Chapter 5: The Violins’ Secret

Pranav’s mind was racing as he stared at the chilling message on his phone: “I’m always watching.” Whoever was behind these murders wasn’t just a killer—they were taunting him. The realization made his stomach churn. He needed to act fast. He needed to find out why the doctor had been killed and how it connected to the young women’s murders.

Earlier, the mysterious violins had led to an unsettling discovery—their connection to a famous country band from the 1980s. The violins had been part of a special edition series, handcrafted for the band by a renowned violin maker. But the band’s tragic end, including the disappearance of all its members, felt like a dark omen hovering over the case. Pranav’s father had investigated the disbandment and the mystery surrounding the band’s disappearance but had never found a resolution. Now, it seemed like that unsolved case had somehow returned to haunt him.

He sent images of the violins to his team, and they quickly returned with more details. The violins were not only rare but were tied to a specific local concert in a small village in the late 1980s. The band had gained a massive following for their unique musical style, but things took a dark turn in 1989, after a dispute tore the group apart. One of the lead violinists had been found dead, his body washed up on a riverbank near the village where the band had debuted. The case had captured local headlines for weeks, but after that, all traces of the band vanished. The members, their families, and even the violin company that had manufactured their instruments disappeared without a trace.

This unsolved mystery had gnawed at Pranav’s father until his final days, and now, as Pranav stood in the midst of his own investigation, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the violins were a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Pranav arrived at the scene of the doctor’s murder, his instincts told him that this was no random killing. The similarities to the previous murders were striking: the throat slit with surgical precision, no signs of a struggle, the door locked from the inside.

But something felt off. There were no strange notes left behind this time, no hidden cameras. It didn’t fit the pattern as perfectly as the other murders had. Pranav walked through the apartment, searching for any clue that could explain why the doctor had been killed. His team combed through the space, but no one could find anything out of the ordinary.

Frustrated, Pranav sat at the doctor’s desk, going through his files and personal belongings. His fingers skimmed across the cold, smooth surface of the desk when something caught his eye—a small, almost invisible lens embedded into the monitor. A camera. One that had been actively recording.

Pranav’s heart skipped a beat. The killer had been watching through the doctor’s computer camera, witnessing the murder as it happened.

He felt a cold sweat form on his brow. This killer was more than just a cold-blooded murderer—they were a predator, enjoying the horror they inflicted on their victims.

As Pranav tried to steady his thoughts, his phone buzzed with another message. He opened it with a trembling hand.

“Your time is running out.”

The same unknown number. The same chilling tone. The killer was watching him too.

Before Pranav could react, Ashok burst into the room with a startling revelation. “Sir, we found something in the earlier video you sent us. The video was recorded from inside the apartment of Shruti—the woman who moved in a few months ago.”

Pranav’s heart dropped. Shruti—the newest tenant. Had she become the next victim?

Without wasting another second, Pranav and Ashok raced to Shruti’s apartment. The door was locked from the inside, and there was no response. Pranav’s pulse quickened as he and Ashok began to bang on the door, calling out for her.

No answer.

With mounting dread, they kicked down the door, bursting into the apartment. And there, on the floor, was Shruti’s lifeless body, her throat slit just like the others.