SLEUTHING AFTER THE RAIN

“It’s a mercy that the downpour has at last halted,” moaned Detective Uday tediously as he lowered the window of his car.

  “I concur,” replied Inspector Mukesh, reclining in his seat. “To begin with, we travel for a significant distance because of what ends up being a prank phone call, then, while coming back, we’re welcomed by heavy, unusual rain and presently… seems as though we’re out of fuel.”

  Detective Uday scowled, looking at the fuel gauge to affirm this. “Hopefully, we discover a petrol pump before the vehicle abandons us.”

  A petrol pump showed up forthwith enough and as they maneuvered into it, they saw a police car and an emergency ambulance vehicle leaving. “What occurred here?” questioned Inspector Mukesh to one of the constables on the scene, blazing his police ID.

  “Theft, Sir,” answered the constable, saluting insightfully. “The attendant was taken shots at. A witness on the road saw two men enter a van and drive away. We discovered the van deserted external a campers’ park, a couple of kilometers from here. Sub-inspector Hooda is there now, gathering suspects.”

  “We should head to this park, I suppose. Should at least accomplish something useful on this futile day,” said Inspector Mukesh. Detective Uday agreed and after filling the car’s gas tank, they drove to the park, joined by the young constable.

  They tracked down the sub-inspector outside the park, who was almost about to drive off. They stopped him, introduced themselves, and enquired whether they could come of some help. Hooda, the sub-inspector, let them know that he had recognized three pairs of suspects in the park, yet couldn’t capture anybody because of the absence of proof. As he left, Inspector Mukesh and Detective Uday chose to interrogate the suspects themselves.

The first pair had assembled a fire outside their tent and were frying fish over it. “My companion and I are on a climbing trip. We came here the previous evening and went fishing, a little before the downpour started this evening. Some good catch we have. Would you like a few?” said Ishaan Singh, one of them, offering some newly seared fish. The investigators refused graciously and continued on to the following pair of suspects, who were in a van.

  James Hale, its proprietor, was abrupt. “We haven’t left the van for the whole day because of this never-ending rain. Are you now going to arrest individuals for playing a card game?”

  The duo shook their heads, grumbling, and left for their third pair of suspects. They were found inside their tent, made on the top of the minor slope in the park.

  One of them, named Nischay Verma, stated, “We set up this tent today and went out to get some stuff. We’ve been inside from that point onward.” He got his backpack from the wet grass and kept it on the small bunk beside, as Detective Uday and Inspector Mukesh emptied it to leave.

  “Well, that’s all the evidence we have for now,” said Detective Uday, when they were a good distance away from the tent. “What say we make a few arrests now?”

  “Oh yes.” Inspector Mukesh grinned. “Time we do some arresting ‘stuff’ for Nischay Verma and his accomplice.”

Now, a question to the reader who has read till here. How do you think the investigating duo decide that it was Nischay Verma and his accomplice who were guilty? Read the story twice before you answer!

Solution:
Nischay Verma said that he and his friend had set up their tent that day itself before the rain started. The tent was made on the top of a slope, which meant that the water could not flow into it in any way. However, the grass inside the tent was wet. Therefore, Nischay was lying, and the tent was set up after the rain began, which meant they were the ones who were guilty.

This is the first story I’ve written in this style, just another way to increase my interaction with you. Hope you liked the new sleuthing way!

Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of my imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or persons is entirely coincidental. || Contents of this story should not be reproduced in any manner without permission.