I,J,K,L

Scene 1: Kevin reached to third floor B Wing. Mani was already waiting for him. 

Kevin: I brought twice the money you had asked. 

Kevin passed a bulgy envelope to Mani. Mani took a long look at Kevin before grabbing the envelope and sliding them into his pocket. 

Mani: I am warning you. If I get caught, I will rat you out without a second thought.

Kevin: I know. Listen to me. If you do exactly as I say, we will not get caught.

Kevin: Today at around 11 AM, the police inspector will bring a suspect called Issac to meet your Chief doctor. The doctor will administer a drug called Sodium Thiopental to Issac orally.

Kevin continued. 

Kevin: After taking the drug, Issac will fall into a sleepy hypnotic state immediately but it will take some good 15 minutes for the drug to take full effect. They can start the investigation only after that. So the doctor would step out of the room to see other patients till the drug takes full effect. The inspector will get a call that keeps him busy for the next fifteen minutes. So he would also step out of the room, leaving you alone with Issac. 

Kevin paused for a minute and handed over a paper to Mani. 

Kevin: I have written a story in this paper. After the drug is administered, wait for 7 minutes, make sure no one is in the room except you and Issac, and then read this story into Issac’s ears. Be slow. Leave a pause between every sentence. Issac cannot follow your story otherwise. 

Kevin: Sodium thiopental would have started disabling Issac’s higher cognitive abilities by that time. He will not be able to do any complicated tasks like lying, which makes the drug an ideal candidate for interrogating suspects. But it also makes our job easier. Once you read the story, go into the washroom, tear the paper into tiny pieces, roll it in a wet toilet paper, and flush it.

Mani: And then?

Kevin: That’s it. You go back to your normal day job as a nurse.

Mani: So I just have to read a story to a passed out guy 

Kevin: Yes. But make sure no one is in the room when you are reading the story and destroy the story afterward. 

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Scene 2: Chief Doctor’s Cabin. Mani was sitting in the room’s corner. He watched the chief doctor give a Milky white-colored solution to Issac. Issac drank the solution after a little protest. 

Doctor: Issac, calm down. we will find out if you are innocent in another 15 minutes. Just close your eyes and lie down. You will go into a peaceful sleep. 

After a few minutes, both the doctor and the inspector walking outside just like Kevin had anticipated. Mani waited for few more minutes and came closer to Issac. He started reading the story from the paper.

Mani: Once upon a time, all the Alphabets were living happily in a small town. But none of the alphabets were happy as I and J. Both I and J were close friends since childhood. After growing up, I fell in love with L. I loved L very much. Even after marrying L, I and J remained best friends. But everything changed one day. I found out that L is sleeping with J. I got enraged and invited J home for Christmas. Then I stabbed J in the neck with a knife and killed him.

The story ended abruptly. Mani could not make any sense. He disposed of the paper as instructed and went back to the room’s corner and waited. Few minutes passed by. Both doctor and inspector entered the room together. 

The Doctor signaled the Inspector to be silent, pulled up a chair, and sat close to Issac.

Doctor: Issac… Issac… ISSAC… 

Issac stirred.

Doctor: Can you hear me?

Issac: Yes 

Doctor: What’s your name?

Issac: Issac

Doctor: Do you know Who is Jay?

Issac: Yes. I and J are friends

Doctor: Do you know what happened to Jay?

Issac: Yes, J was murdered.

The doctor paused and glanced at the inspector. He was listening intently to every word. The doctor took a deep breath and continued.

Doctor: Who killed Jay?

Issac: I killed J

Doctor: why?

Issac: Because I found out that J was sleeping with L. So I killed J.

The doctor looked at the inspector puzzled. Inspector leaned in and whispered into the doctor’s ears.

Inspector: El is this guy’s wife. 

Doctor: ok Issac, tell me more about El. 

Issac: I loved L very much. Even after marrying L, I and J remained best friends. But everything changed one day. I found out that L is sleeping with J. I got enraged and invited J home for Christmas. Then I stabbed J in the neck with a knife and killed him.

Scene 3: Outside Chief Doctor’s room. Kevin was waiting impatiently. He saw the inspector come outside and rushed to him.

Kevin: Inspector…. did you find out who killed my brother?

Inspector: Yes, we found out who killed Jay.

Kevin: Who is it, inspector? 

Inspector: Before I tell you that, let me tell you a story.

Inspector: Once upon a time there were two friends called I and J in a small town. I and J were co-founders of a successful company. J had a younger brother called K. Poor K did not know that police video record the entire interrogation even when they are not in the room.

Inspector put his hand on Kevin’s shoulder.

Inspector: K thought if he could kill J, put the blame on I, spoil the name of L, with the help of M, he could take over the company. But then came the next two letters N and O as reply.

The End.