“You have reached your destination”
The crisp tones of Ankhi’s voice assistant informed her as she stood in front of the YamunaBai Mental Asylum. It was a tall unfriendly building that stood in a neglected part of the main town. Ankhi had located the area with the help of her GPS enabled phone. She moved cautiously and entered the reception area.
“Excuse me” she said as she felt the hard edges of the reception desk.
She didn’t receive a response. She assumed there must be a bell somewhere to intimate the staff that there was somebody waiting at the desk. She fumbled around until her fingers touched the smooth metallic body of a desk bell.
Ankhi jabbed at it with force several times. The shrill ring of the bell was loud enough to get Yanaikkum down from the coconut tree.
“What is it?” a hoarse voice barked at her. “Why are you bringing the house down with the bell?”
“Sorry, but I need to meet somebody?” said Ankhi without wasting time.
“Visiting hours do not start before 10 am” said the man sounding irritated.
Ankhi felt the hands of the watch on her wrist to detect the time. She realised she had to wait for another half an hour.
“Can I wait here please?” she asked the man.
He simply uttered a gruff “Sari” before leaving the desk again.
Ankhi felt her way around. She did not find any chairs and stood waiting impatiently. She could make out several other people coming in to talk to the man at the reception. He was equally rude to all of them.
At the strike of 10 she approached the desk once again and rang the bell. The man appeared, noticing her he just clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Patient number?” he asked
“Number?” said Ankhi surprised “I just know her name?”
“Madam, nobody knows names here. We only go by number. You know number or not”
“I don’t know her number, but her name’s Meenamma. She came here 10 years ago. Please can you help me, I have to meet her.”
“Ēnu asambad’dha” the man muttered irritated. “Madam, we don’t know names. If you know number tell me.”
Ankhi was at a loss. She did not know what to do. She just had to meet Meenamma.
“What is wrong Kasi?” a woman’s voice asked. She had an authority in her tone and was obviously senior to the man she called Kasi.
“Madam, this lady needs to meet a patient but does not know number. How can we help if they don’t bring the number?” he said in surly tones.
“Which Patient” she asked
“Meenamma Talavar” said Ankhi before Kasi could answer.
There was a silence for some time. Ankhi wondered if everything was okay. The restless breathing of the woman on the other side, indicated that she was still there.
“Can I meet her please?” Aankhi repeated her request anxiously
“Who are you? Why do you want to meet Meenamma?” the woman asked her in a calm and serious tone.
“It’s…It’s a bit personal” said Ankhi
The woman stood silent for some time. Ankhi could understand she was looking at her trying to gauge her intent.
“Come with me” she said after several moments. She gave some instructions to Kasi as she came up to Ankhi and placed her hand on her wrist.
“I will be fine” said Ankhi her pride kicking in as she realized that the woman intended to guide her steps.
“Sure” she said “It will be 134 steps straight and then 50 steps to your left.”
“How did you….?” said Ankhi surprised that the woman knew the way people with no vision counted the steps to find their way.
The woman did not respond and led the way. Ankhi followed counting the steps as instructed. Soon they reached a room.
“Sit” the woman told Ankhi.
Ankhi sank into a comfortable sofa.
“I am Silvia Gomes, matron of the Female ward in this asylum.” She said introducing herself. “So, tell me. Why do you want to meet Meenamma?”
Ankhi hesitated wondering what should she say. She could not tell her the real reason. No one would believe her.
“Meenamma came to us 10 years back” Silvia was saying “In all these years, no one came to meet her. She never spoke to anybody. All she said was “Yanaikkum could never drown”. But nobody believed her.”
“But she was not mad! Surely you know that!” said Ankhi
“Yes. I knew she was not mad. But I was just a young nurse then. I hardly had any control. They would give her electric shocks and she would bear it all in silence. Finally, when I acquired some authority, I could not bear it anymore and I took her away with me. I had to sign a bond and agree to bear all consequences of her behaviour. I agreed willingly. She has been with me since then.”
“Can I meet her please?” asked Ankhi
“But who are you? How do you know Meenamma?” asked Silvia curiously.
