THE NOTE

As he locked the door of his house and turned to get inside his car he saw a page on his windshield which was handwritten. He looked at it which says "Drive to your west till 10kms" and he got puzzled.

"What is this.? Who could have left it here and why? It's not windy otherwise I would have thought it for someone else too," thought he.

Just then his phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hello...Rohit speaking"

"Sahab, you must have recognized me from my voice. I am calling you 15th time now", said the voice from the other side.

"Look, Mr.Mahesh, I will not pass your deal. Don't call me again and again," said Rohit.

"What Sahab, you look terrible, at least don't talk terribly. I know very well how to make you work for me. You have one pretty daughter, right? And she lives in a hostel far from you? You have to sign our deal otherwise you must have understood what I will do. I have already sent my people for their work. Now it's on you only", said Mahesh in a very rude and threatening voice.

Rohit got scared. He called his daughter but got no answer.

"She must be in her classroom during these hours", thought Rohit.

He called her at her college office and came to know that her daughter was absent today. He then called her hostel authority and she was not there too. Then he dialed her best friend's number, she picked it up and said she herself was at home for 2 days because she was not feeling well and she talked to his daughter yesterday last time.

Rohit was trembling with fear. Suddenly that page got his attention.

"Is this message by Mahesh? He has kidnapped my daughter for the deal", thoughts ran down his mind.

"That bastard! How dare he touch my daughter.!! I have to follow this message", said Rohit to himself.

He started his car and left for the west side. As he reached his destination he saw a lean, young-looking boy standing with a note in his hands. That boy came by side of his car and handed over that note and ran away. Rohit opened that note which says.

"Go, and get a nice suit that fits you well immediately from the only shop nearby. You will get the next clue from there, only after getting that suit"

"What kind of message is this.? What kind of person is he? Here I am dying to see my daughter and he is telling me to buy a suit. What the hell!! How does my suit matters with this deal" thought Rohit and got irritated.

Getting frustrated he found that shop and looked for suits there. He got the one which fit him best. Just then he paid the bill, the accountant gave him one more note.

He asked the accountant, "Who gave you this?"

The shopkeeper replied, "They were young looking two boys, they gave me this note and showed me your picture and said that I will have to give this to you. You are coming for shopping here."

"One more note!! What kind of kidnapping is this? it seems like it is his first kidnapping or maybe he just wanna enjoy his deed", said Rohit again to himself. He kept on trying her daughter's number.

He opened that note which says"Drive to East side till 18kms".

"What the hell!! Why is he not coming to the point? Why can't he just call me and tell me where to come and where he wanna do that deal and where is my daughter??" thought Rohit.

He called the number from where Mahesh called him but no one answered.

"That jerk! He just wanna play and scare me. He wants to torture me to make that deal happen. I think I should involve police with me", thought Rohit.

He called one of his friends who is an inspector of their city too. Rohit gave him Mahesh's contact number and also his daughter's contact number and a photograph of his daughter and told him everything till now.

Inspector told him to follow the note and that he was also coming.

Rohit drove to the East side till 18kms. There he saw a shop of a flower seller, as he was looking at that shopkeeper. The shopkeeper came outside, placed a small rose flower on his coat, and gave him one more note. Rohit asked him about the people who told him to do that. His reply was the same as that of the shopkeeper.

Rohit gave him 10 rupees and came back to his car. He opened the note which read "At least get a fresh haircut first then we will meet you. Go to Habib's salon"

"Is this a joke now..!! A HAIRCUT... Like really a haircut!! What is this happening? I know I don't look good but how come it's related to this deal and my daughter's kidnapping? It's total bullshit"

The whole episode was getting on his nerves.

Inspector was on his way.

Till then Rohit planned to wait in the salon.

He went to that salon and asked the receptionist about some notes. She said he had to take a haircut first then only he will get that note.

Rohit was burning with anger and frustration but he knew he could not do anything. He had a haircut done till the inspector came too. Inspector enquired about the people who gave the next note but got nothing as a clue so that he could reach them.

The note read "Now you must be looking handsome. This is the address where you have to come.

Hotel Blue plaza,

Outer ring road.

"We will go to this place. I will hide somewhere with my team. You will go inside and when you get your daughter there, just give me one missed call. We will attack then", said Inspector.

They reached there. He went inside and started looking here and there. Then one attendant came and asked him to come with him. They entered a room. It was completely dark inside. He called his daughter's name.

"Aradhya

Aradhya"

Just then lights got switched on and a loud rhyme saying,

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday Dear PAPA

Happy Birthday to you!!!

Rohit was totally stunned. He just froze and when Aradhya came running to him and hugged him, he came into his senses.

"Many many happy returns of the day papa"

"So this was all your plan??? You scared the hell out of me. I thought you got kidnapped. I was so scared. What kind of work is this? I don't like all this", said Rohit getting angry.

"Oh come on papa, you don't even remember that it is your birthday. You work so hard. You never enjoy anything. From the time mom left us, I never saw you relaxing and enjoying. It is your 50th Birthday. I just wanted it to be your best day. Away from work. You never took care of yourself. That's why I planned it all with my friends and our relatives", said Aradhya.

"Yes brother, it was all planned to bring you here and surprise you. Please cheer up. We have put so much effort to make it successful and I guess we do get succeed," said Rohit's sister winking at him.

There came a smile on Rohit's face when he just realized his daughter was not kidnapped but was with him. He hugged her and said, "Thank you so much, my angel."

Everyone came around Rohit and wished him. Rohit called his inspector friend and told him everything and called him in.

After the party got over Rohit asked Aradhya about Mahesh.

"How did you come to know that Mahesh is giving me threat calls and you called me by his name?"

"Who is Mahesh, Dad? And, we never called you. We just planned not to pick up your calls and if you call my friends they will also not tell you about me. That's it," answered Aradhya.

Rohit was thinking about that deal now seriously. He had gone through that torture already. The thought of her daughter's kidnapping gave him shivers.

"This is not over yet," thought Rohit.