Henry Blackwood ka clinic shehar ke un ilaaqon mein tha jahan log apni kamzoriyaan chhupa kar aate aur umeed le kar nikalte hain.
Safed deewarein aur muted rang, halki si lavender aur coffee ki mili-juli khushboo, aisi jagah jahan dimaagh ko lagta tha ke shayad sab theek ho sakta hai.
Henry apni desk par baitha tha, grey waistcoat aur perfectly ironed shirt mein, hair side-parted, haath mein pen, jaise har lafz ko naap tol kr likhta ho.
Darwazay par halki si knock hui, aur secretary jhaank kar boli, “Sir, police department se koi milne aaya hai.”
Henry ne nazar uthayi, pal bhar ke liye,
aankhon mein hairaani nahi thi, sirf aik soch.
“Ji,” usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha, “andar bhej dein.”
Josh Warner andar daakhil hua. Uski chaal seedhi, na zada chaukana, na jarihana.
Aur body language aisi thi jo sirf un logon ki hoti hai jo emotions ko evidence nahi maante.
Josh ne baithne se pehle kamray ka jaiza liya; bookshelf par psychology aur criminal behavior ki kitaabein, diwaar par framed certificates, aur aik tasveer Henry apni biwi ke saath, donon muskurate hue.
Henry ne muskura kar ishara kiya, “Please, baithiye.”
Josh baith gaya. Khamoshi chhayi rahi. Josh kafi dair khamosh raha, kyun ke woh jaanta tha khamoshi logon se zyada sach bulwati hai. Aakhir Henry ne poocha,
“Batayiye… main aap ke liye kya kar sakta hoon?”
Josh ne seedhi nazar us par jamayi. Clinic kaafi balanced lag raha hai, na zyada personal, na zyada cold.
Henry halki si muskurahat ke saath bola, “Hum koshish karte hain ke log apni pareshaaniyon ke saath yahan mehfooz mehsoos karein.”
Josh ne idhar-udhar dekhte hue kaha, “Decor naya lag raha hai.” Henry ne casually jawab diya, “Kal anniversary thi, staff ne chhota sa surprise diya.”
Josh ne poocha, “Kitni saal ho gye apki shaadi ko?” Henry ne aik second socha, phir muskuraya, “Das saal. Waqt ka pata hi nahi chalta.”
Josh ne aankhen tang kar ke kaha, “Detective hoon. Aadat hai cheezon ka waqt naapne ki.” Henry ne baat ko halka rakha aur narmi se kaha, “Aur aap yahan meri shaadi discuss karne nahi aaye.”
Josh ne sir uthaya. “Haan”.
Phir aik naam liya…
“Hazel Turner.”
Henry ne palkein jhapki, sirf aik baar. “Ji haan,” usne pur-sukoon lehje mein kaha, “Hazel meri patient thi. Uski maut ka sun kar bohat afsos hua.”
Josh ne foran kaha, “Wo pareshan rehti thi.”
Henry ne sir hilaaya, “Kaafi. Anxiety, confusion, emotional exhaustion. Wo khud ko samajhne ki koshish kar rahi thi.”
Josh ne note kiya ke Henry ne “darr” nahi kaha, balki “confusion” ka lafz use kiya.
Josh ne poocha, “Uski pareshani ka sabab?”
Henry ne seedha jawab nahi diya. “Kabhi kabhi”, usne dheere se kaha, “Masla zindagi nahi hoti… masla hota hai ke hum us se kya chahte hain.”
Josh ne Henry ki taraf dekha aur tanziya lehje mein kaha, “Aap uska ilaaj kar rahe thay? Ya usey kisi faislay ki taraf dhakel rahe thay?”
Henry ne halka sa saans liya aur kaha, “Main psychologist hoon, Detective. Logon ko faislay karna nahi sikhata. Main unhein sochna sikhata hoon.”
Josh ne thoda jhuk kar kaha, “Hazel apni maut se kuch haftay pehle kaafi stressed thi.” Henry ne foran kaha, “Haan. Wo apne rishte ko le kar pareshan rehti thi.”
Josh seedha ho gaya. “Mark Torio.”
Henry ne naam dohraaya nahi, bas bola, “Haan… yehi naam leti thi.” Phir jaise soch kar kaha, “Lagta tha wo is rishte mein khud ko kho rahi hai, jaise kisi aur ke saaye mein jee rahi ho.”
Josh ne aankhen ghuma kar pucha. “Aap Mark ko jaante ho?”
“Nahi,” Henry ne foran kaha,
“sirf Hazel se uska zikr suna hai.”
Josh ne poocha, “Us ne Mark ke baare mein kya kaha?”
Henry ne kursi ke peechay tek lagaayi. “Wo kehti thi… Mark bohat intense hai, zyada protective, kabhi kabhi… bohat controlling.”
Josh sochne lag gya: “Isi liye mark se jb b hazel ka zikr krta hun wo chup rehta hai. Kahin mark hi to hazel ka ………” Yei sochte huye Josh ne pucha, “Control ka matlab?”
Henry ne dheere se kaha, “Kuch logon ko pyaar nahi chahiye hota, Detective. Unhein control chahiye hota hai. Woh samajhte hain ke mohabbat dosray ko theek karne ka license hoti hai.”
Josh ne Henry ko dekha, is aadmi ke lehje mein nafrat nahi thi, sirf tajziya tha.
“Kya Hazel ne kabhi Mark k past ka zikar kiya?” Josh ne achanak poocha.
Henry ne sir halka sa hilaaya. “Mujhe nahi pata. Magar Hazel darr mein rehti thi. Kabhi kabhi wo kehti thi ke Mark ke andar koi aur bhi hai.”
Josh ne sawal kiye, Henry ne har jawab itna safai se diya ke kahin bhi jhoot ki boo na aaye. Josh uth khara hua,
“Shukriya,” usne kaha, “zarurat pari to phir milunga.”
Henry ne muskurate hue kaha, “Umeed hai aap ko sach mil jaye.”
Josh nikal gaya. Darwaza band hua. Henry ne kursi par baithay baithay aankhen band ki. Bas aik lamha k liye, phir secretary ko call ki,
“Agla patient bhej dein.” Jaise kuch hua hi na ho.
Josh lift ki taraf ja raha tha ke achanak usy Henry ki aik baat yaad aa gayi:
“Hazel ne aik aur larki ka zikr bhi kiya tha…”
Josh k qadam ruk gaye..
“Kaun?” usne khud se poocha.
Natasha.
Mark ka guzra kal,
Aur kahani ka naya morr.