My elder sister, Rashmi, is a big fan of actor Manika. Our Uncle Raghav is a manager in the five-star hotel Royal Hills and he told us that Manika would be staying there to attend her friend’s wedding. “Manika has agreed to meet you,” said Uncle Raghav to Rashmi, who was very excited about this.
In the morning, uncle took us to the hotel. Rashmi bought a bouquet of yellow tulips to gift to Manika. When we went up to the suite, her assistant opened the door, looking worried.
“Manika’s diamond necklace is missing,” said the assistant.
Stolen?
Manika was sitting on the couch in tears. “The diamond necklace is a family heirloom, which I received from my grandmother. I was going to wear it for the wedding this evening,” she said. “I had kept it in the safety locker in my room. When I opened it this morning, the necklace was missing.
Uncle Raghav called the hotel security staff to the suite.
“Did anyone else know the secret code to the locker?” I asked.
“Who is this little detective?” asked Manika.
“This is my nephew, Rohit, and my niece, Rashmi. They are your fans and wanted to meet you.”
“Everyone knew the secret code. It is 2406,” said Manika.
“That’s the date and month of your birth,” said Rashmi.
“Yes,” said Manika. ““It is easy for me to remember it.”
“It is not wise to share your secret code with others,” I said and Manika looked daggers at me.
As we chatted, the security people arrived. After investigating, Murthy, the head of security, said, “Madam, it looks like the guests who stayed with you might have opened the safe.”
“You can’t accuse us,” shouted Manika’s aunt. “One of your staff must have used the master code to open the locker, while we went out for dinner.”
“We checked the CCTV footage. No one entered this suite at that time,” said Murthy.
The suite had three bedrooms. Murthy asked his staff to check the belongings of the guests.
Uncle Raghav asked us to leave. Rashmi gave the bouquet to Manika. “I read in an interview that tulips are your favourite flowers and that you are allergic to asters,” said Rashmi, pointing to a black vase with asters, which was in Manika’s aunt’s room.
“Aunt Bharani, I told you not to keep those flowers in the suite. You know I am allergic to them and yet you brought them here,” said Manika angrily.
“I am sorry, dear,” said her aunt, picking up the vase and walking to the door.
“She knows you are allergic to asters, right? Why then would she bring it here?” I inquired and grabbed the vase from the shocked aunt. I searched inside but it was empty.
“Give it back,” yelled the aunt, trying to take it from me.
But the vase slipped from my hand and broke. Amid the pieces lay the missing diamond necklace. It had been hidden in a secret compartment at the bottom.
“After we returned from dinner, I was in the balcony with Asha and Ruby. She must have entered the room and opened the locker,” said Manika.
“The necklace belongs to my daughter,” yelled Aunt Bharani.
Ruby apologised profusely. Manika forgave her aunt and didn’t place a police complaint.
16YT_Talespin | Photo Credit: Sreejith R. Kumar
“Rohit and Rashmi, tell me your birthdays. I will keep it as a secret code and send you gifts,” said Manika.
Rohit received a detective set kit for his birthday.
