The Woman at Cafe Naaz – Romance Story

THE WOMAN AT CAFE NAAZ 

Short Fiction – A Romance

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

From my Creative Writing Archives:

Here is a light-hearted Soft Boiled Detective Romance Story I wrote many years ago – in the 1970s – during my Mumbai days. 

I titled the detective fiction story TIME INCLINATION OPPORTUNITY.

Old timers in Mumbai will surely remember the inimitable Cafe Naaz on Malabar Hill overlooking Marine Drive. 

Cafe Naaz was one my favourite hangouts during my early Mumbai days. 

Sadly – Cafe Naaz disappeared many years ago – but memories remain.

So – here is my old fashioned detective fiction story set in Cafe Naaz – revised, updated and abridged. 

Do tell me if you like the story.

TIME INCLINATION OPPORTUNITY – Fiction Story by Vikram Karve

A detective always remembers his first case. 

Let me tell you about mine.  

This happened long back – almost 40 years ago – in the 1970s – when Pune was a salubrious pensioners’ paradise – a cosy laid back friendly town where everybody knew everybody. 

 

And – let me tell you – at the time of this story – I was not even a full fledged detective.

I was just a rookie part-time amateur self-styled sleuth – studying in college – skylarking in my spare time as a private detective – masquerading as a Private Investigator for my uncle who ran a private detective agency.

Dear Reader – please remember that way back then – in good old days of the 1970s – there were no mobile cellphones – no PCs – no mobile smartphone cameras – no handy cams or digital cameras – no modern technology gadgets – not even things like email and the internet – that you take for granted today – and the only method of investigation was the tried and tested good old physical surveillance – where you spent hours and hours patiently shadowing and tailing your target.

 

“A woman wants her husband watched,” my uncle said – giving me a slip of paper with a name and the room number of a well-known hotel in Pune.

 

“That’s all...? Just a name and hotel room number...?” I asked.

“He is a businessman from Mumbai – he drives down to Pune very often – at least once a week – sometimes twice – ostensibly in connection with business – but our client suspects there is some hanky-panky going on…” my uncle said.

One week later – I waited for the client to arrive at our planned rendezvous.

I sat on the balcony of Café Naaz atop Malabar Hill sipping a cup of delicious Chai and enjoying the breathtaking sunset – as the Arabian Sea devoured the orange sun followed by spectacular view of the Queen’s Necklace as the lights lit up Marine Drive.

She arrived on the dot at 7 PM – and she sat opposite me.

I looked at my client.  

She was a Beauty – a real beauty – 35 – maybe 40. 

She must have been a stunner in her college days – and she still looked very attractive.

I tried not to stare at her.

  

“Okay – you tell me...” she said, getting to the point straightaway.

 

I started reading from my pocket-book: “Thursday morning at 10:15 AM he left his hotel room – he deposited key at reception telling them that he was going for work and he would return in the evening – he started to drive down in his car towards Deccan Gymkhana – on the way he picked up a woman who seemed to be waiting for him – the woman sat next to him – then – they drove off away from the city into the countryside – during the drive – they seemed to be getting amorous – lovey-dovey – you know – a bit of kissing, cuddling…”

She interrupted me: “No...No... – please skip the details – you just tell me – is he or isn’t he…?”

  

She seemed to be in a hurry. 

Or – maybe – she was not comfortable being seen sitting with me over here at Cafe Naaz – and she wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

“I think he is having an affair,” I said.

  

“You think he is having an affair?” 

“Yes. I am pretty sure he is having an affair.”

“How can you be so sure...?”

“Well we look for three things.”

“Three things?”

  

“Yes – the three key ingredients required to have an affair – Time, Inclination, Opportunity…”

“Time … Inclination … Opportunity…” she repeated, looking quite perplexed.

 

“Well they certainly had the Time – they spent the whole day together in seclusion – and they certainly had the Opportunity – behind the privacy of closed doors in that lonely discreet motel hidden in the back of beyond – and as far as the Inclination part is concerned – well – the way they were behaving with each other – well – I have no doubt about it….”

