As the morning sun rose over Nellore, casting a warm glow across the city, I was still sleeping peacefully on the sofa in Athreya's office. The tranquility was broken by the sound of Sneha calling my name.
"Krishna, Krishna," she called softly, her voice cutting through the remnants of my dreams.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up at her. "What happened? When did you get here?" I asked, my voice groggy from sleep.
"I just arrived," Sneha replied with a gentle smile. "I brought breakfast for us. Get up and eat."
I nodded, stretching as I sat up. "Give me a moment to freshen up first," I said.
She nodded, and as I stood, I saw Athreya entering the office with a packet of milk in his hand. "Morning," I greeted him.
"Morning," he replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
I made my way to the bathroom, taking a few moments to wash away the remnants of sleep. The cold water on my face helped wake me up fully. When I returned to the hall, I found Sneha serving breakfast onto plates. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, making my stomach growl.
I sat down beside Athreya, who handed me a cup of coffee. "Here, coffee," he said.
"Thanks," I replied, taking the cup from him. Sneha handed me a plate, and we began eating our breakfast. The meal was simple but satisfying, the kind that brings a sense of normalcy in the midst of chaos.
Just as we were finishing, Athreya's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and said, "It's Vamsi."
"Pick it up and put it on speaker," I suggested.
Athreya nodded, answering the call and putting it on speaker. "Hello, Vamsi," he said.
"Hello, Athreya," came Vamsi's voice, slightly strained. "We found a female dead body under the Kawali bridge. I'm heading there now."
"What? We're coming too," I said, my mind immediately shifting gears.
Athreya and Sneha nodded in agreement. Vamsi added, "Okay, but I have someone with me."
"Who?" Athreya asked.
"It's Vasudha's father," Vamsi replied, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
Athreya, Sneha, and I exchanged glances. I nodded resolutely. "We'll be there as soon as possible," I said.
"Okay," Vamsi replied, and the call ended.
We quickly left the office, the urgency of the situation propelling us forward. We piled into my car, and I started the engine, the vehicle roaring to life. The drive to Kawali bridge was tense, each of us lost in our thoughts. The morning sun was climbing higher, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly.
As we approached the bridge, the gravity of the situation settled over us like a heavy shroud. The bridge loomed ahead, and I parked the car at the edge of the scene.
As we got out of the car, the grim atmosphere of the scene hit us immediately. The air was thick with the scent of decay. We made our way toward the body lying under the bridge, the sunlight casting harsh shadows on the ground.
Near the body, an old man was crying, Something about him seemed off, but I couldn't quite place it. As we approached, Vamsi came toward us, his face grim.
"That's Vasudha's body," Vamsi said quietly. "Someone killed her."
Athreya rubbed his temples in frustration. "The last clue we had is dead. This case is becoming more and more complicated."
I turned to Vamsi. "How did she die?"
"It's hard to identify her," Vamsi replied, his voice strained. "She's been ruthlessly killed. Her face is disfigured, and the body has started decomposing. The smell is awful."
"Then how do you know this is Vasudha?" I asked.
"Her father identified her," Vamsi explained. "Vasudha had a tattoo of her mother on her hand. This body has the same tattoo. Her father confirmed it."
I nodded, glancing over at the old man crying near the body. Something about him seemed off, a nagging feeling I couldn't shake.
At that moment, an officer approached us with a purse in his hand. "We found this next to the body," he said, handing it to Vamsi.
Vamsi nodded, opening the purse. Inside, we found an ID card and a photo of Vasudha. Seeing this, Athreya's frustration grew, his fists clenching at his sides.
"This just complicates everything," he muttered.
I looked back at the old man, my instincts on high alert. There was something about him that didn't sit right with me.
As we stood trying to piece together our next steps, the voice of CI Gautham broke through our thoughts. "Mr. Prasad and the agent, so you are here," he called out, striding toward us with an air of authority.
I glanced at him and felt an immediate surge of irritation. Something about his smug face always made my blood boil. As CI Gautham approached, he wore a condescending smile that only fueled my anger further.
"Sorry to say, Mr. Prasad and you, Agent," he began, "but from now on, if we see you near any dead bodies, we will have to arrest you."
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check. "What is that supposed to mean, CI Gautham?"
Gautham's smile widened, irritatingly unbothered. "It's nothing personal. Orders from ACP Indrajeet. We have to follow protocol. So please, leave. If you stay, I'll have no choice but to arrest you."
Athreya, visibly angered, stepped forward. "You never do your job, and now that we're doing it for you, you're telling us to stop?"
