Counter Charge

THE COUNTER-CHARGE The telephone bell rang fiercely in the grave silence of the midnight and Hayward, unwillingly, rather surprised, lifted the receiver up to hear that some rogues have looted the Los Angeles Bank and thus the Bank Manager was in a deep trouble. He explained to Hayward the present scenario briefly and reminded him that he badly needed his help. Hayward was, once upon a time, a fantastic and shrewd detective. Any case he undertook dared not remain unsolved. In this way he was a nightmare for criminals. During the period when he was in full-flow safe cracking had almost vanished. Even the best rogues dared crack any. It is, accidentally, the second such case that has taken place after his voluntary retirement. Yes, Hayward is now a retired person and it has been quite over six years that he has left this profession but he still holds interest in reading detective stories and publishing his critical appreciations of the reallife detective incidents, in the local monthlies. At present he leads a very peaceful life looking after his farmhouse in the outskirts of Los Angeles. Normally, detectives have assistants who play active roles helping the leader throughout the case but Hayward had nobody of that sort. Instead, he had a servant, named Evan, who toured with him, wherever he went, as his cook. Hayward is very fond of eating and that is perhaps the only field with which he never compromised. Opening of a farmhouse was purely due to the fact that he could obtain quality healthy chickens. Hayward pleaded the Bank Manager and expressed his reluctance saying, “Please excuse me, I don’t have any intention of handling this case as you all know that I have left this profession a long ago.” Mr.Hantlewood, the Bank Manager, reminded Hayward about the seriousness of the loss and pleaded him to accept the case agreeing to pay even thrice his fees. After a good deal of argument Hayward was convinced and thus assured Mr.Hantlewood that he would think over it and let him know whatever he decided. 1

Hayward personally knew that he was out of touch from his profession for such a long time and it would certainly be a bit difficult for him to get back his original efficiency. He began to recall the days when he was in full commandment. He remembered the various prestigious cases he investigated and also the bagful of success he gained from them. He was in utter quandary. When Evan came to know about the proposal he readily requested his master to accept it. This ignited the dormant spirits of adventure in Hayward and, ultimately, he couldn’t help calling Mr.Hantlewood to give his consent. The manager was over-excited and promised Hayward to supply him with all the possible information about the robbery. The very next day he came to Hayward’s place to give him a file containing every detail of it. He revealed to Hayward, “The rogues have escaped from the bank but few staffs have recognized their faces. According to the staffs, they were two in all and their names are Peter and Charles. Both of them are very infamous and this is their second safe-cracking case. Last time they had enormous success in the Carlo City Bank and finally they had been caught in our bank itself. This time they have fortunately escaped. Inspite of there being closed-circuit cameras fitted, they were shrewd enough to disconnect them completely. According to the Crime Information Bureau, Peter and Charles are two non-identical twins from San Bernardino and at present both of them are suspected to have gone towards the east of Los Angeles, probably to their native place. The police have been after them ever since the robbery but till today they couldn’t even locate the accurate place the rogues might have fled to. I’m sure that if the two rogues aren’t caught this time they’ll rob many more banks after this. Sir, now the entire responsibility lies on your broad shoulders because I don’t have any more faith in the police. I know that you are the only person who can find the rogues out irrespective of the place they are in. Sir, to facilitate your search, all the nearby airports, railway stations and harbours have been temporarily sealed.” said the relieved manager. 2

