Read Part 1 - here
Read Part 2 - here
Read Part 3 - here
Read Part 4 - here
Read Part 5 - here
Read Part 6 - here
Read part 7 - here
Read Part 8 - here
Read Part 9 - here
Read part 10- here
Read part 11 -here
Read part 12 -here
Read part 13 -here
Read part 14 -here
Read part 15 -here
Read part 16 -here
Read part 17 -here
Read part 18 -here
Read part 19 -here
---
Pavil had eagerly waited to see the features in the portrait come to life and as he held the sketch in his hands, he felt doubtful if any such man ever existed. It looked like any mundane face covered with large goggles and a cap.
It could be anyone.
He tried staring hard at it to find any resemblance to any person he’d known in regards to this case but couldn’t come up with any, but even so, this was the biggest breakthrough and it wouldn’t do to possess any forebodings.
He could feel the old enthusiasm stirring within him, one that seemed to start boiling up from the pit of his stomach into his heart, pushing his palpitations into a thrilling symphony.
Would this be it?
Khar hadn’t accompanied him to Welcome Inn. He’d been immersed in some other activities the past few days. Collecting some information he’d said, and had a bunch of informants and police officers running all around the city.
Pavil had an idea but he didn’t pursue Khar much about it, knowing how he’d eventually find out anyway.
Pavil hadn’t thought how they’d find the mysterious man from the sketch and wondered if they'd finally have a press conference and pass this face on to news channels and papers, because Khar didn’t disclose any emotions on seeing the face emerge out of watchman’s description of the stranger, except instructing him to visit Welcome Inn and showing this portrait to Amna.
He didn’t understand what role Welcome Inn had to play in this entire affair until that call from a few days ago.
He’d not expected it, of course, but any little helps and if there was a call there was some information, and information there was.
The receptionist was probably translating Amna’s sign languages when he’d spoken because he spoke deliberately, pausing every now and then.
‘Turns out the person you had inquired about did leave the hotel premises, sir.’ The thin receptionists’ voice was just as unctuous but seemed to suit his thin moustached face well.
That Jumaid had left the hotel to meet Nehar was not news, but what time he’d left was still a question mark, seeing that he was at Wok Fusion at one in the afternoon, it wasn’t difficult to surmise it must have been some time before that. ‘I could not say what time he’d left, but on his return, he was spotted by our guest.’ the thin man had said.
‘Was he with someone?’ Pavil had asked.
A pause, then ‘she could not say for sure.’
‘Who’s she?’ Pavil had asked surprised.
‘A guest Amna had the occasion of meeting and inquiring about the information you sought.’
‘What guest?’
The receptionist's voice had a smile when he spoke ‘A lady of varied reputation, a regular guest in our establishment.’
Pavil didn’t take long to understand what the receptionist implied and a few minutes later he’d relayed this information to Khar who was still contemplating Dr Chattur’s words.
‘Now this is interesting’ he’d said with a smile, and indeed it was.
It was funny how comfortable Pavil felt navigating his way towards Welcome Inn when the first time he’d had a small lump in his throat and apprehensiveness in his stride. Probably because now its enigma wasn’t as curious or maybe he’d just eased himself better into this new skin where he seemed to get keenly aware of himself with each passing day.
He’d gained confidence by developing an understanding towards situations and places which he’d not known before.
New learnings they say, and it was with this ease that he pushed forward the sketch of the watchman’s description of the stranger on the reception table.
The thin receptionist who felt like a fixture behind the wooden desk had just handed over room keys to a couple, who by no accounts looked married nor old enough to commit to such follies, and he slid the photograph to Amna who’d suddenly materialized out of nowhere on seeing Pavil and raised one eyebrow followed by the other on seeing the sketch.
Pavil couldn’t say if she’d recognized him, not least because the dim lights inside the hotel aided by the dark oaken interiors and thick curtains did little to embolden eyesight, but then Amna held up the portrait and squinted at it and the sudden drawing back of her face with a slight widening of eyes assured Pavil that she knew something.
She made a few quick hand gestures and the thin receptionist began translating. ‘Sir, Amna saw a person of this description on Sunday, the very day you’ve been inquiring about when I was unavailable during the afternoon duties.’
‘Was he a guest?’
‘No, sir. he wasn’t staying in the hotel’ he paused momentarily, looking at Amna ‘she’d never seen him before until that day. He was probably someone else’s guest or had maybe popped in over for a drink. She saw him only momentarily in the lobby and then he left.’
Amna had pursed her lips, looking slightly annoyed. Pavil pointed at the sketch ‘are you sure it was this man?’
She nodded and gestured with her hands. ‘It’s not every day you see someone wearing goggles inside such dimly lit premises’ the receptionist conveyed. ‘moreover’ he straightened the No smoking sign on the reception ‘he was smoking indoors, which is strictly prohibited here.’
Pavil felt his ears prick with excitement. ‘What kind of cigarettes would you say he was smoking?’
‘It smelled like masala tea’ Amna gestured.
Pavil’s head was ringing as he spoke into himself. The stranger from school was at Welcome Inn, smoking the same cigarettes that were found in every incriminating place.
This can’t be just coincidence. This is it. His stride was a quick jog as he exited the hotel. The sudden brightness of the day hitting him like an epiphany and he didn’t know what to do first.
Should he call up Khar and tell him everything or surprise him with this information at the station.
He didn’t have much thinking to do because he picked up his phone to answer Khar’s call.
‘Pavil, how long would it take you to reach the district magistrate?’
Pavil was taken aback for an abrupt second. he looked at his watch. ‘twenty minutes or a little more’
‘Good. I’m reaching the station in a while, you meet the magistrate and get a search warrant. You are after all the investigating officer. It’ll take about four hours maybe less once the magistrate knows what case you allude to. I’ll have him sitting pretty in my office till then and do a bit of routine questioning.’ Khar’s steely voice came expressionless.
‘Uh.Ok. Whom?’
‘Jumaid. I’m messaging you the details.’ Khar answered and hung up.
Everything was spinning far too fast and Pavil felt the rush of the vortex piling into him. It was a sensation he’d been waiting for.
A search warrant for Jumaid’s house then, he smiled looking at Khar’s message and drove towards the Session court.
No comments:
Post a Comment