Case #2: The Investigation Continues
801 Words
Billy went to the village to interrogate the family. First, he talked to the villagers, he came to know that Suraj & Dibyangsh has borrowed money from everyone, even from the snake charmer. When he reached the house of Ratan Rathore, Suraj & Dibyangsh was home. Billy asked Suraj about his visit to Naveen's house, the day before his murder. He agreed that he went to ask Naveen for money under false pretenses. But he refused to do anything with their murders.
Billy, " So, you didn't kill them? Are you sure? Are you sure that, when they refused to pay you, you didn't swear to kill them? Because we have a witness who says otherwise. You had the motive, the means & opportunity to kill them. So tell me, if I ask around, I wouldn't find that you never asked for snake venom or rat poison, would I? You didn't travel to the city, the next day to kill them?"
Suraj panicked" No, no, uh, I mean yes I did swear to kill them, but I never did it. I didn't go to the city the next day, I was here for the whole day & I didn't ask for any poison."
Billy " ok. Just don't leave the village & when we call, come immediately."
David interviewed everyone at Naveen's office. Two of the employees, a canteen boy, Manu & Arun Malhotra, both went missing, from the day Naveen is murdered. The colleagues said that Naveen had a beef with Arun over Amrita. Billy went to the address of Arun to look for him while David went to talk with the colleagues of Preeti. Arun is not at his residence, his door is locked. Arun's landlord who lives next door unlocked the door with a duplicate key. According to the landlord, Arun left three days ago & hasn't called since. Billy searched the house, didn't find anything that can pinpoint to Arun's whereabouts. After telling the landlord to call the police as soon he knows anything, he went to Manu's house, when he knocked, the door swung open. Billy went inside, Manu is lying on the bed, his throat slit open. No sign of knife or anyone. He called it in and the place is crawling with police within ten minutes. Dinesh " The throat is slit open with a very sharp knife. I can't find the knife, but I found a letter under the pillow."
David " What does it say?" Dinesh " It reads " I don't want to poison you, Naveenji. Arunji threatened me & paid me a lot of money to poison your food. But tomorrow I will turn myself in. Arunji told me not to, but I am so done with him."
David " So, Manu was feeling guilty. Maybe that's why Arun killed him to tie loose ends. We have to find him. Trace his last phone location. Check with every bus & train stations, taxi & auto stands, rental cab services, airports. He is on the run, so he must need cash. Check the footages from the ATM. Notify the neighboring police stations, the hotels, motels, lodge etc. Ahmed, did you find anything about the poison?"
Ahmed " Kind of, among the entries in the register of one particular shop, I found the address of the victims. Is there any chance that this is a suicide, not a homicide?"
David " no, I don't think so. There's no indication of depression in either of their lives. They're financially stable, they were not suffering from any long term terminal diseases, & they don't have any criminal history or any dirty secret. I don't think this is suicide. Maybe either Arun or Manu bought the poison, gave the address of the victims to fool us. The shop has CCTV, so I have asked them for the footages."
David " Hopefully we will find something soon."
Ahmed " I have called the neighboring police stations about Arun. They will call us as soon as they find something."
David " Thanks, Ahmed."
David " Billy is talking with Preeti's colleagues. Let's hope something pans out. Even if Arun & Manu did poison Naveen, why would they kill Preeti? It makes no sense."
Smriti " Maybe there's another killer, maybe it's someone whom we've completely overlooked. We've to look at all the suspects again. But I have to go now, I am so freaking tired, & I am so sorry."
Ahmed " No, don't be sorry, we got this. Are you ok? You seem pale."
Smriti " No, no I am all right, just tired. No need to worry."
David " okay, take care."
Smriti " See you tomorrow."
David " What happened to her? Is she sick?"
Ahmed " Don't know. But she seemed pale today."
- Writer