The very next day that is on the 26th of July the great expedition began. Hayward, along with his Evan, left for San Bernardino. There he boarded a double-bedded room in a local hotel. His initial plan was to search for Peter and Charles in a motor garage named Alfred’s Motor Garage because it was mentioned in the file that, in San Bernardino, it was Alfred’s Motor Garage where both these brothers used to meet their other partners for the final distribution of their profit. But to his surprise, in the whole of the city there was no such garage named Alfred’s Motor Garage. This puzzled Hayward. He soon accessed the local police and enquired of the residential address of the non-identical twins. When Hayward visited their house he found that the exterior main gate was open but the cottage-door was locked from outside. Mrs.Lasanon, Peter’s neighbour, on enquiry, said, “Both the brothers had come yesterday but today they have left for…” “For where?” asked Hayward. “For …Mexicali.” “Mexicali? … Anyway, thanks a lot”, said Hayward. Even then Hayward was not happy with the answer because he knew that the only mode of transport from San Bernardino to Mexicali was train and since the railway stations had been sealed for the rogues it was impossible for them to go to Mexicali. He scratched his head and his face suggested that he did not trust Mrs.Lasanon’s words. He went inside the main door into the garden of the house and nobody knew what he was trying to investigate. As a result of a huge gush of wind Evan’s hat flew off a distance and as he tried to pick it up from there, he saw a purse lying on the ground. Hayward pounced on the purse and found that there was nothing in it except a small amount of money and few papers. Looking at the papers one by one he saw a bus-ticket on which it was written: -

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S AN B E R N AR D I N O S U P E R - F AS T B U S S E R V I C E S AN B E R N AR D I N O , C AL I F O R N I A.

DETAILED STATUS:

Date: 27.07.83 NO OF PASSENGERS: 2 DESTINATION: FRESNO ADDITIONAL CARGO: 3 large briefcases of 24.06 Kg and a large bag of 13.18 Kg TIME OF DEPARTURE: 16:20 hrs

TOTAL FARE:

17.09 $

PAID

**** Happy Journey **** Hayward sprang up in joy saying, “Thank you o wind, you have come with a godsend! Evan I’ve got it. I’m sure that both the brothers must have had a plan to go to Fresno but unfortunately they have forgotten their tickets in a hurry. They’ll have to buy their tickets again for going to Fresno. I’m now absolutely sure that Mrs.Lasanon told us a lie so as to remain safe from their rogue neighbours. Anyway, I know the reason behind the rogues going to Fresno. They must be in need of more money and thus, knowing that the Fresno Bank is one of the richest bank in California, their next mission is to loot the Fresno Bank. I’ll catch the culprits there itself in the Fresno Bank. Without even wasting a single minute we must leave for Fresno and I must inform Mr.Hantlewood about it.” Hayward rang Mr.Hantlewood and told him, “Mr.Hantlewood, I’m going to catch them red-handed in the Fresno Bank because I’ve found a clue that they have left for Fresno and I’m certain that they are going to loot the Bank there. All I want from you is that you should personally explain my entire plan to the Fresno Bank Manager. But remember that the entire plan should be a top secret. Till then, see you. Good Bye.” According to the plan Hayward reached Fresno and himself talked with the Bank Manager about the arrangements that were to be made from the beginning to 4

catch the rogues red-handed. The next day, that is, on the 28th of July, Hayward anticipated something great. He knew that Peter and Charles were sure to come to loot the Bank. Local police force was asked to be in vantage points, such that the rogues do not get any hint of their presence. Other important men such as the watchmen and guards were also asked to be attentive in their spots. Everything was perfectly prearranged and everybody waited for the intrusion of the two rogues. But, to his ill fortune, neither Peter nor Charles came to loot the Fresno Bank. Everybody, who knew about the plan, got puzzled, as they never expected such failure from a detective of a calibre of Hayward. Hayward broke down to pieces. It was his first defeat as a detective. But he could not tolerate it. He wanted to end his career on a winning note. He could not understand what went wrong. But anyhow he had to prove himself successful, as it was a sort of challenge to him. Hayward came back to his hotel pale and broken down. Evan tried to soothe him, but Hayward wasn’t pleased with his own performance and decided not have food that night. Evan requested his master but all in vain. The room’s callingbell rang and Evan opened it to see a waiter. The waiter said, “Sir, this letter is for you.” Hayward shouted, “Letter? From whom? Who gave it to you?” To this the waiter said, “Sorry Sir, he didn’t tell me his name, he just told me to give it to you and also told me to tell you that you should read it carefully.” Hayward opened the envelope and saw: -

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Dear Hayward, OH I SEE! YOU ARE TO QUEUE TO SEE A PEA WON BY A BEE? You don’t know me but I know you very well. The above lines are strange, confusing and disturbing. But beyond that I cannot give you anything. If you have the so-called ‘third eye’ or the ‘sixth sense’ you can easily be successful in your mission. Okay then, try and work your heart out. Wish you best of luck. Your well-wisher.