A smile broke out on her face. 

I was flabbergasted. 

Now tell me, Dear Reader: “What would your reaction be if you came to know that your spouse was having an affair...?” 

Would you just smile...? 

Suddenly – I remembered what my detective uncle had told me – so I asked the woman: “Do you wish to increase the coverage?” 

“Increase the Coverage?” 

“Photographs – receipts – documentary evidence – round the clock 24/7 surveillance – full explicit details – the works...” I elaborated. 

Of course – all this detailed investigation would be personally handled in a professional manner by my experienced uncle and his agency. 

I was very keen that this woman ask us to do a comprehensive investigation. 

My uncle would be pleased with me – and maybe he would take me along – and for me – it would be a great learning experience.

“I think you must go in for increased coverage – a full scale investigation,” I said.

  

“I don’t think so,” the woman said.

 

“No?” I said perplexed, “but you will require all this as evidence to establish that your husband is committing adultery.”

 

“Husband...? Who said that man is my husband...?” she said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

 

“You said so - to the head of the detective agency...” I said.

 

“No – I did not tell your boss that the man was my husband. I never said that he was my husband. I just told him that I wanted that man followed,” she said.

  

“But we assumed...”

  

“A good detective should never assume things, isn’t it…? she said.

 

“But then why did you want that man followed…?” I asked curious.

  

She looked at me – and she said: “Well that is my private matter – but since you are such a cute boy and I like you – I will tell you the story. It is like this – one day – 15 years ago – the day I completed my graduation – my parents showed me two photographs. The first photo was of the man you were following – and the second photo was of the man who is now my husband.”

I listened to her with interest.

The woman paused for a moment – she had a sip of water – and then she continued talking: “My parents told me to look at the two photos – and choose one of the two boys – so – I made my choice.” 

“You rejected the man I was following – and selected the other one...?” I asked.

“Yes – I rejected the man you were following. But ever since then – during all these years of my married life – I was always tormented by the thought that I had made the wrong choice. But now – thanks to you – I know that I made the right choice from the two candidates – and I selected the right husband...” the woman said.

 

She took out an envelope from her purse – and she gave it to me.

“Here is your fee – and I have put in a little bonus for you for doing such an excellent job,” she said. 

The woman patted my hand – then she got up – and walked away into the enveloping darkness.

  

I opened the envelope – and I saw that the “little bonus” was much more than the fee.

In fact – in fact – the bonus for me was more than double the fee for the entire investigation. 

I wondered whether she had two envelopes in her purse – one for each eventuality.

So my first case was over. 

But – the beautiful woman at Cafe Naaz taught me a lesson I will never forget.

Yes – I never forgot the cardinal lesson I learnt from this case – my first independent case.

Since then – I never assume anything or presume anything.

I never take anything for granted. 

Before I start a new investigation – the first thing I do – is to carry out a background check of my client. 

Maybe – that is why I am such a successful detective.

So – if you are thinking of hiring me for some detective work – maybe for doing a personal investigation – remember – that the first thing I will do – is to check you out – yes – I will thoroughly check you out.

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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This is a Revised Version of My Story written by me Vikram Karve 40 years ago in the 1970s and Earlier Posted Online in my Blog by me Vikram Karve a number of times including at urls: http://vikramwamankarve.blogspot.in/2009/09/detective-story.html  and  http://creative.sulekha.com/detective-fiction-my-first-case-a-short-story_82652_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/12/rendezvous-at-cafe-naaz-my-favourite.html and  http://creative.sulekha.com/time-inclination-opportunity-detective-fiction_473401_blog  and  http://creative.sulekha.com/the-beautiful-woman-the-handsome-detective-and-the-love-affair_486089_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/07/monday-morning-fiction-rendezvous-at.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/12/rendezvous-at-cafe-naaz-my-favourite.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/spying-on-husband.html