8:27 PM
April 7, 2012
Whitefield, Bangalore
“You’re good! Damn good. My work identity card gave away the first one, surely. But, I avoided spilling any Falooda on my face or dress. How did you-”, said Shikha trailing off.
Vipin nodded and smiled. “Yes, the Identity card strap hanging out of your handbag – first. The empty Falooda glass on the waiter’s tray – third. It could’ve been Death by Chocolate as well. They serve it in the same type of glass as the Royal Falooda, but the strawberry stain on your book confirmed that it is the latter, which brings me to the second one – Incident on the Kalka Mail. It is the seventh story in that volume and it comes somewhere near the middle of the book, but in the first half. That’s where you’ve stained the book,” he deduced.
Shikha quickly checked her book and found the stain at the edges of a few pages at the said place. Frowning for a couple of moments, she asked the question that Vipin seemed to anticipate. “I didn’t open the book until now. You saw the stain from the outside? It could’ve happened when I closed the book, couldn’t it? Then why did you choose Incident on the Kalka Mail story?”
“Of course, a drop of your dessert fell on your book after you closed it and that’s why you didn’t notice it. But the bookmark helped me here. When I got a close look at the stain, I could see the small gap created by the bookmark where the stain had crept into the page. In addition to that, when I mentioned the book to you just a minute ago, you involuntarily turned and placed your fingers in the gap created by the bookmark and thanks to the doorway light that fell diagonally onto the top of the book from above, I could faintly see a new title and nothing else on the page. The title ended with -sh. I immediately started recollecting the chapter names in Feluda Vol 1, which ended with the letter ‘sh’ and were in the first half of the book and that’s it. “A Killer in Kailash” was the only title that matched the description and if you kept the bookmark there means that you finished the previous chapter which is of course – the Incident on the Kalka Mail. Fan-boy High-Five?” asked Vipin smiling gleefully.
Shikha looked up at the lights for a second and then straight into Vipin’s triumphant eyes. With an expression of awe, she completed the high-five saying, “Fan girl to fan boy, here we go!” Seconds later, the duo were walking towards the main road. Shikha checked her watch. Vipin asked, “So, what’s next? Heading home?”
“Yeah. What about you?” asked Shikha.
“Dinner and then home,” Vipin replied.
“Okay, then, I’ll see you some other time, Detective. I’m headed this way,” said Shikha, pointing to her right side.
“Good. Even I’m headed that way. There’s a good restaurant in Marathahalli. Meghdoot Biryani,” Vipin pointed out.
“Oh, I like that place as well. In fact, I live close to that place. Shall we share a cab, if you don’t mind?” Shikha asked.
Vipin smiled and nodded.
“This boneless Chicken Biryani is actually authentic and delicious!” exclaimed Shikha. Vipin’s half-nod was followed by “I know right”. Shikha hadn’t been to Meghdoot in a month, or that’s what she told Vipin in the cab as an excuse to join the detective for dinner. She was definitely curious and numerous questions were running in her mind ever since she saw him. At the moment though, the biryani had her sincere and utmost attention. In fact, even Vipin didn’t speak much while eating. It was only when the waiter came over to take the order for dessert that Vipin asked, “What should we order for dessert? Wait, you already ate Dessert before dinner. Are you sure you have room for more?” he enquired.
“Order only one then, we can share that. If that’s okay with you?” Shikha replied cheerfully.
“Shall we eat Jalebi then?” Vipin asked in Hindi.
“Yes, of course. Do they serve it with Rabdi or without?” Shikha replied in Hindi as well.
“Ma’am, we serve it with Rabdi usually. If you don’t want it, we will not include it, not a problem,” the waiter replied with a smile on his face.
“With. With Rabdi, right?” Shikha asked Vipin, who nodded instantly and the waiter walked away.
“Your backpack looks heavy. It seemed like you were in the middle of a case back then. What if someone peeked into its contents while you were away?” Shikha asked curiously.
“Mm. Good observation. I was at the end of a case, to be honest. Actually, when I was at that restaurant, I had started paperwork on one of my previous cases. There are a bunch of case files in the bag. That’s why it looks heavy. I had an epiphany and I immediately headed to Hoodi, where the case happened a week ago,” Vipin explained.
“Oh, I see. That explains everything,” replied Shikha.
It was at this moment that the waiter arrived with their dessert. Both immediately took a piece of Jalebi coated with sweet Rabdi and took a bite. Vipin’s half-nod this time was to confirm whether Shikha liked it. Shikha reciprocated likewise and continued eating. It was only when the last piece of Jalebi remained on the plate that Shikha asked, “If you don’t mind, may I take one?”
“Why not? Here, take this.” Vipin extended the plate towards Shikha, who pushed it towards Vipin immediately.
“One case file?” Shikha smiled.
Vipin let out a chuckle and nodded. “Sure. Choose any one out of the bunch and show it to me,” he said, handing over the backpack to Shikha. Shikha glanced at all the file names without taking them out as Vipin gobbled up the last Jalebi piece. A minute later, Shikha took a file out and kept it on the table. “This one?” she asked.
“Hmm, a good one. Yes,” Vipin replied. A lopsided smile came on his face.
“You play Chess or is it just the terminology that is used here?” Shikha asked.
“Both.”
The lopsided smile had turned into a full one. Shikha read loudly, “The Poisoned Pawn! Mazza aayega” (It’s going to be fun!)
“Sir, Bill!” said the waiter, emerging suddenly.
“Not Sir. Madam will pay the bill, give it here,” Shikha responded, smiling. Looking at Vipin, she said, “I insist. You pay next time when I return this”, gently tapping the file.
Vipin replied with yet another half-nod.
