Patang (22 page)

But moving from one compartment to another in a Mumbai local is easier said than done. As the train jolted and slowly began to pick up speed, Rathod began to make his way towards Ananya’s compartment, knowing that he had at least 10 minutes between stations to reach her. Dodging well-oiled heads and sweaty arms clinging to the dangling hand-holds, he finally found himself at a vantage point from where he could see Ananya but it was impossible for her to spot him unless she attempted to turn around and ardently look for him, which she had no reason to do.

As the train reached the next station, Rathod watched Ananya’s movements closely, ready to dash through the crowd if she showed any signs of getting off. But Ananya remained where she was. A few people got off, a lot more boarded, and, soon, the train jerked to a start once again. Rathod realized that the number of passengers between Ananya and himself would only swell with each passing station. He couldn’t take the risk of losing sight of her, so he decided to inch closer. In doing so, he lost sight of Ananya behind a row of heads for a few seconds, but those few seconds were enough for her to disappear.

Where did she go?
Rathod looked around frantically by raising himself on the tips of his toes. She had been here less than half a minute ago. How could she have disappeared into thin air? The train hadn’t stopped since he had last seen her. Where was she?

‘Are you stalking me?’

A voice from behind startled Rathod. It was Ananya, standing at a distance and smiling softly.

‘Punishable under Section 354D of the Indian Penal Code,’ she continued, the beautiful smile still lingering on her full lips as she pushed through the crowd and stood directly in front of him. Rathod felt a little uncomfortable, but at the same time, something deep within him didn’t let him step away from her.

‘How do you plead?’ she teased.

Rathod looked at her quietly for some time. Then he said, ‘I need to ask you something.’

‘Yes, your honour?’

‘Did you spread the news that the steel mill murder and the Powai murder were committed by Tony Matthew?’ Rathod said in a low voice.

‘You mean the Patang Killer?’

‘Stop calling him that!’

‘All right, I won’t call him that.’

‘Did you?’

‘Did I what? Oh yes…umm…no. I know I’m not supposed to talk about it.’

‘There’s nothing to talk about. He couldn’t have committed those murders. He’s in prison!’

‘Yes, yes, I know! I’ve heard that a hundred times in the last few days…’

‘And how did you know that I was at the beach that night?’

Ananya looked deep into Rathod’s eyes. Her face was now less than two feet away from his, and he felt as if she was trying to peep into his very soul. Rathod could sense a raw emotion behind those beautiful eyes – as if inside the sweet and charming small-town girl, there existed an animal who could tear him apart with her fangs if she wanted to.

‘You really are something, you know!’ she said. ‘I’ve never met anyone like you.’

‘Well, I’ve never met anyone like you either,’ Rathod retorted. ‘Nor do I intend to. Now, please tell me, so that I can get the hell out of here – how did you know about the operation at the beach that night? There’s no way you could have known. Unless…’

Ananya’s face turned into stone, her jaws hardened and she became serious. But, moments later, a mischievous smile appeared on her face. ‘Well, you guessed it right. I have a friend in your department!’

No way!
She was lying! Aditya had denied having met her, having spoken to her.
She had to be lying! Or did Aditya lie?
Rathod grew frustrated. Whom could he trust? Was there anyone in this city he could trust? His head began to hurt in earnest now, like something or someone was trying to saw it in two. He squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds.

‘You know, I’m really worried about you,’ Ananya said with concern. ‘You don’t look so good.’

‘I’m fine!’ Rathod shook his head vehemently. Then, suddenly, he noticed something, or rather, the absence of something.

‘Where’s your card?’ he asked.

‘What?’

‘Your press card? Where is it?’

‘It must be in my purse. Why?’

‘Why aren’t you wearing it?’

‘What? You want to see my press card?’

‘No, that’s not what I’m asking. Why are you not wearing it now?’

‘What kind of a question is that? I don’t wear my card all the time. If I need to, I just…’

‘Were you wearing it that evening?’

‘Which evening?’

‘When I met you outside the Shantinagar police station?’

‘I don’t remember.’

‘Try to remember!’ Rathod grabbed her elbows with both his hands and shook her violently.

‘You’re hurting me!’

