Chapter 10

Inside the asylum as usual there is complete silence. After Shalmali disappeared from there mostly the asylum remained quiet. She was the only one who would make lots of chaos and shout there. Here, in the asylum she was free because from the 5 years she was here, she was not frightened, instead she used to make others scared of her unusual behaviour. But, at Dev's place it was new for her and Dev was not the one who would get scared of her or people like her easily instead, he makes others' pants wet.

The main doctor who was treating Shalmali arrived in the morning with lots of files in his hands. Everyone was quiet inside seeing him. After the incident happened and he took the whole asylum on his head going mad after Shalmali's disappearance nobody is free to talk with him. Everybody bowed low when he entered the main reception. They didn't even have the mouths to greet him good morning.

"Listen everyone,"the doctor called, stopping at the reception.

Everybody was getting chills to know what happened now and was the doctor again gonna make the hospital a mess by shouting. But, still they all managed the strength to gather together.

All the nurses, ward boys, maids, secretaries, cleaners and staff gathered, leaving all their work.

"I want to say something to y'all,"uttered the doctor, sighing.

The entire staff looked perplexed, looking at each other's faces. There was pin drop silence.

"What? Why are you looking like this? I am not gonna eat you," he let out a small giggle.

And now there was a commotion. They all started chatting amongst them. Like as to what has happened to him. Is he in a good mood today? After that incident, he is coming to the asylum now. He was not present for almost two days. Suddenly what happened? Anyways, before that incident the doctor was nothing like what he was after the incident. He was calm, poised and polite.

But a patient is lost and that too a mental one, then it was obvious for him to react in such a manner. No offense.

"What is it, Doctor, that you want to say? " asked the receptionist, finally getting some courage.

"I want to say that…, " he paused for a while and then continued. "That I am sorry for my behaviour that day," he confessed finally, lowering his head down in guilt.

What! He just said sorry? their eyebrows raised and the size of their pupils increased. Their mouths opened wide in awe.

"Don't look at me like that guys. I am really, really very sorry. I regret scolding you and letting all anger come out on you people. Please forgive me."

"Sir it's okay, but.. Suddenly..," the receptionist spoke and was interrupted by the doctor in the middle.

"Please let me speak. Look, as I understood it was not your fault, mistakes can happen from anyone. I was the one who reacted too much," he said.

"Yes sir, but we were all sleeping and the ward boy was not closing the door, " the receptionist spoke in guilt.

"No it was not at all anyone's fault. And if anyone is at fault then it's Dev' s," the doctor said.

"What! Where did that criminal came in from between," one person from the crowd said.

"I heard he is very dangerous and shoots on the spot," the other said.

"I'll tell you how it's Dev's fault, " one of the ward boys spoke, hearing all the commotion.

The noise got silent. Again.

"Yes, speak please," gestured the doctor.

"As we all know who Dev is, and what he can do. So likewise, that night when that murder happened, it was his doing. Because he only has the habit of slitting people's throats this way. Haven't you all heard it in the news. It's his signature style of doing so. He also gave us tranquilizers so we can get a good unconscious sleep, he did it on purpose, so he could swiftly complete his task. So it's not our fault. As far as me leaving Shalmali's room open it was my mistake, but all in all not each and everything is our fault," explained the ward boy.

" That's true people," said the doctor.

" But how come you know all this?" the receptionist asked curiously.

"I know because I was eavesdropping on the police staying behind one of the pillars. I also heard the conversation between the forensic expert and the police, this is what I understood from it. Now, the police are also thinking that Shalmali's disappearance and Dev's crime is a linked case. Who knows after all," the ward boy elaborated.

"Yes. And when he heard this, he quickly called me and told me everything. So at last I was regretting making a scene," said the doctor.

" Oh!" sighed everyone, finally understanding the scenario.

" You all can return to your respective works now," ordered the doctor.

" Yes sir," everyone complied as they dispersed.

" By the way megha, have we received the letters yet for Shalmali, " the doctor asked to the receptionist scratching his eyebrow.

" No sir. How will we receive it today? We received it two days prior only, remember? So we will receive it next month," answered the receptionist megha.

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot about it. I was just so concerned because the sender would not know that Shalmali is not there in our asylum anymore. So there's no point in sending those now. We can't inform him/her also. Let's see what can be done," thought the doctor.

~~

"Bring me Dev's file," the commissioner ordered one of the police officers.

"Here it is sir," the officer removed the file from the documents shelf and handed it over to the commissioner.

The commissioner opened the file sitting on his chair and leaned back seeing all the details in it. He flipped the pages one by one, chewing the insides of his cheek.

