Another news flash, blood red, no letter left in lowercase, all bold and white, they were the most the most unavoidable piece of writing that may have flashed in front a human eye, it was the biggest of breaking news, and everyone knew it. 

"yeh ek 16 saal ki ladki thi! 16 saal ki ladki! humari aur aapki betiyon ki tarah bas coaching se waapas aa rahi thi, aur bas, haava ki tarah udh gayi! yeh koi mazak nahi hai, delhi police ko ek tamacha hai! hamare paas hai, uss hi coaching ke kuch bache, reporter aaryan, kya aap humein sun sakte hain?" an anchor, who with the larynx breaking pitch of every word, had probably people left deaf with unforgettable nightmares. 

"ji, ji, avinab ji, toh hamare paas do coaching class ki ladkiyan hain, joh jasmine ke saath padhte the...toh kya kehna aapka, aapki classmate gayab ho gayi hain?" he questioned, as one of the girls was about to respond, when the screen turned black, the tv was switched off. 

Dushyant, who you could see the disgust in the eyes off, was passed an even worse glare off, from the commissioner. 

"jasmine toh kabhi coaching gayi hi nahi!" exclaimed ishita, sitting right next to dushyant, as the commissioner sighed. 

"mrs. khanna, uss baat se koi farak nahi padta hai...baat yeh hai, ki iss tarah ki news criminal ko alert kar sakti hai hamare har move ke baarein mein...it can make the investigation worse....isse zyaada aur der hui, we could loose her..." he stated, as dushyant glared at him. 

"toh aap usse dhoondiye na! aapne kabhi aisa case handle nahi kiya?" questioned dushyant. 

"actually, we have brought in our best, yeh hain ACP Abhijeet Mathur, aage ka case yahi handle karenge..." he stated, as abhijeet gave him a nod, and sat down as well. 

"sir, woh, mujhe aapse kuch sawaal karne the, taaki humein kuch madad mil sake jasmine ko dhoondne mein.." stated abhijeet, as dushyant nodded. 

"pehle toh yeh bataiye, jasmine kabhi apna phone bhuli hai iss tarah...yaa uska phone kabhi na laga hoon?" interrogated abhijeet, as dushyant looked over to ishita. 

"uhh, haan, woh ek baar, woh party mein gayi, uski friend ka bday tha, kaafi late ho raha tha, aur jab humne phone karne ki koshish ki, toh pata chala ki phone toh ghar pe hi reh gaya..." informed ishita, as abhijeet nodded. 

"acha, yeh wahi dost hai jiske ghar gayi thi woh, gayab hone se pehle?" followed up abhijeet with another question. 

"ahh, nahi woh...uska kuch aur naam tha na, priya, shayad?" questioned dushyant, as ishita was confused too. 

"actually, woh, uske dost bahaut the, uhmm, itne dhang se nahi yaad kaun thi..." responded ishita, as abhijeet raised his brow. 

"toh aap usse kahan pick-up karne waale the, aur apne bete ko kya kaha?" cross-questioned abhijeet. 

"arre, woh, woh location bhej deti thi apna....main lena bhul gaya tha, actually uska birthday tha..cake bhi nahi aaya tha..." remembered dushyant, as ishita chimed in. 

"nihaal ke paas hoga, usse boldeti hoon..." stated ishita, as she was about to call for him, when abhijeet stopped her. 

"arre, rehne dijiye..humein usse bhi questioning karni hai, tab puch lenge.." assured abhijeet, as ishita just nodded. 

"woh aksar aise group studies ke liye jaati thi?" debriefed abhijeet, as dushyant nodded, somewhat unsure. 

"acha, aap mujhe uska daily routine bataiye zara..." quizzed abhijeet, as dushyant raised a brow.

"iska kya lena-dena case se?" put dushyant abhijeet into question, as he just chuckled lightly, with that charming smile of his. 

