Finally, letting out a sigh, he picked up a set of keys and rose. Behind me someone moved, but he gestured to that individual to stay put. Instead, he indicated that I should follow him. About time, I thought, and rose to my feet. I turned around to see who was being left behind—the mute female cop who always came along for protocol.
This surprised me. As per the rules, it was mandatory for a female officer to be present when transporting women criminals. The Creep was so furious that he was making light of important regulations like that.
That was unlike him. His actions had to have an ulterior motive. The very thought of being unofficially grilled by him sent a chill down my spine. Was I to undergo some kind of torture that made even his subordinates uncomfortable? Why had Superman left me high and dry like this? Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I was weak in the knees by the time we reached his jeep.
He indicated that I get in the passenger side of the front seat and proceeded directly to the driver’s end without so much as a backward glance. He was that confident that I would do as he had instructed, and that I would not run away. He was right.
Once inside the car, I realised that he hadn’t used handcuffs. This made me more nervous about what was about to happen. He started the vehicle, signed the register at the gates, and drove out. I noticed that he omitted to fill the passenger column of the register and that under ‘purpose of exit’ he merely wrote ‘personal’. This could only mean that I was in for some kind of unauthorised treatment. The mere thought freaked me out.
Chapter 24
He spoke first. ‘Where should I drop you? Back at your house or outside your office where we picked you up?’
Dumbstruck, I could only stare in response.
‘I suggest that you go back home. I can drop you there. That way you will escape the journalists—or would you prefer to feed those sharks some juicy gossip?’
‘You are dropping me back?’ I asked.
‘Isn’t that why you were sitting and glowering at me? First you create a scene in my office, and now you act like a silly schoolgirl!’
‘I did not make a scene. In fact, I did not even utter a single word!’
‘No, you sat there looking at me as though I was your personal driver, waiting for me to escort Her Majesty back!’
‘How atrocious! I was waiting for you...’
‘That is exactly what I also said,’ he interrupted. ‘You were waiting!’
‘I... I thought I was being taken into custody. I was waiting for you to escort me to the cell. Am I not arrested?’ I asked.
Now he stared at me, stunned. He cursed. ‘You thought you were being arrested? For what? What the hell have you done now?’
‘I have done nothing, but that didn’t stop you from imprisoning me before. You probably have some other infuriating evidence against me,’ I replied indignantly.
This time he burst out laughing, going from white fury to heartfelt mirth in a matter of seconds! The transformation caught me unawares. For the first time, I saw him. I mean, really saw him. He looked young, normal, and human. The realisation made me feel funny, and I wanted to lash out at him immediately. He was the enemy, I reminded myself, the one man who thought the worst about me!
‘Care to share!’ I said sarcastically, using one of his favourite mannerisms. My tone did not escape his notice, and he laughed harder.
‘I have to hand it to you, Nalini Bose. When you are not being obnoxious, you are ridiculously silly,’ he complimented me, and I fumed even more. He pulled into a parking lot and told me to stay put, keep the windows up, and duck if I spotted anyone. He promised to be back soon.
He was gone a while. I continued to be clueless about my status. From his words, I presumed that I was free, for the time being at least. But why had he taken me to the CBI office that morning, and what were those papers I had signed? Would I be in any trouble if I left before he returned? Confused, I sat there like an obedient schoolgirl.
With the air-conditioning off and the windows up, the car was fast becoming a furnace. I was nearing the end of my patience when he returned. I noticed he had been out shopping. My blood pressure shot up within a second. While I had been enduring the stifling heat without knowing if I could leave, he had been happily shopping.
Seeing my expression, his mirth returned. Laughing, he shoved the shopping bag at me and started the vehicle.
Muttering about unthinking, uncivil, uncouth policemen, I was about to dump the wretched thing at my feet, when he remarked, ‘It’s for you, Nalini.’ He had shopped for me!
Once the shock of the announcement wore off, curiosity took over. I peeped into the bag and saw three packages. One was a white cake box without labels, the second was a can of some sort, and the third was a soggy paper package... ice cream? The only way to be sure was to take out each item and check. I was loath to do that with his watchful eyes trained on me.
Was this the ritual fattening before the sacrifice?
‘I bought rasgulla, butterscotch-blueberry ice cream, and peach vanilla cake,’ he volunteered.
My breath caught in my throat. Those were the exact treats I craved, the precise items I had planned to ask Superman to arrange for me. Had I spoken my desires aloud? How did the Creep know exactly what I wanted?
I realised I had more to fear from him than I had previously believed.
Once again reading my face accurately, he launched into an explanation. ‘You are a Bengali, so I assumed that you would like rasgullas. You were eating ice cream to mourn Piyush, so I thought you might want some to celebrate as well. The flavour I chose is unusual but try it—it’s my favourite. I know for sure you will relish the cake because you were eating the same flavour when I met you two days ago.’
He had noted what flavour cake I had been eating! He was that attentive! He had a favourite ice cream, and I was craving the same flavour! This was creepy. What felt worse was his need to butter me up. Celebrating? What exactly was I supposed to be celebrating? I decided to begin there.
