“Hunt for the Axe Slayer” by V. K. Telkepalli

It was a full moon night, moonlight was narrowing Mr. Schindler’s bedroom and suddenly an axe clips off his head. I was reading The Daily sitting back in my lounge when Luke entered with almost half breath and asked me “Have you read the news?”

Luke is my assistant. He was actually doing his internship so that he could pass as a legal prosecutor from his renowned Nottingham University.

“Yes…”
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“So what’s the plan? When should I start my...”

“Wait! Luke, I don’t have any paperwork to do. So I am going to take over this case as it’s a very complicated and sensitive one.” Immediately my phone buzzed and it was Inspector Alfred, the officer in charge of Mr. Schindler’s case and an old friend of mine.
Luke and I rushed to the crime scene and Inspector Alfred was as usual standing as a fully loaded gun and was inspecting the crime scene curiously and anxiously. We exchanged looks to the astonishment at the crime scene. Mrs. Schindler was crying and their servants were also astonished on seeing the body. I looked up to the body and could see Mr. Schindler’s body lying on his bed but to my surprise his head was nowhere to be seen. It was missing from the crime scene. 

Suddenly from nowhere a hand with a cup of tea appeared in front of me. It was brought by one of the servants of the Schindler family. I accepted his offering and continued observing the body. I could judge from the situation that he was killed by an axe since the cut around the neck was clean and swift as if the axe was hit with great force and strength. Probably, Mr. Schindler didn’t even get to know what’s going on before he was killed. I could guarantee that whosoever the person may be he was either very strong or he knew how to use an axe for such a cut. But the biggest question which was storming my brain was where his head was. I could also see that there were no blood stains in any other part of the room. It was totally closed and not even a single trace of someone coming through the balcony could be seen and so this concludes that the murderer entered from the main entrance. Where did the murderer put the head? How did he carry? What was his purpose? And if he entered from the main door, then how could not anyone notice him? 

We were back to the office and my Rubik’s cube was lying in the middle of all the papers still unsolved. I picked it up and with each flip of the cube, I was trying to find out the answers while I could listen to Luke giving me the Intel about the inquiry to Mrs. Schindler. My hands stopped as he said that one of the servants named Steve was from the native of Mr. Schindler and was hired just an year ago. I immediately directed Luke to Mr. Schindler’s native and asked him to find out each and every thing about Steve and Mr. Schindler.

I was invited for Mr. Schindler’s funeral the next day but my mind was still storming with the obvious question “Where was his head?” As soon as I reached the burial ground, all those rituals annoyed me.  I could see Steve standing beside me and looking at the proceedings with great pity. He smiled looking at me and asked “Like me are you also aesthetic?” I surprisingly nodded my head confirming his guess.

“I could see that you are bugged up with the proceedings” he continued.

“Yes… I don’t much believe in God and I am searching for answers, so...”

“Don’t worry, come I will take you to my house, it’s just a few blocks ahead.”

“No thanks. I am fine.”

“This crematory usually annoys me too.” saying so he left.

After the funeral, I called Inspector Alfred to search the crematory. He was surprised but I assured him that I found the murderer and he would get Mr. Schindler’s head at his burial itself.

The next day I assembled each and every person of the house to the living room and I was right to my assumptions. The police finally found the head. 

“What is going on here, detective can you tell me?” Mrs. Schindler asked me curiously .
“Please be patient madam. As I assured you, I have figured out who the murderer is. To your surprise he is in this very room right now.” I said.

Police arrived as I completed my statement with Mr. Schindler’s head and Inspector Alfred questioned me “So, Who was it?”

“Mr. Steve please proceed. I don’t like to waste my energy.”

“Wh..whh...what do you think of me I... I... was not the one who buried the head there…”

“Ahh…. Then tell me Steve how you knew that the head was buried for the first time!”

“A…aa… aa” 

“Leave it Steve, I will tell what happened. Mrs. Schindler your servant here Mr. Steve is also from your in-law’s place as you said during our inquiry. I had a doubt about him when he offered me tea that very day as to how could a person working the whole day in the house have such dirty nails containing mud which usually is the case with gardeners. Then I sent Luke to your native place to inquire about his past. From there, I learned that your husband and Steve are relatives. Your husband was son-in-law to Steve. It was like Steve had a daughter and she was molested and cheated by your husband. While he was marrying you, she tried to oppose him but Mr. Schindler’s father covered it all and insulted and harassed her badly. Poor woman couldn’t take all that and decided to commit suicide. And Steve or I should say Mr. Damon met your husband as a poor guy and entered your house. And yes, Mr. Damon has a timber business and from his childhood he knows how to use an axe excellently. Am I right Mr. Damon or am I wrong?”

“Yes, yes, I did it. I killed that bastard since he ruined my girl’s life. I purposely buried my girl’s body in this very city and vowed to her soul to kill him…”pleased he continued “and as promised I buried his head near her tomb as an offering. I thought if the head is missing, it would be impossible to solve the case and I would be living freely until my last days. But I am curious to know how you knew it was buried?”

“Mr. Damon as I told I had a doubt about you when I saw mud stuck in your nails and I confirmed it by your nativity and business. I was surprised to see that why would a servant attend his employer’s funeral until and unless he is very close to that person and my mind started ticking when you said crematory annoys you. So I just tried a blind shot and told Inspector Alfred to search the crematory and rest happened as you know.”

“You…”Mrs. Schindler shouted, holding collar of Mr. Damon “take this man out of my sight. No matter what my husband has done. He is still a killer” Mrs. Schindler cried and started weeping.

“As said there is a reason behind every action we do in this world. Mr. Damon you could have approached this situation legally but you took a path that might end up with your own life.”

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Team:​​

1. Contributor:
   ​V. K. Telkepalli
   

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