by Preeti Singh
The nurse came in between to give Suman an injection and moved away quickly, not wanting to interrupt the crucial talks.
“Ma’am, can you describe the man to us? Any tiny detail you remember will be vital for the investigation? What was he wearing ...his facial features...his clothes...his way of talking...anything?” Kinjal asked, feeling hopeful.
“Beta, as I opened the main door, the man just pushed his way in. He was wearing a helmet so I could not see his face, but he was tall and slim built. He threw me on the ground, slit my wrists with a knife he was carrying and tried strangling me with my own dupatta. I think I must have lost consciousness then, as I don’t remember what happened after that”, Suman Misra said softly.
“Milan, what did we find at the crime scene? Was the MO the same as our killer’s?” Kinjal asked Milan in whispering tones, not to alarm the shaken lady.
Milan bent down and whispered back, “Ma’am when we reached there, her slit wrists were bleeding and she was being carried on a stretcher. A Dominoes pizza box was there, half eaten but few drops of coffee were on the floor. The UnSub apparently got the coffee with him as no cup was found. I guess, he ate his pizza and drank coffee after slitting her wrists, presuming she would be dead, but she was still breathing. But once again he was wearing gloves, so no fingerprints were found. The photograph piece cut from the main snap was also lying on the floor. He also crudely removed her nail polish and we found the swab lying nearby. On the floor itself, he had written the same song with her blood. He is definitely our man, Ma’am.”Milan concluded with finality.
“Every MO is the same, except the helmet part. But all the previous victims did not live to tell us if their assailant wore a helmet or no. Milan, I want the location, name and address of the call made to her, by our killer and I want it ASAP!” Kinjal said with authority.
“Here it is Ma’am!” Milan handed her the call details, with a gleam in his eyes.
Kinjal raised her eyebrows, impressed, but she didn’t say any word of appreciation. Doubts about Milan still pounded at the back of her head.
“Ma’am the call was again made from Zirakpur, and the number is again registered under a fake address. The handset used, once again was a new one, like in the past cases.”Milan clarified.
Kinjal looked at his eyes keenly at the mention of the mobile handset, recalling the ones she found in his store room. Either he was too smart to hide his emotions or he was genuinely innocent. She would find that out later, but now she needed more details from Suman Mishra.
Kinjal turned to talk to her again, but she was in deep slumber. The doctor indicated them to leave as she needed to rest and this much talking itself, had exhausted her.
Kinjal reassured the family that a guard will protect Suman Mishra 24x7 and she left.
As she started her jeep, she instructed Milan to arrange for complete security for Suman Mishra who probably would be attacked again. “I want a minute to minute report about her health. Milan. Our assailant is on a killing rampage and the fact she has survived, will enrage him further. He is bound to try something new, if I know him well. I will drop you at the HQ and as soon as you have a guard at the hospital, inform me. No one, I repeat, no one visits her, without my permission. Am I clear?” Kinjal said as she dropped Milan and turned the jeep to head home.
“Yes, Ma’am. I will keep you updated. Thank you.” he beamed. In fact, in her presence he always glowed but she would never know how much he was obsessed with her. She was only his, but the lady never knew.
How wrong Milan was; unaware that now he was being watched by Kinjal, herself.
CHAPTER 8
The Nasty Assault
The Joshis’ Villa
Sec 12 Panchkula
After fifteen minutes Kinjal reached home and as she attempted to open the front door, she instinctively reached out for her revolver. The door was already ajar; the self lock, broken.
Carefully, Kinjal stepped in, watching her back, cautiously. The house was in complete darkness, with just a glimmer of light coming from the balcony outside. She could hear Amber barking ferociously, locked in her bedroom. Before she could release him, Kinjal was nastily hit on her back and pinned to the ground. The assaulter grabbed her revolver and twisted her arm making her wail in pain.
Hearing her screams, Amber barked loudly but could only helplessly run around in circles and expressed his frustration by scratching on the door.