Inside that file was Dev's past records of murders and crimes like smuggling etc. It was like a bunch of 100 papers. So many crimes at such a young age. Dev's age was mentioned in the front page of his bio. He was 26 years old. He started gaining popularity within the police community when he was 19. Since then he's wanted and they have still not caught him.

Romil entered with a knock in the cabin.

"Sir, " he saluted, " Have you got the records for Dev's crime?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yes I got it, I was just going through it. I was thinking, shall we visit the asylum again? I am sure we will get some proof there, " the commissioner asked.

"Of course sir, let's go. By the way I have prepared this file sitting for it the whole night," Romil said proudly.

"Oh good my boy, it's very well done," complimented the commissioner.

Romil, commissioner and some other police officers visited the asylum once again. They entered inside and met the doctor. The doctor took them to the same room where the murder had taken place. The room was since then, sealed with the "crime area do not enter" stripes, no one was allowed to enter.

"Romil, come here, " called the commissioner. "Look, can you see there are mud marks on this window?" he asked curiously.

Romil immediately hurried over him. He was looking for other traces in the lobby near the crime room and was inspecting the bed on which the patient died. He glanced below the window too.

" Yes sir, there are mud marks on the shoe on the window and below the window too, on the wall outside it. As if some has got down from here," Romil answered.

"Who else will be there, I am sure it is Dev. Unless, nobody will do such a thing. I mean there is no need to," said the commissioner.

"Has anyone entered in here after the murder, after the area was sealed? " Romil asks the doctor.

"No inspector. No one has even opened the door of the room. I have strictly instructed the maids too, that they should not enter here even for cleaning," answered the doctor.

"Okay. "

Romil goes down and comes near the window of the room where the murder had taken place. There were footprints filled with mud all along the wall. How come we never saw this that day? Romil asked himself.

"Sir, " Romil called out. "Here, come here", he gestured from beneath the window as the commissioner was watching from above.

"Let's go down now, " the commissioner ordered other officers.

"What is it? " he asked Romil, while coming towards him.

"Sir, look, the prints are very clear in the mud too. We can trace the footprints and find him, "said an excited Romil.

"Let's check till where these prints go".

"Oh no.It ends till the front gate. There are no more traces," Romil says sadly. "Wait but what's that?" curiosity in his voice.

"What? " asked the commissioner.

"There are other footprints here too. Looks like bare footprints without shoes," Romil bends down to take a closer look at it.

" Let me see," the commissioner sat down too.

"I understand now, " Romil nods, a clear expression on his face.

"What did you understand, boy?" the commissioner asked.

"Those whose footprints might be, " Romil answered.

"Whose?"

"Shalmali's, that mentally retarded girl's," romil answered confidently.

"What! " How come? " the commissioner asks again.

"I told you sir, the case of Dev and Shalmali is linked. Look now their footprints are so close. I was right indeed," said Romil, smiling a small smile.

" What rubbish is this? Again you are into that. Aren't we here for Dev's case romil?" asks the commissioner furiously.

" Sir we are. But listen to me for a moment. When Shalmali ran out of here, it's that time's footprints. Dev must have seen her or something. He must have done something to her. And... ," Romil explained elaborately.

"Oh shut up romil. How are you so sure that she must have ran at the same time dev was running after murder?. It's total nonsense. We can't find any more traces here. It must be hers. I am not denying it. But the time can be different too. Just let's go now and find some other plan to fetch Dev. Please I request. ", said the commissioner irritated by Romil's continuous blabbering about Shalmali.

"Sir listen please..," Romil requested.

"I am going in the jeep right now. If you want to come then come, " warned the commissioner.

Romil thought for a while and then answered;

"Okay sir, you go forward I'll join you later," Romil suggested, wisely.

"That's fine," the commissioner exited.

"Doctor, show me Shalmali's room right now," ordered romil.

"Okay sir. It's besides the crime room only. I'll take you there, come, " the doctor told Romil to follow him.

The doctor slowly creek opened Shalmali's room and let romil in. Romil observed the room very carefully, his hands resting on his waist. He checked the window there too, to see if there's any traces there. But he got none. He glanced at the bed and saw several ropes tied to Shalmali's bed. What are these for?he asked. Do you tie your patient? Such a cruelty you continue at your hospital indeed. That's why patients run I see. Romil asked. The doctor told romil that Shalmali was not at all stable and they have to tie her up as she used to pounce on anyone at anytime. The hospital was sacred of her. Just before the day she ran they had decided to give her shock therapy.

Romil turned away listening to the doctor's words.

He then opened the drawers and found out the letters Shalmali was receiving. What's these?, he asked again. The doctor told the whole story about the letters.

Romil slided each letter by letter, reading it carefully. He turned his back at the doctor reading it and smirked to himself looking at the letters, in a devilish way.