‘So, when am I to learn my reason for celebrating,’ I muttered.
‘Let me enjoy this moment a little more, Nalini. You have brought so much drama into my investigation. I will miss it a lot. So let me savour the moment, please.’
Unable to make head or tail of what he was saying and not wanting to seem overeager, I stayed quiet. At least he expected me to celebrate when I heard the news. With that reassuring thought, I sat back stubbornly, curbing my urge to ask more questions.
He glanced at me now and then and grinned. His silly smirk was getting on my nerves. I resolutely kept my face averted and made a show of not noticing. He loved my reaction, and his beams became broader and more enthusiastic. The drive was horrible and took forever. At last, he parked outside my door.
I jumped out without waiting for him to say anything. He followed me. I shoved the package into his hands and unlocked the front door. He did not complain. He entered the house behind me and placed the package on the coffee table in the sitting room. Then he made himself comfortable on the couch. I made a grand show of ignoring him.
His grin followed me as I picked up my gifts, unwrapped them, and put the cake and rasgullas in the fridge. I scooped a portion of the ice cream into a small bowl and handed it to him. Then I put a spoon into the carton and ate directly from it. Civility was wasted on him.
I chose a cosy corner on a sofa, stretched out my feet on a footrest, and gorged. Two could play this game. He had better spill the details without my asking. I knew he would. He had blinked first in the staring game too. That had brought him all the way to my house to drop me. So I knew I would win this vigil too.
I was right.
‘Nalini, the CBI has dropped all charges against you,’ he said.
I almost choked on my ice cream. He saw my reaction and the infuriating snicker reappeared. ‘You heard me right. You are no longer a suspect in Piyush’s murder. We have dropped all the charges. Those papers you signed were for your official re
lease.’
By then, I had recovered somewhat. ‘Just like that? What changed your opinion?’
‘The poison in Piyush’s system was from another kind of datura.’
I could only stare. He had let me go because the poison had not come from my backyard. It sounded too good to be true. ‘Why are you so sure that I did not get it from someplace else? Datura is easy to find,’ I said anxiously. I had to know.
‘My my, you liked prison, did you?’
‘Humph,’ I replied, concentrating on the delicious ice cream.
‘If you want, we can re-open your grandparents’ case. I am sure with some effort I can pin that on you.’
‘I am sure you can. You stuck one case on me, another should be easy enough,’ I replied flippantly. I somehow knew he was joking—or did I hope he was?
‘Any other officer would have taken exception to your attitude,’ he replied, seemingly in no hurry to tell me what I was dying to know.
‘Any other officer would not have harassed me without getting his facts right, in which case he would have had no need to hound me.’
That snigger again! ‘If you think I was harassing you, then you have not met hardliners in all your criminal days.’
I wanted to wipe that irritating smile off his face. He was getting under my skin. ‘So you are a junior guy. No wonder you messed up initially,’ I gloated.
Heading towards the door, he gestured that I should remain seated and that he would let himself out. ‘I know that you aren’t the killer because Piyush wasn’t the target. We have caught the actual killer.’
‘We have caught the actual killer’ rang through my head many times before I realised what I had heard. Someone else had killed Piyush, and that person was in custody. My entire body froze. I was numb with shock when the Creep’s voice broke into my trance.
He was facing me, but from his stance I could tell he was uncomfortable. He wanted to say something to me but was fumbling to find the right words.
After a few seconds of indecision, he said, ‘I just wanted to apologise for any... mmm... distress I might have caused you. I know that you have had a traumatic life and that you loved Piyush in your own different way. I also know that at this time of all times you needed your space, and my investigation and I were a nuisance to you. I was doing my duty, but perhaps I should have secured more evidence before arresting you and putting you through hell for something you did not do.’
I blinked. I had learnt to accept that the Creep’s actions were unpredictable. But an apology! That caught me off guard. Goodies and atonement—the Creep was turning out to be a mushy-hearted man who was way out of his depth here.
‘One more thing,’ he said. I raised my right eyebrow quizzically. There was more? Unbelievable! ‘The shameful incident at the prison cell that night—it should not have happened.’
How did he know about the incident? Had Superman told him? Unlikely, I thought. He was too busy rescuing people like me. So how did he know? Then a thought sneaked into my head. Was he referring to me crapping my pants? My eyes automatically squinted in suspicion. I was far from trusting this man.
‘I conducted an enquiry and punished the perpetrators. They will never repeat it with any other inmate.’
I was relieved. He was not referring to my stinker. Still, there seemed to be little that had happened to me that he did not know about. It was positively Creepy!
‘You should not have had to endure those things. I have also ensured that the police personnel on duty that night were suspended. They should have stopped the attack. You should press charges. I will do what’s needed at my end.’
I was beyond shocked. I listened open-mouthed, ice cream all but forgotten, until something wet and slushy dripped onto my dress. I recovered disgustedly.
‘So, my apologies for the way my department and I have treated you and for all the mental agonies you have had to undergo because of it.’
