Pools of Blood

chapter 48

" What? An FIR? What are you saying? But why? ", Jasmine asked me. She was puzzled and so was I. We both sat near a shade of a tree beside the little stream that flowed behind our house. The ambiance was heavenly. Birds were chirping, the tall green lush vegetation provided us solace. Sun has already set but the western sky was tinged with the orangish hue of the setting sun. it looked mesmerizing. The crystal clear water of the stream and occasionally ripples created by the small trouts made the place even more attractive. I wished I could have brought Amiya there. She would have loved this place. She always was a lover of Nature, and anything beautiful always made her jump with joy. Even a beautiful flower gave her immense pleasure. She was so innocent and she had to die for nothing. Just because her brother pulled a pack of rotten rats out from a cave, just because her husband has a score with someone he wasn’t even aware of, she had to sacrifice her life.

Jasmine sat beside me. She had lost a substantial amount of weight. Her hair was wild and frizzy due to a lack of proper maintenance. Dark bags hung from her sunken eyes and I knew she probably cried herself to sleep every night. I was the one to blame. Because of my family issues, she too suffered the same fate. She lost her image, became a widow just because of me. I felt creeping suffocation gripping my heart and squeezing from within.

" Michael, nothing is your fault. Stop blaming yourself", she rebuked me sharply.

-" What are you ? A witch or something? ", I asked.

-" Why do you ask that? "

-" How come you find out whatever I am thinking? Every time you seem to know well my thoughts. How? "

She laughed. I noticed she clutched her sides while laughing. Maybe the pain was still giving her creeps.

"You are very easy to understand. Your face literally gives away everything that’s going on inside your heart. Alfred was way secretive about these. He could veil up his thoughts and his face never bore any expressions or thoughts. He could mask his soul well with a façade."

I nodded. That was a talent Alfred had. I was always an emotional fool. The highly sensitive emotional fool, and because of this unwanted quality, I could never join Interpol. There was no place for emotions there. One has to be ruthless and cruel while dealing with criminals. Alfred was born for that job. I was more of a guardian or a protector, not a chaser.

" So what's written in the FIR? ", she asked again.

I opened up the crumpled piece of paper and smoothened it onto my lap. Then switching on the flashlights of our mobiles, I read the main contents of the report.

"On X date, Francis and his mother came to our house in the evening. There was a huge quarrel. they wanted to share the ancestral property of Joseph Ting since Francis was his child too. On Denial and refusal to accept the fact, Francis and his mother threatened to destroy our family name and life. I am not afraid of my life but the life of my only child, Michael. He is too young to comprehend the issues that are culminating in his family. I want the Police to take strict action against the mother and son."

I ended the report and looked at her. She was deeply immersed in thoughts. How I wished I too could read her mind!

Before Jasmine could utter a word, my phone rang. Bo Chang was calling.

"Hello, Sir."

-" Michael, how's everything in Damyang? "

-" We are progressing in this case. In fact, we are digging out shreds of evidence against Francis Ting."

-"Michael, there is something I want to let you know. For that reason, I have called you."

I nodded.

-"Khwajim has successfully brought Mo Ying aka Rumi to the court. Today was the first hearing. He has confessed everything about Alfred’s murder plan and Jasmine’s r**e incident. He has also provided the names and addresses of his fellowmen. The death of Woori and Lenus and the other two at Jeju are all upon Frank’s instigation. The court has issued a warrant against Frank Ting."

Jasmine smiled. For the first time, her eyes shone.

-"That means we can arrest him now."

-"Yes. We can. We have already rounded up Chang from Youngu and Ginn from Miriyang. That was easy enough. They were both lanky drunkards and were already rotting in prison."

-"So now what? "

-"We have to find Frank. Tomorrow all the major newspapers will circulate the news of FTH behind the death of an Interpol Officer and the s****l harassment of his wife. Major TV channels, reporters all will cover the news. Frank has no place to hide. "

-" You don’t worry. His time is up. He has not only killed my brother and disrepute his wife but killed my family as well. We just need enough evidence to prove this."

Bo Chang gave more instructions and then hung up.

Jasmine eased her body upon the rock and leaned her head backward. She took a deep breath and looked at the bright night sky. The stars were already high up and the moon was shining brightly. At last, we were on the winning side. After a continuous failure, I almost gave up the hope of justice. But all was not lost. Now only Frank and his arrest mattered.

" What was it that you wanted to say? " I asked her.

She turned her face towards me and smiled.

" You are right. Frank probably was the one behind the blast. He thought that all three of you had died. And that’s why he never again bothered you. Had he known that you were alive, he would have come after you, there were too many chances of that. But nothing happened. I think, or rather I can guess that after the blast, he left the country so that no one could add him up with this incident. He went back to America satisfied with his retribution of killing you and your family. His involvement with Alfred and me was another of his crime. He too probably never thought that his old score would be resurrected and would chase for revenge.’