Elementary, Dear Vasan

Prologue: In Bangalore lives the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes. He thinks so, of himself. His name is Curlocks Om and lives with his best friend, Vasan. The two friends live in a two-bedroom apartment in a non-descript locality. Vasan is a budding writer and documents in detail the exploits of Curlocks. You guessed it right, Curlocks has curly hair and is so nicknamed. 

I called out aloud "Curlocks, Do you wish to go with me to Kalimpong? 

Curlocks came out of his room with a bored look on his face and looked askance at me.

Me: I got an invite for a writers' workshop. It is being held in a monastery, Bodhisatva, amidst the hills of Kalimpong. It is for a week and we could stay for a couple of more days.

Curlocks immediately said yes. Without work he got bored. He had inherited a sizeable sum from his father and didn't have to work for a living. 

A month later we were flying to Bagdogra airport. The Pilot's voice woke me up from my slumber. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am your Pilot Raghav. We will be landing in about fifteen minutes. Look out for the view of the Himalayas to your right and don't miss the sight of Kanchanjungas. 

I thanked him for his announcement. Otherwise, I would have missed the magnificent views of the Himalayan peaks. 

Manish, our appointed driver was already there to pick us up and we were on our way. It took us four hours of bumpy ride broken only by a brief stop for a cup of ginger tea. The tea pepped us up for the remaining part of the journey. 

It was already dark although the time was only nearing 1800hrs. Maharaj at the reception greeted us and called for an aide to show us our suite room. He said "Dinner is ready and will close by 1900 hrs. 

From our room, one could see the mountains lit up like a Diwali night. I could guess that these were dwellings of people. I went to sleep hearing the nightly insects in conversation with each other. 

Three days of the workshop had gone off in a jiffy. Our tutor was one Chintan. He was one of those who quit the rat race, and retreated to the Himalayas. He has now taken to writing and also encouraged others to write through such workshops.

My friend Curlocks spent his time lazing around, exploring the books in the library. I found him to be in a silent mode, introspecting about life.

Sandy one of the participants called me and said there had been some theft and a few people had lost some money. The moment I heard him say theft I put the phone in speaker mode.

I asked "What, Sandeep? Did you say theft?

Curlocks sat up on the couch like a dog with his ears straining. 

Sandy: "Yes, three people's money got stolen from their wallet, including mine. Please see if your money is intact."

Me: "I always carry my money with me. So does my friend . No worries. Anyway thanks for the caution." I hung up.

It was time for dinner and we were about to proceed when we heard a knock on the door. Maharaj came in accompanied by a monk dressed in robes. 

Monk said: I am Djonge. I wanted to meet Curlocks.

Curlocks looked askance at me and I nodded. He bowed to the monk and said "I am Curlocks. What have you sold? he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Monk let that remark pass in a zen style and said "There has been some theft. I beg you to resolve this fast and quietly. We have a reputation to preserve."

 "It is a done thing" quipped Curlocks. He added," You can carry on with your meditation without any disturbance."

Maharaj: "You both have your dinner when I will brief you."

Dinner was pasta and soup. Maharaj briefed saying that two participants had lost their money. Rishab on the second day of the workshop didn't report but told only Sandy. When the Alka too lost the money they got alert and Rishab reported the matter to the monk. Then Nivedita, the wife of the tutor lost her money on the third day afternoon. 

Both Rishab and Alka were at the workshop from quarter to nine in the morning until five in the evening. The theft occurred at any time during the day. 

Nivedita was sure that her money must have been stolen between 3 and 415 pm. It was when she joined the participants for tea and stayed over for the last session. She had opened her wallet to use the chapstick on her dry lips before going for tea. 

She had withdrawn Rs ten thousand the previous evening when they had gone out to the town for dinner. She lost five thousand. 

Curlocks and Maharaj walked up to the room where he could watch the CCTV recordings.  He came back in the wee hours. Curlocks had a triumphant look. Between his yawns, he said, "I will brief you  tomorrow."