Hayward was entirely confused. He couldn’t even get an iota of hint as to who has the letter come from. But he took the recieval sportingly and thought of going deep into the contents of the letter. The great analysis began. Hayward quoted the letter, “Oh I see! You are to queue to see a pea won by a bee”. He deliberated over the quotation to Evan, “A pea won by a bee? Can a bee win a pea? Or is it a very rare case that a bee wins a pea? Or, again, is it a worthless thing to stand in a queue to see a bee winning a pea?” Hayward asked, “Dear Evan, have you ever seen a bee winning a pea?” Evan answered, “No my master, I haven’t ever. I have never even dreamt of it.” “But the letter-writer must have dreamt of one such”, jokingly said Hayward. Evan interrupted, “Sir, is the letterwriter trying to advise you not to waste your precious time in investigating the case?” “You are, to some extent, correct. But then why did he or she write about the ‘third eye’ and the ‘sixth sense’? Quitting the case doesn’t require either of them. Why did he or she tell me to work my heart out? Again, leaving the case unsolved won’t require any hard work. No Evan, whoever be the writer, he or she is trying to give me a brainteaser. He or she is trying to test my skill. So, I’ll have to be equal to it”, said the brave detective. In this way, Hayward kept himself awake all the night murmuring the sentence repeatedly to himself. In the morning, when Evan woke up from bed he found his master sleeping clumsily on a cot. Getting the crackling sound of the 6

old wooden bed Hayward too woke up. The waiter of the hotel came to their room saying, “Sir, it has been over a couple of days that you are in this city of Fresno. So our manager is asking whether you would like to see the sight seeings of the place or not. He has a car in readiness for you and he is waiting for your consent.” Evan fiercely replied, “See, we haven’t come to Fresno for a touring purpose. We have come here for a serious issue. My master is in a heartsick mood. You want us to loiter about in the city merely for sight seeings? Come on, get out now and don’t irritate us like that any more.” Hayward readily protested, “Hey Evan, I know you are depressed because of my being depressed, but don’t you have manners to talk to people? Is that an approach of a gentleman? Hey, we’ll go out for the sight seeings and why not? We know that the two victims are here in Fresno itself and if we do not roam about in the city, do you think we’ll ever get them? Gentleman, I’m sorry for my partner’s unintentional misbehaviour. Please give your manager my consent and tell him to let me know the monetary transactions required for the outing.” Hayward and Evan descended to the hotel reception and the latter asked the receptionist, “Where’s the car?” “Sir, it’s just downstairs, parked beside the pedestrian footpath”. “But there must be other cars as well, how can we recognize our’s?” “Sir, you can easily recognize it, it’s a rose-red Ford numbered: OIC GH5Q2” “But”, interrupted Hayward, “why is the registration number such? It should start with ‘F’ as the name of the city is ‘Fresno’.” The receptionist replied, “Sir, this car doesn’t belong to Fresno, it belongs to somewhere else.” Evan said, “Oh I see!” Hayward gave a short pause and screamed, ‘“What did you say, Evan? You said, “Oh I see”, didn’t you?”’ He added, “Look, what a co-incidence. Even the registration number of this car starts with ‘O I C’ and hey there you are. The, the… quotation of the letter also starts with ‘Oh I see!’ therefore the quotation also tries to mean the same. The registration number of this very car is: 7

