Room : A Review

The beauty about the writings of authors like J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, etc. is not in the story, not in the characters, but in the universe that they've created. It is in the laws, the maps, the way of living that these characters have. Emma Donoghue has taken this art - of creating an unending universe and built it in the tiny brain of a 5-year-old boy.

Jack is 5 years old. He lives in a little room, with his Ma. Jack, has never seen, what according to us, is the real world. He thinks that the door of his room is the gateway to outer space and everything on TV is just... On TV.

What happens when this boy eventually steps out? How does he cope with living in a world that he thought never existed? How does he learn the rules of the real one and slowly put aside those in the world in his head?

Sure, this book is far bigger than the story of a boy locked in a room. Sure, this book is about us, locked up within our heads. This book is about having an open mind, about the quest for true freedom and about the innocence of a little boy.

But moreover, towards the end, the questions in the tiny head of this boy, brings to light the one fact that we need to accept - we people are a funny sort.

From the Men of Chaos

"Him and I, we are the kind of people who start a civilization in times of destruction. We cut through the mess and form the first pathway. There are others who take it forward once it is born, help people build their houses and finally, there are more who lay down the rules.

Sadly, we aren't needed anymore once the rules are laid down, once there is peace and order, because him and I, we are those, who people turn to in times of chaos. But the storm has to pass for the sun to shine. We are those who fade away once dawn hits. Our lightning can't compete against the dazzle of the peaceful sun."

"And? What happens then?"

"And nothing. That's it. We walk away just because we're done building the roads and pathways. We leave, to lay down another staircase somewhere, to form another civilization, and to come back, when chaos is restored."

The Case of The Disappearing Body

Chapter I

Part 1

“It is one of those dreary and desolate Sunday mornings”, thought Radhika to herself as she stood by her bedroom window quietly sipping her cup of coffee. “Too late to see any drunken teenagers making their way home after a night out and too early to see the joggers or older couples out for a walk”. She wasn’t wrong. The streets were deserted and the sky overcast. It had been pouring all night, and had stopped briefly, but as she looked up into the sky, she knew that it would rain any minute.

Radhika was almost going to turn back into her room, when she saw a man in a gray suit walking quickly on the footpath of the opposite side of the road. He was dragging behind him, a small black traveller’s bag – the kind that’s allowed as cabin baggage on aircrafts. However, it wasn’t this traveller that had made Radhika halt. Not more than 20 feet behind him, a woman was cautiously following him.

Radhika couldn’t move a muscle. The duo was now clearly in her view. Suddenly the man stopped in his tracks and he turned around to face the woman. Was he very tense, or was it Radhika’s curiosity, she couldn’t tell. His expression had become more and more animated as he was trying to explain something to the woman. What it was – Radhika couldn’t hear. The woman on the other hand, was getting more and more distressed. The man was now walking towards her, trying to calm her down, but it made the woman even more furious. Out of nowhere, the woman pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at the man.

“Oh no no no! This is getting way out of hand!” Radhika had panicked. She had to save the strange traveller’s life. Maybe if she created a scene, the woman would get scared and run away. She tried opening the window and screaming out to the duo, but the hot and humid weather had jammed it into the sill. There was a loud bang, and ever so simply, a small bullet claimed the life of a grown man.

Radhika must’ve been in a trance as her hands reached out to her cell phone and dialled the one number she could recall. “Shalini, there’s been a murder.”

Part 2

Aryan’s eyes scanned the surroundings as he walked towards the cordoned off area, where the forensic team and a few constables were busy working. A glance at the crime scene, and he knew that something was horribly wrong. All he saw was blood. A large pool of deep red blood covered most part of the sidewalk, and majority of the cordoned off area. A lot of blood, but no body. A couple of forensic experts were leaning over the nauseating pool, apparently collecting samples, but Shalini, his lead forensic expert was sitting at the edge of the sidewalk, away from all the action, with her head in her hands. Her pale face caught Aryan’s attention as he walked up to her.

“What’s going on? Where’s the body?” he asked.

“I don’t know” Shalini said, her eyes not leaving the ground. “It’s gone.”

“What do you mean? Where did it go? Are you alright?” Aryan’s bombardment didn’t seem to help her, when Shlok interrupted, “Umm, Sir, we lost the body.”

