You're Invited(21)

RKS: Sorry, madam, sorry. I have been with them for about fourteen, fifteen years now.

EP: And were you and Miss Bloom close?

RKS: I looked after her the best I could, madam. It was not always easy. She missed her mother a lot, and was angry with her father for leaving her. But she’s a good girl, madam. I can promise you, madam. She’s a very good girl.

EP: I’m sure she is, Miss Seetha. Could you tell me a little about what she’s like?

RKS: Oh yes. She’s a simple, good girl, like I said. I never had problems with her, you know. She never brought boys home. She wore short skirts, sometimes, when she was a teenager, but when I told her that she must not do that, she always listened to me.

She was very sad, of course, after her mother died. But also very quiet. Amaya Baba never shouted or screamed. She didn’t even cry at the funeral. Many people came up to me afterward and asked me why. Wasn’t she sad? they said. Why is she just standing there, holding Kaavindi Baba’s hand and waiting? But I told them all that was the way she was. She might not show her sadness on the outside, but I know she thought her life was finished.

EP: One of my colleagues just brought in an old police entry made about her. Apparently, there was an incident? Shortly after her mother’s funeral. Could you tell me a little about that?

RKS: Everyone has forgotten about that, madam. It was old news. Not really important.

EP: But could you fill me in on what happened?

RKS: Amaya Baba was so sad, you know, madam. Her mother had just died, and she had asked her father if she could go to stay with him in England. I think she was only trying to get rid of some of her father’s old things in the house. She didn’t mean for the fire to catch on like it did.

EP: But it did catch on to a part of the neighbor’s wall? And injure her pet, from what the report states.

RKS: Oh no, madam. The old lady who was next door, she’s passed on now, madam. I know we mustn’t speak ill of the dead, but she really was not a good person, madam. There was only a bit of soot on her wall, and her cat was fine. She said it breathed in the smoke and felt dizzy. How could she know, madam, if her cat was dizzy? Amaya Baba would have never done it on purpose.

EP: And then there was an accident, wasn’t there? One of Miss Bloom’s boyfriends who died in a car crash after leaving the residence. This happened when she was older, I suppose?

RKS: Madam, Amaya Baba didn’t have boyfriends. That boy was just a friend of hers and of Kaavindi Baba’s. It was very sad when the accident happened, madam. Amaya Baba was upset for months.

EP: What about the last time Miss Bloom was in Sri Lanka?

RKS: Yes, madam. Amaya Baba was doing some renovations on the house at that time, madam. Painting the walls and all, you know. She thought it was better that I went home for a while. So I could be more comfortable. She didn’t stay at home either. She stayed with the Fonseka family.

EP: And how long did these renovations take?

RKS: I can’t remember now, madam. Five years is a long time.

EP: If you had to guess?

RKS: Maybe seven or eight months, maybe. I’m not sure, madam.

EP: Quite a long time for the walls to be painted.

RKS: There were other renovations also, madam. And you know in Sri Lanka, these things take a lot of time. These painters are very lazy men, madam. Very lazy.

EP: And what about this time’s visit?

RKS: Yes, madam?

EP: Did Miss Bloom appear normal to you during this visit?

RKS: Yes, madam. She was quiet, as always, and spent most of her time with Kaavindi Baba, of course. Helping her with wedding preparations.

EP: Do you recognize this book, Miss Seetha?

[Shuffling]

RKS: Yes, madam. Amaya Baba was writing in it when she stayed at home during this visit.

EP: This book was found with Miss Bloom’s belongings at the hotel. Would you mind turning to page 4? It’s marked—

[Turning of pages]

Could you read out what you see?

RKS: Stop wedding no matter what. Plan C. Kill.

[Pause]

This is a mistake, madam. Amaya Baba must have written this as a story, you know? Like the books you read or a film. She is a good girl, madam. She would never hurt anyone.

EP: Were you also invited to the wedding, Miss Seetha?

RKS: No, madam, but like I told you, I went to help.

EP: Who asked you to come?

RKS: I told you, madam, Mrs. Fonseka did. I asked Amaya Baba and she said it was fine. We were not staying at the hotel, of course. We went back in a van with the driver after the party had ended and things were cleared up. And then came back again today morning so we could help with the evening setup for today’s function.

EP: Were any other housemaids asked to come help with preparations?

RKS: A few from Mrs. Fonseka’s house, madam. But like I said, Mrs. Fonseka trusts me, so I was happy to come.

EP: Miss Seetha, do you recognize this knife?

[Sound of knife clattering on the table]

RKS: Yes, madam. It is from our kitchen at home.

EP: Home, meaning Miss Bloom’s residence?

RKS: Well, yes, except Amaya Baba never came to the kitchen, madam.

EP: And you are sure that the knife is yours?

RKS: See this burn mark on the handle, madam? That was when I accidentally left it too close to the fire.

[Pause]

Madam, how did you get this knife?

EP: We found it at the hotel, Miss Seetha. We were hoping you could tell us how it got here.