The Case of the Vicious Vampires

by Ketaki Karnik

  Manish Bhasin glared at Sarla. “You really haven’t stolen the vaccine, have you? And you have absolutely no idea where it is?”

  “No Manish, neither Venky nor I are burglars. We realised you were convinced we were and things would only get worse the more we denied it.”

  “How did these silly kids find us?” asked Manish Bhasin.

  “Because they are not silly at all. Each one of them is way smarter than the five of you put together,” snapped Sarla.

  “Venky sir totally skinned Reddy sir and Moshin sir alive,” commented Varun.

  “Ya, never seen Appa this mad,” said Sid, opening the fridge. Blissful quiet for the next few minutes as we dug into the remains of a chocolate cake.

  The police had arrived at the Academic Block and were being briefed thoroughly. Sarla and Venky sir had decided to tell them everything. Meanwhile, hunger pangs hit us. So, the five of us decided to raid the fridge in Sid’s house before heading out to the Lab (one of the policemen wanted us to show him around the Lab). Besides, with the police in ISIC, we were not needed.

  “Reddy sir deserved much more,” said Raima, polishing off the last bit of chocolate cream. “I thought Venky sir was way too nice to him.”

  Seated in a chair at the Academic block, Venky sir let the jewels slip through his fingers, onto the floor. “What is this, Dr. Reddy?” His voice was Antarctica-cold.

  “When? How did you find them?” fumbled Reddy sir, his eyes swaying up and down, right and left – everywhere, except at Venky sir.

  “That is not what I asked,” said Venky sir. Sarla bent down to examine the jewels minutely.

  Reddy sir locked and unlocked his hands, twitching his nose. “The jewels, thank God you found them,” he said weakly.

  “Where do you think we found them?” asked Venky sir. I could see Reddy sir wishing a black hole would swallow him. I couldn’t blame him. Venky sir didn’t raise his voice, but the Pluto-esque iciness and laser stares were terrifying.

  Reddy sir crumpled. Literally. “I discovered only later. Truly. Believe me.” Reddy sir continued babbling. “Day before, when I raised an alarm about the theft – that was true. I genuinely believed they had been stolen. Only later, after everyone had left, did I realise the jewels had slipped into the lower part of the case.”

  “And you didn’t think it important to let me know that?” asked Venky sir.

  “I, er…”

  “Well?”

  “I thought if the jewels stayed stolen, then I wouldn’t have to share them with my sister,” Reddy sir’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

  “I am no jewel expert, Dr. Reddy, but most of the stones seem artificial to me,” said Sarla sharply.

  Everyone – the ISIC profs, the PharmaGlobal researchers and us – spun around to stare at Reddy sir. His eyes darted from place to place, avoiding meeting anyone’s gaze. An electric silence.

  “They are,” he said slowly. “I had pawned off the jewellery years ago for cash, without telling my sister. I panicked when Moshin mentioned he was a historical-jewellery expert and wanted to examine the jewels. I tried to avoid showing him the jewels in Hyderabad. Ultimately, I had to. I couldn’t put him off any further. So, towards the end of our Hyderabad project, I showed him the jewellery. Fortunately, he didn’t figure out the pieces were fake. But he insisted I bring them to Bangalore. He supervised my packing the jewellery, so I had no choice. When the theft occurred, I was elated. It was a miracle come true.”

  Venky sir rolled his eyes. “Would you care to explain your interest in the Nizam’s jewels, Dr. Patel? And don’t give me the hogwash about Dr. Reddy’s sister or concern for historical Indian artifacts.”

  We had poured out every little detail – from Moshin sir’s phone conversation that I had overheard to our sneaking into NL sir’s room - before the others reached the Academic Block. Shockingly, Venky sir didn’t shoot us when we told him about our making a copy of the file Aruna ma’am stole, or creeping into Sunil Mahapatra’s room. He listened calmly and asked only matter-of-fact questions.

  “That is the only reason,” Moshin sir muttered, looking very uncomfortable.

  “You called that obnoxious detective before you phoned Dr. Reddy’s sister. We know that,” asserted Venky sir. He was clearly in no mood to let anyone get away with nonsense.

