For Rakesh, it was, as usual, a normal boring day in the Kanti Nagar Police Station. By the way, Rakesh was a constable in Kanti Nagar Police Station and my friend. The daily chores include dealing with small thieves, sometimes chain snatcher and murderers once in six months along with writing FIRs but that day was different. Rakesh didn’t expect that he would encounter something of that sort. He was having his second tea of the day when a man dragging a big black suit in one hand and carrying a blue umbrella in his other hand entered the police station. A screeching sound, his black suit made with the floor caught everyone’s attention.

‘I want to register a complaint’, he said adjusting his umbrella on the suitcase.

Yeah, sit down. I will write your complaint. Don’t panic. Are you coming from somewhere?’ Rakesh asked.

‘Please, write the complain first.’

‘Okay, tell me your name first. It is required.’

‘It’s P. Mascarenhas.’

‘Okay. Tell me what happened?’

‘I have witnessed a murder. He was brutally killed.’

‘Who was killed? Do you know who was killed?’

‘No, I don’t know. I just saw him dying.’

‘When did this happen? And where?’

‘It happened yesterday only, near the lakeside.’

‘Okay. Are you by any chance related to the victim.’

‘No. I don’t know him.’

‘Okay. Let me see into the matter. We will inform if we will find anything. Have you seen the murderer? Or you suspicious of some person?’

‘No.’

‘Okay, will let you know if we found anything. Anything else we can do for you, Mr. Mascerenhas?’

‘Yes, I want to make a confession. Who will write?’

‘What? What confession?’

‘Ohh, you only will write? I murdered the person you have written about in the FIR.’

‘What? Are you mad? Playing with me?’ You don’t know, who I am. I will put you in prison!’

‘Prison? For killing a person? Are you serious?’ he said.

‘Saahab….Saahab,’ he started shouting to call his senior. The inspector came instantly after hearing him shouting.

‘What happened?’ He came and asked.

‘Sir, this man is playing with me. First, he registered a complaint of a murder and then saying he only committed the murder.’

‘Sir, I am serious. I killed Pramod and I am here to confess. Is that wrong?’

‘Why did you kill him?’

‘Because he asked me to kill him.’

‘Why would he ask you to kill him?’

‘I didn’t ask him. I promised him, I would do whatever he asks for without any question. Just fulfilled my promise’

‘He is lying. Definitely lying. Tell me, where is the dead body?’ Inspector asked.

He instantly started unlocking the big black suitcase. Both the cops were scared, just thinking about what they would see next. The suitcase opened and clothes started falling on the floor.

‘No. The dead body is not in the bag. I was searching for the handkerchief, sweating because of nervousness. I buried the dead body near the lake.’

‘Rao…Rao,’ the inspector called his other teammate. Go and search near the lake. See, is there any dead body buried or not? And also, check casually who all are in the family of this Pramod. Don’t tell them anything until you find the body. Till then, I speak to this Wannabe Murderer,’ he said and Rao left with other team members.

‘Why did you answer ‘no’, when I asked you about knowing about the murderer?’ Rakesh asked.

‘You asked, did I see the murderer. No, I haven’t seen my self in the mirror after killing Pramod. You also asked about being suspicious of anyone. I know exactly, who is the murderer,’ he said and laughed.

‘Rakesh put him behind the bars and ask Dhave to go to his house and search.’

‘You cannot put me behind bars. I am not proven guilty yet. I want to go to the church behind the police station. You can send a cop with me if you want.’

‘Okay. Rakesh will go with you.’ He asked Rakesh to go with him.

A few Hours Later*

Telephone Ringing**

‘Yes Dhave, tell me?’

‘Sir, this is little complicated. This P. Mascarenhas does not live in the house, he gave the address of. It is a paying guest hostel. He lived here for the last 3 days only. Before that, he lived at a place for 7 days, and before that at some other place. In past one and a half months, he has lived in almost 20 places with the same name. Everywhere, he said that he is working on some project. The last place where is lived is near Sham Nagar. Everyone is saying that he is one black bag and an umbrella.’

‘Ohh, you come to police station fast.’

Inspector quickly dialed Rao’s number.

‘Rao, have you found anything?’

‘Sir, there is one body, but the body is completely rotten. This doesn’t look like a two-day old case. It looks like as it is there for more than a month. There is a wallet found near the body. Inside the wallet, there is a laminated driving license of Pramod Kashyap. Should I inform his family now?’

‘Yes, but what will you tell?’

‘I don’t know sir.’

‘Still, check casually first.’

He quickly dialed the number of Rakesh.

‘Rakesh, what happened? Why are you not here with this Mascarenhas?’

‘Sir, sorry, but this Mascarenhas is very clever. He deceived me to go inside the Church and now he is nowhere. I am trying to find him.’

‘What? And the suitcase?’

‘Sir, the suitcase is here with me but I can’t find him.’

‘I want him in any case or you will lose your job.’

Phone cut*

An Hour later

Phone ringing again*

‘Yes, Rao tell me’

‘Sir, I was right. This Pramod Kashyap left home one and a half month ago, after having a small fight with his family. When he last left his home, he had one black bag and a blue umbrella. Since then, they could not find him. I think he has committed suicide and people there have buried him.’

‘Maybe. So this Mascarenhas is lying.’

‘Sir, did you just say Mascarenhas?’

‘Yes. Why?’

‘Sir, Pramod fought with his family because lately he was inclined more towards Christianity. He even changed his religion and used to call him Pramod Mascarenhas.’

‘Shit! Pramod Kashyap, Pramod Mascarenhas or P. Mascarenhas.’