30 September 2024

Time: 00:08

The house grew chiller as cold breeze flew through the wide-open balcony. Below the apartment, a couple of police jeeps were parked, their blue-red lights turned off as officers exited the vehicles in casual outfits. They deliberately inspected their surroundings before they marched up to the tenth floor one by one.

Inside Kalyan's house the tension was palpable, thick with distress and anxiety. It's been about thirty minutes since Kalyan got the call from Gautham regarding his missing son. Thirty dreading minutes without his son in the safety of their home.

The officers swiftly entered the house and saluted at Gautham and Kalyan. After a brief instruction from Gautham, the officers began their investigation. Murmurs of his colleagues filled the quiet apartment.

Gautham approached him, his face set in a grim line. His eyes met Kalyan's, and for a moment, they didn't speak. There was no need. The gravity of the situation hung between them like a dark cloud.

"We're doing everything we can," Gautham finally said, his voice low but firm. "I've already alerted the missing persons unit. We're canvassing the area. I have officers checking all the entry and exit points around the house and building. No stone is going to be left unturned."

Kalyan nodded, though his jaw was tight. "Has anyone reported seeing anything? Any suspicious activity?"

"Not yet, but we've just started. We're pulling surveillance footage from the nearby streets to see if anything unusual comes up. I've also got officers questioning the neighbours. Someone had to have seen something."

Kalyan wanted to be out there with them—leading the search, investigating every angle, talking to witnesses. But he couldn't. Not right now. His responsibility, his first priority, was to Mridula. She needed him. He couldn't let her fall apart, even if he felt like he was crumbling from the inside himself.

Just then, Gautham's phone buzzed in his hand. He glanced at the screen, his brows furrowing as he answered. "Gautham here. What've you got?"

Kalyan watched as Gautham listened intently, his expression never shifting. He was calm, methodical—every inch the seasoned officer Kalyan had always admired. When the call ended, Gautham slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned to Kalyan.

"They're bringing in a forensics team," Gautham said. "They'll check for any signs of forced entry, fingerprints, anything that might tell us how someone got in—or out—with your son."

Kalyan swallowed hard; his throat tight. "I don't understand how this could've happened, Gautham. There were no signs of a break-in. The windows were closed, the doors locked. I was so sure..."

Gautham put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. I know it feels impossible, but we'll piece this together. For now, I'll have to conduct a primary inquiry with both you and Mridula." Gautham's gaze flicked to the nursery room where Mridula was with Poornima.

"Poornima," he called as he stood at the doorway. "How is she?"

"Still shaken," Poornima replied as she held Viha, the baby girl in her arms feeding her with a feeding bottle.

As they conversed, Kalyan walked in and settled next to Mridula. A hand softly placed on her shoulders. "Mridu, we need to ask you a few questions. Do you think you can do it now?"

Sniffling, Mridula nodded and wiped off her tears off her face. "Yeah," her voice cracked softly.

A few minutes later, they gathered around the living room. Kalyan sat next to Mridula, his hand resting on her knee in a silent attempt to comfort her. But the lines of worry etched into his face betrayed his own fear. Mridula sat stiffly, her arms wrapped around herself, eyes red from crying. She looked exhausted, as though the weight of the last few hours had drained the life from her.

Gautham leaned forward slightly, his tone gentle but probing. "I know this is going to be a hard but we need to go over the event of the day, in as much details as possible." Gautham started with a notepad in his hand.

"Yes, I understand. I'll try." Her voice barely above a whisper.

Gautham's eyes softened. "Let's start from the morning. What was your routine like today? Did anything unusual happen?"

Mridula took a shaky breath. "No... nothing unusual, really. It was just... a normal day. I woke up early because the babies needed to be fed. I fed them, and Kalyan had already left for work." She glanced at Kalyan briefly before turning her gaze back to Gautham. "I had breakfast, took care of the babies for a while, and then Aarushi came by."

"Aarushi?" Gautham scribbled the name in his notebook. "Your friend?" He asked although he knew.

"Yes," Mridula nodded. "She's a close friend of ours. She's been helping me a lot since the twins were born. She knows how hard it's been..." Her voice trailed off, a shadow passing over her face as she glanced toward the nursery. "She came over a little before lunch."

Gautham's eyes sharpened with interest. "What time did she arrive?"

"Maybe... around 11 or so," Mridula said, frowning as she tried to recall the details. "She stayed with me until the late afternoon."

"Did she help with the babies?" Gautham asked, his tone calm but purposeful.

