Nobody Returns From Badolgaon IV

The message was chilling and unambiguous. The assassin had not only made his determination known but also shown his lethal effectiveness. The shadow of death cast over them had brought telling change in their behavior. First vehement indignation and noisy determination to combat the unknown killer then a period self pity, ‘why me?’ lament and finally quiet of deep depression. They all were suddenly were very quiet, deeply engrossed in their own thoughts. After a while E Babu said,

   ‘This man cannot accomplish his mission without someone helping him from among us. There has to be an aide of this killer among us. It is a possibility that the killer is one of us; the stranger was just a diversion, a dummy told to play a role to put up a smokescreen of deception. Yes the more I think, the more I am convinced that the killer is one among us.’

‘One of us! But we are a family,’ cried Manyawar Diwakar.

‘Yes we are family alright but a generation or two separated to be immediate family. Something gross, very unfair meted out to someone in the family during this time, so much so that the person is taking extraordinary risks to avenge the wrong. We have to dig into our history to find that out. ’

  ‘Budhi Caulla was the only one who had the knowledge of family going back a long time in past. Now there is a Madan Bahi, quite eccentric, lives at the narrow crevice where Chandakhal structure folds. He may possibly have some clue to this conundrum.’

‘OK, we will see him tomorrow’

Bhai Hari now woke to his responsibility, asserting his position as head of the clan said, ‘Alright everybody, be very careful. I think someone should guard while others sleep. May be we can take turns to keep an eye through the night’

‘No need’ said E Babu, ‘The assassin is not only ingenious and clever but also rates himself invincible and a man of finesse. He will not make a crude move.’

     

Bahi Hari wouldn’t listen to this argument. Lined up a roster for a pair of men to stay awake and watch over the house in shifts of two hours. The first to take turn were Sir Prabhakar and Chacha Reba. All the remaining five of them Bhai Hari, Manyawar Diwakar, Bahi Girish, Acharya Shubhakar and E babu accommodated in the same big room adjoining the terrace.

After two hours it was turn of Bhai Girish and Manyawar Diwakar so they went in to wake them up.  To their utter amazement and horror they saw a heavy knife plunged into the chest of sleeping Bhai Hari. A thick torn string attached to the handle of knife as if it was hanging from the ceiling, the thread broke knife fell, plunging through the heart of Bhar Hari. The poor fellow  never got chance to even utter a word. Bhai Hari of course was dealt card showing 'knife'.


to be contd..............