The explosion came the next day. But, before I explain how it happened, I must describe what the day was like. It was cloudy, so Kanchenjunga couldn’t be seen. Feluda and I went out in the morning for a bit of shopping. Then we took a walk down Birch Hill Road before returning to our hotel. I left for Nayanpur Villa at eleven. Lalmohan Babu was already there, having practised his new lines to perfection. He had five lines today, and wasn’t required to light a cigar in a single shot. This gave an added bounce to his step. Pulak Ghoshal took seven shots with Lalmohan Babu. He was free by half past four. ‘There’s a jeep waiting, Laluda,’ Pulak Babu said, ‘you can go back any time.’ ‘Since I’ve managed to finish early today, Pulak, I think I’ll walk back.’ ‘Very well, just as you wish.’ ‘I like their tea,’ Lalmohan Babu confided when Pulak Ghoshal had gone, ‘so why don’t we wait until tea is served?’ By the time we had had tea, it was five o’clock. It took us another half an hour to reach the hotel. We found Feluda putting on his jacket rather hurriedly. ‘Going out?’ I asked. Feluda gave me a startled look. ‘But you were there! Didn’t you hear anything?’ ‘We left more than half an hour ago. No, we didn’t hear anything. What’s happened?’ ‘The old Mr Majumdar has been murdered.’ ‘Wha-a-a-t!’ Lalmohan Babu and I yelled together. ‘He rang me at about half past twelve,’ Feluda told us. ‘He said he had something important to tell me, so he’d see me here in the evening. And then this happened.’ ‘Who told you?’ ‘His son. Samiran Majumdar rang me five minutes ago. He said he had informed the police, but would like me to be there as well. It was he who found the body, when he went to see why his father hadn’t got up even after five. The door was shut, but not locked or bolted. Apparently, Mr Majumdar always left his door unlocked. Someone stabbed him in the chest. Their family doctor has already confirmed that stabbing was the cause of death. Whatever shooting remained has naturally been cancelled, and until the police finish their enquiries, it will have to stay cancelled. Anyway, I am going there. Would you like to come with me, or would you rather stay here?’ ‘Stay here? Felu Babu, how could we stay here after such news? Let’s go!’ We reached Nayanpur Villa at quarter past six. It was dark by this time, and had started to rain. Everyone from the film unit was still present. Pulak Ghoshal came forward to meet us. ‘What a terrible affair!’ he exclaimed. ‘None of us can quite believe it. What a nice man he was, so very

accommodating.’ I had already seen a police jeep standing outside. An inspector was waiting on the front veranda. He stretched out an arm towards Feluda. ‘I have heard a lot about you, Mr Mitter. I am Jatish Saha.’ ‘Pleased to meet you, Mr Saha,’ Feluda shook hands, ‘what exactly happened?’ ‘He was killed in his sleep, as far as one can make out.’ ‘The weapon?’ ‘A dagger. It’s still there, stuck in his chest. I believe it belonged to the victim. He had it in his room.’ ‘Has your own surgeon examined the body?’ ‘No, he hasn’t yet arrived, but we’re expecting him any minute. Why don’t you come in?’ Mr Majumdar’s bedroom was quite large. Lalmohan Babu and I remained standing near the door. Feluda went in with the inspector. The body was covered with a white sheet. ‘I’d like to tell you something,’ Inspector Saha said to Feluda, taking him aside. ‘We’ll carry out our own enquiries in the usual way. But if you want to make an independent investigation, please fee! free. The only thing I’d ask you to do is share your findings with us. If we learn anything useful, I’ll make sure you get to hear of it.’ ‘Thank you. You needn’t worry, Mr Saha. You’ll certainly get my full cooperation; and I don’t think I’ll get very far without yours.’ Samiran Majumdar entered the room, looking pale and dishevelled. ‘My sympathies, Mr Majumdar. You were the first to discover the body, weren’t you?’ Feluda asked. ‘Yes. My father set his alarm always at five. Then he used to go and sit on the veranda, where Lokenath used to bring him his tea. Today, when he still hadn’t appeared at quarter past five, I wondered what the matter was. So I came in here to check, and . . . found this!’ ‘This must be difficult for you, but do you have any idea who might have done this, and why?’ Feluda continued with his questions pacing in the room, his eagle eyes taking in every detail. ‘No. But I’ve noticed there’s something missing in this room.’ ‘What?’ ‘A small statue of Krishna, made of ashtadhatu. It was a very old family heirloom and most valuable.’ ‘Where was it kept?’ ‘On that shelf over there, next to the dagger that was used.’ ‘Why did you keep such a valuable object out in the open? Why wasn’t it locked away in a chest?’ Inspector Saha wanted to know. ‘Baba never slept at night. Besides, he always had his revolver with him. So none of us ever thought there was any danger of theft.’ ‘Well, now it looks as though robbery was the motive. How much was it worth, do you think?’ ‘At least sixty-five thousand. Although there were eight metals, it was chiefly made of gold.’ Feluda picked up a pencil from a bedside table and said, ‘The point is broken, and the broken portion is lying right here.’ There was a small writing pad on the table. Feluda bent over it, and murmured, ‘The top page was torn off, I think.’ Then he began inspecting the floor around the table,

kneeling to get a closer