Navya's Navel - "The Detective"

3. Chasing Ghost

Author's note: Some of you who kindly followed my previous story, "Nalini's Navel - Unfaithful," may find familiar threads in this story. Navya's narrative seamlessly continues from where Nalini's left off. For those who missed the "Disclosure" (Chapter 1), allow me to clarify, while there is a subsequent reference to Nalini's story, I tried my best to craft Navya's story in a way that it remains accessible as a standalone narrative.

Story continues........

Draped in a stunning, transparent green saree paired with a matching blouse, Navya sat absorbed in the pages recounting Nalini and Vishwa's tragic murders. Unaware of the soft knocks from Lalit and Avinash at her door, she remained lost in her contemplations. After a brief pause, Avinash swung the door open and called out to Navya.

"Navya...are you dozing off... this early in the morning...?? we knocked at least twice before opening the door" Avinash jokes as both of them walk into her office.

"What is that....?" Navya looks at a large stack of papers in Lalit's hands.

Avinash and Lalit both take a good look at Navya, then they look at each other with a raised eyebrow. Navya knew what they were thinking, "Ok boys... I get it... I do wear sarees sometimes... a girl is allowed to wear them... isn't it... and I am sure a saree is better than me running around in my gym clothes at work like yesterday...." as she chuckles a little and points at Lalit holding a bunch of files.

Lalit drops the stack on her already cluttered desk, taps on the top of the stack, "Ready to hear this one.... It's so confusing and manipulative... you will not know what to believe and where to start...."

Navya glances at the stack, looks at Lalit and Avinash, takes a pause, with a pullback expression on her face, she tells them to just explain what's in those papers. Lalit starts to explain with an intense look on his face.

"So... listen to this.... Ejaz is a highly disturbed character... he has broken out of the prison and is a wanted fugitive.... We were at the prison earlier and these files are from the prison Warden.... On his physical appearance, we now know he is a dark skinned man with a scar on his face... also... from his files and testimony from other prisoners.... we found out, Ejaz has a sister... we believe her name is Saleema.... not clear if she is dead or alive yet... but our male victim Vishwa and Saleema were in a relationship at some point... not sure when, but Vishwa left her... and Saleema blamed Ejaz for her dispute with Vishwa.... And we...." Lalit was going on and on, as Navya stopped him.

"Slow down.... Just slow down... So... we have a fugitive who is the murder suspect.... But why murder Nalini?... He wanted revenge with Vishwa... but Nalini?? That is a mystery.... And both the murders were at two different locations.....", as Navya gently scratches her forehead to find the missing link.

Avinash, gripping one of the files, asserted that based on the substantial evidence they had gathered, it was highly plausible that Ejaz was indeed the suspect. He produced an image from Nalini's crime scene and placed it on the table. Pointing to Nalini's bloodied belly and navel, he suspected that Ejaz seemed to have a peculiar fascination with a woman's navel. However, the motive behind the brutal stabbing remained unclear. Why he would target her navel with such ferocity remained a daunting mystery.

Lalit could not hold back and abruptly burst out, "Like navel f..f..etish.....he may have a fetish.... It's possible..... Very much possible..... Possibly even sadistic in nature...", Avinash looked at him, "You are right... I have to agree with you.... it does look that way...."

Navya looks at them with an intense glare, nodding her head, she says, "Considering you have a point... what do you suggest....? I want this Ejaz fellow apprehended as quickly as possible before the media is all over us... while you two continue digging up whatever you can to track Ejaz... let me go update Karim Sir on what we just found out....."