ENQUIRY

‘October 23rd, Tuesday morning 10AM’
All the criminals were listed and some of the most wanted guys were called. The next day morning all of them were assembled except one. Akhil reached there so soon from his room and started looking at faces. Every face had it’s own story behind pushing them towards scum. We people thinking ourselves generous all the time, we’ll always consider the feelings of our loved ones alone. We never think of the intuition of our opposition and their situation. Even in this outburst of Corona, did any of step out to help people, atleast did any of us help our mothers…never. Updating statuses in social media will never change anything. We have to jump into it to make it out in a way we needed.
Akhil was furious all of a sudden and started hitting men. He had no enquiry and he started.
“psycho!”, some of them thought. There was a bunch of echoes coming out of pain.
“never dare to touch people anymore”, he warned.
“sir, why are you hitting us?”, one of them questioned.
“ooh…my morning breakfast was not so good…”
“sir?”
“send all of them and handcuff this shit head”, he ordered. Priyanka had to do it and she asked…
“but sir…why no enquiries?”
“they are not so worth of killing people and no one so tensed up. It’s just a waste of time”
“but sir…Shankar have not turned up.”
“Shankar? That bastard who killed a Constable? Is he alive? Salute to you people. Go buy some Salwars…”, he yelled.
“go search for him. We may get something out of him. If needed, make it up an encounter for self defence…”, he ordered.
“but sir, aren’t we solving this case. We are not so focused. We are on a wrong track”, Raj intervened.
“you are ordering ACP. Are we dumb here? I know what I am doing and just know who you are. You should not come into my sight anymore”, he yelled. Priyanka had to convince him and the total thing was time waste.
Harish was on his way to school. He dropped Aaryana with a kiss and he did not wanna’ make it a big issue. He kick started his bike. It wasn’t responding. Oh! The keys are not on. He twisted it and he saw the keychain with hearts SH…
“thank you so much. I did not expect this”, Sarah exclaimed.
“ah..”, he had nothing to say. It was just a present for him.
“a friend? Really? Nice man. Try impressing me more…”
“not a big deal. Go ahead open it…”
She opened the door unlocking it. It was 3BHK flat with a wide space. Of course she had been luxurious than this but this was something special for her. She looked all around as if she have not seen anything. She entered every room one by one. She entered the bedroom, a slight shyness floated through her face. She jumped on the bed and she was like a child.
Harish had nothing to do. He was just admiring all her acts from her back. He was quite tempted looking at her back. He often avoided it. Sarah moved down and she entered the restroom. She took up the aroma all around there. She moved to the kitchen. She slided her gentle hands over the Granite stand over there. She dreamt of cooking things over there which she had hardly done.
“need not feel for it! Swiggy will do…”, he commented. She looked at him with a cute anger and she moved on. Finally she reached the balcony. It was wide open and had a dramatic view of the entire city. Harish stood by her side. She held his hand at the instant filled up with tears in her eyes.
“thank you… for everything. This is my best birthday. After my parents divorce my father abandoned me totally but now, I feel complete. I see my dad in you.”
“yeah, it’s ok. You need not travel so long from your office anymore. Look there, it’s so close”, his chin touched her ears abruptly.
She was actually fine with him. She closed her eyes gradually but he did not want it. He tried getting in…
“do you even avoid me. It’s ok. I’ll wait. Am not gonna’ act anymore. I love you…”, she proposed. This is the word all these married people forget just after their marriage. The true love is not that you show in your teens…its that you show to your soulmates at ages! Hanging up for the sake of children is bullshit. It should be the love that must bind them together.
Harish approached saying something but she left. He knew that he is restricting himself but still he had no love on her. It was just a friendly move.
Days rolled on and all their routines were set right. They were so friendly day by day helping out each other. They hung out often, actually to have food. They were really happy. One day Harish was getting started to his office, Sarah intervened.
“you need not go this day. I have to say you something…”
“hey get out of the way, you moron”, people yelled at Harish. He was back to normal. He realized that he was on the way and he blocked it completely. He kick started the bike hardly and he accelerated it. He was on his way but he did not know where to go. He was at a high speed.
Suddenly he had a phone call. He moved to a side and answered it.
“hello”
“yup, Harish. There is a small investigation. Our people had went to your house, but you were not there. So come to the station as fast as you could”, it was Priyanka’s voice, he recognized.
“but mam…”
She hung up. Now he had no other go. He started his bike and he was headed towards the station…