Aryan’s bewildered look prodded the poor constable to go on. “Shalini ma’am and her team had barely gotten out of the ambulance when a black SUV appeared out of nowhere. Umm, Sir, some unidentified masked men picked up the body, dumped it into their car and drove off. Shalini ma’am and the rest were at gunpoint by one of these men until they secured the body. There was nothing they could do.”

A quick glance at Shalini told Aryan that she seemed to be recovering. “Yes, yes of course there was nothing they could’ve done.” Aryan said, “So now we have a murder but no body, a victim but no identification. Hell are we even sure that he is dead?”

“Yes, we’re quite sure that he’s dead. There’s no way that he could’ve survived all that blood loss.” Shalini had finally gotten round to talking, “We have an ID. They took the body, but not the victim’s travel bag. He’s a Shoaib Khan; tech is tracking down his address and next of kin.”

“And, Sir, Shalini madam’s friend, Radhika Parmar is our key eye witness. She saw the murderess, and is now sitting with the sketch artist. We’ll have a face ready in no time.”

Aryan was thoughtful for a second, and then asked Shlok to inform the victim’s closest relative as soon as possible. Walking back to the crime scene, he felt at a loss. Why would a man, a business man, walk about the streets with a travel bag in the wee hours of a Sunday morning? Who was this woman? Why did she follow him? Why would she want to kill him? Who were these masked men? Why steal a dead body, but leave the travel bag behind? Too many questions and not a single answer.

Part 3

Back at the headquarters, Aryan was staring at the sketch of his prime suspect. He was just about to call for Shlok and ask him to send the sketch to every check post of the city, when Shlok walked in. “Sir, I just spoke to the victim’s wife, Rufina Khan. She seemed pretty shaken up. She said that she would come here after dropping her 5 year old son at her sister’s. I offered to drive her, but she refused.”

“Good” Aryan said. What was he to tell her once she got there – that they lost the body even before they could make sure that he was dead? Brushing the thoughts of the uncomfortable conversation away, he handed the sketch to Shlok and said, “Circulate this to both official and unofficial sources. I want her identity in 24 hours.”

But Shlok wasn’t listening to Aryan. He was gaping in shock at the sketch. “Sir, we don’t need to circulate this. I know precisely who she is. In fact, I think I just gave her enough time to run away with her 5 year old kid.”

(Chapter 2 will be live in 48 hours)

The Case Of The Footpath Murderer V: The Final Chapter

Chapter V

Part 1 – The Murderer’s Confession

Aryan and the murderer sat in the interrogation room, as the latter finally began the story of Jay Shah’s murder.

“I couldn't sleep since many nights, and it was often that I’d pace across the hall. It was almost a routine now – walking about silently in the darkness as the rest of my family was fast asleep. You might call me restless, but no, that wasn't it. I was worried, very worried. “Worried about what?” You may ask, “You have everything a person needs to be happy” But that wasn't true. I was worried about my greatest fear coming true. I was afraid – afraid of the truth. And thus I spent most of my nights hoping against hope that what I had heard was not the truth. After all, I had done nothing wrong. I had done nothing to deserve to be punished like this. But doubts still crept up through my incessant thoughts – memories of my past, memories of being called a sissy, memories of how I was laughed at just because my voice was too shrill to sound like a man. However, I brushed them away, telling myself that I was nothing less of a man.

Suddenly the pin drop silence of the night was interrupted by the clank of keys opening the front door. And as the light from the corridor streamed into the hall, and onto my white kurta, a silhouette entered, and suddenly stopped in its tracks.

“Dad? You’re awake... It’s quite late”, it said.

“Jay... yes I couldn't sleep.” I heard myself say.

“What happened? Is something wrong?” Jay was genuinely concerned.

“No, not really” I lied. “Why don’t you sit down with me for a bit? Let’s have a father-son talk?”

“Sure” Jay said and sat down next to me.

I couldn't bear it any more. They say that ignorance is bliss, but I couldn't put on a mask of being ignorant when I had been told the truth. I had to find out. I had to know for sure – the truth must be spoken from the horse’s mouth. After a brief moment of silence, I said, “You know, father son talks are incomplete without a good drink.”

“Dad you know that I don’t drink. Why don’t you go ahead?”

This didn't seem to be working out. My son would never admit to the truth if he was in his senses. As I walked to the kitchen, I said, “Well at least have some Pepsi?”

