Crime Control Squad

Chapter 9

"I am sure he was bald, Sir....Yes a bald man....Tall man...Taller than me...He was standing there...at the end of the road. He was...may be...talking on phone Sir...Smart phone I think...Yes he was talking on smart phone. I am sure he was talking on phone." The watchman of City Corporation Bank was literally jumping in excitement when Sagar questioned him if he had seen anything suspicious. In his late 40s, the innocence and truthfulness in the watchman's words was bullseye. "I usually do only day shift...but that day I was allotted the night shift. The usual man was on leave. His mother wasn't well and he had admitted her in the hospital. She is very old. I think she is admitted in..."

"I understand I understand," Sagar cut in. He wasn't interested in knowing the personal lives of the security men. "I want to know what exactly you saw...and this time...Tell it slowly and clearly. Got it?"

The security man scratched the top of his head and smiled embarrassed. Seeing the officer waiting for his explanation, the man stood straight in attention to recount what he had seen. "I think it was around midnight. I was sitting in that chair Sir...You see the chair in front of the ATM cabin? I was sitting there..." Sagar sighed patiently at the man's habit of swaying away from the topic. He saw the man going and sitting in the chair and enacting the scene. People visiting the bank looked at them curiously and gave a weird look at Sagar. "I was sitting here and hearing FM, to keep myself awake. You know Sir...sometimes too much silence and with no people around can involuntarily put one to sleep. So I was listening FM...Old Kishore Kumar song. I think it was Jaane jaa doondtha..."

"Get to the point..." said Sagar calmly.

"Sorry Sir Sorry Sir...I usually walk to the gate and survey both sides of the road every 15 min and then get back to sitting on the chair. Following the same routine, I walked to the gate. On the left side...That side," the man pointed at the direction running outside the gate to explain more clearly. "In front of that blue building there was a man standing. I think I saw the light from his phone. He stood there talking on the phone for some time..."

"Then?"

"He walked away...in the same direction. He didn't come this side. He went that way itself."

"How long was he on the phone?"

"May be 5 minutes? He was already on the phone when I saw him...So..."

"Did he end the call before he walked?"

"I think so. I think he put his phone in his shirt pocket before he started walking..."

"And you are sure he was bald?"

"Yes. There is a street light there...Can you see?" The man again pointed at the direction and forced Sagar to see it. "I could see his physical appearance...Couldn't see his face properly."

"Have you see this man before? Do you think he stays here?"

"I don't think so...I have never seen him before. I am staying in this area for 7 years now Sir and I mostly know everyone in the locality...You know...being a watchman you get to speak to many when they come to the bank...Many people approach for help...and I also think it's important...Important to know as many people as possible in this occupation. So I don't think the guy belong to this area."

"You remember anything else?"

The man shook his head vigorously. "I told whatever I saw and knew Sir. I don't know anything else." There was a sudden fear and nervousness.

"Good! I will come back if I need anything. You can get back to work now."

The man walked back to his position by the ATM. Sagar stood at the gate and observed the road on either sides. He began walking in the direction, to the place where the watchman had seen the bald man. Cold wind hit his face forcing him to close his eyes for a moment. The street was a long narrow road with houses and offices on either side. The offices were small ones- real estate agencies, provision stores, taxi offices, tourist agencies, medical stores and a lot more. Street lights were available at regular intervals. Few buildings were under construction for which bricks, cement and other materials were scattered on the side of the road. The roads were well maintained. The common dust bins were emptied with no waste encircling it. Cars were parked neatly on one side, within the line drawn for the purpose. The area looked too clean and perfect that Sagar wondered if it was present in the same city. He stood in front of the blue building and gauged what he could see. The blue building hosted a two floor apartments- with names of the residents written on the name boards pinned near the gate. The building opposite was an electronics repair shop. There was absolutely nothing to tickle Sagar's spidey sense. The only lead he had acquired was that of the bald man.