by UD Yasha
'The more I have thought about this, the more I'm convinced that Zakkal would not involve a third person for anything that is directly connected to his murders, especially not a gang member who can be bought out. He used Shirole's men as a decoy to throw us off. He used Kumar Singhal to set fire to my house. While both, especially the latter, are critical to his plan, they didn't involve anyone else taking part in his murders. Sonia told us that she thinks this place is directly related to the dead bodies. The women when they were alive or even the bodies are personal for Zakkal. There's no chance anyone else will be privy to them. Even the last time around, Zakkal told Ranjit about the women he had abducted only when Zakkal was arrested—at a time when Zakkal had no hope of escaping.'
‘Alright, let’s plan this out,’ Rathod said. ‘There are three possible locations, two of which are more likely to be the place that Zakkal’s been using.’
'Let's stake them out for fifteen minutes and check for activity at both places. We'll split into two teams to save time,' Shukla said.
‘They’re also close by so either team can reach the other in no time,’ Rathod said.
‘Let’s get going. The clock is ticking,’ Shukla said.
I checked the time just before we left the CID building.
It was two forty-five.
Twenty-one more hours to go before Zakkal would draw blood again.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The rain picked up strength again while we drove to Shileshwar. We had split up in two cars. Rathod, the bald police officer named Shankar, and I were in Rathod’s car while the rest of the team was in Shukla’s car. We were going to check out the private property while Shukla and company were going to stake out the water tower and the house attached to it. We were also carrying night-vision goggles to aid us in staking out the places.
Shileshwar is a relatively unknown locality past the industrial belt outside Pune City. The city itself was growing in size so the industrial belt was expanding as well. There were studies about how Pune would merge with the megacity Mumbai in the coming decades.
Despite the rain, Rathod pushed hard on the accelerator and we reached Shileshwar at ten minutes past three. The roads got narrower as we exited the highway. Soon, with generous help from Google Maps, we were a hundred metres from the private property. From the road, we couldn’t see much because of the lush tree cover. Rathod pulled over in an area that had no streetlights. The rain had reduced considerably and was now a mere drizzle in the air.
Our night-vision goggles came in handy as we walked down the rest of the way. Even at night, when Shileshwar was asleep, I got the vibes of being in a small village. There were no tall buildings to be seen anywhere, the sky seemed to have a few more stars and the silence that bounced on the roads was deafening.
The private property had a knee-high compound wall around it. The main gate was broken and hung at an awkward angle. Shrubs and creepers had grown on both. I wondered how long it had been since anyone had stepped inside the house. I even heard a gentle sound of the Mula Mutha's water flowing on the other side of the house. The rain had provided it with some impetus. I imagined that the windows or balconies had a view of the riverfront. The water tower was about five minutes away by car and ten on foot. It was down the road we had taken and then a short trip towards the river.
We did not enter the compound, but instead got behind a big banyan tree on the road outside and watched the house. No lights were on. There was no sign of any movement inside either. It seemed like no one had entered the house for years. Through the night-vision goggles, it seemed like creepers had even grown on the house walls. The trees rustled ever so slightly and the odd drop of rain fell on us from the leaves above.
The minutes rolled by.
But nothing happened.
‘Any word from Shukla?’ I whispered.
‘I got a text from Bhalerao when they reached the water tower. But nothing after that,’ Rathod said and then checked the time. ‘We’ve been here for a little more than ten minutes. Let’s wait for five more.’
I wondered what we could expect to find inside. Finding Zakkal soundly asleep seemed too good to be true. Was Sudha Barve going to be there? Were we going to find more dead bodies? I was hoping this place would have the women that Zakkal had abducted, including Sudha Barve.
The minutes ticked by again. It was all the same. No movement, no sound. The night kept getting older.
The silence was shattered by Rathod’s buzzing phone. I saw ‘Bhalerao’s’ name flash on the screen before Rathod answered it. He grunted once and then put his phone back into his pant pocket.
‘They haven’t noticed anything either. It looks like both these places haven’t been lived in for a long time,’ Rathod said. ‘We need to go in. We’ll search the place and get out of there if we find nothing. They’re doing the same thing.’
I felt a sudden drop in my energy. I was hoping we would find something at one of these places. If we did, it was stuff that Zakkal had no intention of ever telling us.
‘Let’s go,’ Rathod said and led the way.
We walked slowly, careful not to step on twigs that might snap, or make a noise, alerting anyone around of our presence. We could easily step over the short compound wall. Within seconds, we were by the porch, staring at a locked door. From up close, it was clear that the house was in ruins. I thought about how this house might have been when it was newly constructed. Rathod beckoned with his hand that we should first circle the house before going inside. He had been in such situations many times before so I followed his every instruction.
The sound of flowing water grew louder as we went to the back of the house. It was only fifty feet away, beyond the compound wall at the back. The tense silence coupled with the flowing water made for an eerie soundtrack. From the compound wall, I could see the edge of the water tower against the crescent-shaped moon.
