Among The Sinners

EYE WITNESS

In an art gallery during late at night, a cleaning staff switched off the lights as he was about to leave. He arrived at the control room where he observed a blood flow.

He slowly opened the door and found that the control room operator was lying dead on floor. He ran downstairs in a panic and spotted the security guard. He was displacing a painting from its display.

The cleaning staff suspected him. He interrupted him but the security guard turned around and shot him down.

The guard displaced the painting and called someone to inform about the same. He left the art gallery and got insight a van which helped him to escape.

Next day in the college the introvert had some sleep during his economics class. The economics teacher who was also an 'EYE' operative, saw him. The teacher was a thirty years old gentle lady and was codenamed as 'PINK LIPS'.

His friend Indra shook his shoulder to wake him up.

He told him " She is looking right at you. "

The Introvert replied " She always looks at me whenever I sleep. "

PINK LIPS continued to teach the class.

Indra whispered in his ear " Saha Sir will conduct the viva today. "

Introvert was baffled to hear about the viva and asked Indra to bunk the class together as he hadn't prepared anything.

Pink lips and Introvert had some conversation while walking in the corridor.

She said " The man you had caught last night in the hotel has went missing. We had no track of him for the last eighteen hours. "

Introvert said " The operation was successful. I had handed over him to Topmost. "

Pink lips said " They are trying to track him everywhere. "

" You are looking more stressed today. " She said.

She asked him " Is it going hard for you? "

He answered " I have constantly being asked about my carrier. My dad is asking me to pursue MBA but I've no plans to prepare for CAT exams. "

Pink lips asked " Haven't you applied for civil services or banking?"

He answered " Well, I am not that good in general awareness and reasoning. It won't be a good option for me. I've tried to appear but it didn't work. "

Pink lips advised him to apply for an accounting job which would be suitable for him.

He replied " I've applied but I haven't got any reply from the recruiters. "

Introvert visited the college canteen where Indra was having momos at the corner table. He bought momos and sat before him.

Introvert asked " Mr. Saha's class is about to start. Do you have any  plans for that? "

Indra nodded his head and said " I'm working on it. "

He added " I am thinking about to visit my cousin who lives in the nearby hostel. "

Introvert said annoyingly " Don't ever name him. I still remember the last time we visited him. I am not interested in befriending a guy who owns a cigarette shop in his room. "

Introvert read a message in his phone ' COFFEE TIME '. He left the canteen immediately without his momos which left Indra confused.

Introvert visited a cafe where he met the analyst of the 'EYE' . He sat before him and asked him about the message.

The analyst said " Sorry to disturb you between your ongoing class. "

Introvert replied " I have left my momos unfinished in the canteen. I would like to have the compensation. "

The analyst said " Not momos but I can pay you for a cup of coffee. "

He replied " You might haven't called me here for a date? "

The analyst handed over him a file. He opened the file which had a photo of the stolen painting.

The analyst asked " You might have came across with a name SANJAY AWASTHI. "

The introvert replied " The renowned painter. He is popularly known for his wildlife paintings. "

The analyst said " Last night this painting was stolen by someone believed to be an insider. "

He asked " Any damage? "

" Two security guards, a cleaning staff and a control room operator has been murdered. CCTV wires have been disabled in order to avoid any chances of recognition. " The analyst described him.

Introvert went to the art gallery where he analysed the control room. He analysed the keyboard of the computer with his mini torch and found some blood stains on it.
He walked out of the room and met the manager.

Introvert asked him " Where were you at the time of incident? "

The manager replied " I was in the store house. I was supervising the new arrivals. "

He asked " Where was your supervisor? "

The manager answered " We don't have any. We are looking for the one. "

Introvert asked " Do you suspect anyone? Any visitor who has started visiting you frequently."

The manager replied " I don't remember anyone. We've got a lot of visitors. "

He asked " Why would someone steal the painting? "

The manager replied " Because of its worth. It's painted by Mr. Awasthi. "

The introvert said " I see that. "

" Has your entire staff been gathered there? "

A cleaning staff came to him " One of the security guard isn't here. "

The manager said " He has been missing since last night. "

Introvert left the art gallery. He received a phone call from the ' DIRECTOR', head of the 'EYE' organization.

He answered the call " Yes sir. They are saying one of them is still missing. "

The Director asked " Do you have his whereabouts? "

Introvert replied " Not yet. I am going to pay a visit to Mr. Awasthi. "

He arrived at Mr. Awasthi's residence. Mrs. Awasthi opened the door and asked him.

He described himself as the investigator of the case. She asked him to come in. He entered the hospital and looked at the wall which was filled with paintings drawn by Mr. Awasthi.

Mrs. Awasthi said " I'll call him. He is praying now. "

Introvert replied " No. Let him pray. I'll have a look at the paintings. They are looking good together. "

She said " Some of them are drawn by his students and had gifted him last year. "

In the meantime Mr. Awasthi walked out of his room and met him. They had some tea together.

Mr. Awasthi said " I haven't had any rivalry in my thirty years of life. I was really baffled when I heard about the murder. "

He asked " Do you remember anyone who once discussed about the painting? "

Mr. Awasthi answered " I meet a lot of people during exhibition and they talk a lot about the paintings. "