I smiled as Jay nodded. He looked so ignorant and naive as he sat on my sofa. I poured out some rum for myself, and a glass of Pepsi for him, but I added some Absinthe to it. Yes, I spiked my son’s drink. You may point a finger at me and say that I am a pathetic father, but that night, the father had ceased to exist. I was just a desperate middle aged man in the pursuit of truth, and I was hoping against hope that I hadn't given birth to a faggot.

As I walked back into the hall with a tray full with our drinks, a few fruits and a chopping knife, I felt for a second that Jay was upset about something, that something was bothering him. But I pushed it all aside and handed his glass over to him. Jay’s face squirmed as he had his first sip, and my heart beat increased. Oh no... Would he realize? That can’t happen! He mustn't know that I added something to his drink! A few moments passed and I looked at him speculatively, as he finished the glass in one go. “I guess I was thirsty...” he said, “... but maybe I should ask mom to get Thums Up next time. I’m beginning to hate Pepsi” I smiled, and waited for the effects to kick in. They say that Absinthe acts as a truth serum for someone who doesn't drink, and that’s what happened, or at least that’s what I think happened. The look on Jay’s face altered. His demeanour changed from being happy and carefree, to someone thoughtful and maybe even sad. But that night I was dedicated to finding out the truth.

“So you were at Harshil’s place today? Did you have fun?” I hissed.

“Ya dad... It was a lot of fun. We played a lot. You know I always have fun with him... He’s very special...”

I couldn't believe my ears. They played? Played what? Harshil is very special?  What did he mean? How special was he? My heart beat increased again. My memories rushed back to me. The very first time I’d picked up my sister’s doll... I’d always been fascinated with dolls... How I’d dressed it up. It looked so beautiful, until my father saw me, and slapped me hard across my face. It stung hard, and it still stings until today. I could hear my brothers laughing at me, pointing at me and calling me a pansy. I could remember my mother telling me to be a man, like how all my brothers were. But it wasn't my fault if I liked dolls! Jay had continued talking to me, but now his speech was slurred “... we have been friends since we were kids, you know. But since college started we got very close...” I took a short sharp breath. Is this when everything had begun? Is this how long I haven’t known? Since college started? But my thoughts continued to haunt me. I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying as I got lost in my college days. The very first time I’d spoken to a senior, I’d asked him for directions to my class. And everybody had laughed – laughed long and hard. Why? Because my voice was girl-like. My voice was shrill though I was 18, and soon I was famous for it. One night, I remember too well – I remember being cornered in my very own hostel room as a bunch of them pulled my pants down to check if I was “a man”. And then they laughed at me, once again, because I screamed in protest. I screamed like a girl. They laughed at me because I was too small, because I wasn't adequate enough. They had laughed at me and called me a faggot as I stood there naked, surrounded by peals of the mocking, jeering laughter which got imprinted in my memory. I had been humiliated at every step of my life, because everyone around me thought that I was not a man.

And 25 years ago when I got married, I thought that I had proved everybody wrong. Three years later I had proved to them that I was a man, an adequate man, when Jay was born. I had proved myself. I had shown it to everybody that I am a straight man. No one had laughed at me since then. I commanded respect from everyone around me and no one had dared to laugh. “But they will laugh at you again”, said a small voice in my head, “they will laugh when they get to know the truth. They will laugh when they hear what Kevin told you. They’ll laugh and say that only gay men can give birth to gay children.” No! I can’t let this happen! I cannot be laughed at! I cannot take it anymore! Jay’s slurry words interrupted my thoughts, “Dad I've alwaaaays trusteeed him... He’s been my pillar... I caaan’t fight with him... I have to make it up to him... He is everything I have now...”

No! This cannot be true! Kevin was right! My son... my son is gay. “They will laugh at you...” said the voice in my head. And from then on, all I heard was that mocking, torturing laugh from that night when I was ripped off my shame. I begged it to stop, but it went on and on. Memories played and replayed in my head. And every memory ended with that laugh – oh that offensive ridicule I had gone through over and over again! I had been tortured all through my life! That laughter had greeted me at every step! I struggled with myself then and I was struggling now. Struggling to make it stop! Oh but I knew that it wouldn’t stop! “But you know how you can make it stop” said the voice in my head, “Kill the reason of your shame!” No!! How could I! But the laughter wouldn't stop ringing in my head! It was driving me crazy! It had to stop! At any cost! I had to make it stop! I wasn't thinking at all now. My mind was occupied with one single torture. How would I live, if this continued! The voice inside me was right. I must stop the laughter! No, I cannot think of anything else, I must do everything to stop it. I looked around. The kitchen knife was within my reach, and the next second, I stabbed him – once, twice, thrice, four times, five times... until his eyes closed, until the laughter stopped.

