The Case of A Missing Bride

10.15 pm. Barat has arrived but the bride is missing. She had gone to a beauty parlor almost four hours ago and was supposed to be at the ceremony by now. Bride’s mother calls his son Ahsan who had gone to collect his sister from parlor but his number is not responding. Bride’s number is switched off. Bride is accompanied with a friend who had come from abroad but her number is not known to the mother. As the time is progressing so is the anxiety. Mother then gets parlor’s number from a relative and dials. Receptionist at the parlor tells her that the bride Kalsoom left almost an hour ago. It is hardly 15 minute drive from parlor to the marriage hall. Where has the bride gone?

10.45 pm. Bride’s mother is now clearly upset. She calls her husband who is in gent’s portion of the marriage hall and expresses her concerns. He tells her to relax and sends his brother’s son Hamid to check on the bride. Hamid works in police department so he goes in the parlor and talks to the lady in charge. She also tells him the same thing that the bride left a long time ago. There is a cctv camera installed at gate of the parlor. On seeing its recording, it is confirmed that the bride along with her friend left almost one and a half hour ago in Ahsan’s car. Hamid returns to marriage hall checking en route but there is no breakdown or any sign of accident.

11.30 pm. The matter now gets serious. There is no indication of kidnapping. CCTV footage clearly revealed that the bride sat in her brother’s car. Rumor of runaway bride is spreading fast. Bride’s father takes groom Khalid’s father on a side and explains him the situation. They are old friends and business partners too. The situation is freaking them out. Besides worrisome, the ceremony is turning into embarrassment. People are now slowly leaving the hall. Hamid suggests to call the local police for help. He raises the question that although the cctv footage of parlor’s gate indicates that Kalsoom along with her friend sat in Ahsan’s car but was the car being driven by Ahsan?

11.45 pm. Police is informed.

12.45 am. Inspector Imran who comes at the scene ensures them that he will sort this matter out before the sunrise. He takes along Hamid and fathers of bride and groom to the parlor. The parlor’s camera footage only reveals that the bride and her friend sat in Ahsan’s car. Inspector Imran looks around and finds cctv camera of a school in nearby location which is facing towards the parlor.

1.10 am. Inspector Imran wakes up the school guard and checks recording of the school gate camera. Ahsan’s car had gone past the school gate which was sufficient lit to look inside the car. Recording of school gate camera reveals that Ahsan was driving the car when he left the parlor with his sister and her friend. But there is someone else also sitting on front seat of the car. Nobody recognizes him. A new question is now raised as to who is the stranger sitting with Ahsan in his car?

1.35 am. Ahsan’s cell number is now switched off too. Inspector Imran calls a friend to get last known location of Ahsan’s and Kalsoom’s cell numbers. It was past mid night and it would certainly take some time to find out the same. The time is what he did not have.  

2.10 am. The investigation party returns back to the hall. The ceremony is now officially called off. All the remaining guests also leave.

2.20 am. Groom Khalid slips aside from the investigation party and calls someone. He whispers in his phone to release the bride as his purpose of kidnapping has been achieved. He immediately disconnects the call and joins back the group.

Khalid and Kalsoom had been engaged since their childhood. As they grew up, Khalid developed liking for some other girl. He had refused to marry Kalsoom. His father however made it a matter of his prestige and threatened him that if he will not marry Kalsoom then he will disown him as his son.

2.30 am. There is still no news about the missing bride. Inspector Imran is asking various questions from family members to get any hint about bride’s intentions. He is also contacting his sources to acquire leads about the kidnapping.

3.00 am. Khalid goes to a side and calls the kidnapper again. This time he annoyingly asks as to why the bride has not yet been released. Kidnapper tells him that he wants more money. Khalid gets furious as he has already paid a hefty amount for this purpose. Kidnapper warns him that he will reveal his kidnapping plan to police. Khalid is now in shock. He calls his friend through whom he had hired the kidnapper. His friend promises him to settle the issue and tells him to come to his warehouse at West Wharf right now.

3.07 am. Khalid gets excuse from the investigation party on pretext of severe headache. He takes his car and proceeds straight to his friend’s warehouse.  

3.10 am. Inspector Imran has reached a deadlock. His promise of resolving the case before sunrise seems far fetched. He watches the groom car leaving the parking area. He suddenly remembers something. He asks Bride’s father that is Ahsan’s car insured and to his amusement it is insured. A bright smile appears on his face. He knew that insurance companies install trackers in the cars which can give their precise location. He gets name of the tracker company from insurance helpline. Rest was easy. He then calls the tracker company and gets current location of Ahsan’s car.

3.25 am. The whole party is speeding towards the port.

3.55 am. Police reaches in the general area of the given address and searches around. Ahsan’s car is spotted parked outside of a warehouse. Inspector Imran storms through the open gate and finds Ahsan, Kalsoom and her friend tied up to a pillar. There is nobody else there. The kidnappers have probably escaped after listening to police sirens. Police secures the scene and takes custody of Ahsan’s car to collect evidence. Inspector Imran tells bride’s father that he will come to his house at noon for recording of statements of Ahsan, Bride and her friend. Bride’s father takes all of them in his car and rushes back home. They were all traumatized and needed rest and comfort.

4.20 am. As they are leaving, morning Azan is heard from a nearby mosque. Inspector Imran has fulfilled his promise. They all departed in a hurry. Nobody noticed the presence of a decorated car in a dark place at a little distance from the warehouse, except for Inspector Imran.

Written By: Nadeem Alam

Story published in Weekly Mag (30 Jun - 6 Jul 2018) 

Other short stories by same author:
Click 👇
Twins
The Devil
Cinderella
Lost Girl 
Shadow
My World