Chapter 1 - Man With a Cigar

A Chapter by Sumedh Wavhal

A dead body of a man in a car Engulfed in snow was found. Detective Thomson was Appointed to investigate the scene.

It was a night, not a normal one, maybe darkest for a lady and a beautiful 6 year old girl standing at song distance from a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. The snow was covering the car as if it wanted to engulf the man sitting in the car immobile. The lady was crying like she had lost a part of her body which was keeping her alive, her soul. The girl was looking at her confused, holding her hand tightly. Her glittering eyes were moving from a broken car to her mother’s face. She knew it was her father’s car. And when she couldn’t control the load of questions coming into her innocent and pure mind, she asked her mother, “mother, why those people are taking pictures of papa’s car? Is father selling the car because it is broken?” her mother looked at innocent face the girl who wasn’t aware about what death is and said, “yes honey! Your father will never be able to take us to cinema in that car anymore.” And she let her tears out. “Is that why you are crying?” girl asked. Lady kept weeping and a police officer walked towards her and stopped in front of the lady.

Lieutenant Morris said, “I am sorry for your loss Mrs. March. I have some questions that needed to be answered. We are not able to get a lead.”

“What do you mean by you are not getting a lead. They killed my husband right in the centre of the city and you are not able to get an eye witness?”

“Ma’am, we are trying our best to find out who did this. Maybe it is done by some mobsters who find happiness in killing people or maybe it is a planned and organized crime. Did your husband have any enemies?”

“He seemed a little disturbed from few days. I asked but he didn’t tell me anything.”

Morris looked at a black Austin Healey which slowed down right in front of the crime scene. And a muscular man stepped out of the car wearing a black coat and a hat on his head. He looked at the broken car. A young police officer ran towards him and said, “Mr. you can’t stop here. It is an crime scene.” He looked at the young officer, smiled and took a drag of the Cigar which he was holding between two fingers like a gentleman and said, “Well, my mother gave me birth in a hospital where some police officers were investigating a crime and from that day I am always present where there is a crime scene.” He looked at Morris who was walking towards him. They shook hands with each other. “I was expecting you ‘Detective Thomas’!” Morris said it while looking at the new officer and pointed him towards the lady. He walked towards the lady like a good lad.

Thomson removed his coat and handed it to an Officer and started observing the Car with his eyes wide open. Morris was looking at the different shades that were changing on his Face. His dark eyes were showing that he has gone in the past and living the scene that has happened in there. Thomson walked towards the left side of the car, the door and the wing mirror was broken. He looked at the road coming from left side of the square. The car was definitely hit by a Car, intentionally. He noted down something on the diary he was carrying in his hand. He put a hand on the roof of the car for support and he felt something to his hand which has stuck into the roof of the car. He looked and it was a Bullet. An eye witness has told that he heard three shots fired. Thomson could see three on the roof of the car and one into the head of the man sitting in the car. Thomson looked up for finding the spot from where the shots has been fired and his eyes stopped on a window, which was open and appropriate for the angle that bullets has made with the roof. Thomson was done with the car now and he started walking towards the body of the man which was lying on stretcher.

The young officer came back from the lady, who has gone back to her home with her little daughter. He whispered something in the ear of Morris. Morris looked at him surprisingly and then towards Thomson.

“He is brother of Commander March. The lady just gave us this information and told us that commander March isn’t in the country right now. He is gone to UK for some work.” Morris said to Thomson.

Commander March was a friend of Thomson. They used to study together in school but then their ways separated due to their different careers.

“we should talk with commander March when he will be back. Keep me informing about new updates.” Thomson said while walking towards his car with Morris. They shook hands again. Thomson sat into car and disappeared from the vision of Morris in a little span of time. Morris could hear the fading sound of his Austin Healey.

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