  “Interesting, very interesting,” mused Sarla, picking up the jewels and inserting her fingernails along the base of their settings. “A few stones have been stuck onto these pieces very recently.” Sarla leaned over to show Venky sir. “See, this diamond. It has been made to look like it’s part of the original design, but it’s not. It was added later.”

  “Ingenuous,” replied Venky sir.

  Sarla bore into Reddy sir’s eyes. “We know about the theft in the Hyderabad Lab, Dr. Reddy. Diamonds in the lab instruments were replaced by glass imitations. This was only discovered three days ago, so tracing back to exactly when the theft occurred was difficult. Until now. No point denying it.” Reddy sir shuffled his feet, moving his weight from side to side.

  He was about to take off.

  “I think he might run,” I hissed. Anna nodded, taking two large steps to her right, blocking him off. Varun and Sid discreetly moved to the other side. Effectively, we had blocked off Reddy sir. But basketball had taught me that there’s never anything like a perfect block, so I kept a sharp watch in case Reddy sir decides to make a run for it.

  “Theft in the Hyderabad lab? This is the first time I’m hearing about it,” whimpered Reddy sir. “Seriously. You must believe me. I have nothing to do with the theft.”

  “You can drop the act now,” Sarla glared at Reddy sir. “The police must be at the Institute gate by now. We’ll let them take over.”

  Sarla glanced at Venky sir. He caught on, “Yes, absolutely. We’ve done enough. Besides, the police are experts at questioning suspects.”

  “Please, you have to believe me,” Reddy sir’s words tumbled out. “I didn’t steal the diamonds from the Hyderabad Lab.”

  “In that case, why are the stolen diamonds in your possession?” asked Sarla.

  “I don’t know, I really don’t.” Sarla and Venky sir ignored his protests. He sounded like a video that wouldn’t load to the next frame. Reddy sir should admit to the theft. Once you’ve been caught, there is nothing you can do to change that. May as well go down with dignity. Then again, I had watched enough legal drama serials to realize that Reddy sir was probably laying out the ground-work for his lawyer. Although, Reddy sir didn’t seem the type who’d follow criminal dramas.

  “Why did you make such a fuss about bringing the Nizam’s jewels to Bangalore?” I asked. This part didn’t quite add up. “I assume your buyer is in Bangalore and that’s why you brought the diamonds here.”

  “I didn’t know about the diamonds,” pleaded Reddy sir. Sarla stared at him in disgust.

  “Maybe he really didn’t,” I said suddenly. “He should have been delighted that Moshin sir wanted him to bring the jewels to Bangalore, instead of being so reluctant.”

  “He may have been play-acting,” said Raima.

  “But so much play-acting? What if Moshin sir had given up trying to persuade Reddy sir to bring the jewels to Bangalore?” I shook my head. “Moshin sir never did answer your question, did he, Venky sir? About why he was so desperate to find the jewels.”

  “Well, Dr. Patel?” asked Sarla, poison dripping from her voice. “We’re waiting with bated breath for your explanation.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  We are going to die

  “There is none; just my concern for historical pieces,” replied Moshin sir defiantly.

  “You could have attached the extra diamonds to the Nizam’s jewels in Hyderabad. That’s why you insisted that Reddy sir bring them to Bangalore,” I guessed.

  “You’re making up stories,” replied Moshin sir nastily. He was right; I had no evidence.

  “Oh, Dr. Patel, you really are a first-time burglar
aren’t you?” Sarla let out a laugh, hollow and unfriendly. “We – Venky, Kavya, Raima and I – have been putting up a little performance for you. Of course we knew you had stolen the diamonds from the Hyderabad lab and hidden them amidst the Nizam’s jewels. You didn’t actually think Venky or I seriously bought your ‘concern for historical pieces’ story?”

  Sarla was gambling big time here. She was using a fairly common interrogation technique - you transform conjecture into factual-sounding statements and make the suspect believe you have proof. I tried hard to keep a straight face. I espied Venky sir gulping. “Sarla and I were merely entertaining ourselves till the police turn up. We wanted to see how quickly you break.”

  “I think we should let the police question him, Venky. The police, as you know, have their methods. The inspector is a friend of mine, and particularly notorious for extracting confessions.”

  “It is only a few diamonds. Don’t tell the police. Please don’t. I’ll tell you where they are,” gushed Moshin sir, narrating the entire story.

