Aarav stood by the window, watching the empty street below. The weight of the note in his hand felt heavier than it should.
Who had slipped it under his door?
Who else knew about the notebook?
And more importantly—was this a trap?
He clenched his jaw. There was only one way to find out.
At 11:45 PM, Aarav left The Blackwood Inn. He kept to the shadows, his coat pulled tight against the night’s chill.
The streets of Ravenshore were unsettling at this hour. Dimly lit, eerily quiet. The town’s beauty—quaint cobblestone paths, historic houses—felt haunted in the moonlight.
Every sound made his nerves tighten. Was someone following him?
He glanced back—empty streets.
Still, he quickened his pace.
Within fifteen minutes, he reached St. Mary’s Cemetery.
The old graveyard sat at the edge of town, its rusted iron gates half open. A faint fog curled around the tombstones, and the air smelled of damp earth.
Aarav hesitated. Then, gripping Aisha’s notebook tightly, he stepped inside.
The cemetery was silent except for the distant hoot of an owl.
Aarav scanned the area. Nothing.
He checked his watch. 12:01 AM.
Maybe this was a set-up. Maybe—
A shadow moved near a large oak tree.
His muscles tensed. “Who’s there?”
A figure stepped into the dim moonlight.
It was a woman.
She was young, possibly in her early thirties, with dark eyes that glinted with both fear and determination. She wore a gray shawl over a simple salwar suit, her posture tense.
Aarav took a step closer. “You left the note?”
She nodded. “You’re the journalist, right? The one looking into Aisha Verma?”
His pulse quickened. “Yes.”
She hesitated. Then—“My name is Ritika Sharma.”
Aarav’s eyes narrowed. The name wasn’t on Aisha’s list. “Why are you helping me?”
She swallowed hard. “Because if you don’t stop now… you’ll end up just like her.”
Aarav’s stomach clenched. “You know what happened to her?”
Ritika exhaled shakily. “I know she found something she wasn’t supposed to. And I know that the people who made her disappear… are still watching.”
Aarav’s grip on the notebook tightened. “What was she investigating?”
Ritika bit her lip, hesitating. Then she stepped closer, voice barely above a whisper.
“She was looking into the fire. The one that burned down Malhotra’s old factory.”
Aarav’s heartbeat thundered.
The fire. The ashes.
The words from Aisha’s journal suddenly clicked.
“What was in that factory?” he pressed.
Ritika shook her head. “I don’t know. But Aisha believed it wasn’t an accident. She thought the fire was set to destroy evidence.”
Aarav’s mind raced.
Aisha’s last notes hinted at secrets buried in the past. And now, this mysterious fire—something no one in town ever talked about.
“How do you know all this?” he asked.
Ritika’s gaze flickered with unease. “Because I used to work for Raghav Malhotra.”
Aarav felt a chill crawl up his spine.
“You worked for him?”
Ritika nodded. “I was his assistant at Malhotra Industries.”
Aarav frowned. “Why would his assistant want to help me?”
Her expression darkened. “Because I know what kind of man he really is.”
She glanced around nervously before continuing. “Aisha came to me once. She asked questions about Malhotra’s old factory. At the time, I didn’t know much, but I could tell she was onto something.”
Aarav’s jaw clenched. “And then she disappeared.”
Ritika nodded, her hands gripping the edge of her shawl. “That night, before she vanished, she sent me a message.”
Aarav’s breath caught. “What did it say?”
Ritika hesitated before reciting the words from memory:
“The truth is in the fire. If anything happens to me, don’t trust anyone—not the police, not the press, no one.”
Aarav exhaled sharply. The fire again.
Everything kept leading back to that one incident.
The missing pages in Aisha’s journal… The list of names…
The secret Malhotra wanted erased.
Aarav looked back at Ritika. “Why are you telling me this now?”
She hesitated. “Because… I think someone knows I helped her.”
Aarav’s stomach twisted. “You’re in danger.”
Ritika nodded. “I can’t stay in Ravenshore much longer. But before I leave, I had to warn you—whatever Malhotra is hiding, it’s bigger than just Aisha. And you’re next.”
Aarav took a slow breath, absorbing everything.
Then he made a decision.
“I need to see that factory.”
Ritika’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy? It’s been abandoned for years.”
“All the more reason to check it out,” Aarav said. “If the fire was meant to cover something up, there might still be clues.”
Ritika hesitated. “It’s on Malhotra’s private land. If he finds out—”
“I’ll be careful.” Aarav met her gaze. “But I have to do this.”
Ritika studied him for a long moment. Then, reluctantly, she reached into her purse and pulled out a small, rusted key.
“This is for the back gate,” she said. “It’s the only entrance Malhotra doesn’t monitor.”
Aarav took it. “Thank you.”
She nodded, but her expression remained troubled.
“Be careful, Mr. Mehta.” She glanced around once more. “And if you hear whispers in the dark… run.”
With that, she turned and disappeared into the mist, leaving Aarav standing alone in the graveyard.
The only thing he had now—was the key to a forgotten crime.
And if he wasn’t careful, it might just become his grave.
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