‘What did you think of Ahuja’s story?’ Tim asked Acharya, as they walked towards the hammock strung between two ancient pine trees at the side of the cottage. ‘Do you think he was exaggerating the relationship between Ramola and himself?’
The colonel knew that Tim was trying to find a balance between the statements of Ramola’s lovers and the woman he knew.
‘Ahuja is telling the truth. He had nothing to gain by spinning a yarn about Ramola’s affair with him. The media has written enough about the romance and it is old news.’
‘I got the same feeling after listening to his story,’ admitted Tim. ‘Frankly, I don’t think Ahuja is capable of murdering anyone.’
‘Now, now, don’t be in a hurry to rule out anything,’ warned the colonel. ‘For the moment, let us concentrate on the facts. It’s time to interrogate the caddish husband.’
Tim smiled at the sight of Rohan who was lying in the hammock with a cap covering his face, snoring gently.
‘Here is one guy who is enjoying his vacation at Ramsar, unaffected by the murder. I rarely see him on his feet.’
Walking up to him, Acharya tapped Rohan on the shoulder. ‘Good morning, young man,’ he greeted. ‘Nice place for a nap.’
Rohan clambered off the hammock and stretched all six feet of his muscular body. ‘Yes, it’s so blissful here. It makes one forget about the terrible life at Mumbai, where one is rushing about from one place to the other with barely any time to relax.’
‘I guess you have a busy life,’ said Tim sarcastically. Everyone knew that Rohan was virtually jobless and mooching off his girlfriend.
‘You’ve arrested Ganesh, I heard. So, when is everyone leaving?’ asked Rohan.
‘No one is leaving at the moment.’
‘That’s good news, as far as I’m concerned. I’m in no hurry, but the others are. I don’t mind if I have to stay here for six more months. It’s a nice place and the fruits are delicious.’
‘It won’t be six months, Rohan. The case will be cracked within the next couple of days and then there would be no excuse for anyone to linger,’ said Tim.
‘Have you had your breakfast? I was just thinking of having mine,’ Rohan changed the topic.
‘Well, it’s almost noon now. You should be having your lunch instead of breakfast.’ Tim retorted. He had taken a strong dislike to the man.
‘Oh no, I never have my breakfast before noon.’
‘I have mine at 8 a.m.,’ said Acharya. ‘Years of regimentation you know, but I don’t mind a cup of coffee.’ Together, the three of them walked into the dining room.
‘So, at what time do you get up, when in Mumbai?’ Tim asked the husband.
‘At Mumbai it’s not possible to get up so late. I have to go to the gym and also look for roles. One has to be on one’s feet all the time. There’s no time to waste.’
‘You must be busy juggling your several appointments, I guess.’
Missing the sarcasm in Tim’s voice, Rohan nodded his head importantly, before he proceeded to instruct the cook on his requirements for the breakfast.
‘Dinesh, I want a two-egg omelette with cheese and tomato, toast and coffee. Don’t forget to make the coffee creamy and frothy.’
‘Can you get us three cups of coffee, Dinesh?’ requested Tim. ‘Mine and the colonel’s without the cream, please.’
‘We require some information about your life with Ramola,’ the colonel began.
‘She was an unpredictable woman; a very moody one. It wasn’t easy to live with her. Ra (that’s what I called her) mistreated me because I wasn’t doing well career-wise.’ There was resentment in his voice.
‘I thought she loved you,’ said Tim. ‘Why did Ramola marry you when she could have married anyone? I’m sure any man would have bent over backwards to marry her.’
‘That woman didn’t want a husband.’ Rohan spat the words derisively. ‘She wanted a glorified escort, nothing more than that. She exploited my weakness, that’s all. I was a fool to have been taken for a ride.’
‘Tell us something about how, where and when you met her,’ Acharya urged.
Spreading a thick layer of butter on his toast, Rohan began, ‘We first met during the rehearsal of a dance item for the awards night. She was a big star and I was just a small-time model. I’m a good dancer, so the dance directors often offer me the chance to earn a few thousand rupees by dancing during such events. One day, while I was resting in between rehearsals, Ramola came to me. She was arrogant and unpleasant. “You were out of step,” she said. “Haven’t you ever danced before?” I was furious.’ He shook his head and continued, ‘I told her that I was the best dancer there and that she was the one out of step. That annoyed her. She flounced off and refused to dance with me. Because she was a big star, the organizers could not afford to antagonize her. They booted me off the show. When I begged them to reconsider, they asked me to apologize to Ramola. “We will take you back if madam forgives you,” they said.’
He paused and took a large bite of the toast.
‘Did you apologize to her?’ asked Tim.
