by UD Yasha
‘We don’t know much about Zakkal’s childhood. The two must have met then. Because I couldn’t find anyone who was close to him after he started working. I had spoken to his colleagues from work. They described him as friendly but quiet and introverted.’
‘Have you tried to figure out why there isn’t much about Zakkal’s childhood? Answers to several questions might lie there.’
‘All I know is that he went to a municipality school. The funds given to municipality schools aren’t enough to even maintain proper toilets. Maintaining records is a rich man’s concern. That it was the pre-Internet age didn’t help either.’
The hush of conversations resounded. We both sipped our coffee. I crunched some more lettuce and cucumber.
I said, ‘They have to be of the same generation if they have known each other since childhood.’
‘Does that rule out any of your suspects?’
I placed the ages of the four suspects. I shook my head. ‘They’re all in the same age bracket. Two of them are pen pals, and from their exchange at least it doesn’t seem that they knew Zakkal from before.’
Ranjit paused again. He put a finger up. ‘Forgive me now, for I’ll be thinking out loud.’
Five heartbeats of silence.
Ranjit’s eyes became narrow. His fingers scratched his stubble subconsciously. He eventually spoke. He said, ‘The first known murder of Zakkal was Holly Summers. He was twenty-nine then. He was caught six years after that.’ He fell silent again. I could see in his eyes he was trying to think.
I said, ‘I'm wondering why Zakkal would've told another person that he was a killer. Why tell anyone at all? Wouldn't that be a big risk? Even if you trust someone deeply, you wouldn't tell them something if it could potentially rob you of the only joy you've in life. Especially if it's something as drastic as killing another person. How can you be sure the person wouldn't report you to the police as the crime is of such a grave magnitude?'
‘Where are you going with this?’ Ranjit said.
‘Would you be uncomfortable knowing your best friend is a serial killer?’
‘I would be.’
‘Would you find that behaviour odd?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’
‘What do you mean why? He’s a fucking serial killer.’
‘Exactly my point’
‘Would you report him to the police?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘In what scenario will you stay quiet?’
‘If my friend threatens to harm me or my loved ones if I tell on him.’
‘That’s one reason. What else?’ I said.
Silence.
I went on. ‘You’d stay quiet if you think his behaviour is normal. The only way that’ll be the case is if you kill as well.’
‘So, the Bedroom Strangler is actually experienced?’
‘Even Dr. Sonia Joshi said that the strangulation was clean. Practice makes perfect, even with murder. Just look at Zakkal. He only made one mistake. That was in his first murder.’
Ranjit adjusted his chair. ‘That’s possible.’
‘You said they have a bond so intense that they could’ve even been homosexual. From the evidence we have that is not likely. So, the only remaining option is that they had a mentor and apprentice relationship. Correct me if I’m wrong but given that the Bedroom Strangler is revealing his murders now, he must feel he owes it to Zakkal. Why else would he want such attention? Till now, nobody knew he was a killer. He’s only showing his murders now as a part of the larger plan. Maybe a final hurray for Zakkal. Maybe something else. Maybe Zakkal wants something from us. Or, it could be one last show of attention.’
‘Their murder styles are also similar. They stalk, prefer strangling their victims and are turned on by power and control.’
Silence.
I said, ‘Could they be a pair? Did they hunt in packs?’
‘That’s hard to tell. But given they are both such control freaks, it’ll be unlikely that they killed together. They certainly exchanged notes.’
‘I don’t know how, but I’ll try to find who Zakkal was close to during his childhood.
Silence.
‘The messages and body parts left at the crimes scenes also hint at one more thing,’ Ranjit said after he downed the last few sips of his coffee.
I raised my eyebrows and cleaned up the crumbs of the sandwich on my plate. Anyone eavesdropping on our conversation would wonder how the hell we were cherishing coffee while talking about sex with dead people. But when you see the worst in people manifest in different ways over and over again, you get numbed to trivial pains, at least most of the times.
Ranjit put a hand on his stubble. He said, ‘If the setup of the crime scene is a mutually agreed upon idea, then both the killers have a fascination with human body parts. It’s common amongst serial killers who kill for power or control. I think Zakkal and the Bedroom Strangler collected souvenirs or trophies from their victims. These could be locks of hair, different body parts and jewellery the victim wore or even newspaper clippings, ID cards and victim’s clothes. Some serial killers also take photos of their victims. I don’t think our killers did it as photos can be traced back to them and they are smart.
The trophies they collected would have been constant reminders to them that they are powerful. It also fuels their fantasies. Seeing these objects is a trigger for them to relive the thrill they experienced while killing. It also helps them remember each victim individually. Trophies can also be helpful to them between kills, giving them a reminder that they’re powerful.’
‘Where would Zakkal have kept the souvenirs from his kills?’
‘There are several possible places. Either at the place he returned after killing or a special trunk or a room. This space would be as dear to him as a temple is for a rushi. He could also scatter it around his house.’ Ranjit paused. ‘Wait, Zakkal has a wife, right?’
I nodded.
