Prey on the Prowl - A Crime Novel, BS Murthy [best contemporary novels .txt] 📗

who fancied him, he didn’t miss much that way, to talk about which to a lady may not be chivalrous for a man; though all that changed when Mithya came into his life; but her untimely death brought him back to square one.

Saying she would strive to make good Mithya’s irreparable loss, as she embraced him ardently, as if to draw comfort from it, he rested his head on her ample bosom. 

 

Chapter 14

Cuckoo’s Nest       

 

Next day, when Raju announced Ranjit’s arrival, Dhruva said jocularly that Radha might as well meet Mr. Interval, but she told him mischievously that it pays to retain his Ace of Hearts in case the stakes were raised.

Leaving her with a pleased look, Dhruva reached the study to find a downcast Ranjit, who said that Kavya had come under Pravar’s spell, and sadly, he had every reason to believe that she was carrying on with him. As Ranjit bemoaned how his upright wife chose to have an affair with a hardened criminal, Dhruva said that he should bear with it all till she got over her aberration induced by the Stockholm Syndrome. Assuming the role of a psychiatrist, the detective tried to convince the cuckold that he should be considerate to his unfortunate wife, while he himself would strain every nerve to get her out of her paramour’s emotional clutches.     

While Dhruva was closeted with Ranjit in the study, Radha went about arranging her things in Mithya’s room and found the main cupboard ajar. Wondering whether it was Dhruva’s idea to let her gain access to his wife’s wear, she opened it and came across scores of embroidered saris in an impressive wardrobe. Unable to resist the temptation to find out how Mithya’s blouses would go on her, she wore one and as it was well-suited, she wore a matching sari, and reached for the full-length mirror. While she sized up herself in Mithya’s attire, she tried to envision Dhruva’s reaction, which gave her a strange sense of fetishism, and drawn by the amazing collection of saris and dresses lying in the cupboard, one by one, she pulled them out, and found at the bottom, a false bottom. Gaining access to the secret shelf, and overawed by the exquisite jewelry lying therein, in ornate boxes, she couldn’t stop wondering about the quality of the gems and the beauty of the workmanship. And finding a framed picture of a young girl, who seemed to be Mithya’s daughter, she could not help but compare it with her mother’s life-size picture on the wall, and felt that both exuded a charm of their own. 

When Raju informed her about Ranjit’s departure, she joined Dhruva in the study, and he briefed her about Kavya’s affair with Pravar, at which she wondered at the ways of life, and said that it could be awful for the husband. While Dhruva was at a loss as to how to redeem himself by freeing Kavya from Pravar’s hold before she became his crime-mate as well, she said that they should bring Natya into play to gauge Kavya’s mind, and that would enable her to keep a vigil on Pravar, her own bête noir. Agreeing that they should think of a ploy to bring Natya emotionally closer to her, they toyed with many an idea before he came up with a plan involving Shakeel. When he was about to ring up Shakeel, she said jocularly that he should summon an ambulance as well for the cop might suffer a stroke by seeing her in his house; and patting her for her naughtiness, he said that he would ask the cop to come in an ambulance itself.

When Shakeel came as promised, she received him in the portico as planned and before the guest could recover from the shock of her presence, the host jolted him further by introducing her as his assistant in a live-in. Leading Shakeel into the drawing hall, Dhruva joked that it made sense that the cop made up with her as his future admissions into 9, Castle Hills have to be only through the proper channel. When Radha extended her hand to Shakeel saying that they better let bygones be bygones, Dhruva goaded him to make a new beginning with his old suspect. Over drinks that they had together, as she showed no traces of bitterness towards him, Shakeel began to feel at ease, and when Dhruva stressed upon the need to involve her in pinning Pravar and laid the blueprint to bring Radha and Natya together. Thereafter, ending up befriending her, the cop left them wondering how his premonition about her coming closer to the detective came true.

So, that day, when Natya was about to step out from the department stores in the A.C. Guards; a woman constable picked her up for an alleged shoplifting and packed her off to the lock-up of the Saifabad Police Station. Soon, Natya had Radha for company, supposedly locked up for her road rage, and as Radha feigned to take Shakeel to task for having booked her for nuts, impressed with her élan, Natya was drawn towards her. When Radha was about to ring up Dhruva asking him to speak to Shakeel, Natya pleaded with her to take up her case as well, and having been freed thereafter, Radha led Natya to her Red Hills abode, kept under lock and key, and succeeded in cultivating her young heart; as expected Natya spilled the beans on her wayward life and Radha not only solicited her about the need to reform Pravar for her own good but also  convinced her about the need to keep him out of the loop as they together worked towards that end, and the latter swore that she would act as directed. 

 

Chapter 15

‘Untried’ Crime

 

That day as Dhruva was away with Shakeel and was not expected till late in the night, Radha began scanning Mithya’s closets to delve deeper into her past. Not finding any sleazy stuff therein, as she was about to give up on spying, she located a false bottom in the dressing table that led her to many unusual items. Elated at the discovery as she rummaged the shelf, she found Mithya’s jottings in a leather-bound book, leafing through which, she came across a story-like entry, Untried Crime, which read thus:

That was when Mithya’s life was under siege; she faced the unwelcome prospect of divorce, lo, owing to her own infidelity. Barely turned twenty-eight, as she was not for losing the good things of life her well-heeled man afforded her, she began planning a perfect murder of him and her paramour. So, leaving no lose ends for the cops to tie her up to the killings, she made discreet enquiries about the Inspector of the Saifabad Police Station, the one most likely to turn up for questioning her. What with his reputation as an Ace of Crime Detection increasing her sense of challenge, she spied upon him in a burka, and finding him manly and handsome, she fell for him. So, she kept track of him, and struck by his élan and enamored of his mien, she even turned covetous, which give an erotic edge to her criminal cunning.  