"Yes, she did," Mridula replied. "While I was getting lunch ready, she looked after them. It gave me a chance to do a few things around the house without worrying."

"And what time did she leave?" Gautham's pen hovered over his notebook.

"Around 5 p.m.," Mridula said. "She had other things to do, but before she left, we checked on the babies together. They were fine, both asleep. After she left, I felt exhausted."

She paused, her hand trembling slightly as she rubbed her forehead, as though trying to push away the haze of exhaustion that still clung to her.

"I remember feeling so tired... I was with the babies for a while, but around 7 p.m., I just couldn't stay awake anymore. I lay down in the bedroom for a bit. I must have fallen asleep."

Gautham's brow furrowed as he scribbled more notes. "When did you wake up?"

"It was around 10 p.m.," Mridula said softly. "I woke up because my daughter was crying. That's when I went to the nursery and... and saw that my son was nowhere in his crib."

Her voice cracked as she finished, and she clasped her hands tightly in her lap, her knuckles white. Kalyan squeezed her knee gently, but he didn't speak, his jaw clenched as he listened.

Gautham's expression remained calm, though his eyes were sharp with focus. "When you woke up, did you notice anything strange? Any noises or signs that someone else might have been in the house?"

Mridula shook her head, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "No... nothing. I didn't hear anything. I don't know how it happened, anna. I just don't know."

Gautham gave her a moment, then continued gently. "After you discovered your son was missing, what did you do?"

"I searched for him. The entire house and when his missing registered in my head, I froze," Mridula admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I didn't know what to do. I was holding my daughter, trying to calm her down, but I... I just sat there, staring at the empty crib. I kept thinking I must be dreaming, that he couldn't really be gone."

She blinked away the tears threatening to fall, her hands trembling as she clutched the edge of the sofa. "It wasn't until Poorni akka came in that I could even move."

Gautham nodded, jotting down the final notes. "Alright. That helps give us a timeline. Aarushi left at 5 p.m., and you checked the babies together. You fell asleep around 7 p.m. and woke up at 10 p.m. to find your son missing. Poornima entered the house somewhere 11:30 p.m."

Gautham's attention shifted to Kalyan. "Was there anyone who might have had reason to do this? Anyone who might have held a grudge against you? Or Mridula?" he asked.

Kalyan's eyes flashed with something between anger and pain. "You're asking if someone took him to get back at me?"

Gautham didn't flinch. "I have to consider every possibility. We both know how this works."

Kalyan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "No. There's no one. Not that I know of. I've handled some rough cases recently, but nothing that would make someone target my family."

Gautham's eyes skimmed through his notepad and tapped it with his pen. "We will need to call in Aarushi for an inquiry."

"Do you think someone was watching the house, waiting for the right moment?" Kalyan asked, his voice tight with tension.

Gautham looked at him thoughtfully. "It's possible, but there's no sign of forced entry, and nothing about the situation indicates a random break-in. Whoever took your son knew what they were doing and likely waited for the perfect opportunity when both of you were either occupied or asleep."

Kalyan's fists clenched. "I should have been here. I should have protected them."

"You can't think like that," Gautham said firmly. "We don't know all the facts yet, and blaming yourself won't help anyone. We need to focus on the information we have and act fast."

Gautham flipped his notebook shut, his mind already racing through possible next steps. "I'll need to speak to Aarushi, just to cover all our bases. She might have seen or noticed something earlier in the day that didn't seem important at the time. We're also reviewing the footage from nearby surveillance cameras."

Mridula swallowed hard her voice barely audible. "Do you think we'll find him, anna?"

Gautham stood up, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "We will. We're doing everything we can. But we need to act quickly. The first 24 hours are critical in cases like this."

Kalyan stood up as well, his expression grim but determined. "Whatever it takes. We'll find him."

Gautham gave a firm nod, then turned toward the door. "I'll follow up on Aarushi. Stay close to your phone, and if you remember anything else, no matter how small, let me know immediately."

*-*-*-*-*-*

30 September 2024

Time: 01:16

The clock had just passed 1 a.m. when Aarushi arrived at Kalyan and Mridula's apartment, her breath shallow and rapid from the hurried drive. Her heart pounded in her chest as she saw the police cars lining the street, the officers combing the area, questioning neighbours, checking every possible lead.

She rushed toward the building, her mind racing, but before she could reach the front door, Gautham stepped in front of her, his expression unreadable, but his posture firm.

