Command1 reached the phone kept in the corner, after finishing his 'bloody' writing on the wall. He removed an instrument from his overcoat pocket, dialed the phone number and started to speak in the phone through the instrument, “One more victim... Huyana Philikins ... merged into zero (void)''
Before the response came from the other side, probably police station, Command1 disconnected. As soon as he kept the phone back, his attention was caught by something odd in his hand.
“ My God” fearful astonished words came out.
“ What’s wrong?” Command2 enquired looking at his hand.
It didn’t take much time for Command2 to realize what was wrong. Hand glove worn in Command1’s right hand was torn, probably it was when he was about to fall earlier in the hall.
“My finger prints would have been left everywhere.... we should clear them off, before police comes” Command1 said removing the kerchief from his pocket.
“They might not be much... we can finish up our job before the police comes” Command2 also joined him with his own kerchief.
Both of them were acting swiftly, clearing most of the probable places in the room, bulb switch, the table kept aside, bed corners.
When they were sure that there would not be any fingerprints left in the bedroom, they went in the hall. There they cleaned tea table, door handle, part of floor, wherever there was a possibility, they cleaned everywhere. Suddenly they heard police jeep siren. Now they understood, they had to rush. They entered the bedroom and took a last look around. As the siren was approaching near, they darted to the front door, opened the door, looked around and escaped...
Suddenly Command1 got up from the chair, coming out of his thoughts.
“ What’s wrong?” Command2 asked.
“ We made a big mistake!” Command1 said, his whisky mood seemed to be totally ruined.
“My finger prints are left there” he continued.
“ But we cleared all the places” Command2 said.
“ We forgot one place”
“Which one?”
Till now Command1 also stood up.
“You must be remembering... when I was about to fall in the hall... there was a paper weight kept on a table, which was rolling down... I picked it up and kept back to its previous location” Command1 said.
“My God!... we forgot to clean it up”
Command1 was absorbed in his thoughts.
“Now what should we do?” Command2 asked, not sure about the next step.
Command1 didn’t reply. He went to the window. Though he was looking outside, yet was probably busy checking all possibilities in his restless mind. Command2, unsure of their next actions, was observing Command1’s restless movements, trying to get what is going on at the back of his mind.
Suddenly Command1 came back to the place, where he was sitting before, filled the glass kept on table, till it overflowed, and finished it up in a single big swig. Again he returned to the window and got involved into his thoughts.
Command1 stood motionless for a while and suddenly hooted, “Yes!”, as if he found the solution.
“ Did you get some way out?” Command1 asked with a cheerful face.
But Command1 was not in a mood to disclose it now, he signaled Command2, “Come on... Come with me.. quick”
Command1 rushed outside the house, Command2 just followed him with confusion.
Continued…
Original Novel by Sunil Doiphode
English Version by Mugdha Apte
