#23

Gosef kept the three bundles of cash on the counter of the hospital. The receptionist took the cash. She accessed her computer, drew a receipt out of the printer and gave it to him.

" Can you tell me how much amount is left now? "

" Just wait a minute, sir. Let me calculate. "

He picked up a plastic bag containing apples from the waiting chair and walked towards the stairs. He climbed upstairs. A half paralysed Keera (in her thirties) was lying on the hospital bed. A nasogastric tube was attached to her nose. A nurse was preparing a vaccine for her standing by a medical instrument trolley. Gosef entered the room with a plastic bag in his hand. He came to the bed and kept the bag on the table.

He said, " I have brought her some apples. "

" I'll feed her before the lunch. "

He nodded. He looked at Keera who had her eyes opened but was not in a state to speak. He gently held her palm. Keera's lips moved a bit as she was trying to smile. He came out of the room. He walked through the corridor and came to the lobby where there was a sign of no smoking on the wall. He went to the men's washroom. He locked himself in one of the stalls of the washroom. He sighed and kept his hands on his hips. He covered the toilet with the lid. He took out a cigarette and put the one between his lips. He lit the cigarette with the lighter. He held his cigarette with his hand and sat on the seat. He put the cigarette back between his lips and started smoking. He heard footsteps approaching towards his stall. The sound of the footsteps stopped at his stall. The person behind the door knocked the door. Gosef didn't respond and kept on smoking. The person knocked again.

Gosef said, " It's engaged right now. Use the other stall. "

The person knocked again.

" Didn't you get it? It's engaged. "

The person knocked again. This time a bit harder. Gosef lost his cool. He stood up and opened the door. He remained stunned to see the person outside the stall. He was expecting a man but it was Sarika standing before him.

He asked, " Are you sure you are at the right place, mam? "

" Why? "

" I think we are in men's toilet. You should be in women's toilet. You are not allowed here. "

She huffed.

" Oh, really? Well, smoking is not too allowed in the hospital premises. I expect you know the rules. "

He cleared his throat.

" Why are you here? "

" I am here because I spoke to Quentin. "

He hummed and nodded.

" So, he spilled the beans. Well, I didn't expect that I would be questioned in a public toilet. Can we go to a better place to talk further? "

Sarika and Gosef were sitting on a bench in the garden which was inside the premises of the hospital.

He said, " When Keera was diagnosed with brain tumour I was working as a mixer grinder salesman. I was earning a frugal income which was not adequate for her treatment. Later that evening I met Quentin who offered me to work for the gang he was the member of. He promised me of a hefty amount as a remuneration for every assignment. "

" Do you know anything about the two people who came to you? "

" Any member of the gang is not allowed to ask about the client. I was just there on the order of Bough to deliver them the drone. "

" Bough, is he in Paris? "

" I haven't talked to him for a while. Well, Bough is just a face of the gang. The actual kingpin of the gang is still unknown to anyone. "

" Oh, that's the game. "

" Yes, no one has seen the person who runs the gang. Only Bough knows the 'Le Fantome'. "

" Fantome? "

He nodded.

" Fantome, or phantom. A ghost, which means he is nowhere. In other words, no one can find him because he always keeps himself away from the eyes of everyone. "

She hummed. She folded her hands and remained silent for a while.

He asked, " Can I go? "

She nodded. He stood up from the bench, corrected his jacket and left. She accessed her phone. She made a call to Chloe.

" Hey, Chloe. Do you remember anything about Bough? "

Erik was sitting inside the cabin of Inspector Silvan, the station head of the region in Geneva. Silvan stepped into the cabin. Erik stood upon seeing him. Silvan came to the table, removed his cap and kept it on the table.

" Mr. Stewart, didn't I make you wait for a long? "

" No, not that long. "

" Oh. Well, thanks for your patience. Have a seat? "

Erik sat on his seat. Silvan sat on his chair at his desk.

He said, " I am a little occupied with some other case. "

" I understand. I respect that, sir. "

" I appreciate that. So, you are here for the case of Carla Devins. "

" Yes. I believe her murder is a part of a major conspiracy. "

Silvan hummed.

" Well, we enquired the manager of the hotel where she was staying in. We didn't get anything about the person who was seen in the CCTV footage. "

" Did your team enquire about him in other hotels or lodges where he could have had his stay? "

" Yes we did. We even got his face published all over on the print media but we got no response from any source. I think he had came here with a plan. "

Erik nodded. He held the arms of the chair.

" Well, thank you Inspector for your time. "

He stood up from the chair and headed towards the door.

Silvan said, " The hotel manager told me another thing. "

Erik stopped. He turned around. Silvan stood up from his seat. He picked up a diary from the desk and proceeded towards Erik.

" One of the hotel staff has been missing since the day when Carla was murdered. "

He gave him the diary.

He said, " The seventeenth page has the details of the staff and the statement recorded by the hotel manager. "

Erik took the diary. He opened the diary and turned to the seventeenth page where the details of the suspect was written. He saw a word 'OLD TOWN CAFE'.

Silvan said, " When we went through his call details we came across an unknown phone number which raised our suspicion. "