AvNeil: Chase Against Time

Chapter Eight

With a file in one hand and black coffee in the other, Neil studied the case report. It was Viraj's case file; sketched out with every detail the team was able to get their hands on.

Initially, his team couldn't locate any white sedan moving past the check posts during the given time frame. He had even gone ahead to check for the footage twenty four hours prior and post the incident. There wasn't a trace of that car.

It was only three days post the incident that the car was found dumped, in an almost destroyed state, hidden a little farther from the check post. The car wouldn't have been found had his team not been investigating to dig deeper into the case. He had his team working on each of the crime locations; he wanted the murderer. Dead or Alive.

Turning the pages on the file, his eyes settled on the photos. Ananya's photos, with a red cross marked on each one of them. Every time he looked at those photos, it left him restless. The team had found the photos along with Viraj's and a couple of papers consisting of Viraj's schedule in the car.

Neil couldn't figure out the reason as to why were these photos and documents left back in the car while there was no other trace of evidence. It could either be to mislead him or to leave another challenging clue at him. He just had to crack it.

"Sir," DD interrupted, "Ananya has sneaked out of the NGO without coming into notice," Neil's eyes shot instantly at the watch. DD tried to explain further, "and she hasn't reached her apartment either." It was about eleven at night and she should have been at her apartment by now, as per her schedule. Then why was she not?

"Any movements?" Neil asked briskly. He had his team keep a close check at her. Any suspicious activity was to be reported back to him.

"No," Neil's eyes widened at those words, "nothing unusual." His eyes ran across the digital watch that sat comfortably at his desk.

6th December, Wednesday,11:56 p.m.

A couple of minutes more and it would be Thursday.

His body went still, it was another Thursday. It was not an alternate Thursday but the murderer had already dropped the target's name to him. The previous targets were not known to the team, this time it was.

Would the murderer wait for the next Thursday to make a move?

Would the same pattern be followed?

He had no time to sit and discuss things. There was no way he would let the murderer succeed this time.

"Track her goddamn location, now," he barked orders as he stormed out of the police station with DD in tow.

'Ananya', he gritted out her name in frustration. The girl was probably never going to obey him, he thought with irritation .

*
An early update because I might not update tomorrow. Just a mere possibility.

Anyways, leave your thoughts, suggestions, and of course concerns, if any, in the comments.

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Thanks and love,
Shenz ❤