Kinjal applied her judo skills she had learnt few months back, but in vain. The attacker was far stronger and had her in his grip. It was dark and Kinjal could not make out anything. But while she struggled to feel his face, her hands touched a helmet.
Instantly, she was on guard and fought more ferociously. It was their UnSub.
Suman Misra was also attacked by someone wearing a helmet. Kinjal fought harder, kicked her legs, swayed her arms and tried her best to at least bite him, but the attacker gagged her mouth and eyes in no time. In seconds, she had passed out.
When Kinjal woke up, her feet and hands were tied to a chair and her head was throbbing with pain. Though she was blindfolded, she could faintly see; the lights had been switched on. She could hear Amber whining from the other room. He must have got tired of barking, endlessly.
She tried reaching in her back pocket for her mobile but it wasn’t there; he had taken that too. Kinjal felt helpless and in pain, but instantly was on guard when she heard footsteps.
He was careful not to talk to her, lest she recognise him. He knew she was a smart cop but he had trained himself to be smarter.
He switched on her music system and played the song....the song which had been the trademark in all the killings. It struck Kinjal; he obviously knew her house well to know where the music system was lying. Was she next now? Kinjal wondered, as she could feel sweat trickling down her spine. She was not afraid to die, but it would be a shame to let this scoundrel roam free. She had to do something.
And soon.
The song was playing and he kept increasing and decreasing the volume, deliberately.
Kinjal felt creepy and genuinely scared, especially because she was not sure who the attacker was. It was an eerie feeling she was getting, being tied up. But she gathered herself and decided to focus on her other senses. If her eyes could not see him, she now focussed on hearing his each move, smelling him closely and pretending to be dumb, letting him think he’s in control.
Kinjal could sense him come close to her. Real close.
The song was in replay mode and he kept humming it all the time. Then he untied Kinjal’s one hand and brought it to the front. She could not feel his skin as he was wearing gloves. But she focussed on inhaling his perfume. It was her father’s favourite Old Spice cologne. This was an important clue she knew she would not forget.
The man began humming the song and tapped her hands gently, in short intervals. Kinjal shuddered. Only few people knew she loved the tapping while hearing this song; her late mom, her crippled father, DIG Uncle and Vikash. The former two were her parents and this person was surely one of the latter two.
Who was it now? She had never doubted Vikash....till this moment. DIG Uncle was already in her suspicion list. She swallowed hard, trying to remain calm, though her hands were shaking.
But what he did next shocked Kinjal. He began unbuttoning her blouse. She swayed her head and shoulders, trying to shrug him away.
The next instant, he slapped Kinjal so hard, the chair she was tied to, toppled over and she was on the floor. Amber heard the noise and began barking more angrily, worried about his KJ being in serious trouble.
Kinjal was aware her bosom was visible and she just wanted to crawl into hiding somewhere. She felt embarrassed and scared of being raped. But the attacker steadied the chair and held her jaw nastily. He came closer to her and with his finger; wiped sweat from her brow and let his fingers slide down to her neck and open blouse. Kinjal was shivering with fear but didn’t show it to him.
It struck Kinjal to
beat him at his own game. She signalled at him jostling her jaw upwards, conveying she wanted to say something. She could feel blood trickling from her mouth and her head. That seemed to melt him and he opened the gag on her mouth, though her eyes were still blindfolded.
But the creep could not stop himself. He removed his helmet and stooped down to lick Kinjal’s neck to cheek towards her lips. His wet tongue on her flawless face excited him but it was making her puke. She could feel stubble on her soft skin. She recalled often Vikash met her unshaven due to his busy routine and DIG Uncle too always sported a slight beard. Who was it among them?
She turned her face away in disgust. But she didn’t scream for help. Her lips quivered but she managed to speak. Resisting him was not working; maybe some co-operation would, she thought.
“I...er..I like this song very much. Can you....can you please increase the volume?”Kinjal asked with utmost politeness. Then she quietly lowered her head, pretending to surrender to his will, gathering his sympathy. Kinjal was hopeful that if he would increase the volume, the neighbours would surely get annoyed and land up to scold her, like they often did before.