That night, after seeing the end of both her men and having anonymously alerted the police about the double murder, she expectantly waited for Dhruva to turn up at her
bungalow, the gates of which she deliberately kept ajar, and when he knocked at the main door, she received him in lingerie.

“Sorry for my rather scanty cladding,” she said alluringly.

“I’m Inspector Dhruva,” he said unable to take his eyes off her hourglass frame.

“I’m Mithya,” she said coquettishly, extending her hand invitingly.

“Mrs. Ashok I suppose,” he said, grabbing it greedily.

“Yes, I’m Mithya Ashok,” she said leading him into the drawing room.

“Do you know the whereabouts of your husband?” he asked looking into her eyes.

“Why, he’s aboard the Godavari Express,” she said affecting concern.

“Are you sure about that?”

“You know I’m his wife, don’t you?” 

“Can’t there be secrets between the spouses?”

“Have you come to know of any mistress of his or what?” she said mockingly.

“Maybe he would’ve been better off in her bed, if he had any but….”

“You mean, better off than in mine?” she said interrupting him

“I’ve to get into both to know about that,” he said naughtily, “but sadly he’s no more.”

“In that case, can’t you imagine the possibilities?” she said winking at him.

“It’s no joke, he was possibly murdered,” he said observing her demeanor.

“You mean, in the running train!”

“No, it’s in your A.C Guards’ house.”

“Wonder how he landed there!” she said feigning surprise. “But who could have killed him?”

“Who’s Dilip?”

“Has he killed him?”

“Better answer my question.”   

“He’s my errand boy, don’t mind his age,” she said smilingly.

“Is that all?”

“I know privacy is the first victim in crime investigation, don’t I?” she said coquettishly. 

“Don’t mistake me, it’s a routine question.”

“Well, to tell you the truth, I am carrying on with him.”

“But I don’t think he’s of your class.”

“Why that should bother you at all?”

“Sorry but surely your man would’ve been concerned about that.”

“You are spot on,” she said taking his hand. “Know that I offered to divorce him.”

“Are you in love with Dilip?”

“Didn’t you hear me say that I am carrying on with him?”

“When did you last see him?”

“I was with him till ten.”

“Where it was?”

“Where Ashok was murdered that is going by your statement.”

“You mean that you three were there.”

“Are you implying a threesome or what?” she said laughingly.

“You know I am not privy to your sexual proclivities,” he said not to be outplayed at his favorite game.

“Given a chance, I won’t withhold any from you,” she said not to be undone.

“You may keep that on hold and...”

“If you put me on hold, I can hang on in hope,” she said turning bold.

“Maybe by the rope,” he said mocking sympathy.

“Don’t worry on that count,” she said nonchalantly.

“Misplaced though, your confidence is admirable,” he said unable to hide his admiration.

“Cerebral though isn’t it a misplaced compliment,” she said coyly adjusting her lingerie.

“Could be but how Ashok was in the wrong place?” 

“How am I to know that?”

“Maybe you could guess.”

“I’ve no clue on earth.”

“What if Dilip too is dead.”

“Oh God, did they kill each other?”

“I haven’t said Dilip was dead,” he said and as she was startled a little, he added, “didn’t you give away the clue to the case?”

“Brush up your grammar boy, it was but my question,” she said recovering.

“Then, ‘yes’ is my answer,” he said bowled by her smartness.

“So, I’ve lost my man and my paramour at once.”

“What a double jeopardy it is, I’m really sorry.”

“Why be sorry dear as I’m doubly free,” she said taking his hand.

“I guess you’ve some way to go before that,” he said holding it. 

“Going by your demeanor, I don’t think so,” she said squeezing his hand.

“Why not follow me there?”

“Can’t you spare me all that now?”

“So be it but don’t fail to turn up at the mortuary tomorrow.”

“Where it is?”

“Sorry for the slip, it’s at the Gandhi Hospital.”

“Don’t I see you’re enamored,” she said winking at him. 

“I will wait for you there by ten in the morning,” he said in embarrassment.

“Thank you for being a considerate cop,” she said taking his hand all again.

“Maybe you could’ve revealed more,” he said enjoying the touch.

“How unfair to say that without giving me scope?” she said feigning to be offended.

“You’re impossible ma’am; good night.”

“Sweet dreams,” she said adjusting her lingerie to part-bare her boob.

 While she waved at him amorously, perplexed at her audacity and perturbed by his attraction, he left her half-heartedly. 

 ‘Stabbed in the abdomen, as Ashok lay dead in the sofa, how it was that Dilip’s medulla oblongata had hit the edge of the chair opposite?’ Dhruva began reviewing the murder scene on his way home. ‘Won’t the empty Bagpiper bottle, broken glasses, and the scattered bhujiya indicate a drinking brawl, possibly over Mithya that led to their killing each other? But is it as simple as that? Was there