WITNESS WEAKS…

‘October 23rd, Tuesday morning11.45 AM’
“sir! Somebody has turned up. He seems to be too old.”
“old witness? Hoo…let him in”, Akhil accepted.
A old man entered his cabin. He felt it difficult even to walk. He had a stick in his hand. All his hairs were pale but he had a dense hair. He wore a Rolex watch and a royal blue coloured Safari. He had a power glass being supported by his lower part of his nose. He slowly entered in.
“wow! What an evidence? Will he sustain till the case ends”, Akhil commented. The old man gradually sat on the chair.
“hey, who asked you to sit?”
“have some respect man! Am a retired army officer, Damodharan. It’s not my fate to be here. Am here because I thought that I would be helpful for you people begging for evidence”
“ooh! Would you have a coffee!”
“add those coffees to the money you steal from people”, he yelled. Akhil did not react ths time.
“sorry sir! Can you just say what you have got?”
“I’ve seen him, that bastard!”
“really?!”
“am not so sure. I can just help you with giving you certain approximate informations”
“what sort of…can you just say his height and weight, face structure or how does he look like…”
He gave all the details and they were having a long conversation. Some of the constables were standing just outside his cabin. They could hardly hear something. The old man left his cabin with a smile. Raj was standing at the entrance. By the time Harish came there. He was coming opposite to him. He did not notice the old man but he saw him.
“this…who is this guy?”, the old man enquired.
“what’s the problem, sir?”, Raj asked.
“the guy I have seen resembles him. The same height and weight and the those scars in his head. I have seen it.”
Raj turned and looked at Harish by the time the old man left. Harish entered the room and met Priyanka. Akhil came out of his cabin. He started…
“your attention please”
There was some murmur all around.
“am gonna’ fuck everyone individually who ever talks…”, this made up a silence.
“we’ve got something. That old man, he’s our trump card. He have given certain details. The killer is a male and of course he must be young. He is good looking and clean shaved. He had tucked in his shirt and so he is decent. These are some of the clues we could look into. The search for that asshole starts…”, he came down.
“sir”, Raj approached.
“sometime later…”, Akhil ignored.
“what do you want now? Why have you called me now? What should I do now?”, Harish terrified.
“cool down…cool down. Better you could have been a cop, shooting out questions. Nothing so serious man but of course, we have to do it. Later people have turned so rude man. ‘wife killed by her husband’; ‘techie killed by his collegues’; ‘psych killing his family and committing suicide…”, she was continuing.
“do you suspect me?”
“maybe…”
“oh well! Come on fuck me! I’ve lost her and I have nothing to loose anymore. Yeah! What should I do now?”
“just calm down. Go sit in that room. Don’t get too high!”
He entered into the enquiry room. It had the smell of the room freshner as if it had been contructed recently. People speking inside will be audible for those listening outside but they’ll not be visible to the people inside. All those sound systems had been newly furnished. Everything was set and the recording was on.
“sir! Shall I wait outside?”, Priyanka asked.
“then who’s gonna’ enquire?”
“but sir?”
“just get in. Question him from your heart. Forget all these camera stuffs. The more you are casual , the more bring out. Go on”
Priyanka had been timid recently due to her sour past but this time Akhil’s words boosted her. She had all the confidence and she went in. Harish was not ok there. He was really tensed. He had lot of tears.
“listen. I could understand you. We are not suspecting you but the information you give may be useful for us”, she started.
“am fine.”
“shall we start?”
“I wanna’ ask you something. Why are people so late all the time. You never care of all these trolls towards you. See…some random dickhead had killed my wife and now you want someone to arrest now? You’ get your reward…he’ll get his punishment but what is left for me? just ashes? What will I say to my daughter? She’s gonna’ wait for a long time…”
“calm down. We are here to help you. Don’t you wanna’ hang that bastard in chains? Do co-operate.”, she continued.
“am sorry…sorry!”, he apologized.
“you are one who called me darling, right? Over the phone call…”
“hoff! I didn’t mean it”, he scoffed looking at her tight blue jean.
“what’s going on sir?”, one of the operators asked.
“she’s on her track!”, Akhil smiled.
“so Harish…tell me what kinda’ relationship did you both have. Is it of that sort , so loving, caring and helping each other?”
“hmm…we loved each other but we never expressed. Of course, she was expressive. She would often irritate mw with her words but now am in the mood of hugging her and kissing her as a sign of apology, but she is no more…”, he sobbed again.
“enough man! But that sounds like a good way to apologize”
“yeah!”, he smiled with tears.
“now go on. What happened the previous day of her death. Did she intimate something to you?”
“it was just normal call she does everyday before reaching home. I’ve never minded it. I would even ignore it at times. But do you know something, yesterday I was looking at phone hoping to get something out of it but nothing changed.”
“well! did you notice anything strange in her recently? She have been killed and that’s not so easy. Someone must have followed her. Did you notice someone strange?”
“every weekend a stranger use to follow her...”, Akhil called Priyanka out suddenly.
“what happened sir?”, she came out.
“it’s already time for lunch. We’ll resume it later.”
“but sir?”, she had to go.
Akhil looked in through the glass and uttered, ”he’s good at making up stories…

