‘Two, run a racket here to mix Pearl X with TT Masala’s products. So that a large number of people consume it. Your partner in crime, Ajay owns a company called PMS that supplies manpower to TITGIC as well as TT Masala. Wah! What a plan!’
‘Pearl X prevents pregnancy. When supplied through TT Masala, almost everyone will consume it. People will blame it on lifestyle and stress at work, and flock at fertility clinics. The leading fertility clinic chain is Frest. Ajay owns eleven percent shares and you own twelve percent. Master plan!’
Akhila did not speak. She was petrified. To the commissioner’s shock, she suddenly smiled.
‘I didn’t do any of these commissioner. I am innocent. My lawyer will answer any question you may have.’
‘Again, there’s no question. Just a story. Well, you can delay the case in many ways. Your lawyers will find loopholes in the law and they will keep you from prison.’ The commissioner waited for Akhila’s smile to broaden.
‘But charges of sexually harassing a minor will give you a tough time.’
‘What?’ snapped Akhila.
‘You sent explicit pictures of yourself to an underage boy,’ the commissioner said placing a small envelope next to Akhila. He saw a shiver pass through Akhila. She didn’t touch the envelope.
She suddenly laughed out loud, ‘That boy turned eighteen that night. I sent the first one to him one hour after he turned eighteen.’ Akhila saw the commissioner’s face fall.
She laughed boisterously. ‘But commissioner, you have given me a golden egg. You have taken these pictures from a private chat between two people. You have print my pictures and given it to me. That is a gross violation of privacy and I will sue you for that.’
The commissioner said in a dejected tone, ‘Please give me that envelope.’
‘No!’ Akhila said and grabbed it. The commissioner looked on. Worry lines appeared on her forehead as her gaze shifted from him to the envelope. She slowly opened it and pulled out a plastic component. The commissioner enjoyed the moment to the fullest. His smile was one of deep satisfaction.
‘Facebook is not always very accurate with birthdays. Is it?’
Akhila’s face hardened. ‘But you have just confessed that you sent the pictures. That’s enough!’ Akhila clutched the plastic component with both hands.
‘Do you recognise that piece of plastic?' the commissioner asked. When Akhila did not respond, he said, ‘Neither did the car manufacturers.’
‘Especially the one that manufactured the car Ali died in.’
‘Ali was useful to you. He deposited money into forty-one accounts but he started asking questions. So, Ajay decided to move him out. So the two of you kept him inebriated until the Regional Head saw and decided to fire Ali. You intervened and got him transferred. The RH refused to engage with Ali. That make Ali come to you for help.’
‘But finally, Ali confessed to the RH. You decided to finish Ali off. You kidnapped the RH’s kid to shut his mouth. Amidst all this, Raj informed the RH of suspected fraud. So, Ajay attacked him but he escaped. You then kidnapped Priyanka to coerce Raj into surrendering to you. But you got to know Raj was to elope with another girl. You found a picture of her on Facebook and sent it to one of your men. He failed because another boy entered the scene.’
‘Ali died that night. Ajay planted this device,’ the commissioner gestured to the plastic component she was holding, ‘this device in Ali’s car. A clever little trick. If inserted properly it would press the clutch along with the brake. When inserted not-so-properly, the brake jams and presses the accelerator. Clever. Dead before he could figure out what was happening.’
The commissioner saw her eyes moisten.
‘Later, you had to kill the pawns. You crushed them with a lorry. But you didn’t know that one of the five men escaped. And then you restrained Gopi, the office boy. We rescued him and the RH’s some when we raided your racket.’
‘Don’t you see something strange? Raj, Priyanka, Geetha and the RH are your victims. They could do nothing . TT Masala and TITGIC are your victims. They did not have a clue that you were cheating them.’
‘But two kids…’ the commissioner allowed himself a smile, ‘two kids just out of school, two accidental inquisitors, nailed you all.
‘They stumbled on all crucial evidences accidentally. Pearl X, TT Masala, Priyanka, Geetha and most importantly, you.’
‘You can prepare to hide from Government bodies and law enforcers. But what preparation could you possible do to keep away accidental inquisitors?’
Epilogue
Pastor, principal and teacher arrested over scam.
A pastor, a principal and a teacher have been arrested for alleged theft and bribery.
Antony, 38, promised to trace a pastors’s nephew’s board examination papers to ensure high marks. The pastor, Fr. Ghee, demanded a sum of rupees two lakh from the principal of St. Jack’s International Residential School, Mr. Jose. This was in return for the pastor’s vote in the election that was to decide the elevation of the principal to the post of director. The pastor had directed the principal to hand over the money to Antony. The principal siphoned off money from the school’s funds to pay the bribe to the pastor.
Inspector Harish handled the case. ‘I was a sub-inspector then. We tapped the telephone lines of the pastor based on special approval. It lead us to crack the case,’ the newly promoted inspector said.
***
‘Belated happy birthday!’ Vishnu presented Bala and Viki an envelope each.
‘I get a present for Bala’s birthday?’
‘You might not want this present to wait till your birthday.’
The boys were dumbstruck when they realised what the present was. Admission letters from the Madras Institute of Technology.
‘Don’t worry about getting jobs,’ Vishnu shook hands with them, ‘enjoy college life now.’
In Raj’s presence, Geetha was a totally different woman. Viki and Bala were constantly surprised at how much confidence Geetha exuded. All she needed was to have Raj by her side. He completed her.
Priyanka quit her job and joined Geetha to set up an Academy that offered skill training to women.
Jainika walked into her office with the air of a champion. The office boy saluted.
She winked at him and headed straight to the pantry and poured herself a cup of coffee.
Her phone vibrated and the name Prithvi flashed on the screen. She picked the call. ‘I can consider patching up with you,’ he said, ‘I know you can’t survive without me.’ Jainika smiled and disconnected the call. I am whole by myself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ananth Gunasekaran is an alumnus of Christ University, Bangalore.He lives in Chennai. Accidental Inquisitors is his debut novel. You can reach him at [email protected].
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