Chapter 3
Problem
It did not even take ten minutes for me to reach my home as I dashed toward it. As soon as I reached home, I wasted no time; I straight away went to my mother to take the permission to go to Shabab’s house.
“Mom, I have to go to Shabab’s house, can I go, please?” I requested to her hoping her to say ‘yes’.
“What? At first go get fresh, then we will decide what to do. Now Go!” As she was reciting Quran, the Holy book of our religion, Islam, she just wanted to get rid of me as she did not want to be disturbed. She continued to recite the Holy Quran, but I was in hurry and who was going to tell her that.
So, I quickly had a bath and started nagging with my mother to let me go.
“Can I go to my friend’s home? Adeeb is going too.” I requested
“To whose house will you go? And why will you go?” she asked me.
“You know, to Shabab’s house.” I thought for a minute to say what to her, “He has arranged a party for us. So, can I go?” If I had told her that I was going to his house to solve a secret murder in Mohammadpur, she would never ever allow me to go. Instead for that, she would not even let me get out of my own room. She would guard me like a jailer.
“No need of attending parties.” She was being rude to me at that moment. “I remember you told me that this Tuesday you have an English Literature exam, and I know it very well that, day by day you are demoting in English. Rather than going out for parties, it would be better for you to stay in the home and study.”
“Please! I promise that I will study when I come back.” I pleaded to her.
“Don’t be that stubborn, or I will tell your father. Oh! Yeah! I can’t even let you go, as your father is not present in Dhaka, and moreover you brother is not also in the home. So, in such circumstance I cannot let you go?” she was just finding a reason to not let me go.
“I will go alone; I usually go to all the other places alone. What is the problem going to Shabab’s house that lives in Mohammadpur, which is not actually too far from our house! I remember I used to go there for coaching and at that time you would allow me to go all alone.” I retorted.
“Why are you not trying to...?”
“Please! I promise I will be back by 6.00.” I interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. And at last she started to think something. Good thing the time limit was fixed by us.
“Okay! Bring my mobile, I call your father and if he allows then only you are allowed to go, or else no more arguments.” She insisted. Now that she was calling my father I could not actually rely on my father saying ‘yes’ so, I kept on requesting her.
She was repeating the same things I told her, that I was arguing with her about going to a friend’s house.
It was very kind of my father to say ‘yes’. I thought he would not allow me to go as he is really strict about these things. He does not like parties. He thinks they are wastage of times. Though I am not going for party so, it would not be wastage of time.
“Okay! You may go, but I want you to be here at exactly six.” She pointed at the clock and was strict about her rule.
“I promise I will be back by then.”
It was already 2.50 and I just had ten minutes to reach the crime scene. All my time was wasted persuading my mother. Now I just had to get ready.
I wanted to make myself look like a detective or at least to wear something which will remind me that I am solving a mystery. I had a red T-shirt, on it was written ‘Find Find’ so I thought it would look nice in this case.
I never forgot about the black hat, that I always see Sherlock Holmes wearing it in his movies. I had a same kind of hat like that. I even wore the black shoes, to make me look professional. Then I even remembered my sister’s magnifying glass which she used for some medical work, I could use it for my investigation. I wished that I do look like a professional detective with all the things.
It was 3.10; I was already late although I had started for Shabab’s house. I was sure he and Adeeb would be really angry with me although I hoped Adeeb to be also late like me. I did really wish Adeeb and Shabab to wear something which would also make them look like a professional detective, so that eventually our team looks like a professional detective team. I have even thought of some names for our secret detective team. One can be ‘Three Lakehead Solvers” or it could be “Secret Three” just like ‘Secret Seven’ and ‘Famous Five’. I was in the way of the crime scene and soon our team was going to start the investigation.
Chapter 4
First Clue
It was about 3.30 when I reached Shabab’s home. Adeeb was there by exactly 3.00.
“Can I have a glass of water first?” I requested to Shabab.
“Of course! But not just water, also rice.” Shabab insisted.
“That’s better, I’m hungry. All my time was wasted on P.P.M.” I said.
“Now, what’s P.P.M.?” Adeeb asked quite astonished about my new word.
“It means persuading persistent mother, you know, it’s too big, so I just made it short.”
“Ooh! Your language!” Adeeb laughed.
Shabab had already prepared a delicious lunch for us. We all sat in the table for the lunch.
“Okay Shabab, does your mother know, why are we here? I hope you did not tell her that we are here to solve a crime, and same question goes to you Adeeb. What did you tell your mother?” I was worried.
“It was quite easy for me. I just said that ‘Adeeb and Abirul want to come, so will you allow them?’ and she just agreed.”
“WOW” I was surprised to hear what Shabab had said because it was so hard for me.
“I was not allowed first, but when I said were coming, my mom thought it might be something important and she let me come to Shabab’s house.”
“Hmm. Good that none of you told about the real thing.” I thanked to them for not saying the reality or everything would have been destroyed.
“Okay, Guys! Now what is the plan?” Shabab asked munching his food in his mouth which sounded quite funny.