My mind was finally at peace, as I dragged my son out of my house, and laid him down a few buildings away. I tore his clothes and punched him. I made it look like he had been attacked for money. I thought that no one would know what really happened.”

Mr. Manish finally looked up at Aryan with tears in his eyes, as Aryan said, “The only reason why Jay was upset about Harshil and talking about him is because Harshil had tried to seduce him, and your son had walked out of his house in anger. I wish that you would’ve listened to your son, instead of the ghosts from your past.”

“And one more thing,” Aryan said as he walked out, “Real men don’t kill their children. They stand by their choices.”

Part 2 – Epilogue

“Sir, when did you know”, Shlok said to Aryan when they were back in his office, “That Manish was the murderer?”

“You remember that text message I got when I was interrogating Divya? It was our tech guy. His team had taken Jay’s phone and walked from Harshil’s place to Jay’s house. They found out that the first time Jay’s phone got connected to an open WiFi network, was when they reached Jay’s house. That meant that Jay should've reached home at 1:22 am, because that’s when his message saying ‘I miss you’ got sent to Divya. And it also meant that the killer was someone from his immediate family. That’s when Harshil came along, and said that Jay wasn't gay, but both Divya and I had been told by Kevin that he was. It was obvious that Kevin was lying, and when he said that he had lied to his father, among others, I knew that it would bring out a lot of rage within Manish. But the nail in the coffin was Manish’s reaction when he found out that Jay was straight.”

Shlok was wide eyed as he said, “That’s brilliant sir!”

Aryan’s expression altered as he said “But Kevin was in a bad state. He will never forgive himself, and for god knows how long will he hold himself responsible for his elder brother’s death.”

“One small lie and it cost so many people their lives.”

“It wasn't the lie Shlok. It never was the lie. It was just Manish’s pride and his inability to accept his past. It brought forth a monster that killed all hopes of a future.” And with a deep breath, Aryan picked up his coat, and said, “Finally, it’s time to go home.”

“Not quite.” Shlok said as he looked up from his cell phone, “We have another murder.”

The Case Of The Footpath Murderer IV: The Truth Unfolds

Chapter IV

Part 1

“Divya, where were you between 2:30 to 3:30 am?” Aryan’s glowering eyes could almost act like a truth serum. Today, he was a lion on the prowl and his prey sat whimpering under the bright tungsten bulb. The rest of the room was eerily dark and the bright light fell into Divya’s brown eyes – making her look all the more fragile, all the more vulnerable.

“I told you sir, I was feeling too claustrophobic inside. I’d stepped out for some fresh air.” Divya’s voice was dripping with exaggerated sweetness.

“Oh really? Or had you gone off on your own to meet Jay?”

“You know that we had broken up. Why do you keep reminding me of it all?” Her eyes were brimming with tears and she was close to a nervous breakdown.

“And why did you’ll break up?”

“Because I wasn’t the one for him! In fact no girl could ever be the one for him....”

“You realized that he’s gay... You must be hurt.”

“Yes, I was hurt, frustrated, angry, may be even jealous! I didn’t know how to react. I couldn’t even tell anyone! What would I say? The guy I was with since 2 years is gay? I’d become a laughingstock!”

“You’re quite right. You were angry and frustrated with your ex boyfriend. You couldn’t digest the sudden change in his preference and you couldn’t handle your anger. That, my girl, is motive for murder.”

“Sir, please... I loved him a lot. I’d never dream of hurting him...”

Before Divya could continue, Aryan got a text message. He frowned and strode out of the room, signalling Shlok to put her into 24 hour custody.

Shlok was quietly chuckling to himself as he realised that Harshil is one of the few people who could make Aryan uncomfortable. In baby pink shirt and crème trousers, Harshil sat opposite Aryan in his office, one leg crossed over another. He was fidgeting with his phone and he couldn’t help but look at Aryan from head to toe when the latter strode into the office.