‘He could’ve gifted her some of the stuff like jewellery. So, every time he saw his wife, he would be reminded of his kill, sending a bolt of happiness and excitement through him.’
‘That means every time he looked at his wife and grinned, he fantasized about a woman he had killed.’
‘Exactly. And that in itself would be a game that gives him more thrill. The killer will usually gift it to the person who’s causing him agony at that point of time.’
‘So, you’re saying that if we go to Zakkal’s house and search his wife’s jewellery box, we may find stuff he took from his victims?’
Ranjit pursed his lips. A beat of silence. ‘There’s a very high chance.’
I wanted to jump from the table. I had gotten the next big clue.
Chapter Thirty-Two
We rose from the table together.
‘I hope this was helpful,’ Ranjit said.
‘It seriously was. You cannot believe how much,’ I said.
‘You said earlier that you were going to contact me three years back as well. What happened?’
I pursed my lips. I had never told the reason to anyone outside my family. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to tell Ranjit. For some reason, I felt comfortable and even drawn to telling him about Kunal Shastri. ‘I made a mistake. I defended the wrong person. Because of that, a young girl is battling to stay alive. It really hit me hard. I took time to recover. I'm only here because I want to get my mother back.'
Silence.
Ranjit did not push the issue. He changed the topic. ‘I wouldn’t have been able to give you much back then because we knew so little about Zakkal. I’ve met him a few times myself. But he didn’t give away anything. The meetings were fruitless and creepy.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, meeting his gaze and shaking his hand.
‘Also, one more thing, Siya,’ Ranjit said.
This time my eyes were curious.
‘I don’t mean to scare you, but please be careful. Even though Zakkal hasn’t shown it yet, killers like him are
obsessed with getting revenge. Additionally, being the daughter of one of his victims makes you an even more attractive target. He’d probably be picturing you next to your mother. And if that’s his goal indeed, then his apprentice will also help him achieve that. Just be vigilant.’
‘Thanks for cautioning me,’ I said.
Ranjit nodded, ‘Please call me if you need anything else. I’m heading to Mumbai later in the evening, but I’m coming back day after for some meetings here. I’m always available on the phone,’ he said and walked to the elevator.
Once Ranjit went up, I went to the café and got four sandwiches and three coffees to go. I peeled out four hundred rupees from my purse and exited the hotel. I pulled out my phone on the way and called Rathod to tell him about my conversation with Ranjit Kadam.
‘We haven’t found anything here,’ Rathod said. ‘We’re heading back to the CID office now. Let’s go to Zakkal’s house together to meet his wife once I’m back. I’ll get the warrant and ask the ACP to expedite the process.’
‘I was hoping you would say that. I’ll see you at CID office,’ I said and hung up.
A glance at my phone screen told me it was almost eleven. I walked out of the hotel premises and hung a left for the park. I saw our car from the distance. I crossed to it. By the time I was a few metres away from the park, Shadow came running out, dragging Radha who was holding his leash. I stroked him on his head for a spell until he calmed down. I held his leash while Radha and Rahul devoured the sandwiches. I pulled out a treat for Shadow from my purse and he sat on the sidewalk with obedience that only stemmed from the promise of food.
I took the wheel as we drove to the CID office. I told Radha and Rahul about my conversation with Ranjit, except for the last warning. I was being cautious without it as well. I did not want to scare Radha and Rahul further.
We reached the CID office at a quarter to twelve. Radha, Rahul and Shadow went to the waiting room. My phone began to buzz in my purse as I entered the elevator. I rummaged inside for more than ten seconds before I found it. I was surprised. Dr. Sonia Joshi was calling me. I thought back to the lock of hair with maa's name labelled on it. My hands began to shake. The elevator door closed and the phone stopped ringing. I felt a pang in my stomach. I was initially going to go to the first floor, but I pushed the button for the basement to go to the medical examiner’s office.
The elevator glided down. I rushed out when its doors opened and blazed through the narrow corridor. I pushed through the morgue door and saw Sonia standing with her back to me. She turned around on hearing me enter.
‘I was just calling you,’ Sonia said.
‘I know. What happened?’ My voice was shaking.
‘I tested the lock of hair. It belongs to your mother. She was alive when it was cut. It is definitely a newer lock of hair than the one we found at Supriya Kelkar’s house.’
Relief gushed through me. I began heaving loud breaths. Somehow, I could never keep my emotions in check when it was good news. My eyes welled. I held my tears back. I ran to the bathroom. Everything around me was a blur. I looked at myself in the mirror and grinned ear to ear. There was still a chance. I could get maa back. We’ll all be together again. She will even be present for Radha and Rahul’s wedding. The tears streamed down. I did not try to hold them back. I had been fighting them since Rathod’s call three days back. But it was time to let go. I was so close to getting maa back. I could sense it. I splashed cold water on my face. I felt alive, and just as fast, the adrenaline kicked in in my veins. I rubbed my hands and blew air out of my mouth. There was a case to solve. I was determined to catch the Bedroom Strangler, put Zakkal further away from any human and get maa back. I walked out, feeling confident. There was hope after all.
