SUSPECT

 

     Ron, returned from work as usual tired and famished. He generally called out to his wife Stella as he always did say" Honey I'm back," but that day he didn't. They had an argument that morning and weren't on talking terms. He left his briefcase on the sofa and walked into the kitchen to make himself some tea. As he entered the kitchen, he was shocked to see a knife lying on the board stained with what looked like blood.

     

     In fear and shock, he stepped back. He could feel sweat starting to trickle down his spine. A shudder went through him. 

     

     What! He exclaimed. He began to shiver. A cold went through him. Stella, he screamed and ran to the bedroom. She wasn't there. Stellaaaaaa, he screamed again and practically ran from room to room. He peered into the bathrooms, still no sign of Stella. He panicked, what did she do? His mind began to conjure up different scenarios. Did she do something to herself? Did she hurt herself and gone to the doctor? Questions kept pounding his feeble mind. He couldn't sit still and kept pacing the floor. 

     

"Hello Ann, have you seen Stella"? He enquired when he called up a family friend.

     

     "No Ron," she replied.

     "Why, what happened"? She asked.

     

     "Oh, nothing" he replied. He didn't want to tell anyone just yet that he returned home and found a blood-stained knife and that Stella was not anywhere in the house. Whom else should he call, where would she have gone? As a last resort he did something he didn't ever want to do. He called up Stella's mother who lived in a different city thinking that Stella might have gone there. 

     

     "Hello mother, has Stella come there by any chance? He asked.

     "No, she hasn't, why would she come here" replied Mona,

 

     "I just thought she would have come to see you, since we haven't been there in a long time" said Ron and disconnected the call avoiding the numerous questions that may follow.

     

     Where could she have gone? Should I contact the nearby hospital? He wondered. He searched for their medical cards in the drawer and found both lying intact there. So hospital was not the answer. In utter desperation he picked up the phone to call the police station and suddenly changed his mind. No, not the answer, they will ask too many questions. He needed something to soothe his nerves. He poured himself a glass of water and walked out to the verandah to think and wait for his Stella to return. 

     

     The neighbors’ television was playing the news and he could clearly hear every word. What caught his ears was the announcement that an unidentified body of a young lady was found nearby. He panicked and rushed inside turned on his TV and heard the full account. A young lady's body was found a couple of blocks away. She had been stabbed with a kitchen knife multiple times. 

     

     Ron went into the kitchen to examine the floor and surrounding areas. No stains could be seen anywhere else other than on the knife. In panic and anxiety he left his home and drove to the nearby police station. The detective at the desk looked at him very curiously.

     

     "What do you want"? he demanded gruffly.

     "Sir, I've come to enquire about the lady's body that was found" said Ron.

     Yes, what about the body?" asked the detective. "Do you know the lady?"

     

     "No Sir, I just wanted to know who she was" said Ron.

     "Why, what's your interest in the case?" asked the detective. 

     

     Ron didn't want to disclose his own panic and decided to walk away from the police station. 

     

     "Hey mister, wait there" shouted the detective. "Come here" said the detective and gestured to Ron to walk over to his desk and sit down. 

     

     Ron got very nervous and tried to control his emotions. Was his panic obvious, could the detective see through him? He was sweating profusely and there was a chill shiver travelling down his spine. 

 

     "What's your interest in this case mister? You better spill it out. Did you know the lady? Questions were coming out fast from the detective, 

     

     "N...nonno", said Ron stammering. 

     "Why did you want to know about the lady, shouted the detective threateningly. 

     

     Ron began to panic. Should he tell him about Stella and the stained knife lying on the kitchen counter? No, he thought, its best not to. He was trembling with fear and was trying his best not to show it. 

`    

     Comforting himself Ron said, "No reason Sir, I was just curious".

     "You seem to be hiding something shouted the detective. You better come clean or else...."

     "No Sir, I am not hiding anything" said Ron and got up to leave. 

     "Sit down and write your name, address and contact number" ordered the detective.

     Ron asked, "Why should I give you my details?".

     "You had better or else I will detain you under suspicion" said the detective. 

     

     Ron quickly wrote down his address and contact number on the pad handed over by the detective not wanting to be detained or asked any more unnecessary questions. He got up to leave. 

     "Don't you leave town, and you have to be available till this investigation is over" shouted the detective gruffly. 

     

     "Why, am I a suspect?" asked Ron. 

     "Just do as you're told" shouted the detective. 

     

     Ron returned home. He was now not only in panic with a feeling of sadness but was also fuming with rage due to the detective. What have I got myself into, he queried to himself. He went straight to the bar and poured himself a scotch and sat down to ponder about the day's events. Where is Stella? He hadn't even had a bath after returning from the office. He downed his drink and poured another. Just as he was about to sip his second drink, the doorbell rang. He rushed to open the door. Standing there was his Stella. Relief and anger was rushing through him. He stared at her and felt tears welling up in his eyes. He stretched out his arms and held his love tight in his arms. "Where were you my darling" he asked and how are you, are you hurt?"

     

     Stella was sobbing and so was he. They clung to each other. "Why did you get angry with me?" asked Stella.

     

     Ron tried in his mind to find out the reason for his anger that morning but didn't seem to remember. "Why did you get angry with me?" He asked. 

     

     Both Ron and Stella seemed to have forgotten and simply held each other tight. They came to the sofa where Ron picked up his drink and poured one for Stella. They sat down as close as they could get to each other with eyes locked and hands clasped. 

     

     "Don't ever get angry with me again, I am not able to bear it" said Stella.

     "No, I won't " promised Ron. 

     "I thought you were hurt seeing the bloodstained knife" said Ron enquiringly.

     "What! How can you think like that" replied Stella. The knife? Oh, I had cut beetroots for salad and failed to clean up the kitchen. 

     "O my gosh, you won't believe my panic on seeing the knife and what all happened today" said Ron. 

     Just when the two started to reconcile with each other, trrrrr. rang the doorbell.

     Intrigued as to who can it be at this time, both went to the door. 

     They opened the door to find the detective standing on the verandah.

     "Mister, please come with us to the station" said the detective.

     "What happened honey" enquired Stella with fear in her tone.

     "Nothing honey, don't worry" assured Ron.

     "Sir, I will come with you but, before that please come inside, I have something for you to see" said Ron.

     Ron invited the detective inside and escorted him straight to the kitchen. The scene was terrifying for the detective, the stained knife and the cutting board with stains which looked exactly like blood. He pulled to his handkerchief to collect the knife so as not to erase any fingerprints that may be still on it. Turning around he announced to Ron and Stella, "Mister, you are under arrest"

     Ron calmly opened the fridge and removed the salads. Why don't you have some he said and winked at Stella. They began to laugh at the astonishment on the detectives face.