by Vish Dhamija
'It will be. Going by your records, you wouldn't fall short in clearing the amethyst mist from this case to earn yourself one. In any case the move from the Indian Police Force to the CBI is a big step forward, isn't it?'
'Yes, sir.'
'I hope you know what this meeting is all about?'
'I know what it is about, but I have not been given any details yet,' Kabir responded.
'That is why you are here, son…' Mr Gill slipped in the word son to establish his father figure status as early as possible. He handed a file over to Kabir and carried on. 'This is just the gist of the case… do you see over there?' he pointed towards a mountain of files kept in one corner. 'Those files contain all the information you need to begin.'
Kabir looked at the recently dusted-off files and raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement.
'It's a pity that the people following this enquiry, earlier, did not find a single lead. All these files contain is what happened, how many shares were counterfeited, which companies were affected, how much the scandal could be worth… I would classify this more as a piece of research than an investigation,' Mr Gill explained in disgust.
Kabir thought for a moment before he spoke. 'So we have to begin all over again, after time has elapsed, which always makes it a little more difficult.'
'Yes, but that's our job. The size or complexity of the task should not deter us,' Mr Gill said.
'You're absolutely right, sir.'
Mr Gill explained the whole case to Kabir in brief. 'There are a few important things I need to tell you before you take on this case. One, you will move out of your office to a smaller place here in one of the wings. I will initiate the process for getting a pass for you.
'Second, you will work exclusively on this case and report solely to me… not entertaining any calls from anyone, however important, and no statements to the media. You only take orders from me.
'To maintain absolute secrecy, I don't want to involve a lot of people. You need to identify one person who will assist you. Do you have someone in mind for this case?'
Kabir hadn't thought about that.
'I would like to meet him or her,' Mr Gill said.
'Okay. Let me look at the case files before deciding who fits the role.'
'That's good. When can you let me know?'
'Give me a day or two,' Kabir requested.
'Okay… and one more thing,' Mr Gill said as an afterthought.
'What is it?' Kabir asked.
'For the purpose of discretion, till you handle this investigation, no uniforms please. I don't want you going around like a policeman. You can keep your arms, but you have to work more like a detective.'
Kabir understood the rationale.
'Do you have any questions?' Mr Gill asked.
'Just one. Why did you select me for this case?' Kabir wanted to know the reason for getting picked for this assignment.
'Because you are the best. Your past records tell me that you have the capability, coupled with unselfishness. And I knew you would be passionate about this job.'
'Thanks for the honour.'
'I wish you all the best. All my contact details are on the first page of the file I just gave you. If you need to reach me urgently, do not bother what time of the day — or night — it is. I would like to meet you and your chosen candidate by…'
'We'll be here before the end of the week sir.' Kabir filled in the blanks.
***
D'Cunha had outperformed everyone who had ever worked for Kabir before, and maintained his record in solving cases as suitably and quickly as he always had. As a matter of fact, he had exceeded his own expectations. In the last eighteen months DSP Michael D'Cunha, with his new team, had resolved two homicides, busted an unauthorised gambling den and illicit liquor supplier and arrested a money launderer, besides taking a lot of small time cases off Kabir's back. The men did not agree on everything, but Kabir always carefully considered D'Cunha's views before making decisions.
Contrary to the hearsay, D'Cunha appreciated working for a supervisor like Kabir who did not believe in being politically correct while working in the police force. Kabir had made it clear from day one that the duty of the police department was to protect citizens, and likewise, that citizens also had a responsibility to help police by providing any information that was required. It did not matter who the suspect was. If required, the person would be brought in for investigation and no amount of external pressure could stop him while Kabir was around.
The police could only do their job if everyone cooperated. Questioning someone is different from convicting. If we don't probe, how will we ever get to the truth? Kabir had articulated to his team on every occasion.
D'Cunha understood that from experience. On many occasions, like the time he wanted to probe Kim, his boss had blocked the investigation due to pressure from an influential person. As he sat there at his desk looking into a file, he heard footsteps approaching him. It was Kabir, in plain clothes.
'Keep sitting,' Kabir said seeing D'Cunha immediately drop the file to rise and greet his boss.
'Good morning, sir. You could have called me…'
'I thought if I need you, I should come to you,' Kabir said and pulled a chair. 'How long have you been in this job now?'
'About eighteen months.'
'And you think you're doing a good job?'
D'Cunha's face dropped. He promptly tried to recall all the recent cases he had handled to check, in his mind, if he had gone wrong somewhere and upset Kabir. An open-ended question like the one he had just been asked did not sound very promising. He couldn't recall anything that he might have done wrong, in any case, in the last six months or so. 'I think so,' he replied.
'You think or you know?' Kabir was, somehow, enjoying making him anxious; he had noticed D'Cunha becoming disturbed with the conversation. There was a silence in the room. 'You don't even offer tea to visitors now?'
'My apologies…' D'Cunha confessed, picked up the intercom phone and asked for two teas to be rushed to his room.
'Thank you.'
'You're welcome, sir.'
