Shayantika: He-he… must have deleted it before running away.
Mr Roy: How close were you to Sukanto?
Shayantika: What do you mean?
Mr Roy: Did he treat you as a friend? In whom he could confide, tell his deepest secrets?
Shayantika: He loved me and trusted me more than anyone else. More than his mother or his…unfeeling wife.
Mr Roy: Did you meet him during Durga puja?
Shayantika: I met him on Ponchomi. He was going on a vacation to Jampui hills. He told me about it.
Mr Roy: He did trust you, then…?
Shayantika: He needed a break and I was happy he was taking one. He was so upset and frightened lately.
Mr Roy: About what?
Shayantika: H-he couldn’t explain. I think he was having an anxiety attack. Sometimes we get anxious about things. In many cases…it swings out of control.
Mr Roy: Did it swing out of control in case of Sukanto?
Shayantika: I don’t think so…He was anxious. But then aren’t we all…at some point…
Mr Roy: Mrs Sagota Bhattacharjee told us that her son was a drug user. And we found out that he was using drugs, occasionally.
Shayantika: Oh. I don’t know. I didn’t know…
Mr Roy: You don’t use drugs?
Shayantika: You can run a test on me and confirm.
Mr Roy: Do you Shayantika?
Shayantika: No, I don’t take drugs. I prescribe it for my patients. As a medical practitioner, I am aware of the consequences of drug use and abuse.
Mr Roy: But you never knew about Sukanto?
Shayantika: Well, I never saw him take any. What was he taking?
Mr Roy: Cocaine.
Shayantika: It was his little secret then. He knew, I would never approve of it.
Mr Roy: So he was not completely honest with you either. Who was he vacationing with in Jampui?
Shayantika: Friends.
Mr Roy: Who are these friends?
Shayantika: I don’t know. I just know one, Ratan. The tall, lanky guy. His school buddy.
Mr Roy: Right, Ratan. We’ve spoken to him. He was with us for two days, till his rich father bailed him out. By the way, Ratan is a drug peddler who may have links to smuggling goods into Tripura from Bangladesh.
Shayantika: Oh! He seemed like a nice perso---
Mr Roy: Ratan was not with Sukanto in Jampui hills. In fact, we checked with the lodge where he stayed. Sukanto was all alone.
Mr Roy: M-Mrs Bhattacharjee. Please come in.
Shayantika: I want to go home. Mr Roy?
Mr Roy: Sure, in a moment Shayan. Where is Kalpana? Don’t see her?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: She is out shopping, wanted to buy something important. Don’t remember what… getting old, really fast you see! How are you Mr Roy? How’s your wife and daughter?
Mr Roy: They are quite well. My daughter loves your shinni. She was here, that day…
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Oh, yes. Your wife couldn’t come, Sciatica. I know how painful it is.
Mr Roy: Before you came in, I was telling Shayantika that she should go home and take rest. I think we all know that she meant no harm. She was a bit upset about losing her childhood friend. Right, Shayantika?
Shayantika: Whatever, sir. I am done with the Bhattacharjees. My maa is waiting. I told her I will be there for lunch. She made Bhapa Ilish today. Can we go?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Shayantika, I need to speak to you.
Shayantika: I-I-I don’t want to speak to you.
Mr Roy: What about Mrs Bhattacharjee?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Something important. Just for five minutes, Shayantika?
Mr Roy: I think you should talk to her, Shayantika. I’ll be waiting and keeping an eye. Of course, without disturbing your privacy. Why don’t you two talk in the next room?
Shayantika: Alright. But after this chat, I’m going home.
Mr Roy: Absolutely.
Shayantika and Mrs Bhattacharjee step into the guest room wallpapered in yellow chrysanthemums, next to the living room. Mr Roy, gets up and walks around the large living room, picking objects and placing them back. Then, he tiptoes to the guest room and stands outside listening. He smiles and steps back into the living room, as Shayantika walks out followed by Mrs Bhattacharjee.
Shayantika: Can we go now, Mr Roy?
Mr Roy: Sure. Come, let me drop you home in my car. I don’t want to call and alarm your father.
Shayantika: As you wish…
Mr Roy: Mrs Bhattacharjee can I drop her and come back in an hour for a chat with you?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Okay.
Mr Roy: Thank you. Malakar?
