As I drove toward the police station, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was Anu and Ammu. Answering it, their voices immediately filled the car, overlapping with a barrage of questions. "Where are you? Why did you have to leave so urgently? When are you coming back?"
I sighed, trying to keep my focus on the road. "I'm in Nellore. A friend of mine needed urgent help, so I came here. I'll explain everything later, and I'll come back as soon as I'm done. Okay, now bye," I said hurriedly before ending the call.
As I slid my phone back into my pocket, I noticed Athreya and Sneha both looking at me curiously. "What? Is there something on my face?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Athreya shook his head. "No."
"Then why are you two staring at me?" I pressed.
Sneha spoke up, her voice tinged with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. "It's hard to believe that a twenty-year-old young man is actually Vincenzo, the mafia hitman who killed lots of people." This time, there was no fear in her voice, which I took as a good sign.
I laughed at her observation. "Why is that so hard to believe? You two don't seem scared of me either."
Sneha shrugged. "It's because you don't look like someone who could kill."
My laughter echoed in the car, breaking the tension. Athreya chimed in, "And hearing you consider us friends is surprising."
"We already know each other, so we can consider ourselves friends," I said, glancing at them both.
Sneha's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "By the way, who were those girls calling you?"
"Oh, those two are my girlfriends," I replied casually.
Sneha's eyes widened in surprise. "Two girlfriends?"
"Yeah. Why do you look so surprised?" I asked, amused by her reaction.
Sneha glanced at Athreya before replying, "Of course, I'm surprised. Some people can't even find one, and you already have two."
Athreya, noticing her gaze, retorted defensively, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sneha quickly backtracked, "Nothing, nothing."
The banter lightened the mood as we continued our journey.As we approached the police station, I parked the car and we got out, making our way inside. The atmosphere of the station was bustling with activity, officers moving purposefully from one task to another. As we stepped through the door, a police officer came forward, blocking our path.
"Stop. Where are you going?" he demanded, his tone authoritative.
"I want to talk to the CI Gautham," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
"Sir is busy. Talk later," the officer said dismissively, attempting to push us back. His lack of courtesy made my patience wear thin.
"Tell your boss that Krishna Prasad is here," I said, my voice laced with a hint of anger. The officer's demeanor shifted instantly; his eyes widened slightly as he registered my name.
"Just a minute. I'll ask sir," he said nervously, retreating to consult with CI Gautham. We stood waiting, the seconds ticking by with a sense of anticipation hanging in the air.
After a minute, the officer returned, his manner markedly more respectful. "Sorry, sir, I didn't recognize you. Please, come this way. Sir is waiting," he said, gesturing for us to follow.
We made our way through the station, passing desks cluttered with paperwork and officers engaged in intense discussions. Eventually, we arrived at CI Gautham's office. As we entered, Gautham stood up from his seat, extending his hand towards me.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Prasad," he greeted warmly, shaking my hand firmly. "Please, take a seat. And I apologize for the officer at the front."
"It's okay," I said, settling into the chair opposite him. Athreya and Sneha took seats beside me, their expressions attentive.
Gautham leaned forward, his expression serious but welcoming. "So, how can I help you, Mr. Prasad?"
Hearing this, I pointed at Athreya and said, "Do you know this person?"
CI Gautham looked at Athreya and replied, "Ah, yes. Yesterday, we arrested him under suspicion of murder. He claimed to be a detective, calling himself the second incarnation of Sherlock Holmes." His tone carried a hint of amusement.
I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "Good, good. You see, yesterday there was a man in Athreya's cell. I need information about that man."
CI Gautham nodded, ready to assist. "Of course. What is the man's name?"
Athreya spoke up, "His name is Maruti Rao. You arrested him a few days back, and you were planning to transfer him to sub-jail."
Gautham's expression turned puzzled. "Maruti Rao? Who is he?"
