INSOMNIAC: ALAN SMITH #2 (Alan Smith series)

by ARKOPAUL DAS

  ‘When did I deny that?’

  ‘You didn’t. But you said that right?’

  ‘I did –yes’

  ‘Yes, but as it turns out you didn’t, and I had to do a lot of hard work in order to find him’

  ‘So you got the kid now – yes?’

  ‘Yes’

  ‘All well that ends well’ he laughed. ‘You got him anyway, and that’s the main thing’

  ‘That’s not my point’ said Alan. ‘I wanna know why did you dissimulate me?’

  ‘Sorry, Mr. Smith. I can’t answer this’

  ‘I’m sure you have some reason for saying that which you’re about to present me now – yes?’

  ‘Yes. That’s because it’ll make you disappointed.’

  ‘Oh really? I’m already disappointed. So I guess, it’ll not make much harm’

  ‘I lied to you about everything’

  ‘I was afraid you would say that’ Alan nodded. ‘So that means you were behind everything?’

  ‘Oh, come on. It was obvious anyway’ he chuckled again. ‘You know what? You ask any cop that ‘Can Donovan do this thing, is he capable of doing it?’ and you will only get a one-word reply. “Obviously’’ ’

  ‘Okay back to my case’ said Alan. ‘Can you elaborate what you meant by ‘everything’ ?’

  ‘Should I?’

  ‘Because I need to know the truth’ said Alan. ‘And I like being a gentleman like you, so...’ Alan held the word in his tongue and noted his expression. There was nothing more than a soft smile. Alan wanted to say - I don’t want to hurt you, and make you say the truth.

  Donovan held the smile and said ‘You’re lucky Mr. Smith, I’m in a good mood now. So what do you wanna know?’ said Donovan casually.

  ‘I asked you already. Let’s start with the abduction first. Tell me everything about it and everything related to it. And please don’t care to keep it brief’

  ‘But that would be a problem Mr. Smith’ he said with a miserable face.

  ‘Okay?’

  ‘If I start with abduction you’ll not be able to follow me, so isn’t it better to start from the beginning?’

  ‘If you wish – yes’

  ‘Okay’ Donovan took a deep breath. ‘So here’s the guy Jade Carter, who worked in New York Times. The other day, in the streets he was taking pictures, actually he was trying out his new camera or so he said , and accidentally he took a picture of one of my men who was present there for some reason. My men caught him and bought him to me, and Jade swore that he was gonna delete the picture. But when I saw him, he seemed to be promising, so I made some other plans in my mind and gave him a offer, to join me. And work for me’

  ‘And did he take the offer – yes?’

  ‘First he said that he will think about it. Then later he said that he needs to know what kind of work he would have to do. I told him rather vaguely, but I’m sure he would have still denied the offer if I haven’t told him about the sum of cash I was ready to gift him monthly. That is a lot more than what he earns from NY Times per year’ Donovan paused and made sure Alan was following him then he went on ‘So when he said that he needs to first know what work he would have to do, I thought it would be better if I showed him something as an example rather than just saying it. That’s when I asked him to meet my men in the Central Park’

  ‘Mind if I ask which day was that?’ Alan asked.

  ‘Saturday, I guess’

  ‘Saturday right? Thank you for this piece of information. Pray continue’

  ‘Yes, so I was worried about he would show up or not. I was in my car, and to my relief he did show up, and when he came I showed him the school boys who were playing there, and when they finished playing –’

  ‘And they were playing – what?’

  ‘Soccer. Anyway, I already told my men what to do. I parked the car at one side and my men were ready. I instructed them to capture one of the boys. Jade was standing at the far side of my car. My men Bob, chose the boy who for some reason came near us, and he quickly grabbed him and it was not really tough putting him inside the car.'

  ‘So’ said Alan. ‘You abducted the kid to show Mr. Carter what kind of work he would have to do?’

