Crimes At Corners - Seasons 2

  • 10 Nov - 16 Nov, 2018
  • Salaar Laghari
  • Fiction

Maimoona Alam,…” Nasir Ghias answered Zafar’s question in the episode, “…had no desire to live.”

“Could you rephrase that?” Zafar asked not understanding the statement.

“What I’m trying to tell you is that Maimoona was fed up with her life. She had no desire to live. I know this because I was really close to her.”

“Yes, I agree but why do you think that nobody else knows that?”

“I’m not saying nobody knew, I’m just saying that no one would reveal this the way I did.”

“I see,” Zafar exclaimed. “Well that’s another thing, but tell us Mr. Nasir that why was she doing this.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean to ask, why do you think that she wanted to commit suicide?”

“Oh… well there were plenty of reasons, not just one.”

“Such as?”

“She missed her parents. Other than that she was not satisfied with her fame.”

“Really? How come? I mean she was among the top best celebrities of Pakistan, what else could she possibly want?”

“She wanted to go to Hollywood.”

“Hollywood?”

“Yes, and wanted to be an icon. She was very ambitious.”

Zafar was impressed. Nasir continued speaking:

“Being ambitious is good thing but seeking it direly becomes a burden that you can’t detach from yourself. If it disappoints you, then it’s useless to achieve your goals.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let me put it in clear words based on facts. Facts of Maimoona Alam’s real life. Few years back, she shared her ambitions with me. Whatever position she had in the film industry during the time she died, she dreamed of it three years back.”

“And?”

“And now when she had achieved it, sooner than she was expecting, instead of celebrating her success she always craved for more.”

“But that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“Are you kidding me?” Nasir asked seriously.

“No, absolutely not!”

“Oh come on! How can it make you feel happy when you are never satisfied from your life? How can you ever be satisfied with whatever you have accomplished?”

“Ok, I get your point. But this conversation is going somewhere else. Tell me more about Maimoona Alam’s life.”

“Ok, what do you want to know?”

“First of all, there was this rumour that you threatened to kill her, what would you like to comment on that.”

“You said it yourself, it’s a rumour.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I think I don’t need to justify a mere rumour.”

“Well, you’re right, but at least tell us how you felt when you heard about it for the first time.”

“A sensible man should believe what he hears from his own ears.”

Rehan wasn’t enjoying the episode, so he stood up and walked towards the kitchen. Maria looked at him and asked:

“Where are you going?”

“To get some snacks,” he answered.

“Could you get me a glass of water please?”

“Sure.”

Maria continued watching the episode and realised that she was also not enjoying the episode quite as much as she used to.

“Alright ladies and gentlemen,” Zafar spoke in the episode, “Please stay tuned, we’ll be back after a short break.”

Rehan came holding a glass of water. Maria asked him:

“Are you going to watch the rest of it?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I won’t either.”

Rehan didn’t speak anything and she switched off the television.

********

Three Days Later

Rehan was sitting at a having some soft drink and was thinking about his boredom that he got to go through during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And Crimes at Corners’ show was not part of those days.

When will this stop? Rehan asked himself. I haven’t seen any new episode. Nor have I heard anything new in the news channels.

He took a sip of his drink and then thought for a while. He further spoke:

Why isn’t Mr. Kevin Rollins returning my phone calls by the way? I just hope he is ok and he hasn’t gotten into any trouble.

He finished his drink and walked towards the exit of the restaurant.

An hour later, he was at home with Maria. They were sitting together on a couch and were waiting for the episode to begin. Rehan was hoping for something exciting as he was tired of nothing new since three days.

As the episode began, Zafar appeared standing at the reception of the hotel. He began his speech:

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen! Today, let me begin by saying that more than 75 per cent of our case has been resolved.

I talked to the security guys sitting behind the CCTV cameras once again and asked them to show me the footage of the night when Maimoona Alam and her husband were murdered. At first, it was a little unclear but now it is completely visible. The good news is that we have spotted the assailant. In the video captured from the CCTV camera, his face is not perfectly visible, but through some face recognising software, we have acquired his Facebook ID and now we have his clear picture with front view.”

A picture of a guy with dark complexion appeared on screen.

“You can see him on screen,” Zafar continued, “he is the serial killer who killed the two TV stars, but the important question is, who hired him to do this job.”

“Oh God,” Maria uttered, “they have found out the murderer.”

“Well, it’s not exactly like that,” Rehan replied.

“What do you mean? Then what is it?”

“The guy they are showing on screen is not the real murderer. He is just an assailant.”

“I know that but once they find him it would not be difficult for them to get to the real criminal.”

“Not necessarily! He knows by now that he is caught.”

“If only he watches Crimes at Corners regularly.”

“Regardless of that he will find it through news channels or newspapers. But when he does, the next thing he’ll do is to escape from the city. He’ll hide somewhere.”

“Well, he might get caught while trying to do so.”

“Unless he uses his own transport.”

They watched the episode and saw the killer’s face. Only two of his pictures were being displayed. Zafar narrated:

“Alright, now we’ll show you the video that was captured on the night of murder.”

A slightly unclear video was playing. Outside the room where Maimoona and her husband were staying, a dark complexioned guy was standing. He was looking around and was hoping to get inside as quickly as possible.

