It's heavy rainfall outside. I'm sitting on my chair and writing something. I'm telling something but it's more than something. My name is Alan Stark. I'm a respected police inspector in Delhi. I'm telling respected because I solved many cases with my brother. My brother is a famous spy. Not only spy, he did PhD in Physics. But he indulged himself in social works and now he decided to solve cases with me. I'm writing about my last case and he solved it in a dramatic way. Here I'm giving the details of the case.
It was last Sunday. 50 km from my residence in a farm house, the famous businessman Mr. Rockwood was murdered in his room. He was British but for profession he lived here. But the matter was his neighbour Mr. Harilal heard something. Well, after making out all incident I went to my brother,Alex Stark. Sorry for not telling before. He did PhD from Cambridge University and took a name like British. As someone made fun of his Indian name, he ought to take another one. So, he eliminated his paternal title and became acquainted with a new name. Even my real name is Vairav but my brother gave me a new name, Alan. He likes that name. I've no objection in it, I also like the name.. So, when I reached my brother's house, he was standing on the verandah and it seemed that he was waiting for me. When he saw me coming restlessly he told, "Welcome, my boy. Sit down."
"Hey, can you please stop calling me boy? I know you're five years older than me but....." he stopped me in the middle of my sentence by showing his right hand straight to me. "At first tell me about the case. We'll talk about our nonsense things later"told Alex. "So you know that I'll come to you" I said.
"Yes, of course. Actually Mr. Dhruva called me and told that you'll come with a case."
Mr. Dhruva isn't an ordinary person. He always pokes his nose in our case. I don't like him even my brother also.
"Well, Ammm. so, it's about Mr. Rockwood who informed us about the murder. Like all those days he came to his beloved friend Rockwood to have a chat with him. But when he came close to the door he found that the door was opened. He thought someone opened the door as Rockwood never left his door opened. So, he slowly went to his room and heard something. He put his ears closed to the outside of the room and heard three sounds. Two persons were screaming loudly but other person was laughing continuously"
"Wait" said quickly by Alex"That means the laughing sound belonged to the criminal and the screaming sound belonged to the Rockwood."
"Correct but who's the third person in that room as we didn't find any sign of her."
"Her?" Alex questioned me.
"Yes, Harilal told us that he heard the screaming of a girl"
"Hmmmm... next???"
"Harilal continuously called Rockwood and after giving no response he became a little bit scared. He then came back to his house constantly and called police"
"Ha ha ha, very coward. Next??"
"After that when we reached there we saw Harilal was standing outside the farm house. He took us to that room. We broke the door. After breaking it,we entered the room. The lights were already turned on before our arrival. It was just two bulbs. I think the murderer didn't get any time to switch off the lights. In that glimpse of light we saw Mr. Rockwood, lying numb in an old chair. It seemed he was sleeping, having no sense. I found the traces of blood just behind the chair. I checked his body and found a big wound in his one side of head. Somebody hit his head with a heavy thing"
"Hmmm. Murder weapon??"
"We discovered it. It was found in the loo. It's an axe. We also found marks of blood in it"
"Any suspect, brother?"
"Ya, the axe belonged to Mr. Harish Pandey. At the end of the handle we saw the name. Mr. Dhruva and others started searching the man. I hope that man killed Rockwood."
"Ha ha ha, my dear boy. Please change your habit. Without any evidence,any investigation you can't blame any person" said laughingly by Alex. I was silent then. After that he stopped his laughing and asked seriously,"What about the room?"
"We didn't find any extraordinary in that room.
"Off!" told Alex with a little annoyance "My brother,I told you everytime that sometimes the ordinary becomes extraordinary. All you have to do is keep your eye sharp, keen and incisive. Well, not more today. I wish to visit the place tomorrow. I think you put your officers in that place for all night?"
"Ya, of course. Four officers."
"Good. so brother, I've a request. Please stay at my home tonight. The very next Morning we'll visit the place together. You please call Ankita. Otherwise she'll be waiting for you." This habit of my brother really gratifies me. He loves me very much as well as my family. Always become anxious for us. When he visits my home everytime, he presents a gift for my son. Well, I gotta listen to my big brother. I called my wife and assured her that I would be fine there..

TO BE CONTINUED


© Nahid Hussain