  ‘Yes, you got it right. I thought murder might be hard for a newbie. So was anything else there other than a simple abduction? But after we got the child, that’s when the problem arrived. We took the kid back with us, but later Jade himself gave us the news that one of his friends who also works in N Y Times was there at that time, and he took a picture of this thing, this abduction .Later it turned out that Jade Carter and he, that man, worked as partners is NY Times..um what was his name..?’

  ‘Paul Brown, was it?’ said Alan.

  ‘Right, right Paul Brown. But it didn’t end just like that, he also threatened us that he would leak the picture online and will also publish it on the aforementioned newspaper ,and he would expose me. I asked Jade to ask this shit that if does this; Paul will put himself in danger. But still Jade failed to convince him, so I knew that I will have to do something myself. So I threatened him myself –’

  ‘Writing messages in some newspapers and sending it to his house –’ Alan more or less completed the sentence.

  ‘Exactly’ said Donovan. ‘Well after checking out the paper and the message which I’m sure he did, he was still not afraid to do this. Instead he just escaped from his own house, but it was not really hard for me to get the new location he was in. One of my sources found him and then he informed me that Paul Brown was living in the Broadway Plaza hotel, so I sent two of my men up there but the security there was too tight. They didn’t let my men visit him in his room

  ‘Then I went for the alternate plan’ he went on. ‘I sent a sniper, he chose a spot on the opposite building, and when he got a perfect angle, he shot the man. The shot was clean...and the man was dead’

  ‘So because of the photo he took, you wanted his camera right?’ Alan knew whatever Donovan was saying this time was the truth. So he tried filling up the holes he was leaving behind.

  ‘That’s right’ he said and made an intentional frown then continued. ‘I would have given him the most expensive camera in the world if he wanted to return his old one to me’

  ‘Well anyway the camera is destroyed’ Alan just thought he should give him this piece of information.

  ‘And why did he do that?’ Donovan didn’t look at all astonished.

  ‘Because he didn’t want you get the picture’

  ‘So the picture is also gone?’

  ‘No it’s in a pen drive. And the pen drive is with me’

  ‘Just what I would have done’

  ‘Right ...oh please continue’ said Alan sensing that they were drifting away from the main conversation. ‘So you shot him, what then?’

  ‘What else? His chapter got closed’ Donovan replied absent- minded.

  ‘Ok, and what about the abduction?’

  ‘Yeah? What about it?’

  ‘You mentioned that you kidnapped the child on Saturday but you asked for the money on next Thursday or Friday was it? Now why is that? You could have asked for the money right away without wasting so many days’

  ‘That’s because I wasn’t sure’ he said ‘Should I leave him, should I kill him or should I ask for money. I didn’t know what would be the best to do. Things were pretty puzzled up, and then it became more puzzling the next day i.e Sunday’

  ‘I see, so something happened on Sunday, I understand?’ Alan asked as if he didn’t know anything.

  ‘That night or was it evening? Anyway Jade called me and told me that the shit Paul Brown isn’t willing to give his camera back neither is he willing to delete the picture. He was still persisting on what he said, that he would publish the pictures and expose me, maybe he thought it would be a turning point in his career if he could get a solid story out like this one. So Jade was telling me all this and when I understood he was still on the streets that time, I told him that it might not be tha
t safe talking over the phone like this, so I asked him to meet me in a place I will not mention now, and in the middle of the night actually, when not much people was around’

  ‘And he went to you visit you then?’ Alan this time wasn’t sure what he was saying or whatever he was saying was true or not.

  ‘No he didn’t. That struck me as odd because Jade usually does what he says. So curiosity got the better of me. I decided to visit him myself only to check out, if he didn’t come intentionally or was there a problem that he faced .When I went there , I saw the house was dark, I wasn’t sure if I should knock the door but I decided against it. There was a freaking power cut going on that day, I gathered. After that, I fortunately noticed his car on the street. I wanted to check everything, so I went over to his car only to find his body. He was already dead, I didn’t touch the body, but I knew he was dead. Maybe he was coming over to my house but someone killed him on the way. Actually before, he could even start his car.

