Vignesh reached over the desk and pulled out a file, as the usual business off the station went on. He looked over at a female constable and said,
“Ma.. Malathi, take this file and bring the new reports for today, check whether I’ve signed all of it and also—", Vignesh said thoughtfully, scratching his head, “also bring the Fir filed for the chain snatching incident today”.
“Ok sir”, saying so she left.
Vignesh looked around and spotting the Superintendent's vehicle parked in the station went around searching. He went to one of the nearest constable and asked
“Hey, where is the Superintendent sir?”
“Sir, he has gone to use the restroom”. Vignesh felt a little embarrassed that he should be using that dirty toilet and waited for him to come out. After a while the door opened and the Superintendent came out, wiping his hands in his kerchief. As soon as he did, Vignesh went near him and saluted. The superintendent acknowledged it with a jerk of his head and proceeded to the station. Everyone became alert as soon as he arrived and saluted him. He told them to ease off and beckoned Vignesh into the Inspector’s office. Vignesh entered without arguing and stood in front of the now seated superintendent, who told Vignesh to have a seat.
Vignesh obliged and soon they began talking.
“Vignesh tell me, how’s everything at the station? “
“Sir, it’s good, sir. Everything is running smoothly. All cases are being handled properly. “
“Hmm-and what about this chain snatching incidents? Are you and your people doing anything about it? And where is—“, here the superintendent was rudely interrupted by Vignesh
“Sir, the people in that colony are over reacting, sir. They’re threatening us with pressure and not allowing us to do our work”, it was only now that Vignesh realized that he’d unknowingly interrupted his superior from speaking. Horrified he quickly began to apologize, before the superintendent calmed him down.
“That’s OK, but tell me where is Inspector Madhav? I haven’t talked to him in a while and today I didn’t even see him, where is he?”
Vignesh looked astonished. “Sir, I thought you’d already talked to him.”
“No, no. Ever since that case of his missing brother, he and I haven’t been on talking terms”, the superintendent shook his head. Vignesh on the other hand tried to comprehend who the inspector might’ve been talking to then.
“You didn’t show him that clip did you?”
“No way sir. If sir had seen that clip, he’d have lost his mind.”
“True, there are not many people who have gone through what he has had to in his career, that clip would’ve destroyed him”
“But sir, how long do we keep it hidden from him, sir, I mean it’s his brother, he has a right to know, doesn’t he?”
“You don’t worry about that, just do as I tell you. Anyway where did you even get that clip from?”
“Sir our cyber unit monitors certain websites sir and one such is called a certain, GoreGrish.com, sir, I think. We found a video that was recently uploaded and we’re trying to track down the uploader, but for now we haven’t found anything of interest. Also sir, we found a typed message on the phone of his victim, few minutes after his supposed death. It tells something about the month of Sankranti and the beginning of some new solstice and rubbish. More to be expected and warn the unreligious.. “, shaking his head, he looked at the superintendent as he read the message. Then putting it down, he leaned back.
“The video is very disturbing. I can’t understand, how did that killer manage to kill a man in broad daylight, that too in a busy road with traffic and escape, without anyone ever having noticed anything?”
“That’s the same question I’ve been asking to myself, but the whole scene makes no sense. That car was supposed to have been captured at least in one of the cameras, but nothing spotted it. There were no problems with the camera either. I just don’t understand how it happened. Sir, I think it is a series, sir. This looks very preplanned to me.”
“Hmm, investigate in all possible angles and come to a fast conclusion and for heavens sake try to solve that chain snatching incident once and for all.”
“Yes sir. Sir—some tea?”
“Later. I’ll leave now, I’ve a meeting with the officials of the justice department for that motor vehicle case. If you can, persuade Madhav to contact me.”
“Sir”. Vignesh opened the cabin doors to let the superintendent out as he meddled with his phone and as he began to enter the car, Vignesh asked a final question.
“Sir, are you going to hold a press conference for that case?”
“Which one, that vehicle robberies, no, it’s too small. And anyway if it even is held, I won’t be the one doing it, but if I do, I’ll make sure that you’re mentioned, satisfied?”, the smile that the superintendent gave was reciprocated by Vignesh, who beamed.
“Yes sir, yes sir. Ok sir.” He showed him out as the vehicle passed the gate and after he’d left, he went inside the station again. His phone rang suddenly, he picked it up and answered, recognizing the caller.