---3---
The next day on the breakfast table Byomkesh said, ‘let’s go to see Sri Sri Pronobanad Swami.’
I was anyway a bit sad since I heard Bhupesh Babu’s story, now as I heard this, I lost all my energy immediately.
‘Do we really need to visit him?’ I said
‘Well, if you want your name to stay in his list of his suspects then you don’t need to go.’ Prompt came Byomkesh’s reply.
So we left for the police station, when we were on the first floor landing we could see Bhupesh Babu’s room was locked, he surely had gone to his office. Then we saw Ram Babu and Banamali Babu coming out of their room, in their regular office outfit, but they suddenly took a u-turn and went back to the room as they saw us.
Byomkesh looked at me and smiled meaningfully.
Shib Babu was writing something in his daily accounts book, the moment he saw us, he jumped up and came close. He then said in a surprised voice,’ Byomkesh Babu, you are back! You are back! I am sure you’ve heard about the murder. What a trouble, now the police is harassing me.’
‘Not only you, they are harassing Ajit as well.’ Said Byomkesh.
‘Yes, yes! Brown Stole! Meaningless! Please see, if you can do something, something!’
‘Ya, Let me see.’ Said Byomkesh and walked towards the main doorway.
When we were on the main road, Byomkesh suddenly stopped and said, ‘Come Ajit, let us have a close look through the lane.’
This was the lane through which the ‘brown stole guy’ fled after shooting. It was a very narrow lane, not more than 3-4 feet wide. Byomkesh entered first and I followed him, he was observing every brick of the lane and was walking very slow. Now god only knows what was in his mind! And what were the chances of getting some clue here, after 3 days of the murder!
The window of Natavar Naskar’s room was closed. Byomkesh reached near and started scanning the ground – every inch of it. The window was around four feet high from the ground level – if opened; one could easily shoot someone inside the room from this place.
What’s that?
Following Byomkesh’s finger I could see a star like grayish mark on the ground, just below the window. It should be around 3 inches by diameter and seemed at least a couple of days old.
What kind of a mark is it? I asked, but Byomkesh kneeled down on the ground without any reply and started smelling the mark very closely.
What are you doing? I almost screamed.
‘Oh! Just smelling, dear.’ He replied and got up from the ground.
‘What is it?’ I asked again, ‘you have to smell it to know, Ajit!’
‘Oh! No…!’
‘Then let us proceed towards the police station.’
As we started walking, I looked at his face to understand whether he could find a clue or not, but could not make out anything from his expressionless face.
Inspector Pronob was in his cabin. He looked quite good though his height was short, must be around 5.3”.
He was very surprised to see Byomkesh, but pretended to be humble and said, ‘ Oh! Byomkesh Babu, how lucky I am to have you in my office on a morning! He He!’
Byomkesh said, ‘Oh! Even I am so lucky! You know why? They say – you meet a short person in the morning and you go lucky for the whole day.’
Pronob Babu was not ready for such a counter attack, he tried to be serious and said, ‘ is there anything that I can do for you?’
Nothing much, but I brought Ajit along, as I wanted you to know that he had not fled from the town.
Pronob Babu wanted to have a smile on his face, but couldn’t help much as Byomkesh decided to be real rude today. He went on, ‘I don’t know how the commissioner would react if he learns that you’ve restricted Ajit’s movements, but I know as per our country’s law, this kind of an unlawful deed of a police officer is punishable. Anyway I came here only to know whether you have got any new information about the case or not.
Pronob Babu thought for a while, perhaps he was having a quick thought about should he also be rude to Byomkesh in the given situation or should he not! Finally he said quite softly, ‘Byomkesh Babu, do you know - what’s the population of this city?
Never counted, but that should be nearing 50 lacs, now.
Well! Do you think it’s easy to find a man with a brown stole among these many people? Can you do it?
Yes! I can, if I have all the information, you have already got.
Well! Though I should not be doing this but then, I think I can break the rules for you.
Great! Then tell me could you trace any of Natavar Babu’s kins folk?
No! We had advertised in all the main dailies, but didn’t hear from anyone.
What does the post mortem report say?
The bullet damaged his heart and it was shot by the same pistol we found.
Anything else?
Hmmm, he was quite healthy, only had a little cataract problem.
What about search for the owner of the pistol?
Well, this was an American military pistol, any ‘chorbazar’ shop would offer you one, so there’s actually no way to trace the owner.
