The Dead Killer - Part 1

“Sir!”

“Sir! Please open the door. It’s an emergency.” The Home Minister’s PA was banging on the bed room door, shouting at the top of his voice. The minister opened the door looking very unpleased to be woken up in the middle of night, “what is it?” the minister barked at the PA.

“Sir, terrible news!” the PA said with a terrified look on his face, “our CM has been assassinated!”

“What!” Devanandan’s face became pale, the Chief Minister of Kerala has been assassinated.

“Ravi, turn on the TV. Book tickets to Trivandrum for the next flight. Arrange a meeting with Police Chief, Additional DGP of South Zone and City Police Commissioner of Trivandrum as soon as I arrive”, Devanandan quickly gave orders to his PA and started getting ready. Unlike the Home Ministers before him, Devanandan was a man of action and a leader who takes charge of the situation.

“…at the scene. The minister was found dead in his residence in Trivandrum by his PA who was the first one onsite. The forensics team is gathering evidence as we speak. The guards and the Minister’s assistants have been taken into custody for interrogation. The area is secured by the police and we are not able to get a clear visual of the crime scene at the moment. We will bring you more updates in a short while. This is Swetha Menon...”

Devanandan turned off the television and went to the washroom. Swetha Menon is one of the few reporters that he respected. She and her channel Janam report the facts as it is, without the usual ‘could be’, ‘might be’ and ‘should be’ theories by the modern media.

***

“Mr. Anoop, I need the preliminary report in two hours. Can your team make it on time?” enquired ACP Vinod Balan, to the lead of the forensics team.

“Sure Sir!” Anoop replied confidently, “We have already collected finger prints and have sent them to the lab for analysis. Our Computer Expert is currently working on enhancing the video caught on CCTV camera. The killer would surely be identified once it is done.”

“Good. Let me know once the video is enhanced.” Vinod glanced at the CM’s body lying on the floor facing upwards. There was a hole on his forehead and blood all around it and spread on the floor, half clotted. He analyzed and re-winded the crime in his mind. A point-blank shot right through the skull, with a silencer gun. The guards or the assistants have not seen anyone entering or leaving the house after ten o’clock at night. They did not hear any sound, no scream or struggle. The Minister did not have any relatives and lived alone in the house. The assistants, guards and the cook have separate wing in the building. The police have questioned everyone and did not find a reason not to believe what the guards and the assistants have said. If the killer was smart enough to avoid being heard or seen by others, how could he let himself to be caught on CCTV camera? The case could have even been diverted from assassination to suicide if not for the CCTV video. Even then…

TRINGGG… TRINGGG…

He was interrupted by his mobile’s ring. The name ‘ADGP Krishna Kumar’ appeared on the screen. He quickly attended the call. 

“Sir! Vinod here.”  

“Yes sir!”

“Understood Sir. I am on my way.”

The ACP quickly rushed out, to his car. On his way he gave orders to his subordinates and to Anoop, to thoroughly examine and email him the report within an hour.

***

“Sir, this way. Please come.” The Police Chief Ahmed Ali followed the Sub-Inspector to the room where meeting with the Home Minister was arranged. 

“Did the Home Minister arrive?” enquired the Chief. 

“His flight has landed. His PA Ravi said they would be coming here straight away. ADGP Krishna Kumar and Commissioner John Joseph have already arrived,” replied the SI.

The Chief entered the meeting room. ADGP and Commissioner were already there, discussing about the case and both greeted the Chief as he entered. 

“Gentlemen… ” the Chief was interrupted before he could start, by the sirens outside the building and some hurried footsteps outside the room. The Home Minister Devanandan entered the room and the trio stood up and saluted him.

“Men, we have a situation here,” Devanandan started as soon as he settled down “the Chief Minister of Kerala has been assassinated. I am answerable to media and to the people of Kerala, as the Home Minister. The killer must be brought before justice no matter the cost. Gentlemen, I trust you. Now, update me. Do you have any leads?”

“Yes sir,” the ADGP started “the killer have left the gun at the crime scene and the murder was captured in a CCTV camera in Chief Minister’s residence. I have asked ACP Vinod to come. He will be here any moment with the identity of the killer and more details.”

Knock! Knock! 

 

“Sir! May I come in?” ACP Vinod came in with a file in his hand. He saluted the superiors and passed the file to ADGP.

“ACP, please give us a briefing of what’s in the file,” asked the Chief.

 “Yes Sir!” started Vinod, “the lab report for the finger print and the enhanced video from CCTV have confirmed the identity of the killer. But…”

“But what?” the ADGP jumped the gun.