Malakar: Yes, sir.
Mr Roy: You stay here with Badri and Jamatia. Make sure Jewel is around when I am back. Call Kalpana and ask her to reach in thirty minutes?
Malakar: Right, sir.
Mr Roy: Don’t let anyone enter the house. Press, family, neighbours, no one.
As Mr Roy steps out of Bhattacharjee Bari with Shayantika, his phone buzzes. He unlocks his phone and reads the texts.
Malakar: Sir?
Roy Sir: Yes?
Malakar: Can’t call. They’ll hear. Don’t take her away. They’ll definitely attack her. Or she will and we’ll get leads.
Roy Sir: She’ll make it chaotic. I want them to fight with each other. Also her father is an influential man…
Malakar: He called?
Roy Sir: Yes. Wants her out of that house. Can’t fight with a lawyer.
Malakar: Understood.
Roy Sir: Glad the old woman called us in. Let’s use this to corner them and see if we can get something solid.
Malakar: Ok.
Roy Sir: Almost forgot. Can you search the Blue room? Get her permission. Note what you find, without alarming anyone?
Malakar: Ok.
Later at around 1PM, Mr Roy re-enters Bhattacharjee Bari to question the missing characters in the drama that unfolded in the morning.
Mr Roy: How was your shopping, Jewel?
Jewel: As usual.
Mr Roy: What did you buy?
Jewel: Potato, tomato, onion, brinjal, carrot, cauli---
Mr Roy: Good, good. So do you know Shayantika?
Jewel: She is Sukanto’s friend.
Mr Roy: Is that so…? Did you invite her to come and visit you?
Jewel: What…sir?
Mr Roy: Did you ask Shayantika to come to Bhattacharjee Bari, this afternoon?
Jewel: No. But she did come to my room.
Mr Roy: Why?
Jewel: She said she wanted to talk.
Mr Roy: About what?
Jewel: Sukanto, Kalpana, Chotoma… About us.
Mr Roy: What about you? Did she not want to talk about you?
Jewel: She did ask why I was not picking her calls.
Mr Roy: She calls you?
Jewel: She has spoken to me a couple of times, mostly about Sukanto.
Mr Roy: She seems to be bothering you?
Jewel: J-just wants…to know.
Mr Roy: Mrs Bhattacharjee…did Jewel tell you about Shayantika’s calls?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: No. But I am sure he didn’t mean to hide it. He must have found it trivial and childish.
Mr Roy: Did Sukanto know about these calls, Jewel?
Jewel: I don’t think he needed to know.
Mr Roy: Kalpana, did you know about these calls?
Kalpana: No.
Mr Roy: Did you know about Shayantika’s closeness to Sukanto?
Kalpana: Yes, Sukanto told me.
Mr Roy: Interesting…And of course like a modern and educated wife, you found it okay?
Kalpana: I am curious, how do these questions add value to this investigation, sir?
Mr Roy: Let me decide on that Kalpana. It’s my job.
Kalpana: Are you hinting that one of us killed Sukanto?
Mr Roy: Mrs Bhattacharjee, where is Proloy? Did he go shopping for groceries too?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: He is in
Midnapore, in his village. He isn’t back yet.
Mr Roy: Oh. It’s been a while. We got your letter on behalf of Proloy. Did he leave any other letter explaining his side of the story? Maybe you can hand that over to us. It will most certainly help with the investigation?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: I haven’t got any more letters.
Mr Roy: Shayantika was telling me that when she walked in, she found you with a letter. Can I see that one? She said, it really upsets you that she caught you unawares and that’s why you called us in?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: She-she…is lying. I was sitting in my room, reading a book
Mr Roy: Which one?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: H-hain?
Mr Roy: Which book?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Agnigarbha by Mahasweta Devi.
Mr Roy: Oh, then it must be lying somewhere in your room? Malakar…?
Malakar: Which room should I search, sir?
Mr Roy: Mrs Bhattacharjee…which room?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: The Blue room. I was in there when Shayantika came in. Malakar babu has searched that room already.
Mr Roy: Is that so? But then, he may not have noticed a book. Go, Malakar.
Malakar: Yes, sir.
Mr Roy: So Jewel how do you keep yourself occupied. You are a young man, filled with promise and vitality.