This is the first time that Aryan felt that he was being looked at (or checked out) by anyone so blatantly and openly in his own office! For some reason he couldn’t make eye contact with Harshil and evaluating him was out of the question. But Aryan somehow brought himself to begin the conversation.

“You weren’t at any music concert. You’d gone to Delhi to attend an L.G.B.T. rally. Why’d you lie?”

“I...didn’t lie. My parents lied. I have no reason to hide my choices. But I flew down as soon as mom told me about Jay.” He was almost about to cry. “Sir, what happened? I... I can’t believe all of this.” His crying had now turned into a sob.

“You need to tell us everything about that night. I think we have our killer in custody. I can’t tell you the name but your account will only help us make our case stronger.” Aryan wanted Harshil to trust him completely.

“Sir, that night, we’d met up to play a few games and... just chill, you know. But Jay had been very quiet. He’d just broken up, on his birthday, and Divya had been acting like a bitch ever since. She didn’t even tell him why... And, well... I tried consoling him up, but he suddenly decided to go back home. And just like that, he left.”

“Harshil... We know that you and Jay were, eh... partners. You don’t need to hide anything from us. And if in case you have to speak up in court, you just have to say that you’re celibate. No one will...”

Harshil suddenly got very flustered and confused. “One second. Jay and I. No! Jay was straight! Sir, we were just best friends. Just cos I am close to a guy it doesn’t mean that he’s my boyfriend!”

Now it was Aryan’s turn to be bewildered. “What? No! Jay was gay! Everyone knows that and you don’t need to hide it. It’s alri....”

“Look. I KNOW that he was not gay.” After a moment’s hesitation, Harshil continued, “That night, I made a move on him. I shouldn’t have, but for some reason I thought that I’d been receiving some... umm... signals from his end.” Harshil went on to blabber rather quickly, “And he got pissed off and disgusted with me. I broke his trust. I mean, we’d been friends since we were kids and there was this phase when I liked him. But, I’d never touched him. And that night... How could I have done that to him!” He broke down as tears streamed down his face and he sobbed on uncontrollably.

As Shlok handed him a glass of water, Aryan just had one thing on his mind – If Jay wasn’t gay, why did Divya leave him? And why would she lie about it in spite of knowing that she would be caught the day Harshil returned?

Aryan closed the door with a loud bang as he entered the interrogation room. Divya had been crying and now she seemed to be scared out of her wits. Her eyes had become puffy and her mascara smeared onto her face as she looked wide eyed at Aryan.

“You lied. You fucking lied to me. Harshil is back. Your game is over. Now tell me why the fuck did you break up with Jay Shah or else I swear you’re going down so bad that the best lawyer in town won’t be able to save your sorry little ass.”

“I... I DIDNT LIE! I’m tired of this. I didn’t lie. I didn’t lie to you. I told you everything and you’re still here shouting at me and I don’t know what to do! I didn’t lie!” She was almost hysterical.

“Really? Then tell me what made you think that Jay is gay?” Aryan sneered.

“I didn’t think. I knew that he was gay. Jay's brother Kevin told me. And after all the attention that he always gave Harshil, I... knew that it had to be true.”

Aryan’s face altered as realization hit him. Of course! How could he have been so blind! The very first time when Kevin had looked into his eyes, he should’ve known that the only time when a person with such low self confidence attempts to make eye contact, is when he’s trying to convince a lie. It was now crystal clear. The killer, the motive, the anger with which Jay was stabbed. Yes it was all clear now. He just needed to press the right buttons and he knew that he’d have a confession in his hand by the end of the day.

Part 2

The tension in the room was evident. Kevin sat in front of Aryan like a kid who had just received detention. The parents stood a few feet behind him. They looked grave, broken, and tired. It was a family that had lost the most beloved member, and it was about to lose another.

Aryan was very much at ease. He had finally laid down all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. “So, Kevin, why did you hate your brother?”

The shock on Kevin’s face was evident. However, he didn't utter a word.

“Tell me you piece of shit. Was it because mommy and daddy didn't like their dyslexic younger son? Or was it cos they liked the elder one a little bit too much?”

Kevin didn’t move a muscle. He continued to stare at the floor.

“TELL ME!” Aryan roared

At that very instant tears rolled down Kevin’s cheek.

