Beautiful Corpse - Episode 6

S***..s***..he missed again. Last time he was sure he could pull her to him through a call. But he didn’t expect the other one to attend the phone. It was a mistake alright. But this time he had planned so perfectly. Almost too perfect. How could that go wrong?. Why didn’t she come? He was breathing too fast, thinking too hard. In desperation he did try other options, but too many disturbances. Still he escaped didn’t he? Well at least he is getting good at that. He smiled to himself and fell on his bed, his eyes closing slowly like a theatre curtain.” Oh priya..” he uttered silently
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Day 2: 7.30 AM

The usually bright morning looked sober and tired today with grey clouds hanging here and there.​

Arumugam was shivering with fear. He didn’t expect his first day would start like this. Arumugam had joined the duty today as told by the president of the association. The day shift security had suddenly resigned few days ago, so he was selected for this job in a hurry. He was happy that he didn't have to ask his daughter in law for paisa. She won’t hurt him with words any more he thought. But, all his cheerfulness and his diligent enthusiasm on his work drained like a broken water pipe on his very first day. Nothing but fear gripped him tight right now.


He had come sharp at 6.30 and waited by the cabin for the association president’s arrival. Secretary jagannathan and president Venugopal arrived five minutes late.


“mm. What Arumugam? Ready for your duty?”


“Yes sir” he gave a stiff salute.


“you can save that for the future. I hope this dedication lasts till you are here. Well come on let’s start with your first duty. These are tough days here. Have you heard of the murder that happened here last night.? Well be careful. That’s all we ask.”Venugopal had his authoritarian manners and perfectness in following principles which always landed him the president post.

With head tilted up he went first, followed by jagannathan and the new security. They reached the motor room nestled on the backside of the complex near a huge banyan tree.


Look Arumugam, this is the motor room, Tanks in each block has different switches and you have to maintain the timings and all other things with the night duty watchman, speaking of whom where is this Kanagavel? He is nowhere to be found. Have you seen him Jagan sir? Venu gopal turned towards jagannathan”


“No sir, After cleaning the tank yesterday he went home. I saw him last when he left for home at 11.30 AM yesterday. I didn’t see him last night.”


“Well I saw him last night. But where is he now?”


“He didn’t even switch on the motors today sir. Only I came to switch it on you see. “Jagan boasted his dutifulness.


“Well, we will look into that later. Right now..”Venu gopal froze in midsentence.


“What in God’s name is that?”He pointed a shaky finger at something dark sticking out from behind the big, bulky generator. Only now did they smell the faint murky odor of metal. Or what is it?




Paval thought what had happened that morning. As soon as the call had come, Paval came down to the apartment with veerayya and Muthu came in, a few minutes late. He looked tired. Another night patrol.


“what happened?”muthu had asked jogging towards the motor room along with her.


“It’s Kanagavel, found behind the generator in the motor room” Paval looked at him meaningfully.


“I knew it” Muthu swore under his breath. “I should have drilled him yesterday”.


“You think he would have shared some secret with the killer?”Paval had asked.


“No, Paval. I think he had sensed something and he got closer to the killer, than us. But the killer was faster than him. Is he dead?” Muthu asked.


“Yes, same style, but this time smaller cut. Just about an inch.”


“You examined it , by yourself?”Muthu stopped . He looked surprised.


“Yes sir, I had to make myself comfortable about such stuff, right?”


“Right. Where did you vomit later?”He asked as a matter of fact. Paval stared him hard and said “Association President’s house toilet”.


“Good. Now let’s get started.”They came near the motor room now. It was crowded on the outside. Everyone looked like they were a part of a horror or thriller movie now. Talking animatedly within themselves.


“Well if you all could share your knowledge with same enthusiasm to us, it will be helpful he spoke to the crowd and scanned it with his laser eyes. In a few minutes the place looked deserted, save for the president, secretary and treasurer.

The body had been removed from inside to a cement platform outside for examination. The small room was occupied by two forensic people and a constable. Muthu examined the room. The backside of the generator bathed in blood.


Outside Kanagavel stared the sky. Muthu stared at him for a long time and his eyes flashed lightning for a moment.


“Who saw this?”Muthu was amazed at how many times he had asked this same question in these two days.


“Sir, we came to show around…”while Venugopal was talking to Muthu, paval looked around.


Paval was confused. Her heart was beating fast. She had something at the back of her mind, which her instinct said was important. But she couldn’t put her finger on it. It was the same feeling she got when she was scanning the crime scene pictures the other day. What is it?

She sharpened her vision and shot it around her. The four blocks of the complex were neatly arranged in a square .A small landscape made of mostly hibiscus shrubs and some crotons and money plants filled the centre gap between the blocks which circled around a paved stone platform with cement benches around it’s perimeter.
A beautiful looking black stone thiru magal statue stared back at her from the small shrine in the exact centre of the platform.