"sir ji, ab aapko toh uske doston ka hisab-kitab hai nahi, agar jaan lenge woh karti kya thi pure din, toh woh kinn logon se milti thi, yeh bhi dhoondna asaan ho jayega..." remarked abhijeet, as dushyant just annoyingly thought of what to respond. 

"well, woh, subha 4 baje uth jaati thi...mere bete nihaal ke saath, they would go for a run...phir unhe taiyaar hokar apni practice ke liye nikalna hota tha, breakfast ke baad..." recounted dushyant, predicting abhijeet's next question. 

"mera beta, nihaal, woh apne school ki basketball team mein hai...jasmine state champion hai gymnastics mein...hum usse one of the best sports centres mein training ke liye bhejte hain, woh nationals ki tayaari kar rahi thi.." informed dushyant, as abhijeet looked impressed. 

"aur woh phir khudh hi school jaati thi...always on time, humein kabhi koi shikayat ka mauka nahi diya usne, she's a dream for any parent as a child..." commented ishita, as dushyant nodded. 

"swabhav kaisa tha uska? 16 saal ki ladki hai, kabhi koi ladayi ki hoon aapse, chid-chidi rehti hoon...kuch bhi..." abhijeet, was reaching for any possibilities, he could,  to make a case. 

"officer, humne bola na, humein koi shikayat nahi thi usse, woh hamesha apni class mein hi nahi, apne standard mein top karti hai, har teacher kehta hi koh woh sweet, friendly aur helpful hai, debate, school magazine editor, woh olympiad medals... woh joh bhi karti thi, best thi usmein...how dare you speak like that about her?" ranted dushyant, as abhijeet scoffed. 

"sir ji, aap toh yeh bhi nahi bata sakte ki aapki beti pure din karti kya hai, bina koi uski achievement baaton mein laaye...aap joh uske swabhav ke bhi baarein mein keh rahe hain...woh apne kisise sunna hai...aapke bache ke certificates aur medals ke alawa kya hai uski life mein? kaun hai woh, aap logon ko kuch nahi pata...aap ko uski ek dost ka naam tak nahi pata...shayad, woh apna phone bhuli nahi thi..." concluded abhijeet, as ishita bursted into a laughter of mockery and sarasm. 

"officer, hum working parents hain, we both have businesses, hamare paas sone tak ka time nahi hota hai, nahi de paate hum time apne bachon ko jitna hum dena chahein...par, iska matlab yeh nahi hain ki hum apne bachon ko khush nahi rakhte hain.." blasted ishita, as abhijeet, unmoved, just nodded. 

"abhi ke liye, humein bas phone dedijiye uska, hum uske contacts ke through, ek din toh lag hi jayega itne doston ki interrogation mein..." remarked abhijeet, ironically as he got up, and forwarded his hand. 

"chaliye, ab anna rahega humara yahan..." took abhijeet his leave, amused with getting no response from dushyant, just joined his hands together. 

"radhe-radhe." greeted abhijeet, and walked away. 

                                                               ***

The recording on the phone hit completely silent, as purvi grabbed hold of it, sending it to her whatsapp number, handing it back to equm, who stood right beside her. she was about to get up, already calling someone on her phone, when equm literally came in front of her way, putting his hand forward. 

purvi, frustrated, handed him a packet of drugs, as equm put on a very exaggerated smile. 

"isko mera mother's day gift hi samajh lena..." remarked equm, as purvi could care less, just stepping, equm, already ready to consume it, when purvi turned back. 

"aur, kuch bhi information milein, seedha whatsapp kardena...mere paas har lunch break nahi yahan aane ke liye...aur joh bhi milega tumhe, woh khudh aa kar lena padega.." ordered purvi, as equm nodded, and purvi left. 

Not realising, the sheer shock on bani's face, who had witnessed everything. 

                                                                    ***

author's note: aur bhai, abhijeet ki entry ke kya khayal hain? acha laga toh vote karna, ab parson aayega iska next update, till then stay tuned!