Chapter 2

The oppressive Kolkata heat hung heavy in the air the next morning as Inspector Chatterjee returned to the Chowdhury residence. The initial shock of Dhritiman's death had given way to a simmering tension that permeated the atmosphere. Maya, clad in a simple white saree, her eyes still red-rimmed from grief, received the Inspector with a stoic nod. Ananya, her youthful exuberance replaced by a quiet sadness, sat beside her mother, a silent observer.

Inspector Chatterjee wasted no time. He directed his first inquiries towards the overturned cup of tea found near Dhritiman's body. The household staff, a motley crew of cooks, cleaners, and gardeners, were questioned. The head cook, a wiry woman named Lakshmi, revealed that Dhritiman was a creature of habit, starting his day with a cup of Darjeeling tea brewed exactly five minutes before sunrise. The tea leaves were always sourced from a specific vendor and stored in a locked cabinet.

Following this lead, Inspector Chatterjee examined the cabinet. It was indeed locked, but a cursory inspection revealed a loose hinge. The lock had been tampered with. The implication was clear - someone had access to the tea leaves and the opportunity to administer the poison. The question remained - who?

Suspicion naturally fell upon Maya. Her strained relationship with Dhritiman and her supposed financial difficulties made her a prime suspect. However, upon questioning, Maya revealed a watertight alibi. She had been asleep in her room at the time of Dhritiman's death, her story corroborated by Ananya.

Frustrated, Inspector Chatterjee turned his attention to the other members of the household. Rahul, ever the flamboyant peacock, seemed on edge. He readily admitted to his financial woes and his repeated requests for help from Dhritiman, but vehemently denied any involvement in his uncle's death. His alibi, however, was flimsy - a late-night poker game with friends who seemed reluctant to provide concrete details.

Aparna, the shrewd aunt, presented a different challenge. Her demeanor was cool and calculating, her eyes constantly flitting around the room, taking in everything. When questioned about her relationship with Dhritiman, she admitted to occasional disagreements but maintained that they were purely business-related. Her alibi was seemingly solid - she had been visiting her ailing mother in a nearby town.

Somnath, Aparna's meek husband, was a different story. He seemed genuinely distraught by Dhritiman's death, but a flicker of something akin to defiance sparked in his eyes when questioned about his inheritance rights. His alibi, however, placed him at home on the night of the murder, tinkering with his prized collection of antique clocks.

The investigation took a surprising turn with the arrival of Rohan, Prithvi's illegitimate son. A young man with a haunted look in his eyes, Rohan harbored a deep-seated resentment towards Dhritiman, who had never acknowledged him publicly. He claimed to have been out for a walk on the night of the murder, seeking solace in the quiet of the night.

As the day wore on, Inspector Chatterjee found himself no closer to the truth. Each member of the Chowdhury family had a motive, but none seemed to have a clear opportunity. The locked study door, the tampered tea cabinet, and the traces of a rare poison pointed towards a meticulously planned murder, yet the alibis, for the most part, held strong.

Frustrated, Inspector Chatterjee decided to take a different approach. He revisited Dhritiman's study, meticulously examining every detail. His gaze fell upon a half-written letter clutched in Dhritiman's hand. The letter, addressed to an unknown recipient, hinted at a secret Dhritiman was about to reveal. Could this secret be the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit surrounding his death?

The day ended with more questions than answers. As Inspector Chatterjee left the Chowdhury household, the oppressive Kolkata heat seemed to mirror the stifling tension within its walls. The investigation had taken a crucial turn, but the path to the truth remained shrouded in mystery. The Chowdhury family secrets were slowly beginning to unravel, promising a revelation that would shatter the fragile peace within the opulent Tollygunge mansion.