The Sleep

By Vamshi Srinivas

A mysterious illness envelopes a person, an illness he is not aware of.

Who is this person? What consequences will he face?

This book gives us the story of Bob and the adventure that lies ahead through the darkest and deepest regions of our innermost self.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514458488

Vamshi Srinivas

I am Vamshi Srinivas, a regular software professional like many other people. This kind of introduction about me always bored me, which made me write few stories that are stored as past memories in my mind. One year ago, some idea went into my brain, and I started thinking of converting it to a novel. It has been my dream to see a book in my name. My family motivated me on this idea, and they encouraged me in elaborating my story in a broad perspective. It took me almost a year to complete this novel as it is my first attempt. In the beginning it was like squeezing blood out of a turnip because the suspense factor should not be revealed till the end. This style of writing is completely new to me, and so I could not simply plunge into writing fiction using all the techniques. I was disappointed with my efforts many times but never gave up, which made me publish this novel. No matter what, I realized the importance of my dream struggled, but I did it successfully. Finally, I completed this book by February 2016, and I am satisfied with my attempt. I hope this book spares you the kind of new approach that I went through in order to write that novel that you now have got with you. I am very much happy to hear the feedback from all the readers so that it will help me improve my creativity. Please reach me @ [e-mail].

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Vamshi Srinivas.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016902170

   ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-5144-5846-4

                Softcover     978-1-5144-5847-1

                eBook           978-1-5144-5848-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/10/2016

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CONTENTS

Three months ago

Victim Nature

Further Investigation

Down the streets

A light on the road

Killer shot

Drug Buyers

Misunderstanding

Ten suspects

Medical reasons

The New Suspect

Hemlock

Decode

Separate ways

An unfortunate murder

Evidence B

The knife

Parallel investigations

Julie

Phone calls

The truth behind Mac

Epilogue

Three months ago

This looked like any other day, sun raised and its light touched the mountains, the roads and the roofs. You could hear the Birds singing and bees humming, and the smell of the flowers flew through the air. Everything indicated that it was going to be a great, but normal day in Denver. When Nancy saw this, she thought she could be able to start the day without the phrase: Hey, Nancy, get up, my baby, it is rough though, because she knew that voice is now just a memory. Every day, she remembers that phrase, that takes her back to what happened three months ago, and also reminds her how hard it is to live with only thoughts of a time as different as today.

Changes can be either bad or good, it depends on the way we see the world and how emotional we are. Nancy got up from bed and kept her legs on the Kitty cushion mat pad which made her feel happy and soft. She looked around and saw all the books scattered as usual, a gun placed on the table and shoes in the wrong place. In front of the bed, on a shelf, was a 'Hello Kitty' plush doll which reminds her constantly about that person. She walked to the kitchen lacking of enthusiasm and had a cup of hot cappuccino, then she moved towards the balcony and sat on the moving chair, while she was bobbing, looked at the rising sun, and the starting loving day she had in front of her, but she couldn't help thinking about what happened and, of course, she couldn't help either thinking about one person: Bob.

In her train of thoughts, she travelled in time three months ago and had a vivid image of what happened then.

He was sleepless and stressed, you could assume it is normal in someone whit his profession. It is a symptom of insomnia to become forgetful and be constantly tired, but Bob was ok, he has always been passionate about is job. Although, lately, dealing with criminals have been exhausting and tougher every day. That morning was not going to be different. First thing in the morning, the phone started ringing. Bob's insomnia was feed. He opened his eyes and, groggily, and looked for the phone. He felt weak and disoriented, his eyelids were heavy. The phone continued ringing. Bob kept looking until answered.

Hello? he said, with a little voice.

Hey, get up! It's getting late, Bob smiled when he heard the voice through the phone.

Hey, Nancy. Good morning, my baby, he told to the girl.

Homicide on Sixteenth Street with a sharp knife inserted in the victim's neck, replied the girl, with a grim voice.

Are you listening, Bob? she insisted, after a short silence.

Yes, I will be there in fifteen minutes, said Bob, reluctantly.

Bob got up with all his strain, drank a quick-made cup of coffee to kick off his sleep. Geared him up, grabbed his gun, and while drinking his coffee he started looking for a document he had to courier, but the insomnia had made him forgetful, so he had to go without the papers. Bob rushed to get to the crime scene as fast as he could.

Bob went to the parking lot and he was surprised to see his car was not in the usual spot. Bob struggle to remember if he had parked somewhere else with no success. He blamed the insomnia again and got in his car, driving straight to the place where Nancy was waiting for him, next to a dead body he had to find out by who that person was killed.

It was a cold day. Bob saw in the distance a couple of patrols and an ambulance. He parked nearby the place. He got down the car, still drinking his coffee, which was cold by that moment he arrived and walked to stand next to the girl who gave him the news, he was observing the surroundings.