"Maruti Rao, sir. The old man who was crying inside the lock-up," Athreya explained, his voice tinged with emotion. He took a moment to compose himself before continuing, "He was dressed in a loincloth and shirt."
The officer next to us interjected, "His name was Gopalam, not Maruti Rao. He was creating a ruckus after getting drunk. We arrested him for a night and released him this morning."
Athreya's face flushed with anger. "Who is Gopalam? His name was Maruti Rao!" he exclaimed, but I stepped in before the argument could escalate further.
"Athreya, calm down," I said firmly. Then I turned back to CI Gautham, seeking clarity. "Was he arrested for creating a ruckus in a drunk state?"
"Yes, sir," Gautham confirmed.
"Give me his address," I requested.
Gautham and the officer exchanged uncertain glances before Gautham admitted, "Sir, we don't have his address."
I let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of frustration. "Do you have any useful information about him?"
Seeing that CI Gautham was silent on my question, I let out a heavy sigh. As I did, I noticed a man at the edge of the room, clearly eavesdropping on our conversation. "Hey, come here," I called out, my curiosity piqued.
The man approached us, and CI Gautham spoke up, "Vamsi, what are you doing here? Your duty isn't here today."
"I forgot some files, sir, so I came back to pick them up," Vamsi replied.
"Mr. Gautham, who is he?" I asked, still observing Vamsi.
"This is Sub-Inspector Vamsi," Gautham introduced him.
"Sub-Inspector Vamsi, huh? You seem interested in this case," I remarked.
Vamsi was about to respond when I turned back to CI Gautham. "CI Gautham, I want Sub-Inspector Vamsi to help me with this case. Having an officer with me would be quite helpful."
CI Gautham nodded hurriedly. "Of course, Vamsi, from now on you're taking this case."
"But sir, what about my other cases?" Vamsi protested.
"You don't have to worry. I'll assign others to your current cases. You help Mr. Prasad," Gautham instructed.
Vamsi nodded, accepting the new assignment. I turned to CI Gautham and said, "Thank you for your help, Mr. Gautham. We'll see you again."
With that, I left the police station, now accompanied by Athreya, Sneha, and Sub-Inspector Vamsi.
As we stepped out of the police station, I turned to Vamsi and said, "Officer, I know you're wondering why I'm involving you in this case."
Vamsi nodded, his curiosity evident. I continued, "Because I see that you're the only one taking what we're saying seriously. That CI Gautham looks like an idiot."
Sneha couldn't help but laugh a little, breaking the tension. I smiled and continued, "That's why I'm bringing you into this."
Vamsi nodded again, understanding. Sneha then asked, "Do you think CI Gautham is hiding something from us?"
"I don't think so," I replied, though uncertainty lingered in the air. At that moment, Athreya, who was still visibly troubled, spoke up. "Krishna, I spoke with Maruti Rao yesterday. I saw the pain in his eyes."
"As I said, Athreya, don't think emotionally. Think logically," I reminded him.
Vamsi chimed in, "Yes, Athreya. Krishna is right. Sometimes we face situations like this, but we need to think practically."
I placed a reassuring hand on Athreya's shoulder. "Don't overthink it, Athreya. We'll find something."
Athreya nodded, still looking a bit conflicted. We got into my car, and Vamsi asked, "Where are we going to start?"
I turned to Sneha. "Sneha, what's the first address?"
She checked the list and said, "Ajay, Vrindavan Apartment, behind the railway station."
"Let's go," I said, starting the car.
As we drove, the city buzzed with life, the chaos outside contrasting with the intensity of our mission. The streets were filled with vendors shouting their wares, children playing, and commuters hurrying to their destinations. Inside the car, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation and silent contemplation.
After a while, we finally reached our destination. As we approached Ajay's house, I stopped the car. Sneha, curiosity etched on her face, asked, "What do we do now?"
I turned to Athreya and asked, "Athreya, that man—Maruti or Gopalam, whatever his name is—when did he say his daughter died? What's the date?"
