The Masked Man and The Murders
By: Surbhi Bhattar
Tags: Dogs, Serial Killers, Animals, Murder, Fiction

“So what’s the update on the target?”, a message read on a woman’s phone.

“It wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Was taken care of last night”, was the reply.

“What about the cellphone?”, woman texted back.

“Working on it”, the reply came.

“Dammit”, the woman shrieked as she read the text. She texted back, “GET THE DAMN PHONE” as she stepped out of her car and went into a farmhouse stood in front of her.

The place was large, it was covered with grass and trees everywhere and in middle of the field stood a small building. She walked straight towards the building. It read, “Shvan — Rescue Shelter for Dogs”, she stepped inside, it was partitioned into three parts, a small office, where most of her employees sat, the other was a pantry, and the third one was her office, to where she was headed. A gentleman was already sitting there waiting for her.

“I am sorry to have kept you waiting.. so what have you decided?”, she asked to the man wearing a suit as she proceeded to shut the door.

“Mrs Parvati Kashyap, I must say your reputation precedes you. We came here last year as well, that time we met, your husband, Mr. Arvind Kashyap. We had a lengthy discussion about the future of this place, we offered him a very good price for a buyout, but he simply declined. He said, he could never shut this place to let us open a restaurant. And remarked that it would always be a kennel. But now since he has passed away few months back losing a battle to cancer, you want to renegotiate?”, said the man.

“My husband loved this place. So did I, but Mr. Sharma, in this current day and age of economy we both know that the shelter is not doing well financially, there are a lot of expenses and almost no returns. My husband wasn’t practical enough to see what’s best for us. I am ready to accept your offer”, said Parvati.

“What about the animals? What do you plan to do with them?”, asked Mr. Sharma.

“That has already been taken care of. They will be sent to a new home”, Parvati replied back.

After a while, they both came out of her office looking happy as they had mutually reached a decision. Parvati insisted on showing him around, so she called one of her employees, Gaurav to help him see that place one more time.

“It is not in my place to ask, but I have heared of the rumors that you will be opening a restaurant here in place of the shelter house soon enough?”, asked Gaurav as they walked out of the building.

“Yes, it’s true. But don’t worry, you guys will be offered a severance,” Mr. Sharma replied.

“What will happen to the animals?”, Gaurav enquired as he guided him to the farmhouse.

“I am kind of surprised that you are more concerned about the animals than your own job?

Well.. Mrs. Kashyap has made some arrangements, I am sure the dogs will love their new home.”, replied Mr. Sharma.

Gaurav nodded and changed the subject. He gave a trip of the farmhouse and showed him the dog shelter. They were different breeds of dogs present — Golden Retriever, Bulldog, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, etc. Gaurav loved dogs, he had worked at the kennel since the very beginning, so he knew each and every dog and was quite popular among them. They all barked in excitement when they saw Gaurav, they all came to their cage door as he passed by them one after the other.

After a while they returned back to the office, where Mr. Sharma bid farewell to Mrs. Kashyap and left with a promise to return soon with a contract.

Later, Mrs. Kashyap announced to the whole office of this new deal with Mr. Sharma i.e. the conversion of Shvan from a kennel to a restaurant, and laying off all the employees and the relocation of animals to another shelter. Soon enough they were gossips and disappointing nods all over, they encircled Mrs. Kashyap and questioned about their survival to which she assured them an extra month’s pay and will refer them to as many employers she knows.

After the dreaded announcement, the entire office environment became unpleasant and depressed. In the breakroom, people were heared criticising their boss Mrs. Kashyap and they lamented of how situation would have been different had Mr. Kashyap been alive. Some guessed as to how much she must have made from the restaurant deal and commented on how little she will pay us. Some suggested to stand up against her.

“What do you say all, let’s go up to her and demand our jobs back?”, said Vimal, an employee.

“I don’t think she would do anything, if we pressed her too hard on this, she might not even pay us severance”, said Alisha, who was a little timid of them all.

There were groups made, some were with Vimal, some with Alisha. A man sat there quietly for some time, listening and observing. After a while, he got up and left the room abruptly. He made his way to Mrs. Kashyap’s office. Her office was on the other end of the building, as he left the pantry, he passed their office in the passage, it was almost empty with only two people on their desks Gaurav and Shekhar. Gaurav looked and saw him walking friskly towards his boss’s office. He opened his mouth to greet him a word or two, but the man didn’t see him and moved past him. He knocked on her door, went inside on an acknowledgement to enter.

Their were loud noises heared in her office, Gaurav and Shekhar were stunned by this and they left their work and immediately went closer to hear more. Shekhar ran to call others from breakroom, while Gaurav tried to hear more intently.

“How dare you Manish? Are you threatening me”, said Mrs. Kashyap angrily.

“I don’t intent to, but if you don’t ensure all of us our jobs back, then you would face the consequences”, replied back Manish sternly.

With that he stormed out of her office and went away leaving everyone baffled.