Murder or Accident - A Detective Victor Fernandes Short Story

 

The floor was covered in a pool of blood, a sight, which would have shocked even the most fearless of humans. Clicks of photographers and the hustle of the forensics made the crime scene a busy place to be. It had been some three hours since the bullet was fired. A straight shot! Nothing less than it. Straight at the chest. The sound of the shot had alerted the neighbors and of course the other residents in the society. The dead body was down on the floor of the balcony. The dead body was that of Mr. Hiren Patel. As lifeless as one could imagine. The eye balls gave the impression of some shock or perhaps of being privy to something shocking. What intrigued the investigators was the place at which the dead body was found. A balcony, and that too of a flat that was exactly opposite to that of his own flat in the opposite building which was separated by a mere fifty feet. The flat in which the dead body was found belonged to his friend, Alex Dsouza. Of course, Alex would have been the prime suspect had it not been the manner in which the dead body was found. A bullet shot right at the chest, but the shot seemed to have come from a distance due to the impact which it made on the chest.

 It seemed Hiren was at the balcony and had been looking outside towards his own residence building when the bullet hit him. This assumption had saved Alex from getting tangled in the suspicion of the investigators. The society in which the incident took place was shocked and numbed with the incident. Such a peaceful society it was until that bullet shot was heard by many.

 Hiren Patel lived with his father, Mr. Rohan Patel and step mother, Mrs. Raksha Patel. Both were in a shock after the incident, unable to speak or react. Hiren was their only son. He had just applied for a Master of Business Administration course with one of the top-notch Management Institutes. The lead detective, the young and dynamic Victor Fernandes was in charge of the case. Though his method of investigation differed from the department’s manuals, but procedures had to be conducted and statements had to be taken. As always, his methods were straight forward and fast. Victor never liked wasting time.

 It all began with the forensics and ballistics reports. The ballistics report confirmed the characteristics of the firearm and the bullet which was found inside the body. The gun seemed to be a double barrel one based upon the bullet found and that too an ejector version. What made life difficult for Victor was of course, the fact that the type of guns mentioned in the report was hard to find in the present days. So, he made the assumption that it was evident that the gun was a collector’s edition and it would be possessed by someone in the habit of elite collections.

 The next few days were passed in examining the witnesses which were next to nil as no one had actually seen the event but had only heard the gun shot. As per majority of witnesses to the sound of the gun shot, the bullet was fired sometime around night 11.30. The question which formed in Victor's mind next was, what was Hiren doing at the Balcony at that point of time? There was no evidence of any smoking at the place where he got shot, so he wasn't smoking, he had concluded. Was he standing at the balcony and looking at his own house? Were his parents awake at that time and were lights visible from his house of residence or was Hiren expecting something to happen at that time?

 With more rounds of questioning done with the residents of other flats, it was noted that Hiren's parents were awake at that point of time and lights were visible from their house. What also baffled Victor were some statements from some of the residents of the society about the fact that things were not good between Hiren and his parents. That was the reason he was temporarily residing with his friend, Alex. There were evidences of huge fights erupting from the Patel household. This was confirmed by Hiren's parents to the investigators too.

 Some questioning with the watchman of all the buildings in the society revealed that on the same evening, Hiren had gone to his own house. Two watchmen, who had gone to meet the occupants of the flat next to Hiren's confirmed this. A geographical recce was done of the society and especially the two flats, that of Alex, the crime scene and that of Hiren’s house.

 Standing at the Balcony of the Hiren's flat which was opposite to that of Alex’s house, Victor thought that it was very simple for someone from Hiren's Balcony to shoot at Hiren. Some days later, a teenage girl who resided a floor above that of Alex told the investigators that Mr. Rohan and his wife Raksha often had big fights and often in rage, Mr. Patel would open his study cup board and take out a long gun point it towards Raksha. But he would never shoot. This was one of the reasons Hiren had left their house.

 A search was carried out at the Patel house, and after a hectic and detailed search of three hours the double barrel gun was found. It matched with that which was mentioned in the Ballistics reports. Mr. Patel and Raksha had nothing to say indeed.

