Aman and Narendra were hosting. Bottle of champagne emptied in half an hour after it was opened. Last champagne remaining was in Aman’s glass whose bottom will also be visible after a sip or two. Narendra’s face is painted non-aesthetically with black-forest cake which Aman had ordered weeks ago. Tie knots and suit buttons finally came loose after 10 long hours at work. Everybody was celebrating Narendra’s 28th birthday. As cherry on top of it tomorrow was going to be a sleepy Sunday. Aman knew that one or two were just there for champagne and it says a lot about general human behaviour of these unfortunate days he thought. Everybody had left by 12:25 AM. Aman and Narendra talked of mess they will have to clear up and Narendra’s last birthday celebrations. It’s always like that with your best friend you unknowingly jump from this topic to that.
It should have been a happy day for these old-roommates. Great job, new apartment, years of friendship and birthday celebrations lining up to make them euphoric but still it couldn’t get worse, because something was bothering them. It was bothering to extent that they couldn’t even help each other. Usually when one of them is in trouble other would help him out. but not this time. This time it was a bullet hole in their foreheads... each!!!
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Night was young. Chilly frosty wind was flowing across city. Everybody; no matter they were awake or asleep, alive or dead; hated it. Few people hated it even more; those who had to be at work at night like nurses and police officers.
Detective Patil was sitting on his chair in his cubicle; legs on his table trying to make his way through the night. Right next to his legs was his computer showing screensaver of badge of special force dedicated to homicide investigations which was a regular hexagon inscribed in a circle with all 6 points joined to one another. He lost couch to another junior officer in a coin toss. He was struggling with his own head as it was rocking left and right uncomfortably every time he almost slept which was most irritating; certainly more than body pain and fatigue. Annoyed he stood up and suddenly an irresistible urge to have a coffee engaged his leg on the way to coffee machine. Still his blanket was wrapped around body, both hands tied and close to chest. He cursed night and then winter and then both at the same time.
Coffee machine made its characteristic noise which was getting louder every year. Patil could only hear that sound other than his heavy breathing on that quiet soundless night. He finally had to let go of blanket. A shiver-wave mounted up his spine. He grabbed his cup and head towards the window. Window had become semi-transparent due to mist all over it. Still he could see the empty road and street lights. He noticed the pattern of street lights how every next light is about 20 meters apart on the opposite side of the road. One inoperative street light was making a dark patch on the road. Few cars were parked next to footpath one after another in no parking zone. He heard a distant bark of dog which was followed by few other barks. A car passed by after a long time that he had been staring out the window. He kept sipping his coffee to make sure he doesn’t have to surrender to cold.
He wanted a refill and so he got one. He had his first sip of refill on the way back to cubicle. He certainly didn’t forget his blanket which his kept right next to coffee-maker. He took a seat and kept sipping coffee. Room was dark other than bright computer screen, silent other than sipping noise and frozen in winter other than hot coffee.
Unexpectedly bell rang and detective heart stopped for that moment in surprise. He picked it up; it was Senior inspector Goyal showed caller ID.
‘Hello.’ Said inspector Goyal in rush.
‘ Officer! how come you are calling at this ungodly hour?’ said low-on-energy detective Patil.
‘Because an ungodly thing just happened. I need to talk to detective marathe right away.’
‘What ungodly thing?’ uttered detective Patil in much considerate voice now. He knew something awful must have happened.
‘2 male victims found dead in apartment.’
‘Where, exactly?’
‘Gandhi Nagar, I will send you the address via text.’
‘Okay. Your forensics team there yet?’
‘No. I was going to call them as soon as I hang up this call.’
‘Don’t bother. Marathe is not here today but we will be there in 25 minutes max.”
Detective Patil’s 5th murder case with marathe and he had barely learned anything. Marathe used to solve the case and murderer would be in custody when Patil was just getting sense of the case. marathe was actually not a friend for everybody in department. marathe got promoted considering his outstanding and remarkable work. there are always people who gets jealous and frustrated when someone else is being promoted doesn’t matter even if they are worthy.
Patil called up forensics doctor Nikharia.
Nikharia was in her comfy shorts lying on her soft bed which was covered with pink coloured little mermaid designer bed-sheet. TV remote was lying next to her in her bed. If one hadn’t knew; one would have never guessed she sees dead bodies every other day. her room is full with mystery novels carefully arranged in shelf and a new stack of mystery books lying next to shelf waits for new shelf. she has another shelf full of books related to medical studies. her father was a rich man wanted her to marry a well settled engineer. she never liked him and rejected him multiple times. she wanted to be with someone eccentric like she always wanted to be but never could.
No sane person likes to be waked up in middle of a great nap on this planet; nikharia was no alien.
‘Hey...nikh.’ said patil when nikharia finally answered his 5th call.
‘You know what time is it, right??’
‘I am staring at my watch right now.’ Patil said trying to be cocky.
‘What do you want Patil?’ she said sounding dullest of all time.
‘I do have a first name, you know.’
After this all he heard was a sigh of irritation.
‘2 males, 28, murdered in their apartment in Gandhi Nagar. You in?’
‘No Patil. It’s late and cold. Call Krishna for this one.’
‘Okay. But Marathe sir will be so disappointed.’ Said Patil mockingly.
‘What marathe is in charge!!!’
‘Well, yeah.’
‘I am on my way. Just text me the address.’
‘I thought it was late and cold!!’
‘Shut up.’
She hung up. Patil followed all the protocols Marathe asked him to do before Patil could call and inform Marathe about murder which included picking up apples to the crime scene!!!