"Mind your language," Gautham snapped back, his demeanor shifting from smug to stern.
"If you did your job properly, that girl wouldn't have had to die," Athreya retorted, his voice rising in anger.
"Lower your voice," Gautham warned, his eyes narrowing.
"What will you do?" Athreya challenged, stepping closer, his fists clenched at his sides.
Gautham met his gaze with a cold stare. "Do you know who killed her?"
Athreya's eyes flashed. "Who?"
Gautham's words were like ice. "You killed her."
Athreya's face turned crimson with fury. "Now you're placing this case on us? You're not capable of solving this crime. Next time, call me, and I'll solve it for you!"
Gautham's expression darkened. "What do you think of yourself?" he shouted, stepping closer to Athreya.
The tension between them was palpable, threatening to boil over into violence. Vamsi and Sneha quickly intervened, stepping between the two men. Sneha placed a hand on Athreya's arm, trying to calm him. "Agent, let's go from here," she urged.
Vamsi joined in, his voice calm but firm. "Yes, Athreya, don't argue with him. It's not worth it."
Neither Athreya nor Gautham seemed to be listening, their heated exchange escalating. I could feel my patience wearing thin, the stress of the morning and the frustration with Gautham pushing me to my limit. Finally, unable to take any more, I raised my voice, letting my anger show.
"Can you two stop arguing?" I barked. The sudden outburst caught everyone off guard, and a tense silence fell over the group. Turning to Gautham, I spoke more calmly but with clear irritation. "CI Gautham, we are leaving. So calm down."
I then looked at Athreya, Vamsi, and Sneha. "Let's go."
Without another word, we turned and made our way to the car. The walk back was silent, the tension from the confrontation still hanging heavy in the air.
As we approached the car, Vamsi turned to Athreya, his face etched with concern. "What's this, Athreya? We're trying to solve this case, not argue with him. He's just doing his job, following orders. What if he had arrested you?"
Athreya's frustration was palpable. "We couldn't save Vasudha, sir," he replied, his voice heavy with guilt.
Vamsi pressed on. "So?"
Athreya fell silent, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. We stood there in a heavy silence, each of us lost in our thoughts. My mind drifted back to Vasudha's father, his demeanor gnawing at the edge of my consciousness.
Noticing my introspective state, Sneha asked, "Krishna, what are you thinking?"
Vamsi and Athreya turned their attention to me, their curiosity piqued. I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts. "Something is not right," I began.
Vamsi furrowed his brow. "About what?"
"About Vasudha's father," I said. "He was crying over her body, but there were no real emotions or pain in his eyes. It felt like he was acting."
Athreya looked incredulous. "Acting?"
"Yes," I confirmed. "It felt like an act. But first," I turned to Vamsi, "Can you get the autopsy report of the body found under the railway bridge?"
Vamsi nodded, determination replacing his earlier concern. "I'll see what I can do." Vamsi took out his phone and made a call. "Hello, Aditya," he greeted.
"Hello, Vamsi," came the reply. "I want to tell you about the dead body... It's neither murder nor suicide."
We exchanged puzzled glances as Aditya continued, "It's a natural death. Liver failure."
Athreya, baffled, repeated, "Natural death?"
Vamsi asked, "How will we know whose body it is?"
"I've sent his fingerprints and hair samples for matching with the database," Aditya explained. "If we're lucky, we'll find a match."
Athreya, still confused, muttered, "No... no... no..." His mind was racing to connect the dots.
Vamsi thanked Aditya and ended the call. Just then, I noticed a man standing a little distance away, watching us intently, trying to eavesdrop on our conversation. I decided not to alert him that I had spotted him, so I refocused on our discussion.
Athreya, agitated, said, "How can it be a natural death? Three people were killed because of this. There's a serious problem. How can it be a natural death?"
I stepped in, trying to calm the situation. "Let's go. We'll discuss it in the office."
As we settled into the car, I started the engine, preparing to leave. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the man who had been eavesdropping on us. He was frantically trying to start his bike but was having no luck. Sensing an opportunity, I stopped the car.
Athreya looked at me, puzzled. "What happened?"
Pointing at the man, I said, "He's been following us. Let's go see who he is."
We got out of the car and approached him quietly from behind. He was still focused on his stubborn bike, oblivious to our presence. I leaned in, my voice low and menacing. "Shall I help you kick the bike?"
Startled, he looked up at us, fear evident in his eyes. I smiled, but it was a smile devoid of warmth. "So, are you coming with us peacefully, or should I use other methods?"
Seeing no escape, he raised his hands in surrender. "I choose the first option. Peacefully."
