The Blood Mystery: Chapter 7

"Why?" Indra asked.

"It wasn't just hatred that pushed Arjun to kill Mithil." Sunjay said, slumping into the nearest chair, his voice worn and hoarse from hours of interrogation. "He was manipulated—by someone powerful. Someone who saw Mithil as a threat."

"A threat?" Veer raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Sunjay looked at each of them before answering. "Mithil had an idea, something big. A proposal that, if executed, could launch Dutt Corp far above its competition. And that kind of disruption doesn't sit well with rival corporations. Someone in a high position must've convinced Arjun that Mithil's success would destroy his own future in the company."

Sumedha's eyes narrowed. "Ashish Dutt is the CEO. His company has its hands in multiple industries. Which one was Mithil targeting?"

Veer leaned forward. "That question might explain why Dutt was so desperate to steal something from me... but what does he think I have?"

"All I've got is evidence." Veer said thoughtfully. "Mostly forensic reports from the serial killing case and some past files."

"Let's go through your case history." Sumedha said.

Veer nodded slowly. "There was a murder investigation a year ago, then a suicide case. That one always felt... off. The victim had started a successful business after the Corp almost collapsing under debt. But just when things were looking up, a hacker wiped out all his funds. The team concluded it was too much for him—he ended his life by slitting his wrists."

"Do you still have that file?" Sumedha asked.

Without a word, Veer opened a drawer and pulled out a folder. The paper was slightly crumbled, but the report inside was clear and thorough. Sumedha flipped through it quickly, her eyes scanning until she landed on the corporation's name.

"Ajay Mithil." she murmured with a bitter smile. "Not as innocent as he pretended to be."

"What are you saying?" Sunjay asked, caught off guard by the steel in her voice.

Sumedha looked up. "This man—Rohan Ravinder, the one who died—he worked for Medha Corp, didn't he?"

"Yes," Sunjay and Veer replied in unison.

"And Medha Corp's biggest competitor is...?"

"Dutt Corp." Veer finished, realization dawning.

Sumedha placed the file down, her voice cold and measured. "I think Mithil was the hacker. Ravinder figured out a way to turn Medha Corp around, and just when it was working, Mithil stole the money, probably under Ashish Dutt's orders. Medha Corp vanished from the headlines after that. Ravinder couldn't cope with the betrayal, the financial ruin, and the disgrace. So, he ended his life."

"That's why Mithil was so favored." Sunjay said quietly. "He wasn't just smart—he was ruthless. He proved his loyalty by destroying the CEO of the competitor."

Indra leaned back in his chair, frowning. "And Arjun... for all his jealousy, he would never stoop that low. That's why he snapped."

Sumedha nodded. "He couldn't compete with someone who crossed every line to rise. He was manipulated, yes, but he also believed he was delivering justice."

"We need to get Ashish Dutt." Indra said firmly.

"It's not that easy." Sunjay muttered, rubbing his temples. "He holds dual citizenship. He's also a U.S. citizen. Unless the American embassy cooperates, we can't touch him. Arjun was the easy target."

"Typical." Veer said under his breath.

Sumedha stayed quiet, her mind racing. She had been forced out of the force by powerful hands like these people who feared talent they couldn't control. And now, she was watching another game of power unfold. But this time, she wouldn't stay quiet.

Sumedha flipped through the file again, a shadow falling over her expression. Something about the name Rohan Ravinder kept nagging at her.

"I need to know more about Rohan." she said. "His death was ruled a suicide, but too much doesn't add up. A financial genius, completely broken after a hack? That doesn't track."

"There's not much in the original file." Veer admitted. "Just basic background—CEO of Medha Corp, brilliant but reclusive. Had a clean record. No public scandals."

"Then we look deeper." Sumedha said. She stood up. "Pull up internal intel reports. I want every piece of corporate history we can find on Rohan Ravinder—who funded him, who protected him, who feared him."

Twenty minutes later, Veer and Indra returned with a few other files—classified intelligence that hadn't been made public. "These came from an inter-agency archive." he said, dropping them on the desk. "Rohan was smart enough to cover his tracks, but not everything stayed buried."

Sumedha opened it and scanned quickly. Her eyes widened.

"What is it?" Indra asked.

"This man wasn't just a businessman." she said, her voice tight. "He was a predator. Financially and personally. He ran a shell corporation in the late '90s that trafficked minor tech patents from small startups, especially those run by students or new inventors. The founders were lured with fake investments and then wiped out when they refused to sell. Most didn't survive the collapse. And..."

She stopped.

"What?" Veer pressed.

Sumedha turned the page. Her hands trembled slightly. "Mithil's parents were on that list. They'd developed a prototype for a pharmaceutical storage system—one that would have revolutionized medical transport across rural India. Rohan's shell company forced them into a fake acquisition, stole the design, and left them bankrupt. The night they lost everything... was Mithil's tenth birthday."

Veer sat down heavily. "They didn't make it, did they?"

Sumedha shook her head. "A car crash on the way home. Both parents dead. The case was dismissed as an accident, but now I'm not so sure."

Silence fell.

"And that was the day Mithil became an orphan." she added softly.

"Shit!" Indra muttered. "So, it wasn't just about loyalty to Dutt Corp. Mithil went after Rohan with a purpose."

"And only him." Sumedha said. "That's what matters."

She tapped the forensic report again. "No other Medha Corp employee was affected. The hack was surgical. Just Ravinder's personal accounts, offshore holdings, and slush funds. The official business remained untouched."

"He didn't want to destroy the company." Veer realized. "Just the man who ruined his life."

"And he succeeded." Sunjay added, rubbing his chin. "But he never bragged about it. Never blackmailed anyone. He didn't even try to rise to a higher position afterward. He just... stayed in the background."

"Because it was never about power." Sumedha murmured. "It was about closure."

For a long moment, no one spoke.

"I don't know whether to hate him or mourn him." Indra said.

"You don't have to choose." Sumedha replied. "You just have to understand him."

Veer looked at her. "You're taking this personally."

"I am." she admitted. "Because for once, I see someone who burned with the same fire we all carry. He was handed a life full of injustice, and instead of screaming about it, he waited, learned, and acted. He never hurt innocent people. He could've—but he didn't."

Sunjay sighed. "Then why did Ashish Dutt protect him?"

"Because loyalty like that is rare." Veer said. "And useful."

"But Arjun was never going to tolerate it." Indra added. "Not once he saw how deep that loyalty ran."

"There's still something we're missing." Sumedha said with a sigh. "Who pushed Arjun to kill Mithil in the first place?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered.

This case was becoming far more complicated than she'd imagined. And while pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, there were still shadows in the corners—too many unknowns.
Worse, the serial killings were still ongoing... and they hadn't found a single lead.