group of corrupt cops seventeen years back. He had to be a part of their group to make sure they shared information with him. So, he took a bribe to prove his allegiance.’
‘That’s why we saw his name in Mule’s register,’ I said to Rathod.
‘Who’s Mule?’ Coutinho said.
‘Another brave man,’ Rathod said and told him about the register.
‘We thought that triggered everything that was happening,’ Radha said.
Coutinho shook his head. ‘That’s not the case, although I understand why you felt that. Let me tell you what happened and then everything will be clear.’
‘Yes, please,’ I said, curious.
‘Once the corrupt cops trusted your dad, they told him that they had stolen evidence from Kabir Ahuja’s murder. One of the items was a floppy disk. It had the video that exposed Motilal Ahuja. They saw it and started blackmailing Motilal.’
‘I’m guessing that didn’t go down well,’ Rathod said.
‘They didn’t know how powerful and fierce Motilal was. I got to know of it because Shikhar Kunte, who recorded that video, hired me to build a case against Motilal. Along the way, I realized how dangerous Motilal was. I looked him up and suspected that he had conducted at least ten fake encounters and even killed his own family members. He was ruthless and power hungry. When Kunte, Kabir and Sheena were killed, I believed that the best way to save lives was by anonymously blackmailing Motilal to not hurt anyone more in exchange for silence by all the people involved—which included the corrupt cops and your dad. I told them what was at stake and how the Viper could go to any length to protect himself.’
‘How did dad come to know about the tape?’ I said.
‘He didn’t know who the Viper was but the rest of the cops in the gang told him about the presence of a video that implicated someone big. I told everyone to stay away, once again anonymously. Without revealing my identity, I told your dad about what the Viper was capable of. It included his known targets and threats made to your dad himself, as the Viper believed he was a part of a group of corrupt cops who had stolen the floppy disk and then blackmailed him. Motilal had sent your father a picture of a hitman next to his kids. Your dad went into hiding to keep all of you safe.’
Coutinho drank some water. ‘I also anonymously helped Motilal’s secretary, Namita Dhingre, to fake her death and get away. Her family, which included her parents, her husband and their small baby, was also being threatened by Motilal. Being his secretary, Namita was too close to Motilal and knew a lot. She had played a role in convincing Kabir to run a story on his father.’
‘And Kabir had agreed to expose his father?’ Rathod asked.
‘He had seen the video and he was convinced. I wasn’t but I didn’t mind sharing a copy with him. But Motilal got a whiff of what was happening and ordered a hit on his son, daughter-in-law and Kunte,’ Coutinho said and paused. ‘Then everything changed a year back. Your dad got to know that your mother was still alive. He wanted to get back with his family. He reached out to Namita Dhingre and convinced her to testify against Motilal Ahuja. Through her, he got to know me. Dad had wondered why I had hidden the evidence, and had thought that I was a part of the Viper’s team. When he broke into the safe, he realized that I was the person responsible for keeping his family safe when he saw the affidavit I had sent to the Viper. He reached out to me and started building a case against Motilal Ahuja. He had Namita Dhingre on his side. He had also got Niyati and Malhar Jathar on board to make the case airtight. They were going to testify that Jane Doe was Namita Dhingre. Varun Saxena was also a part of the group of people your dad had gathered, given his role in breaking into my safe.’
‘Why did he have grease on his body?’ I asked.
‘The Viper somehow got to know about him. We had to protect him and changed the way he dressed and looked. The grease and shabby clothes were a part of his disguise. He was with the Jathars that day.’
‘If Namita was on your side, why did she kill the three of them?’ Rathod said.
Coutinho shook his head. ‘Just days before we were going to present the evidence, Namita switched sides for the fear that Motilal would kill her family if he got to know that she was alive. She gave away your father’s location, which resulted in him being caught. I broke him out of there eventually. That’s how you found the layout at my house.’
Coutinho went silent. I knew what was about to come.
‘But your dad got badly injured in the process. He passed away soon.
He had asked me to keep you away from the investigation. But on his deathbed, he insisted that a copy of the evidence be buried along with him in case all other plans went south.’ Coutinho looked me straight in the eye. ‘Your father thought that you would figure it out. He believed in you.’
I was trying hard to hold back the tears.
‘Namita also killed the Jathars and Varun Saxena to keep the evidence against Motilal hidden. She then asked you to come to Stan Mills, thinking your father had shared what he was up to with you. I got to know of what she had done to Varun and the Jathars, so I went to Stan Mills to save you. But a hitman was also present to kill Namita and me. Eventually, I killed Namita before she could hurt you, but I was caught by the hitman in the process. I have been in the Motilal’s custody since then. I was only kept alive to give them as much information as possible.’
‘Why were we not attacked before today?’ I wondered out loud.
‘I told them that someone else had the video and that they would release it if you or your family were hurt,’ Coutinho said.
‘I have one last question,’ I said.
Coutinho beckoned me to go on.
‘Who called me six months back and claimed to have information on dad?’
‘It was your father,’ Coutinho said. ‘He called to tell you everything but then stopped on hearing your voice, thinking it was too dangerous. His initial plan was to investigate the Viper with you.’
‘He could’ve just told me,’ I said as the tears flowed down my cheeks.
‘Siya, he stayed away from all of you for almost seventeen long years. He told me how hard it was, but that he would do it all over again if it meant keeping all of you safe. Above all, he didn’t come to you because he told me he knew how good you were. He was afraid that what you found would rattle Motilal and he would become aggressive. All he cared about was his family.’
I buried my face in my hands. I couldn’t believe I had spoken to dad and that we were so close to being with him.
We thanked Coutinho once again and stepped out, as Rathod offered to drop me home.
‘How’s Dr. Sonia doing?’ I asked Rathod once we were in his car.