With a nod, I grabbed him and roughly shoved him into the backseat of our car. We drove to Athreya's office, the tension in the car thickening with each passing mile.
Once there, we dragged our captive inside and tied him to a chair with a sturdy rope. The office was dimly lit, the sun filtering through the blinds, casting long shadows on the walls.
The man looked around, his eyes darting between us. Athreya stood with his arms crossed, Vamsi pacing back and forth, and Sneha seating on the chair looking at him, her eyes fixed on our captive.
I stepped forward, my voice calm but firm. "Who are you, and why were you following us?"
Inside Athreya's dimly lit office, the tension was palpable as we faced the man tied to the chair. He exuded a cocky attitude, looking at us with an air of defiance.
Athreya's patience was wearing thin. "What's up? Have you tied us or have we tied you?" he snapped, frustration evident in his voice.
The man smirked, his attitude unwavering. "Haha, you'll set me free and salute me when you find out who I am."
We exchanged incredulous glances, baffled by his audacity. Athreya leaned in closer. "Is that so?"
The man continued, "If you see my track record, you'll know I finish dozens of criminals like you in a day."
Athreya's frustration mounted. "This is the last time I'm asking you. Who are you?"
Ignoring the question, the man stared defiantly at Athreya. In a fit of exasperation, Athreya grabbed Vamsi's gun and pointed it at the man, hoping to intimidate him into talking. The man's bravado faltered, and he began to speak hurriedly.
"My name is Bal Venkata Subramanian Swami. But I call myself Bobby. I'm from Hassan, Karnataka. I've been following you since this morning."
Athreya pressed on. "Why were you following us?"
Bobby's attitude resurfaced. "Why are you asking me? I'm a detective. What else will I do? I run the FBI."
Athreya looked taken aback, confusion clouding his features. Sneha interjected, "FBI stands for?"
Bobby replied nonchalantly, "Friends Bureau of Investigation. My friends helped me with it, so..."
Sneha and I exchanged amused glances, unable to contain our laughter. We burst out laughing, the absurdity of the situation too much to bear.
Bobby, visibly annoyed by our reaction, retorted, "Why are you two laughing? Check on social media, and you'll find a page for FBI Hassan. Even Sherlock Holmes has liked it."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "I thought there was only one ghost of Sherlock Holmes, and now we have a second."
Hearing this, Athreya looked at me with a mix of embarrassment and frustration before turning his attention back to Bobby. "What else?" he asked, his voice tinged with impatience.
Bobby, sensing the tension, began to speak more rapidly. "One day, when I was going home, I saw a dead body on the road. Nobody came to claim it. The police declared it unidentified and cremated the body. I got to know that you killed that person. Since then, I've been investigating the case, and that's why I've been following you."
I couldn't believe the absurdity of what I was hearing. "Are you stupid or what? Why would Athreya come to Hassan to kill someone?" I retorted, my voice filled with incredulity.
Bobby just stared at me, his earlier confidence shaken. Athreya continued his questioning. "Did you get a call?"
Bobby nodded. "Yes."
Athreya pressed on. "And they took my name?"
"Of course," Bobby confirmed.
"And you started following me," Athreya concluded.
"Right," Bobby said.
I couldn't hold back my frustration. "What kind of idiot are you? Someone calls you, and you just believe whatever they say? Are you really a detective?"
Bobby's defensive stance crumbled further. "Yes," he muttered weakly.
Athreya's patience snapped. "Shut up, shut up, you idiot Bal Venkata Subramanian Swami! They fooled us."
Bobby looked confused as Athreya continued, his voice rising with each word. "Don't you get it, Krishna? They used the same tactic to make me follow Ajay and Harsha. Now, they've made this fool follow me. They want to frame me for those murders. And now, they want to kill me and frame him for it. It's a dangerous game, Krishna. We've been busy solving the case like fools."
He looked at us, his eyes blazing with a mix of realization and anger. "They've managed to cover their perfect crime, and we're their scapegoats. We're chasing each other like fools and playing tinga tinga poses," he said, mimicking a childish dance to emphasize the absurdity.
Turning to Bobby, Athreya added, "You played well. Very well played. God bless you."
Bobby, looking utterly bewildered, asked, "Was it a game? Didn't you kill anybody?"
Athreya's frustration boiled over. "You're a useless detective. Shall I give it to you in writing?"
I looked at Vamsi and Sneha, exasperation clear in my voice. "Set him free."
Bobby, sensing his release, pleaded, "Please."
Vamsi and Sneha untied him, and he stumbled to his feet, his earlier bravado completely gone.
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