Still nobody arrived in the office other than John. John came early in the morning, sat on his chair. He seemed to be tired. He picked up a file and started to go through it. Though he was turning pages over, his mind was wandering somewhere else. He tried to concentrate but failed. Slowly his other staff started arriving.
Now gradually almost everyone came and the office was packed.. His messenger promptly came to him, saluted,
“ Sir Boss has come”
“ Boss?” John sat right.
“Sir City police branch head”
“ So early...” John got up from his chair.
There must be something serious..
John went to receive him, got him in the way,
“ Good morning sir”
“ John, I need to talk to you... its very important” City branch head said in serious mood without stopping.
John turned and accompanied him to his cabin.
As they sat in the cabin Boss said, “ So got something about the killer”
“ Not yet sir, still we didn’t get anything worthy... and the trouble is as you know ... one of our associate is spying on us” John said.
“How many more murders we need to wait for” Boss said curtly
“ Sir I think, I should brief you on the progress we made till now.. so that you will get an idea...”
John took a long deep breath and was briefing the boss about the case -
“As I duly informed earlier... during the first murder we came across a person wearing black T-shirt, zero painted on it ... I ran into the similar person wearing similar T-shirt at the hospital where Anjeni was admitted... Both of them managed to escape from us ... .Therefore we circulated their sketches among the people through media.. We caught them too, but it proved to be fruitless job as they were nowhere connected to the case.. in fact its a fashion nowadays to wear such T-shirts... But since the killer also draws zero on the wall ... therefore we correlated the two things.. But our direction of investigation…. right from the beginning…. went wrong... we lost the precious time in it.. as well as the efforts... and lastly we got mere disappointment. But now we have started on the case from the beginning, with full enthusiasm and passion.... Now whatever happens we are working really hard... “John was pointing towards the attacking incidence recently happened with him.
“Then why are you unable to catch the culprit... you might be thinking ... so early in the morning, what am I doing here? ... why don’t I go and relax in my office? Right? ... But you know how much nailed my chair is... there is continuous pressure from the top .. it’s really havoc in the city nowadays... before 8 O’clock in the evening you will find all the roads deserted.. Everybody think that its he on the roll next... till now the people were calm.. But now they are asking Mayor the explanation... and in turn Mayor is asking me... And these press.. Rather than helping us, they are publishing a new story about our so called incapability everyday... this is bringing a bad name to us.. in fact people are hopelessly loosing faith in us... its enough now... the water has gone above our head... the whole thing has reached to the ministry now... In such a situation, I just can’t sit calm... At the most I can give you 4 days... You do whatever you can and within 4 days catch that bloody culprit... may it be alive or dead.”
“ Sir we are working hard day in and day out”
“ I am not bothered about how hard you are working... I want results” Police city branch head got up abruptly from his chair.
John also got up.
Boss started to go, waited at the door, turned and warned John, “And if you are unable to handle this... resign .... I will take care of the alternative arrangements.”
Boss turned and walked off. John stood in the door, looking at his boss, hearing his foot steps.
Continued …
Original Novel by Sunil Doiphode
English Version by Mugdha Apte
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