By: Sam Rapth

The Coastal Road was dancing according to the music of the soaking sun. At the horizon, it was difficult to differentiate between the sky and the sea. The bluish sea glittered in the morning sun.

This Road connects Miami Beach Lummus Park and the Beach State Park. On this road, there sleeps a road of mud, which would usually be deserted but now, was filled with numerous cops with their police cars and Hyundai cars in company with a bevy of local civilians here and there. The Occasional travellers hung their heads out of the window of the buses that passed by. The many 1600 CC sedans slowed down while crossing the scene of crime.

Amidst the cop cars, Ambulance that belonged to the National Highways, Emergency response team, local Detectives in charge, there stood a Skoda Octavia cab, with a number plate, an open driver seat door and a dead body in the driver seat. The Body had not yet turned dark bluish. Though the heart and the brains of the body had already ceased functioning, the blood inside the veins must have been still holding its warmth.

The guy was dressed in white pant, white woollen jerkin and looked like a professional cab driver by all possible means. There was blood clot under his nose and his head looked deeply hurt by something made of Iron. His eyelids were half open.

The Emergency Response Team photographer captured the scene of crime from different angles in order to capture the moment for later reference. There were cops here and there, talking on walkie-talkie.

Detective Mathew sincerely penned down, the First Information Report from a flower seller who had put up a road-side shop nearby while Detective Robertson looked upon. The dead body was now, taken for Autopsy.

‘Sir, I have got the FIR in detail. He had seen the car and the dead body at around 10 O Clock, this morning. We came by 10:15 AM. Photo session is over. Paper work has been done. So we are good to kick start the investigation from our end’

‘Yeh.. so what you think Mathew?’ asked Robertson.

‘Sounds like the cab driver has been brutally hit by something made of Iron, in his head. The driver seat door is open. The right leg of the guy is on the ground but there is no sign of any major movement on the mud below his leg. So someone must have knocked him down in total surprise. The guy is worthless piece of shit, struggling hard for everyday butter. So this could not have been for money. We have to go to the next level to find out the reason for the crime. Honestly, I don’t get the next step’

‘OK Mathew.. Have the guys family been informed of this?’

‘I got the guys mobile number and dialled one, by name John from his contact list. It seems the dead man is Abraham. John is his friend from childhood. I have already got him with us for your questions, Robert’ saying so, Mathew turned around and called upon John, who was seated in the police car. As soon as he heard Mathew, he jumped out and came running to Robertson.

‘So you are John?’ Robertson asked in a flat base voice.

‘Yes Sir’, John replied clueless.

‘John, Can you narrate us, your most recent interaction with your friend Abraham?’

‘Yes Sir, We stay together at the nearby Jubilee apartments. We are of the same age group, 28 as he was my friend from childhood. We did schooling together in Canada. I took up, cab driver job much earlier while, he joined me only recently. This morning he called me to tow his vehicle as he ran out of gas. So I towed him till the nearby gas station, ensured that he filled 10 litres of petrol and then I left. I don’t know what happened later’ John appeared clueless even now.

‘Ok John.. you may go back where you came from.. I mean, to the car’ said Robert and watched him walk back to the car.

‘What do you think, Robert?’ asked Mathew.

‘Mathew can you double check the fuel tank and report me on what is left over in the tank’

While Mathew checked upon the fuel tank, Robertson checked upon the dashboard and found that there was a notebook which had a lot of lines of words centralised around a girl named Rosy , a bill from a gas station, cab travellers name list, Hypothecation documents, Registration book along with the Motor Insurance documents.

Mathew, now approached Robertson.

‘Robert, the fuel tank has now, 9 litres of petrol left’

Robert took out the bill and handed over the cab travellers name list to Mathew.

‘He ran empty on fuel. He filled 10 litres but now the tank has 9 litres. Which means, he had burnt a litre of petrol. The mileage of this kind of car is around 18 kilo meters. Therefore, he must have travelled 18 kilo meters before being killed. So, we will drive back 18 kilo meters and see if we get another clue, Mathew..’ said Robert.

