A Cobra's Bite Doesn't Hurt by Anil Nijhawan

Author:Anil Nijhawan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary novel;Indian setting;strong hero;strong heroine;powerful story
Publisher: The Conrad Press
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Modiji, let me ask you a question. What are the chances of lightning striking the same spot twice? Exactly. The probability is so remote that one might say it will never happen. Like you, I was of the same opinion until something happened that made me change my mind. On Park Street again, I was working the cash loaded shoppers. I was about to relieve a lady of her purse when the sighting of a face in the crowd shook me to the bones. It was Bhushan. He was walking towards me in his distinct lopsided gait. As before, I dived for cover. It occurred to me that the last time I had seen Bhushan was exactly at the same spot outside Flurys bakery and the time was almost the same. Bhushan had already seen me and was gesturing with his head, asking me to go into the bakery. I hesitated. Is it a trap? Bhushan tut, tutted and rolled his eyes, go in, it is safe.

We went in, as if each was alone. At the rear of the restaurant, we took a table facing away from the street, odour of freshly baked bread and pastries in the air.

Bhushan shook his head but did not speak. I continued to look around me, fearing a trap.

‘Calm down,’ Bhushan said. His distinctive voice instantly transported me back to Bangalore.

‘How are you?’ he asked.

‘Fine, fine, are you alone?’

‘Are bhai I am alone. Now relax.’

‘Tell me why you are here.’

‘I am here to help the Kolkata team, just for a few weeks.’

‘I didn’t know they were operating in Kolkata?’ I said.

‘They are everywhere,’ Bhushan said dismissively, ‘who cares.’

‘Are you still in the same house?’ I asked; visualising the interior, the sagging sofa, the dining table with permanent tea stains, posters on walls. I saw Ramesh’s face and the past came rushing back, crowding me from all side.

‘Yes, we are in the same bloody house. Saala Petre went away for few weeks, but he is back now.’

‘Why are you wearing those?’ I asked, pointing at the black glove on his left hand.

Instead of an explanation, he started pulling the glove off, slowly, one finger at a time while grimacing in pain. Once off, he raised the free hand to reveal a white bandage wrapped all the way from the wrist to the fingers. Only his thumb was free. He wiggled the thumb to show it had movement.

‘Babu did it.’

‘Did what?’

‘He accused me of stealing money.’

‘So did you?’ I knew to steal from Babu took exceptional courage. If Bhushan had done something like this, it had to be desperation or pure stubbornness.

‘You know how much money we have been making for him?’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘We work so hard for him.’

‘Don’t I know?’

‘I asked for a raise, just a little bit. But no, the mother fucker went mad and started threatening us, saying he will send us to work for the Mitra gang.’

‘What did he do?’

‘They held me down and gave me a knife. Cut off your thumb as punishment, they said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.