A Magnifying Glass

  • 14 Sep - 20 Sep, 2024
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Fiction

“In the video clip, Wilson Rodger was standing next to the main door, he had worn white clothes with blue handkerchief and blue shades to hide his face completely. But his red hair was clearly visible. He was adding a very strong and effective alcohol to the drink which Nigel had kept near his gate for Gerard. As he moved away, Nigel entered the room and saw his wall clock, he was angry and he drank the drink not knowing it was alcoholic now. Drunken Nigel was now totally out of his mind and could hardly control himself. The alcohol’s effect was so powerful that it weakened his current memory. Wilson Rodger came in front of him with his face unexposed and said to him: ‘Gerard insulted you, he took away your family’s honor, he said bad things about your father and your mother. You must kill him’. In the scene it is shown that Wilson Rodger badly provoked and forced him to go and kill Gerard. As Nigel was out of his mind therefore he agreed to kill Gerard”

The first video clip ends, Nigel looses his state of mind remembering all these events and realizing that he didn’t remember all this because he was drunk at that time. Now he impatiently plays the next video clip to see what happened next, but he knew most of what he was about to see in the video:

“12:10, Nigel was standing with his eyes closed outside his Uncle Simon’s house at Burlington. As Mr. Simon opened the gate, Wilson Rodger put a cloth with chloroform on his face and entered inside the house taking Nigel with him”

Nigel realized that this was the scene he saw in that MMS video clip and his father’s assassination was about to take place. He feels quite angry when he realizes how that guy Oliver made a fool out of him by using him as the killer.

“Back in the video, Nigel was walking at the house but he could hardly balance his body as he was all drunk. Wilson Rodger was continuously saying to him: ‘We’re here to kill Gerard, you will kill him with this dagger’, he gave Nigel the dagger and took him towards the room where his father was sleeping. Before Nigel could enter the room, Wilson Rodger got chloroform on Mr. Steve’s face as well that he was also lying totally unconscious. He hid his face with a blanket, so that Nigel couldn’t recognize his father. As Nigel came inside, he said to him: ‘Gerard insulted you and your family, he said bad words about your dead mother and your stepmother. He also said bad things about your father. He deserves nothing but death, only by your hands’. Nigel was now motivated by him to kill Gerard, but was unaware that the guy whom he was about to murder was actually his father. So he just took the dagger closer to him”

Nigel stops the video as he knew what happened next and he could definitely not see this again. He weeps a little realizing that all the way long he was looking for the assailant who was no one other than himself. The man on chair sympathizes on him and says:

‘Do you know what happened next?’

‘I know, Oliver then took me to back to my home’

‘Oliver? Are you sure?’

‘I meant Wilson Rodger’ Nigel cries. ‘By the way why are you tied here?’

‘Because you don’t know’ he laughs, ‘that my every big step has a bigger reason behind’

Nigel gets a little confused remembering that Mr. Driscoll once said this to him. So he looks at that man and asks:

‘Who are you?’

‘I swear I’m not going to lie’ he replies honestly, ‘so don’t think that I’m telling you any jokes. I am Detective Arthur Driscoll’

Nigel gets badly shocked and confused, the man continues saying:

‘The sad and bad news is that your culprit Wilson Rodger is not dead he’s still alive. Oliver who was shot by a bullet was not Wilson Rodger’

‘You’re serious? Wait a minute if you’re saying that Oliver is not Wilson Rodger, then I may believe you, but you’re also saying that you are Mr. Driscoll’

‘That’s right!’

‘How come that’s possible, if you’re the detective then who’s that guy with blonde hair claiming himself to be Arthur Driscoll’

‘Wilson Rodger!’ a familiar voice comes from behind Nigel.

Nigel turns around and gets shocked to see a man standing with white clothes on and holding the blue handkerchief. He was no one other than the person whom Nigel used to consider the Detective. He says to Nigel:

‘Yes I am Wilson Rodger, I’ve been playing around Arthur Driscoll with you, but in fact I am your culprit’

‘Nigel!’ the real Detective Arthur Driscoll calls him, ‘I’m the one who gave you that unpublished book. You and Mr. Steve met ME the first day when I was disguised remember’

Nigel remembers and slowly understands the scenario.

Cunning but not Smart

Nigel realizes that Wilson had dyed his blonde hair red to make himself look like Oliver. He looks towards both of them,

‘So you both have been playing a game?’ he asks. ‘I mean this was planned by both of you, right?’

‘No’ Wilson Rodger replies, ‘Now listen to me carefully, after the night of assassination. I narrated the murder incident to Arthur Driscoll by going to his house and challenged him that I can defeat his smartness by making YOU a fool, I did this all because he tore my wife’s suicide note. However, Driscoll agreed to give me this chance on a condition that I would not harm anyone. I agreed and gave him my condition of not making any secret phone calls or letters. He also agreed. I trusted his honesty, but I broke my promise by killing Oliver. This shouldn’t have been done, but I did. Now you must have understood that how come such a great detective got exposed so easily. So as you know, I got myself exposed purposely to you. And I gave him every day reports of how much destined you were for catching the assailant and the culprit’

‘Oh man’ Nigel says holding his forehead, ‘you’re very cunning and crook’

‘Nigel do you remember what I told you, that Wilson Rodger is someone around you. I didn’t lie. I asked you how would you recognize the culprit who’s pulling wool over your eyes. It was I all along who had been pulling wool over your eyes’

‘But why did you choose me?’ Nigel asks angrily, ‘I mean your rivalry was with this detective, then why did you have my father killed to show Mr. Driscoll that you can defeat him?’