  ‘After that I didn’t waste much time thinking who might have killed him or why would he do that. I simply checked his pockets and everything and took out whatever items he had in his possession. Like phone, wallet, diary...and this kind of things. Fortunately I had most of the things he had, so I made sure that mine were new and there was nothing there by which anyone like you cops and track those things back to me , after I was satisfied I changed the things’

  ‘But why did you change them?’

  ‘I didn’t wanna leave any clue behind. Maybe he wrote his number on his diary, which could be easily traced back, to me, or my name, this kind of things. I couldn’t be sure about that. So I thought it would be the best to change all these with the brand new ones I had’

  ‘Interesting. I see’

  ‘So after this incident I wasn’t sure what to do with the boy. I abducted him just to show Jade that how easy are these kind of works, and now Jade was dead. And I was sure the cops were all alert about this and was hunting down everything. So I thought it would be better to keep quiet for some time and let the situation calm down, after that I would think about the boy’

  ‘Then what made you ask for the money so suddenly’ said Alan, this time in a hard voice. ‘I’m sure the situation is not so calm yet’

  ‘That’s another thing’ said Donovan giving a broad smile. ‘After I met you, you gave me the view of the situation outside. I understood that the situation is not calm yet, but I’ve been through this sort of situation before, so this wasn’t much compared to what I do in a daily basis. I can handle it.’ Then he paused and said ‘Hey, do you remember that line?’

  ‘Line?’

  ‘ “If you’re good at something, never do it for free’’ you heard this ?’

  ‘Oh sure. Joker said it in The Dark Knight. My all time favourite movie’

  ‘Mine too. Anyway, that’s what suddenly came to my mind. I am good at this, and of course everything have a price. And besides that I've also ordered some cool toys, so a little bit of money would have been useful’

  ‘A little bit of money?’ asked Alan remembering the amount they were asked to pay.

  ‘Yeah...’

  ‘But you’re so affluent, why did you need this money?’

  ‘That’s how you stay rich, Mr. Smith’

  ‘Okay’ Alan thought about the next question and by that time Donovan said ‘But the plan didn’t work that well did it?’

  ‘Nope, the plan backfired, actually’

  ‘I see, so how’s the boy? I told my men not to be harsh on him. He seemed to be obeying orders anyway’

  ‘Oh, that’s so kind of you’ said Alan. ‘Yes he’s ok’

  ‘That’s nice to hear for sure’ he continued ‘Well, Is there anything more left to say? I guess I covered up everything’

  ‘Yes you did. And why am I surprised that you said all these hard facts so frankly and brilliantly’

  ‘Ok, so tell me something’ he said with a witty smile and still had that cold voice. ‘As I have told you everything now, what do you wish to do?’

  ‘And you mean?’

  In answer Donovan paced the lawn beside the pool and he only replied when he came back to face Alan again. ‘You must have found a way to prove all these, I reckon’

  ‘Now that you mention it, yes I did’ said Alan trying to sound less happy about it. ‘But I should give you all the credit for that by the way’

  ‘I’m glad to hear that. But I, of course would not mind a little elaboration’

  ‘Had you not said anything to me, I could never have succeeded in proving the facts’

  ‘I see?’

  ‘Ok, here it is’ said Alan and took out a mobile from his pocket and held it in front of him.

  ‘I phone 6 huh? It still is an old model’ he said.

  ‘I fear I’m not showing you the model of my mobile phone, Mr. Donovan. I’m trying to tell you something else. As you see it, whatever you said all this time, is now recorded in this device. I have all the evidences I need to prove that you’re guilty’

  ‘I see’ replied Donovan trying to think of some new ideas. ‘I can see the trick. But what if I snatch away the phone and throw it in the pool?’