“I…I am the new owner of her house.” said Ankhi “ I heard her story from my neighbours and since then it has been on my mind to avenge this heinous act.” She heaved a sigh of relief when she realised Silvia believed her.
“Yes” sighed Silvia “It was heinous indeed. But can you prove all that after so many years? Do you have enough evidence?”
“That is why I need to meet Meenamma” said Ankhi
“But Meenamma hardly remembers anything. All those sessions of electric shocks have done havoc with her memory” said Silvia sadly.
“She will remember this. I know she will” said Ankhi.
“Okay. I have an off day tomorrow. Why don’t you join us for tea at my house in the evening? Meenamma will be there and you can talk to her” said Silvia.
“Oh thank you Ms. Gomes. Thank you so much” said Ankhi
“Don’t thank me. If you can prove this murder, I will thank you. Meenamma’s tears that she has been silently shedding over the years, will finally be avenged” said Silvia pressing Aankhi’s hands gratefully.
Having taken directions from Silvia on how to reach her house, Ankhi left. While waiting for the cab she thought hard. She needed some legal guidance on how to reopen the case. She wondered whom could she go to.
Then she remembered Akhil.
Ofcourse! How could she forget? Akhil and she were from the same orphanage. While Akhil moved out of town to study Law, Aankhi had become a teacher. She knew Akhil was now in town.
She gave the directions to the Cab and sat back wondering what would Akhil say on seeing her after all these years.
Akhil Anand was undoubtedly surprised. He sat back shaking his head as he looked at the young woman he remembered as a teenager waving at him from the orphanage gate as he left for his Law studies in another city. That was the last time he had seen her physically. However, the smiling visage with the pig tails resting on her shoulders, her eyes bright with unshed tears had always remained in his heart. After he had graduated and started his first job, he had come looking for her but she had already left and the orphanage hardly kept a track of every inmate.
“So, where have you been?” he asked smiling broadly.
“I have been here all my life. Seems like you have been all over the world” said Ankhi smiling.
“I looked for you ever since I came back. You seemed to have disappeared!” he said
“Really! Well here I am” said Aankhi laughing
“So tell me” said Akhil smiling shyly “What can I do for you?”
“Akhil, I need a small favour.”
“Anything for you Aankhi, tell me” he said.
“You do handle criminal cases right?”
“Criminal cases?” said Akhil sounding surprised “what do you have to do with Criminal cases now?”
Ankhi pursed her lips debating whether to tell him the truth. She decided to go with the story that she had given Silvia and told him about how she had bought a new house. She told him how the neighbours had told her the mysterious way in which the original owner of the house had drowned in the pond near his house, how his wife had gone mad with grief and was now languishing in a mental asylum. Something in the story did not seem right to her and she had decided to find out the truth.
Akhil listened to her intently. His lawyer’s mind worked out the details quickly.
“First question” he said once Aankhi was done “What makes you think that the case is not a simple case of drowning?”
“The man was a good swimmer. He has swum across rivers. How could he simply drown in a small pond?” said Aankhi
“But accidents do occur Aankhi” said Akhil trying to reason with her.
“I don’t think so Akhil. Then why did his wife refuse to believe he could have drowned” said Aankhi adamantly.
“That brings me to my second question, why was the wife not interrogated more closely in court?”
“The case did not reach the court. There was just a basic investigation in which most of the people involved were bribed”
“How did you know that?” asked Akhil sharply
“I…I assume so” said Aankhi quickly
“So where is the wife now? Have you meet her?”
“No. Not yet. I will be meeting her tomorrow and I wanted you to accompany me?” said Aankhi
“Hmm” said Akhil thoughtfully. He checked his schedule for tomorrow and made a quick call to his secretary to reschedule his appointments.
“I don’t know whether I will be able to afford your fees Akhil” said Aankhi realizing for the first time, that may be something beyond her bounds.
“We’ll see about that” said Akhil grinning “so what time do I pick you up tomorrow.”
“I guess 4 o’clock?” said Aankhi getting up to leave.
“Leaving already?” asked Akhil looking surprised.
“I have wasted enough of your precious time. Get back to work now” said Aankhi laughing.
