Episode 2

Death at Midnight

Episode 2: Shadows of the Past

The dim glow of the study lamp cast long shadows across the walls, as Inspector Aryan Mehta leaned over the crime scene once more. The lingering scent of whiskey and burnt tobacco filled the air, but his attention was fixed on the empty glass—its bottom coated with a faint residue. Poison.

His instincts told him that this was a carefully planned murder. But by whom?

Karan Malhotra was a man of power, wealth, and controversy. His list of enemies was long, and with every second that passed, the case became more complicated. But Aryan knew one thing for certain—whoever had killed Karan had done it with precision.

He turned to Anjali Malhotra, her eyes still filled with grief and something else—fear.

“Mrs. Malhotra, was your husband in the habit of drinking alone at night?” Aryan asked.

She hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. He often stayed up late, going over business matters in his study.”

Aryan studied her carefully. “Did he prepare his own drinks?”

Anjali’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. “Sometimes. But usually, Mohan, our butler, would bring it to him.”

Aryan turned to Mohan. The elderly man stiffened under the inspector’s gaze. “Did you serve him tonight?”

Mohan swallowed. “Yes, sir. Around 11:30 PM, I brought him his whiskey as usual.”

“And you saw him drink it?”

Mohan hesitated. “I… I placed the glass on his desk and left. He was on the phone with someone.”

Aryan’s ears perked up. “Who was he speaking to?”

“I’m not sure, sir. But he seemed tense.”

Aryan made a mental note. The timeline was falling into place. If Mohan had delivered the drink at 11:30 PM, and the servants had heard a noise at 11:50 PM, that meant Karan Malhotra had died within a twenty-minute window.

A well-planned murder.

The Mistress and the Business Rival

Stepping out of the study, Aryan called his assistant, Sub-Inspector Ramesh. “Get me details on Rajveer Chauhan and Meera. I want to know where they were between 11 PM and midnight.”

Ramesh nodded and hurried away. Meanwhile, Aryan decided to question Anjali further.

"Tell me about Meera," he said.

Anjali tensed. "I don't know much about her. Only that she's younger… beautiful. Karan spent a lot of time with her."

"Did you ever meet her?"

"No. But I knew she was important to him."

"Important enough to kill him?"

Anjali's expression darkened. "I don't know. But if she loved him, why would she?"

Aryan wasn’t convinced. Love and murder were more connected than people realized.

Just then, Ramesh returned with an update. "Sir, Rajveer Chauhan was at a party in Mumbai last night. He has multiple witnesses confirming his alibi."

That eliminated the businessman.

"What about Meera?" Aryan asked.

Ramesh hesitated. "She… she hasn’t been seen since yesterday evening."

Aryan’s eyes narrowed.

The mistress had disappeared.

A Hidden Threat

Later that night, Aryan sat at his desk in the police station, going through Karan Malhotra’s financial records. If there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was that murders often traced back to money, power, or love.

Something caught his eye—a large sum of money had been transferred from Karan’s account two days ago. The recipient? A private investigator named Suresh Patel.

A businessman hiring a private investigator? That could mean only one thing—Karan was looking into someone.

Aryan picked up his phone and dialed Patel’s number. After several rings, a groggy voice answered. “Hello?”

“This is Inspector Aryan Mehta. You were recently hired by Karan Malhotra. I need to know what you found.”

There was a long pause before Patel finally said, “Meet me in an hour. I don’t trust phones.”

Aryan hung up, grabbed his coat, and headed out.

The Secret Investigation

Patel’s office was tucked away in a rundown building on the outskirts of town. The private investigator was a wiry man in his fifties, with sharp eyes that missed nothing.

Aryan wasted no time. “Tell me what Karan Malhotra hired you for.”

Patel lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly before speaking. “He suspected someone was trying to kill him.”

Aryan’s pulse quickened. “Did he say who?”

Patel shook his head. “No. But he gave me a list of people to follow—his wife, his business partner, and… his mistress, Meera.”

Aryan leaned forward. “What did you find?”

Patel flicked the ash off his cigarette. “Meera was meeting someone in secret. A man. I managed to get a picture.”

He pulled out an envelope and handed it over. Aryan opened it and froze.

The man in the photograph wasn’t a stranger.

It was Mohan, the butler.

To Be Continued…

(Stay tuned for Episode 3:The Locked Room Mystery where Aryan uncovers more shocking truths and the case takes an even darker turn)

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