Her plan worked. He seemed to be enjoying her company, her almost bare body and her vulnerable condition. He was excited now seeing her cooperating. Her head bent, blindfolded, her unbuttoned shirt and her helpless condition gave him a high. He got her where he wanted her...under his control.
He sat on a chair opposite her, watching her menacingly, while the song kept replaying. Kinjal just fervently prayed, the aunty next door would get irritated with the loud music and come by to shout at her once again. She remembered her late mom’s words “when in crisis just take God’s name constantly and some help will come” and Kinjal began saying ‘Om’ repeatedly, under her breath.
She could hear him walking around her with his dirty eyes on her bare skin. Thankfully her bra was intact but for how long, she would be safe, Kinjal had no clue. All she did was chanting ‘Om’.
The song was really loud now and even Amber’s whining could not be heard. Under the din, Kinjal kept praying some miracle would happen.
And it did. God heard her prayers or maybe Mom shook up God to send help for her daughter. The neighbours rang the doorbell repeatedly, sounding annoyed. It startled the killer but Kinjal smiled with tears in her eyes. Mom was right; God would help if asked sincerely.
The assailant lowered the music volume, picked up the revolver, and gagged Kinjal’s mouth again, lest she shouted. He wore his helmet and stealthily moved towards the front door as the neighbours began banging on it, rather irritated for being kept waiting so long. He didn’t open the door but dragged the huge dining table in front of the door. He wanted to buy time.
But the neighbour aunty was now really worried. She shared a love – hate relationship with Kinjal and though they would argue almost daily, due to the loud music and Amber’s barking, deep down she did like to mother this young girl. Kinjal would often open the door instantly, if home. But with the sudden lowering of music and Kinjal not opening the door, Aunty knew something was wrong. Moreover, Amber was barking more frantically now, creating an alarm.
Aunty staggered home to call her husband. She was grumbling to herself that how many times she had lectured Kinjal to leave this dangerous police job, marry a nice man and have babies, but the girl was stubborn and now she must be in trouble.
Meanwhile, the killer opened Kinjal’s hands. He wanted to enjoy a struggle with her before killing her. She was indeed shocked at his generosity, but as soon as he released her, she began waving her hands in the air, trying to catch him. She tried removing the gag from her eyes, but he pinned her arms to the ground and forced himself on top of her.
He took off his helmet and she could feel his breath. He smelt of orbit, the mouth freshener. She made a mental note of it. He wanted to kiss her bleeding, juicy lips, once brutally, before the neighbours stormed in, but she kicked him hard in the groin and he squealed in pain. Yet, he still wouldn’t let go of her hands. She managed to crawl from under him and tried standing up, but banged her head against the table corner and fell on the ground. She could faintly see Aunty forcing the front door open before the UnSub tried his last chance at raping her.
She was fainting, but tightened her grip over the attacker’s shirt tag, as he tried running away, seeing Aunty. Exhausted, bleeding and hurt, Kinjal just surrendered to the divine and said “Help me, Mama.” before she passed out again.
Amber was barking loudly now and scratching the door frantically. His KJ was in serious trouble and his eyes were moist but he felt helpless. Where is Maggie when I need her most? He wondered, looking at his slightly bleeding claws. That didn’t bother him a wee bit, Kinjal’s condition and his helplessness was panicking him.
Damn !
An hour later, Kinjal opened her eyes with Amber licking her face. She looked around the room and found the neighbour Aunty holding her hand and Milan standing at the foot of the bed. Her wrists hurt, her head was throbbing and her lips were bleeding. Her head was bandaged and a nurse was checking her BP. Her eyes looked at everyone for answers...she just wanted to know what happened to the attacker? Was he caught or did he get away?
Understanding her questioning eyes, Milan spoke. “Ma’am, I was repeatedly calling you as you had instructed me to give you a constant report on Suman Misra’s health. But when your mobile was switched off, I was worried and came over. Together with this Aunty and her husband, we broke opened the front door.” Aunty nodded in agreement.
