The arranged murder?️

chapter 18

It’s okay, sahib, I just had tea,’ Anwar said. We were in the teashop

across the showroom, and he was sitting on a stool with his back straight.

His thick muscular frame and strong forearms made him look younger than

his forty-five years of age. He wore a dark blue uniform, which had the

logo of Malhotra Motors on the shirt pocket. The early evening light fell on

his tanned face, making his beard even more prominent.

‘Why did you want to talk to me?’ Anwar said.

‘Nothing to worry about,’ Saurabh said.

‘Worry?’ Anwar said. A boy came and placed three cups of tea and four

samosas in front of us. Saurabh lost focus for a few seconds as the aroma of

fried dough hit him.

‘We are not the police, so relax. We just want to know the truth,’ I said.

‘Truth?’ Anwar said.

‘About what happened to Prerna,’ Saurabh said, mouth filled with

samosa.

‘I don't know, sahib. Prerna madam was absolutely fine. I myself took

her for her wedding shopping several times. She seemed so excited and

happy.’

‘You had an argument with her,’ I said.

Anwar was taken aback by my firm voice.

‘Sahib, police already troubled Gopika about it. We had no quarrel.’

‘Gopika’s already confirmed in her testimony that you had an argument

with Prerna. About you being in Gopika’s room,’ I said.

Anwar looked at Saurabh, surprised.

‘It’s okay, Anwar. Just answer him,’ Saurabh said.

Anwar wiped the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.

‘Madam used to work too much. She had a bad mood one day. She

shouted at me. Only because I came up to have a cup of tea in the maid’s

room,’ Anwar said.

‘You were in Gopika’s room when Prerna fell from the terrace?’

‘Yes, sir, but...’ Anwar fell silent.

‘Go on, we are listening' I said.

‘Prerna madam was like my child. She was five when I started working

for the Malhotras. I took her to school every day. In Amritsar and then in

Delhi. Please don’t suspect me.’

‘Show me your phone' I said.‘What?’ Anwar said.

‘If you have done nothing wrong, show me your phone. Right now.’

‘What, sahib? I better go. Ramesh sir will call me' Anwar said and stood

up.

‘You want me to tell the police that you refused to show your phone?’ I

said.

Anwar sat back down. He looked around the teashop. He took out his

phone from his trouser pocket and handed it to me. The home screen had a

picture of four kids, ranging in age from thirteen to two years old.

I opened the photo application on his phone. I found a few pictures of

him and Gopika. In one of the selfies, she rested her head on his shoulder

and he had his arm around her. In another, Anwar grinned while Gopika

kissed his cheek.

‘This is you having tea?’ I said, displaying the photo to him.

Anwar turned to Saurabh and folded his hands.

‘I don't have a bad niyat, sir. Please tell your friend not to talk to me like

that. I am going to make Gopika my begum.’

‘You are already married. The kids on your home screen are yours, no?’

Saurabh said.

‘My abba also has two wives. I love Gopika, sahib.’

‘She is how old? Twenty-two? And you are forty-five?’

‘I know, sahib. But she loves me too. In fact, that night I video-called

my home in Aligarh. I wanted her to talk to Ammi and Abba.’

‘What about your wife?’

‘I introduced her to my wife too.’

Saurabh looked at me in shock. I shook my head and smiled. Some

people manage quite well without Tinder, I guess.

‘Prerna madam saw us in each other’s arms. She yelled at me a lot.

After Prerna madam found out, I thought I would make Gopika my wife

first. That’s why I went to her room. To introduce her to my family.’

‘How long was the call?’ I said.

‘Maybe thirty minutes.’

‘How did you do the video call?’

‘On w******p. In Gopika's room, I get good wi-fi. That’s why I went

there, sahib, I swear. Not for anything else.’

I went to Anwar’s call history on his w******p. On the day Prerna

died, he had made a video call to a contact called 'Abba mobile’. The calllasted from 7.29 p.m. to 8.02 p.m.

‘You made that call?’ I said.

‘Yes, sahib. My eldest son likes to take screenshots during video calls.

He sent them to me. You can check in the photos section.’

I checked the photos on his phone again. It had four screenshots of a

video call, with Anwar and Gopika in the frame. The time stamp on the

screen matched the time of the call.

I returned Anwar’s phone to him.

‘He’s clean. He has an alibi,’ I said.

Saurabh nodded.

‘Can I go, sahib?’ Anwar said.

‘Any other questions you have for him?’ I said to Saurabh.

‘Only one. How can you love two women at the same time?’