Athreya thought for a moment and then replied, "The 18th."
I nodded and looked at Vamsi. "Officer, you know what to do."
Vamsi nodded back. "I know." He got out of the car and made his way to Ajay's house. We waited in the car, the minutes ticking by slowly, each second filled with anticipation. After five minutes, Vamsi returned and got back into the car.
As he settled in, I asked, "What information did you get?"
"Ajay isn't home. He left somewhere this morning. I asked his wife where he was on the 18th, and she said he was in Ongole," Vamsi reported.
"Ongole, huh?" Athreya murmured, deep in thought. Before we could delve deeper into this new piece of information, Vamsi's phone rang. He picked it up, his expression turning serious. "What? Where? Okay, I'm coming," he said before ending the call.
Seeing the urgency in his demeanor, Athreya asked, "What happened?"
Vamsi replied, "Some people shot a man in front of a supermarket. I think we should go and check it out."
I nodded, feeling the gravity of the situation. "Okay, let's go."
I started the car and drove towards the supermarket. The streets blurred past us as we sped through the city, the urgency of our mission hanging heavy in the air. The cityscape gradually shifted from residential areas to bustling commercial streets. The usual hum of daily life seemed distant, overshadowed by the tension of our current task.
As we arrived at the supermarket, the scene was chaotic. Police cars were parked haphazardly, their lights flashing, casting a blue and red glow over the area. A crowd had gathered, held back by police tape and officers trying to maintain order.
We stepped out of the car, the tension palpable. Vamsi led the way, flashing his badge to gain access through the police line. We followed closely behind, the crowd parting reluctantly to let us through.
Officers were already taking statements from witnesses, while others secured the area. The atmosphere was tense, filled with the hushed murmurs of the crowd and the occasional crackle of police radios.
As we stared at the lifeless body, Athreya's voice cut through the tense silence. "It's Ajay. We're too late."
I looked at the body, a heavy realization settling in. "So my theory was correct," I murmured.
Sneha, her face a mix of confusion and worry, asked, "What does that mean?"
Before I could respond, Athreya spoke up, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and revelation. "Krishna means that someone is trying to trap us in this case. First, Gopalam approached me and told his story. Hearing his story, I took this case in hand. If their plan had gone in the right direction, I would have investigated Ajay first. I'd follow him around, and CCTV cameras would capture me tailing him. Then, they could kill him and place all the blame on me. But because of Krishna's interference, their plan didn't work. So, before we reached Ajay, they killed him."
We all stood there, stunned by the gravity of Athreya's words. The implications were terrifying. It wasn't just about solving a case anymore—it was about survival and outmaneuvering a dangerous adversary.
"This case is bigger than I thought," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The realization hit hard. We weren't just dealing with isolated incidents but a meticulously orchestrated plot designed to ensnare us.
Vamsi, standing nearby, looked equally troubled. "If what you're saying is true, then the people behind this are extremely dangerous and well-connected."
"Exactly," Athreya nodded. "They anticipated every move, every step we might take. But they didn't account for Krishna."
As we stood over the lifeless body, Vamsi turned to one of the officers and asked, "Who discovered this body first?"
The officer replied, "Sir, it was Constable Narayan."
Vamsi's eyes widened in surprise. "Constable Narayan?" he echoed.
Curious, I asked, "Why do you look surprised?"
Vamsi explained, "Narayan's patrol isn't supposed to cover this area today." Turning to the officer, he instructed, "Call Narayan here."
The officer nodded and left to fetch Narayan. After a minute, Narayan approached us, looking visibly nervous. "Sir, you called for me?" he asked, his voice shaky.
Vamsi nodded, his expression stern. "Yes, I want to know what you're doing here."
Narayan's nervousness intensified. "Sir, it's not what you think. Actually, I..."
Before he could finish, Vamsi's patience snapped. "Why did you come here?" he demanded, his voice echoing with authority.