  He had replaced the diamonds in the glass cutter and a few other lab instruments and was searching for a safe way to smuggle the stones out of Hyderabad. When Reddy sir mentioned his collection of Nizam’s jewels, in passing, a brainwave struck Moshin sir. “The best place to hide a needle is not in a haystack, but with other needles.” He pretended to be interested in historical jewellery to get access to the Nizam’s treasures. After much coaxing, Moshin sir finally got to see the jewels. “I got one of those shady jewelers, who trades in stolen goods, to set the stones, in the pieces, hoping Reddy wouldn’t notice. You see, I mistook his reluctance to show the jewels as disinterest in the pieces. And, therefore, I risked his not examining the jewels thoroughly.”

  Moshin sir had intended to extract his diamonds, from the Nizam’s pieces, in Bangalore. Apparently, he had found a buyer in Bangalore. “I thought the diamonds were safest where they already were, hidden within Reddy’s jewels, till I finished negotiating with the buyer.”

  “Phew, that’s some story. Venky, next time, we should ask corporates for a character certificate of their researchers. What rogues! Thanks to Sid and his friends, we’ve wrapped up the theft in Dr. Reddy’s room. And, Sarla and your amazing rescue. I would never have worked out the clues,” said Aruna ma’am, smiling at us.

  “I have to tell you Aruna aunty, your house was inspirational. We solved the clues sitting at your kitchen table. In fact, at first Kavya threw the sheets of paper into the bin because we weren’t getting anywhere. Then, as a brainwave struck, we retrieved the scraps from the bin,” said Sid.

  Cool! The Crime Busters’ League is truly awesome. Now maybe I had a shot at being a real detective when I grow up. We had solved the theft in Reddy sir’s room. Correct, although… “The painting is still missing.”

  “Oh that. I had completely forgotten about it. It is a Rs. 100 fake. Don’t bother about it,” said Venky sir. “Speaking of rogues, Aruna, what did you steal from NL’s computer?”

  “Stole from my computer?” NL sir exclaimed, staring at Aruna ma’am. Her head swung towards us, lashing us with an accusatory glare. “Oh, so not only do you go sneaking into people’s homes, you also shadow them.”

  “That, Aruna, is irrelevant. In any case, the kids have been through hell. Lay off them. You, on the other hand, will appear before the Faculty Disciplinary Committee. NL, you had assured me that you have given up your gambling habits. Highly disappointing.”

  Aruna ma’am’s tone changed. She was pleading. “Venky, the work on Black Jack was NL’s and mine. Purely for academic purposes. It was a joint effort, till he stole all the research. I was only trying to get back what belonged to me. I wouldn’t have used it. You know that.”

  NL sir admitted that he had gambled following a commitment to reform himself – but just once, or so he alleged. “Just to see if my formula works.” He had borrowed a vast sum. Initially, he won round after round. Almost embarrassingly easily. Then, he lost the entire fortune in the last round. “The casino cheated. I’m certain of that.”

  He was now left in massive debt. “I was only trying to put off my debtors, by claiming that I had reworked the formula.”

  Venky sir nonchalantly stated that he would let the Faculty Disciplinary Committee decide. Aruna ma’am and NL sir turned pale.

  “This just doesn’t make sense,” I said, finally. Thoughts bouncing about within my head were driving me crazy.

  All through our walk to Sid’s house, and now, to the Lab, I felt like we’d found all the pieces in a puzzle. But arranged them all wrong. A picture that didn’t make sense. Like placing the horse’s tail next to the mouth. “The missing vaccine, the jewels slipping, the stolen painting…we’re missing something. The upper and lower compartments of the jewel case are separated by a solid plank. And though the separator plank is actually two panels which collapse along the middle, the jewels couldn’t have simply slipped into the lower section.”

  “Kavya, you’re over-thinking as usual,” said Sid. “Haven’t you noticed that sometimes a pile of books crashes without anyone being around at the time? It’s just that the pile was unstable in the first place, and therefore, eventually slipped. That’s all. Not like there was an invisible person around or a ghost.”

