To Where It All Began ✔

7. A Small Step To The Truth Behind...

9:00 AM, 27th March, NH 48

Breaking the moment of awkward silence while traveling with a stranger she asked, "Mr. Mhatre, where am I going to stay in Mumbai... Hotel?"

"You are not safe in a hotel... Plus several unnecessary questions regarding your identity will arise if you stay there. I will take you to Mhatre Niwas." He blurted out in a single breath

"Your house... No... No, how can I stay at your house?"

Her negation and prompt denial were loud and clear to him and he clarified to her, "Not to my house exactly... Actually, I am taking you to the outhouse near my home, that way you will be safe. I will say you are some guest who has come to review the restaurant chain we own. Anna used that outhouse for her paintings. It was like an office for her. None of my family really bothers to go there... So don't worry." He tried explaining convincingly.

She nodded, agreeing to his statement "Okay, now that we have decided to find the truth on our own? From where shall we start?

"Anna's call records from January and since we are not doing this officially it will take longer to get the details plus her phone data has to be retrieved as it was broken when I received it from the police. I am sure we will get some lead from that", He replied in a very optimistic tone.

"Another thing... You can call me Shreekant. You are not my employee nor I am your boss." 

She slowly replied shaking her head a little, "okay..."

8:00 PM, 27th March, Outhouse

The car reached the corner of the Juhu road where the roads diverged into multiple lanes. It halted at the third lane and she finally reached the magnificent gigantic bungalow of the Mhatre's with huge lawns dominating the entire architecture. 

Numerous security guards surrounded the entire area, saluting Shreekant as he drove through the entrance.

Taking a turn near the ancient-looking huge fountain they finally reached the small cottage-like old house with brown bricks. Getting down from the car she followed him to the entrance of the house.

"Come Inside..." he said with a warm, welcoming gesture as he opened the house with an old key that he had ordered a servant to get.

They entered into a sizeable living room with a marvelous glass chandelier at the top of the hall. The whole house was covered with numerous floral paintings; Amna gazed at everything around with awestruck eyes

"All these paintings are made by Anna... She used to spend a lot of time here, most of the things in this place are according to her taste and choice", he said in a low tone with deep agony as a tiny drop of tear cornered his eyes.

She looked at him with blank eyes as she didn't know how to soothe his affliction.

He quickly changed the topic, "Your room is upstairs, the first one on the right. Use that landline in the hall with extension 200 if you need anything, it connects to the landline in my room. The security guards are all the time near the main gate so please be comfortable okay... I will get you a new phone and a new number tomorrow... Also, some clothes" and then he paced out of the place in quick succession.

After Shreekant left, Amna wandered around the house aimlessly looking around the various eye-catching antiques and interiors.

Her eyes glanced upon an old wooden door at a corner of the living room. She flinched it gradually to see a large room with more paintings, both complete and incomplete, color boxes, brushes, and canvases.

"This must be the place where she used to paint. She stirred here and there and just as she turned around, her hand hit a canvas on the painting stand and it fell making a loud thud.