Jewel: I take care of the Bhattacharjee house. Look after the garden, run errands and help chotoma.
Mr Roy: And where is your family?
Jewel: This is my family, sir.
Mr Roy: I mean your family?
Jewel: I don’t know, hardly remember them… I was brought in by a government officer, a Mr Chatterjee, during the 1980 riots. My village was ruined. I have been with the Bhattacharjees, since then.
Mr Roy: Do they pay you for your services?
Jewel: Yes, I do get paid.
Mr Roy: So what do you do with your money?
Jewel: I save.
Mr Roy: Good boy. Don’t you buy smartphones, books…?
Jewel: No, this phone was a gift from Sukanto. And chotoma gets me books, clothes or anything else that I may need.
Mr Roy: That’s very generous of her.
Jewel: Yes, it is.
Malakar: Sir, we found this?
Mr Roy: Agnigarbha! Maybe I will borrow it in a couple of months, once I retire.
Kalpana: You’re retiring Mr Roy?
Mr Roy: Yes Kalpana, in March. So there is no letter...?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: No.
Mr Roy: And Proloy will be back in…?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: I’m not sure. Maybe in a month or so.
Jewel: Has Atanu been helping you…with the investigation?
Mr Roy: I don’t understand Jewel…
Jewel: You said, you got Proloy’s letter? Chotoma must have given that to Atanu because he is the only person who comes and chats with us. The police has never interrogated before, not like this. You have searched the house, done an autopsy, but you have never questioned us…until today.
Mr Roy: Yes, he gave the letter to me because Mrs Bhattacharjee asked him to.
Jewel: Did you chotoma?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Yes.
Jewel: Why?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: Mr Roy wanted to meet Proloy.
Mr Roy: Jewel, let me tell you all something. Now that we are talking and asking questions… I think Sukanto was murdered. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But my experience tells me that someone wanted him dead.
Jewel: What about the suicide letter?
Mr Roy: It points towards someone forcing him to take his life. And in that case, for abetment of suicide -- meaning whoever abets the commissioning of suicide is punishable under Section 309, of the Indian Penal Code.
Kalpana: Can we read the letter?
Mr Roy: I will share it with you in a couple of days, Kalpana. Mrs Bhattacharjee…why does Proloy stay in Bhattacharjee Bari? Is he homeless? Has his family abandoned him? You said, he went to visit his family…?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: He is…m-my friend, childhood friend. His family is cruel, doesn’t care about him. Cruel I think is a strong word. They are poor. Very poor, Mr Roy…
Mr Roy: What does Proloy look like, do you have his picture? Is he on Facebook? Can you give me his mobile number, please? What’s his last name? Let me check…?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: His last name is Sen. Proloy Sen. He doesn’t have a mobile. He hates mobile phones. It kills my space, makes me someone I don’t want to be. I don’t want to force-chat with someone, I barely know -- receive messages from people I don’t care about.
Mr Roy: Very interesting man. Wish I could meet him. We actually collaborated with Bengal police to see if we could find out a little more about your unique friend Proloy. We spoke to your family--your brothers and to some of your friends. They said, they knew a boy named Proloy. But he died years ago while swimming in the river. Some of his friends think he may have committed suicide because he didn’t know how to swim. He must have been twelve or thirteen. Do you remember anything like that?
Mrs Bhattacharjee: They must have made a mistake. Proloy is alive!
Mr Roy: Kalpana? Can you please meet us outside…in the garden?
Kalpana: Ok...
Mr Roy: We will be back in a couple of minutes, Jamatia. Don’t let anyone move, not even for toilet or medicines. We’re right outside. Got it?
Jamatia: Yes, sir.
In the garden amidst chrysanthemums and roses, Kalpana and Mr Roy continue talking.
Mr Roy: Ahh…Fresh…air…We’ve been sitting in one position for too long. I want to ask you a simple question, Kalpana.
Kalpana: I want to call m-my lawyer.
Mr Roy: You may. Have you got one? Should I help you get a lawyer? I know some pretty good ones. Shayantika’s father is one of the best, actually. But for what? You haven’t been convicted. You are giving us no formal statement, legally. Maybe when you do, you can have your lawyer with you.
Kalpana: How do I know you are not recording?
Mr Roy: You don’t. Water?