**********

While Robert and Mathew were travelling back the 18 kilo meters,

‘Mathew, the body is on its way to the hospital for Autopsy. Let us don’t wait for Autopsy results as the more we delay, the longer the suspect would run away. In your expert opinion, on looking at the wounds on the body, what do you think is the actual time, the guy was attacked to death?’ asked Robert.

‘The clot under his nose was just afresh Robert. He has not turned bluish yet. While I was enquiring with the civilians nearby, till 9:35 there was none at the spot, but at around 9:45, the flower shop keeper had noticed the car with the door open and since then there was no activity. So in my opinion the murder must have happened approximately at 9:40 in the morning’ said Mathew.

By then the car stopped with a slight jerk. Robert and Mathew jumped out from the car, after having travelled 18 kilo meters. There stood a small Bakery. Robert noted down the time taken to reach 18 kilo meters.

‘What now, Robert?’

‘Mathew, It takes 20 minutes to reach 18 kilo meters in this route. Considering that, the murder happened at 9:40AM, and that the murder came a smooth surprise to the guy, the cab must have started somewhere at this place at 9:20AM. so what we need to find out now, is the one who boarded the cab somewhere around 9:20 AM from here’

Robert and Mathew approached the bakery. Robert took a deep look at the shop. The shop was narrow, had all cake items with a wall clock at the centre. While Robert took a snap of the shop from inside the shop, in his Lumia Mobile phone, Mathew began to shoot questions at the shop keeper.

‘Did you see a cab, this morning at around 9:20 AM, somewhere here?’

‘A Cab, Officer!..No.. I saw 2 cab, Skoda Octavia’

‘Remember someone took the cab?’

‘As I vaguely remember, a man of age 35 and boy of age 28 boarded the two cabs.. But I don’t remember their faces or any other detail as I hate those who show their back to me’ said the shop keeper.

Mathew and Robert came out of the bakery.

‘The guy is so pissed off…Robert’

‘Whatever.. Mathew, Can you read out the travellers list?’

Mathew took out the list from his packet and read aloud,

‘Kathy, Rosy and Angelina’

‘Mathew, I saw a notebook in which Abraham had written some poems in the name of Rosy’

‘Yeah.. Even I saw that Robert.. I think she must had been of some importance in his personal life.. who knows, may be he was murdered because of mate competition..I have anyway, enquired and got the addresses of those girls, from the Company from where Abraham used to pick in his cab..One Mrs.Rosy was a bit odd, as she seem to have done schooling in the same school as Abraham while the other girls have no connection with Abraham’s past.Mrs. Rosy stays nearby only in Boulvyard layout, tower 5, ground floor’

‘Oh..good work.. let us first go to meet Rosy and we will go from there’

***********

When Robert and Mathew spotted Rosy’s apartment, there were a couple of old men, probably in their mid fifties, standing near a Swift car, whose rear tyre was flat, dickey was open, Stepney was seen but no jockey. The road was deserted and most of the houses were not seen with any sign of occupants. Most houses were empty with clothes hanging for drying. The two men seemed puzzled looking at cops arriving at their residence. They both had their eyebrows raised.

Robertson calmly stepped into the apartment main gate and reached out the door of Rosy, while Mathew followed quietly. To the second ring, on the door bell, Rosy opened the door and it was funny to see her face that quickly displayed shock.

‘I hope you are Rosy. Am detective Robert and this is detective Mathew. We have a few questions to shoot at you’ said Robert softly.

‘On what, detective?’