‘I had no alternative. The rent had to be paid and I desperately needed the money, so I went up to her and grovelled: “you’re right. I was out of step. I’m sorry I blew my fuse. Please tell the organizers to take me back,” I said. “I need the money.” To add an emotional appeal, I told her that my mother was ill. I was ready to fall at her feet to get back into the show, I was that desperate.’
‘Did it work?’
‘It always works.’ A roguish smile crossed Rohan’s face. ‘No woman is immune to emotional appeal. I was back in the show and we became friends. I pampered her, flattered her and did everything possible to remain in her good books. In return, she got me a few tiny roles in her movies. One day, after a film shoot, Ramola invited me for her birthday party. It was a big event and almost everyone who mattered in Bollywood was invited. It was a window of opportunity, and I made full use of it. When the party ended, I went over to thank her. She asked me to stay back and drive her home. Her driver was on leave and she was too drunk to drive. Upon reaching her apartment, she asked me up for a drink.’
‘…and you accepted.’
‘One doesn’t kick away a chance of a lifetime, does one? We had a drink. It was almost three in the morning. “How will you go home?” she asked. “You may not get a cab at this hour of night.” I hadn’t thought of that. “Why don’t you stay in my guest room?” Ramola offered.’
‘You stayed back?’
‘Naturally. The next morning, when I got up, Ramola had left for her shooting and her staff was surprised to find me loitering around in the flat. I don’t know how the media learnt of the incident but the rumour spread that she had a new toy-boy. Ramola denied the incident but the gossip columns were rife with speculation about our relationship. For the first time in my life, reporters approached me for confirmation. My pictures were splashed on Page 3 and I was thrilled with the publicity that the rumour had provided. There was awkwardness between the two of us for a while. She had broken up with Sameer Kelkar and the media was trying to pin a new person into her life.’
‘How long had she been with Sammy?’
‘Soon after our marriage Ramola confessed that she had been seeing the politician for over a year. They met at a cottage at Alibaug so the two of them could spend time away from nosy reporters.’
‘How did she meet him?’ asked the colonel, lighting up his cigar. Rohan sliced an apple and chomped on it pensively.
‘From what she told me, they met during a party thrown by a minister with links in the film industry. According to Ramola, they got into a relationship soon after.’
‘Going back to your story, you were telling us about the rumours …’
‘Yes, the rumours continued and I did nothing to refute them. One evening, she invited me to her apartment. We spoke about our lives and many other things. Suddenly, she asked me if I was interested in her. I was amazed. We were quite drunk and the question shocked me. I admitted, I was interested in her. “Will you marry me?” she asked and I almost fell out of the chair. I thought she was joking. “Please don’t pull my leg,” I begged. She laughed, came over to me, plonked herself on my lap and planted a kiss on my lips opening the floodgates of passion. The next morning, when I awoke, she was sitting on the sofa, smoking. “I’ve cancelled my shooting,” she smiled. “We’re going to Alibaug.”’
‘…to Sammy’s cottage?’ asked the colonel.
‘Sameer Kelkar had gifted her the bungalow as a parting gift. It now belonged to her. We spent a week there, getting to know each other. We strolled on the beach, lolled on the sand, stared at the stars and made love. I fell in love with her. By the time we got back to Mumbai, we had decided to tie the knot.’
‘That was rather quick, wasn’t it?’ Tim’s voice held more than a tinge of scepticism.
‘I’m a simple man, sir,’ said Rohan. ‘I assumed she had fallen in love with me. My parents were stunned at the suddenness of everything but they went along with my decision. At that point of time, she didn’t tell me the real reason for the hurried wedding. It was only after we had signed at the marriage registrar’s office that I learned that Ramola was pregnant. It was another of Sammy’s parting gifts. I suggested she abort, but she was adamant about keeping the baby.’
Rohan began pacing the room as agitating memories resurfaced in his mind.
‘What happened to the baby?’ Acharya cut into the young man’s thoughts.
‘Ramola miscarried,’ Rohan replied, his face flushed with anger. ‘And thank God for that. The arrival of a baby would have complicated everything.’
‘Did Sammy know?’
‘Of course he knew. She had told him about the baby and insisted on marriage, but he had also asked her to abort the baby.’
‘Were you happy together?’
‘Only until I learnt of her reason for marrying me. It came like a bolt from the blue. I felt cheated and used. All she wanted was legitimacy for her baby. I felt like toilet paper.’
‘You must have been relieved when she lost the baby,’ commented Tim.
