by UD Yasha
He had a calm and soothing voice. He spoke crisply and had a measured tone to his speech.
I said, ‘I wanted to talk to you about Kishore Zakkal himself.’
‘It was crazy how you caught him,’ he said.
I paused, not knowing how to take that compliment. ‘Well, thanks,’ I managed to say without taking too long. ‘There’s been a new development in his case.’
‘Wasn’t he in Yerwada?’
‘Yes, but we suspect someone outside who knows him is killing on Zakkal's command. A woman was murdered. The state of her bathroom was similar to the bathroom when my mother disappeared. My mother's hair was left behind intentionally at the crime scene.'
‘Wow! That’s interesting,’ he said in an excited voice, before realizing the same man had taken my mother. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to -’
‘I know. Leave aside the formalities.’
Silence.
I said, ‘That’s not it. The analysis of my mother’s hair revealed that she was alive when it was chopped. That means she was alive forty-eight hours back. She could still be breathing.’
‘That changes everything. Extended kidnapping. It’s almost as if he has held her in prison.’
‘And someone else, most probably the Bedroom Strangler, was taking care of her when Zakkal went to prison.’
Silence.
‘I’m just trying to let it sink in,’ Ranjit said.
‘Everyone in the Pune CID is trying to find out who this killer is,’ I said. ‘I’m forwarding you CID’s case file as well as my report. It’ll be really helpful if you could make an assessment on Zakkal and the Bedroom Strangler.’
‘I went to meet Zakkal in his cell. Everything you would need is in the report,’ I said.
‘I'll get on it right away,' Ranjit said. I could sense the excitement in his voice, not the creepy kind but the one that stems from a love for your work. ‘I was anyway going to come to Pune for work tonight. We'll meet then. I'll call you if I find anything before that,' he said and hung up.
I looked out the window, my mind fluttering, knowing that within ten minutes I would be sitting face to face with a man who met Zakkal three times every week for the past three years.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hardik Karve’s office was the ground floor of an old mansion in Shivaji Nagar. A peon sitting outside noted our names and asked us to wait. His boss still had not come. It was five minutes to ten. A lot of lawyers arrived late at their offices or did not go to them till lunch as they were busy at their chambers in the court. The court itself was five minutes from Karve’s office.
We sat for fifteen minutes in silence before we saw Karve’s car veer into the parking lot. He walked out nonchalantly and continued towards the door consumed in his own thoughts. He did a double take on seeing me. He narrowed his eyes and went past us into his office. I followed him inside before he could say anything. His office walls were full of awards and medals. His three law degrees hung on the wall behind his desk.
‘I don’t remember having a meeting with you, Miss Rajput. Also, don’t you think it’s high time you find yourself a husband?’ he said, with his back to me.
I ignored his snide remark. ‘I didn’t take an appointment.’
‘And is that your dog outside? I don’t like them. Make sure you never put him in front of me ever again,’ he said, organising files on his desk with his back still to me.
Silence.
‘Why the hell are you here then?’ he said, turning around and sitting behind his desk. He dressed like his mother still put on his clothes for him. His hair was oiled and slanted across his forehead.
I remained standing. ‘I’m here to ask you about Kishore Zakkal.’
‘I can’t tell you anything about him. Are you that bad a lawyer that you don’t remember that?’
‘You know what’s happening right?’
Karve shot a quizzical look. ‘Well there’s a lot happening and you’re keeping me away from working on it.’
‘Zakkal is killing again.’
Karve laughed. ‘I met him yesterday at Yerwada. There’s no way he could’ve done it.’
‘He’s got someone on the outside who’s killing for him. You know that already, don’t you?’
Karve leaned forward. ‘How dare you come to my office and accuse me of something like that?’
‘Why do you meet him three times a week?’
‘That’s none of your business.’
‘It is if the law is being broken. It is if contraband is being supplied to a prisoner in solitary confinement. It is if that contraband is responsible for another inmate's death.'
Karve shook his head. His eyes bulged out. He was a really good actor if he did know about Zakkal. But that did not say much. All lawyers are professional liars. Better than Oscar winners. As good as poker players.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘The murder that was committed in Koregaon Park. They found my mother’s lock of hair at the crime scene. She was alive at least forty-eight hours before the murder. Zakkal admitted to taking her fourteen years back. You connect the dots.’
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, miss. You mind your tone. Remember who you’re speaking to.’
‘Is that a threat?’
‘Take it any way you want as long as it helps you understand the message.’
My blood boiled. ‘Where were you between four and eight in the morning two days back?’
‘No comments,’ he said and paused.
Silence.
‘Who the hell are you anyway to question me?’ he barked.
I knew this was coming. I bit my lip.
‘Forget a gutless lawyer. Even the police don’t have a right to ask me that question. If the police think I’m a suspect, then they are welcome to take me in. I’ll sue them the hell out of their asses, including you. You’re coming to my office and troubling me. I’ll sue you for harassment and stalking,’ he said and smiled, or at least I thought he did. ‘So, get the hell out of here.’
I did not have a choice. I got up. I had to pick my battles and this was not worth fighting right now.