‘Definitely not about my bank balance, madam.. If you could excuse us’

Rosy thought for a moment and then let the cops stroll in. Robert and Mathew entered the flat and sat in the sofa, while Rosy kept the main door half open. The apartment was nicely furnished with cosy sofa set, rich floor mat, windows curtained, book shelf, remote controlled music system and so on. There were a couple of paintings, which showcased a women in a white gown like a fairy with mountains and horizons in the background, with the name of the artist ‘Jack’, printed at the bottom right corner of the painting. There was a laminated photo, of a couple, gently hugging and a phrase ‘Rosy and Harry’ was written at the bottom. To Robert, at first look, the guy in the photo lamination was looking like anyone in his mid thirties.

‘We are looking into a case. We need some details from your end. You are married and working for the company Poojyam. aren’t you?’

‘Yes detective. I am married to Harry. He has gone on a personal work to Dallas, in the morning flight at 8’

‘Can you tell us, what exactly was that personal work, if you don’t mind?’

‘Yeah… He wanted to meet a real estate consultant in Dallas.. That’s all he told me.. I don’t have any more details.. All I know is, he wants to invest some of his hard earned money in immovable assets in Dallas.. you may keep this if you want’ saying so, Rosy handed over, the electronic ticket of Harry to Robert. Robert took a look at it and kept it in his pocket.

‘So Mrs. Rosy, what do you know about the guy, Abraham who used to pick you up from your residence to office in cab?’

‘Abraham!!.. Nothing much I know..He is just a cab driver..why? any issues with him?’

‘No..No.. He has some unpaid parking tickets so we just wanted to do a formal enquiry..nothing to worry Mrs. Rosy.. Thanks for your cooperation’ saying so Robert and Mathew, stood up and moved out of Rosy’s apartment.

Outside, after carefully ensuring that Rosy had latched the door,

‘Robert, did you notice, she pretended as if she knew Abraham only recently.. I think, there must had been a relationship between the two and Harry must have found it. So could there be a motive for Harry to kill Abraham?’ Mathew murmured to Robert.

‘Makes sense Mathew.. lets check that out..’ Robert looked at the name boards and began to climb the stairs while Mathew followed.

At the first floor, Robert knocked one of the four doors, which had a name board that read ‘Apartment Secretary, William Stamper’.

The door opened and man in his late forties appeared.

‘Hello, I am robert, detective of police. I hope you are William stamper, secretary of this apartment’ said Robert while Mathew watched over.

‘Yes detective.. How may I help you?’

‘As a secretary of this apartment , I thought you are the right person to answer my question. How are the residents in this apartment? Any Complaints, quarrels from anyone?’

‘Oh..The residents, mostly are kinda quiet. Not much issues except that, one of the resident at the ground floor, a couple Mr. Harry and Mrs. Rosy Harry have given headaches quite a few times. They get into heated arguments and shout at times, but so far, I have never brought it to the ears of any one outside’, saying so , William, stepped in momentarily, dragged out a box of chocolates and shared it with Robert and Mathew.

‘We are kinda celebrating our son Daniel’s achievements in his school. He has recently won, a Artwork competition held at inter-school level detective’ William was all smiles showing a certificate from the Ebenezer Marcus School. Robert and Mathew took the chocolates.

‘Da vinci at home!!’ Said Robert, showing a little excitement, which he hoped might do good for the moment, as Daniel, a boy in his adolescent stood inside the house and smiled at Robert and Mathew.

*************

Robert and Mathew came to the car.

‘So Mathew, what do you think?’

‘Oh Robert.. Rosy didn’t speak the truth. She pretended as if she knows Abraham only recently. Abraham has Rosy’s name mentioned in his private book. So there must had been something going on between the two. That leaves Harry to own a motive. Even John admitted that, he did his schooling with Abraham in childhood but even he didn’t talk about Rosy, in his confession. Perhaps, John was also in love with Rosy. Therefore, John owns a motive equally. The murder must have happened somewhere at 9:40 AM. Abraham burnt one litre of petrol so he must have travelled 18 kilo metres which would have taken him 20 minutes. So he was at the Bakery shop, at around 9:20 AM. The bakery shop keeper had already confirmed that two guys, one aged 35 and another aged 28 took cabs at 9:20 AM. So two suspects with motives. We just need to narrow down to one. Now that we have got the Itinerary of Harry, if we are positive at the Airport that Harry indeed, took his flight, that would eliminate Harry from the suspicion list and we would finally end up with John, the culprit’

Robert took out his Nokia Lumia Mobile, stared at it for sometime and said,

‘Excellent Narration, Mathew…but…’ as he looked at the picture which he took at the bakery.

