Labyrinth

Simi watched Aditya through the crowd of friends; tall, disarmingly handsome, charismatic, pulse of the entire gathering. The smartly decorated terrace with clever illumination created a perfect atmosphere for the surprise birthday party in the late evening of pleasant Mumbai winter. It was Aditya’s initiative to bring together all the college friends scattered due to career move; for that nothing could have been a better occasion than Aliya’s birthday. Aliya, ‘Face of the year’ of their batch stole sleep of many ravenous youngsters in her college days; looks, attitude, money she had all.

‘You haven’t taken anything yet’ Aditya came to Simi, he was quick to bring a cola of her choice in a few minutes; she felt a secret thrill with this subtle gesture of intimacy. Friends, since, high school days they had practically grown up together, still he never failed to fascinate her; she could no longer term it as infatuation. Her feelings were far deeper and too fervent by now to get recognition.

They were deep in conversation when the general murmur of the crowd fell in sudden silence with the entry of the birthday girl. In a pale blue crochet dress complementing the perfect pink complexion, her lustrous hair arranged in sideway Aliya looked ravishing like a princess straight from fairy tales. Simi missed a breath in awe; next moment she realised Aditya was gone, a pang of jealousy tainted her mood. For the rest of the evening Aditya did not find time to engage in conversation with her again.

*******

Aditya, Simi, Disha, Gaurav and Chintan, the group was legendary in high school and then in college. Aditya the dashy hero was matched by intellectual Gaurav and Chintan the humorous happy go lucky guy. Disha was an academic a lot in sync with Gaurav; their fondness for each other flourished naturally in subsequent years. Simi had always been the introvert, sensitive girl who spoke the least; though quite pretty in a simple way she never worked on her looks. She was the type one would never take notice in a crowd, though bound to like her in close interaction.

Aliya and Aditya came close to each other in early days of college much to the envy of many class mates of both the gender; Aliya’s inclusion to the group was a natural process which nobody seemed to mind except Simi, but then she never voiced her feelings.

Now five years on, Aditya worked in his father’s construction business, Gaurav was an executive in a private bank, Chintan had been in the creative team of a leading advertisement agency ever since he left college and Disha was a lecturer of history at a private Junior college. Simi took up the post of receptionist in a consultancy firm; true to her nature she was content with her plain job. Aliya did not bother to opt for any career option; she was already quite sought after in the social circuits much in line with her socialite mother.  
    

*******

‘Simi, how fast can you pack for a weekend trip?’ Chintan sounded excited on 30^th evening, minutes before Simi left office. ‘What’s the matter? Are you up to some mischief as usual?’ she wasn’t taking him seriously, knowing his nature. ‘It’s Aditya, not me! The plan is to celebrate New Year eve in Aditya’s bungalow at Lonavala. We will pick you up in the afternoon tomorrow.’ Simi spoke with a pause, ‘He asked you to inform me?’ the trace of disappointment didn’t escape Chintan’s attention. 

The duplex bungalow pertaining to an upmarket enclave faced the hill, away from the bustle of tourists. The artistic garden with a neatly maintained swimming pool, the mystic surrounding justified its name ‘Ecstasy’.

The live in caretaker and his wife welcomed the travel worn group in the evening as they arrived. The ground floor had a hall big enough to accommodate a small gathering, attached to a dining corner at one side and a guest room at the rear. The kitchen along with a store opened to the backyard garden. The only toilet was designed to be accessible from hall and guestroom both. The first floor contained three bedrooms, all with hill view and attached toilets. The terrace was probably the most attractive segment of the house with intriguing lights and interesting sitting arrangements; a corner was designated to barbeque provisions too. The girls decided to share the master bedroom; a string bed was accommodated for the third occupancy. Gaurav and Chintan chose the east facing room, leaving Aditya to occupy the other solely.

‘Green doesn’t suite her, she should realise’, Aliya confided to Disha as Simi came out of the toilet in a sea green long dress accessorised with a single string of pearl. ‘Not everyone is as blessed as you dear’, Disha put a stop to the discussion on a lighter note. ‘Will you ladies be ready by this year at all?’ Chintan teased from outside. ‘You make a move; we will come in a few minutes’, Disha halfway through her make up suggested to Aliya.

Simi spotted the handsome duo lost in conversation at a cosy corner under the dreamy light of a concealed shade; Disha tugged her lightly to draw into the main gathering at the centre, arranged around a radiator. The soft music playing in the background sounded melancholic to her touchy mind.

They were playing Antakshari, it was Simi’s turn; Aditya joined her in the song while taking a seat beside her. An earnest sense of camaraderie passed between the two childhood friends. Aliya was no-where to be seen, ‘she has gone back to her room for a while’ he explained her absence.