‘Miss Rajput?’ Karve said.
I turned around.
‘If I were you, I’d watch where I go,’ he said and flicked two fingers in the air, beckoning me to get out.
I joined Radha and Rahul outside.
‘What did he say?’ Radha said.
‘Nothing apart from vomit and filth. I thought I could appeal to his human side.’
‘Did he say anything helpful?’
‘Nothing. But I know he knows something about this entire project that Zakkal has planned. He may not be the killer but he probably knows who it is.’
‘Can’t you ask Rathod to have his men keep an eye on Karve?’
‘There’s not enough proof for CID to sanction additional men. They’re already following around two other people. Plus, they have their own investigation,’ I said. ‘There’s not enough proof that Karve is guilty. No judge will sanction a warrant on the basis of what we know right now. We got into the car. ‘Let’s go to meet Kataria’s wife, Sucheta. She was willing to talk to me. She knows something.’
I felt my phone vibrate on the back seat of the car. I picked it up. It was Rathod.
‘It's the Bedroom Strangler again. The new victim was strangled as well. No blood in the bathroom this time. But her vagina has bled out big time on the bedsheet. And there's a message on the wall this time. It was written in blood and then wiped. The luminol lit it up again.'
‘What does it say?’
‘Please be seated for this. It says–I would have loved for my next victim to be a Rajput lady. But I have other plans. Their time will come. They have been warned. Second time now. See you soon, Siya.’
A shiver shot up through my spine. My stomach sank. Everything inside me collapsed. The feeling lasted for a beat but it felt like forever.
Chapter Twenty-Four
&nbs
p; I took a minute to gather my thoughts. Radha got from my demeanour that Rathod had confirmed that the Bedroom Strangler had struck again. I was not sure whether to tell her about the message. Or how much if I tell.
‘He left a warning for us at the scene of the murder,' I said.
Radha turned back. ‘You and me?’
‘Yes. He wrote all Rajput ladies in his message. That means you, Shama and I. She’s away for now.’
‘We’ve each other. We’re safe because we’re together. All three of us.’
Silence.
Radha said, ‘Shama called me yesterday to ask what was happening. She said Karan cannot get away right now. She has extended her stay by two days though as they have let her stay longer.’
I was a little relieved. Shama being away meant one less person to worry about. ‘You’re right,’ I said and gently stroked Radha’s shoulders twice. ‘We’re stronger together.’
We reached Kothrud in thirty minutes at fifteen minutes to noon. Rahul pulled over where he could find a spot on the crowded Paud Road. He parked in a small lane that sprouted from the main road. The construction of the metro had everyone on the edge of their tempers. Some frustrated two-wheeler riders had hurled their bikes on footpaths in pursuit of a faster way out of the jam. Cars honked at the slightest of pauses on the road. Pedestrians walked like land mines were buried every metre. Everyone put on display a dazzling combination of never-heard-before-expletives. Their boiling tempers provided entertainment to the bystanders.
I was not sure where the new metro station was located. There was not much of it yet anyway, just beams and columns high up in the sky. so, I looked for it on foot while Radha, Rahul and Shadow stayed in the car. I went to the More Vidyalaya Bus Stop and asked for directions. I checked the time on my phone. Five minutes to noon. There was no way I was going to find it on my own. So, I looked around for a woman in a yellow saree and a white blouse.
My phone buzzed in my hand. It was Sucheta.
‘I can see you. Walk straight,’ she said. ‘I’m afraid someone is going to try to hurt us.’
I looked around trying to spot her. The cars continued to honk. People pushed past each other on the broken footpaths. Crowds provided security, but they also lent anonymity. I still could not see Sucheta. I followed her instructions, wondering who made her so afraid. Who had reached out to her to give her husband a pollen grain?
I walked straight for less than thirty seconds when I heard my name being called out.
‘Madam, Siya madam!’ the voice called out.
I followed its direction to a small by lane on Paud Road and saw a woman, dressed in a yellow saree and white blouse. She beckoned me to follow her. She walked up the narrow by-lane and stopped in front of a bungalow.
Turning around, she said, ‘I’m Sucheta. I work in this house. The owners have gone out of town. I just finished cleaning here. We’ll sit in their backyard. No one will disturb us there.’
Sucheta broke step for the backyard. Though hesitant about trespassing on someone else’s property, I knew I did not have a choice. I saw her get inside through a small gate and went behind her. I suddenly realized I was going to an unknown place, away from the crowded streets. I was blindly taking the word of the wife of a known felon. What if this is a trap? My stomach collapsed. Radha and Rahul were far away. They would not be able to help even if they wanted to. I was suddenly aware of everything around me. The by lane itself was deserted. I pulled out my phone and called Radha.
‘Please stay on the line,’ I said and read the name and number of the house Sucheta had entered and then explained the situation.
I put the phone on speaker and entered the house. A hand grabbed me, pulled me inside and shut the gate. Sucheta was standing just by the gate. She turned to me. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her face had gone white. Her blouse had patches of sweat.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
‘What’s happening?’ I asked, looking around, my heart thudding loudly.