‘I just saw her yesterday. She’s out of danger and stable. I’m glad.’
‘What are your plans while serving out the suspension?’ I said, stepping out of the car.
‘I’m looking forward to spending some time with my parents. It’s probably a blessing in disguise. I’m going with them to Tirupati to visit the Balaji temple over there.’
I hugged him and said, ‘‘It will be great if you can come for dad’s memorial.’
‘Yeah, I’ll see you around for it,’ he said, pulling out of the hug.
Shadow came out barking as I opened the door. I found it odd because he was usually a quiet dog. I stroked his head but he still did not stop. He ran out into the garden. I followed him as he took me to the small backyard. He went to the corner. I thought he wanted to defecate but then he came running back to me.
I got even more confused when he ran back to the corner. What was he doing?
I walked up to the spot from which he was returning. Even though it was past noon, I broke into a cold sweat when I saw an envelope on the ground.
I picked it up. I realized it wasn’t an envelope but a paper that had been folded twice. It felt heavy so I opened it.
It was addressed to me.
Dear Siya! Here’s a small gift for your upcoming birthday.
There was a small plastic bag under it. I could see its contents.
I froze when I realized what it had and who had sent it. There was only one person.
Kishore Zakkal.
The plastic bag had a pair of earrings that I had given to Zakkal a year ago to get a clue from him about maa. I had snuck them into the jail in my underwear to turn him on. And now he had sent them back to me.
Goosebumps crept up all over my body as I turned around, sensing that Zakkal was watching me.
SIYA RAJPUT WILL RETURN.
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Author’s Note
First of all, thank you for picking up this book and reading it. I’m still amazed that readers, who I don’t know personally, show this much faith in me. I hope I have repaid it by writing a story that you enjoyed. I will continue to write many more books for all of you.
The Bones Are Calling was especially hard to write for two reasons. Firstly, a lot of things were going haywire in my personal life. Everything is good now. There’s no need to worry. I have already learnt a lot about myself through difficult times and I am so grateful to have my loved ones in my life. None of this would have been possible without them. The second reason this book was challenging was because of the story itself. Being the third book in the series, I wanted to stay fresh and dazzle my readers in a way they didn’t expect. I am happy with the way it has panned out. I hope you loved reading it as much as I loved writing it.
As is the case with all the books in the Siya Rajput series, all science, technology and places mentioned in the book are real. I can’t wait to bring you the next book in the series. Before that, I will be releasing two new books in a different series altogether. The first of the two is a book I am deeply excited about. I’ll tell you all more about it closer to its launch date.
Please take care. I will see you next time. I’m sending lots of positive energy towards you. Have a great day and happy reading!
Acknowledgments
Writing this book would not have been possible without the support of my family. My parents, ajji and sister. A big thank you. I am always amazed by their positive energy. It keeps me going and means the world to me.
I will always be grateful for all the help that Charulatha Dasappa, Neeharika Shembekar and Priti mami. They are my team of superwomen whose edits made this book possible, just like the ones before this. It’s very comforting to know that my well-wishers do their best in making this book the best version of itself.
About the Author
Born in Pune, UD Yasha graduated from Symbiosis International University with an undergraduate degree in Economics and a minor in International Relations. He lives with his family in Pune, India.
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References (Where Are They Now)
I am no expert in criminal psychology. I got my knowledge from the places listed below and random spurts of reading.
1. www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3169359/How-spot-serial-killer-Criminologists-reveal-five-key-traits-common-notorious-murderers.html
2.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201804/serial-homicide-power-and-control
3. Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker
Acknowledgements (Where Are They Now)
Writing is a solitary activity but it’s never possible to do it by yourself for it takes a full family to write a book. My family has several members, all of whom play an irreplaceable role. I’m thanking those who were directly involved in the making of this story, for if I thank them all for everything they have done, I would have to write a full-length book.
I thank my parents. All the good I am is because of you. Thanks to you two and ajji for bearing with my constant requests to keep the volume of conversations low in the house while I write.
This book would not have been possible without Priti Deshpande. She suggested the title, gave feedback, proofread the book on a very tight schedule and provided me with the confidence to write this story. Not to forget, she also cancelled her dentist's appointment (ouch!) to help me meet my publishing deadline. Thank
you for everything, mami.
Thank you to Neeharika Shembekar Gawande for going through each and every word in this novel and making sure it is error free. Not only did she clean up the manuscript, but also pointed out inconsistencies in the plot. This book would not have been possible without Neha maushi as well. I’ll always be extremely grateful for all your assistance.
References (Finding Her)
I am no expert in dark web or criminal proceedings and psychology. I got my knowledge from the places listed below and random spurts of reading:
1) Most Deadly Poisons: https://www.forbes.com/sites/samlemonick/2017/03/16/the-queen-of-poisons-strikes-in-san-francisco/#751614012de1
2) More on Most Deadly Poisons: https://www.wired.com/2006/08/the-best-deadly-poisons-ingested-or-inhaled/
3) What Happens on the Dark Web: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/09/02/in-search-of-the-darkest-most-disturbing-content-on-the-internet/?utm_term=.f6084a9dda37
4) Dark Web Interesting Stuff: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3249765/what-is-the-dark-web-how-to-access-it-and-what-youll-find.html
5) WiFi used as GPS: https://www.lifewire.com/wifi-positioning-system-1683343
Acknowledgements (Finding Her)
Writing is anything but a solitary activity. I have so many people to thank for making this book happen.
Firstly, a huge thanks to my mother. She is my absolute rock. No matter how much I praise her, it will never be enough. She is a gem and I owe everything good I do to her. I am glad that a part of her name is on this book’s cover. I could not have chosen a better pen name. Thanks for everything, maa.