As she said those words, Rathod saw an expression of fear creep into her face.

‘You’re hurting me,’ Ananya repeated more firmly. ‘Let go.’

‘Is everything all right, ma’am?’ a young college kid with a goatee and a headful of curly hair asked Ananya, looking pointedly at Rathod. Rathod noticed that everyone in the compartment around them had fallen silent and were frowning at him, some even shifting to move closer to them, ready to spring into action if needed.

‘Yes,’ Ananya forced an embarrassed smile on her face. ‘Everything’s all right.’She said the last two words as she looked into Rathod’s eyes, her expression pleading. Rathod let her go.

‘Are you sure,
beta
?’ an aged man asked her. The concerned people around them had not moved an inch and continued to stare at Rathod.

‘Yes, I’m sure,’ Ananya said again, this time firmly. ‘Thank you for your concern. It’s just a family thing.’

Gradually, everyone stepped back and went about their business. Rathod realized that Ananya had just saved him from a real mess. For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. Finally, Rathod said quietly, ‘I’m sorry.’ He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t able to think straight.

Ananya’s face shone with concern as she stepped closer. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ she asked softly.

Rathod squeezed his eyes shut. His entire being seemed
exhausted. Although he had managed to get some sleep thanks to the pills, he realized that his mind had not got any rest at all. He closed his eyes to shut out the world, its sights and sounds. The cool breeze blowing through the train’s door was making him sleepy, yet he knew that sleep wouldn’t come to him. Not without those pills. How could he sleep? The task he thought he had completed remained unaccomplished. Someone was still killing people in the city,
his
city, and he was being made a fool of every time. A strong, bitter emotion lodged itself in his throat and threatened to push its way up.

Suddenly, he felt a soft touch on his cheek. He opened his eyes to find Ananya looking at him with concern, clasping his face in her palms.

The touch of her hand felt like a comforting balm, soothing his troubled mind. Her beautiful eyes held love…yes, love…in them – love for him! It seemed as though her eyes were trying to say a thousand words to him as she whispered, ‘Let me help you.’

Her voice echoed inside his head and made him feel better. He had this sudden urge to throw all caution to the wind and hug her, drawing her close to his chest and burying his face in her shoulder. Rathod could have sworn that’s what Ananya wanted too. But, at that very moment, the train stopped at the next station with a rude jolt, and a stream of people began to get off as well as board the train through the door near them.

The moment was lost…at least for him. He pushed Ananya away, almost against his own wish. He couldn’t understand why he was feeling this strange mix of desire and fear, when it suddenly dawned on him – while he felt a strange love for Ananya, he was also very afraid of her.

But why? Why?
Why?

Feeling repulsed and confused, Rathod shoved his way out of the compartment and disappeared among the crowd.

29

‘Thank you for seeing me Mr Shitole,’ said Rathod. ‘My sincere condolences.’

‘Thank you, please have a seat.’

Rathod had called on Dr Nayak’s residence. The servant who had answered the bell had asked him to wait in the hall, and soon a middle-aged man dressed in a white kurta-pyjama had walked into the hall. He had introduced himself as the deceased doctor’s son-in-law. He looked composed, and even if he was unhappy to get a visitor at this ungodly hour, his expression didn’t show it.

‘How can I help you?’ Mr Shitole asked.

‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a few questions,’ Rathod said.

‘But I thought you said you were with the police…we’ve already…’

‘I know you’ve given your statements, but there are certain things I’d like to go over once again.’

The man watched Rathod for some time, then removed his glasses and said, ‘Very well.’

‘What is your profession, sir?’ Rathod asked.

‘I’m a professor. I teach history.’

‘I see. And your wife?’

‘She is a professor, too. Economics. Both of us are at Fergusson.’

‘And does she have any siblings?’

There was a slight hint of irritation in Mr Shitole’s voice when he answered. ‘No. She doesn’t.’

Rathod realized that the police may have already asked these basic questions. He quickly said, ‘May I have a word with your wife?’

‘Look…umm…Inspector…’

‘Rathod.’

‘Yes, Inspector Rathod. We’ve already told the police everything we know. I was wondering if it’s necessary to bring my wife down at this hour to repeat what she’s already said… As you can imagine, she has had a horrible day, and so have our children.’