He turned his face towards the side where the camera was installed. The same video was played again and again. Rehan commented:

“They are not showing that he entered inside.”

“Yes, I was thinking about the same.”

“So, what does this really mean? Are they hiding something or they don’t really have the complete video?”

“I don’t know, anything is possible.”

While in the episode, Zafar spoke:

“This guy hails from Sialkot. And his name is Ali Athar as per his Facebook profile. We are still clueless about his profession.”

“You’ve got to admit…” Maria spoke, “they are quite smart.”

“Who?”

“The team of Crimes at Corners. I mean they are well equipped and always up to date. Their efforts cannot be underestimated or ignored.”

“Yes! But I still think that Kevin Rollins can do something better than what they are doing.”

“Let’s see.”

They watched the whole episode. They were showing the same footage again and again. After a while, they started to display the pictures of the serial killer. In the background, Zafar was narrating:

“We have asked the police to start investigations as per our findings. And we are personally working on finding actual criminal who conspired to murder the married couple.”

“I wish they get successful with their mission,” Maria spoke in a low voice.

“Well, I wish for the truth to be revealed and uncovered.”

“Right!”

They watched the episode for a while until Rehan’s cell phone began to ring. He answered the call.

“Hello?”

There was no response from the other side. Rehan spoke again.

“Hello? Who is it?”

“It’s me Kevin,” the caller spoke from the other side.

“Hi, how are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good, tell me where you are? Have you returned from Sialkot?”

“Yes! I have, and I have discovered a lot. In fact I have found the murderer behind.”

“Really? And you know what, Crimes at Corners team has also figured out who the real killer is.”

“I know, I’m watching the same episode.”

“Really?” Rehan asked getting surprised.

“And I want you to know that their facts and findings are not correct. They are not giving the real information.”

“What? What are you saying? How can you be so sure on that?”

“This video that they are displaying is not quite clear and the killer’s face is not visible.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Trust me Rehan, what you’re seeing and what you’re being told is not completely true.”

“Ok, I trust you. I know that you know better. In fact I was just telling my wife that your investigations and results are far more reliable than their’s.”

“Yeah, anyway, I called you specifically to set a meeting with you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Is it urgent?”

“Not urgent but sooner the better,” Kevin replied.

“Alright, I’ll come.”

“And secondly there’s another issue”

“Oh, what is that?”

“I went to the killer’s house. And unfortunately, someone else was also visiting the old house.”

“The killer?”

“Yes, the killer. I had identified him a long time ago. And I also knew that he was from Sialkot. This was the reason why I went there. Through his Facebook profile I had found his house address. So I went straight to that place and unfortunately the real killer was also there. I wasn’t expecting this but I took advantage of this and somehow managed to enter the house.”

“Hold on hold on, you’re making me confused. You’re saying killer and the real killer. How? Are there two killers?”

“I think this can’t be explained like this.”

“But what was the problem that you wanted to share.”

“The real killer has spotted me. He has seen my face. And now he is following me to kill me.”

“Oh no! Really?”

“Yes, and we must not meet somewhere in public. Or else you’ll be in danger like I am.”

“Ok, I’ll be careful”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Ok, bye.”

*********

Next afternoon, Rehan reached the specific spot as told by Kevin Rollins. It was a public park. He was waiting outside the gate of the park. His bike was parked at some distance and he could see it from where he was standing.

Minutes later, Kevin Rollins arrived and greeted him.

“You told me that we shouldn’t meet in a public place, then why are we meeting here?” Rehan asked Kevin.

“It’s because no one followed me as I left home. So, I thought its safe.”

“Wait a minute, does the killer know where you live?”

“Yes, he has followed me all the way long.”

“Oh dear,” Rehan uttered looking at the white Corolla. “By the way is that your own car?”

“Uh, yeah it’s mine”

Rehan kept on looking at the vehicle for a while until Kevin finally began.

“So let me come straight to the point and explain the entire mystery.”

“Wait… Have you resolved the entire mystery?”

“Yes I have. I’ve even heard the phone call between the killer and his partner.”

“Heard? How”

“I meant I overheard it.”

“I see.”

“So, anyways I was saying…”

Their conversation got interrupted by the sound of a bomb explosion. Kevin’s white Corolla had just exploded in a blast. The sound lasted for two seconds but the car had exploded from inside. The outside wasn’t that badly affected.

Rehan and Kevin got terrified. Rehan felt like running away but he didn’t as he saw Kevin walking towards the car on fire. Rehan slowly followed him and saw that he didn’t seem as much upset as curious.

“What are you thinking?”

Kevin didn’t respond.

“Hey, I’m really sorry for your loss.”

Kevin looked at him and spoke with vigilance.

“He is nearby.”

“Who? The killer?”

“Yes,” Kevin replied looking around. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have left the car doors open.”

“So you think he kept a bomb just now.”

“A grenade that is not too dangerous.”

Rehan and Kevin moved backwards. Rehan asked, “What do we do now?”

“We must leave immediately. This guy can do anything.”

“Anything like?”

They got startled as they heard another explosion. They both fell down and as they looked up, they saw Rehan’s bike on fire.

to be continued...

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