"I have got you Ali Athar,” Rehan said holding the criminal’s mask.

As soon as Rehan pulled the cloth off of his face, he got taken aback. It was Abdul Moiz standing in front of him, the person he assumed to be dead.

Rehan could not move for a second. Sensing this, Moiz pushed him and immediately ran away.

Oh my God, Rehan uttered. Oh my God, it was Abdul Moiz, the dead husband of Maimoona Alam. What really happened? What happened? Can anyone explain it to me please?

People around were feeling a bit weird as they saw Rehan talking to himself. Rehan looked at them and started to walk wondering how this happened. He spoke in his thoughts:

Either Crimes at Corners’ is giving us wrong information or…

He came to his senses when a bike passed by honking loud horn. He realised that he was walking in the middle of the road.

A minute later, he was on the foot path still talking to himself.

How could this be? He was the dead guy. His face was smashed. How come he is alive?

He took out his cell phone and continued wondering.

Does he have a twin brother? Or a look alike? I don’t know I better call Mr. Kevin Rollins. I’m sure he would be as shocked as I am.

Before he could dial Kevin’s number, his own cell phone began to ring. It was Maria’s call.

“Hello Maria?”

“Rehan what happened to the window in your room? There’s a hole in it.”

“I know, I know, it happened yesterday. Tell me how are you?”

“I’m fine, but where are you and what’s going on?”

“Well the truth is that I have never been as shocked as I am now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just had an encounter with the killer,” he replied.

“Oh, you mean Ali Athar, the dark skinned guy?”

“You see that’s the whole point. It wasn’t him. It was someone else.”

“Really? How come?”

“How come is one thing, but ‘who’ is the real question.”

“Who was he?”

“The presumed dead husband of Maimoona Alam, Mr. Abdul Moiz.”

“What? You must be kidding?” she spoke getting stunned.

“As a matter of fact I’m not. It was really him. And I was shocked as never before.”

“Oh my God, I just don’t believe it.”

“Do you know what this mean? This means that Crimes at Corners’ team is being misled. They have caught the wrong guy.”

“They haven’t caught anyone yet. But you are right and I agree with you.”

“Ok, well I’m about to return within an hour.”

“Return home you mean?” she confirmed.

“Yes.”

“So, you won’t be going to work today?”

“I’ll put up an excuse. Today they’ll understand. They saw me earlier.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Don’t worry Maria, I’ll come home and explain. Right now I need to tell everything to Mr. Kevin Rollins.”

“Ok ok, bye”

“Bye.”

He disconnected the call and dialled Kevin’s number.

“Hello?”

“Sir, you won’t believe what I saw today. You’ll be shocked.”

“Ok, go on.”

“I saw the real killer, and guess who he was.”

“Abdul Moiz?” Kevin replied.

“How did you know?” Rehan got even more surprised.

“I knew it a long time ago.”

“Really? Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was about to, the day our vehicles exploded.”

“Oh dear God,” Rehan held his head.

“Now what you need to do is to pick your wife and leave your place for a few days.”

“You mean to say that I must hide from Abdul Moiz?”

“Yes, you must hide. Or else they might attack you and harm you.”

“Oh, ok I will. But wait why are you saying they?”

“Because it’s not just one person.”

“Oh my God, this is just getting worse and worse.”

“I know, now just do as I say.”

“I really wish I hadn’t gotten into this. I should have left this matter when I had the chance.”

“Ok just leave it. Right now just go home and do as I say.”

“Sure,” Rehan replied.

“Bye.”

*********

It took Rehan an hour to reach home. Maria opened the door and noticed Rehan a little worried as he entered inside.

“Are you ok dear? Do you need water?”

“Yes, please!”

Rehan sat on the couch and wiped off his sweat. As Maria came with a glass of water, he asked her to turn on the fan.

“So, what’s the update?,” asked Maria.

“Our lives are in danger.”

“What? Oh my God!”

“We must leave the house.”

“Now?” she asked. “But where are we going to stay?”

“Anywhere, but away from here. The killer knows our place and he will definitely try to attack us any moment.”

“Wait, just clarify one thing here. The guy we presumed to be dead is actually the killer?”

“Yes, his name must be Abdul Moiz or at least as we know it.”

“Then what about Ali Athar?”

“He is involved with him I guess. Because he was the one who sent the letter yesterday, wrapped in a stone.”

“Which letter?”

“I’ll tell you later, right now you just need to pack the entire stuff we need for at least a week. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Ok, where are we going?” she asked.

“I know a place, I’ll book a room tonight.”

“Oh, ok.”

As she walked towards her room, Rehan had a glance at the television and regretted his decision of investigating the murder.

Turning the television on, he started skimming through news channels hoping to find the answer for Maimoona Alam’s murder case, but there was hardly any news related to it.

