The Providential Target

There was no timeline for justice, the empty walls of the hospital screamed. The large paneled windows had witnessed a catastrophe that they would probably never share with anyone. Some soiled papers lay on the floor, remnants of a forgotten history of excellence, service and hospitality. An empty room with three metallic beds and a few trolleys was all that Jules could see as she came over with her cameraman Harish for the coverage.

One thought kept unnerving her as she came back home after a night shift, a heavy that one, sustaining herself to write that last 500 - word report for the day. The killer was on the loose and no one had traces of how he looked like. The investigative bureau was working very hard to find the slightest of the proof that they could with an insurmountable vigilance after yesterday’s incidence.

In the countryside, a remorseful Sheena struggled to sleep at night. Her best friend and co-worker Keira had lost her entire family. It had been a week since Keira had not come to the office. It was their daily routine. Keira would constantly bitch about her family, and how she was unhappy to be in her house, and that given a chance the first thing she would do was flee away and settle down in some other city with a decent job and explore her life in a new light.

Sheena contemplated Keira’s state of mind who was sleeping alone in her empty house now. As much as Sheena knew Keira, it was clear that this would have been the most difficult time for her. Keira’s family had done such bad things to her in the past that often she found herself whining. But now there was no one and she was facing a sudden vacuum. They were killed in a fatal bombing attack that had happened in the city hospital a week and a half before.

Jules woke up the next day, as usual, curious to read the newspaper and her own column in it. She intuitively felt that probably there was some link between the killer about whom she had written a report last night and the bombing that had happened in the city hospital which she and Harish had partially witnessed when they were covering the incidence. She quickly called her boss Mr. Gardener and asked him for a suggestion to further probe into the story. Mr. Gardener was known for his ability to take wise decisions and Jules often looked up to him for answers. In a way, she was dependent on him about the furthering of the case.

Mr. Gardener’s phone rang. “Hello.”, he said. “He is safe and will reach the destination. Stop the investigation as soon as possible.”, a female voice said from the other side.

“Hey! Good morning Keira”, Sheena arrived uninformed at Keira’s house. Keira hurriedly hung up the phone and looked at her not realizing that she had not latched the door. “I am fine, how come you are here so early?”. “Nothing much…was thinking about you last night, thought I should meet you.” Sheena said. She was trying to call Keira for the past half an hour but could not get through.

"Hello Sir." Jules said. I have my suspicions about yesterday’s case.” “Leave that case, it is officially closed.” Mr. Gardener said and hung the phone.

Sheena spent the rest of the day with Keira cooking her a good meal and having long chats. It was long overdue for the two of them. Only in the late evening did she finally tell Keira that she would now have to go home as there were certain important phone calls she needed to make. Keira was very happy that Sheena was concerned for her and had taken so much effort to bring her back to life! She knew someday she would return the favor in some way.

Vroom… The car engine roared as Sheena put the gear-stick in the ‘P’ position and the headlights blinked. There were several messages on her mobile and she wished to answer them, but she first preferred to reach near her house. Just as she was to take the last turn which would take her car in the lane where she resided, she stopped the car. Sheena took her mobile and opened her message box. The message read: “Target achieved.”

The next morning Jules reached ‘The Brown Villas’, 13^th Avenue, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai to cover another murder story. As she entered the room no. 402, the stench of blood made her uncomfortable. Harish immediately started taking pictures of the dead body lying on the floor. She could not see the face of the victim as it was completely destroyed by multiple stabbings. Just then, the police sub-inspector reached and the investigation began.

 

When the constables went ahead to check the cupboards and drawers to find any belongings of the victim in the house, they found one identity card with a photo on it. Apparently, there was only one person living in that house, the woman, who was now dead, as there was no evidence indicating otherwise. As a routine procedure, the sub-inspector shared the identity card with Jules so that she can note down any required information from it. She held the card in her hand and read the name. It said, “Ms. Sheena Bootawala.”