As I went to bed I thought to myself that this episode would become my first story after this workshop. Readers will find it engaging, I mused. 

I had a disturbed sleep that night and woke up with the Sunrise and took a walk around. I could see at one end of the monastery was the three-storeyed building. It had single dorms with common bathrooms. I passed by single rooms with attached bathrooms. I noticed the café with open windows, tables and benches and a coffee machine at the counter. I climbed up on the terrace of the dining room to see that Kalimpong was a town nestled amid mountains. Kanchanjunga was beyond the mountains on the north-west side. The whole view looked verdant and the sky was a clear blue with sunshine. 

We had a quick lunch. Curlocks said it is the case of Nivedita that points out towards the thief. Since the window of opportunity got restricted to between 3 and 415 pm. 

It was 301 pm when the CCTV closest to the suite room sighted Nivedita. The one at the foyer sighted her at 303 pm. Parvathy notices Nivedita passing by. A moment later she stops her work and hurries towards the direction Nivedita came from. Next Curlocks showed clipping from the reception room. Parvathi enters the reception at 3:06 pm. She looks to sweep the reception area. At 3:08 she picks up a key from a tray on the desk and leaves with the broom outside. One could see Parvathi next in the CCTV nearest to the suite at 3:10 pm. Yet again at 3:13 pm. 

Curlocks paused and asked, "Did you notice anything?"

I said nothing. Curlocks "watch once again." As he replayed the shot.

I : aha! She goes in with a broom and comes out without it. 

"Indeed" exclaimed Curlocks and went on to show me the next clipping.

At the reception area, one could see Parvathi entering at 3:15 pm and leaving the key. She slaps her forehead with her hand. She must have realised she doesn't have the broom in her hand. She rushes out. 

In the CCTV next to the suite she is running at 3:16 pm and once again returning at 3:17 pm with a broom in her hand. 

In the CCTV at the foyer, Parvathi resumes her work at 3: 22 pm as she mops up the sweat on her brows. 

Curlocks looked at me and said " I realised that the evidence points out towards Parvathi. Intuitively I felt something wrong. I  decided to scroll through the rest of the recording to see for the missing piece."

Then he showed the clipping from the recording. Now I could see Maharaj captured in the CCTV at 4 pm and once returning back at 405 pm. 

I exclaimed "was it Maharaja, then."

Curlocks said "not so easily." Curlocks said he went back to the CCTV recordings at earlier dates. "It was on 19th I saw Maharaja once again in the same CCTV recordings at 11 am.  Once again at 1115 am. He may have gone to meet Nivedita." I also went back to the recording when Parvathi saw Nivedita passing by. At a closer look Nivedita seem to tell her something." 

Curlocks continued. I met with Nivedita and asked her if anything happened between her and Maharaja. She showed some discomfort and declined to talk about it. When I coaxed her she said Maharaja had made a pass at her. When I asked Nivedita if she told Parvathi something while passing by her she had told me that she asked Parvathi to clean the room as she had spilled some juice.

I confronted Maharaja. He confessed to his folly. In order to teach Nivedita he decided to rob her money. To deflect the matter away from him he stole some money from others too. He found an opportunity to pin the case on Parvathi when he saw Parvathi in the CCTV recordings.  

"What happens next" I asked.

Maharaja had already apologised to Nivedita which she accepted. She didn't want anyone to know of the incident.  Maharaja returned the stolen money to the owners. I told the Monk  that the case stands closed. He didn't want any further details either. 

I asked Curlocks "Why do you think Maharaja was so foolish? Everyone knows here CCTVs got installed."

Curlocks said " Everyone about the CCTV installation. But not the fact that Monk alone can switch off the CCTV in his room only. The Switch outside the CCTV monitoring room was only a dummy. Maharaja in his desperation thought he had switched off the CCTV. When I saw the recordings the cookie  crumbled. 

It was a fruitful workshop for me and I ask the readers to join me in partaking in the fruit of my labour.