“See you tomorrow then” said Akhil grinning back. As she found her way to the door, he walked beside her making sure not to help her. He knew she hated being helped and respected her independence. He watched as she made her way out of his office and climbed into a waiting cab. Akhil smiled as he recognized the familiar ache in his heart whenever he saw her leave.
“Handsome man!”
Yanaikkum was sniffing at the coffee filter as Aankhi sat sipping her coffee. She was on the swing in the courtyard and Yanaikkum was sitting on the threshold at the entrance of the kitchen.
“Who?” asked Aankhi her eyes widened in surprise.
“Your friend” said Yanaikkum innocently
“Friend?” Aankhi asked curiously
“The one you went to meet today morning?”
“How did you know? You said you can’t come out in daylight?” asked Aankhi looking at him suspiciously
“I could not let you put yourself in any danger, could I? After all its me who put you on to this.”
“Are you stalking me?” asked Aankhi in mock anger.
“I don’t know what you are talking about? I was just trying to be protective.”
“I guess I am the first person to have a bhuta as a bodyguard” said Aankhi mischievously.
“I hate it when you call me a ghost. It sounds so evil” said Yanaikkum sadly.
“Fine I will call you bhuta cikappa, Ghost uncle” said Aankhi smiling.
“So,” she said looking at him, “Since you have been following me around you must know that I will be meeting Meenamma tomorrow.”
“Yes” said Yanaikkum happily.
“I am hoping to get some more information from Meenamma which will help me to convince Akhil to reopen the case” said Aankhi thoughtfully.
“You can do it” said Yanaikkum “I can see it in your eyes.”
Aankhi looked at him surprised wondering what he meant by that.
Akhil arrived at exactly, 4 o’clock the next day to pick her up. He looked around the house and walked over to the pond near the Coconut trees.
“So this is where the man drowned” he asked
“Murdered is more appropriate” said Aankhi
“Not until it is proved Aankhi” said Akhil clicking his tongue.
“Tell me Akhil, do you believe me?” she asked him
“I am a lawyer Aankhi. I do not go by emotions. I need hard evidence to prove my case.”
“Hopefully Meenamma can give us something today” said Aankhi.
Having seen enough, Akhil led them to his car and they started for Silvia’s place.
“I have been looking up a few things” he said while he drove “This case is going to be difficult to prove.”
“Why?” asked Aankhi.
“Well for one, there is no murder weapon. How can you prove that he was murdered if we cannot produce the weapon with which he was murdered?”
“There is the rope” hissed a voice behind Aankhi.
She turned around with a start to see Yanaikkum sitting in the rear seat of the car and broadly grinning at her.
“What’s wrong?” asked Akhil.
“Nothing” said Aankhi recovering quickly.
“Tell him about the rope” hissed Yanaikkum again.
“I..I…think….there must be something” said Aankhi her mind racing to think of a way to tell Akhil about the rope.
“It could have been that…they…they…must have pulled him down into the water and strangled him …I mean how else could you kill a man who is a good swimmer”
“Strangled him? But with what?” asked Akhil surprised.
“A rope…perhaps” said Aankhi glancing at Yanaikkum from the corner of his eyes and saw him show her the thumbs up sign still grinning broadly.
“Hmm…could be” said Akhil thoughtfully “but then the next question is where is the rope…..how was that it was never found? Also, if he was strangled, there must be marks around his neck and the autopsy report should have it recorded.”
“They recorded nothing” said Yanaikkum sadly “I told you they were bribed. Tell him the rope is still in the pond. They threw it there after I died” he said looking at Aankhi.
“Maybe they threw the rope into the water after they killed him. And since they never thought it was a murder nobody bothered to look for any evidence. ” Aankhi repeated to Akhil.
“But then that will not help. A rope in the water after so many years would have disintegrated don’t you think?” said Akhil slowing down as they approached Silvia’s house.
“No” said Yanaikkum “They used a Nylon rope….nothing can happen to that. Tell him that.”
Aankhi nodded her head desperately to keep up with Yanaikkum’s urgent instructions.
“Maybe they used a Nylon rope. It is sturdy enough to cut deep into the skin and suffocate one and yet if thrown into the water, it will not disintegrate even after so many years.”
“My God ! Aankhi” said Akhil looking at her in surprise “You look as if you have seen the murder happening. How can you sound so convinced?”