Any specific thing that you found in Natavar Babu’s room is worth mentioning?
Yes! They are all there, on that corner table; you can have a look if you want, - a diary, a bank pass book, a copy of a court decision and some cash, that’s it.
Byomkesh went to the table, I didn’t move, as I knew Inspector Pronob was capable enough to insult me and if he did that, it would be very tough for me to digest.
I could see Byomkesh checked the bank passbook thoroughly, flipped through the diary, read through all the stamp papers of the court decision and then said, ‘Yes, I am done!’
Inspector Pronob was back to his own form, ‘so Byomkesh Babu, now you know the murderer’s name, address everything, right?’
Yes indeed! Said Byomkesh in a very sharp voice.
Pronob Babu pretended to be very surprised and said, ’what are you saying! How could that be so fast! Your IQ level must be very high! Now just tell me the name and address of this person and let me arrest him immediately.’
I could see Byomkesh’s face muscles hardened as he said very slowly, ‘That I won’t tell you, Sir! Government pays you for that job, so you’ll have to crack the case, but yes! I can give you a clue for sure – check out the lane.’
You think I’ll get some footprints there, He He!
Not really, but a little more than that, sir!
Oh! One more thing, in a couple of days I am going to Katak for some work and Ajit is going to accompany me, stop him if you can, come Ajit.
As we were stepping out of the police station, I couldn’t just resist asking Byomkesh, ‘Now you know, who is it? Right?’
Byomkesh nodded his head, ‘yes I knew it much before we came here, but inspector Pronob is quite a foolish felow, he would never be able to crack it.’
‘Who is it?’ Do we know him?’ I asked with all my breath.
‘Later Ajit! But for now, have this piece of information that Natavar Babu was a black mailer,
and yes! Do one thing, go back home, I’d have to go to Chowringhee, I think Godfrey Brown has an office out there which might give me an information – See you.’
Byomkesh returned home at 1.30 pm, finished his lunch and said, ‘Ajit, you’ve got a job – not much, all you need to do is to invite Ram Babu, Banamali Babu and Bhupesh Babu for tea today evening. We all will sit over here and chat for some time.’
All right, but why did you go to Godfrey Brown?
There was a copy of a certain ‘court decision’ among Natavar Babu’s stuff; which mentioned around seven years back two brothers Rashbehari and Banbehari Biswas worked for Godfrey Brown’s Dhaka branch, they misappropriated company funds and were jailed for the offence.
Natavar Babu had arranged a copy of that court decision. And from his diary I found that he was taking money from Rashbehari and Banbehari Biswas on a regular basis.
Godfrey Brown’s Kolkata Office confirmed that theft in their Dhaka branch, which left with no doubts about the fact, that Natavar Babu was black mailing them.
But where would you find Rashbehari and Banbehari Biswas?
Hey! We don’t need to go far dear! You’ll find them here only – Room No. 3, 1st floor.
What! You mean Ram Babu and Banamali Babu?
Right Ajit! Actually your guess was very close, just that they were not cousins but real brothers.
But how would they kill Natavar Babu, when he was shot they were…
Byomkesh raised his right hand and said, ‘wait, wait my dear friend, the whole story will be served with the evening tea.’
Bhupesh Babu came first. He was dressed in a very nice silk Panjabi and dhoti. He also had a very expensive grey colored woolen shawl on his shoulder and a special smile on his face.
‘Can we play cards also?’ he asked with a broader smile.
Oh sure! We can arrange, if you guys would like to play.
Sometime later Rambabu and Banamali Babu also came; both of them were wearing black coats over their dhotis, and had their cautious eyes moving everywhere.
Byomkesh welcomed them very warmly and started very light hearted conversations and shared funny stories to make everyone feel at ease.
We finished our tea and snacks in half an hour and then Ram Babu lit a cigar, Byomkesh also lit one cigarette and gave Bhupesh babu one and then suddenly he said, ‘Banabehari Babu, why don’t you have one too?’
‘I don’t smoke’, he said and then suddenly his face became absolutely pale…and he uttered – ‘my name…..’
I know both of your real names – Rashbehari and Banbehari Biswas, and I also know that you two are brothers.
It was an unbearable silence which covered the room, Byomkesh walked up to his chair and sat down, ‘Natavar Naskar was black mailing you, and you two were paying him quite an amount every month…’ said Byomkesh, as the two brothers were sitting like stone curved statues.