 It was at this point that a revelation by Mr. Patel changed the entire scenario of the case. Mr. Patel informed that it was true that he often used the gun to frighten his wife but that would be a gun without any cartridge. He clarified that he never kept the gun loaded, and also added that no one kept such guns loaded at home

 Mr. Patel and Raksha confessed that it was that night when they had had a huge fight and like all times, Mr Patel took out the gun and threatened her, but their ill- fated destiny had other plans. In a rage, Mr Patel touched the trigger and the shot was fired, but Raksha jumped down and through the open door of the balcony, the bullet travelled out and hit Hiren. At that moment, Raksha who was down and Mr Patel who was in shock of the bullet fire, did not know that their son was hit by the same bullet who was standing on the other side balcony.

 Mr Patel and Raksha were taken into custody for Murder. But the question which baffled Victor, was that if Mr Patel was telling the truth about the unloaded gun, then who would have put the cartridge in the gun?

 The cartridge cover inside which the bullet resides, and that had fallen from the gun was recovered from the study table drawer and sent for finger print scanning.

 With a cigar in his hand and looking up into eternity, Victor thought and thought very hard.

 He opened the report and gave a smile. He had guessed it right. The Cartridge cover had Hiren’s fingerprints. Victor associated the events of that night. That evening as the two watchmen had seen Hiren going to his house, he would have taken the two cartridges from his father's bedroom cupboard and would have loaded it into the double barrel gun. His plan was simple, the gun though old, was well maintained and a delicate and a simple touch on trigger would put out the shot.

 Victor guessed that was the reason Hiren was at the balcony at Alex's flat so that he could be a witness to the murder of his step mother. And it did happen like he planned, but the only thing that he did not foresee was that the bullet would miss his stepmother and hit him instead.

 

 

The Case of the mysterious old man - The Detective Boys - Short Story 8

 

It was one of those lazy Sunday afternoons of August 1997 at the Babu Bagan lane in Kolkata’s Dhakuria locality. The occasional wave of people getting down from the local train halting at the adjoining Dhakuria station and walking into the city brought some life to the otherwise dead afternoon. The nearby shops were closed for the routine afternoon rest. Being the month of July, the sky was overcast and it was predicted that there might be heavy rains that evening. Ritwick was busy reading his favourite Feluda Series. Sunday afternoons would be the time to spend some time with his favourite character i.e. Feluda.

It would have been the same routine Sunday afternoon, if not for an observation that Ritwick made from his room balcony. A two storey building which was diagonally on the left hand side of his house was visible from his balcony. Near the window of the second floor of that building, he could see an old man standing and looking outside. Ritwick was surprised to no ends as the same building had been locked for last five years without any one ever visiting.

The distance made it impossible for Ritwick to look more closely. Something seemed intriguing to him. The sudden appearance of an old man at that house made Ritwick wonder about the various possibilities. Was he back for some reason or was it just a nostalgic trip down memory lane? Ritwick, by now had become curious enough to know more about the old man.

That evening, Ritwick had a brief conversation with his grandfather about the old man at that neighborhood house.  Vimal Babu was initially surprised for Ritwick’s interest but later succumbed to his request. Ritwick had learned through his grandfather that the house in which he had seen the old man belonged to a gentleman named Narendra Roy who was a veteran of that area. Narendra Roy had been one of oldest residents of the Babu Bagan lane, since its inception to be accurate. Surprisingly, hardly anyone was aware about his background. Everything and every detail about Narendra Roy began from the point of his residence at the Babu Bagan Lane. Over the years, Mr Roy had developed good relations with the people in and around including Ritwick’s grandfather, Vimal Babu. It was some five years ago when something tragic had happened with Narendra Roy’s business of cloths which many believe was the reason that he had committed suicide.

“What?” was the only reaction which Ritwick could give when he came to know of Narendra Roy’s suicide.

“Yes, he had jumped in the river Ganges. That’s what the witnesses say.” said a pretty sure Vimal Babu.

The investigative mind of Ritwick started buzzing within his head.

“If Mr Roy is dead then who was that old man?” asked Ritwick to himself as he looked into the mirror.

That Night Ritwick had planned to keep a close watch on that house through a mini- binocular which his grandfather had gifted him.

The night was very quiet with drizzle making its way on the streets of Babu Bagan Lane. There were a regular chorus sounds of nocturnal insects. Human life was next to nil on the roads. Far away echoes of the occasional vehicles plying on the empty roads was heard. Little did anything happen all night until it was around morning four. A dim light could be seen by Ritwick. Initially Ritwick couldn’t understand the image but as the light got brighter, he could see a shadow. A tall shadow resembling a figure which he had seen that afternoon emerged. It seemed someone was walking down the stairs. Ritwick waited for the figure to come out.