  I guess so. Yet…

  “Wait, what if…gosh Kavya, I’m beginning to think like you and that’s scary. Okay, so what if someone was in Reddy sir’s room, to steal the jewels. I mean, it was no secret he had brought the Nizam’s jewels along with him. I’m sure everyone in ISIC, from the cleaners to the gardeners, knew about that. And, as the thief was trying to open the glass case, the jewels slipped to the lower part of the box. The thief couldn’t figure out a way to open the wooden portion of the case. Remember, even we took a while to work out how the case opens. Or, perhaps the thief spotted someone outside and left in a hurry.”

  I gaped at Anna. “You’re a genius, Anna.”

  Sid gave a low whistle. “Phew.”

  “We have to tell Venky sir and Sarla, as soon as we’re done showing the policeman around the Lab,” said Raima.

  “I wonder who the jewel thief is,” mused Varun.

  I wondered too. Although… “That doesn’t explain why the thief took the cheap fake painting instead.”

  “Maybe a memento of his exploit? Honestly, no clue,” said Sid.

  Freak. I’d read about psychopaths who retain a memento, like a finger of each of their victims or a strand of hair. But a burglar who keeps memories of his failure? Must be a bizarre weirdo.

  We neared the edge of the dense forest-like part. Two days ago, this is where we had hid, insanely petrified, hoping to rescue Sarla. All on an inexplicable, random feeling that, despite all solid sensible indications, Sarla hadn’t gone rogue. Somehow, now, the place didn’t seem so scary. Actually, not scary at all. Even Raima didn’t blink at the flutter of leaves at the far end of the clearing.

  “It’s called a change in perspective, Kavya,” explained Anna. I didn’t quite understand but I figured change in perspective is like looking at something from a different angle. For example, instead of figuring out the weak point of the other team in basketball, you identify your strong points.

  “What if the real theft was the painting and not the Nizam’s jewels?” I said, startling even myself, as we entered the Lab. Fortunately, the police-man had left the door unlocked.

  “Doesn’t make sense, Kavya,” said Raima dismissively. At least Raima bothered reacting, unlike the others.

  “The police chap must be inside, near the pantry,” said Varun, leading the way. We walked past the reception and into the main Lab area. I heard a click. Must be Varun’s fancy watch telling us something super unimportant. We walked along the length of the Lab and turned right onto the short arm of the ‘L.’

  This was the first time Anna was inside the Lab and her mouth was open wide enough for a basketball to go in. Although this was technically the third time I had entered the Lab, I was ult
ra-impressed too. Cupboards immaculately stacked with neatly labeled bottles of chemicals. Gas cylinders stored behind boards saying ‘Caution: highly inflammable.’ Empty test tubes, glass dishes, beakers of all shapes and sizes.

  The ultimate Lab – you think it, it’s in the Lab.

  “Where’s the chap?” said Varun, striding ahead and opening the pantry door.

  “Aruna ma’am said he’s waiting for us in the Lab,” said Anna.

  “Is he in the bathroom, Varun?” asked Raima.

  “Oh, must be. Didn’t think of that,” Varun opened the bathroom door. No one there.

  Anna tried the girl’s bathroom in case we were meeting with a lady police officer. “I guess he’ll come in a while.”

  Sixty thousand volts of electric current passed through me in a lighting second.

  “Run,” I said, hoarsely at first. Then a louder panicky, “Run, get out of here.” The others blindly followed as I raced to the front door. My hands trembled as I pushed down the handle bar to open the door. It wouldn’t open. Varun and Sid helped. No effect.

  “Allow me,” Anna rammed down the handle bar with the jerk, and shoved with all her might. The door wouldn’t budge. “The door is jammed.”

  “No, no, no. This can’t be happening.” An icy fear gripped me. “We are going to die.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  I am trapped in hell

  “Kavya, slow down. What is happening?” asked Anna, gripping my shoulders.

  “Not now Anna,” I said, zillions of thoughts bombarding me. “I’ll explain later. First, we have to find the murder weapon.”

  “Murder weapon meant for…” I completed what Raima was hesitating to say. “Murder weapon meant for us.”

  “I don’t understand a word of what you’re saying, Kavya. Anyway, what is this murder weapon?” said Raima.

  “I have no idea. I don’t even know where it is.” My words tumbled out. “I only know we will die.”

  “Calm down, Kavya,” said Anna.