15. THE GAME BEGINS
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Previously on The Bike Babaji: Inspector Harish had met with Father Antony at St. Peter's Church for a short enquiry.
4th Monday November, 02:50 p.m.
When Inspector Harish and Douglas got connected with each other after the conference meeting at DGP office to solve the notorious bike thievery case, they thought Teja, the real estate magnate could help them. Teja was a famous personality, well known across the political and police fraternity. This was according to the newspapers and the media. But only very few knew that he also had close connections with the malevolent criminal mafias in the city.
Teja served as the interlocutor between the Mafia and the police community, to come to terms with the law whenever it was needed. This came with a price, many mob lords enjoyed impunity while only the ostracized and banished miscreants, the selected few from the criminal group were gifted to the police for arrests and flash news. Samuels was one of those misfortunate miscreant who was banished from the Mafia and was evading the police radar for years. During this time he had taken in James and carried out home burglaries. But as it turned out, fate had other plans.
Douglas knew about Teja's connections. Now that he was working incognito, he thought this is the right time to seek Teja's support for the ongoing cases. After Harish and Douglas had talked to him, Teja made quick phone calls to some of his mob friends. After half an hour, Teja called Douglas back and informed him that all he could gather was just a name; Father Antony. He told Douglas that the Father had acquaintance with Sam in the past and he could lead us to his whereabouts and possibly to the suspect behind the bike thieveries.
After hearing this lead, both Harish and Douglas believed that there was a strong connection to the home burglary case and the bike thievery case. Since Douglas was in covert operation Harish had opted to go and enquire the Father. Now that Father Antony had denied anything about the bike theft suspect and Sam, they were skeptic.
"Alright then" said Douglas, "Harish I think we need to do some inside job here"
"What do you mean?" asked Inspector Harish.
"I mean we need to recruit a petty criminal or someone for gathering inside information about these guys. I am sure we will get more leads about your Bike suspect and my guy Sam."
"A petty criminal? for god's sake, are you serious? You are already on an undercover operation for that. Isn't it enough? And whom else do you think would be good enough for this?"
"Listen, I am just on the lookout and it'll be difficult for me. And for the inside job, it doesn't have to be criminals. It could be any commoner too... say a postman, a newspaper delivery guy, or simply a baker in a famous tea stall. They will be knowing the area and the people well enough to identify any suspicions. And look if we are not getting anyone, I know a stupid guy who steals clothes for a living. He could be handy in this investigation. But the thing is he is really stupid... so let's have him as the last option..."
"I am still doubtful whether this would help. But fine. I'll look for someone to gather information about the Church. You take care of York Avenue and Staff Colony. Alright ?"
"Yeah."
"And what is this guy's name you told who steals clothes for a living?"
"Vinod!"
[To be continued]