The clock struck mid-night, fireworks illumined the night sky from the neighbourhood to mark the New Year. They hugged each other with great warmth; their youth, their zest for life memorialised the moment. Disha and Simi returned to their room, Aliya still hung on; she was little tipsy from over indulgence of alcohol.

It was over an hour when Aliya returned, supported by Aditya; ‘take care of her’ he told Simi before retiring to his own room. Both the girls helped her to bed; she was flushed and perspiring even in the winter chill. ‘This girl has made fool of herself’ Disha was irritated, she dabbed a wet hand towel on Aliya’s forehead. Simi silently made the sick girl drink a glass of water. ‘Let’s catch up some sleep, she should be alright now’ Disha went under the blanket on her string bed.

A nagging groan alerted the girls around three in the morning; they rushed to Aliya to find her pretty face contorted in great pain, a bubble of froth rushing out of the corner of her mouth. ‘Aditya!’ Simi rushed out of the room screaming.

‘I am sorry, we need to inform the police’ Dr. Bhogle the local practitioner informed in grave voice. Aliya’s steel body lied on the bed like a wax doll devoid of any mark of pain; she looked captivating even in death. ‘Do you suspect any foul play?’ Aditya faltered. ‘That only police can decide, but it is definitely an unnatural death, most likely from poisoning.’  The pronouncement shocked the five youth more than the death; each of them shied away from others in unknown horror.

Police came within an hour, routine procedure of searching, screening, photographing continued with usual proficiency. Aliya’s parents, holidaying in Dubai were informed; her father a reputed surgeon of Mumbai refused to accept her sudden death and vowed to get into the bottom of the matter. He contacted big shots of Mumbai police for intervention; the unfortunate parents were to reach by next day noon.

*******

‘Can’t say I am glad to meet you; Detective Inspector Nishit Kulkarni from Mumbai police’ a man in his early forties with sharp features and athletic build approached five dazed figures gathered at the hall. Dr. Bhogle briefed me about the series of incidents, but I need to talk to each of you individually. Can you arrange for the guest room for that?’ he asked Aditya.

‘Chintan tell me about the time sequence of the evening’ Kulkarni sounded casual and friendly in contrast to Inspector Malpani of local police station who looked formal and grave while making note of the interrogation. ‘We reached here at 5.15 yesterday and went to our room after taking light refreshments. Around 7.30 we gathered at the terrace, Disha and Simi joined a little later. The party was on till mid night then we started retiring. Disha, Simi and Gaurav went back almost immediately; I reached my room around quarter to one. Aditya and Aliya were the last to come down. I woke up with the noise at around 3.00.’ ‘No one left the terrace in between?’ Kulkarni questioned. ‘Aliya did, around 9 – 9.30 she went to her room to make a call to her mother, she forgot her mobile at the room. She came back within half an hour’. ‘Who do you think could benefit from her death among you all?’ Kulkarni was blunt this time. ‘What do you mean? We are all friends; best of friends’ Chintan broke down for the first time.

‘What happened when Aliya came to the room after the party?’ It was Disha facing the interrogation this time. ‘She drank too much, so started feeling sick. We made her relax on her bed, comforted her with wet towel and a glass of water. She seemed alright after that and we went off to sleep.’ ‘Who gave the water to her?’ ‘Simi gave’. ‘Where from she got it?’ She thought for a moment before answering, ‘I think from the jug kept on top of the cabinet below the TV.’ ‘How was Aliya’s relation with each of you?’ Disha pondered over the question for a while then replied, ‘She was a sweet girl, but a little self-obsessed, at times quite callous about our plainness! The way she came between Aditya and Simi; of course she can’t be blamed for it.’ ‘Who else drank alcohol last night?’ ‘We all did, though both muself and Simi are casual drinker; but then it was New year eve and none of us drank heavily except Aliya.’

‘Who gave the water to Aliya at the bed room?’ Kulkarni asked Simi. Nervous from last night’s shock she faltered while answering. ‘I did, a cold glass of water would help I thought.’ ‘From where did you take the water?’ ‘From my bedside table. I prefer to keep a glass of water at bedside, since, I feel thirsty during the night.’ ‘What did you drink at the party?’ ‘Cranberry flavoured Vodka.’ ‘Do you think Aditya could have some reason to be angry with Aliya?’ ‘Of course not!’ she almost shouted then continued in whisper, ‘They were fond of each other.’

‘I was down with a bit of headache when we reached here at 5.15, took a Saridon from Aliya to wash down with tea; she always carried handy medicines. I went up to the terrace with Chintan at 7.30 and came down at exact 12.25 in the mid night, checked the time while entering my room; woke up with the scream outside. Aliya was still alive when we reached, but in great pain. Aditya called up the local doctor referring to the emergency numbers noted in a diary. By the time Dr. Bhogle came she was already still, that was around 3.30’. ‘Thanks a lot please send Aditya in’ Kulkarni observed Gaurav's precision in describing the event.

