Sameer

A sharp intake of breath shook my hand and I spilt coffee on my pajamas as I read a shortboxed news item stating the Police suspected and named two youngsters involved in last week's bankheist, Mandeep Singh and Tanya Jhuman. The Manager of the small agricultural loan bank claimed thesum involved was over five million Rupees. I couldn't believe my eyes. The CCTV cameras showedtwo people with face masks - my heart rate accelerated and my breathing followed. My dream girl hadreally fallen into bad company. I must do something. I can't let my future wife go to the bin. Thatwon't do at all. Ideas and plans poured into my consciousness and were quickly discarded.And then it came to me.

I had met and interacted with Alfred Xavier a couple of years ago when he impressed me withhis thoroughness and professionalism. Alfred operated an exclusive detective set-up with three malesand a woman. I bumped into him a number of times on the street and never once did I recognize him,He would be an old man shuffling along leaning on a stick, at times a young lad with a crew cut andfaded jeans, then again wearing spectacles and supporting a beard, at other times he would look a hobowith a torn jacket and a hunch back, sorting through trash in the street bin. All these disguises weredone in the line of duty and it was only when he winked at me that I recognized him.I summoned Alfred on the phone and told him what I wanted. He was an expensive man, butmy parents had left me a fortune which I dipped into only if I had to and this was a cause whichcertainly deserved thorough investigation.