Four

We stood outside the main door. Ushapati Babu had followed us, the look of astonishment still lingering on his face. As he began to close the door, he said, “Please forgive us, considering our state of mind. Namaskar.”

The door was nearly shut when Byomkesh said, “What’s that?”

I had not noticed it before, but now, about a hand’s breadth above the lower threshold on the outside of the door, a golden disc gleamed. Ushapati Babu paused in the act of closing the door. The disc was slightly larger than a silver rupee. Byomkesh bent down to examine it, running his finger over it. “A tinsel disc, fastened to the door with a tack,” he said.

Straightening up, he asked Ushapati Babu, “What is this?”

Ushapati Babu replied hesitantly, “I don’t know. I don’t recall seeing it before.”

Byomkesh said, “Someone has put it here recently. If there were children in the house, it would make sense. But—perhaps you should inquire?”

Ushapati Babu called for Sahadev, who, as usual, said, “I know nothing about it, Babu.” Chumki, too, had nothing to say. Shitanshu added, “When I came home yesterday evening, it wasn’t there.”

My mind began to whirl with thoughts. Had the murderer of Satyakam left this as a clue to his identity? A challenge worthy of Harton! Such things are seen in sensational novels. But—

No clue could be found. We took our leave.

Once out on the street, Byomkesh glanced at his watch and said, “It’s not yet ten o’clock. Come on—”

Byomkesh Samagra

“Let’s take a turn by the thana.”

As we walked towards the police station, Byomkesh asked at one point, “You heard the family’s statement. What did you think?”

That very question had been circling in my own mind. I replied, “None of them seemed particularly grief-stricken.”

Byomkesh said, “There’s a proverb: ‘A little sorrow makes one faint, too much sorrow turns one to stone.’”

I said, “There may be such a proverb, but the behavior of Ushapati Babu and his wife didn’t seem natural at all. Satyakam may not have been a good boy, may well have tormented his parents with his unruliness, all that could be true. Still, he was their son. Their only son. I believe there’s something deeply wrong in this family.”

“Of course. Satyakam himself was a deep flaw. Anyway, did you understand the meaning of the tinsel disc on the door?”

“No. Did you?”

“It could be entirely accidental. But if it’s not—”

Arriving at the thana, we found that the officer in charge, Bhabanibabu, was an acquaintance. An elderly man; he was working with a cross-kent spread open on the table. He didn’t seem particularly pleased to see us. Still, after displaying the necessary courtesies, he said in a low voice, “Why are you mixed up in this again?”

Byomkesh replied, “Got caught up by a twist of fate.”

Bhabanibabu, still speaking softly as before, said, “The boy was a thorough scoundrel. Whoever killed him did the world a favor. Such a man deserves a medal.”

Byomkesh said, “Indeed. Do as you see fit, I have no wish to interfere. I only want to know—”

Bhabanibabu pierced him with a sharp look and said, “Truth-seeking? What do you want to know?”

“The post-mortem report hasn’t come yet, I suppose?”

“No. We might get it by evening.”

“I’ll call you after evening—was death caused by a gunshot?”

“Not a large gun, a pistol or revolver. The bullet entered the left side of the back, but didn’t exit in front. It’s still lodged inside the body. The hole in the back is very small, so it seems to be a pistol or revolver.”

“The hole’s in the back, so whoever fired was behind Satyakam.”

“Yes. Perhaps he was hiding in the bushes inside the gate, and the moment Satyakam stood in front of the main door, he fired, then slipped out through the gate.”

“Hm. Did you know there’s a gymnasium club in this para?”

“I know. It’s not their doing. They might rough someone up, but not kill—they’re all gentlemen’s sons.”

Gentlemen’s sons don’t kill—hearing that from a policeman was novel. But Byomkesh let it pass, and said, “Speaking of gentlemen’s sons, Satyakam’s cousin lives in the house, have you seen him?”

Bhabanibabu smiled a little. “I’ve seen him. He’s known to the police.”

“Really? What has he done?”

Rokter Daag 575

“The boy was decent enough, but during the last riots, his father was murdered by Muslims. Since then, his nature has changed. We suspect he’s committed at least three murders. Of course, there’s no solid proof.”

“From the look in his eyes, I had a similar suspicion. Do you think he’s involved in this matter?”

“Nothing can be said for certain, Byomkesh Babu. Where someone like Satyakam is concerned, anything is possible. However, as far as I could learn, when the murder took place, he was inside the house. Hearing Sahadev’s scream, his uncle and he reached the front door together. Since Satyakam was shot from behind, it wouldn’t have been possible for him.”

Byomkesh asked, “Would it have been possible to shoot from the roof?”

Bhabanibabu replied, “If the shot had come from the roof, the bullet would have entered from above and gone downward. But the bullet went from the back to the front. Therefore—”

At that moment, the telephone rang. Bhabanibabu exchanged a few words over the phone and then told us, “I have to leave at once. An urgent summons—”

“We’ll be going too.” Byomkesh stood up and said, “By the way, what things were with Satyakam at the time of his death—?”

“They’re in the next room, go and have a look.” Saying this, Bhabanibabu began fastening his belt.

In the adjoining room, several items lay on a table. I immediately recognized the gold cigarette case. Besides that, there was a whisky flask, a leather wallet, a small electric torch, and a few other things. Byomkesh glanced over them and returned.