by UD Yasha
‘Does it bother you that he’s the talk of the town and not you?’ I said.
‘It makes me proud.’
‘Really? He's now the reason women are scared in their own homes. They're looking for him everywhere in their houses. Closets, stairs, beds. He's making them sweat. Not you. Come on. That surely disturbs you.'
‘What do you know about him?’
‘That you know each other from long back,’ I said, watching his face, zeroing in on those eyes, waiting for them to give something away. ‘That he has a smart mind. I’m beginning to think he’s brighter than you; given that he’s actually challenging the police. We also know he has medical knowledge. He could even be a doctor.’
I paused. Zakkal smiled.
‘I expected better from you, Siya. You know nothing. What has happened to your bright mind? Has it shrunk? Or are your best days behind you? You let go of one murderer after all. You almost killed one girl yourself.'
How did he know? My face was tingling. I felt like the walls around me were getting closer and closer with every word Zakkal spoke.
He walked up to the bars. He put his head between them and said, in a low and raspy voice, ‘How did her blood taste? Does her face keep you up at night? You were too slow to save her. What makes you think you’ve gotten better since you chickened out. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken that three-year gap. I can already see the rust starting to accumulate. Maybe that might be the reason you wouldn’t be able to meet your mother…oh wait, you call her maa, isn’t that right? Remember Siya, you’ll be responsible for the blood of the five women, including maa’s.’
Zakkal grinned.
I clenched my jaw as hard as I could. Tears built at the back of my eyes. Zakkal was pressing all the right buttons. My pulse thumped in all parts of my body. It’s okay, I told myself. I had learnt a technique to cope with sudden anxiety. It involved being grateful. The mind can only hold one thought in one given moment. And I wanted that moment to hold pure love. I pictured Radha and Rahul getting engaged. Maa was right next to them. In fact, she was the ring bearer. One, two, three. I kept picturing it. Clarity emerged. I wondered if Zakkal had realized he had accidentally let it slip that the new killer had been killing for a long time. And because of that, he had turned the screws on me. I was on the right track. Maybe he was trying to disturb my line of questioning about him feeling side-lined.
‘You’ve turned white, Siya. What’s wrong? Can’t accept the truth?’ Zakkal said. He was now further back in his cell.
‘Like you can’t accept that I got you at your own game? Do you miss having an audience now?’
‘What rubbish are you talking about?’
‘When we met the other day, you asked me where my manners were. That got me thinking about the first time we met. When you gave me the balloon, I had run to maa and got a bar of chocolate from her for you as a return gift. I'm still a good girl after all these years. I've got you a return gift again. Do you want to see it?'
For the first time ever, I noticed Zakkal’s eyes flicker. He was human after all. He wanted to know more. He came to the bars again.
‘I can tell you it’s something you’d love. And no, it’s not an object. A man, I won’t say if he was wise, once told me to never gift objects. Always gift experiences. They’ve a far bigger and a more long-lasting impact. I’ve followed that advice.’
Silence.
I was controlling Zakkal now. His eyes narrowed on me. He was fidgety. This was not going as per his plan. What was he going to do now?
‘I’m also a good gift giver. I think you would agree after knowing what I’ve got for you.’ I paused for the drama. We had been given hours of wisdom on the impact of a pause in mock court class in college. ‘Are you ready for it?’
‘Blow me away,' he said and winked.
I felt like puking, but I did not show it. I had him right now. I took a step forward and made sure the light was on me. I smiled at Zakkal and unbuttoned my jeans nice and slow. His body quivered. His eyes bulged out. I put a hand inside my jeans and pulled out what I had lodged between the two pairs of my underwear. I held it up in the light for Zakkal to see it.
‘Remember this?’ I said, holding it up.
Zakkal's face lit up. I had never seen him express any emotion until now. ‘How can I ever forget?' he said as his eyes sparkled.
I was holding the pair of small earrings that maa was wearing on the day she disappeared. They had been kept next to her bed the night Zakkal had taken her.
I buttoned my jeans. ‘You saw from where I took them out. You know the earrings belonged to my mother. You had told me you wanted to have us both. So, here you go. This is the best gift you’ll ever get. I'll only give this to you though if you tell me what I want to know.'
Zakkal moved away from the bars, grinning. But his eyes turned cold again once he stared back at me. He pursed his lips.
‘Where’s my mother?’ I said.
Zakkal laughed. ‘That’s unfair.’
‘How long have you known the new killer?’
Zakkal had partly given this away earlier. He knew I knew, especially now as I asked the question. This was just me warming him up. He considered what I had asked him.
‘For a long time. Since we were kids.’
‘What made you connect with him?’
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
‘You weren’t killing when you were a child, were you?’
Zakkal's eyes flickered again. Just for a flash. But I had caught it. I wondered what that meant. Did he kill as a child? Ranjit had felt that an incident in Zakkal's childhood had triggered his killing streak. Had it manifested so early?
Zakkal shrugged his shoulders. ‘Well,’ he said.
‘Why do you keep your victims alive for so long after capturing them?’
‘I want to show them what life is made of.’