Narayan recoiled, fear evident in his eyes. Pointing at Athreya, he stammered, "Sir, Harsha spotted him near the dead body found under Venkatachalam bridge. Athreya was a prisoner in my police station, so Harsha wanted his details. That's why I came here to meet Ajay today, to give him that information. But when I arrived, I found him dead. That's all."
Hearing this, Vamsi said, "Are you speaking the truth?"
Narayan, looking desperate, replied, "I swear on my mother, sir."
Vamsi scrutinized him for a moment before nodding. "Okay, you can go."
After Narayan left, Vamsi turned to us and said, "I think he's speaking the truth."
Athreya, still deep in thought, said, "Ajay and Harsha must've seen me near the dead body. They knew I was investigating the case of unidentified bodies. Why didn't they file a case against me? Why did they want my details? Maybe they wanted to meet me about this case. Maybe they knew something important. But before they could share anything, Ajay got killed, and maybe Harsha too. They could've framed anyone for the murder, but why did they frame me?"
I nodded, piecing it together. "The connection between Ajay, Harsha, and you is the dead body, Athreya. This whole situation started with the dead body found in Venkatachalam. We need to find out why that body is so important."
Turning to Vamsi, I said, "Officer, do me a favor and get a postmortem of that body done. If we can find out the cause of death, we might uncover the link between Ajay and Harsha."
Vamsi nodded. "Okay, that can be done."
At that moment, Vamsi's phone rang again. He answered it, his expression growing grimmer with each passing second. After a brief conversation, he hung up and turned to us, his face taut with tension.
"So, Harsha is also dead, huh?" I said, already knowing the answer.
Vamsi nodded, his voice heavy. "Yeah, we found his body. Somebody shot him too."
The weight of the situation pressed down on us. Harsha's death only added to the urgency. Whoever was behind this was eliminating everyone who got too close to the truth. We had to act fast, or we would be next.
Hearing this, Athreya became irritated and said, "What the hell is happening? Maruti Rao or Gopalam came into my cell the day I got arrested. I took up this case when he told me about his daughter, right?"
We nodded, and Athreya continued, "I didn't know anything. I thought I was helping an old man. I thought that my agency would become popular if I solved this case. I was happy that I got an important case after a long time. I didn't get the case; the case found us. Think about it."
I tried to calm him down. "Calm down, Athreya."
But Athreya didn't listen and continued, "They wanted to fool me and plant evidence against me. They planned Ajay and Harsha's murders, and they wanted to frame me for these murders and make me the scapegoat. That old man's name isn't Maruti Rao; his name is Gopalam. That Gopalam lied to me."
Sneha tried to soothe him. "Agent, listen to me. Calm down. You're not Sherlock Holmes, so let's forget about this case."
Athreya, angered, shot back, "Sherlock Holmes is just a fictional character... but Agent Sai Srinivsa Athreya is a real detective. They wanted to fool me. Very good, they did a great job. The case has become interesting now. I won't stop unless I find the culprits."
Athreya's frustration was understandable. He felt betrayed, manipulated, and used. I could see the determination in his eyes, the fire that had been lit. This case had become personal for him.
As he finished speaking, everyone fell silent. I began to clap slowly, breaking the tension in the air. "If this were a movie and you were the hero, the audience would definitely be cheering at that line. 'Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, but I am a real detective.' Wow, what a dialogue!" I exclaimed with a smirk.
Sneha couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere lightened a bit. The weight of our mission was still there, but at least the mood was less oppressive.
"I understand how you're feeling, Athreya," I continued, turning serious. "But for now, let's focus on the next step. We need to see Harsha's dead body."
Athreya took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. Let's go." We all nodded in agreement and made our way to the car.
(A/N: I have time today, so I wrote it. I also changed some of the plot, and I think it's a good thing. Let me know what you think about this chapter. It's my first time writing something like this, also please give me some reviews. Bye, see you in the next chapter 😊)
(Word's count:3041)