Paval’s eyes wandered a bit higher. Her mind was looking for logic, again and again and again. Suddenly like a flash something sharp came into her view.


Muthu joined her.He followed her gaze. “Is she mourning for today or yesterday?”He asked. There in a balcony stood Anu in a stark black salwar looking at them.


“Boss, leave her alone will you?”Paval begged.


“what?, she is a bloody suspect. Oops! sorry for my language. But, Paval you need to focus your thoughts. This is not the time for favoritism. ok?” With that he walked towards the ambulance. What could paval tell him now?

Could she tell him that it was not favoritism but instinct?. She drew a big breath and walked towards him.


The body was being lifted into the van. Jaganathan looked pale, like he was painted with poster color.


“How did you miss that Mr.Jagan?”Muthu bore into his eyes with his.


“sir, seriously I didn’t see it. It was relatively dark when I went to switch it on. I came out as soon as I did.I really didn’t see it sir”.
Jagannathan was shaking all over. He was pleading with his eyes.

Jagannathan thought of it again. Malathi was screaming at him as usual and this time for water. She seemed to have totally forgotten about the recent incident. He was swearing all the way to the motor room and on his way back. He never gave as much thought to look around in the motor room. No smell or sound came either.



Kanagavel looked fresh like priya but not pretty like her. His face looked like he was shocked.


Paval’s mind was racing. Another fast attack. She simulated the scene in her mind.


Kanagavel entered the motor room. It was still dark outside with a streak of dark blue. The chilly breeze left him once he entered the room. He must have felt warm. But he didn’t. It was a weird chill inside the room. He sensed something and turned around the corner behind the generator.
“You? What are you..?”In midsentence a hand shot up and sliced him below the ear. Just moments, for him to look shocked and lock his eyes to his killer’s. What did it look like? “


“Paval..paval..”Muthu shook her.


“Sorry boss, I was just thinking.”Now she got the strong sensation that he was close by. Yes she was positive it was a man.


“Come on, Let’s go talk to people...”muthu pulled her along.


It was stretching like an old rubber band, thought muthu. He knew that he was going in a wrong direction but didn’t know another way until now (if he got lucky). Besides he believes in following the suspects and evidence rather than following instinct. In most cases it brought out the truth even if it took some time. Sometimes instincts let you down but proper investigation never let you down.


He thought of Paval. She does have a quick eye and good instincts, let’s see if that helps in this case, he thought.


Paval was looking at the buildings when Muthu called her “come on we have so much work.”


They stood near a table in the verandah while people came to them for questioning. They had questioned more than a dozen people now including the milkman and the paperboy. Treasurer sundaram’s house had the closest view from the motor room with a window overlooking the banyan tree. Sundaram was a balding old man with kids living in US. He was of no use to the investigation either.


They went to priya’s house again. The house was filled with rose petals that were strewn all over the hall which a maid was brooming. Few relatives were still there.


“hello sir” Muthu greeted priya’s father. The funeral was over and house looked dead as well.


“I am sorry but we have our duties ”


“Please go ahead inspector.”He sat down pulling his ‘thundu’ over his bare shoulder.


“Did kanagavel talk to you yesterday?”


“No sir, I didn’t see him much”


“Hmm. Do you know anyone by the name Nandhan?”


“Who? you mean anu’s friend Dr. Nandhan?”Muthu and Paval exchanged looks.


“yes sir, the same man.”


“Anu introduced him to us and priya. He seemed to be a nice guy why?”


“Anu says he and your daughter priya were in love”


“What? That’s nonsense. I mean he never came to see priya here. We thought anu and he was in love. We didn’t ask though. Oh god is that why he killed my daughter?”


“No..no sir, please don’t jump into conclusions we were just asking you for information.”


“If he had , find him and put him in jail forever please.”He started sobbing. Muthu patted on his shoulder. He knew he cannot get anything from him rightnow.


“Who did this?”Paval asked suddenly. She was standing near a painting. It was priya. An oil on canvas priya. She looked pretty in that too.


“Oh that. I forgot about him. That was given by a gentleman as a present on priya’s last birthday. Her last birthday”


“who gave it sir?”


“A guy named Rajesh, oh now I remember he was introduced by Nandhan to us. I am a Neurologist, so Nandhan introduced him like that. A week later rajesh came home alone and presented this painting and said it was a belated birthday gift. He also asked for priya in hand.”


“what?”


“yes, he approached me straight. He had not even uttered a word to priya till then.”he said proudly.


“what happened?”paval was anxious.


“Priya said, no Iam sorry straight to his face. And he was such a gentle man. He looked sad but he said, I thought I would be happy if she became my wife. it’s ok sir, I am not a type who would fall sick in failures. No hard feelings. We are still friends.”


“That is what he said? One who made a real looking painting of a woman whom he met just a week ago and over a heartbreak he said, it’s alright I can live with it?” Muthu asked himself.


