‘Farside’: A sister finds her brother dead. Then the possibility of a murder unravels

Naina Mathur looked fresh and energetic despite the early hour. She also appeared completely unperturbed by the swollen cadaver that lay on the banks of the creek from which it had been recovered barely an hour ago. Whatever clothes the deceased may have once worn had since torn off to reveal putrefying blue and grey nakedness, now masked partially by a plastic sheet.

Naina lifted up the sheet – clearly a nearby find and not a police issue – with a loud complaint about contaminated crime scenes and a pointed look at the three constables in attendance. The men carried expressions of disgust and revulsion in their eyes and handkerchiefs over their noses and mouths, though the cloth did little against the omnipresent odour.

Giving them a look of disapproval as she pulled on her gloves, Naina settled down to work. “He’s been in the water for at least two weeks,” she said out loud, moving aside a flap of disintegrating skin to get a clearer look at the bones underneath.

“Suicide case,” the senior constable declared. Naina smirked to herself at his smug tone. She may well have outranked him – junior forensic analyst that she was – but was well-used to…

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