"Aarushi?" Gautham asked, his voice calm but authoritative.

Aarushi nodded, her wide eyes betraying her shock and fear. "Yes... I'm here to see Mridula. She—" She swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "I heard what happened. I came as soon as I got the call."

Gautham gave her a long, assessing look, then shook his head. "I understand you want to be with them, but before you do, I need to speak with you first. This is a delicate situation, and we need all the details we can get."

Aarushi blinked, confused. "Me? But—"

"It's procedure," Gautham cut her off gently, his voice firm but not unkind. "You were here earlier today, correct?"

"Yes," she replied, shifting uncomfortably. "I was with Mridula all afternoon, helping with the babies."

"Good," Gautham said, stepping aside and motioning her toward a quieter corner of the tenth floor. "We'll talk here. It won't take long, but it's important."

Aarushi hesitated, glancing toward the apartment's entrance, where she could almost sense the grief and tension inside. But Gautham's serious expression left no room for argument, so she followed him, taking a deep breath.

Once they were settled, Gautham wasted no time. He flipped open his notebook, pen poised, and looked up at her. "Let's start with some basic questions. How do you know Kalyan and Mridula?"

Aarushi wrung her hands together, her brow furrowed. "We've been friends for years. I met Mridula in college—we were roommates. Kalyan and I, we go further back. We went to the same school, actually. So I've known him for over 15 years."

Gautham nodded, making a note. "So, you've known Kalyan longer than Mridula?"

Aarushi nodded. "Yes, but we all became close after they got together. We're mutual friends now, a group. Mridula is like a sister to me. That's why I've been coming by so often, especially since the twins were born. She's been going through a lot, and I wanted to help."

"And Kalyan? How would you describe your relationship with him?"

Aarushi looked slightly taken aback by the question but answered quickly. "Kalyan is a good friend, nothing more. We've always been close, but that's it. It's always been about the three of us. He's like family."

Gautham's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded again, jotting down more notes. "Tell me about your visit today. When did you arrive?"

"I got there around 11 a.m.," Aarushi replied, her voice steadying as she recounted the day's events. "Mridula had just finished feeding the babies, and I helped her with some things around the house. I looked after the twins while she made lunch."

Gautham glanced up. "So, you were in charge of the babies during that time?"

Aarushi nodded. "Yes, but everything was fine. They were both asleep for most of the time I was there."

"And what did you do after lunch?"

Aarushi furrowed her brow as she tried to remember. "We ate around 1 p.m. After that, we had tea, and I stayed with her until about 5 p.m. We checked on the babies together before I left, and both of them were still sleeping soundly."

Gautham scribbled more notes, his pen moving swiftly across the page. "After you left, what did you do?"

"I went home," Aarushi said, her voice tense, sensing the shift in Gautham's questioning. "I had a few things to finish up. I didn't go anywhere else, just home."

"Did you speak to anyone after you left Mridula's apartment?"

"No," Aarushi said, her voice firm. "Not until I got the call from Kalyan about the baby missing."

Gautham paused for a moment, his gaze locking with hers. "And no one saw you after you left the building?"

Aarushi's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "No. I mean, no one I know. I just went home and stayed there. I don't understand why you're asking me this. I would never hurt them!"

Gautham's expression remained calm, but his tone sharpened slightly. "Aarushi, I'm not accusing you of anything. But it's important to confirm every detail of the timeline, especially since you were one of the last people to see the babies before one of them went missing."

Aarushi's face paled as the weight of the situation sank in further. "I... I understand," she whispered, her voice shaky. "But I swear, everything was normal when I left. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Mridula was tired, yes, but the babies were fine."

Gautham nodded, making another note. "Alright. Thank you for your cooperation. We're just trying to piece everything together, and your account of the day is important."

Aarushi glanced toward the apartment door again, her expression pained. "Can I see them now? Please?"

Gautham studied her for a moment, then finally nodded. "Yes, but keep it brief. They're going through a lot, and Kalyan is barely holding it together."

Aarushi nodded quickly, her eyes glistening with worry. She hurried toward the door, but before she entered, Gautham called out to her one last time.

"If you remember anything else, even the smallest detail, let me know immediately."

Aarushi turned back, nodding again, then disappeared into the building.

Gautham remained in the hallway, flipping his notebook shut with a sigh. Something about this case felt off, and while Aarushi had provided a solid timeline, there were still too many unanswered questions. His instincts were telling him there was more to uncover.

~ Hidden details on plain sight ~