The teas arrived in a flash as if someone had pre-empted the request, seeing Kabir walk into D'Cunha's room a moment ago.
'Remember I told you in our first meeting, I believe in putting the utmost trust in the people who work for me…' Kabir started again.
D'Cunha had done all he could for the department. The initial arrangement he had with his family had continued for longer than he had thought. His family was still in Mumbai, he was utterly dedicated to his work, but Kabir's demeanour did not reflect any of that.
'I have been assessing your work and I think you should not be in that uniform.' Kabir carried on the onslaught.
D'Cunha wanted to close his eyes and think that it was a nightmare. He opened his mouth, but failed to get any words out in his defence. Years of service seemed like coming to an end, with all plans of a prize posting or promotion appearing to suddenly rush out of the window. He couldn't understand the reason for Kabir's behaviour, because he couldn't think of anything that had gone so terribly wrong in his work that could have upset his boss to this extent. Taking a police officer out of his uniform was nothing less than suspension.
'Come into my room, I need to discuss something confidential with you.' Kabir realised that he should stop the banter and put D'Cunha out of the misery now. He finished the remaining tea in the cup in one long gulp and swiftly walked out. D'Cunha got up with his legs trembling like he had just finished running the marathon. Each step to Kabir's office felt like a mile.
'Sit down,' Kabir said with a smile as if he was a different person than the one who had just delivered the devastating message a minute ago in D'Cunha's room. D'Cunha's heartbeat was still racing after the marathon.
'Relax, Michael, I was just checking your nerves. My assessment of you is that you are one of the most knowledgeable, comprehensive, capable and realistic officers in my team.' Kabir put all the adjectives h
e could conjure up in one sentence. And he wasn't exaggerating. 'I promised you a high profile assignment if you performed well in two years. I think you have outperformed, and therefore the reward has come in eighteen months. I know I can completely trust you now. My comment about taking off your uniform was right though… even I have given that up. It's a discreet assignment and I have been temporarily moved into CBI. I need only one capable officer and I am convinced that you fit the bill.'
D'Cunha took a long breath of relief. 'Anything you say,' he said knowing well that a posting in CBI was beyond his wildest dreams just a few minutes ago.
'You understand that this job that I am offering you can bounce you into a different league, if we are successful. On the flip side, if we fail…'
'We will not fail, sir.' D'Cunha found it hard to hide his excitement.
'I like your confidence, Michael. That's the kind of man I like.' Kabir paused to let D'Cunha breathe for a minute. 'It's an old case, which should have been solved years ago but got sidelined due to lack of leadership. It got picked up in the recent political agenda and hence we have to reopen it. I have been through the files now.'
'When do I begin?' D'Cunha asked.
'As of now. Tomorrow I need to take you to Mr Gill, who is the chief of this enquiry — his office is in Parliament House and both of us will be working from there as well.'
'What is the case about?'
'Way back in the early or mid-nineties or so it appears for now, someone — or a syndicate — printed counterfeit share certificates and floated them on the market. It only came out in the open when the SEBI mandated the dematerialisation of paper-based shares in the late-nineties. I am sure you would have heard about it then and there has also been coverage on the news recently, but it will not get any more media coverage till we investigate and uncover the truth,' Kabir explained.
'I know… I heard about it when I was in Mumbai. It started there.'
'It got unearthed in Mumbai. But we don't know where it originated from, do we?'
'No, sir.'
'Okay. You will get the files tomorrow. I shall see you there,' Kabir said handing over the address of Mr Gill's office to D'Cunha. 'And it's worth emphasising that you should not speak to anyone about this assignment, not even to your family.'
'You have my word sir,' D'Cunha assured.
'Kabir… Remember, there are no uniforms,' Kabir corrected D'Cunha, pointing towards his shirt.
D'Cunha nodded. 'You almost took my breath away,' he said after a minute of silence.
'It's all a question of nerves. I could have given you this news in a normal way, too, but the impact would have been inferior. Don't you agree?'
No, I don't agree, D'Cunha wanted to bark.
'Of course, it would have been too boring,' he said.
'I'll see you tomorrow at nine.'
'Thank you, Kabir.' D'Cunha got up to leave.
30
London
August 2001
Nikos and Serena had been officially dating for the last three months, and everyone who knew Serena in the bank had heard about how it all started with a steamy night after Paul's party. She had kept her apartment, but had moved in with her Greek Adonis, in his penthouse, for practical purposes.
Riding the victorious wave, thinking, imprudently, that the dust had settled back in India, they assumed they were invincible and that, in itself, has many a time made people seriously vulnerable. They had taken their eyes off the ball, and hence utterly missed the news that another referee had been appointed in the game they thought was long over.
Missing one news item was probable, but if the media picked up the news regularly, the odds were that those involved would get vigilant; it would be far easier to find the void if no one was filling it all the time, Mr Gill had thought.
Serena lost her commitment to work. There were no more late hours and no additional responsibilities undertaken, and she showed a lack of initiative and drive for any new projects. She was having a good time with Nikos, knowing well she would be renouncing the dreary working life to start a new one on a swish beachside villa in Spain in a few months' time. The wedding date wasn't decided, but both of them acknowledged they didn't need to have a ceremony. They could easily take a break, go somewhere in Europe without inviting anyone, and come back a fortnight later with new rings. No one would check the million churches in Europe if they ever got married.