“Oh fantastic. You’re a little cry baby! You know what Kevin. You’re pathetic! Your parents are right. You’re of no use to anybody! They should’ve left you at a fucked up orphanage the day you were born. A mistake baby! That’s who you are!” Aryan was now laughing. His uncontrollable guffaw rang through the room – torturing Kevin, instigating him to speak up.

“No! No no no.... I didn’t...” Kevin was at his wits end.

“Yes you did! Look at me! You killed your brother! You, Kevin, YOU let your family down. They’re going to hate you for this. They’re never going to forgive you! Everyone is going to tell your mommy and daddy that this retarded good for nothing son killed his brother!”

Before Mr. Manish could intervene, Kevin screamed out “Yes I hated Jay! I hated him because he was perfect and I was the pathetic loser. I hated him so much that I made up stories about him. Yes I lied! I went around telling everyone that he’s gay when he wasn’t! I told everyone... Harshil, Divya, a few of his friends, you, and even dad! But that’s all. I didn’t kill him! Please sir, please... I didn’t kill my brother.”

Kevin’s words came as a shock to almost everyone in the room. Aryan’s gaze shifted to Manish. The father had slumped down to the ground, his head in his hands, eyes brimming with tears, his face full of shock, astonishment, remorse, and... guilt. 

(The Final Chapter will be online in 48 hours)

The Case of the Footpath Murderer III: Scandalous Revelations

Chapter III

“Jay... the ideal kid... the topper of his class... the one who had no enemies... the one who had a peaceful life... the one who’s parents loved him... the one who was gay...” Aryan’s thoughts troubled him more than they should.

“Sir, we have a problem.” It just took these few words from Shlok’s quivering mouth, and Aryan sprang up from his cabin sofa. He hadn’t slept in 24 hours now, and it didn’t seem like he was going to be at peace for quite some time.

“We can’t locate the victim’s friend, Harshil Jhaveri. He had caught a flight to Delhi on the night of the murder itself, before we reached his house.” Shlok went on, “His parents said that he has gone for a music festival and it’ll be difficult to reach him. His phone is switched off.”

Aryan looked irritated; frustrated even. “Then why are you wasting your time here? Contact the Delhi police. Co-ordinate with them and get hold of that guy. I will not tolerate a suspect on the run.”

Shlok turned pale, but he still went on. “And sir, we found Jay’s phone and wallet in a dumpster nearby. I’ve kept them safely on your table before the tech team comes in. And, the victim’s girlfriend Miss Divya is here, along with a few of her friends.”

By now Aryan had already straightened his shirt and tidied his hair. “Keep her waiting. I’ll look at his phone first”

A few minutes later, Aryan’s lean figure strode into the interrogation room, and from that very instant he started reading Divya. From her dress, to her make-up, her body language – Aryan analyzed everything in a matter of seconds.

Divya was strikingly beautiful. Her dark brown hair fell in waves around her shoulder. Her skin was milky soft, complimented well by her bottle green dress that would’ve been the talk of the town in any pub around Bombay. For a second, even Aryan got distracted, and Shlok was at his uncomfortable best. Her eyes, however, were distant and expressionless. They looked like the sky after a storm – peaceful, yet devoid of every emotion.

With a soft sigh, Aryan began, “Kevin told me that you were Jay’s girlfriend...”

“You’re right. I was.” She didn’t even look at Aryan.

“I know that you’re a bit shaken up, but where were you the night of the murder?” Aryan was being more civil than he usually is – was it his lack of sleep or her beauty, he didn’t know. He decided to keep himself in check.

“You mean last night? I was out... at this club... Trinity”

“You went without Jay?” Aryan said

“I told you... I was his girlfriend. We broke up a week ago.”

“Did you still love him?” Aryan knew the answer. No one says that they hated a dead man.

“Yes, I loved him. I loved him even when we broke up. But I wasn’t the one for him.” The expression on her face altered as she said the word ‘love’. For that brief moment, her eyes looked alive. As if she’d found what was stolen from her.

Aryan had planned this well, and he was proud of it, as he continued, “And still when he texted you that he misses you, you didn’t reply to him for a long time.”

This is the first time Divya looked towards him. She was genuinely baffled. “But, sir, I replied within 5 minutes of receiving it.”

“Nonsense!” Aryan wondered why she would even bother lying. “He texted you at 11:16 pm and you replied to him at 1:30 am. I have his cell phone right here.”