“I..I…I am just thinking randomly that is” said Aankhi hurriedly while she could hear Yanaikkum chuckling in the seat behind her.
Akhil sat looking at her strangely. “You look a bit different today Aankhi.”
“Different? Why do you say that?” asked Aankhi wondering if he could make out that Yanaikkum was with them in the car.
“I don’t know. Just not your usual self,” said Akhil curiously.
“Oh what nonsense. Come on we are getting late.” said Aankhi as she got out of the car and headed towards Silvia’s house.
Akhil sat looking at the rear seat for some time. He was sure he had seen Aankhi turn around several times as if she could see something there. But that was impossible thought Akhil. He shrugged and shook his head as he got out of the car, locked it and walked towards Aankhi waiting for him before a pretty looking bungalow at the end of the lane.
“I think this is the one” said Aankhi
“Are you sure?” asked Akhil looking around for a nameplate.
“Yes, she had said it would be the fourth gate from where the lane begins” said Aankhi.
“I think you are right!” said Akhil finding the name of Silvia Gomes written in beautiful calligraphy on a clay board that hung on the green bamboo gate “Come on let’s go in.”
Akhil rang the bell. Silvia opened the door and looked at Akhil questioningly. Then her eyes widened in recognition as she noticed Aankhi standing next to him.
“Oh Hello!” she said warmly “I was beginning to wonder whether you would be coming.”
Aankhi introduced Akhil. Silvia was glad that he had come. A lawyer made things a bit more formal.
They sat down in the small and cosy living room as Silvia left to get the tea. Akhil looked around the tastefully decorated room with its light wicker chairs and pretty crochet doilies placed daintily before them. A small piano stood at one corner of the room. Its lid was covered with a thick layer of dust indicating that it had not been in use for some time. Its top board was lined with pictures of Silvia’s friends and families. A photograph of Silvia standing with a middle-aged lady in a Sari stood at one corner. Akhil walked over to look at it closely. The woman next to Silvia was of medium height, her head was covered in a mass of tight curls that was tied in a bun at the back of her head. She had close set eyes, short nose and thick lips. He noticed that while Silvia stood looking at her and pointing at something with a smiling face, the lady stood staring unsmiling into the Camera. She did not look to be part of Silvia’s family. Akhil assumed that must be Meenamma, the lady they had come to meet.
“That was clicked a few years back when we had gone on a holiday” said Silvia as she walked in with the tray. Akhil moved forward to help but she shooed him away and placed the tray on the table in front of them.
“Meenamma never wants to leave the city for long. But I insisted that she needed a change.”
“Is she home?” said Aankhi conscious that Silvia had entered alone.
“Yes. I have told her about you. She has been waiting all day for you” said Silvia as she kept the tray down and announced the arrival of another person in the room.
“Come Meenamma, we have been waiting for you”
Aankhi straightened with excitement. She extended her hand towards the lady and felt a pair of hard callused palms grasp her hands. The hands were coarse but had an urgency in the pressure they applied.
“You have come to redeem us” croaked a voice that sounded cracked and weak “Didn’t I tell you Silvia Akka, there will be somebody who will believe me and will definitely come to reveal the truth.”
Akhil noticed the lady looked older than what she did in the picture. Her hair had thinned out and there were more greys in them now than earlier. However, her eyes had the same sadness around them. They were glistening now with unshed tears as she held Aankhi’s hands. He moved forward as he spoke softly to the older lady.
“Meenamma we need you to tell us what happened that day. We need as much detail as you can remember. But please tell us all. We will need to know the facts in order to make our case strong.”
Meenamma nodded her head wiping her tears.
“I remember everything. They tried their best to make me forget. But I did not. I held on to the truth in the belief that someday someone will help me bring it out to the world.”
Akhil switched on his voice recorder as Meenamma sat down to narrate. Aankhi realised it was exactly what Yanaikkum had told her. Every detail matched. She was amazed at how much Meenamma remembered after all these years right to detail of what Yanaikkum was wearing when he went to the pond.
Meenamma sat back tired after she was done recounting her story. Akhil pursed his lips thinking hard.