OIC GH5Q2 The quotation starts with, “Oh I see! You are to queue to…” So, putting the quotation in the above format, the registration number of the required car would be: OIC UR2Q2 But the meaning of the remaining words of the quotation is still to be found out. Okay gentleman, can you please tell me the name of the city to which this Ford car is registered?” The receptionist said, “Sure Sir, this Ford car is registered to Oakland.” “Away then! Gentlemen, arrange for our trip to Oakland. We’ll start soon”, said the busy Hayward. This was the start, and after this Hayward never seemed to look back. It was Evan’s request that had initially ignited his passions for the expedition and now again it was Evan’s accidental exclamation that re-ignited his passions and showed him a new light to view success with. In no time, Hayward and Evan left for Oakland in that very rose-red Ford with rose-red hopes as well. It takes about seven hours from Fresno to Oakland and that huge time-span was enough for the genius Hayward to dig out the reality embedded in the quotation. While travelling towards Oakland he explained to Evan and rather elaborated to him, ‘“See Evan, we are on the right track. The phrase “Oh I see! You are to queue to” means O I C U R 2 Q 2 and it stands for the registration number of the car in which the rogues might have fled. The phrase, “see a pea” means C A P and stands for none other than Charles and Peter. And last but not the least, the phrase, “won by a bee” means 1/AB, which is certainly an address in Oakland. I’m sure that 1/AB is an address which will take us closest to our target.”’ Hearing all these Evan became quiet and tears were seen pouring down from his eyes. Those tears were more for his master being back in form than for his recent discovery. Reaching Oakland Hayward immediately accessed the local Civil Information Centre and asked the officer there, “Sir, I am Neil Hayward and this is my identity card. Can you 8

please tell me all the names of the streets or other important venues in Oakland of the short-form A B?” The officer typed in the data in his computer and, from the monitor, said, “Look Sir, there are Anthony Barkley—a monument, Anderson Broadcasters, Anti-Crime Bureau and Arrison Building.” Thanking the officer Hayward left the office. Coming out, he told Evan that amongst all the places of the form of AB the Arrison Building was the most suitable one because the others were either a monument or a company or an office. He said, “See Arrison Building is surely an apartment house and thus there is a probability of Charles and Peter having a peaceful shelter amidst innocent families there. Our first and foremost job would be to go to Arrison Building to verify whether the rogues are really staying there. But I’m confident that my sixth sense has already sensed their presence in the Arrison Building.” In fact, Hayward was proved to be true. Knowing that the rogues were in his catching-range, he arranged for the local police force to help him to arrest them from the Arrison Building. Everybody, including the Los Angeles Bank Manager Mr.Hantlewood and the Manager of the Fresno Bank were also called for. The whole of California came to know about the grand success of Hayward. Just as the police inspector was to put the two rogues in his van, Hayward said, “Wait Sir, you have another rogue to catch, the third.” “The third?” asked the Inspector. “Yes, the third. Mr.Hantlewood himself.” “What? How can that be possible?”, asked the Inspector. “Yes, it’s true. I knew it from the very beginning of my expedition. Firstly, when Mr.Hantlewood had told me that inspite of there being closed-circuit cameras in the Bank the rogues had disconnected them, I was confident that he was attached with the burglary because it’s only the Bank Manager of a bank who knows the cabin from which the cameras can be disconnected. Secondly, it was the same Mr.Hantlewood whom I had told my plans about the Fresno Bank and told him to keep it a secret. He had continuous contacts with Charles and Peter and because of his good understanding 9

with them he warned them not to rob the Fresco Bank. Thus, when all of us waited for catching the rogues in the Fresno Bank, Mr.Hantlewood shifted them to Oakland. In the first case I was in a bit of doubt but I had experimentally informed him about my Fresno Bank Plan so as to convert my doubt into assurance. Then, again, when the rogues denied him his share, he reshuffled his plan and wrote a letter to me giving me indirect clues to catch the rogues. He was under a wrong impression that I would not be able to solve the tricky clue and he’ll escape from my grasp along with the two other rogues. But that was not to be. My friend, I untied the knot you had given me but the knot itself, in return, became a net in which you have entangled yourself. Now let the long hands of law hold you in their clutches.” “Arrest this scoundrel at once and remember that he should get more punishment than his fellow-mates only because of his mean-minded conspiracy”, said the angry Inspector as he took the three criminals away in his van. Everybody present in the site applauded the great detective for his extraordinary achievement. Heaps of congratulations, flowers and bouquets were presented to the old hero. Hayward was unmoved as he stood still facing the sky with tears running down his pink cheeks. The tears resembled bliss and pleasure. His face glowed with the light of success and sparkled with the shine of satisfaction. *** --------Sinchan Bose

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