After some seconds, the tall figure whose body was wrapped in a white blanket came out of the building stairs and walked towards the Dhakuria Station road with an umbrella in hand. Ritwick wanted to get out and follow the figure. He gave a thought. Would it be good idea considering it was morning four? Ritwick stopped thinking and picket up his jacket and shoes and opened the room door and walked by the hall room upon which he opened the house door and walked down the building. He hurriedly walked down towards Dhakuria Station. There was no sign of human life except for that figure and Ritwick himself.

As he neared the figure, Ritwick hid behind a building near the right side of a lane and observed in detail. The figure wrapped in a blanket walked upon the stairs which led to station platform. He waited for some time. After about ten minutes, two more males joined the figure.

Something clicked in his mind. Some months ago, he had seen a similar figure who resembled one of the other male persons who had joined. Ritwick thought hard.

“Yes, that shop from which sounds would occur. The mystery of Closed of Shop,” whispered Ritwick to himself. He recollected he had seen the same figure and in the same blanket but he couldn’t gauge the reason of the old man joining the group.

“Was that old man Narendra Roy?”

Ritwick could sense that perhaps there was something wrong. He immediately returned back home. All night Ritwick thought about the events of that day.

Next day, Ritwick walked towards the two storey house which was diagonally opposite to his. Dhakuria Girls high schools was near to that building. The building seemed completely empty and all door and windows seemed closed.

He took a stone in his hand and threw at one of the windows and ran behind a small wall of one of the houses and observed the windows. There was no reaction from inside the house for some time, but after he could see a face, a face he recognized very well. Ritwick had a smile on his face.

That evening three people were caught from that house. One of them was the owner of the shop from where the tunnel to the national bank had been unearthed some months ago during the mysterious case of the sounds from the closed shop. The owner was a resident of the area and knew about the Narendra Roy’s suicide. In fact, coincidentally the owner of the shop had disappeared the same year in which Narendra Roy had committed suicide. The owner had somehow managed to get into the building and along with him he had got two more people, one of them was that old man whom Ritwick had seen from his house.

It was later revealed that the trio were planning a massive local robbery in and around the area.

The case of the mysterious old man was satisfactorily solved by Ritwick. 

 

The Moving House

 

It had only been five days since Arlando Mazroni had come to the beautiful and picturesque city of Balanga which was the capital of the province of Bataan located in Philippines. Arlando Mazroni had long awaited his opportunity to visit the city due to its beautiful locales which acquaintances back in Spain had on numerous occasions referred to. Arlando Mazroni was a researcher who was on his mission to discover the various hidden cultures from around the world and report back to the newspaper with which he had contracted upon. During the previous five years, he had discovered quite a number of hidden cultures of different countries from around the world which he had reported back to the Spanish newspaper. However, his purpose of visit to Bataan was more of a holiday than for any business purpose. Friends and family had suggested that he should be taking a small vacation away from work. Out of all the places which Arlando had listed, Philippines and especially Bataan had interested him the most.

 One of the reasons that Arlando was really looking forward to his visit was that Balanga, the capital city of Bataan, was famous for its clay work and in fact the name “Balanga” stood for “Clay pot” in ancient Kapampangan language. Arlando had been looking forward to some great story on ancient clay works. 

 The city of Balanga which was founded since 1712, was a city that had depended upon agricultural activities since its inception. It had also intrigued Arlando that just merely seven years ago in 1898, the three hundred year colonial rule of Spain had ended in the whole of Philippines. He was eager to see the legacy of Spain which was left behind in this country and particularly in the city of Balanga.

 Arlando Mazroni was born to a conservative Spanish parents. His entire schooling and teen life was spent within the confines of the country. Neither did his parents and nor did Arlando had ever imagined that the shy boy who would take his own time to get comfortable with strangers would one day travel the world to discover new, unknown and hidden cultures. Cultures had often attracted Arlando since childhood. He would often get intrigued by anything new and unseen and if it would turn out to be something non- Spanish, the same would be a jackpot for him.

 It was during his late teens, when he had landed on an unofficial contract to be part of an expedition to an African jungle where he had impressed upon the organizers with his insights into cultural analysis. The organizers had referred him to a Spanish newspaper, which in turn had provided him with a bundle of opportunities to bring in new stories. There was no looking back for him since then. A tall lanky fellow, with a hint of beard on a fair skin, and hair which fell on to his shoulders, made up Arlando’s appearance when he had visited the City of Balanga.