“But Meenamma, why are you so sure that he was killed and not murdered.”
“When he was brought out of the pond, I noticed a thin red line on his neck. The blood had clotted forming deep lines on his neck where they had held the rope.” She said choking on the last lines.
“There were marks on his wrist and legs too, they had tied his hands and legs too so that he could not fight back.”
“But didn’t anybody notice that. I mean it must have been so obvious” asked Akhil shocked.
“I don’t know. I kept screaming but nobody heard me. I ran around telling people that there is something wrong, nobody listened. Then one day, they sent these men from the Asylum to take me there. I cried and shouted telling them I was not mad. Nobody listened. In the Asylum, they made my life miserable. If it wasn’t for Silvia Akka I don’t know how I would have survived.”
“Meenamma” said Aankhi suddenly “Did Yanaikkum make any will?”
“No, he did not think it necessary. He had always trusted his brother” Meenamma said.
“Meenamma” Aankhi pressed her hand warmly “I promise you all your sorrow and sufferings will end and you will soon be back in your own house.”
“Thank you” Meenamma whispered sobbing profusely.
Aankhi was thinking hard on her way back. They stopped at a café to discuss the possibilities.
“There are two ways in which we can prove this murder Aankhi” said Akhil “We could get a DNA test done of the murder weapon if we can locate that and then match it with any of his belongings to prove it is Yanaikkum’s,” said Akhil sipping his coffee “But there is a problem in that. One is that it’s been 10 years and I doubt if we will get a conclusive result from the murder weapon. Secondly, what will we match it with? We have nothing that we could use. Meenamma say she has his ashes with her but those will not be useful as the bones will be pulverized and will not have much to prove.”
“What is the second option, Akhil?” asked Aankhi thoughtfully.
Akhil sighed pursing his lips “We need to make the brother confess to the crime. Which I doubt is going to be any easier.”
“I have a plan Akhil” said Aankhi suddenly.
“What?” said Akhil turning to look at her.
“I can make him confess and we will need the help of the local police in recording his confession. But for that we need to reopen the case. Can you take care of that?” she asked.
“I think they might not be too willing. But that is something I can handle.” he said
“Good. Next we need to get the brother to the house in some way.” She said
“Bringing the accused to the scene of the crime. Not bad. Some cases have been resolved using that ploy. But how do you plan to make him confess.”
“Let me think of something” said Aankhi thoughtfully.
“Okay Ms. Marple, but how do you plan to get him to the scene of the crime” he asked laughing.
“Money. Money will make him do anything. We will have to let him know that a significant amount of money has been discovered in the lands around the house.”
“You think he will take the bait” asked Akhil
“He will. In fact, I am sure he will come to stake his claim to the money. Then we will trap him.”
“How?” he asked still confused.
“Oh Akhil, you are an impatient man. Just wait and watch the fun!” said Aankhi getting ready to leave.
“Come we have a lot of work to do. Drop me at the real estate agent’s office and get started on having the case reopened.”
“As you wish!” he said smiling.
Ravi Seshadri’s office was situated in a large Business centre at the heart of the city. Short and portly he ran his business with the slyness of a fox. His ever-smiling visage was a façade that he used to dupe clients with. He was slimy as a serpent and always managed to escape troubles no matter how big they were. The haunted house, he had received from Sreeghan Talavar was the only mistake in his 20-year career. Hence, he had agreed to sell it to Aankhi at a cost that was much below his profit margin. He had, however, decided to forget it as a bad dream and had moved on to more profitable inventories.
Therefore, seeing Aankhi enter his cabin in the middle of a busy day at work, did not please him much. He was worried, that like the others, she too had come to sell the house back.
“How are you Madam?” he greeted her donning his smiling façade once again.
“Mr. Seshadri, I need some information” said Aankhi cutting the formalities and jumping straight to the point.
“Just order Madam, I will only be happy to help” asked Ravi in his most humble manner.
“Can you tell me if Sreeghan Talavar is still in town?” she asked urgently.
“Sreeghan?” Ravi’s uttered the word with distaste. “I don’t know. Why you ask?”
“There is something I need to inform him…something about the house” said Aankhi
“The house” Ravi swallowed hard realizing his worst fears may have come true “Is everything okay Madam?”