I nodded rather stiffly at him, and he responded with a curt nod on his part. Then he turned around and smartly stepped out of the house, closing the front door behind him.
◆◆◆
He had left without disclosing the killer’s name. But he had been right in guessing that I would be in the mood for partying. After polishing off the ice cream, I dug out the cake and turned on the television to get the blow-by-blow account of how the actual murderer was caught.
For the second time in less than an hour, I almost choked.
Pakhi’s face was plastered across the TV screen. The headline read: Bharat Desai’s daughter arrested for murdering husband, Piyush Gokhle!
Chapter 25
It was 6:00 a.m. on Friday, February 19, and I was already awake and restless to go for my walk. For the millionth time I wondered what other atrocious things this pregnancy would make me do. I still did not feel happy about having a baby of my own and rearranging my life for it, but I no longer hated my unborn child.
I wondered what Pakhi was doing in prison. She would most likely be out on bail. Superman would be efficient in the matter. He’d got me out without breaking into a sweat. He would do the same for her. I was thankful, though, that he had not come to me for a character certificate as he had gone to her on my behalf. I had wondered if he would and dreaded the moment.
I noticed the birds and the blooms on my walk. It was actually quite a colourful neighbourhood. My forced sojourn in the mountains had reacquainted me with nature and its immense beauty. I had finally reconnected with the world of flowers and scents, and it felt good. I wished I could sit at my favourite spot in my yard back home, gazing at the Kanchenjunga.
The newspaper was lying on my doorstep when I returned, and I picked it up as I entered. Putting it on the table, I went to the kitchen, made myself a hot drink, found the remote, and then settled down to a few minutes of peace—hot coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Thanks to the media, yesterday I had learnt all the details about Pakhi’s evil plan. The shocking details left me wondering if any of the sweetness for which she was famed was even real.
Seeing the day’s headline, I almost spilt the hot coffee all over me. It read: Bharat Desai’s daughter to remain in jail.
Putting aside the coffee mug, I read the article. It explained that when Bharat Desai came to know what Pakhi had done, he had disowned her and taken his lawyer off her case. He had told the media that he would not support his daughter and neither would any other member of his family. He wanted her to remain in jail where she belonged.
In complete agreement with his stand, his supporters had praised him and pledged their unconditional support to him. They had even vowed to kill her if she ever stepped out of prison. In fact, according to the TV reports that were streaming the demonstrations live from Yerwada, angry protesters were shouting slogans against her and demanding the death sentence. Pakhi had been hastily transferred to the city’s central jail the previous night following security concerns.
Fearing for her life, she had decided not to apply for bail.
I turned off the television. I did not want to begin my day thinking of negatives. I needed to be completely focussed for what I had to do. I put away the paper and sipped my coffee, recalling pleasant memories. Then I made breakfast and got dressed. By 8:30 a.m. I was ready to face the day.
As promised, the Creep had arranged for my car to be delivered to my address. He had called and confirmed its delivery and enquired how I was holding up. This had surprised me initially, but by then I knew most of what had happened, and I realised that his earlier disdain for me had been part of his modus operandi and not a personal reaction to me.
It took some getting used to, but interacting with the real Creep... I felt funny! A caring human being had taken the place of the abrasive officer I had dealt with until then. There was an easy familiarity about him. I liked the change, a lot.
I got into my car and set off. There was still time for my meeting, but I wanted to arrive early. As hoped, I reached with time to spare. The venue w
as one of the city’s most popular five-star hotels. At the plush business centre, a courteous employee showed me into a comfortable lounge. Soon, a hostess appeared and inquired about refreshments. I placed my order and then waited for the meeting to convene.
First, the quorum was established. Two items were on the day’s agenda. I did not have a role in the first but was to be a key figure in the next. It took about two hours, and by noon all formalities had been fulfilled and every handshake completed. We had an early lunch together and then dispersed. I felt like I had conquered Mt Kanchenjunga.
◆◆◆
I drove straight to the IndeGen offices. I knew somebody would have briefed Pandurang, and I was prepared for resistance from his side. He posed none and welcomed me back as cordially as could be expected under the circumstances.
I had asked the five others who had been suspended to be at the office by 1:00 p.m. They were already there. I issued orders revoking their suspension and gave them permission to rejoin immediately.
After all this, there was only one thing left to do—the most difficult task of the day. It was Innovation Friday and every IndeGener had been informed about a meeting at 4:30 p.m. With constant news flashes from the media and because of the technology at everybody’s disposal, everyone had some knowledge of what was happening. But leaving things unsaid or ambiguous was a bad idea. An immediate official confirmation was necessary.
◆◆◆
As I walked into the jam-packed, massive food court, I remembered another meeting held here a few months ago. Piyush had been at his charming best that day. He had announced IndeGen’s plans for an IPO, and the ensuing celebrations had extended late into the night.
Today’s meeting was happening in a different mood. As was the practice, food, drink, and music had been arranged for the audience. But I doubted if this meeting I had called would end in a party.
The Murder Suspect Page 19
