ROBBER ROBBER

'Can you help me?' Before Andy could react to this request the words
were repeated. He looked around. Just behind him was a big black car
under whose bonnet was the head of a lady. It was this lady who had
spoken to him. The polite person that he was Andy said, 'What can I do
for you?'. The lady replied that her car had broken down in the middle
of nowhere. She had somehow managed to fix the problem. However it was
quite late now and she was afraid of driving alone to Ballygunge where
she lived. Andy offered to take a taxi and follow her car all the way.
But the lady was adamant. She insisted that Andy should drive her home.
After much persuasion Andy agreed. In ten minutes they were at the
lady's residence. The lady had informed Andy that her father was one of
the biggest jewellers in Calcutta. She also told him that she was
studying criminal psychology. As the car entered through the massive
gates of Jewel Mansion where the lady lived they were surprised to find
three police jeeps near the porch. As the girl alighted from her car an
elderly person ran towards her. 'My dear we have been completely
looted. Thank god you are safe.' Andy who was very eager to know what
was happening stepped out of the vehicle. Even as he looked on in shock
the master of the house pointed at him and screamed, 'There he is. This
is the man who visited me this evening. He asked to see my best
jewellery. I trusted him and laid my best stock before him. A telephone
call forced me to go to another room. When I came back both the man and
the jewellery were gone. Inspector Sen arrest him at once.' Before Andy
could say anything he was grasped by three able-bodied policemen. He
was taken to the local police station and questioned. After three hours
of intensive interrogation he was allowed to go.
Later that week Andy was in Siligoori. He was visiting some cousins.
One of them, Raj, took him to a night club. The club was filled with
revelers. Miss Helen was going to perform tonight. All of them were
waiting on the dance floor ready to let their hair down to the beats of
Miss Helen's gyrations. Suddenly Andy felt a tap on his shoulder. A
bearer handed him a slip of paper. On it was written,'Missing
you-Helen'. When he looked up at the bearer the man pointed to the
greenroom door. With some hesitation Andy excused himself and went into
the greenroom. Very close to the entrance was a large mirror. With her
back to Andy was a very attractive lady, presumably Helen. 'Andy dear,
please pull the zipper of my dress up', said Helen. It was then that
Andy noticed that the back zipper of Helen's dress was open. Andy did
as instructed. Without looking at him Helen said, 'Your girlfriend
Angie will meet you tomorrow at Hotel Bliss in Darjeeling. Don't miss
the appointment'. After this the lights of the greenroom suddenly went
off and Helen could not be seen anymore. Andy came out and in five
minutes Helen's item started.
The drive from Siligoori to Darjeeling takes five hours. Siligoori is a
tea town and has very little to hold back a young man like Andy. The
next day he took his cousin's jeep and drove to picturesque, romantic
Darjeeling. It was really a coincidence that he checked into Hotel
Bliss. It was four in the afternoon and Andy was relaxing by the pool
when a pretty looking girl in a bikini came and sat down next to him.
'Well Andy,', she said, 'You have finally arrived. Don't you think I am
looking great today?'. Andy did not know what to say to this stranger
but he guessed she was Angie. The girl followed him wherever he went
and even sat down to dinner with him. Andy did not remember what
happened thereafter. When he came to he found himself in another
dwelling. This was a traditional Sikkim house made of wood. There were
many women in the household and not one replied to any of his
questions. All they said again and again was 'boss'. Boss came in the
evening. He was a short man with a paunch. He was able to solve many
mysteries. Andy had been brought to Sikkim with the help of Helen,
Angie, the jeweller's daughter and many others. The reason why he was
here was this. The Namgyal, the king of Sikkim was going to wear a new
crown tomorrow. To steal this crown off his head as it were they needed
a person whom nobody would suspect and who could be made a scapegoat if
necessary. Andy was the perfect choice. He was young, gullible and
could play the drums. After the Namgyal wore the crown the king would
witness a musical variety program in his courtyard. Andy would be a
drum player in the musical troupe which was actually a front for the
boss' organization. Andy did not know what to do.
Soon the expected hour arrived. The Namgyal wore his crown and took his
seat. Soon the dance started. Andy was to start at the far end of the
courtyard and dance his way to the Namgyal. Then he would hold a gun to
the king's head and take the crown from him. Andy started playing his
drum and danced to the middle of the enclosure. It was then that a
gunshot was heard. Andy smiled to himself. Soon the courtyard was
filled with Sikkimese police. The boss who was hiding behind the drapes
was also caught. What Andy had done was this.The day before he had met
a few children. He had given them chocolates which he had with him. In
return for this they had passed on a letter written by him to the local
police station requesting for help. Andy had just given up smoking and
to humour himself he would tuck in a chocolate or two from his pocket
once in a while.