Now she looked even more baffled. “But sir, I received it at 1:22! I’m sure.” Divya drew her phone out from her purse and showed it to Aryan. Sure enough, it read 1:22 am.

“Interesting”, after a moment’s thought, Aryan asked, “What time did you get home?”

“4... I guess. My friends dropped me.”

“Why did you’ll break up?” Aryan asked

Suddenly, Divya’s demeanour changed. From the sad, distant girl, she turned into someone defensive and angry. “With due respect, I don’t see how will that help you solve this murder and I will not answer questions about my personal life.” Her fiery eyes and clenched teeth may have come as surprise to Aryan, but he didn’t flinch.

“Thank you. You may go now.”

Aryan was back in his office and was sitting calmly on his chair, with his long legs propped up on the table when Shlok entered the room, and said, “Sir, I’ve spoken to all of Miss Divya’s friends. They said that she was with them throughout the night. And sir, you didn’t really think that Divya could do this, right? I mean, she looks like a delicate girl, and the stab wounds were so gruesome! And, Jay would’ve easily fought her off...”

“Everyone is a suspect Shlok, and even though you’re captivated by her looks, I’m not. I just got a text from Shalini. She’s done with the forensics. Our victim’s blood alcohol level was so high that he may not even have been conscious when he was stabbed.” Before waiting for a reaction, Aryan continued, “Do you have any idea why is the time stamp in Jay’s phone 11:16 pm and why does Divya’s phone say 1:22 am?”

“I... I have no clue.” Shlok wouldn’t have dared to speak even if he knew.

“That’s because you’re not observant. Listen carefully now. These are not traditional text messages. This app uses internet to send messages. Jay here didn’t have mobile data enabled on his phone. He depended on WiFi. When he typed this message and pressed send, it didn’t get sent because he didn’t have internet access. But his phone time stamped it at 11:16 pm. It got sent at 1:22 am because that’s when he probably got a WiFi connection. Take this phone to Harshil’s place and find out if he has WiFi or no. I’m sure that you won’t find any router there. Then, from Harshil’s house walk back towards the victim Jay’s house and tell me when his phone gets connected to an open WiFi source. That’s where he was at 1:22 am.”

Shlok’s eyes were wide with amazement and awe, but before he could flatter his boss, the door opened and a beautiful girl entered the room. Like Divya, she was impeccably dressed. But her makeup had smeared and her eyes were red and puffy. With tears still streaming down her face, she began, “Sir, I’m Amisha. Jay and I had been best friends for a long time and I want to make sure that he gets the justice he deserves.”

“Have a seat, and please have a glass of water.” Aryan said, while he lowered his legs switched on the voice recorder.

“When we got to know about Jay, all of us had just gotten home from the pub, and we rushed here as soon as we could. All of us were upset, except Divya. She seemed so... normal. Sir, their break up was so sudden. Overnight, her love had turned into hatred. She adored him one day and loathed him the next! And she wouldn’t even tell anyone why. I still remember the day of their break up... it was Jay’s birthday and we had given him a surprise party at Harshil’s place. In the midst of all the celebrations she suddenly walked up to him and slapped him hard. The next minute she strode out of the house. Even Jay didn’t know why it all happened.”

After a moment of silence, she continued, “But sir, Jay was a great guy. Very pure at heart. And, that’s why I decided that you had to know... last night at the pub, a few of us were dancing and a few of us were at the bar. But towards the end, Divya wasn’t with any of us... and when we were leaving, at around 3:30 we met her near the gate.”

“One question, was Jay into drinking alcohol?” Aryan asked

“No... Jay won’t touch it! In fact, he always said that your life should give you a better high than any liquor.”

“You have been very helpful, Amisha. Thank you.” Aryan had a soft triumphant smile on his face.

After Amisha left the office, Shlok had a grave look as he said, “Sir, I think we have found our murderer.” With a small chuckle, he added, “or should I say, murderess?”

(To be continued)

The Case of the Footpath Murderer II: Perfection Tainted

CHAPTER II

Part 1

As Aryan was pacing about slowly across the interrogation room, he was actually assessing his suspect’s body language. Mr. Manish sat there, his eyes lowered, staring at a fixed spot on the ground. His hands were clasped together firmly, and they were sweaty... was it nervousness, or was it simply the heat, Aryan didn’t know. As Aryan evaluated him, he knew that this was one tired and frustrated middle aged man.

