A fateful couch

Samuel, the inspector of police, looked grimly at the antique sofa and the kitchen knife pulled out from under the seat. It was a long kitchen knife coated with dry blood in brown colour. He checked both sides minutely.

“How did you come to know that a knife was inside the cushion? You said you bought it from auctioneers. When was that? “the inspector asked without looking at anyone in particular.

“Let me explain. I am Mohan, Lalita’s brother, living separately in Annanagar. I had come this morning on a casual visit. My sister’s husband was away on tour My sister and her husband had bought the set ten days back at an auctioneer. It was only this morning when we were having coffee, my sister brought to my attention that some hard material at the left corner of three-seater where she was seated was making it uncomfortable to sit, When I sat, I also felt the same. We thought that some wooden piece might haven left behind inadvertently under the seat cushion” replied Mohan.

Samuel turned the long sofa upside down and observed the place from where the knife was pulled out. There was a slight smudge brown in colour on the cushion cloth.

” Can one of you throw more light on its discovery and who helped in taking it out? Do not miss any detail however insignificant,” asked the inspector.

“Let me explain,” offered Lalita and added, “I have been wanting to have a good sofa set to receive visitors. We had an old one which we disposed of. We looked for an antique set that would suit my taste. At the auctioneer’s shop, we were very much impressed with this carved wooden sofa in walnut color. We found it very comfortable when we tried sitting on the single-seater. I felt it would give a sense of grandeur to our living room. Luckily it also matched with table on which our TV was kept. The upholstery was almost new needing no change. We paid very much less than what a new furniture of similar design but with lesser beauty would have costed.”

“Did you not try the comfort of the sofa by sitting at different places when you bought?”

“We did sit on the two single seaters and also on the middle of three seater and found nothing amiss then,” said Lalita.

 “Tell me who opened the upholstery and pulled out the knife?” nudged the inspector.

“Mohan and me turned the sofa upside down and could not find anything from outside except a smudge of rusty mark at the corner. Luckily some carpenters were working in the adjacent vacant apartment doing some wood work. I brought one of them to check. When the cover at the bottom was opened slightly after turning it upside down again, he found the handle part slightly protruding. He pulled it to see a long kitchen knife coated with dry blood in brown colour. Shocked at the revelation, we kept the knife aside. I pleaded with Mohan to stay back and help in resolving the matter,” explained Lalita

The inspector took the knife cautiously examining it on all sides. It was coated with dry blood on the blade right up to the handle. He put the knife aside on a newspaper and kept it rolled.

“What did you do thereafter?”

“I rang up the auctioneering shop and explained the stunning find inside the sofa and requested that the sofa set be taken back as we felt it was an inauspicious purchase and mixed possibly with crime. The manger however politely declined telling that they are not aware of what is contained inside each item they buy for eventual selling on what is as is basis. When we demurred and pleaded for his help, he suggested that we can leave the set there again as a new deal with a new floor price for auctioning after removing the offending part,” said Mohan.

” Hmm, what have you decided? What do you want the police to do?” asked the inspector.

“We haven’t decided. My husband is also away. Mohan however advised me since a blood soaked knife indicated a possible criminal act, it is best to inform the police without loss of time. As a law abiding citizen, I also wished to apprise the police and be on the clear. They may be looking elsewhere for some such an evidence. That is why I rang you up.”

“Good, give me a written statement of what you told me signed by both of you. Do you have the receipt for the amount paid to the auctioneers? Can I meet the carpenter who assisted you? His submission would corroborate your statement. He must be working today also. Take me to the adjacent apartment and show him. You don’t have to talk, is it clear? “Samuel told Lalita.

He came back after talking to the carpenter and told Lalita that he would revert if there is any new development and that she can also inform him in the meanwhile if she recollects anything of relevance.

Surprisingly the same evening, Samuel rang up to say that he was coming again and hoped Mohan was also there to elicit some clarification.

As soon as he relaxed himself on a chair wiping his perspiring face and neck with a kerchief, he wished for water in a steel tumbler. He drank the water fully and turned the tumbler in his hand till his eyes rested on an engraving LB.

He turned to Mohan and asked him to get any vessel from kitchen and found a similar engraving there. “I think this knife also belongs to you,” as he produced the cleaned knife that had the same engraving at the neck to Lalita.

“Yes, it is ours. I have the habit of engraving the initials on every vessel or metal thing I buy,” she added.

This makes the investigation narrower. Except you and your husband, who all could have had access to this. Any maid servant?” Samuel asked.

“I have an old maid for sweeping and swiping and I rule her out completely. She is simple and guileless” said a heavily perspiring Lalita.

“You look distraught and under stress. Do you have anything else to confide? Think carefully,” said the inspector.

She kept quiet, looked at Mohan and then lowered her eyes.

“Never mind. Since I left this place in the morning, I made several discreet enquiries from different people. There were some missing links that you had not provided. I learn that you are well to do, you own this apartment and that you have two vehicles of your own. I expected to have a truthful statement from you about your married life and children if any. Please remember that I have a lot of information already,” he told Lalita softly but in a formal manner.

When she looked at Mohan in a confused manner, he persuaded her to answer straightforwardly and that truth is always desirable.

Lalita took a deep breath and started talking, “I have a few things to tell you that I have not told initially when you came this morning. I am in deep anguish for the last few days and clueless on certain matter. I feared if I revealed all Balu would be in trouble though I was not sure how. I will tell you now the unvarnished facts,” said Lalita.