“Hmm. What is the plan?” Adeeb repeated.
“Don’t look at me like that! I am not the only one to make the plan.” I said. “As we did not make any plan, we will make it after we eat, and then we will go for our investigation.” I declared.
For a moment the room was sent to silence. Three of us were quite. It was already 3.50 and our time was getting less.
“Okay, we’ll just have ten minutes to plan. Not more than that.” I insisted as soon we finished our lunch.
“Okay!” came the answer from both of them.
“Have you guys thought of any name for our detective team?” I asked them.
“Is this even a detective team? If it is, what kind of detective skill do we even have?” Shabab retorted.
“Of course, it is a detective team. You fool, you are so lame! Adeeb did you think of any?” I ranted Shabab.
“No!” Adeeb replied.
“Oh! Whatever, I did think of two names. One is ‘Three Lakehead Solvers”
“Hey! No Lakehead, I do not except that name.” Shabab retorted.
“Okay, then what about the second name ‘Secret Three’”
“That is copied.” Adeeb never likes thing that is copied.
“Then you guys say what can be the name. I just had two.”
“We can have Secret Solvers.” Shabab suggested.
“Tree Secret Solvers” Adeeb shouted.
“Yeah, that’s a good name. So, from now on, we call our group ‘Three Secret Solvers’.” I declared.
It sounded odd to us at the beginning although everything was good when we reached the crime scene.
Our investigation was going to start and The Three Secret Solvers were really excited. We did exactly leave at 4.00.
“Hey! Where are the shops?” I asked to Shabab.
“There, those are the two shop
s and the alley.” Shabab showed us from a further distance.
“Hmm, which shop’s whose?” Adeeb asked.
“The left one’s Mamun Uncle’s although which is now owned by the middle aged man. And the right one’s the butcher’s.” Shabab said “I think the middle aged man had a deal with the butcher that they both would murder Mamun uncle and own the shop fifty-fifty.”
“Hmmm, that may happen because they have done it.” Adeeb said.
“Okay, let’s venture the alley.” I said.
We walk toward it. I was thinking, what clue we might find there.
“Welcome, to the graffiti world.” Shabab said as if he was inviting us to his own house. “In this alley, you will find every kind of graffiti, if you want to research about graffiti, you just visit here. Every single people of Mohammadpur, Kaderabag Housing’s do the graffiti in this alley.”
“Whatever, let’s just get in.” I said. The roads in this place were narrower than any other place. The alley was good enough for two people; I don’t know how the all three got in did.
“Hey! You kids, what are you doing here?” As soon as we forced our leg to go front a strange man from our back shouted at us. We slowly turned at him.
“Yes, we were just trying to venture the inside.” I took the lead. It was the butcher who was shouting at us.
“I know you boys very well; you will do graffiti all over and destroy other’s property,” complained the butcher, “get lost from here or I will call the police.” The man tried to scare us.
We did move away from there. Indeed, we ran away from there and reached in front of another alley. But amongst us, Adeeb did something different. He went in front of the butcher’s shop, and there was a sack on the road, he took that in his hand and ran for us. It quite confused me why he took that.
“Hey! That man was so scary!” Adeeb said with relieving his breath aloud.
“Whatever, Adeeb why did you take that sack in your hand, what if the butcher caught you killed you? Huh! What would we say to your mother? I was worried Man!” If the butcher would catch him, we would have been doomed.
“I thought the sack could be a clue for us. Here look at it.” Adeeb replied. “Hey! Shabab, is it the sack you saw the butcher carrying, you know I noticed this sack and it had blood on it so I thought it could be helpful.”
“Yeah, that’s the sack I believe.” Shabab said.
“That is good that you tried to collect a clue, but you need to think of the situation. The butcher could have held you and taken you. We would have been in a big trouble.” I ranted. “Please, don’t take such action again. But it’s good that you have collected our first clue.”
“So, what to do next?” asked Adeeb.
“Find out more clues!” I said. “And try to find whether this is really blood.”
“This is blood. What else can it be?” Shabab retorted.
“I know, but if we can strengthen it, it would be better, isn’t it?” I replied.
“Now, how do we strengthen it?”
“Hmm. That is a matter to think.” I replied.
“Hey, what we can do is, we can just give it to the police and they we will do the rest.”
“Yeah, that’s better, look now we can’t a get a study room to do the chemical experiments.” Shabab retorted.
“Okay! Whatever, you guys want.” I did want to find out by myself, but indeed was not a matter for us. We will not be able to do it. So now we have to go for our next search.
“Today is late enough, let’s leave for our house.” Adeeb said.
“Okay! But come to my house, first inform my mother.” As Shabab said we headed for his house.
“Okay, when do we do our next investigation?” Shabab asked. “A sack with blood can’t be that helpful.”
“Yeah, that is right.” I replied. “Let’s meet on Tuesday.”
“I am always okay.” Shabab replied.
“Me too.” Adeeb said.