“Who is the killer? Have you made an arrest?” the Chief was also impatient.

 “The man appeared in the CCTV video shooting the CM was none other than Thomas Chandy, the ex-Personal Assistant of the Chief Minister. The fingerprints on the gun also matched,” answered the ACP.

“Why didn’t you make an arrest then?” asked the Home Minister.

His question was answered by the Commissioner who was silent till then, “because Thomas Chandy is already dead. He died in a car accident two weeks ago. Hmm, a dead killer...”

 (…to be continued.)

Love Forever

He felt a soft hand on his forehead. He opened his eyes and there she was holding a cup of coffee and sitting close to him on bed.

"Good morning! Did you have a good sleep dear?", she asked with a smile. 

"Yes darling, I slept happily and also had a beautiful dream. Good morning!", he sat up on the bed, put his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Have this coffee", she said, holding the coffee cup to his lips. He took a sip and smiled. She too had a sip from it and then asked him, "Tell me about your dream, was I there in your dream?".

He chuckled and said, "How can my dream be beautiful if you are not there in it!". She smiled and said, holding the cup again to his lips, "Tell me the dream, I am so eager to hear it".

"Alright, listen.", he took a sip from the cup and continued, "One day God summoned all married couples on earth to a place unknown. You were with me holding my hand. I also saw many familiar faces.".

He had another sip from the cup she held to his lips. "And then?", she asked, taking a sip from the cup.

He continued, "God then announced that He was going to grant some wishes to all the couples but they would have to pay a price for it. For each wish, God said, people would be having two choices and they would get one minute to choose.".

"And then?", she asked him with keen interest, but did not forget to hold the coffee to his lips. She too had a sip and cuddled more close to him.

"God then presented His first gift to people.", he continued, "Many beautiful girls appeared behind all the couples. God said to men that they could either hold their wife's hand and move forward or they could go back and choose one of the girls and live with her rest of the life.". 

"You would not have even looked back.", she said, smiling. He too smiled and took the empty cup from her hand and put it on the table. "Yes. But I was both amazed and sad that many people went back and some even stood there thinking whether to move forward or back.".

She too shared his concern for those wives and leaned on him gently. She put her arms around him and asked, "And then what happened?".

He continued, "God presented the second gift to the people who moved forward with their wives. God said to men, that all men who would choose to move forward again would become blind by doing so but their wives would get immunity for all earthly diseases and those men who choose to go back would lose their wives.".

 She sat upright and looked into his face and said, "I know what you would have chosen, but I cant bear it, if anything happen to you. Why did you not choose to leave me?", she almost broke into tears. He placed his palm gently on her cheek and said, "Even if I go blind, I know, you will take care of me like the apple in your eye, but if I lose you, wont it be more painful for you and me? It is about losing my eye or losing me as a whole. And don't worry, it is just a dream", he smiled. She did not like the idea of him going blind, but she did not say anything but simply hugged him and lied with her head on his lap.

Lying on his lap, she looked at him and said smiling, "Tell me the rest of the dream.".

He continued, "Many couples separated there, some men did not want to be blind. Also some girls left their blind husbands, I felt pity for those men. There were only about hundred couples remaining.".

"World has so less lovable and loving people.", she said sadly.

He nodded and continued, "All remaining men were blind, including me. God presented his third gift. God told all the women to hold their blind husband's hand and guide them to the harbor which was about 100 meters away, and if they reach the harbor in one minute, their husbands would get their eyes back. He also told everyone to take with them anything they find on their way to harbor."

Lying on his lap she looked up into his face and said smiling, "Let me guess, there were diamond rings, gold chains, necklaces and everything on which a woman's eye would stop. Am I right?". He nodded. She kissed him on his hand and said, "You are my greatest treasure, I do not want anything else.".

He smiled and continued, "Many women left their husbands and went to pick up handful of ornaments. Some even dragged their husbands and picked up, with the other hand, anything they could find. But, you were holding my hand and running to the harbor and reached there before anyone else. "

"After one minute had passed, harbor disappeared along with the few lucky people who reached harbor on time. I got my eyes back and was so happy to see you again. You were more happy, kissing me all over my face", he said smiling. 

She was now really happy and curious. She sat up on bed and asked, "Then what happened?".

He said, "Only nine couples were remaining. Then God came to harbor with the ship to heaven. He said that He would take only one person from a couple to heaven and the other would be staying behind for one year on earth. God gave everyone one minute to think.".