They all have forgotten it. He commented. They all have moved on from this mystery and will not work over it any further.

He switched off the television and went to his room.

********

As the evening approached, Maria turned on the television to watch the next episode of Crimes at Corners. Rehan was not around but she wanted him to come and watch the episode with her.

Minutes later as the episode began, some thirty year old woman appeared on the screen. She was holding the mike and was speaking to the viewers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid I have a bad news for you. Our show’s host Mr. Zafar Mohsin has gone missing. I repeat, Zafar Mohsin is missing. His cell phone is powered off and he is not at his home either. We are quite worried as we suspect Ali Athar, the criminal behind this kidnapping.”

Maria called out, “Rehan!”

Few seconds later, Rehan appeared in the room.

“What’s the matter?”

“Watch this.”

“We think that he might be harmed or worst he might be murdered by the criminals.”

“About whom is she talking about?” Rehan asked.

“It’s about Zafar Mohsin,” Maria replied looking at him. “He’s missing. His phone is off. He hasn’t returned home.”

“Oh God, now he’s in trouble too.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, this was inevitable. I was expecting something like this to happen quite sooner. Should I call Kevin Rollins and tell him?”

“I don’t think that man is of any help.”

“No, you’re wrong. He was way ahead of me. He already knew that the actual murderer was Abdul Moiz and not Ali Athar.”

“We don’t know that for sure.”

“I know, and the case is so tangled up that I just want to get rid of it.”

“Ok, don’t go there now.”

“I know, I know. I am responsible for whatever is happening to us.

Anyways, I’m making a booking and you also start packing.”

Maria turned off the television.

***********

Next morning, Rehan woke up around half past eleven. As he sat up, he saw white handkerchief lying on the ground. As he picked it up, he smelled chloroform. Feeling something fishy, he got out of bed and leave the room. To his astonishment, the door of Maria’s room was open and she wasn’t there.

Oh my God. Where is she?

He walked out of the room and called her. Receiving no response, he started getting panicky.

What happened here last night? Is she kidnapped?

He remembered Zafar Mohsin who was also kidnapped.

Oh my God! Is Maria kidnapped along with him? Is it the same criminal who has kidnapped Zafar? Oh dear God!

He kept his hands on his eyes regretting his decision of starting all this. He, however, stood up, picked up his phone and dialled Maria’s number. After a few rings, as the call got answered, Rehan spoke before the receiver.

“Hello Maria, are you there?”

“Yes, she is with me,” a cold male voice answered from the other end. “And if you want her to be safe then you don’t want to disappoint me, do you?”

“Hello? Who is this? Who are you? What have you done to Maria?”

“Nothing yet, but a lot can be done unless you don’t do as I ask you to.”

“Who are you?” Rehan yelled out. “What have you done with Maria?”

“Keep your voice down and do as I say, or else you will regret.”

“Look, if anything happens to my wife, I swear I’m going to find you and kill you.”

“Let me make it easy for you to cooperate.”

The next thing Rehan heard was Maria’s voice. She was crying out loud.

Tears came into Rehan’s eyes.

“You heard it, now I’m sure you will cooperate and listen to me carefully.”

Rehan started sobbing.

“Just tell Kevin Rollins to hold his horses. Tell him to stop investigating this murder if you want to see your wife alive,” the cold voice said.

“Ok, I will,” Rehan answered regaining his composure.

“Good.”

“Then will you please let go off Maria? Please!”

“Ok ok.”

The line got disconnected. Rehan dialled the number again. And this time the number was powered off.

Oh my God. Rehan uttered. What am I going to do?

Rehan immediately dialled Kevin Rollin’s number. After a few rings, Kevin answered the call.

“Yes, Rehan?”

“My wife has been kidnapped.”

“Oh no, that’s too bad!”

said Kevin.

“The criminal just talked to me and asked me to stop these investigations. He asked me to stop you from investigating this case further.”

“Don’t worry Rehan, the case has been resolved. The entire mystery is solved. I now also know who was this other guy, associated with him.”

“Look, I don’t care about it anymore. I just want my wife back.”

“Rehan, you don’t need to worry about your wife. Trust me, this criminal won’t harm her. Because, the guy who has the custody of your wife is not a real criminal. He does not murder anyone. He is quite afraid of getting into this kind of stuff.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know this guy. And Abdul Moiz, the real criminal is not the one we’re talking about right now.”

“He’s not?”

“No! He lives somewhere else. I have seen his house and he does not spend the night anywhere but at his house.”

“That’s not enough to answer my question.”

“Look, all I’m trying to tell you here is that I have been following this guy Abdul Moiz. He thinks he is following me but actually I am. And I have observed that he does not like to spend the night anywhere but at his home.”

“I see.”

“You know what? Just come over and I’ll explain the entire murder case.”

“Ok I’m coming,” Rehan hanged up.

to be continued...