Harsha turns Holmes

Suryakumari Dennison tells you the story of a boy who plays a detective looking for a pen

Hi, Sheela!” said Harsha cheerfully to a girl seated quietly at her desk. “Isn’t it exciting that your new pen is missing?” 

“Certainly not,” said Sheela coldly. “My parents will be most displeased that it’s gone. They gave it to me only yesterday, and I don’t know how to tell them that I’ve lost it.”

“Sheela,” said Harsha firmly, “your pen isn’t lost but stolen; there’s a difference. Since a crime has been committed, we have a mystery here, and who better than I to solve it?” Ignoring Sheela’s doubtful expression, Harsha went on, “Anyone could have taken it, but Rakesh heads my list of probable pen pilferers. What do you say?”

Sheela was shocked. “Just because he once broke your pencil box!” she exclaimed. “That was entirely by accident, and as I recall, Rakesh replaced it with a bigger one. Harsha, surely you don’t believe that one of our classmates is capable of theft. I refuse to accept such a theory.”

“You’re too trusting, Sheela,” said Harsha. “A fine quality, perhaps, but you obviously don’t read detective novels. We learn from those that until the culprit is found, everyone is a suspect. I can get your pen back, but you have to help me with my investigations. Cast your mind back to two hours ago. Did anyone admire your pen — more than others, I mean — when you proudly displayed it this morning?” 

“You did,” snapped Sheela. “You said you wished to own it.”

“Apart from me, of course,” said Harsha hastily, “although, for all you know, I could be the crook. There is an Agatha Christie murder mystery in which the person assisting the famous Hercule Poirot turns out to be the killer. Anyway, let’s rule me out for the moment. Wasn’t Anita examining your pen closely?”

Sheela shook her head. “You’re barking up the wrong tree,” she said. “Anita lost interest when she saw that the pen was made in India. She likes only foreign stuff.”

 “Don’t be fooled by that,” warned Harsha, “it could be an act. Anita might have been keen on the pen, but pretended indifference. As for Pankaj, he is acting very strange.”

Sheela could not help smiling. “That’s because he’s terrified that Mrs Rozario will notice that he has copied Rishabh’s English homework, word for word. I advised him to at least change the punctuation, but not a full stop or comma has he altered.” 

Harsha thought for a minute. “Then, that leaves... Rishabh,” he said, pouncing on a bespectacled boy, writing earnestly in a corner. “Rishabh, you should be ashamed of yourself,” said Harsha sternly. “How can you use stolen property so openly? Return the pen at once.”

“But this is mine,” protested Rishabh. 

Harsha grabbed the pen from Rishabh and handed it to Sheela. “There you are, Sheela. Case closed,” he declared triumphantly. “Don’t be silly, Harsha,” said Sheela, passing the pen to Rishabh. “My pen is gold and green, not gold and blue. I thought detectives were supposed to be super observant,” she added sarcastically.

“Sorry!” said Harsha, sounding not one bit repentant. “Even the greatest detectives make mistakes,” he said loftily.

“This is not fiction, Harsha,” said Sheela wearily, “but a real and extremely unpleasant situation. It’s my fault. I should have locked my desk before going out during the short break. I deserve to lose my pen.”

“Don’t be hard on yourself, Sheela,” said Harsha kindly. “I tell you it was stolen. We just have to start from scratch, taking the facts into consideration. It might be best to jot them down.” 

“Here’s some paper,” said Sheela, daring to hope that Harsha might pull off the seemingly impossible task of finding her precious pen. She peered over his shoulder as he noted down names, muttering to himself as he did so. Finally, he looked up and announced, “The villain is usually the least likely person, and therefore
Mrs Rozario is the thief. Since she is basically a good human being, we shall forgive her this lapse, as Sherlock Holmes frees the offender, in ‘The Blue Carbuncle’.”

“How generous of you, Harsha!” said the teacher, coming up silently behind the children. As Harsha’s face grew crimson, she laughingly added, “I did take Sheela’s pen, but only for safekeeping. Put it away carefully, Sheela, before it disappears a second time, and Harsha turns Holmes once again.”