We got back to the front of the house and walked up the porch. There was a padlock on the main door. Shankar had some heavy-duty pliers with him. When their strength was exerted on the rusted padlock, nothing could stop it from breaking into two pieces.
We first heard the water. Little drops, falling in a puddle. One of the leaks was right above the door.
‘What the hell,’ Rathod spit out when the leaking water from the roof dripped on his forehead.
We stepped away quickly. The house smelt damp and dusty, like it had not been cleaned for many years. I got even more curious about its backstory. The living room had no furniture. Creepers and shrubs had found their way inside the house too.
‘I doubt this is the place,’ Rathod said.
We walked in further. The situation was even more grim in what once used to be the kitchen. Moss had grown all over the floor and walls.
‘Even if Zakkal doesn’t kill us here, we’ll probably die from a disease,’ I said.
‘This is certainly not the place we are looking for,’ Rathod said again.
Just as I was about to suggest getting out of there, Rathod’s phone started buzzing again.
In the silence, I could hear the voice across the line very crisply even though Rathod had not put the phone on speaker.
It was Bhalerao. He said, ‘Rathod, you need to come here. We’ve stumbled upon Zakkal’s killing field.’
As we ran out, I checked the time. Three forty-five.
Twenty more hours before Zakkal was going to murder another innocent woman.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rathod stomped on the accelerator again. Either he was driving at warp speed or the thoughts in my mind were racing too fast to comprehend anything. Bhalerao’s words rang in my mind. We’ve stumbled upon Zakkal’s killing field.
We pulled over behind Shukla’s car that was parked by the main road. It seemed like they had taken the shorter route through the trees to reach the water tower.
The tall police officer was standing guard outside the wired compound wall. We could see the water tower stand tall inside with the
house next to it. The water tower must have been as tall as a five-storeyed building so the house looked minuscule next to it. It was actually not as small, and probably the size of a studio apartment in any busy city. It was rectangular in shape with the entrance at the breadth. We were entering the tower from its backyard. The river flowed on the other side.
Bhalerao was standing just outside the house. He beckoned us to come as we were running towards it. He held the door open for us.
I first noticed the meticulousness of every little detail of the house. Four white lights on each of the walls lit up the entire space. There was a small bed at the end farthest away from me. It had been made and had clean white sheets. A red rug was spread out close to the door. Two large identical closets occupied the walls on either side. Both ran through the length of the room. There were two ceiling fans at either end of the long space.
Then I realized how it was not like a normal house at all.
For starters, there were no windows inside. The place was also devoid of any walls. The ceiling and the floor were sparkling white.
The more I looked at it, the creepier it got.
There were six hooks just under the ceiling. A large plastic sheet was rolled up and kept against the cupboard to my right. A bucket with a broom and a ladder were next to it. There were some drops of red on the white wall near the bed.
I walked deeper inside.
That's when I noticed that the bucket was filled a quarter of the way with a red liquid. It felt too thin to be all blood. But I was sure that the redness came from blood. The plastic sheet next to it also had stains of red.
‘We need to show you something at the back,’ Bhalerao said to Rathod and me. ‘Come with me.’
We followed Bhalerao out and towards the backside of the house. The water tower stood tall next to us.
'In there,' Bhalerao said, pointing at a narrow staircase that went to a chamber underground. 'It's the engine room of the tower. They built it many years ago. There's no engine inside it now because it's all-electric. But the chamber is still present.'
Shukla emerged from the staircase. He gave us a slight nod of his head and stepped out of our way.
As Rathod and I went down the stairs, unsure of what to expect, an impersonal, but an all too familiar coppery smell of blood greeted us. It was bracing us for what was to come.
I realized right away why Bhalerao wanted us to check it out.
The chamber was the one where Zakkal had shot the videos in which he killed the lady and recorded the message for me.
I stood still, knowing that not long ago, Zakkal had breathed in the same air that I was breathing. He had stood at the exact spot and plotted out his revenge, or as he would say it, his ploy to get me. I could picture the entire video play out in the room.
The stretcher had been pushed against the wall. There was nobody on it then, but I still pictured the lady we had seen in the video, begging Zakkal to let her go. Zakkal’s laugh that followed still echoed in my mind. The images were so vivid that it almost felt like Zakkal was right in front of me. His words played in my mind.
Surrender yourself to me and nothing else will happen. If you fail to do so, then I will kill someone once those twenty-four hours are up. If you still don't surrender yourself to me, I will kill someone twelve hours after that, then six hours later…you get the drift. After six hours, it'll be someone every hour till zero hour.
Rathod’s hand on my shoulder brought me back to the present moment.
‘Hey, you okay?’ he asked. ‘I know this is hard. But that we’re here is a big step. We’re closer to him than we think.’
I took Rathod’s hand from my shoulder and held it tightly. I felt my eyes get heavy. I leaned on him and hugged him tightly. He put a hand on the small of my back and gently patted it. I realized why I had broken down. I had remembered something else that Zakkal had said. I’ll also come after your sister Radha and your mother Naina. It had triggered thoughts that I had tried to keep away.
