by Ruby Gupta
‘Really?’
‘Oh yes. It was only love for his daughter that was his undoing. And well, who could blame him? Love does that to you. Unhinges you temporarily. Prompts you to think and do things that you normally would never do,’ Professor Shantanu seemed to be speaking to himself.
‘Hey! Are you talking about the swami or someone else?’ Dinkar did have an idea of where his friend’s affections lay of late.
‘Of course, I’m talking about the swami.’ Shantanu spoke a little too quickly.
‘So, it was love! Love was the root cause of it all,’ Professor Dinkar marvelled.
‘Isn’t it always?’ his friend smiled wryly. ‘Dr. Singhvi too gave the supari for Rajvir’s murder because of his love for Pallavi.’
‘What? That’s extraordinary! I didn’t know about it,’ Dinkar exclaimed. He became quiet as he reflected upon it. Then a little later, he added softly, ‘And love has finally led to the solving of this case…’
There was a long silence.
‘Remember the words of the poet, John Donne?’ his friend spoke after a while.
‘Which ones?’ Dinkar asked.
‘“To be no part of anybody,
Is to be nothing”…’
Professor Shantanu quoted the poet wistfully, as his eyes took on a faraway look.
About the Author
After her unputdownable bestseller, A Degree in Death, Ruby Gupta is back with another thrilling Professor Shantanu Bose mystery. This author of eight books, including the hugely popular Maya, and a literary critique of Khushwant Singh’s fiction, is currently penning her next thriller. She is based amidst the misty Himalayan foothills where she loves to concoct heady mixes of mystery and emotions.