“Of course!” said Aankhi sounding cheerful “In fact nothing could be better.”
“Oh” said Ravi raising his eyebrows and looking at her in a surprised way.
“Well you see something strange has happened. It was a boon in disguise and I wanted to thank him personally.” said Aankhi. “Also, there is a small favour I wanted to request from him.”
“You can tell me madam” said Ravi looking at her with narrowed eyes. Something in her tone told him there was an opportunity he could profit from. “I will let him know on your behalf”
“Oh, will you? That would indeed be kind of you” said Aankhi pretending to be grateful and then lowered her voice as she said.
“You see, I was clearing the overgrowth and digging up the land when I discovered a bag of money at the base of a clump of coconut trees.”
Ravi stared at Aankhi, his mouth agape and his eyes shining with greed.
“I don’t know who it belongs to but since I own the land now, I guess it belongs to me. I will only need a No objection certificate from the original owner. Mr.Sreeghan may help me find her.” said Aankhi her voice dripping with honey.
“Her?” Ravi’s voice was clouded with confusion “What do you mean Madam?”
“Well, you see I have recently come across a Will in the house that states Mr.Sreeghan, unlike what he has told you, is not the original owner of the house. It is his brother’s wife” she lied. “Mr.Sreeghan may know where she is, don’t you think so?”
“But Yes” she continued innocently “I must thank him too. If he had not sold the land, I would never have come across this bit of treasure. Now with his benevolence, I can open my own school. I am so happy Mr.Ravi.”
“Yes…Yes Madam…I will let him know” said Ravi thinking hard as to how he could get a finger in this pie.
“Thank you Mr. Ravi” said Aankhi gratefully as she got up to leave.
Once outside, she smiled satisfactorily. She had laid the trap all right. Now she just had to wait for Sreeghan to step into it.
“How dare the woman think she can lay her hands on my money” Sreeghan’s deep voice hollered over the phone. “And you Ravi Seshadri…you dare not hope to get anything out of this.” he said nastily.
“Come now Sreeghan Anna don’t lose your temper” said Ravi in a pacifying tone “You know I helped you out last time as well. But how come you never told me about this Will? That was news to me?”
“What Will?” asked Sreeghan suspiciously.
“The Will your brother made. This woman has it now and says that it mentions your brother’s wife is the rightful legal heir to the house and property.”
“Pahh” spat Sreeghan with disgust. “LIES. She is nothing but a LIAR.” He shouted into the phone. Anger rising within him like boiling lava.
“There is no such Will. And even if there is, the law will not consider a lunatic as a legal claimant. Never,” he scoffed. “I am just your well-wisher Sreeghan Anna I just wanted to let you know that I am there whenever you need me” said Ravi humbly.
Sreeghan slammed down the phone angrily. He thought for some time and then jabbed Aankhi’s number angrily on the dial pad of his phone.
“Ms. Ankhi” he began as soon as Aankhi picked up the phone “What is this I am hearing about a hidden bag and a Will. There can be no such thing. And even if you have found any bag it is mine, how can you lay claim on it?” he said rudely.
“Yours?” asked Aankhi innocently “What are you saying Mr. Sreeghan. You have sold the house. Now you have no claim to anything that is there. I could easily have kept quiet about it. You wouldn’t even have known.”
“Listen Madam” said Sreeghan his voice turning nasty “Don’t try to be too smart. It will not be good for you. Stay away from my money, do you hear?”
“Your money” said Aankhi laughing “How can you say that. Even if what you say is true, the money belongs to the owner of the house”
“Which is me!” said Sreeghan his voice raised with irritation.
“No” said Aankhi raising her voice too “Your brother is the original owner of the house. Not you.”
“Yes Yes” said Sreeghan dismissively “He is dead now. I am the owner”
“No” said Aankhi “You are not.”
“What do you mean?” asked Sreeghan.
“You are not the owner of the house. As per your brother’s will, after his death, the house belongs to his wife Meenamma”
“What nonsense!” said Sreeghan fuming with rage “Who has been putting all this into your head. There is no such Will. I have all the papers. I can show you.”