What took you so long? asked Nancy when first saw him.

I needed a coffee. I can't catch murderers without a good coffee. It's cold now though, said Bob. Nancy laughed.

Well, this men resting here was identified as Mac. The death occurred due to the excessive blood loss caused by a puncture of a blood vessel. At least was quick, around 11 p. m. , told him.

It's really strange that the killer didn't move the body. I mean, if I killed someone, I wouldn't like anyone to find out, she added.

A transport vehicle arrives and the body is carried on a stretcher. A security tape was used to surround the place, also a lot of police patrols were placed to prevent outsiders and curious to sneak into de crime scene.

A new body had arrived and it was Bob's mission to find out who did that, but for that, he and Nancy needed to find a clue. He knew that, despite everything the confusion he was going through, he had the responsibility to solve this. A new case had started.

Victim Nature

Bob walked to the stretcher to see the victim closer. He looked around the body and saw the injury on the dead body's neck. It looked like a knife mark. He looked at Robert and asked.

Did you see any traces of a vehicle around the spot where the homicide took place?

Strangely, no, answer the man.

Bob returned to the place where the body laid down to a further examination of the crime scene. The body was being taken to the morgue, so they had to find something to help out the investigation. Also, they had to know more about their new 'friend'.

What do you think?, queried Robert.

Bob took the last sip of his coffee, then throw the plastic glass away, he lighted up a cigarette ponder the evidence.

If I used logic, I would say the suspect must have left his vehicle and walked to the current spot where he committed the murder. Think about it, no car was seen, there is no further evidence to discover who did this, but just for now, commented Bob.

Bob kept looking around, trying to find something helpful during his investigation. He saw a street light with an overhead camera. He was hoping that camera could have gotten something useful, they needed at least a clue they wasn't able to find yet.

We need to check the video for cars passing from 10.00 p. m. to 12.00 p. m. to see if there was any unusual activity on the streets. Our friend was killed within that time and, if my calculations are right, that camera has something in it.

We should go ask the neighbors, propose Nancy.

They started visiting house by house to ask people if they have seen or heard something strange last night. Nothing extraordinary had been seen last night, a man was killed and no one knew anything. When they were about to lose their hope, Steve, the man that found the body, appeared like a lightning in the dark sky.

I walk my dog every morning. I took my dog out and then he was desperate. He pulled out his leas and bolted, barking wildly. I ran after him and then I saw the body. I was very scared, and my dog won't stop barking. He had stepped on the body, but I didn't want to get close to grab him, explained Steve.

Bob whispered Nancy to check if there had been any relation between the victim and the witness. They left Steve's house and give him their number. They asked him to contact them if he remembered anything else.

When they left, victim's possessions were handed over to Bob and his team (credit cards, business cars and ID). In addition, Bob instructed to give Mac's family the bad news. It is never easy to tell a wife or children they have lost someone important to them, but it's the worst part of the job and it has to be done, Bob also tell them to ask about the latest Mac's whereabouts.

Bob noticed that between the belongings of the victim there was no cell phone. He found this strange, but it was a murder after all, it would be weird if the killer had left its victim's phone there on the ground.

They had to wait till the body arrives at the hospital for photographs and a thoroughly check of the body to look for any proof. Bob and Nancy headed to the hospital, but before they leave, Robert was asked to take a look around in case there's any evidence they're missing. When they left, Robert was holding a camera and looking very carefully the scene.

Bob and Nancy arrived at the hospital. Inside, they met Mac's family. A devastated wife, Linda, and a sad brother, Smith, were there, waiting for the morgue to know what happened to their relative. They had identified the body minutes ago and sat there till the police arrived. Distraction, sadness, preoccupation are some of the feelings you were able to read from their, ironically, unexpressive faces.

Nancy talked to them softly, it was like she knew what they were feeling and like Mac was also her family. After a few tears, Nancy asked to a sobbing wife about Mac's personality, habits, nature, if he had enemies, if he was a conflictive person, but all she got was usual answers. Actually, Mac was a good guy, according to his wife and his brother. In spite of these affirmations, they kept asking for more details about Mac's life.

My brother worked for thirteen in financial services. He was a really quiet and easy going man. We had a good relation, we were friends, besides brothers, stated Smith.

Can you talk, sweetie?, asked Bob to Linda. She assented. Could you tell me about your husband? How long have you been married?

We got married four years ago. A year later, our beautiful son was born. He had always been a really nice guy. Every day, he left the house to work, in the morning he liked to jog. Every day, he got up early, at 7.00 a. m. and went out to exercise, he came back home at 8.00 a. m. and then he went to the office, by 9.00 a. m. he was already there, she explained.

"Sometimes, he liked to go out with his friends, they met almost every weekend. He never told me if there were any financial problems, we're not rich, but we live very well. He seemed happy,