  ‘This is waterproof’

  ‘Then you better hope that it’s also bulletproof’

  ‘The second idea of yours would have worked, I’m sure about that. But it will not, now’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I won’t let you do that’ said Alan. ‘That’s because I would like to introduce you to some of my friends, first. What do you say?’

  ‘Go ahead, I can’t wait to meet them’ Donovan knew what was going to happen. But –

  ‘Hey guys, someone wants to meet you. Why don’t you come in here!’ Alan yelled in a controlled voice looking at the door.

  One by one Alicia, Kevin and Ryan appeared. Ryan and Kevin wore an official NYPD vest over their shirts while Alicia was in her civil dress wearing that beige blazer.

  All three of them took a few cautious steps inside, and all of them had their gun in their hands pointed straight at Donovan. While Donovan was exploring their faces with utmost urgency.

  ‘So you bought a party here’ he said without making any effort to escape. ‘Why did you keep your friend outside for so long in this heat? You could have bought them with you right away; I had some cold coffee already arranged.’

  They all took their positions ignoring Donovan’s silly comments. Donovan now without saying anything moved his hand inside is left pocket, which made others more cautious, then just like Ryan, Alicia and others had feared, Donovan took out his gun , but without shooting anyone, he just tossed it over to them in the floor. It landed near Alicia’s feet.

  Donovan wasn’t bothered to put his hands in the air, nor were they asking him to do so.

  Donovan remained quiet waiting for them to make their move when Alan said ‘Would you still answer a question now if I ask you?’

  ‘Anytime, as always’ he replied swiftly.

  ‘This boy who was kept in the Grand Central Station, can you tell me why you chose to keep him in a station?’

  ‘Because it would have been easy to escape from the city if you ever find yourself in some kind of a situation. If I ever saw a problem, I would have ordered my men to take the kid away from New York’

  ‘That was a nice plan’ said Alan. ‘Do we need to cuff you?’

  ‘If you must’

  Alan didn’t want to take any risk. He signalled Kevin to cuff him and Kevin came over pulled his hands behind his back and made him wear a metallic handcuff, which was tight on him. But Donovan still had that cruel melancholic smile on his face.

  THIRTY SIX

  Donovan sat in the interrogation room quietly, only one or two times did he look around. But there was not much to explore. He looked relaxed and calm; he sat resting his hands on the table clasping them together.

  Alan stood outside and stared at him through the mirror. Alicia was also there with him sipping coffee whi
le Ryan and Kevin just entered the room to ask him questions.

  Henderson also came and stood beside Alan looking at the most wanted criminal of New York now sitting in the interrogation and battling the questions that both the detectives were throwing to him.

  Donovan spoke frankly, he had no problem in saying everything he said over, and over again, the things he just said an hour before. He was cool and composed, his voice had that signature coldness in it and it was unusually soft unless he decided to shout on someone. You could find no negativity on him.

  Even Alan felt awkward having to hear everything, the same kind of questions and the same answers over and over again. They were asking the same things again, to record it publicly this time which would be used in the court against him. They just wanted to confirm the facts and Donovan really did not intend to deny them.

  Henderson stroked him chin and said ‘So that was a hell of a work, Alan’

  ‘That was easy’

  ‘Oh, don’t say that’ Henderson laughed. ‘Confronting the most dangerous criminal of NY won’t be that easy for sure’

  ‘Trust me, it was’

  ‘So tell me how did you do all this?’

  ‘Do what?’

  ‘Bring him to precinct’

  ‘He came himself, I hardly had to work for that. And he told everything himself too. You see he’s not even annoyed having to repeat everything again. I don’t know how many criminal would do this’

  ‘And you’re sure whatever he said is all true?’

  ‘Yeah, they got to be true’

  ‘So does this complete everything?’

  ‘Define ‘everything’?’

  ‘I mean, so the case is complete right?’

  ‘I’m afraid not.’ Said Alan still looking seriously at Donovan who couldn’t see him. ‘There’s still something left, and that’s what I’m thinking about’

  This also made Henderson curious and serious. ‘What’s that?’