by ARKOPAUL DAS
Henderson leaned further because the letters were all blurred out and was barely visible.
‘You’re right, it is not English’ he gave the verdict.
‘The patterns....’ said Kevin but was not sure what to say.
‘What?’
‘The patter’s seem to be of some Asian language .The style of the words...’
‘If it is Asian then I know what it is’ said Henderson.
‘What?’ asked Alicia.
‘Look, first of all the dragon must be representing some Chinese language , and Kevin said whatever is written down there, is Asian , so it got to be Chinese’
‘Right, so?’
‘And I know a tattoo shop in this Manhattan area, which is the only tattoo shop to be Chinese’
‘So you’re saying-’ Henderson interjected Kevin.
‘Yes that’s what I am saying’ he said confidently as he stood up straight, in his normal standing position, adjusted his tie and continued ‘These tattoo was made by a Chinese tattoo shop and there’s only one here .So it got to be that one .This man Henry whatever made a tattoo from that shop’
‘So we should head to that tattoo shop and try finding something more out’ said Ryan.
‘Yes, that’s exactly what you should do’
‘But are you sure that there’s only one tattoo shop here?’ asked Alicia as she knew if this tattoo thing fails, much time would get wasted ,so it was always better to be assured before you proceed.
‘Hell I am, one of my friends goes there monthly and makes Chinese tattoo designs. I don’t know what attracts him there’
‘You got the address, sir?’
‘Obviously’
FOURTEEN
They made their way past the traffic and managed to reach the place in about 30 minutes. As it was a working day with clear skies and a cheerful morning , the traffic at this hour was usually harsh .There was a lot of jams in the street with people stuck there in their cars or even who were walking on the sidewalks.
When they got past the Times Square traffic the road ahead was clear .That was why it didn’t take much time to reach their destination eventually.
This area consisted of a bunch of middle class houses which had a 1950s touch in them and that were clearly visible, the way the cottages were build. w
Most were wooden houses, neat and clean, a few large sized office buildings and a few skyscrapers but overall it was all natural and homely.
‘There’ Ryan pointed at one corner and parked the car a few yards back. They walked up to the shop which was just as dingy as the garage they went yesterday and at the top there was something written in block letters and in Chinese which they were unable to read.
They stood at the open door and found the interior, full of materials from laser machines to ink, quill, different kind of pens and a lot of pictures stuck in the wall, which they found meaningless.
One man they saw lay on a chair at the far end and the other one who was muscular build and black was doing something on his arm, must be drawing a tattoo.
There was two other men. One was sitting and looking at some five dollar notes and the other man was showing pictures to a teenager, who may or may not be of legal age yet. These two men were Chinese with square faces and more or less looked alike.
Alicia was the first one to move inside after watching all these things followed by Ryan and Kevin.
When they entered, the Chinese man was the first to notice them as he was facing the door and others were quite busy. He stood up, kept the money aside and came forward. ‘Yeah, what ya’ll want?’
Then he stopped and added ‘Look we have a exclusive design of a tattoo available, just a few bucks per centimetre, and that’s all’
Alicia firmly replied ‘We are not interested in tattoos’
‘What do you mean you’re not interested in tattoos? Don’t you see this is a tattoo shop so all you can get is tattoos .If you don’t want one, you should find your way out’
His voice was rough and patience less.
‘Really?’ Kevin came in between him and Alicia, and showed him the badge.
‘Cops?’ he was more surprised than he should be. As if, he never saw a cop in his whole life. ‘Hey man, what did we do now? Look, we got permission for this shop, it’s all authentic, we also got papers and all .And we’re not doing anything illegal are we? You can’t kick our ass this time.’
‘Ask them to go to hell’ the black man blurted out from the back ‘We ain’t movin’ out this time’
‘That’s what I am sayin’
The Chinese man made a ridiculous face.
‘Now shut up, will ya’ Said Kevin ‘We don’t want to bust you out, or ask you to move out. We just need to you to answer some questions for us’
‘What questions, I ain’t not gonna answer any questions, just go away’ he said flatly.
It seemed like they had a definite hatred for cops. There must be some kind of conflict going on between them, but Kevin or Alicia had no interest in cooling them down or talk about it.
‘So you will not answer?’ said Alicia.
‘I said it’ he yelled ‘now get lost. I’m in no mood to answer your fucking questions’
‘Then there’s no other way’ grunted Kevin. ‘then we will have to drag your ass downtown and get your mood back’
‘You threatenin’ me?’
‘Yes!’ Kevin roared coming more near him, like a tiger wanting to give a bite. ‘And you have no idea, how capable I’m in doing what I want.’
Kevin was much taller than the short Chinese man was.
Alicia tried her hand at cooling things down between them , ‘We just told you that we will take steps if you don’t cooperate with us’ said Alicia ‘After all it’s completely your choice .But we don’t have the whole day for this’
‘You heard her’ Kevin snapped again ‘Now you better talk before you find your shitty ass in prison’
The man was taken aback a little .He was not sure if he should continue arguing or should he cooperate with them just as they were asking him to do.
‘It’s cool, it’s cool’ Ryan came forward and gestured Kevin to stand back.
