Short story

The clue to murder

by A.F. Dawood

It was a palatial house with an eight-foot parapet wall running round so that nobody from outside knew who lived in it. The chief occupant of the house was a short, stout bald-headed man with a bulging stomach; he was a man of uncouth manners, who always berated his workers. There was a short, plump woman, seemingly his wife, who frequently henpecked him.

There was a security guard at the gate; a gardener who did the marketing as well; and a woman for cooking and washing. The middle-aged couple did not associate with the neighbours and the latter in the vicinity did not know them. The high parapet barred all outsiders from a view of their internal activities.

The gate bell rang while the gardener was tending to some plants. Baron Appu, seated on a bench. "Can't you hear the bell, you fool?" he bellowed in rage. Then he looked at the security guard and said, "Are you deaf?" On another day the gardener was taking the left over meals to a beggar at the gate. "What're you carrying?" "Left over food, Sir". "Sir, don't use that dirty Suddha's word. Call me 'mudalituma'; for whom're you giving food?" "There's a beggar at the gate, mudalituma." "This is not a good thing, idiot. If you give today, they'll come everyday. Beggars think this is a hotel." Then he summoned the cook. "Ah! You careless woman, you think this is your grandfather's wealth. In future you must cook the exact amount, don't cook for beggars."

It was 10 a.m. Baron Appu paced the garden looking worried. Magilin was seated on a white bench and observing him. "Why do you think so hard?" "Maggy, I'm worried about the news in today's paper." "Don't worry too much about that, and how many years now? Was the police sleeping for 10 years?" Baron Appu sat beside her. He was in a pensive mood. "According to the news, the CID has got one man in the net; they can question him and get to the bottom." "It's 10 years now and nobody knows we're here." "Yes, that's true." Baron Appu consoled himself.

Menik Mudalali

Baron Appu's mind was sunk in a whirlpool of thought. He remembers how he went to a wealthy gem merchant's house in the village and begged for a job. That was about 15 years ago. The gem merchant was popularly known in the village as 'Menik Mudalali'. "Sir, I have no means of living; give me a job in your house." "What's your name?" "Babanis Aiyah." Thereafter, Babanis Aiyah got work in the gem merchant's estate; later he worked in his garden and also drove the gem merchant's car.

It is at this point that Babanis Aiyah got acquainted with the cook Magilin Nona, who was called Maggy by all at the gem merchant's house. In the house Carolis did the marketing and Jineris the gardening. Eventually Babanis Aiyah was assigned work in the house in addition to driving. Having worked for five years, he planned a major robbery.

"Maggy, everyday we can't be working like this" "What're you saying, Babanis?" "Do you like to become rich?" "Yes, but how?" Maggy questioned. "You do what I tell you but keep your mouth shut." Maggy did not understand what exactly Babanis meant. So, she asked him. "What about Carolis and Jineris?" "I have explained to them my plan and they agreed to support me".

The news of the death of 'Menik Mudalali' was splashed in the newspapers, a week after the ghastly murder. It said the gem merchant had been stabbed and the four workers in the household had vanished with the money in the safe after breaking it open, while the gem merchant's wife and two children were holidaying in a foreign country. Baron Appu's phone rang, and he was shaken off from his reverie. The voice at the other end was that of Carolis. "Babanis, the police have caught Jineris." "Yes, Caro, I read in the papers, how did he get caught?"

The police found a letter in Menik Mudalali's house written to Jineris by his sister; they have got our names from Menik Mudalali's salary record. "So we're in trouble." "Don't worry Babanis, we've changed our names. It's difficult for the police to trace us." "But Caro, why did the police take so long to arrest Jineris?" "All these years Jineris was hiding.

He had gone to a temple and there seeing a cop, he was excited and had run away. The policeman had given chase and caught him. That's the story I heard."

Two days later when Babanis Appu and Magilin Nona were on the balcony of their house, they saw two policemen knocking at the door of some houses. "Maggy, I think the police will come here too." "Nothing to worry, we pretend we don't know anything." "The police might ask you whether you worked in Menik Mudalali's house?" "Nobody knows I worked; so I'll say 'no'. "Magilin Nona replied confidently. "Don't give wrong answers, speak carefully, Maggy."

Puzzled

In the afternoon a police jeep pulled up at Baron Appu's house. The security guard at the entrance opened the gate. An inspector and three constables walked in. The inspector looked at the security guard who was puzzled. "Is this Babanis Aiyah's house?" the inspector asked.

"No Sir, Baron Appu's house." "We wish to talk to him." The police officers walked in. Baron Appu and Magilin Nona faced the police officers. "You're welcome, Sir. What brings you here?" "We want to question you." "On what, Sir?" Baron Appu pretended innocence and glanced at Magilin Nona.

"What's your name?" "Baron Appu." "Your name is Baron Appu, not Babanis Aiyah?" The inspector questioned. "Do you know anything about the gem merchant's murder in Ratnapura ten years ago?" "Menik Mudalali's murder?" questioned Baron Appu pretending ignorance. "I heard about it long ago." "Are you involved in that murder?"

"No." That question was a bombshell to Baron Appu. "Do you know Kuruwita? His real name is Carolis." "No." "You have never met Carolis?" Questioned the inspector. "No, never." "But Carolis knows you." "It's a lie, I don't know him." Babanis Appu emphasised. The inspector warned him not to play the fool with the police. Speak the truth. We've found out from the telecom that you have called Carolis and he has called you."Baron Appu remained silent and stole a glance at Magilin Nona. The inspector then looked at Magilin Nona. "And you worked at Wilbert Mudalali's house as a cook?" Magilin was caught in a tight spot and nodded. "That means you know Jineris and Carolis." "Yes Sir." "You, Babanis Aiyah, Carolis and Jineris were in the pay role of Menik Mudalali. "Yes Sir." Then the inspector turned to Baron Appu. "Your name is not Baron Appu, your name is Babanis Aiyah. Do you admit that?"

Babanis Aiyah was crestfallen. "Yes, Sir." "Your know Carolis and Jineris?" "Yes Sir. "You're a suspect in Menik Mudalali's murder. We will match the fingerprints found on the knife with the fingerprints of all four suspects. So we take you into custody.