‘They threatened me,’ she said and covered her face with her hands. She broke down. She sobbed and said, ‘I killed my husband. It was me. He’s dead because of me.’
I put a hand on her back. ‘Who threatened you?’
‘A couple of men had come to my house. I know them from the local gang. I’ve seen them beat up people. They said they’ll kill my son. He’s only eleven. He’s the only person I’ve remaining whom I can call mine. I couldn’t let anything happen to him.’
‘What did they ask you to do?’
‘They gave me a small plastic bag and asked me to give it to my husband. They said it was not drugs and nothing illegal. They also offered me money for it. Fifty thousand rupees. They said it was a bonus. A gift other than keeping my son alive. They said I just had to give it to Dhruv for my son to stay alive.’
‘When did this happen?’
‘Two weeks back.’
‘Did they ask you to do anything else?’
Sucheta stayed silent, thinking back to the time, shaking her head. ‘That’s it. That’s all they asked me to do.’
‘Do you know which local gang the men who spoke to you belonged to?’
‘Yes. They are MLA Nana Shirole’s people.’
I knew the name far too well. Nana Shirole was a politician notorious for smuggling, harassing and contract killing. He was loved in his constituency and had been elected to parliament since 1994. He was known for smuggling drugs and alcohol. He was also heavily into betting in cricket matches. It was suspected he had also ventured into fixing cricket matches in smaller leagues across the world. Despite all of this, he was also considered a loving leader by the people of his constituency. There were several charges against him but no one came forward to testify, either because they disappeared altogether or Shirole bought them out with money or promises. There were whispers that he had connections with the Dawood Ibrahim’s notorious D Company. His gang was untouchable. Zakkal could have hired Shirole’s services at a cost. A high one but that would have guaranteed anonymity. If anyone knew Sucheta had revealed her deal with Shirole’s men, there was a high chance she and her son would be found in the gutter the next day.
‘Did your husband say anything to you when you gave him the pollen grain?’ I said.
‘No. He just accepted it.’
‘Did he not ask to whom he had to give it?’
‘No. He said he already knew. I don’t know how. He told me and our son to stay safe.’
‘Did I get him killed?’ Sucheta said, tears flowing down her cheeks.
I told her the truth. ‘Not at all. Once Shirole chose your husband, there was little that you could do. Anyway, he had a death sentence signed against his name even if you had not given him that parcel. Then it would have been Shirole showing his might by killing you all just to prove a point to the others. By giving him the parcel, you at least saved yourself and your son.’
That seemed to calm Sucheta for a spell. She wiped her tears. I stepped forward and hugged the woman. ‘Please tell me if they come again. You’ve my number,’ I said in her ear. ‘I’m very proud of you. You know Shirole, but you still came forward and told me. Very few people have that kind of strength.’ I pulled out of the hug and looked in her eyes. ‘Thank you,’ I said, admiring her courage.
I returned to our car. Though Sucheta’s confession did not help me directly in finding out more about the Bedroom Strangler or Zakkal’s plan, it confirmed my theory that Zakkal had planned this for a while. Either his lawyer or the Bedroom Strangler had helped him set up the entire operation. They knew their plan could not be traced back to its source if it was routed through Shirole’s men. They had picked a harmless family living in the slums and threatened them to help achieve their objective. For no fault of his own, Dhruv Kataria had been killed. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes the difference between life and death is just that, however unfortunate.
I told Radha and Rahul about the meeting as we drove back home. I checked my mo
bile phone. Having amped up the security at home made me more comfortable. None of the sensors had been triggered.
We picked up shawarmas on our way home. By the time we finished eating them, my phone was buzzing on the dining table. It was Rathod. He must be calling with updates from the crime scene. I answered his call, feeling hopeful that the Bedroom Strangler had made a mistake.
‘We just finished analyzing the crime scene,’ Rathod said. ‘The victim’s name is Tarla Raheja. From the looks of it, she was killed by strangling as well. She was thirty-four years old. Lived alone. We found anxiety medications in her house. Her friends said she hardly stepped out of her house. She missed her appointment with her psychiatrist so she sent someone over to her house and they found her dead on her bed. There was another message left behind this time apart from the warning he gave you.’
I shut my eyes, knowing it was going to be spine-tingling.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I held the phone harder on my ear. ‘What was it?’ I said.
‘It was written under her bed in her blood. It said—"This is starting to get fun. I was under her bed for three days. I even had the same food and tea she had.”
My hands trembled. He wanted everyone to feel fear. Even though he was far away from me, my mouth went dry. I could not let him get anywhere near Radha or Shama. ‘What else did you find?' I said.
‘The entire room was wiped with bleach as well. The ACP is confused. He wonders why there is no blood this time. He flirted with the idea of it being a copycat because someone had leaked photos from the previous crime scene to the media.’
‘Come on, that’s ridiculous.’
‘It's not a theory we're actively working on. Just something that crossed the ACP's mind. But for all purposes, we're considering this to be a new victim killed by the Bedroom Strangler. Sonia's expediting the autopsy. She'll compare the length of fingers marks from Supriya's murder to that of Tarla's.'