“Those are fake” said Ankhi coolly “I got them tested by my lawyer. I am sure you got them made by that dubious real estate agent Ravi Seshadri who is in this with you. I have the original property documents and your brother’s Will with me. I can prove this case in any court of law. You will not be able to do anything.”
“How dare you woman!” said Sreeghan bursting out with fury on Aankhi “Nobody messes with my money. You will be sorry for this.” He disconnected the line and threw down the phone in rage.
How did she know all this? Who had told her? Ravi would not dare. It was he who had helped him fake the documents. Then how did this woman get to know of the details?
Sreeghan decided he would deal with her later. First, he would have to get his hands on the money. Everything else could wait.
Aankhi voice dialled Akhil’s number as soon as her call with Sreeghan was over.
“Hi Aankhi, how is it going?” he said
“Never better” she said cheerfully “How is it going with you? Did you manage to convince the police to re-open the case?”
“Yes” said Akhil “had to throw my weight around a bit to do so. Anyway, the file has been reopened at the local police station”
“Good” said Aankhi “Do you think you could arrange for them to join us for a little action tonight?”
“Tonight?” asked Akhil surprised.
“Yes, we are going to get the truth out tonight”
Akhil let out a low whistle “That was fast!”
Aankhi kept thinking hard. She would need some props to stage the drama tonight. She called up the theatre group her school was associated with and made some quick arrangements. She briefed Manoj, the actor who would enact the central role, about all that he was required to do. She asked him to arrive early so that she could show him around.
She sat back feeling pleased with herself She just hoped her plan worked when a slight sound made her turn around. She found Yanaikkum looking at her.
“Thank you” he said with tears shining in his eyes.
“Coffee?” Aankhi said sighing happily.
It was a moonless night. The darkness was thick as ink. Sreeghan trudged up the road to the house briskly. He turned around to see if the three men he had hired were following him. He shone the torch he held in his hand towards them. “Hurry up you all. Don’t dawdle now. I have not brought you out on an evening walk. We have a lot of work to do.” He said rudely to them as the three men carrying shovels scurried towards him.
“Now listen carefully!” he turned to look at them as they approached the house. “First you will dig up the ground beneath the coconut trees near the pond. When you find the bag hand it over to me. Then we will go into the house and search for the Will. The girl is blind and stays alone so that should not be a problem. But be careful don’t make too much noise. Is that clear?” he said looking at them sternly.
The three men nodded.
“Okay now get moving” he hissed urgently.
The three men entered the house and moved towards the pond. Sreeghan followed them stealthily.
The crunch of leaves beneath their feet reverberated in the surrounding silence.
“They are here” Aankhi whispered nudging Akhil who looked towards Inspector Gaikwad. He nodded and spoke into the wireless to alert his people. They had arrived earlier in the evening and positioned themselves in the land near the pond while Aankhi, Akhil and the Inspector were hiding in the barn near the pond.
“I hope your plan works ” whispered Akhil
“I hope so to.” said Aankhi nervously.
The men had started digging furiously as Sreeghan stood over them with his hands on his hips. He kept looking around him to make sure that there was nobody. The police team kept a watch from their hidden locations ready to spring into action when ordered.
They had dug few inches into the earth and yet there was no sign of any bag. Sreeghan peered in scrambling on all fours to see if he could see anything. The men were wiping the sweat off their foreheads and panting in exhaustion when a sudden gush of wind stirred the stillness. The tall coconut trees swayed wildly. They looked up in surprise towards the sky thinking that a storm was brewing. It stared back at them with its inky blackness.
“Why did you stop?” hissed Sreeghan “Keep digging.”
The men picked up their shovels again and were about to start when several coconuts dropped on their heads. They looked up rubbing their heads fear spread across their faces. The wind had increased with no sign of clouds. The water in the pond was rippling creating small undulations on its placid surface. They looked at each other uncertainly.
“What’s wrong?” asked Sreeghan “It’s just a few coconuts.”
“Bhuta Anna” said one of the men
“Ghost? What nonsense?” said Sreeghan irritably.
“No Anna… we know this house is haunted. Today is Amavasya, the new moon night. We will not work anymore” they said picking up their shovels and starting to leave.