“Do you have his address sir?”


“Yes, he gave his card”, he went in and came back with a professional looking business card.


“It said Rajesh M.D, Neuro surgeon.”


“He is a doctor?”


“yes , a surgeon at this very young age. “


Nice, thought Muthu.





Anu came near the jeep. She looked tired and worried. “you wanted to talk to me?” she asked.


“Hello, Ms.Anu. Yes, I am dying to talk to you” Muthu said smilingly.

Anu showed no emotions ”Oh”.


“So, tell me Anu, when did you wake up today.?”


“When I am home, it’s my practice to rise at sunrise.”she said


“When did you wake up today?” Muthu asked again.


“Somewhere around 5.00 5.30.”


“5.00 or 5.30?”


“I don’t see a clock as soon as I get up. I get up by habit ok?”


“Well, what did you do as soon as you got up?”


“I brushed my teeth and came out to the balcony to read.”


“Read what?”


“A Novel”she said.


“What novel?”


“Toxin – by robin cook, a medical fiction”


“That would be your room right?”Muthu pointed to a fifth floor corner
balcony in block B.


Anu raised a surprised brow.”yes”she said.


“It has a good view of the garden and the path that leads to the motor room. Sure, You didn’t see anyone going that way.?”


“I was absorbed in my book. Besides if someone did go through the car parking and behind the banyan tree to the room, nobody could have seen him”


“him?”Muthu was fast.


“It..It should be a guy. The murders are ruthless. No woman can do such things.”


“Oh come on doctor, when women can even perform autopsies..”


“That is different Mr.Muthu” Anu’s voice was flaring anger. Muthu took a step back. “wow..you get angry so quickly”.


“And you accuse so quickly”


“Easy now Ms.Anu. I was just quoting an example. Well, it’s good you have a perception. Do you have any suspicions?”


“Have you checked on Nandhan yet?”anu answered him with a question.


“Funny though, Nandhan is not found anywhere. A formal complaint had been made already by his parents. Did you happen to talk to him?”

Anu glared at him again.”I wouldn’t have asked you if I had” She spat back.


"Do you know a guy named Rajesh?"


"No, why?"


"Nothing"


”Is that all? can I go?”


“For now” Paval interjected and smiled at her.


“What ? you are playing the good cop now?”Anu looked furious.


“No anu. Just go and take rest” Paval said “until we call you again”Muthu added for which anu shot an angry glance and stomped out of there.


“I like this woman when she is angry, better” Muthu chuckled, Paval glared .



Day 2: 10.30 AM



Paval and Muthu were seated in that dull looking local restaurant eating their dosas out of plantain leaves.


“what next boss?”


“We need to change the whole damn thing. New suspect list and everything. Right now Anu tops the list followed by Nandhan and then our new addition Mr.Rajesh. He might glide up the ladder. Let us see. We might have to recheck the colleagues list again. Might even make a stop at the hospital oncemore.”


“How come this killer doesn’t leave any evidence.?”


“Well, this time though he did.”


“what?”


“Yeah, look at this” Muthu brought out a crushed piece of paper kept inside a clear plastic bag from inside his pocket.


“Wow what is that?”


“Kanagavel, had it clutched in his hand.”


“How come?”


“Like this” he showed her, “No how come I missed it?”she asked.


“You must have been disturbed by the looks first. Come on this is your first time and believe me you handled it fairly well. Now to look at this thing. What does it look like?”


“I think it’s an edge of a paper. "she suggested.


" A Book perhaps. Yellowed paper with small prints. Could be a novel or something.”Muthu was making deductions keenly while paval felt strange
coldness covering her.


She felt that same feeling.


“Boss,..”


“Boss, shall we leave?”


“what ? what happened.?”


“Nothing I just am not feeling good right now.” paval said.


“Hmm, maybe I reminded you of that body. Ok “he said and they rose.


While Muthu was paying the bill, Paval tried hard not to look around. She knew he was there. Menacingly near. And she didn’t want to show him that she sensed him. She felt him challenging her. Look I am here and you cannot catch me. Her breath got faster.

We will catch you..We will catch you ..you psycho she swore to herself.

 

Hi welcome to my story
and Thankyou so much.

 

Thank you laxmi,
PS: iam just intriqued by ur name 'orion80'. Is it the greek mythic hunter or the constellation or my favorite choco pie company?

'I guess it's your nakshatram "mirugasirisham"and you are 30.
Care to elaborate?

 

Thank you for your compliments.
I hope tp keep you in suspense atleast til 9th episode.

 

Hi niths,

Thankyou. Mostly the links are found below the thread itself. Iam happy you found it.

I genrally like thrillers. I am a fan of all good writers.
I especially like cop duos.
Barat- susheela, vivek- roopala, ganesh- vasanth :coffeeetc.