Chapter 1: A Night of Despair
The clock struck 12:30 AM, and a heavy darkness draped over the upscale neighborhood on the outskirts of Chennai. Nestled between the rhythmic crashing of waves along East Coast Road and the sprawling Chennai-Pondicherry highway, the posh locality usually buzzed with life. But tonight, an unsettling stillness filled the air, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the faint sound of surf.
Inside the police station, an ordinary routine settled in. Typewriter Mani, hunched over his machine, tapped away in a rhythmic cadence while Constable Raja lay sprawled across a bench, his heavy breaths the only indication of life. The Sub Inspector, Thameem, and the Head Constable, Vinayagam, were out on their nightly patrol, leaving the station in a state of monotony that stretched on for hours.
Suddenly, the heavy door swung open with a jarring crash, shattering the tranquility. A couple in their late forties stumbled in, their faces pale, eyes wide with panic. The mother, a slender woman with dark circles beneath her eyes, grasped her husband’s arm as if it were a lifeline.
As Mrs. Vargees lost her footing on the slick floor, she fell hard, the sound echoing through the station like a gunshot. Constable Raja jolted awake, heart racing as he rushed to help. “What happened?” he asked, his voice thick with confusion as he knelt beside her.
“Please! You have to help us!” Mr. Joseph Vargees shouted, desperation choking his voice. “Our daughter…she’s missing!”
Raja’s drowsiness evaporated in an instant, adrenaline surging through him. “Missing? How long has she been gone?” he asked, his tone shifting to urgency.
“She was supposed to be at her friend Neha’s house for a study session, but she never came home! We thought she was just running late, but now… it’s been hours!”
“Sir, what’s her name and age?” Raja asked, trying to gather the essential details.
“Anjali,” Mrs. Vargees gasped through her tears. “She’s only sixteen!”
The gravity of the situation hit Raja like a punch to the gut. He swiftly grabbed the walkie-talkie, his hands trembling. “Sub Inspector Thameem, we have an emergency! A girl is missing!” His voice, once shaky, now carried an urgency that filled the room.
Within moments, Thameem burst through the door, his eyes wide with alarm as he took in the scene. “What’s going on?” he barked, exuding authority as he focused on the couple’s frantic expressions.
“She hasn’t come home! We can’t find her!” Mrs. Vargees cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. She fumbled through her bag, retrieving a photograph of her daughter. “She was supposed to be with her friends at the beach, but she hasn’t given us any updates since six o’clock!”
Thameem’s heart raced at the mention of the beach. “We need to get to that beach now. Raja, contact Vinayagam and the local patrol. We need everyone out looking for her.”
Raja nodded, his pulse quickening as he rushed to relay the message. The tension in the air thickened, the clock ticking away precious seconds.
“Did she mention anything unusual before she left? Any fights with friends? Anyone she was upset with?” Thameem pressed, knowing that the most innocent-looking lives could hide dark secrets.
The Vargees shook their heads, confusion and fear etched on their faces. “No, she’s just a normal girl! She’s been such a good student, always focused on her studies. She wouldn’t just run away!”
But Thameem knew that running away was often the least of their worries. The specter of crime loomed large over the neighborhood, and missing persons rarely had happy endings.
As Raja spoke into the walkie-talkie, relaying orders for a search, Thameem’s thoughts turned to Pranav. Known for his relentless pursuit of justice, he had cracked some of the toughest cases, including a recent double murder. If there was anyone who could navigate this murky situation, it was him.
“I will call Pranav Sir here. Now,” Thameem gasped, urgency lacing his voice.
As the clock ticked on, the fear in the Vargees’ eyes became palpable, a reflection of the nightmare they had just stepped into. With each passing moment, Anjali’s fate grew more uncertain, and the darkness of the night deepened, threatening to swallow them all whole.