She took his hand and held it tight. He continued, "Five husbands chose to send their wives and three wives chose to send their husbands. But, you and me, both of us did not want to send the other away, even if it was to heaven. One minute passed and God asked the ship to be sailed. The ship set sail to heaven with eight people. God then sent their eight partners back to earth to wait for one year before they were taken to heaven.", he paused. 

He looked into her eyes, held her close to him, smiled and said, "God then looked at both of us and said, 'Nothing can ever separate you, let both of you live happily on earth or heaven wherever you wish, as long as you wish, as Angels of Love.".

He then kissed her and she smiled.

How I Died

"Sir, You have a post." I was about to take a nap when i heard the waiter's voice. I saw the envelope lying on the floor. My name and address were printed on it.

Allan Sandroff, 

Room No: 113,

Hotel Bew Avenue,

New York.

I checked for the sender's address, but there was not even a name. I opened the envelope and found a piece of cloth. It looked like a handkerchief. The handkerchief was a weird one. It was black in color with seven white crosses stitched at the top.

It was getting late. So i kept the handkerchief in my drawer and set out to my office. On my way back from the office i met Aleena, a good friend of mine who helped me always in times of difficulties. After a little chat i said goodbye and began walking towards my hotel. Suddenly, the clouds turned black and it began to rain. I was sure that i would catch a cold. I ran the rest of the way to my hotel.

I went to my room. I was not feeling well. I took out the handkerchief from the drawer and sneezed "Achoo... achoo..." I stopped sneezing when i saw something weird on the handkerchief. Letters were appearing on the handkerchief, as if they were being written by an invisible pen. I stared at it. It was the address of an old schoolmate of mine.

Ralio Fujis,

House No: 23,

Straight Walk Street,

San Francisco.

I stared at it blankly. Then it clicked to me, "Ah! I should have guessed. Ralio must have sent this gift. He was always a witty guy who plays pranks, and he has written..." I stopped suddenly because Ralio's name disappeared and another name began to form.

Aleena Strokes,

House No: 44,

Liberty Street,

New York.

I didn't understand anything. "What has Aleena got to do with Ralio? They don't even know each other." I decided to ask Aleena. But, then something caught my attention.

Aleena's name disappeared and the seven crosses began to glow. The crosses were becoming brighter and were moving towards the center. As they neared the center, the crosses merged one over the other and became brighter and brighter. At last, all the crosses became one, which glowed brilliantly. Then suddenly the cross disappeared and appeared as seven crosses in their old positions.

"Knock, knock." There was someone at the door. It was 7 p.m. and the room-boy had come to clean the room. I put the handkerchief safely back inside the drawer and went to the restaurant for dinner. It was 7:30 when i returned to my room. I decided to call Ralio. All mysteries must come to an end, i thought. It was Ralio's P.A. who picked up the call. He said, "Sorry Sir, Mr. Ralio Fujis died in a plane crash half an hour ago." I hung up the phone. It was a sad news. Good old days with Ralio were coming over to my mind, but suddenly, a chill ran down my spine, "Aleena!!!, her name also appeared on that evil thing, "Oh No..." The telephone bell began to ring, i picked it up. The voice said, "Sir, this is from St. Albert's hospital. Miss Aleena Strokes met with an accident. We did our best to save her but she died." I froze there holding the phone.

I went to hospital to have a last look at her. This was more than i could bear. "All this happened because of that evil piece of cloth." i was furious and rushed back to my hotel room. It was raining heavily but i didn't care. I reached the hotel and rushed to my room. I took the handkerchief from the drawer and threw it into the fireplace, but it simply got repelled back. I was furious and threw it out of the window. But i realized my blunder and cursed myself. "Oh! I'm such an idiot, now the cloth will get wet in the rain. God knows whose all names are going to appear on it." I rushed out of the hotel and found the handkerchief in the mud. A name was just disappearing when i took it. I ran back to the hotel with the handkerchief. But, then i saw another name appearing on the handkerchief. I froze as my name and address formed on the handkerchief.

Suddenly, the crosses began to glow. I got back to my room, closed all windows and doors, lit the fireplace and sat on the couch facing the clock and with the handkerchief in my hand. "I am safe now, no one can kill me in here", i thought. But, the crosses in the handkerchief continued to come closer, and my heart began to beat faster. Suddenly, i found it hard to breathe. "Oh no! I closed all sources of air and lit the fireplace." I began to suffocate. I couldn't get up from the couch. I dragged myself to the closed window, and tried to reach and open it. Out of the corner of my eye, i saw the crosses merged together. I stretched my hand to open the window. Suddenly, there was a bright glow and i was dead.