“Then our next investigation is on Tuesday, do be present” I declared. After a moment we left for our own houses. At 6.05 I reached my home.
“You are 5 minutes late.” My mother said.
“Mom! Five minutes does not matter.” I retorted. She started laughing at me.
“You may have some minutes rest and then you must sit for studying.” She insisted. But I had no time for rest. I have to finish my studies and then I need no study on my case.
Although I sat for studying, I continuously though about the murder, it was hard for me to give attention in the studies. After I finished my studies, every time I tried to find out some big points of my case, I end up thinking what will happen when we will find out the criminal. I was a lot excited about it.
Chapter 5
What’s Next
It was Tuesday. The Three Solvers were going to meet again and start solving the crime. I was anxious about it. Today I had the permission to stay out late as my mother would be leaving for my neighbor’s daughter’s marriage and she would be coming at 8.00 at the night, so I can stay at least up to 7.30. It was a good start of my day.
I reached Shabab’s house at 3.30. Adeeb and Shabab, both were very angry with me.
“You fix the time and you are the person who is late and last one to come, which is not fair.” Adeeb ranted.
“I am sorry! But I had nothing to do; there was a lot of traffic. It is easy for you guys because you both leave here.” I was showing that I was also becoming angry, or Adeeb would go crazy on me.
“Okay! Okay! Let’s have some food, and then we will go out.” Shabab changed the topic.
“No! Man! I am full. I came after having my lunch.” I said rubbing over my belly.
“Me too!” Adeeb exclaimed.
“A little or my mother will mind”
“Okay! But not now when we come back, let’s go out now and when we will come again, we will have some food. Not now, please.” I requested.
“Yeah! That is a good idea. We can do that. Today I have the permission to stay late as there is no test this whole weak and I have finished all my home works in the school.”
“That’s clever. Whatever, that is not the topic we came here for.” I said. “We should start our main topic.”
“Okay”
“What is the plan?” Shabab asked.
“We have to make it.” I said.
“Today, we have to venture the alley.” Adeeb said.
“But how?” asked Shabab.
“That is the plan we need to make.” For a moment the Three Secret Solvers fall on deep thinking.
“What can we do?” Adeeb kept on repeating.
“Hey! Stop that, it disturbs.” Shabab complained.
“I got an idea!” I shouted out.
“What is it? Tell it.” Shabab told it as if he was begging for it.
“We have to keep the butcher busy.” I said.
“But, how will we do it?” Shabab asked.
“I believe the butcher already forgot about us. So any one from us will go and act as if he was going to buy something, and at that moment the other two will go inside the alley and search around.
“Who is the person to keep him busy?” Adeeb asked.
“Can you be the person?” I asked Adeeb.
Adeeb thought for a minute and then accepted.
“What do I have to do?” Adeeb asked.
“Nothing, just act that you want to buy meat, and keep him stays with you.” I explained to Adeeb.
“What about the new shopkeeper?” Shabab asked.
“Oh! I just forgot about the shopkeeper!” I sighed.
“Now, who is going to keep him busy?” Adeeb said.
“I can.” Shabab said.
“But I do not want to go alone in the alley. I need someone else with me.”
“Hey, I remember that there was a sack in front of the shop, full of something. Did you notice that?” ask
ed Adeeb.
“No” I said.
“Even if there is, what’s the big deal?” Shabab retorted.
“It is a big deal! If you can cut that sack, the shopkeeper will need an hour to clean the mess. I am sure.”
“That’s a great idea.” I shouted out.
“But we can’t just go and cut it. The shopkeeper will see us.” Shabab said.
“You dummy! We will keep him busy, and that road is usually empty, people don’t much walk around there, so there is no one to catch us.”
“What if someone comes?” asked Adeeb.
“We will hide.” I said.
“So what is the plan?” asked Shabab.
“At first, Adeeb and I will get up in the shopkeeper’s shop and keep him busy while, you Shabab will cut the sack. And after that, Adeeb you will go to the butcher’s shop and keep him busy, while Shabab and I will try to find some clue.” I told out the plan. “Then if we take too long, we will change person. Shabab you will go to keep the butcher busy while Adeeb and I will search for clues. Do you have any questions?”
“What if the butcher comes while I am cutting the sack?” asked Shabab
“If he comes, then you hide like all the other time.”
“But where do I hide?”
“Anywhere you feel to hide.”
“Man! You guys are going to make me fall in trouble.”
“Okay, if you think you can’t hide anywhere just run away from there.”
“Okay!” Shabab sighed.
“So any more questions or we start for our work.” I said. “It is already 4.10.”
“No! Let’s leave.” Adeeb replied.
“Yeah, let’s leave; if we fall in any problem we will face it.” Shabab said. I understood that Shabab was quite nervous about it. He was scared about getting caught.
“Don’t forget to take a scissor.” I reminded Shabab.
We left for our investigation once again and were much excited than before. Our clues were preserved in Shabab’s house, in his own room.
The Three Secret Solvers : Secret Murder Page 2