‘I totally understand, sir,’ Rathod said apologetically, ‘and I can’t even begin to apologize for this trouble. But you see, I have this one question nibbling away at me. And, to tell you frankly, it concerns your father-in-law’s death, so I couldn’t think of anyone else to get an answer from other than your wife.’

‘Perhaps I’ll be able to help you?’

‘Perhaps you will. You see, it’s like this. We know that your father-in-law was stuck to a massive advertising balloon, which was then lifted to a great height, and he was just…left there… left to die.’

Mr Shitole nodded gravely. The last thing he wanted to do at that moment was to imagine the way his wife’s father had died. Rathod went on, ‘But you see, what I don’t know for sure is this: Did he have the heart attack – the one that killed him – before or after he was strung up there?’

For a few seconds, Mr Shitole was quiet, contemplating. Then he said, ‘You’re asking me if I think he had his heart attack on the ground or in mid-air?’

‘Precisely.’

‘I’m going to have to say that I think it happened in mid-air.’

‘You’re certain about that?’

With the measured manner in which he had spoken so far, Rathod had expected Mr Shitole to think carefully before giving an answer. But, to his utter surprise, he simply said, ‘Yes, I’m pretty certain.’

‘How can you be so sure, though? I mean, there was no guarantee that Dr Nayak would have had a heart attack even if he was sent up there.’

‘Well, you see, there was. He had a weak heart…’

‘But still – ’

‘…and he had acrophobia! He was scared of
heights
!’

‘Oh, I see.’ This was news to Rathod, and he realized that only someone who knew about the doctor’s health condition could have used this information to kill him. It was a risky affair, though, because if the doctor had somehow survived, he would have revealed the identity of the killer.

‘Who else knew about his condition?’

‘You mean, other than me and my wife? Well, a lot of people knew. The doctors who treated him, some of his colleagues, close friends, the servants…’

‘Since when had he suffered from this condition?’

‘Well, the acrophobia had been there since his childhood. He sailed to England for his FRCS. Couldn’t fly. Couldn’t ride glass-enclosed elevators either. It was much worse earlier, actually – he was gradually getting better thanks to a new drug that has been developed in Germany and is being used in human trials.’

‘And his heart?’

‘He had his first attack around 10 years ago, after an incident…and it was a severe one. Weakened him quite a bit. He couldn’t get up from his bed for almost six months. But since then he had improved a lot.’

‘I’m told that, on the night he was murdered, he was seen leaving the house in a hurry?’

‘Yes, there was a call and he went out upon receiving it, and… well, didn’t return.’

‘What time did he step out?’

‘The call came at around nine. He left within the next fifteen minutes.’

‘His driver was on duty then?’

‘Yes, the driver lives in the house itself, but my father-in-law didn’t want to take him along.’

Rathod was surprised. ‘Didn’t that seem strange to you? Given his health condition?’

‘We were not around. We live in Pune. It did seem exceedingly strange to everyone who was in the house, and to us when we heard about it later. But he was not the kind of person who would listen to anyone.’

Rathod thought for a few seconds and then said, ‘Mr Shitole, did your father-in-law have any enemies? Someone who would’ve wanted to harm him?’

‘Not that I know of.’

‘You said your father-in-law had his first attack after a certain incident. What incident was this?’

‘It was a family incident. Property related. Nothing serious.’

There was a slight hesitation in his voice that did not escape Rathod’s attention. He kept staring at the man in front of him and said in a calm voice, ‘Mr Shitole, I am here to catch your father-in-law’s killer. Anything that you may know but are not willing to share is only going to make my job difficult. I’m sure a man in your position understands that.’

Mr Shitole remained silent for some time and then sighed. Finally, he said, ‘Look here, I’ve already told you everything I know. It’s quite late now, and all of us have had a terribly upsetting and unsettling day. Tomorrow will be no different. So, if you don’t mind…’

‘
There was a scandal!’
A firm female voice behind Rathod exclaimed. He turned around to see a middle-aged woman
dressed in a robe, with dishevelled hair and eyes swollen and red from crying, standing in the doorway. This was clearly Mrs Shitole, Dr Madhusudan Nayak’s only child.