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didn’t back down. ‘Virkar, do you know any nineteen-year-old girls who can be capable of something so diabolical?’ This time Virkar had no answer. He stared expressionlessly at the ACP who continued, ‘Don’t waste your time and mine. Go look for an accomplice.’ Virkar gave him a short nod of acknowledgement, saluted, turned with a smart click of his shoes and left the room without any intention of doing what the ACP had asked him to do. Instead, he headed out of the headquarters of the Crime Branch, got on his Bullet and rolled out into the city.
    He made his way northwards till he reached King’s Circle. A little ahead, he turned left and cut across Dharavi, passing the Bandra-Kurla Complex on to the Western Express Highway. Then he rode steadily over the numerous flyovers till he reached Goregoan and turned off the highway to cut across to his destination in Bangur Nagar.
    He criss-crossed between the old three-storeyed cooperative housing societies and the posh new towers that had sprung up due to the spate of redevelopment in the city. As he passed the famous Kali Mata Mandir, he spotted the Somnath Housing Society, home to the recently deceased Rajesh Chawre. As was normally the case, the few people lounging around in the society compound quickly dispersed as soon as they saw him ride in on his Bullet. It always amazed him to see how little people wanted to engage with policemen on duty. Virkar parked the Bullet and turned to look at the nervous watchman who had approached him from behind. Without a word, the watchman led him to the second-floor flat of Shantaram Chawre, retired PWD officer, Grade III.
    The door to the second floor apartment was open and Virkar saw that it was cramped with sad-eyed people who, he presumed, were the victim’s family. Virkar walked up to a man who looked a little like what Rajesh Chawre would have looked if he had lived to be fifty and, modulating his voice into his most apologetic tone, said, ‘Chawre saheb, I’m sorry to intrude at such a time but I wanted to…’
    Chawre cut Virkar in mid-sentence, ‘We have already answered all the questions that the other policemen asked.’
    Virkar softened his tone further. ‘I know, saheb, but I just wanted to inspect his room and belongings for some clue.’
    Chawre displayed a hint of irritation in his manner, ‘This is most inconvenient. I have all these guests…’
    ‘…and I’m sure all of them would like me to catch Rajesh’s killer. And would not mind a little bother,’ Virkar cut in, keeping his tone apologetic.
    ‘ Aaoo deya ho ,’ a woman’s voice called out from inside and Virkar saw a teary-eyed, middle-aged lady who he correctly presumed was Rajesh’s mourning mother. Chawre turned and led him through the crowd of mourners who had now begun staring, to the small inside room that belonged to his deceased son. He waved out the young people sitting in the room who Virkar assumed were Rajesh’s cousins.
    As soon as the room emptied, Virkar walked around it, taking in its details. There was nothing particularly striking about it as far as he could see—a single bed, two steel Godrej cupboards, an old wooden study table and chair, and a large Apple iMac. The last item in particular piqued Virkar’s interest. ‘That’s quite an expensive computer, isn’t it?’ he asked
    Chawre nodded. ‘Ho, Rajesh was totally into computers. I broke one of my FDs to get him that one.’
    Virkar walked up to the screen and examined it closer. It looked brand new. He made a mental note to get the Cyber Crime Cell to examine the computer. Behind him, Chawre continued, ‘He said that if I got him this he could make more money than the man who made that new thing…kya…Facebook.’
    Virkar looked at him and nodded. ‘Can I inspect the cupboards please?’ he asked. By this time, Chawre had worked himself into a state, reminiscing about his son’s lost ambitions. He nodded and walked away, suppressing his tears. Virkar