And why would anyone, they had asked each other a few times.
***
'Hola hermosa,' Nikos said, when Serena entered his penthouse after work on Friday.
'What's that?'
'Spanish for hello gorgeous…'
'So you're practising your Spanish on me?'
'I think you should learn it too. And learn it fast. If we plan to move to Spain by early next year, knowing the language will be an advantage. We can make new local friends and pass off as Southern Spaniards or North Africans, so it raises fewer eyebrows in local cafes or supermarkets,' Nikos explained.
'You're right.'
'I have seen some properties on the Costa Tropical, in the Mediterranean, and have spoken to an estate agent there. Should we go to see some next weekend?'
'Why not?' She went up the stairs to the bedroom on the mezzanine.
***
Marbella, on the Costa del Sol, was still an upcoming beachside area with construction happening all around, which would make it popular — and expensive — in the future. Nikos and Serena talked about the place while driving, in the car rented from Malaga Airport, to view the first villa the estate agent had called them about. The magnificent villa stood on a little hill that sloped down to the sea. Alfredo, the estate agent, met them as they got down from the car.
'Hello!' he said cheerfully to his clients.
'Hola mi amigo. ¿Cómo estás?' Nikos shook his hand.
'Es usted Español?'
'No. Greek,' Nikos responded in fluent Spanish.
'And madam?'
It was clear from Serena's expression that she did not understand the language. However, she had started looking around the grand villa — freshly painted white — with great interest.
'She's Indian,' Nikos told Alfredo.
'Indian women are beautiful,' Alfredo complimented Serena, shook her hand and smiled. 'Hello, madam, I am Alfredo.'
'Hello. I'm Serena.'
'You are Mr Nikos, obviously.' Alfredo pulled a bunch of keys from a bulging pocket.
'You're right.'
'How was your flight from Athens?' He assumed they had flown in from Greece.
'We came from London and the flight was on time.'
Alfredo tried a copious number of keys till he established the right one for this villa, but he chirped continuously, asking questions about irrelevant things as all sales people do. Nikos and Serena felt greatly relieved when he finally found the key to the front door. The villa was worth all the irritating questions. It looked even better in bricks and mortar than in had in the pictures that Nikos had shown Serena on the estate agent's website. Partly furnished, it was airy and boasted unrestricted panoramic views from large windows with low hills on one side and the Mediterranean beachfront on the other. The entrance hall was pretty and round and it opened into an enormous living room that connected to the dining room, a small cloakroom and kitchen on the same floor. The rear of the living space was all glass that opened on to a deck on stilts that could be used for al fresco dining, while one enjoyed the beach below. There were ten wooden stairs from the deck to take one down to the beach.
'Is that a private beach?' Serena asked excitedly.
'No, madam. But, as you can see there isn't any other residence in the vicinity so you can consider it your own till another villa comes up in the neighbourhood, which would be at least five hundred meters away,' Alfredo explained.
'We can go skinny dipping in the night,' Serena whispered to Nikos.
'I would love to see that, madam.' Alfredo smiled to communicate he had h
eard her suggestion.
The first floor had four en-suite bedrooms and two of them had large balconies facing the sea. The three of them walked out to view the villa from the outdoors once again. It had three garages detached from the main villa and enough space for another dozen cars on the driveway.
'This is beautiful.' Nikos broke the silence, looking at Serena for approval.
'Amazing villa, I must say,' she agreed. 'And the view is breathtaking.'
'Are you viewing some more properties with other agents?' Alfredo asked, as the husband and wife enjoyed the panorama.
'Yes,' Serena said.
'If you want to view this again, you have my number. You just have to give me a few hours notice,' Alfredo suggested like a typical sales agent.
'We will. I wish I could live in this now,' Serena said it in a complimentary manner.
'Of course you can, madam. There are no more viewings this weekend so, if you want, you can stay here.' Alfredo tried to make sure that his extra services clinched the deal, knowing well that it would be impossible to find any other property in the area that matched its beauty and privacy and it was the perfect place for skinny-dipping, too.
'Thanks. But we are already booked in a resort.' Nikos quickly turned down the offer, while remaining polite.
But Alfredo knew how to sell. 'You can cancel that. Even if they refund fifty percent, it's a saving. And you can enjoy the villa with madam. It is very romantic here, totally remote and yet so accessible from the town. It's barely three kilometres from the nearby village that has excellent facilities, including shopping.'
'Are you sure?' Serena pitched in before Nikos could refuse again.
'Yes madam, don't worry about it. I wouldn't have offered if I was unsure.'
'Okay, we'll take the offer.' Nikos succumbed seeing his wife's keenness.'
'That's good. Let me show you around a few things.' Alfredo took them on another short tour of the villa, showing them how to operate the kitchen, the alarms and the locks…
'What do you think is a good offer for this property?' Nikos started negotiating, as they came back to the living room.