Sreeghan stared at them. “What about the money I promised you if you helped me with this” he hissed at them through clenched teeth.
“You keep your money Anna. We love our lives more” they said as they disappeared into the darkness.
“Thieves! Bandits! Bunch of losers!” Sreeghan cursed as he stared at their retreating backs.
Left with nothing to dig he knelt down on the mud and began digging with his bare hands. Greed had made him oblivious to his surroundings.
“Digging your own grave Sreeghan?”
The sound of the voice made him spin around. The tall dark silhouette standing before him made him shrink back. He flashed his torch to see who it was. As the well-known face came into his vision, his eyes widened in shock and his face turned white with fear.
“Anna?” he uttered slowly. “How…what….what are you doing here?” he stammered incoherently.
“This is my house Sreeghan” said Yanaikkum smiling peacefully “I should ask you that question?”
“No” said Sreeghan shaking his head “No this is not possible. Go away! I can’t be seeing you.” said Sreeghan cowering down.
“Why not Sreeghan? Why can’t you see me?” asked Yanaikkum
“Because You….You are dead!” Sreeghan screamed hoarsely.
“Yes. But how did I die Sreeghan?” continued Yanaikkum. His calm tone unnerved Yanaikkum even more.
“You drowned” said Sreeghan licking his lips nervously “Don’t you know that?”
Yanaikkum laughed. His full-throated laughter echoed through the darkness making Sreeghan shrink further back into the shadows.
“You remember Sreeghan, when we were young, I used to beat you every time we swam in the village river. I could remain within water longer than you could. Then how do you think I could drown?” he looked at Sreeghan with the same calmness in his eyes.
From their place in the barn, Akhil whispered to Aankhi “My God! This man is really good. He could give Oscar nominees a run for their money.”
Aankhi did not answer. She simply stared as she listened to the conversation.
Sreeghan was sweating profusely now. He moved further back into the mound of mud he had dug out.
“I don’t know” he said nervously.
“You do know. I saw you standing there on the other side of the pond when they were pulling me in. I saw your smile Sreeghan. I could see you wanted me to die. Is that why you asked them to tie my legs too so that I could not struggle.”
“Yes…Yes…I did. I did want you to die. I wanted the money. My future was waiting for me and you were being foolishly stubborn and adamant. You left me with no choice. I knew you would be difficult to put down. So, I asked them to tie your hands and feet and then strangle you. I had to be sure you would die.”
“But why did you harm Meenamma, Sreeghan. She had nothing to do with this” asked Yanaikkum
“She was becoming a pest. She went around trying to convince people that you could never drown. She had noticed the marks on your throat and legs. I could not afford to let her be. She had to be controlled. So, I spread the news that she had turned mad and confined her to the Asylum.”
“Oh Sreeghan! Didn’t your conscience ever tell you that you are in the wrong?” asked Yanaikkum shaking his head sadly.
“No it did not!” screamed Sreeghan “What happened to your conscience when you left everything to your wife in the Will. Leaving me in the lurch”
“Sreeghan, there is no Will. I always believed you would look after Meenamma after me.” He sighed sadly, “Guess I was wrong.”
“I don’t believe a word of what you are saying” said Sreeghan nastily “Give me the money you have hidden under these grounds”
“There is no money either Sreeghan” said Yanaikkum coldly.
“Liar! Cheat!” Sreeghan shouted turning around to dig his hands deep into the earth once again. His eyes looked as if they would fall out of their sockets, his hair was dishevelled and his clothes all soiled. That did not deter him as he kept scouring the grounds for the money which he never got.
He was still shouting and jostling with the police team as they pushed him into the van.
Akhil stood watching as they left. He turned to look at Aankhi with jubilation.
“That’s done then. I must say this Manoj is a brilliant actor. If only you could have seen him. I wonder where he’s gone, I must congratulate him” he said walking towards the pond to look for the man.
Aankhi stood smiling.
She knew he would not find him because she had seen him too and knew it wasn’t Manoj who they had all seen.
She turned around to see Yanaikkum looking at her. A smile played on his lips which matched the one on hers as they both knew that they shared a little secret.
Photo by Hedaetul Islam from Pexels
Very very gripping… lovely!