‘What’s your name, dude?’ asked Ryan gently as he was playing the good cop after Alicia and Kevin attacked him.
‘Is this a part of your questions?’ the man laughed this time.
‘No, but it’s a part of better communication’
‘It’s Ben, not my real name, mind you’ he said.
‘Ben would do’ Ryan had no interest if he said his real name or not, he just had to keep the things moving.
‘So Ben, did you see a black man around here?’
‘Yes, he’s sitting and drawing a tattoo right there’
‘Someone other than him?’
‘No I haven’t’ another flat reply came from Ben.
Ryan looked around thinking about what to ask him.
He saw a picture of a tattoo design hanging from the ceiling and it looked like it could fall anytime. It was of a fire-breathing dragon with some Chinese words written below it, just like the one they saw in Henry Roberts neck.
‘So you haven’t seen this kind of man?’ Ryan continued his questioning ‘Black, wears a cap, looks like a cool rapper. Does this ring a bell?’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’
‘What about that tattoo?’ Ryan pointed at the picture that hung from the ceiling.
‘Yeah, it’s a design. What about it?’
‘Did you make this tattoo on anyone’s neck in recent time?’
‘Look man, this has became a trademark design’ he said ‘This dragon with command and conquer written below it, this is really famous in our shop. Most of the people who come here chooses this design and we just make it’ then he turned to the other Chinese man. ‘Hey Yung, how many people chose this tattoo last month?’
After checking the pictures for a minute, Yung replied ‘Say about a hundred people’
Ben turned back at Ryan ‘You see it’s tough keeping track of all these people’
‘I understand’ said Ryan ‘But this will help, I believe’ Ryan offered him a photo of Henry Roberts. ‘What about him, does he look familiar?’
‘No, doesn’t look familiar’ he said without even taking a good look at the picture.
‘His name is Henry Roberts? Are you pretty sanguine that you never saw him?’
‘Yes, yes, I told you so’ he said innocently.
But anger rose in Kevin’s mind. He moved in front of him and blurted out ‘You bloody schmuck, don’t lie. We have enough reasons to believe that this man came to your shop and made a tattoo.’
‘Get lost man, I told you what I know’ Ben teased Kevin’s anger a little more.
‘Are you gonna talk or not?’
‘I told you, I don’t know this man. And that will be final’
Ben looked helpless and it seemed like he was telling the truth.
‘Hey you’ Ryan moved to the other Chinese man whose name was Yung and showed him the photo ‘You saw this man?’
He shook his heads violently without uttering a word and letting them know that he didn’t.
‘What’s wrong with this guys’ Ryan actually asked himself.
‘I tell you’ said Kevin. ‘These men know everything, but they would not speak, someone must have told them to keep their mouth shut. And they are just obeying it’
‘Yeah, maybe so’
‘Shut up. I ain’t not going to listen to anyone’s order .You better keep your mouth shut’ the man said.
Kevin didn’t say anything this time, he was busy controlling his own anger.
‘Look there is two solutions for us’ said Alicia to both Kevin and Ryan. ‘Either Henderson was wrong about the tattoo shop or else this Chinese guy is lying’
‘I will go for this Chinese guy is lying’ said Kevin.
‘Now hey cops’ Ben said with a mocking tone ‘Please excuse us, we are missing out customers today’
This time Kevin was not ready to show his anger or to push him a little further, they just stood quietly looking at each other.
‘We should move on, I think’ said Alicia.
Ryan nodded in approval but Kevin didn’t say anything, he just stared at Ben carefully, to see if he’s hiding something.
He then moved closer to him, so that their faces were just a few inches away from each other and then said softly ‘Look, if I have to come here again, I will leave you in no condition to talk’
‘Whatever’ Ben said instantly.
Ryan put his hand on Kevin’s back and gently pulled him away.
‘Let’s go’ said Alicia but the black man suddenly stood up with his large body and biceps, keeping the pen down and said ‘Hang on a second’
He came in the front pushing Ben away inside.
‘You searchin’ for a man?’ he said. His voice was equally strong as his body.
‘We were’ Ryan said ‘But your man says that he never saw him’
‘Give me the photo’ the man said and Alicia who had taken the picture from Ryan’s hand for some reason, quickly presented the black man with the picture.
‘His name is Henry Roberts, you ever saw him?’ asked Alicia.
‘Yes, I remember him’ said the black man still looking at the picture.
‘Who’s it?’
‘I know him not personally of course. But he’s just a customer here’
‘Did he make a dragon tattoo from here?’
‘Yes he did, but that was long ago. He comes at least once in a month and makes a new tattoo’
‘I see, did he come here recently, did he say something, where he lives or whatever?’
‘Yes and no’ the man replied with a hard voice. ‘He came here the day before yesterday made a new tattoo and he also came today’
‘Really?’ said Alicia ‘Why?’
‘He had some money that was due for us. He came to pay it’
‘When did he exactly come today?’ asked Ryan.
‘Just some minutes before you guys came.’
‘Did he say where he went?’