ROLLING BACK…

‘October 23rd, Tuesday evening 3PM’
Harish was alone in that enquiry room. He was hungry and he was not provided with any. He had all those aroma of food moving around. All his taste buds started aching. He convinced it by drinking water but he had to maintain the quantity where he never wanted to go the restroom. He was again haunted by her memories. He tried making himself cool avoiding all her memories…
“am pregnant, Harish!”, Sarah exclaimed.
“really?”, he replied with shock.
“you are gonna’ be a father.” Yes, Harish heard it. He was out of his world. Of course, he was still not so interested in his relationship with her but still the word Father evoked him. He was fond of his mom who had left him in his childhood. His father raised him up single handedly and he lived his entire life with him. But now he was not even in contact with his father after his marriage. And now he could even imagine that he is gonna’ be a father.
“ah…”, he sighed and looked at her. She was waiting for something romantic. He could no longer resist himself. He pulled her stressing at her back. She was light weighted and she came front. For the first time he could feel her softness. He was quite tensed accompanied with her hot breathe! He took all his advantage that a man could. He slided his left hands through her hair and his right hand was pushing her more forward. He moved his lips but not to talk…
“shall we resume?”, Priyanka entered.
“…”
“well, you said that some stranger use to follow her everyday? Who is that?”, Priyanka continued.
“Priya! Just ask what is needed!”, Akhil forced through the Bluetooth headset but by the time she had removed it.
“it’s no one , mam! That’s me. Every weekend we would hang out with family and I would never concern her. I have never expressed my love at any point.”
“stop it ,man! Enough all that. Am really bored…sir! He’s not worth of killing people. He is just a fucking sober”, she yelled.
“emotionless creeps will never understand my pain. Just stick to your uniform and that will get you more money. Do you know what love is…have you ever felt the pain…heartless moron!”, Harish yelled back.
“yeah! Am heartless. I’ve never turned back to my family even after loosing it and that’s because of my love. I’ve beared a lot of pain and that’s because of my love and even now am here and that’s because of my love…yup! My love is my job and you are no person to comment on it. Just get out. Your wife is dead and all that you can do is to cry…go buy flowers for her cemetary. Waste of time!”
“am sorry, mam! Am really disturbed and I can’t take it. I married her with lot of hatred and I’ve never treated her so well all these days. She made me, she influenced me and now I am here. I have cursed her a lot and even after our baby I’ve never cared her. Of course, I was forced to marry but I would have not got a better girl than her.
I miss her very much and I could feel her every second. Sorry! I’ve hurted you. I should have not yelled at you but I was out of control. And I can never be a lead to your investigation. I want to kill that bastard by myself but I don’t know what to do…am sorry! Shall I leave…”, he tried leaving. By the time Priyanka’s eyes was filled with tears.
“it’s ok,relax! One last question. Do you suspect someone?”
“it’s ok, you can leave…” Harish felt like saying something…
“one minute mam! I think he might have done this”
“who is that?”
“her dad!”, he terrified…

TO BE CONTINUED...
© arvind