 Not more than a mere 7500 people   resided in the city Balanga in the year 1905. A person by the name of A. Mendoza was the mayor of the city at that point of time and it was with the help of Mendoza that Arlando had secured uninterrupted access to the various regions and places in the city.

 One of the more interesting places for Arlando was the Balanga cathedral where he had spent quite a bit of time since he had arrived. It was during this time itself, when, during a visit to one of the rural villages near Balanga, that Arlando had observed some unusual activities taking place especially during the nights.

 One night when Arlando had just finished his dinner and was resting on a cot outside his guest house, he had heard some sounds which seemed to be some footsteps of a group of people. Unable to see anyone, he went inside the house and looked through the window of the first floor. It appeared as though he looked into oblivion.  Through the never ending expanse of trees and greenery, Arlando saw something which he could never have imagined. From the point where he stood, he could see an entire bamboo house moving slowly all by itself. It just moved so slow, that it appeared as if a human was walking. To the eye, the house seemed to know the road as it smoothly continued with its journey. Shocked with what he had just seen, Arlando couldn’t wait to get out. He wanted to follow the movement.  A bamboo house moving on its own was something which he couldn’t have even imagined in his dreams either. He quickly took his bag and walked hurriedly along with a fire lit stick. He walked hurriedly though the green bushes not fearing for the deadly animals. After some twenty minutes, he had arrived at a vantage point from where he could see the entire act taking place. It was something which had left Arlando speechless.

 A group of fifteen people carried the bamboo house and were walking slowly. The Bamboo house was made of bamboo sticks and nipa leaves. Arlando observed that the Bamboo poles were tied length wise and diagonally below the bamboo house and people had gone under those Bamboo poles and had picked up the house on their shoulders together.

 As those fifteen people were involved in this act, the entire weight of the bamboo house which was not that heavy was shared by the fifteen people. A confused Arlando just watched from his vantage point. He had observed that there were also three other persons who didn’t carry the bamboo house but were walking along with the group. He drew the image of the entire act in his mind so that he could document the same as soon as he would return to his cottage.

 As the group of people continued with their journey, Arlando followed them all night and for the early part of the next afternoon, until they came to a spot where they placed the Bamboo house. Arlando had taken care of not exposing himself to them. He hid in the nearby bushes and watched every act of that group.

 During the afternoon, food was served to those fifteen people by those extra three persons one of whom was a female. After the pleasantries, the group of fifteen left the place and started their journey back.  Arlando stood where he was all along. He was hungry for some time due to which he decided that he should perhaps return back to his cottage.

 Over the next three days, Arlando had written a story on what he had observed. It still intrigued him as to why would a group of people carry a bamboo house on their back and walk all along. During the next fortnight, Arlando had observed similar activities. Sometimes he would observe some ten to fifteen houses been lifted and moved all along. It perhaps seemed to Arlando that the act could have been some sought of festival.

 On his arrival back to the city of Balanga, Arlando met up with the mayor and inquired about the strange activities which he had observed in the rural village. During an evening get together, the mayor introduced him to one of his British friends by the name of Mr. Elliot.  It was a much known fact that Mr. Elliot had settled down in the city of Balanga since the time the Spanish had left. He was a writer and an author who had written some great books on various countries and on their history since inception.

 “It is known as ‘Bayanihan’ here,” explained Elliot.

 “A very old culture here indeed, and a very unique one. Something which we may not find in the new world.”

 “What’s the significance of this culture?” asked Arlando curiously.

 “You see, whenever someone moves from one town to the other one, not only does he takes his belongings, he also takes along his house.  The local town people, especially men lend a hand to the family to help them to move to a new location. In short, not only the family’s belongings are moved but also the family’s entire house is transferred to a new location”

 “By the people, you mean to say” inquired Arlando.

 “Yes, of course. That’s the significance of the culture. They all move together and it signifies unity.”

 “It’s beautiful to know that something like this exists.”

 “Sure. This concept of the Filipinos gives an example to the world about helping fellow humans especially in the times of need without expecting anything in return.”

 Arlando was touched. He had never imagined that a simple causal vacation would end up for him in coming across something as beautiful and divine as this aspect of the Filipino culture.

 Two months later, a Spanish newspaper had published an article on an ancient culture by the name of “Bayanihan”. Though he wasn’t sure how many of the readers would have come across the article but surely Arlando was a happy and content man for bringing something beautiful and graceful to the eyes of the world through his writing.