Hurriedly drinking water, she continued, “I was married to a business person arranged by my parents. He seemed all right initially till my first child was born. Unfortunately, the baby was under developed and was unable to speak. He had fits of violent temper occasionally when he felt he was threatened. I named him Raja as he was still a prince to me and looked very charming with beautiful eyes and curly hairs. My husband took an instant dislike for him and within three years left me alone with my son. As I felt that my son’s future would not be pleasant or secure with the man, we took a divorce. As my parents were very wealthy, finance was no problem. After they died I moved to this apartment as the big house was lonely.

It was about three years back, Balu came into my life. A good friend of mine introduced me to him after informing him about my being a divorcee with a differently abled child and may be also about my financial status. He assured her that he would take care of the child as his own and that I was safe in his hands. Balu is very handsome and well-built muscular guy. I was also drawn to him. My friend however cautioned me that she did not know him much except that he was a gregarious and popular guy in the parties she went. She advised me to study him over couple of years during the dating period before committing myself to a marriage. Foolish as I was and wanting a companion all the time, I threw caution to winds and soon registered our marriage as he wished.”

“What made you think you were foolish? He must be a qualified fellow, employed decently and be a loving dad to your son as he had promised,” said Samuel.

“He called himself a business consultant with a PG diploma from a prestigious institute. I have not seen him go for work regularly or contribute to the household expenses or earning anything but it seemed only living off me. He had expensive habits and a heavy drinker. But he was such a good lover and kept me very happy that I overlooked these drawbacks. He also seemed to be a loving dad carrying the boy on his shoulders and giving him chocolates and toys. He took him around in the car for drive and to play areas in the local park. I was happy that they took to each other till one day the boy came running screaming in pain showing his thigh. He had been pinched so hard that the skin had turned blue. When I confronted Balu, he smiled and lifted the boy on his shoulders and started running like a horse to pacify him. The child innocently laughed. He said later that when the boy turned unruly he punished him but felt sorry for hurting him. I kept quiet but decided never to leave the boy alone with him and employed a nanny to take care of him.”

When she was silent with her eyes turning moist, the Inspector told her,” Please proceed. You are telling cogently.”

She continued,” Three days ago, I had to go to register a property near Kanchipuram that would take me the whole day. My husband offered to stay at home to take care of the boy. Nevertheless, I asked the nanny to make doubly sure the boy was not out of her sight. The boy demurred with tears flowing from eyes. As the work was urgent, I steeled myself and left. When I returned in the evening, I found to my horror Balu sleeping in the bedroom with no trace of boy or the nanny.”

“My god, pray proceed,” prompted the Inspector.

“When I rudely woke him up and asked where my child Raja was, he blurted the boy is missing and evidently ran away on his own. As the boy initially wished to sleep, he sent the nanny away and he also lay by his side. Soon he also dozed to sleep like the boy. When he woke up, the boy was missing in the bed and the door was ajar. The gate keeper also had not seen the boy. Possibly nanny did not close the door behind her properly and the boy found it easy to go outside. It seemed Balu was greatly worried and immediately took the car to drive hither and thither in the vicinity in vain to trace him. He was waiting restlessly for me to return to decide the next course of action. He suspected it could be a case of kidnapping for ransom,” she explained.

“Why did he not ring you up when the child was not found?” Samuel asked.

“Exactly, he said he did not want to frighten me when at an important work and after the futile search, he was hoping to get a ransom call from someone,” she said and added,” He also dissuaded me to lodge a police complaint as culprits generally kill the victims when they suspect police are after them and that we can wait for a demand call. So far no call has been received. He also went two days back on a very urgent business to get a big contract. We are expecting him anytime today or tomorrow.”

“No, he will not come nor a ransom call will be received by you,” he said cryptically

Shocked, both Lalita and Mohan shouted in chorus,” How are you so sure? What about Raja?”

“Sadly for you, Balu is in our custody and confessed to everything after some evidence and usual police treatment. He is not what he appeared to you. Chased by ruthless recovery agents, a crook by himself, a much married man, he turned a criminal,” said the inspector softly aware of the devastating shock it would cause on Lalita.”

He added, “Do not grieve. You are safer and better off without him. I am very sorry for your young son,” he added.

She screamed, “What happened to him? Is he safe?”

“Please listen patiently. Balu was waiting for an opportune moment to get rid of the boy probably wanting you dote blindly on him with all your wealth that he can lay his hands on. He sent the nanny away after you left. The boy was angry at this and came running to attack your hubby with the knife he found in kitchen. Balu in rage stuffed the boy’s mouth with cloth and plunged the knife in his throat. He calmly bundled him in a plastic bag and brought it down carefully unseen as most were asleep after lunch. He left behind the knife as he wished to keep it clean in the kitchen and hid it temporarily underneath the sofa as he was in hurry. One sweeper who was cleaning the car parking area saw him putting a heavy bag inside the trunk. When he came near in curiosity, Balu shouted him away to mind his own business. I knew how much you are missing your son, how he dreaded his dad and your inability to express your suspicions about your husband. We got information about a highly decomposed dead body of a boy in plastic bag from a discarded well near chengleput. Does your son have any unique distinguishing mark for easy identification?” he asked.

“A sixth finger on his left thumb,” she replied

“Oh, that clinches it.

I want you to come with me to confront Balu. Do remember he deserves absolutely no compassion or clemency when he killed a young defenseless disabled child.”

She steeled herself to see justice is done to her dear Raja and agreed to go with the inspector along with Mohan.