Aditya looked haggard from the emotional strain; his usual spontaneity had been replaced by a sombre reticence, more so probably due to his personal loss. ‘It was my idea to celebrate the New Year in a special way this time. For most of the evening we were all together. Yes, I spent some time talking to Aliya alone, but can’t see how that could have any bearing on the accident. The conversation was very personal in nature and I don’t want to divulge it.’ ‘Is it normal that she drank so recklessly?’ Kulkarni persisted despite being resisted in earlier questions. ‘She loved her drinks, but yesterday she went quite overboard’.

‘My name is Mahesh Sabji, I have been working here since, last five years along with my wife Madhuri. My wife was busy in the kitchen entire evening, while I went up to serve the food. I made five six trips to the terrace for serving snacks then finally laid the dinner in hotpots around ten. After that Chote Saab released us and we went back to our quarters in the backyard. I met Aliya Madam in the stairs while carrying first batch of snacks. She stopped talking over phone to help me; could never imagine she will meet with such tragedy.’ He wiped his eyes in genuine grief.

The party went back to Mumbai after getting reminded by Kulkarni not to leave the station; awaiting post-mortem report would lead to further interrogation.

*******

The friends gathered at the studio apartment of Chintan over next weekend. The mood was sombre; tragedy of Aliya unfurled a cloud of doubt among the trusted comrades, though no one was willing to voice it out. ‘Damn it! This must be some kind of mistake. We all are dying every day with the death of Aliya,’ Chintan exploded in exasperation at last.

‘I called up Aliya’s dad yesterday, the post mortem report suggests toxic effect in the body; the glass of water offered to her being the source, police suspects,’ Aditya informed. All four pairs of eyes focused on a dazed lone figure unknowingly.

*******

Ten days later, on a pleasant evening they again gathered at Chintan’s apartment with one addition; Detective Inspector Kulkarni arrived in plain clothes with his usual easy manner. ‘I wanted to meet you all informally to discuss the recent developments; calling you at my office could have been unpleasant’. He scanned the nervous faces with piercing gaze before continuing. ‘The cause of death was consumption of Paracetamol on top of alcohol’. ‘Paracetamol killed her? Is it your way of joking or some new kind of interrogation?’ Chintan was rash. ‘Shut up Chintan, Paracetamol could be lethal if taken with alcohol; it’s a known fact. Please carry on Mr. Kulkarni.’ Gaurav tried to handle the unpleasant situation.

‘The motive of the crime was jealousy; the third angel of a love triangle, as has been since ages. One of the two damsels brooded on unrequited love, mixed few Paracetamol tablets in the glass of water that could lead to lever failure. The intention probably was not to kill, but definitely to cause harm and inflict pain.’ ‘It’s not true! You must know the facts,’ Aditya sprinted out of his seat. ‘I know everything; take your seat,’ the officer in Kulkarni spoke out to impose his superiority. ‘Paracetamol was accessible as Aliya always carried a medicine kit; everyone drank alcohol, being New Year eve. There was ample opportunity to mix the stuff, since our offender shared the room with the target victim’. It’s not me! Believe me Inspector, I never even dreamt of it!’ Simi broke down howling.

‘I believe you,’ Kulkarni reached for her. ‘It’s not you I am referring to. Aliya mixed the medicine in your glass of water. Aditya, that day you turned her down, siting Simi as your lady love, isn’t it?’ ‘Yes, that’s why she got upset and returned to her room to talk to her Mom probably’. ‘No she returned to take revenge on Simi; it was a crime of impulse. She always carried her mobile; Mahesh saw her talking while joining you in the evening. She, being from a doctor’s family knew well Paracetamol should be avoided after drinks. The irony is that, she failed to notice in her inebriated state that the same water was being offered to her by her target’.

‘How did you know all this?’ Simi whispered in her stupor. ‘The medicine strip discarded in the wastepaper basket, a tissue paper on which she crushed the tablets with the help of a brass Unicorn all these carried her finger prints’. ‘Does her father know it?’ she persisted. ‘Yes, he requested us to close the file; further scandal is not desired. I thought of clearing the cloud with you all. It’s not easy to live with feeling of guilt and mistrust, I know that’.

‘Good bye and best of luck! Hope not to meet again!’ Kulkarni left with a charming smile.

‘Simi, it was always you and no one!’ Aditya murmured at the privacy of the balcony. Droplets twinkled in her gentle eyes; she looked charming in the soft glow of twilight.

*****  *****

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