‘Can we just go to the Bakery shop again?’ he added moments later.

*************

At the Bakery shop, Mathew watched over Robert approaching the bakery shop keeper by himself and asking some questions. Deep inside Mathew wondered what he could have possibly missed out.

Later, he also observed that Robert, drove to Ebenezer Marcus school, at the roundabout and had a formal chat with the gate keeper and principal.

When Robert came back to car and started to drive, Mathew could not suppress his curiosity.

‘Where are we going to, Robert?’

‘To Rosy’s apartment, Mathew’ said Robert as he drove.

At the apartment, as Robert walked briskly, Mathew followed Robert.

While Mathew was confused as he expected Robert to stop at Rosy’s flat but Robert continued to climb the stairs and reached William’s flat at first floor.

As the puzzled Mathew watched over, Robert rang the bell and William opened the door.

‘Yes detective’ said William.

‘Couple of questions with your son, William.. hope you would not mind’ said Robert.

‘Yeah.. I don’t mind but he is just a school kid, detective’ saying so, William called upon Daniel, by his name. Moments later Daniel appeared.

‘May I know your full name, Daniel’ asked Robert.

‘Jack Daniel, detective’ replied Daniel.

‘Where were you this morning at around 9?’

‘I was in my school, detective’

‘NO.. You went to school later today.. You paid fine for not on time. didnt you?’

Daniel remained silent, as his father William watched over in surprise.

‘William, can you help us, see your son’s school bag?’

‘Yeah Sure…’ William hesitantly went in and came back with Daniel’s bag. Robert opened the bag’s mouth and showed stains of Rust inside the bag.

Daniel continued to remain silent. Robert began to speak.

‘You would not talk. would you? I know why. You are a plus size fetish. It is evident from your paintings, which are here and there in Rosy’s house too. You probably must have gifted her. You had an eye on Rosy. You wanted to have a relationship with her. You somehow got to know about Abraham, John and Rosy. You didn’t like her being with Abraham. You were jealous about Rosy and Abraham. You had taken William’s car’s Jockey. You knew Abraham can be found at the Bakery. You went to the Bakery, took Abraham’s cab. Travelled around 18 kilo meters until the highway reached a secluded place. Even before Abraham could get a hint, you strangled him to death with that Iron Jockey. You kept that Jockey in your school bag. Then you came back to your school, very late by 11 AM for which you paid fine , which I have confirmed enquiring at your school. I have to arrest you on charges of murder’ said Robert.

**************

After having taken Daniel under police custody, at the police station,

‘Robert, How did you suspected Daniel’ asked Mathew.

Robert took out his mobile phone and showed the picture of the Bakery which was showing a wall clock.

‘When we enquired at the bakery this morning, the time was actually 11AM but the clock in the Bakery showed 10:40 AM, which I myself noticed only later. So I concluded that the Bakery shop keeper was actually running slow by 20 minutes. It took 20 minutes to reach 18 kilo meters and the murder happened at 9:40 AM. So the culprit must have boarded the cab at 9:20 AM but since the Bakery shop keeper was actually looking at a clock which was running slow by 20 minutes, the two guys aged 35 and 28 have actually taken the cab at 9:40 AM, which was the time when the murder took place. So they could not have their hand in it. According to the slow clock in the Bakery, we must look at someone who took the cab at 9AM and not 9:20 AM. And the shop keeper said that, at 9AM a boy in his adolescent age, with a school bag in hand took a cab. So I thought it must be Jack Daniel, as I found his paintings at Rosy’s home’ said Robert.

**************