I wanted to know what he meant by that. I was just about to ask him.
‘Last question, Siya. I’m starting to lose interest. The earrings would be losing their smell of you. It makes the proposition less attractive.’
I did not bother to negotiate. By then, I had realized Zakkal only did as he pleased. It was okay if I didn’t know what he said earlier if I had only one question left. I thought for a spell.
‘Who was your first kill?’ I asked.
His eyes fluttered again. I was onto something. I knew it. Zakkal moved back in the shadows of his cell. ‘My father,’ he said. ‘He deserved to die.’
My stomach churned. I remembered from police reports that Zakkal was eight years old when his father had died. What had driven him to kill his own father?
Zakkal emerged from the shadows. The emotion from his face had been sucked away. ‘Now hand over the earrings to me,’ he said.
I did not want his hands to brush mine again. I tossed them through the bars. He caught them. He opened the small zipper on the bag. His body began shaking as he held them. He raised them high in the air. He sniffed them. He turned to me, his eyes were pure lust.
A tremor ran up my leg to my neck. Despite the two layers of bars between us, I feared for my life at that moment. Something that Ranjit had told me came back to me.
The trophies they collected would have been constant reminders that they are powerful. It also fuels their fantasies. Seeing these objects is a trigger for them to relive the thrill they experienced during the kill. It also helps them remember each victim individually. Trophies can also be helpful to them between kills, serving as a reminder that they’re powerful.
It hit me then that maa would have seen the same face and the pure evil eyes just before…I couldn’t complete the thought. And then, she would not have had the bars between them. The monster called Kishore Zakkal would have been free to do anything he pleased.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
I watched Zakkal go deeper into his cell. He stayed inside for at least fifteen minutes. I waited patiently. I still had not found out anything about the women who were
alive. But I finally knew something about Zakkal’s childhood.
The police report on Madhavrao Zakkal’s death was vague and short. There wasn’t much description or mention of the extent of injuries he had sustained, except for ‘heavy bleeding, multiple broken bones from a hit and run car accident’. No autopsy had been performed so there was no way to know the exact cause of death. I wondered how Zakkal had killed him. The reports also said Madhavrao was heavily intoxicated? It was possible that a grown man could be so out of his wits that a willing child could kill him. What had driven Zakkal the child to kill his own father? He deserved to die. I decided I would speak with Ranjit the next morning about this meeting.
I had a working theory about the situation under which Zakkal would have killed his father. Just as I began to develop it, Zakkal came to the front of his cell. Back in the light, one hand on the grill, no expression on his face.
I decided not to give him Swapna Kiran's earrings. At least not then. I would give them later if it was required. I had him for a couple of times. I had seen him express emotions. I had got more answers than I had hoped for. Now it was time to get information on the women who were still alive.
‘Ask me,’ he said.
‘What should I ask?’ I was confused.
‘What you had come here to ask me.’
‘Where are you holding the women captive?’
Zakkal hesitated. He had done that only for two questions before. What was it that had got him to hesitate this time?
‘He moved them,’ Zakkal said.
‘Where to?’
‘What do you have for me?’
‘I was told to say more sun time or even a different cell.’
Zakkal laughed. ‘They’re idiots.’
‘I take that you didn’t call me an idiot as a compliment.’
‘I want everything to be approved by the Court, the Governor and Warden Shetty of this shithouse.’
‘They’re willing to do that.’
‘I want free time with inmates.’
What?
‘You look surprised,’ Zakkal said.
‘I thought you’d want to go for a different cell. One with a view. Warden Shetty told me you didn’t like this one.’
‘Nah, it’s alright.’
‘I even fought with the Governor for it.’
‘Thank you, but I’ll like to have the free time with other inmates.’
‘It will be restricted to one hour every week for six months. The number of inmates you would be with wouldn’t exceed ten. And I’m required to tell you that your time in the open will be monitored.’
‘One hour, every week for as long as they don’t hang me. I agree with everything else.’
I thought about it.
‘What’s the matter?’ Zakkal said.
I shook my head. ‘Why not ask for a pardoning of the death sentence?’ I said.
‘I know they would never give that. They can, but they wouldn’t. It’s all about who’s got the bigger dick. They wouldn’t like to admit that it’s me.’
Silence.
Zakkal said, ‘Deal. Get the paperwork ready. I’ll sign. You’ll get to know where the women are after my first hour outdoors in the yard. Now get out of here.’
He went deep into his cell.
I turned around and walked away, wondering what had just happened. Why had Zakkal chosen the worse of the two deals he had? I could not help but feel that something was wrong.
Zakkal watched Siya from the shadows. By smelling her so fresh, he knew how good she would taste. She is even better than her mother. He could not wait to get her. He smiled in the darkness. The world was not aware of his plan. Not yet. But everyone would know soon. It had gone exactly as per his wishes so far. I should have never been arrested. I made a stupid mistake. But thank God for my devoted student. He has turned out to be better than I had thought. Zakkal’s smile turned into a grin. Only one step remained between him and freedom.