‘No he didn’t but. But if you hurry, then you may still have a chance of catching him in the street’
‘Let’s go’ said Ryan immediately regretting that they wasted so much time talking to that Chinese guy.
Kevin gave one more cold stare at Ben and then they went out.
FIFTEEN
They were all back inside the car, Ryan quickly hit the gas and bought the car back to life as they left the street in a minute.
‘He mustn’t have gone too far, what you think?’ asked Kevin.
‘What should I think’ said Alicia ‘He would be out there somewhere.’
‘I hope so too’ replied Kevin. ‘That guy Ben was totally lying, you saw?’
‘Oh yes’ said Ryan keeping his eyes on the street ‘I knew he was lying form before, I was just trying to make him say the truth.’
‘The black dude was really helpful’ remarked Kevin ‘had he not said anything, we would be wonderin’ nowhere’
‘Don’t get your hopes too high Kevin, we are still wondering nowhere’ Alicia pointed out.
‘True’ he said.
‘And we also visited the shop at a wrong time, the atmosphere was hot among them and us’ said Ryan ‘You saw the way they were talking about us cops at the first’
‘Oh yeah, I think some cops must have busted them before, that’s why they were already heated up against us.’
‘Got to be so’ said Ryan ‘they had some problems with police.’
‘But why did Ben keep quiet?’ said Alicia ‘Look if it was about the cops, then the black guy also could have kept quiet but Ben deliberately kept denying our questions, but why?’
‘You don’t think they had something to do with murder right?’
‘Can’t say it for sure, maybe or may not be’
‘Okay guys’ Ryan called out ‘Where should we head at?’ Ryan pushed the accelerator down to speed up.
‘Just get over the Manhattan flyover and get us in the city. He would be there somewhere.’ Said Alicia ‘It’s lunch time so maybe he would finish his lunch there. There are a lot of restaurants available.’
They passed the flyover at the top speed and soon they found themselves in the city, there was also a cold breeze blowing, which was soothing.
They suddenly got stuck in the middle of a large traffic jam that ends at the end of Madison square.
Temperature was rising by very minute so it was hard to prevent sweating. The cool breeze had a healing effect but that could not cover up the heat. It was noontime and the sun was right at the top, beating down on the city.
‘Damn man’ said Ryan and punched the steering. ‘Look at the traffic; we will never get to the other side in this sea of cars’
Alicia took out her handkerchief and wiped her forehead. ‘Look for the sidewalks, he might be anywhere.’
‘That’s what I thought. But do you really think that we will find him in this vast city, just like this?’
‘I believe so.’ said Alicia. ‘And the main thing is that he doesn’t know that we are searching for him. So he will not be in a hurry to escape.’
‘That’s assuring’ said Ryan.
They remained stranded in the middle. Ryan killed the engine and sat like a statue waiting for the green signal and said ‘We should have taken a short cut’
‘Let’s see’
The only thing that was going in their favour was that they found a place at one side, so that the buildings covered the direct sunrays and they were in a shade ,while the other cars were getting burnt in the middle.
‘Come on, come on’ Ryan gripped the steering more tightly.
‘What’s wrong today’ Kevin poked his head out and looked across the other cars. ‘No way’ he said putting his head back inside ‘We’re in the middle of a sea of cars’
Some people now came out of their cars, ta
lking among themselves while the others started shouting and yelling, losing their patience.
‘I think there’s been an accident somewhere at the front’ said Ryan. ‘Otherwise why would the traffic be like this? You don’t see this kind of things in streets of NY often’
‘I know’
‘I think we losing our time, our man is gonna get away’ said Alicia.
‘Wish my car was a transformer’ said Ryan.
‘Right. It could have done anything it wants .Overtaking buildings, destroying them, anything!’ Kevin always loved to talk about these sort things no matter what situation they were in.
‘Yeah, I will also watch the part 5’
‘Who says there will be a part 5. Part 4 was okay according to me. Still Mark Wahlberg was not so convincing’
‘I know. People watch these movies just to see the action and the special effects; you shouldn’t watch it for a good story’
‘Drop the topic, guys. I’m getting bored’ said Alicia. ‘Hey look’
Alicia looked somewhere at the sidewalk where at least 20 to 30 people were walking at that moment.
Ryan followed her gaze. ‘What? What are you looking at?’
‘Look at that man’ said Alicia and pointed at a man who was walking normally and from the back it seemed like he was wearing a hooded jacket .He also wore a cap just like in the picture. Everything suited him well.
‘Is that our man?’ asked Ryan to no one in particular.
‘Yes, got to be so’ said Kevin.
‘Let’s get him’ said Alicia as all three of them jumped down from the car and started trudging through the footpath overtaking other people.
‘Hey!’ Ryan called out .The place was too noisy and crowded; it was tough for anybody to hear anything. Lots of shops and expensive shopping malls in one side and the other side contained a sea of cars itching to move. So you could not blame the man for not hearing anything.
‘Hey you’ Ryan overtook another man but was being bumped with others, as the sidewalk was too crowded.
They would have lost him in the middle but this time the man must have heard Ryan call him. That was why he stooped. And because he stopped it was easy for them to cover up a few yards and reach him.
