by Saikat Dey
“I’m sorry but since the professor has unnaturally died, the case loftily comes under my hands. Abdul-” he called the butler close to him and nearly whispered to his ear. “Keep a close eye on every member of the family. Don’t let them go anywhere until I come back.” In return, the servant nodded is head, with eyes moistly covered with revenge’s tears.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ganguly”, said Dr. Alam and came up close to him on understanding the sign of his departure. “I might leave in an hour for the meting in Agra. It should be a tough journey, I see.”
“On account of what had happened,” began the sleuth. “I cannot allow any member- I repeat- I cannot allow any of the members to go out of the villa at any cost.” Looking at the doctor, he concluded:
“Cancel your meeting, my friend. You are now one of the suspects of the murder.”
“Well, it is-” his words were instantly cut short by a single gesture supported by the sleuth as he repeated his words again in a stern sensation followed by a short note of apology. Certainly, he noticed the worried lines that made an imperceptible yet strong impact on the doctor’s face for no affirmative reason. For him, it was not tough to suspect the lodger individually since the turbulence started under his sudden presence in the mention but to maintain his loyal dignity, Rupam, the sleuth didn’t ask or object anything from the doctor’s person.
“Abdul, I know nothing about the street system of the new city. For you to help me would be a kind-”
“Excuse me, Mr. Detective” turning to the annoyed stern voice, Rupam found Kabir. “You suspect us, the family members for his death? What about the all time butler working in here?” The reference of Abdul made him conscious enough to give a vine look, without any expression, across his face. But the butler, to his level of honesty, remained calm and quiet as to make himself sure he was involved in no case from the very beginning. Ignoring to what Kabir had just said, he called back the butler and instructed him to call up the police and to add to the specifications, he said to highlight his name and ask for a forensic doctor in addition. All the butler had to do in return was to engage himself with the phone. He exited silently, in the direction to the cordless hung on the dining room.
“There is nothing to fear but to fear the fear itself.” He quoted. “I will definitely juice out the fear for which Prof had to die and mind you, it will really be painful for you to die in the prison. I tell you what,” he took a load off as he sat on the settee. “The killer was just fooling around and that was it. We can easily extract the fingerprints. And I think that would be quiet controversial.”
~~~~
ʅʅʅ
“Prepare a post-mortem schedule for the Prof”, the SP instructed to the constable and gestured to slash the corpse in the ambulance as he faced the standing queue of the family members while the sleuth stood beside him. Flipping the cover, he helped the cigar stick in fumbling out of the aromatic Marleboro box.
“So what do you think about it?” he asked in a rusty voice while struggling to light the cigar that had cemented between the two layers. In return, Rupam explained him every part of the drama including the angle through which he looked into the murder, how the killer really poisoned him. The policeman enquired if he has asked who has served the morning coffee and in turn, the sleuth explained him how it had nothing to do with the murder and that the poison was mixed before it was served by the butler- probably when he was brewing it, someone mixed it at his absence.
“Vijay…” The SP called the man who was too busy with his work- investigating every part of the corpse. Placing the small pouch of dry coffee parts, he told him to trace the poison added in the coffee beads and to the punctuality of his work, he immediately returned to the van along with the pouch to continue a small research.
“In the meantime, we must ask the butler if there is any chemical box here as because I believe the poison was already present in the villa as because this happened within the time period of last night and the day break later.” He claimed as he called up the butler and asked about any chemical present in the house.
“Well sir, there are many types of chemicals present, sir. Master used it in the inventions.” He said, addressing the two of them to the study and then near the drawer inside which small bottles of chemical liquids with the names painted on the body were kept with great privacy.
“It has become easier for us now to find the murderer” The SP said- rather whispered in the sleuth’s ear- as the butler exited.
In the meantime, the Blackberry model chirped its melodious ringtone as the screen showed Vijay’s name popped on it. “It was pretty easy. Citric acid, it says.”
“But how can citric cause death? It is used in flavouring of beverages, I believe.”
“Well, I believe everything must be used within its limit. The processor says it had 89.7% of acid on it which was enough to-”
“Okay” he interrupted.
“Rupam, check the citric acid bottle.” Immediately the detective opened the small drawer, searched hurriedly through the painted names and then, finally brought out the half-full bottle of citric acid from the end of the shelf- his plastic gloves still fetched properly. He then handed it over to the officer and followed him to the exit and then that he ordered his men to trace every member’s fingerprints. By this time, the sleuth had noticed the slight disappointment on the doctor’s face again, who had been sitting on a stool, placed at the furthest corner of the library.
“If the print on the bottle matches with anyone, you know what’s next.” The officer spoke up through his throat. In return, Rupam shyly nodded while preparing a bunch of questions in his mind. The officer handed over the bottle to an already print-prepared stout man, who took the bottle to the van, where Vijay was seated. A minute later, the same man carried the data of fingerprints back to the van and didn’t appear again.
~~~~
ʅʋ
“Yes! I did it! I had to do it any how.” The sulky voice of Samit pierced through the silence in the room. It was only the detective and the officer present in the room. He was tightly roped to the dwindling chair, where it rocked every after a hard slap across his face.
“But I didn’t try to kill him. I was badly suffering from debts had nothing to payback. I thought of making money through the paper but unfortunately, he came to knew about me- don’t know how- and I finally had to do this.” Breaking down in tears, he regretted for what he did.
“Well, it’s good for you now not to payback but to stay in prison. Have a nice time in prison for your entire life for murdering a legend of the Indian Army, my duly youngest son of the professor.” The officer retorted as he readily untied the knots off the chair. Rupam stood up from the settee to bid him goodbye as the eyes crossed each others.
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal but you- you didn’t, Ruapm.” He smiled. “It was good working with you. Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. Be the best for ever.” With a faded smile, he passed away down the exit with the young convict with him.
More to read from the author.
Come Back Soon… is a total horror mystery short story of same length releasing soon in the end of March with the tagline of Amazon.
CBI officer Rupam fiddles into a restaurant along with his old chaps as he narrates his first spooky experience over travelling to Bihar. It says how he spent an entire night at a strange old couple’s house due to his car problems. When the next day he calls for a service boy to the location, the man in charge horrifies seeing him coming out of that green cottage. On asking about his nervousness, the man said a couple hung themselves to death due to starvation a year ago from the place where he left. When Rupam browsed over the gallery, where he clicked a picture of the old couple, he found no picture of them present.