Byomkesh lit another cigarette, took a long drag, sent two smoke rings in the air and started again, ‘Natavar babu was quite a villain, when he was in Dhaka he was an agent by profession but black mailing was his second occupation – he would never leave an opportunity of black mailing if he could even smell one. For misappropriation of company money when you brothers went to jail seven years back, he could foresee a chance of earning money and collected a copy of the ‘court decision’.
Then the partition happened, Dhaka was no more a profitable place for Natavar Naskar and he came to Kolkata. But he was new here, didn’t know anyone so the chances of his legal or illegal incomes became very low. He rented a room in this building and started living a very low key life with his earlier savings. One day he suddenly saw both of you here, and recognized. Then he followed you and came to know that you guys are working for a bank with pseudo names. His problem was solved; he could see easy money coming to him and of course you guys ended up being a regular source of money for him.
Life was going on like this, but you two were so unhappy, as there were no way to avoid Natavar Naskar, the only way out was his death.
Byomkesh stopped after this long narration, and immediately Banamali Babu cried out like a child, ‘ Oh! Byomkesh Babu, please do believe, we didn’t kill Natavar Babu, when he was shot we were in Bhupesh Babu’s room…’
‘That’s true,’ said Byomkesh, stretched out his feet to sit in a more relaxed way, took a long drag and said, ‘well! I am not so bothered about finding out the murderer, you know! That’s police’s headache. But you two work for a bank and if history repeats there, then I’d have to disclose your real identities.
Now Rashbehari Babu or as we knew him - Ram Babu said, ‘No Byomkesh Babu, that would never happen again. We had made a mistake, got punished for that, and now I can promise, the same would never happen.
‘Good! Then I and Ajit will also be quite, what about you Bhupesh Babu?
Bhupesh Babu smiled and said, ‘Oh! I’ll also be quite about this and will never utter a word.’
No one spoke any word for a long time after this, and then Ram Babu got up and said, ‘we will never forget your generosity, may we go now, I am not feeling well.’
‘Come,’ Byomkesh went to see them off; when he came back I saw Bhupesh Babu was smiling at Byomkesh. As Byomkesh smiled back to him Bhupesh Babu said, ‘well, I didn’t know that Ram Babu & Banamali Babu were connected to Natavar Naskar, but I think, whatever you’ve said till now, was the curtain raiser, you’ve understood the whole story, right?
Byomkesh took a deep breath and said, ‘well, not everything, but yes most of it!’
Bhupesh Babu said, great then! You start; I’ll only help if you need any.
Byomkesh gave a cigarette to Bhupesh Babu, lit one for himself and then looked at me, ‘the first hitch I had after reading your write up, was about the sound – A pistol would never make such a big a sound, that could be of a rifle or a chocolate bomb, but we always knew that Natavar Naskar was shot by a pistol.
You had discovered similarities between Ram Babu and Banamali Babu and I observed that they were trying to hide something, they also used to visit Natavar Naskar which actually made me more interested about them.
But when the big sound was heard, they both were in Bhupesh Babu’s room.
I tried visualizing the series of events in my mind, it went like this:
Bhupesh Babu was in his room around 6.25 pm, Ram Babu and Banamali Babu came but Ajit was getting late, within a couple of minutes Ajit’s slipper’s sound ca,me from the stairs. Bhupesh Babu got up and opened the window and immediately there was this big ‘Bang’, which apparently came from the lane below. Ram Babu and Banamali Babu went to the window in haste; Bhupesh Babu shouted, “There, There!! – running through the lane, could you see? There….. that man with a brown stole…”
Many people were on the main road, passing by the lane. Ram Babu and Banamali Babu saw one of them and thought he was running out of the lane. They thought Bhupesh Babu was right, and believed that they also saw the man with a brown stole.
It’s actually not very tough to create that kind of an illusion with a good effort. Later the pistol was found on the window frame of Natavar Naskar’s room. But why would the murderer leave his weapon behind? –there was no logic for such a stupid act. And exactly at that point of time this thought stroke my mind – that there must be something behind this eyewash of the apparently simple & natural situation.
I had a strange feeling that the murderer surely lives in this building.
The servant – Haripada, had heard someone talking in Natavar’s room around 6.00 pm – now if that person was the murderer, he must have tried to make an alibi for himself and for that he must have murdered Natavar 15-20 minutes before the ‘apparent time’.