He sat up on his bed and meditated for a while. It had helped him immensely to stay in control. He did a shorter routine that day. He had other things to do. He had been told Siya would come to see him at twelve thirty that night. His mental clock had started ticking then. He knew it was quarter to two at that moment. He had calculated. They would push for his deal to be put on paper by tomorrow morning. They would not be able to accommodate a monitored free time for him then. But the CID would not want any further delay. So, they’ll pressure Warden Shetty to give him his free time in the evening. Anytime between five and seven. He knew he had to be ready then.
Thinking about being free again, he wondered how he would reward his most devoted student. He has outdone himself! Zakkal thought back to a few days ago when he had got the news. He was so impressed. He, himself, didn’t have a clue that Naina Rajput had been alive for all these years.
The sheer joy he had felt when he had got to know that! He would have never thought in a million years he would be able to see that woman again. That son of a bitch is good, he thought, thinking about his student.
He had no idea why or how his student had kept her alive for so many years. And not just Naina Rajput, but some of the others as well. While none of them were as special as Naina, Zakkal couldn’t help but beam while he basked in what his student had done for him.
He lifted the thin mattress in his cell. He had stuck a small plastic bag under it. He had received it that morning. His protégé had arranged for it to be given to him through an inmate and a hawaldar. That’s what he loved about jails. A small amount of money bought you faith stronger than that of a dog.
He opened the plastic bag and checked what was inside. Just what he had asked for. Everything else had already been set in motion. He longed for the next day to come.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
I told Rathod about the meeting on our way back. I kept wondering what Zakkal’s big game could be. He wouldn’t give up his most prized possessions to spend time in the open with ten strangers. Was he even planning on telling us where the women were?
‘What’s the matter? You look troubled,’ Rathod said after the call was disconnected.
‘There has to be something more to this. Why would he tell us a secret he has protected from the jail for which two women and a man have already been killed?’
‘Solitary confinement drives even the best to insanity. Maybe he just wants some human connection before dying. He was so high on it because of committing murders that he probably misses it a lot.’
Maybe Rathod had a valid point.
‘Occam’s Razor, Siya. The simpler theory is more likely to be true.’
I still was not satisfied. I gave it a rest. We had a killer to find. Zakkal was only going to reveal the location of his victims, not the identity of the Bedroom Strangler. But now, I was armed with a new clue from his childhood.
We reached the CID office at two o’clock. Everyone, including the Governor, was waiting for us.
‘I told you,’ he said to me right after seeing me.
I did not bother to respond. This was still a game for him. I was just pleased we would know where the women were being held. At least according to Zakkal. The more that thought stayed in mind, the more convinced I was that this was all a setup.
Radha saw me from the glass walls of the cabin and rushed out. Even Shadow wanted to greet me but Rahul held him back. Radha ran to me and hugged me tightly.
‘I was getting worried about you. You were gone for a long time. Are you okay?’ she said.
‘I could crack the son of a bitch, Radha,’ I said.
I could feel her tears on my shoulders once again. ‘Does that mean maa’s going to come back?’
I did not share my concerns with her then. ‘It looks like it. If Zakkal keeps his word.’
‘I can’t believe it,’ Radha said, pulling out of the embrace as she wiped her tears. ‘I’ll wait for you in the cabin,’ she said and returned inside.
‘When will the documentation be finalized?�
� I said.
‘Tomorrow around noon. We’ll push for his free time later in the same day. He’ll get it from five to six in the evening,’ Shukla said.
I would have preferred it to be done earlier in the day, but I was aware of the long-drawn process of getting a court order. I was glad it would be done in a day. I had seen instances where the plea bargain had taken weeks to get approved.
Bhalerao came from one of the cabins. He said, ‘We just found the police officers who were on call when Zakkal’s father died over thirty years ago. There were two reporting officers. One of them died last year from old age. He was eighty-three. The other is still alive. He’s seventy-six. He’s spending his retirement in Pune in an area called Kharadi.’
Kharadi was like one of those places in any growing city that was at the outskirts right now but would become like the centre of the city in ten years.
‘His name is Tukaram Phadkule. He was the one who wrote the report we saw,’ Bhalerao said.
Shukla was from a generation of people that still wore wristwatches. He turned his wrist and checked the time. It was almost three in the morning.
‘Disturb him,’ he said, flinging his hand in the air. ‘This situation demands extreme measures. He’s a former cop. He would know.’
I wondered then if Shukla had a role to play in expediting the process of our deal with Zakkal. That moment was another reminder to me that Shukla was a good man at heart. He just did not like me for what he thought I had done to his career.
Bhalerao dialled a number using the landline telephone kept on a table next to him. He put the call on speakerphone. The line rang and rang. Finally, it was answered.
‘This is Senior Inspector Mahesh Bhalerao from Pune CID. Am I speaking to Tukaram Phadkule?’
The man’s voice was sleepy and frail. ‘Yes, of course. Bhalerao, you said?’
‘Yes, sir. I want to ask you a few questions regarding a report you filled out thirty years back.’
‘I don’t even remember what I had for dinner, young man,’ Phadkule said and laughed at his own joke. ‘I’m kidding. Ask me.’
