The Tranquil Predator ✔️

Chapter 30

Patricia's Pov

I stared at the ceiling fan. Looking at my blurry reflection on the circular dial, reliving those few intimate moments I had shared with him. I started blushing instantly when the memory of him pulling the hem of my gown entered my mind. If only the phone hadn't rung. If only he hadn't left. But he was dedicated to his work, I didn't want to be some kind of distraction for him.

How long was he going to take? I thought as I finally got up and tied the robe around my waist.

Ding Dong!

The doorbell rang and the sound echoed throughout the hallway in my silent house. I was overjoyed and ran down the stairs. Well, that was fast. Finally, we could start from where we left off. With those dirty thoughts in mind and a huge smile on my face, I finally reached the door. Opening it, I said,

"So where wer-", I abruptly stopped before finishing my sentence. For in front of me, there was a bewildered Praveen standing and staring at me with wide eyes.

"Uh, sorry. You seem busy, maybe I should...", he trailed off and looked the other way to avoid eye contact. Looking down at myself, a sense of embarrassment rushed through me giving my face a new crimson colour.

I was clad in a provocative outfit in front of Praveen!

"Uh, no it's alright. Why don't you come in? I'll change and join you in a bit", I said with a forced smile on my lips. Well, that was no doubt humiliating. Praveen curtly nodded his head, eyes still not meeting mine and there was a slight tint of red on his cheeks.

I allowed him to enter and told him to sit in the living. After which I dashed upstairs to change my clothes. This time I wore a long t-shirt and full-length track pants. They were comfortable and covered my body properly. I felt uncomfortable wearing even a sleeveless top in front of him after what he saw me wearing. He had been over to my house at late nights before. We used to talk and play games, but this time somehow I felt a bit weird with him being here at this hour. There was an uneasy aura radiating out of him which I couldn't decipher.

Brushing the thoughts aside, I went down to the living room to join him. He was probably traumatised after he got to know his boss used to go around at night, killing people.

"So, what brings you here at this hour? Everything fine?", I smiled as I sat on one end of the sofa end while he sat on the other end.

"I just came here to apologise. You weren't picking up your phone, so I thought I would visit you and talk to you directly", Praveen replied eyes fixated on the brown wooden floor.

"I didn't receive any call. The battery must have died out. Wait a min, I'll just charge my phone and come", I said and strutted towards the shelf where my dead phone and charger were kept. Plugging it in the socket, I sat on the sofa again to continue our conversation.

"Apologise for what?"

"Everything, Raghu isn't here so I thought I should be the one to apologise from his side. Where is Vinesh? I want to talk to him too."

"He left to live with his brother for a few days. It was difficult for him to go back to that same house where-", I paused and took a deep breath "that happened"

"Oh", he replied. "By the way, you and the detective are a thing now I suppose", he said trying to change the topic.

I chuckled, "Hmm, ya you can say so. He is a sweetheart when he is off duty"

"Aww", Praveen giggled. That was the first time he giggled after entering my house today. He is usually pretty jovial but naturally, things had been hard for him today. Good to know he was holding up well.

"You know, Raghu was like a mentor to me. I was a broken orphan child and got bullied throughout my childhood days. He always supported me in whatever I did. Him and my sister were like family", Praveen said with a slight smile on his face.

"Your sister? I didn't know you had a sister."

"Well, we aren't exactly blood relatives. We became close in the orphanage. Pranjali is like a sister to me. She came over from Cochin, to stay for a few days. She will leave soon"

"I see. I would love to meet her someday."

"I will see to it both of you meet. Well, as I was saying. Raghu was everything for me. Neethu and Vinesh were the ones who introduced us to one another. After which he taught me how to be strong, and made me what I am today. He even covered for me whenever I made a mistake", He said with a grim face. The hair on my back straightened when he said that. I didn't know why, but it felt creepy.

"I rarely had anything with me. No parents, no one to love, a little weakling. Until he found me and taught me how to show strength. How to make people believe I am no weakling", he said, looking at me earnestly.

I sat there gaping at him. After some time, I cleared my throat and said, "I know he meant everything to you, but he went around killing people. He killed Neethu! You know its unforgivable. He should have been punished in the court of law, but he took the easy way out. Arjun didn't want to kill him. Raghu killed himself"

"Really? That's what you think? Raghu killed Neethu?", he said voice getting louder and scarier.

"Wha-What do you mean?", I said backing up from the couch. This didn't feel right. This didn't seem like the Praveen I knew.

"I always wanted to showcase my strength to a person from the big city. They always look down on us! That is why I had my eyes on you from the start! But the way you treated me, I thought you were different!", he said, his eyes became soft again as he looked at me.

What the hell is going on with him?

"But I was wrong wasn't I? You also think I am weakling right? That is why you chose that city boy over me! You are such a whore!", he snarled, eyes changing and becoming stormy again.

I was trembling in fear now. Trying my best to stay placid and confident I said, "Praveen, it's getting late and you are not in your right mind. I think you should go"

"Oh no kitten. I came here to do something, something I should have done a long time ago. You said you wanted to meet my sister right? I came here to send you to her and I am not leaving without doing that", he chuckled darkly.

Arjun's Pov

"This is the sister right?", I inquired.

"Yes sir, her name was Pranjali. She was already like this when we entered the house", an officer replied.

I stared at the body with a handkerchief covering my nose. The stench was awful, the body was slightly black because it had started decomposing and there was a pool of dried blood everywhere around the girl. It looked liked she had died hours ago. There was a slash across the throat, which was obviously the cause of death. I bent down to look at cut carefully. The cut was deeper on the left side and tapered towards the right meaning the killer was right handed.

"Search the entire house, and tell the locals about the identity of the killer, we are going to need all the help we can get to catch him", I said as I pulled out my phone. I had to inform Patricia about this. I had to tell her to stay away from Praveen.

He was the Tranquil Predator.

A/N:

Get ready for the climax now!