But who would that be? Ram Babu, Banamali Babu, Shivkali Babu or someone else. I didn’t have any clue about the motive, but one thing was clear that everyone but Shivkali Babu had his alibi.
My mind remained clouded, nothing was getting clear. One thing I observed that Natavar Naskar’s room was exactly below Bhupesh Babu’s room, and the window through which Natavar Babu was shot, was also just below the window Bhupesh Babu opened that day, but I missed out on one little thing – a cracker; a special kind of cracker which you throw on the ground hard and it goes – ‘Bang’.
In the morning when we were on the way to the police station, I thought of checking out the lane once, and Oh yes! I could find out this interesting mark on the ground, very close to the window. As I smelled it I got the smell of gunpowder – that was it – the blurred picture got clarity in my mind.
An alibi was designed very intelligently. But who could have done that?
None other than Bhupesh Babu, because he only opened the window, Ram Babu and Banamali Babu came only after the sound was heard.
On that day Bhupesh Babu went down at 6.00pm. The pistol was arranged earlier. He entered Natavar’s room, introduced himself and shot him, and then he opened the lane side window, kept the pistol on the lower window frame and came back to his room. He had already planned to have a strong alibi because he was not sure if someone had seen him. As he was waiting in his room Ram Babu and Banamali Babu came to play bridge, but Ajit was getting late, so they kept waiting.
Then Bhupesh Babu heard Ajit’s footsteps on the stairs – he was ready with the small marble size cracker in his palm. With the excuse of suffocation he went to open the window and after opening it, he threw the cracker on the ground below. The sound came from the lane was audible enough for all. Ram Babu and Banamali Babu ran towards the window and Bhupesh Babu showed them the fictitious ‘brown stole’ guy running away.
After this, Bhupesh Babu had to do nothing. The dead body was found in the natural process and the police was as confused as expected.
Byomkesh stopped, Bhupesh babu was listening to Byomkesh’s narration with all his concentration, now Byomkesh asked, ‘any error?’
Bhupesh Babu shrugged his shoulders and said said, ‘No! Byomkesh Babu, not a single one. Actually the error was at my end, I never thought that you’d come back so early; rather I thought – by the time you’d be back, the case would drowned under the chores of life.
Byomkesh smiled, ‘only two questions are still unanswered in my mind:
One - what was your motive
Two – how did you do the ‘sound proofing’ for the real sound of the pistol? Even if the door was closed the pistol’s ‘Bang’ would surely be heard in and around the building – I am sure, you took some kind of a precaution!
‘Let me answer your second question first,’ – Bhupesh Babu took the shawl in his hands and opened it in front of us and we could clearly see little holes which appeared in many of its folds. ‘I shot him through the layers of this shawl which filtered much of the sound.’
‘Hmmmm,’ Byomkesh nodded his head and then said, ‘well, though I guessed the first answer after you showed us your son’s photograph, but I’d prefer your version of that part of the story.
For a moment Bhupesh Babu’s facial expressions became very wild, but he spoke in a very gentle voice, ‘I showed you my son’s photograph, because I knew you’d crack the case and that’s why I tried to give a hint of my sad story to you, as the backdrop.
The day communal riot broke out in Dhaka Natavar Naskar kidnapped my son from his school. He came to me in the evening and said, he would get my son back home, if only I pay him 10,000 Rupees. But I didn’t have that much of money – I gave him whatever I had, and all my wife’s jewelry. He took everything and promised to return my son, but we only kept on waiting and waiting – he never came back to us. My wife died out of this shock.
Many years later when I was in Kolkata, one day I suddenly saw him and then…
Byomkesh interrupted him, ‘that’s okay! You don’t need to say it all, Bbhupesh Babu ! we can understand.
After a while Bhupesh Babu said, ‘so, what do you want to do with me now?’
Byomkesh looked up at the ceiling for some time and said, ‘our literary legend – Sarat Chandra Chatterjee somewhere mentioned, ‘ killing a crow can never be a punishable offence…’
I believe, the thought is equally applicable for ‘vultures’, May god be with you Bhupesh Babu.’
See the July & Aug issue
for the previous parts of the story
Original story : HeNyalir Chhondo
By Sharadindu Bondyopadhyay
English recreation : Victor K. Ghoshe
April 2010
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