‘Oh please Nigel’ Wilson Rodger says, ‘don’t think I had nothing personal against Steve Dahl. I had a strong reason behind, but in fact my rivalry was more with Mr. Steve as compared to Driscoll’

‘How come?’

‘My wife was in love with your father. She committed suicide because of him. My life’s biggest purpose ever was to kill the person due to whom I lost my wife’

‘So it was actually your diary’ Nigel says remembering the diary which he showed him, ‘so that diary’s notes were true’

‘Yes and now I have won after killing Mr. Steve and defeating Arthur Driscoll’

‘Oh yeah, I don’t think so’ Mr. Driscoll says, ‘you think that by breaking a promise given to your opponent, and by telling lies to the person on whom you are playing is smartness? No, according to me you may be cunning like he said, but not as much smart’

‘Ok I’m sorry about breaking that promise, but tell me one thing when I lied to Nigel about my identity with your permission then what makes any difference if I tell more lies such as Oliver’s part’

‘I don’t think you have defeated my intelligence’ Mr. Driscoll replies gently.

‘Well dead men don’t bite, because after I kill you right now you won’t be of any use, neither you would be able to do any harm’

Nigel realizes that Wilson Rodger was about to kill Mr. Driscoll, therefore he must escape but before he could think of anything, Wilson Rodger picks up a glass bottle and throws it on Nigel’s leg. Nigel gets badly injured on his knee with glass breaking on his leg, and was unable to stand now. ‘I’m bringing my revolver’ he says to Nigel and Mr. Driscoll, ‘it’s going to be filled with only one bullet. Let’s see who gets that bullet, Nigel or the great Detective Arthur Driscoll’

He leaves them and goes to another room to bring the revolver.

Biggest Purpose of Life

Nigel was trying to heal his wound somehow but was quite angry on Mr. Driscoll. Even though Mr. Driscoll was tied on chair with ropes and had no place to escape, he was still calm and relaxed as if nothing was about to happen. Nigel says to him:

‘You know Mr. Driscoll, you’re worse than a rookie. I always thought you were someone smart and clever but you’re nothing more than a coward who let a criminal do whatever he wanted’

‘You have the right to say that but you don’t know that we both are still safe’

‘We’re safe what the hell do you mean? Wilson is bringing a revolver to kill anyone of us and you’re saying that we’re both safe’

‘What do you think he has won? No he hasn’t defeated us. The game’s not over yet, the most interesting part is still to come…he may be very cunning or even smart, but not smart enough to defeat my capability’

‘What do you mean? He won’t kill us?’

‘Remember what I told you’ the detective says gently, ‘my every big step has a bigger reason behind. That reason is going to let us survive today’

Nigel gets a little surprised on his confidence, but then Wilson Rodger comes back with a revolver containing one bullet.

‘I’m back with my revolver, so tell me whom should I kill with this bullet’

Arthur Driscoll smiles and then laughs for a while teasing him, he asks Mr. Driscoll:

‘Why are you laughing? Do you want to die?’

‘You know Wilson what’s your biggest flaw in life?’ Mr. Driscoll smiles. ‘You trust anyone by misjudgment. You played this game well but did one big mistake’

‘What the hell do you mean?’

‘You trusted your opponent’s honesty. You shouldn’t have trusted me earlier, because I lied to you’

‘Which lie are you talking about?’ he asks getting confused seeing Mr. Driscoll.

‘I told you that I tore your wife’s suicide note’

‘You lied about that?’ Wilson Rodger asks getting badly stunned.

Nigel smiles realizing Mr. Driscoll’s part in the game.

Mr. Driscoll says:

‘While locking me in a room of my house, you should have at least checked what I was having in my pockets. You gave me clothes and food while I was locked, but never cared to check around in that room. The truth is that I still have your wife’s note in my pocket’

Wilson Rodger helplessly checks his pockets of pants and finally gets the suicide note, written by his wife. As he unfolds it, he recognizes Jill’s handwriting. Mr. Driscoll gives an evil look:

‘After you’ll read this note, you’ll have the answer of killing the right person with this revolver’

Nigel gets a little surprised hearing this, likewise Wilson does and he reads the note aloud:

‘Today I am committing suicide because of my husband Willy. Willy forcefully married me as I never wanted to marry him, but now I’m all trapped with him and want freedom from the torment and suffering which he gives me every day. That’s why the only way to achieve freedom is to commit suicide’

As he finishes the note, the note slips off his hand and tears come in his eyes. He grips his revolver and says weeping:

‘I didn’t knew I was harsh, she should have told me at least that I was being so bad’

‘I’m sorry Wilson Rodger’ Mr. Driscoll says, ‘but according to this note, the main person because of whom your wife committed suicide was not Mr. Steve,

it was you yourself. Your torment and sufferings enforced her to do this’

‘No please don’t’

he cries out loudly,

‘I don’t believe this, I really loved her that’s why I forced her for marriage’

‘If you really love her Wilson, and want to avenge the right person responsible for her death, then you know whom you should kill right now…’

‘…No please don’t tell me this’ Wilson cries further loading his revolver.

He aims his own forehead with the gun and says:

‘This was my life’s biggest purpose’ Saying this he presses the trigger and shoots his own forehead. Splashes of blood come out of his head and

he dies.

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