Killer in the Shadows! by Amit Nangia

for.”

    Shukla stood in front of Abhay’s desk while he was busy working on some case files. Shukla was whistling happily as if someone had tipped him a fiver.
    “I figured out something today, sirji.”
    “What?” Abhay asked as he puffed his cigarette.
    “Naina is right-handed. I have seen all her pictures and she is holding things in her right hand.”
    Abhay’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? And how is that so important to our case, Sherlock?” Abhay played along, though he already knew what he was trying to say.
    “When her wrist was cut during that first attack, it was her right hand wrist. If a right-handed person tried to commit suicide, she’d cut her left wrist, not her right. It’s only logic, sirji.”
    “That’s brilliant, Shuklaji! You are so sharp.” Abhay said in a mocking tone as he took a long puff of his cigarette.
    Shukla made a sullen face.
Why did he always end up in the inspector’s jokes. As if his beard jokes weren’t enough!
    “Stop being dramatic, Shukla!” Abhay snapped. “Did you find anything from the prints off Naina’s car.”
    “Her office assistant’s prints were one of them. You asked me to check into her, too.”
    “Ria’s prints were on Naina’s car?” Abhay wondered.
    “Yes, sirji, but she works with Naina, doesn’t she? Maybe she took something to her car for her.”
    “It’s quite possible she did.”
    Shukla licked off a trickling bit of tobacco liquid from his lips. “Also, she has been seen with Girish many times and that too very late at night. Do you think she’s a possible suspect?”
    “Interesting, but it’s her motive that I can’t seem to understand.” Ria Sood worked for Naina, had access to her keys, her car and perhaps her house. But why would she hurt Naina? After all Naina had given her a job.
    “We’ve also got back the final report on the bloody knife in the car,” Shukla said. “Blood was from a butcher shop, not a human’s.”
    “So, someone is trying to drive Naina crazy. Hmm.”
    “Sirji…I also found this I-card of Ashish Luthra in the car.” Shukla informed in an uninteresting tone.
    Abhay snorted out a lungful of smoke and jumped up from his seat. “What! Ashish Luthra! Naina’s ex-boyfriend? You had said that he was a
fuddu
guy with no life at all. And look, his I-card is found in the same car as the bloodied knife. We can never stop doubting until we find the culprit, Shuklaji. Please find this Ashish guy and interrogate him.”
    “Funny you should say that, sirji. Even I was thinking same to same.” Shukla grinned and continued. “I willaction it immediately, haven’t done third degree since many days.” Shukla smiled and looked at his bamboo
danda
.
    “No third degree! Just check with Naina about Ashish’s whereabouts and then question him.” Abhay said assertively, “And I am going to check out Suchitra Devi and Girish Chauhan, as they had met Naina’s father just before his death as per his diary. The key lies in discovering who is threatening Naina. Once we figure that out, we’ll know who was responsible for murdering her parents.”

    Naina was leaving her office when the phone rang. She hurried back to answer it. “Naina Sinha speaking.”
    A cold and clipped voice replied, “Ms Sinha, this is Suchitra Devi Chauhan, Pradeep Chauhan’s mother. My granddaughter Tara told me she had lunch with you yesterday.”
    “Well, it wasn’t exactly lunch. I’m afraid I wasn’t feeling too well and had to leave before our food arrived.”
    “Here’s the thing: I’d appreciate if you would stay away from my family. With Girish running for the Member of Parliament, our family doesn’t need any negative publicity right now. You understand, don’t you?”
    “What?” First Uncle Chauhan didn’t want her to see Girish, now his mother wanted her to stay away from the whole family.
    “Murdering your parents was bad enough, but I won’t let you harm any of my children.”
    Naina gasped. She’d heard rumours