Coffee With A Stranger

The Investigation

Next day Inspector Gayakwad had decided to meet Vivan's boss and other colleagues to find some clue about his murder.

Vivan's parents came to the police station and were waiting for the inspector to come. At around 10 am, the inspector Gayakwad has arrived at the police station. He went directly inside his cabin without even noticing the old couple waiting outside his cabin.

"Good morning sir!" Shinde greeted his boss as per his routine rituals.

"Good morning, Shinde. Any update on the Vivan's case?" Gayakwad asked Shinde.

"Nothing much sir, but his parents are here to meet you. They have directly come from the railway station." Gayakwad turned his face towards Shinde with wide eyes.

"Where are they? Call them immediately" Gayakwad ordered Shinde to bring them inside the cabin.

"Good morning sir, we are..." Come, please be sited" Gayakwad cut in between and ask them to sit and feel comfortable.

There was silence in the cabin for more than five minutes. Mother's crying was the only noise in the cabin. Gayakwad wanted to ask a few questions but couldn't speak for a while. Gayakwad offered her a glass of water.

"I am sorry for your loss," he started. He said it with great sympathy and he meant it. He couldn't imagine the inconceivable loss of the child. Regardless of whatever could be the reason. Death was death. Nothing could make that better.

"What could be the reason that somebody ended your son's life?

Vivan's dad nodded solemnly: "I can't imagine." He replied.

"I guess let me start from the beginning," he took his notepad and pen in his hand.

"How was Vivan? I mean any bad habits that you as parents didn't like about him?"

"He was an extraordinary boy" Vivan's mother looked at Gayakwad and met his eyes.

"I know most parents probably say that about their children," Gayakwad replied.

"He was smart, gifted. He was incredible, intelligent, wise and ahead of his age. He was always so bright and optimistic. He had a dream go becoming a big man and wants to earn lots of money for us."

Gayakwad smiled as she spoke. He waited for a moment in case she was going to continue. But she stopped there, getting lost in the memory.

"What did he want to do?" Gayakwad asks a question to Vivan's mom.

She focused her attention back to Gayakwad.

"He wanted to become a news reporter, an honest one."

"And any enemy he had in his native place or here in Mumbai?" Gayakwad was straight in asking the relevant questions.

"He was a charming and helpful person since his childhood he was the one who always stood first when someone was in a need in the village.

"How can there be an enemy of him?" She clarifies Gayakwad's doubts. Gayakwad nodded his head, focusing more on the Vivan's mom and her voice rather than writing anything in the notebook.

"What about his friends, especially here in Mumbai? Did you know any of them?" another round of questions started by Gayakwad.

"He has very few friends in Mumbai though he was here for the last 5-6 years. He was kind of a person who didn't trust easily. But once he trusts someone, he did it blindly." She replied.

"Blind trust can be lethal" Gayakwad added to what she said.

"Did your son have any enemy? I mean someone who might hold a grudge or want to hurt him?"