CHATURBHUJ-2 -7. In Pursuit Of The Killer

“Oh!” Chaturbhuj exclaimed excitedly. “This is what I was looking for!”

“My wife had also been to the temple some time back. I do not know whether you are unknowingly referring to her! I am showing you this just to assure you that I am aware of your choice and you will get it very soon!”

“Thank you so much! Hey!” Chaturbhuj’s face suddenly transformed from an expression of excitement to surprise. “If I recollect correctly, you are in the habit of growing your thumb nails! I do not see them now!”

Haridas appeared quite taken aback at this sudden observation of Chaturbhuj. He took a few moments to respond, “I do not know how it broke! Once I was returning home from the shop when I found that it was half-broken! Thus, I had no choice but to remove it! I do feel bad about it but then no worries! I shall grow it again!”

Chaturbhuj agreed with a grin. Just then, a veiled lady entered in.

“This is my wife, Nirmala!” Haridas introduced her to the minister.

Chaturbhuj got up and greeted her by joining his palms. He could not see her face as the ghoonghat denuded his view and even Nirmala was looking at the ground.

“What would you have, Chaturbhuji?” Haridas asked him courteously.

“Some other time, Haridasji! You might be aware that the King is not around and thus there is much work to do! I had come to this area for some official work and so I just thought of enquiring in your shop. I shall take my leave now!”

So saying, Chaturbhuj got up and bid them adieu. As his chariot raced back to his residence, he noted some crucial aspects he had observed. According to his mode of thinking, it was possible that the nail of the murderer broke in the feud he had with Perimal. Haridas’s nail had met a similar faith! His wife Nirmala owned the same sari which the lady was shown wearing in the picture of Perimal. She, too had visited the Ganesha temple just like he had suspected the lady to have done so on the fateful day! What did all this led to? That Perimal had drawn none other than Nirmala in his drawing? If only he could see her face properly, Chaturbhuj rued. He thought about his next move. Not able to conclude in this regard, he closed his eyes and recollected everything about the case he had learnt from his spies, the King and the thief Sakaram. He reminisced Sakaram telling him that just before his robbery attempt at Perimal’s house he had robbed a person travelling in a horse cart of his golden ring in the same route. At this point, Chaturbhuj opened his eyes. He had suspected all along that Perimal was killed well before Sakaram entered his house. Since this robbery took place a few hours before the murder and that too on the same lane, was it not possible that Sakaram had committed this theft on Haridas himself who might have been on his way to Perimal’s house with dubious intentions? He thought over this and felt that this might be a probability. He quickly called his associates and gave them instructions, “The motive is to find the victim whom Sakaram robbed before he made that failed heist attempt at Perimalji’s house. Enquire with all horse-cart riders of Siddinagar – where the artist stayed – whether they can recollect of any robbery that took place during their passenger’s journey, say, in the last ten days. If you get a positive response, ask him if he can identify the passenger’s face. I understand that the traveler had that day covered his face with some cloth but this could be during the course of the journey. If you do not get success in Siddinagar, extent the scope of your search to other areas of the kingdom for it could be that the cart-driver belongs to some other place. There is one more task I want to assign you. Without raising anyone’s suspicion find out the relations between Haridas and his wife. I want to know whether he is too dominant or allows Nirmala devi some freedom to lead her way of life. Do whatever it takes but get me success in this mission!”

His men agreed and dispersed. It took four days for two of his men to return with some information. They had tactfully become part of a group in Siddinagar that did gossip to while away time in the evenings. It was through them that they managed to extract facts that Haridas was of a very possessive nature. This news left Chaturbhuj thinking and he formed his conclusions.

It was during this time that King Sukhdeva arrived from his trip and at once enquired with Chaturbhuj about the progress made in this case. The minister asked for a couple of days’ time in this matter as he wanted to apprise the King about the facts only after his acquaintances returned from their assignments.

As Chaturbhuj was seated in his chamber wondering what was taking his other men so long, they arrived with a lean-looking man with brooding eyes and sporting a beard.

“Sire, we are sorry for the delay. We could not find any success in Siddhinagar and had to search elsewhere.” Pointing to the stranger, the accomplice, Harish, expounded, “He is Govind. A few days back, he was just passing through Siddinagar after dropping a passenger in the famous Ganesha temple, when someone gestured to stop his cart and take him to Perimalji’s house. On the way, there was a robbery that took place. He, however, does not remember the face of the passenger but is confident of recognizing him should he see him somewhere. He, of course, would not be able to identify the thief for he had covered his face.”

Chaturbhuj thought for a while and then asked his aides to be with Govind for some time. He, thereby, met the palace artist, Gopalan, who was asked to draw a face based on the description given by him. This took some time and then when the face was drawn to his satisfaction, he thanked Gopalan and returned to his chambers. He showed it to Govind who corrugated his forehead to recollect that passenger’s face. “Yes!” he finally exclaimed. “I think this is indeed that man!”

“Are you sure? Or would you have second thoughts later?” Chaturbhuj enquired.

“No, sire! I feel fairly confident that he was my passenger that day!” Govind stuck to his statement with an element of reliance.

The picture drawn was of Haridas!