I withdrew from the embrace and wiped away the tears. Rathod didn't look back at me while I was staring at him. Instead, he was looking at the chamber. That's why I appreciated having him as a partner so much. He always knew what to say and what to do. Along with Radha, he was my pillar of strength.
The outburst of emotion made me feel better. I had been holding it in for far too long. I turned back to the chamber. It was bigger than I had anticipated before entering it. The white floor had a tint of red on it. There was blood splatter on the walls as well.
‘Let’s go back upstairs,’ Rathod said. ‘I don’t think we’ll find much else here. Sonia’s forensic team will sweep this place soon. ACP Shukla told me he’s already asked for backup to arrive. They’ll watch this place from a distance and see if Zakkal gets back.’
Chapter Thirty-Four
We climbed up the stairs and inhaled the night air. I had never been happier to breathe fresh air. I saw ACP Shukla and Bhalerao in the distance near the riverbank, wondering what they were doing there. I looked their way for a few more seconds before heading to the house.
Shankar was standing guard outside.
I pointed at Shukla and Bhalerao and asked him, ‘Do you know what the two of them are doing there?’
'They just went there. I think they got a call from Dr Sonia Joshi's office. She wanted them to get some samples of the soil.'
I thanked him. Rathod and I entered the house.
‘I’m not sure what Zakkal used this place for,’ Rathod said. ‘The underground chamber seems like his killing floor.’
‘How many times has Zakkal actually slit the throat of someone he had abducted?’ I said.
‘That’s a good point. No one comes to my mind,’ Rathod said.
‘He has taken his victims’ blood out and sprayed it around. He only slit the throats of people like Smita Kale or Kumar Singhal. They were never his ideal targets but just obstacles in his way.’
‘But that doesn’t tell us why he had this place,’ Rathod said.
‘Maybe the bed in front of us is where he strangled those women to death,’ I said. ‘His twisted mind works in ways that you and I can never imagine.’
‘But why take bodies to the farmhouse and put them on display? The water tower engine room chamber is a better place to hide bodies.’
'Let's look around,' I said and walked deeper into the room.
We pulled out gloves from our pant pockets and put them on.
I said, ‘According to Dr Sonia, the women were kept here while they were alive or after they had been killed. They were all strangled to death. Maybe this very room is his killing floor.’ I pointed at the hooks on the ceiling. ‘Just look around. Why would you have all this? That bucket and mop there as well.’
‘Don’t forget those clean white sheets,’ Rathod said.
‘And these large closets too. They look so out of place,’ I said, wondering what was inside them.
I stood in front of the closet nearest to me and stared at it for a second. Both the closets were made from dark wood. Both had the same intricate carving on the front side along with a steel handle. It did not have a keyhole. I pulled the door open.
The moment I saw what was inside, I knew I would never be able to forget it. My hands turned cold and my throat became dry. A gasp escaped my mouth and made Rathod rush to my right elbow.
There were three shelves inside the cupboard. The topmost shelf had six bottles of lens cleaning solution, all placed equidistant from each other. Next to each bottle, there were three packets of zero-power contact lenses. They were all green, the same eye colour as Maa, Radha and me.
On the second shelf, six wigs were placed next to each other, once again equidistant from each other. The artificial hair on the wigs was curly, the same kind that Maa, Radha and I had. A bottle of hair serum, shampoo and conditioner lay on the extreme right of the same shelf. It was all of the same brands that I used. I had changed my brand of hair serum just a year ago.
A
chill ran up my spine. I had always thought that Zakkal was watching us. But looking at the exact same brands of the haircare products that I used, I was sure he had been watching me. Had he been to my house? To my bathroom? Had he watched me, Maa or Radha sleep?
On the bottom-most shelf, clothes were stacked in four piles, once again all equidistant from each other. Each pile had the exact same type and colour of clothes. For example, the first pile had only light blue kurtas. I owned the exact same kurta. The second pile had white slip-on salwaars. I owned those as well. The third pile had my favourite T-Shirt in which I loved sleeping. It was green in colour. The fourth pile had grey shorts that I wore along with the green T-Shirt.
‘All those are mine,’ I said, my voice almost a whisper.
‘The other closet had more of the same,’ Rathod said.
I took a step back. I knew Zakkal was obsessed with Maa, Radha and me. But what I was seeing in front of me was pure lunacy. What was even more eerie was how Zakkal had arranged everything. There was a method to his madness.
What Dr Sonia had shared about Aarti Lunkad and Jane Doe Two came back to me. Both women’s heads were shaved before they were killed. In fact, the hair follicle pattern and the follicle root’s growth indicate that Zakkal shaved their heads repeatedly. I can’t tell you why, but this is something that might be useful to you. Apart from the shaving of the hair, I saw some residue of a contact lens cleaning solution in the eye sockets of both the women.
I felt sick in my stomach after knowing what Zakkal had been doing.
‘He’s actually dressing up his victims from head to toe to make them look like you,’ Rathod said.
I needed to get out of there. Away from that closet, away from the room and away from anything that Zakkal had ever touched or set his sight on. I went out in the open air. The cool breeze once again lashed on my face.