‘Things were never the same after the miscarriage. By then, Ramola was a bitter woman. The fading career, failed love affairs, the miscarriage and her frustrations made her a very difficult woman. She became mean and abusive. She resented my expensive tastes and begrudged every penny I spent on myself. She hated my friends. We drifted apart. A couple of years later, we separated and she threw me out of her apartment. Then, one morning, she disappeared.’
‘Just like that?’ Tim’s expression reflected his incredulity.
‘She had her reasons, I guess,’ Rohan admitted, sheepishly.
‘And what were those reasons?’ Acharya enquired.
‘I was a struggling actor without much money, as Ramola never hesitated to point out. She didn’t mince her words. The gossipy film magazines did their bit by adding fuel to the fire.’
‘In what way did they add fuel to the fire?’
‘They wrote about my affairs with other women and my drinking at parties, leading to a deeper rift between the two of us.’
‘Wasn’t there any truth in their writings?’
‘Well, you know how it is,’ shrugged Rohan. ‘A guy smiles at a woman, and people assume they are having an affair.’
The colonel and Tim exchanged a meaningful look.
‘What about her friends and relatives?’ Tim asked. ‘Are you the only beneficiary of her wealth and property?’
‘As far as I know, she had none. Considering that, I should be the only beneficiary of her wealth and property.’
‘We would like to check on that,’ said Tim. ‘Do you have the contact details of her lawyer?’
‘Unfortunately, no, I don’t have the lawyer’s contact details.’ There was regret in the man’s voice.
‘Who did you think murdered her?’ Acharya asked, observing Rohan closely.
‘Any of them could have killed her. She knew too much about Arif’s criminal activities for him to be comfortable. Sammy also has a lot to lose if Ramola’s memoir is published. Sen is expecting the national award this year. It may not come if the book is published. Ahuja and I had no motive to kill her. Ahuja’s relationship with Ramola will not excite anyone since reams were written about them during their stardom. As for me, we were already separated and our relationship ended three years ago.’
‘Did Ramola speak about Arif, Sammy, Sen and Ahuja to you?’ Acharya asked.
‘She often spoke about her past, especially when she was sloshed. Ramola was a complicated person. There were things she never forgot or forgave. We went to Paris for our honeymoon. Ramola fell in love with Paris. The romance of the city and the baby in her womb turned her into a different woman. “We can be very happy together,” she told me. You, me and the baby. All we need to do is to make a fresh beginning. I wish I could wipe away a few years from my life.”’
There was a wistful expression on Rohan’s face.
‘From the long conversations at Paris, I got a feeling that she was scared of Arif. And Sammy, according to Ramola, is a self-centred, unscrupulous and evil man.’
‘Did she tell you anything about Sen and Ahuja?’
‘Ramola admired Sen. He is a genius, she told me. Their relationship went beyond the physical level. Notwithstanding all her starry ways, Ramola was a very intelligent and well-read woman. Intelligent people impressed her. She wanted a home, husband and hearth like every other woman. Unfortunately, she could not have them. I was her husband but more in name than in deed. She wore the pants in our marriage.’
His laughter held a mocking note.
‘Do you regret the split?’ Tim asked.
‘Of course, I regret it. That was one of the reasons for my trip to Ramsar. I wanted to patch up with her.’
‘Did you broach the subject?’
‘I did, but she was in no mood to listen. Since coming to Ramsar, Ramola had become a different person – mellow and content. Perhaps it had something to do with the environment. Or maybe it had to do with her yoga and meditation practice. She appeared to have come to terms with life, graciously accepting whatever it offered.’
‘If you were to sum up Ramola’s character in two words, what words would those be?’ Acharya threw the question at the young man.
‘I’d say she was vain and vindictive. Yes, those are the words that fitted her very well. Ramola never forgot or forgave.’
‘By the way, I’ve been meaning to compliment you for your perfectly toned body,’ commented Tim. ‘I’m sure you spend a lot of time in the gym.’
‘That’s a professional hazard, Tim. One doesn’t get anywhere in this glamour world without six-pack abs and rippling biceps.’
‘I’m curious,’ Tim responded. ‘Do you use any hormones or steroids for building the muscles?’
‘I wouldn’t dream of using hormones or steroids. They’re harmful in the long run.’
Acharya and the policeman exchanged glances. ‘Did you go for a walk this morning?’ the colonel asked, casually.
‘I never go for morning walks. I can do a lot of things but I can’t subject myself to the torture of getting up early if I can help it. Nothing in the world can wrench me out of the bed before nine in the morning,’ laughed Rohan. ‘I hope I’ve been able to help. I want Ramola’s killer caught and punished. She didn’t deserve the agonizing end.’
‘Thank you, Rohan, for being so open about your relationship. We’re hoping to catch the killer soon,’ Tim said, his jaw set determinedly.