the reunion - an ashaangi ff

xiii

Vishnu stood outside the interview room, looking through the glass panel which showed Pranav sitting silently, his hands restricted by cuffs. He let out a frustrated huff, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to interrogate him.

Ram came inside the room and handed him a file, "His file, sir. Grew up in the slums, aparam somehow got involved with a Hyderabadi drug ring. They mainly trade in cocaine. It's a huge ring. Custom officers, local police, politicians nu neraiya peru are corrupted and involved."

Vishnu nodded, "Me and Karthik, we worked on their case a few years ago. So there's no wonder he knew about them."

Ram shifted his weight and asked, "Eppadi sir interrogate panna poringa?"

Vishnu studied Pranav for a moment, "Paakalam. Flow la enna varutho."

Ram blinked at him and Vishnu said, "Naa follow koodkarthuku nee support pannu."

Ram nodded, and both of them entered the interrogation box. Pranav didn't look up when they came in, and stayed eerily quiet.

"Pranav Reddy," Vishnu said, sitting down on the chair opposite to him. "Chinna vayasilraibthe romba busy ah irunthirkinga. Drug trafficking, extortion, racketeering, theft."

Pranav was silent.

Vishnu raised his eyebrows, "Oh. So silence thana? That's okay. We'll just review your case meanwhile, enna Ram?"

"Huh?," Ram blinked. "Yes sir of course."

Vishnu got up and sat on the table and he said to Ram, "So Pranav oda room lenthu we've extracted small amounts of cocaine."

"Yes sir."

Vishnu hummed and asked, "Considering the amount, athuku oru 4 years ulla ponuma?".

Ram nodded, "Yes sir. Aparam vanthu, CWC contestants vantha text messages oda burner phone avar kitta than iruku. So plausible suspect also sir."

Vishnu could feel Pranav get tensed behind him, "Oh okay okay. Atha thavira, we have a statement from one of the contestants that he tried to harm them, right?".

Ram nodded, "Yes sir, maybe athuku oru 2 years ulla ponum."

Vishnu heard Pranav shift uncomfortably behind him, the metal cuffs clanging. "Atha thavira he would be investigated for aiding and abetting murder. Trafficking drugs. Ellam sethu atleast oru 15 years jail time varathu?"

Ram nodded, "Kandipa sir. Athuku mellayum vara chance iruku. Ithuku munnadi nadantha kolaikum ivara investiga-"

"No!," Pranav shouted. Vishnu turned around to look at him, who had a frustrated expression on his face.

"Stop it. Ennaku antha kolaigaal pathi theriyathu, Karthik enkitta atha pathi solala-"

"Oh," Vishnu interrupted. "Appo intha kolaiya pathi unnaku theriyum appadinu othukara?"

Silence filled the room as Pranav realised he had veen baited into spilling it himself.

Vishnu leaned forward and said, "Look Pranav. Inimel marachu, there's no use. Confess."

Pranav stared at him defeated. He was silent for a moment before he gave in and said, "I first met Karthik in jail."

"When was this?"

"About two years ago. Naanga jail la irukum bothu, we were cell mates. Because he was from Tamil Nadu and previous police officer, jail la irukaara ella inmates um avan potu adipanga," Pranav said.

Ram was scribbling notes and Vishnu was listening intently. Pranav continued, "Appadi oru naal avanku seriyana adi. Appo than enkitta sonna, avan Chennai la irukum bothu moonu kola panirkanu. First, naa nambala. But he started telling me details of how he killed them."