Puzzled with the long silence, Mr. Manish finally looked up at his interrogator, only to find Aryan’s dangerously black eyes staring back at him. It was as if he was looking right into Manish’s soul. Feeling even more uncomfortable now, Manish returned to staring at the ground.

With a deep breath, Aryan asked, “Where was your son supposed to be?”

“At his friend’s place... Harshil Jhaveri” Manish quickly replied.

“Where does he live?”

“Just a few buildings away... He has been Jay’s friend ever since childhood.”

“Good... Now tell me more about Jay...”

Manish now measured his words well. He spoke slowly and carefully. “He was a great son. He was doing engineering from one of the best colleges of the city! He already had a good job offer from an MNC. He was just... perfect. He was every parent’s ideal son. I loved him a lot. Everyone loved him, in fact. His graduation ceremony was supposed to be conducted sometime next week. I had dreams of watching him in his black robes, but now...” His voice trailed off and his eyes were brimming with tears.

Aryan couldn’t stand the sight of men crying. They looked like the most miserable creatures on this planet. He frowned, and continued... “Your son was stabbed to death Mr. Shah, and this wasn’t any mugging. Your son was murdered.”

He stopped to let Mr. Manish digest the news. His big beady eyes were aghast. “But... But... But... Who would? Why? Jay had no enemies! How can you be so sure? There must be some mistake... There has to be!” Mr Manish got even more agitated as he stammered away some more gibberish.

Aryan put on the most soothing voice he could manage, and said, “We are doing everything to find out who has killed him... but we need the full co-operation of your family. We will be retaining the body until the post-mortem is complete, and none of you can leave town until our investigation is over.”

He turned to face Shlok, who had been standing in a corner like a lamp-stand and said, “Get the address of this Harshil from Mr. Shah and pick him up. He must be the last person to see Jay alive. I want him here in 45 minutes. Meanwhile, I’d like to talk to the younger son.”

With a final look at Mr. Shah, Aryan walked out.

Part 2

This is one child who was completely devoid of every ounce of self esteem and self respect. His shoulders were drooping; his eyes didn’t even dare to make eye contact with anyone; he was constantly fidgeting with his knuckles and finger nails. Aryan could read Kevin Shah like a book. He was most probably bullied in college, and he was reeking of self depreciation. However, apart from all of the negativity and sorrow, there was an emotion hidden deep within – Guilt. But it was Aryan’s experience that had taught him, that it was not merely the feeling of guilt which made someone the prime suspect, it was the reason behind that guilt which mattered more.

Aryan knew that if he wanted to get out any information about Jay’s life, all he had to do was, intimidate Kevin.

“So, Kevin Shah... Tell me everything you know about Jay. His college life, his personal life, his relations with family... everything. And make it quick. I don’t have time.” Aryan was now talking in a strong and assertive voice.

“Umm... Umm... Jay... Uhh...” The rest of what Kevin said was drowned in a loud boom as Aryan’s hand banged on the table. “Tell me quickly you nut head! If you hide anything, remember, I’ll put you behind bars for obstruction of justice. Do you have any idea of how much shame will you bring to your family?”

Aryan had seemed to hit a nerve. The poor kid was scared out of his wits! Aryan turned around to let the kid recuperate, and he almost smiled as the kid began stuttering out everything that Aryan needed to know.

“Jay... was the perfect son. He was the one mom and dad loved. They adored him! He... he was very smart... very good with his studies. He had a beautiful girlfriend too, Divya.”

He almost jumped when Aryan said, “What’s her full name and address?”

 “Umm... Divya Singh. She lives in Bandra, some 20 minutes away from home. But sir, I really don’t know why anyone would do this to him. I heard dad telling mom that someone had deliberately murdered him... but it is all so weird... He was my parents’ perfect son...”

Aryan knew that no one could be so perfect. There was always that one mistake, that one secret, and he wasn’t disappointed.

As the kid continued, he looked up for the first time, right into Aryan’s eyes, and said, “But sir, lately, he didn’t seem to be okay. He didn’t seem to be normal. He was hiding something. Something was horribly wrong.”

Aryan prodded him to go on, “What was it Kevin? You know it don’t you? You know what was wrong?”

This seemed to be all the persuasion that Kevin needed. His next few words were uttered hurriedly – almost as if he wanted to get them out of his mouth as soon as he could.

“He was gay”

(To be continued)