“Where is he, Milan?” Kinjal asked, a fire arising in her eyes.
“Ma’am when we entered the house, he was trying to force himself on you and you were unconscious. I could not even shoot him as you would have got injured. The attacker was trying to rape you, in your injured condition!” Milan said angrily.
“Did you have a look at him, Milan?” Kinjal swallowed and asked, fearing whose name she would hear.
“No, Ma’am...as soon as we entered the house, he threw you away and ran out from the back door. I ran behind him for a while but he escaped on his bike wearing his helmet. I could not get the bike number too; he was too fast for us. Aunty and Uncle put you on the bed till the nurse arrived. I felt you would be safer at home than any hospital. The forensic team is here trying to gather any clue, though he left no fingerprints on your revolver or mobile too. Gloves again, Ma’am.” Milan said sombrely.
“Agent Amber was locked in the room and he has also hurt his paws, over concern for you, Ma’am.” Milan said softly looking at Amber who was angrier at himself for not being the hero tonight to save his KJ. He explained to her that he was sitting guard at Kinjal’s bedroom window, when he heard the front door being broken. Before he could speed out of the bedroom, the intruder had locked him inside.
Kinjal patted Amber and smiled gently. She asked the nurse to take care of Amber’s wounds too.
At least, one thing was clear; the assailant was not Milan, as Aunty was proof that she broke opened the door with him. Yet, she had to ask him about the weird stuff found in his apartment. Maybe later, sometime.
As expected, Aunty would not stop her constant banter. But this time, Kinjal didn’t mind. In fact, she just held Aunty and cried. Only a woman could understand how it felt to be almost raped.
Milan stepped out to give the ladies a moment but Amber would not budge. He would not leave her for a second now. But he needed to take Maggie’s class definitely! Where the hell was she??
Soon the forensic team left and Milan also took leave to be by Suman Mishra’s side at the hospital. It was late night and Kinjal needed rest after such a nasty assault. Milan appointed a guard outside, lest the killer returned.
Aunty made Kinjal drink milk, tucked her in the bed and left quietly. Though she was exhausted and her body ached, sleep was far from Kinjal’s mind. She was more than charged now to find the killer.
She tucked her loaded revolver under her pillow, while Amber sat on her bed, keeping a watch on
her. His paws were bandaged but he decided to undo the silly bandages at night, while he kept guard. He was a brave guy, after all and such minor injuries came with the package. His KJ was safe, was all that mattered to him, as he looked at her lovingly.
In seconds, Kinjal fell asleep, exhausted. Somewhere she felt relieved, there was a guard positioned outside her house and Amber sat guard on her bed. She felt safe and was in deep slumber in no time, after thanking her late mom and God.
Assured her bedroom balcony was bolted and a guard stood outside, Amber checked on Kinjal being fast asleep and then went to find Maggie.
Where was she? Did she ditch them at the most important moment? Why didn’t she do anything for his KJ when he was helplessly tied up? His detective mind just could not stop suspecting her too, as he looked around the house, scanning every nook and corner.
With his sniffing skills, Amber found her soon, lying near the fridge. She seemed unconscious. Amber nudged her with his paw, but Maggie would not budge. He felt a sudden pang of guilt for doubting her and grabbed some water to pour on her. I hope she’s okay? Oh Maggie...you are lying here lifeless and what all nonsense I have been thinking about you. God will surely punish me and karma shall return! He mumbled as he tried his best to wake her up.
The floor was cold under the fridge, so Amber gently picked her up with his large teeth and tenderly laid her down on the sofa. He kept licking her, hoping she would open his eyes. Oh God..Please wake her up...I can’t take this too, now. I mean, I do have feelings for her and before I can confess them, you can’t take her away from me? Please God..I promise I will become a vegetarian for the rest of my life and won’t see any more porn, but please let Maggie open her eyes once...just once! Amber prayed with his paws together, shutting his eyes and periodically licking Maggie.
God seemed to be all ears that day and Maggie stirred. She opened her eyes and looked pale.