I went back to the morgue. Sonia smiled at me.
‘Are you okay?’ she said. ‘I called you right after I found out. The rest of the CID team is on its way back to the office.’
‘I appreciate that. Thanks,’ I said. ‘What about the other jars?’
‘All the hair samples are of women who are still alive. We know three of the five women. Zakkal had claimed to take them when he was convicted. The other two have been reported missing.’ Sonia handed me a file. ‘These are the missing person reports. Both were last seen nine years ago.’
I read the report. The first woman used to stay alone in a rented house in Jaipur. She was only known to be missing when she did not report to work for three days. The second woman stayed with her parents in Bangalore. She went out for dinner with her friends and never came back. Both women were in their mid-twenties when they vanished.
Sonia continued. ‘So far, all names on the labels match the hair. Same is true for the hearts as well. I'm ninety-eight percent sure. Full DNA tests take time. I'm awaiting the results. But they'll come only by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, to get an idea, I ran a very basic test that has come as a match. It's easier to see if there's a match if you have a sample to test it against.'
Maa was not the only one. Amongst the women he had taken, Zakkal had kept at least five more women alive. But he had also killed five. He was telling us he was not afraid to kill. He could turn off the switch any moment. But he wouldn’t do that. At least not now. Not before he demanded what he wanted.
‘What can you tell us about the hearts?’ I said.
‘As I suspected, they have been embalmed. I’ve finished conducting tests on one heart. The person died about seven years back.’
‘When Zakkal was still out.’
‘I can’t tell how the person died. Not without a body. But the heart is in very good condition. He has preserved it ever since he killed the woman. There’s very little post mortem degradation and damage to it.’
‘Where was it stored?’
‘In a deep freezer. He embalmed it first.’
‘Alright. I’ll let you get back to your work. Thanks again,’ I said.
‘I’ll need the entire day to conduct full tests on the hair and the hearts we found. I’ll inform you as soon as I’m done.’
I zipped through the stairs to go up. I was excited to tell Radha that maa was still alive. I pushed the waiting room door. One glance towards me and she knew. She ran towards me and hugged me tightly. I felt her tears on my neck.
‘She’s still there. I can’t believe we can still get her,’ she said.
I rubbed her back. Despite the bout of energy injected in me in the bathroom, my eyes became moist. It always happened whenever Radha showed emotions of any kind. My sister was my fulcrum of strength and energy. We sat quietly for a spell, holding hands.
I stepped out of the room after some time. The only way we could get maa back was if the case was solved. Ranjit had made it clear that the Bedroom Strangler and Zakkal knew each other for many years, most probably from their childhoods—the one phase of Zakkal’s life that was completely blank. Even then, I wondered how they would have kept their friendship a secret in the coming years. They would’ve had to meet somewhere. Just like Zakkal would’ve had to communicate with the Bedroom Strangler from Yerwada. I strongly felt Karve was responsible for setting up basic contact at least. But how could that be proved? I made a mental note to ask Rathod to get the log of Zakkal’s movements in the past six months. That way I would know exactly where all he went inside Yerwada.
As I picked up my phone to ask Rathod to ask Warden Shetty to expedite the process, it buzzed in my hand. It was an email from Rathod with exactly what I was looking for. Excited, I opened the file.
Zakkal had met a total of four people in the past year. The number increased to ten during his second year in prison. Twenty people visited him in his first year when the excitement around him was at its highest.
The four people Zakkal met in the previous year were Warden Shetty, the jail doctor, a diabetes specialist and me. He met the jail doctor, a man named Tushar Shankar, once every six months to get a check-up because he had a mild form of diabetes. He had met the diabetes specialist eight months b
ack only once.
The first and second years again included Warden Shetty and a slew of journalists and researchers. I recognized two names on it. Devaki Sharma, the woman who had published the fake story on me and Ranjit Kadam. Like Ranjit had said, he had met Zakkal twice in his first year at Yerwada.
I closed my eyes, hoping for a few moments of silence and peace. I had not meditated for the past three days. A voice in my mind told me I had to take care of myself as well. I did not like it one bit, especially as the same time could be used to investigate the case. I found it hard to concentrate on my breath.
A minute later, my phone buzzed in my jeans. It was a text message from Rathod.
* * *
Warrant secured to search Zakkal’s house. Be ready. I’m coming.
Chapter Thirty-Three
I saw Rathod pulling over at the main gate of the CID office just as I walked out. Four officers got out of his car. ACP Shukla stayed inside. Rathod beckoned me in.
‘Zakkal’s wife doesn’t like you,’ Shukla said the moment I got in. ‘I would’ve asked you to stay away from her house in ordinary circumstances. But this isn’t one of those times. We’re going to get her to talk. More lives are in danger. We’ll threaten her with arrest if she doesn’t cooperate. Seeing you will flare her up and that may cause her to divulge information that she doesn’t mean to share.’
I was taken aback by this sudden change in Shukla. Even Rathod was surprised. I could see his eyebrows go up in the rear-view mirror.
