Into The Shadows by Aayush Borulkar (smart ebook reader txt) 📗

of the institution is Juano Self Improvement Centre,” interrupted Avinash.

“Arey waah! That’s some thorough investigation huh. If this thoroughness is shown in all areas, then Goa could become the safest place on Earth, let alone India,” chuckled Erika.

“Thank you. But I think we should reschedule the whole trip after two days, I guess, because Pune is a 10-hour drive, and I don’t think it’s feasible to drive right away,” suggested Avinash.

“We are heading out right now. And I think we will reach Pune by early morning and then head straight to the institution,” said Erika enthusiastically.

“I mean okay, madam. Let’s just stop at my place, and I will get my bag ready,” said Avinash baffled.

“Okay, in that case even I will get my bag from my place. So let’s meet at my place in an hour,” said Erika.

It was a long journey. They both took turns in driving the car, and finally, after a strenuous journey of 10 hours, they reached Pune at 9 am in the morning. They directly headed to the Juano Self Improvement Centre without wasting another minute.

“Patient’s name Imran Sheikh,” said Erika to the receptionist.

“Nativaik (relatives) ahaat?” asked the receptionist looking into the computer.

“Nahi…

The receptionist interrupted Erika by showing her the signboard by stretching his hand out that read ‘Relatives Only’, still pouring into the computer screen. Now Erika had no other choice, so she took out her badge from her pocket and placed it on the counter with a thud. The receptionist looked up and stood up startled, looking at the Goa Police badge.

“Sorry, madam. Vo aap civil mein hai na tho pehchana nahi” said the receptionist fumbling.

“That’s okay, sit down and tell us the room number now,” said Avinash.

The receptionist nodded and sat down, frightened. He scrolled through the computer and said, “Room no. 212. second floor”. The duo left the receptionist baffled and walked towards the elevator.

As soon as they reached the second floor, they saw a long passage with rooms on either side. Some with their door closed, and some open. Some patients were sleeping, some patients were playing with collectibles, and some were walking in their room aimlessly.

“210, 211, and yeah, this is 212,” said Avinash reading out the room numbers.

The door was half-open. Erika first knocked on the door but then pushed it open. As soon as she opened it, they were welcomed by a cool breeze and a well lit up room. The white paint on the wall made the room bright and welcoming. They walked a little further and then saw a middle aged man with long hair sitting on a chair by the window staring into infinity. They both walked up to him and stood right beside him but got no response at all. Avinash brought a chair for Erika and stood beside her.

“I am ACP Lobo, and this is sub-inspector Avinash. We would like to talk to you regarding a case,” said Erika trying to catch the attention of the man, which she failed at.

“Sir, we know you were in charge of a homicide case twenty years back at Bardez villa,” said Avinash.

“He won’t talk to anyone. He has barely even reacted to anyone or anything since he came in,” said a nurse who entered the room with a tray.

“He was admitted five years back when he met with a bike accident. The severe head injury cost him his ability to hear. Now he can’t hear anything. He has even stopped reacting to people or things. Been like this for a while now. Just a numb piece of human flesh,” she added in a robotic tone.

Both Avinash and Erika were taken aback by this because it was cold of her to say something like that.

“Call me once you people are done. Khana khilana hai inko,” said the nurse leaving the covered tray on the side table.

“Avinash, start the recording. I will try one more time,” said Erika leaning forward. “Sir, we know that you were in charge of a homicide case, and we just wanted to know a few facts, that’s it,” added Erika, but still no response from him. “We know that there was some foul play involved, and we need to unearth the truth. We need your co-operation for that,” pleaded Erika.

Still, there was no response from Imran. He sat there as cold as he was when they first came in. It felt as if all the words were just escaping through the ears without being processed in the brain. He just sat there with a poker face staring out of the window into infinity.

After a few attempts, Avinash suggested that they should try some other time as this was just not yielding the results. So Erika got up from her chair and said for the last time “Sir, truth is like a shadow. It never leaves you. It becomes a part of you and stays with you till your very last breath. So truth be told”. Saying this, she went to turn the recorder off.

At that moment Imran moved, and said in a heavy voice “It wasn’t just a homicide case”. Erika stopped suddenly, and her eyes lit up, and she went back to her chair.

“It was not just a homicide case,” repeated Imran in the same voice. “The Truth Be Told! Truth Be Told!” added Imran loudly. His eyes had now grown bigger, and his legs had started shaking. His temper and voice were increasing with every second and he had begun to get violent. Avinash ran to call the nurse. Erika too tried to get up, but Imran caught her wrist firmly and kept on saying, “Truth Be Told!”. By then, the nurses had come, and they held Imran firmly and injected him with a sedative.

“Did you get that on the recorder?” asked Erika.

“I did,” answered Avinash, a little shaken by the sudden turn of events.

“Let’s go back Avinash. We have a case to reopen,” said Erika sharply.

Chapter 11

Present Day

Nishant stood with the newspaper in his hands, all six of