Kalpana: No.
Mr Roy: Have you seen Proloy? Can you describe him for us?
Kalpana: I haven’t seen him. I know he is her friend. She told me so.
Mr Roy: Malati hasn’t seen him. Nor has Joba.
Kalpana: You spoke to them?
Mr Roy: Yes, we did. They didn’t tell you…? It’s been a year Kalpana, since you married Sukanto. And you still haven’t met Proloy? Mrs Bhattacharjee said, he went to your home and met you—gave you sarees?
Kalpana: Yes, I did get her sarees. But he didn’t come to our house.
Mr Roy: Who was it then?
Kalpana: Is it really important? I mean it doesn’t prove anything.
Mr Roy: Who gave you the sarees?
Kalpana: Jewel.
Mr Roy: Thank you, Kalpana. Can you please send Jewel outside?
As Kalpana steps in, Jewel steps out. They look at each other for a few seconds and then turn away.
Jewel: Why can’t we talk in front of chotoma?
Mr Roy: You went to meet Kalpana, before her marriage. Did you Jewel?
Jewel: I went because I was asked to.
Mr Roy: Who asked you to go?
Jewel: Sukanto.
Into the Minds
3 NOVEMBER, 2015
Few days before Shayantika gate-crashed into Bhattacharjee Bari, Atanu tried entering into the minds of Sukanto’s near and dear ones. He spoke to Kalpana, first.
Kalpana: Dreams? You mean my dreams…?
Atanu: Or nightmares? We may not have dreams. But nightmares...
Kalpana: Hmm…Not sure if I can call those nightmares because they don’t leave me frightened. Maybe fear is good. Outbursts are good too. Anger washes out your fear, giving you relief. My dream stays with me. And creeps in, whenever my mind wonders…
A wet bathroom floor: colourless, squalid and cringe-worthy. I like clean toilets. Who doesn’t? A bucket and a mug for bathing and storing wate
r, stands on the wet floor. The bucket is used to mix hot water with cold and make it lukewarm, during winter. You can’t bath with cold water during winter. I mean you can, but a hot, warm bath rejuvenates you. Gives you that extra push.
Atanu: Anything else?
Kalpana: I don’t see anything else. No one else in my dream. No humans. But faces on the bathroom wall -- carved unintentionally by the paint peeling off -- accentuated by cracks formed through water seepage, and by stains unintentionally created during a hurried bath. Splashing spikes of colourless water liberally on a canvas. Accidental work of beauty and unappreciated.
I want to get rid of this dream so I walk fast, around this house, till I see nothing… But it keeps coming back…
I have tried to build a bridge with boroma, occasionally spoken to Jewel -- now that we are all by ourselves and there is no one else.
Even the maids are not faking sadness anymore and are back to their inefficient best. Their intoxicated husbands who stopped beating them for a while, as a mark of respect to the employer who died young have gone back to their old ways. I can clearly see the coloured bruises on their faces and arms. I’m sure there are nastier wounds, hidden under their tell-tale sarees.
Boroma refuses to talk. Obstinately sits in her Blue room. Shows no interest in cooking or in the food prepared. Malati consults me for everything these days. Even she is getting a bit tired of her faraway look. And I’ve been unwillingly pulled back into the everyday chores of Bhattacharjee Bari. I was happier when boroma dictated the menu for lunch and supervised the dusting and cleaning.
Once I got weary of boroma’s absence and broke into the Blue room.
“Sukanto?” She said looking at me.
“ It’s me, Kalpana.”
“ Oh. Where is Sukanto?” She said looking at me.
“ H-he is not here, boroma.”
“ Stop lying. He is standing right there -- waiting, observing.” She screamed looking at the window.
“ Boroma, boroma…” I said afraid to walk over and calm her down.
“What?” came the sharp reply, like she badly wanted to shut my voice and tear the words into splinters.
I stood there for a while, in that room, looking at her… Until a drop of water fell on my hand. Instinctively, I looked above, at the blue concrete roof over my head. And it hit me then, I was crying…I slowly pulled myself out of the room and came outside. It was sunny and I couldn’t look up at the sky without being blinded so I stood under the guava tree in the garden, for a long time; partly in confusion, partly in embarrassment and partly in anger.
Wants and Desires: A Psychological Thriller Page 8