Impact

By Mark David Abbott

An honest man in a dishonest world.

 

Detective Inspector Rajiv Sampath still believes he can make a difference.

 

Fifteen years ago when he joined the Indian Police Service as a fresh recruit, he was full of big ideas and pure ideals about how he could make the world a better place by upholding the law.

 

Now, after years of working in a world that seems to reward dishonesty and self-interest, he could be forgiven for turning a blind eye.

 

But he won't give up.

 

Follow Inspector Sampath as he does whatever it takes to make sure justice is served… even if sometimes he has to skirt the boundaries of the law.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark David Abbott
• Release date: Aug 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201643669

Book preview

SATURDAY

1

Muniraj Gowda stumbled forward and steadied himself against the wall. His vision blurred, and the wall swayed back and forth. He burped, tasting the acid in the back of his throat as the rough country liquor he had been drinking, combined with the dosa and sambar he’d eaten, made a reappearance in his mouth. He swallowed it back down, gingerly let go of the wall and pulled the front of his pants down. He started peeing against the wall, wobbled backwards, then felt the warm splash of urine on his feet. He took a step back, then stepped forward again and held the wall with his free hand. As his bladder emptied, he shook his head in an attempt to clear his vision. Turning around, he took a moment to remember where he was, hitched up his pants and wobbled over to the curb, where he had parked his scooter earlier. Fumbling for his keys he then swung a leg over the seat and once seated, looked up the street. It swam before his eyes, the signs above the shops blurring, merging and then separating. He belched again, then leaned forward to stick the key in the ignition. On the fifth attempt it went in and he pressed the starter button. He just wanted to go home and sleep. It had been a long week and his bones ached from the back-breaking labour carrying bricks and sand on the building site. But tomorrow was a day off and he planned to spend it sleeping. He shook his head again. His vision cleared, and he twisted the throttle and pulled out onto the street. He didn’t have far to go, just three blocks, and fortunately this late at night the street was quiet. Hopefully the cops would be at home too.

An oncoming vehicle honked at him, and he swerved back onto his side of the road. His eyelids drooped, and he shook his head again. It seemed to be the only thing that cleared his vision. Jayshree would probably give him a good tongue lashing when he got home, but she didn’t understand what it was like to spend the entire day lugging building materials. The sun was so hot it burnt into his head and his boss, Shivappa, worked them like dogs. If he caught them slacking for a moment he would dock them an entire day's pay, keeping it for himself. Sometimes he didn’t even need a reason. It was alright for him, sitting up there in his tractor seat. He had an awning for shade and spent the day chewing tobacco and shouting orders. Bastard.

Anyway, he earned the money, and it was his right to spend it however he liked. He would not be told what to do by Jayshree.

Peering ahead in the dim amber glow of the streetlights he saw he was approaching the Hanuman temple. He swerved to avoid a dog which had chosen the middle of the road in which to sleep, then slowed, and looked to his left at the giant orange statue of the Monkey God. Hanuman moved as if he was dancing and then split into two, then three. Muniraj blinked and the three Hanumans merged back into one. Jai Bajrangbali, he called out, then twisted the throttle. His eyes still on Hanuman, he felt the scooter accelerate, and he turned to look in front. The last thing Muniraj Gowda saw that night was the brightly painted rear of a goods vehicle.

2

Chandru pushed through the crowd gathered near the entrance to the Hanuman Temple. He’d heard a bang but thought nothing of it, the streets noisy at all times