Beneath the Surface

Chapter 11: Cracks in the Mirror

Akilesh sat at his cluttered desk in the dimly lit police station, studying the fresh crime scene photos from the morning's murder. He examined the slashes on the victim's face, the angles and lines too precise, too deliberate. A chill ran down his spine. These cuts mirrored those from an old, unsolved case. He'd seen this pattern before in files linked to a man named Raju.

He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. This killer isn't ordinary, he thought, he's methodical, calculated. Akilesh's fingers tapped the edge of the photos, considering the possibilities. The resemblance to the previous cases wasn't just unsettling-it was screaming at him. Either Raju had returned to his old ways, or someone was mimicking his work.

The idea made his stomach knot. A copycat, perhaps? Or was Raju simply hiding in plain sight?

He took a sip from the lukewarm coffee on his desk and made a decision. This wasn't a time for assumptions; he needed answers. He called his assistant and set up a surveillance on Raju. "Track his movements, but keep it subtle. I want every moment on record," he instructed.

Akilesh couldn't shake the feeling that this case was just the beginning of something darker.

---

Raju's return from the police station after the interrogation left an unsettling weight in the household. The usual laughter and warmth were replaced by a cold silence, a chasm that no one wanted to cross. That evening, as he walked through the front door, he could feel Nandhini's eyes on him.

Nandhini stood in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, but her movements were rigid. She didn't look up when he entered, nor did she offer her usual greeting. She continued chopping in silence, the rhythmic sound of the knife against the cutting board filling the room.

Raju cleared his throat, walking closer. "Nandhini..." he began softly.

She placed the knife down and wiped her hands, finally looking up at him. Her gaze was intense, searching his face, trying to read what he was hiding. "What did the police want with you, Raju?" Her voice was controlled, calm, but there was a simmering anger beneath the surface.

He paused, trying to find the right words. "It was just a formality. They're looking into a case, and I guess I fit some profile they're interested in. It's nothing serious."

Her lips tightened, her eyes narrowing. "You 'fit a profile'? What does that mean?" She took a breath, her voice lowering as she stepped closer. "Why didn't you tell me about it before, Raju? Why didn't you prepare me, at least?"

Raju felt the walls closing in. "I didn't think it was necessary. I didn't want to worry you over something that would probably blow over soon."

"But it hasn't blown over, has it?" she shot back, crossing her arms. "There's a part of your life you've kept hidden from me, Raju. I can see it. I know it. And now, whatever that is-it's catching up to you."

He tried to look her in the eye, but the intensity of her gaze made him falter. "I'm not hiding anything, Nandhini. The police are chasing ghosts. I... I'm not a threat to this family."

Her expression softened for a brief moment, but the fear didn't disappear. "I need you to tell me the truth, Raju. All of it. If there's any part of your past that could hurt us, I deserve to know."

Their son, Aryan, appeared in the doorway, his innocent eyes darting between his parents. "Papa, is everything okay?" he asked in a small voice.

Raju forced a smile. "Yes, Aryan. Everything's fine. Just some grown-up talk." He reached over and patted Aryan's shoulder, ruffling his hair to reassure him.

Aryan hesitated, glancing at his mother, then left the room.

When Aryan was out of sight, Nandhini's face hardened again. "I don't want our children growing up in fear, Raju. Whatever's going on, you better fix it before it tears this family apart."

Her words felt like a punch to his gut. The very thing he had been trying to protect-a safe, peaceful life-was slipping away. Nandhini's trust in him was crumbling, and he felt powerless to hold it together.

---

Meanwhile, Akilesh continued his investigation with renewed determination. He met with people from Raju's past, piecing together a story that went beyond simple facts. He dug through group home records, spoke to anyone connected to Raju's troubled youth, and tracked down former colleagues.

Late one evening, Akilesh found himself at a dimly lit bar, listening to the bartender, an old acquaintance of Raju's from years back. The man recounted stories that hinted at a history of violence, a temper that lay dormant beneath a calm facade.

"Raju was... complicated," the bartender said, wiping down the counter. "He wasn't the kind of guy you messed with. People who crossed him didn't stick around long. But if he trusted you, he'd go to the ends of the earth for you."

Akilesh's mind raced. So he's capable of loyalty, but also vengeance.

When Akilesh left the bar, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was circling closer to something big. But with Raju's family in the mix, he also knew that pressing too hard could unravel a lot more than just a case.

---

That night, Raju sat alone on the balcony, staring into the darkness. The weight of his past, the constant fear of being exposed, pressed down on him. He thought about Nandhini's words, the distrust in her eyes.

He didn't hear her footsteps as she joined him on the balcony. For a moment, she simply stood beside him, watching the night as well.

"Is there a way forward for us, Raju?" she asked softly.

Her question hung in the air, raw and vulnerable. It was the first time she'd shown a glimmer of hope since the police came knocking, and it nearly broke him.

"I want there to be, Nandhini. I really do," he whispered, his voice barely audible. He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"I'm here, Raju. But I need you to meet me halfway. If you're hiding something, I can't... I can't carry this alone."

Her words lingered as she walked back inside, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He was on the verge of losing her, and he knew it. But the danger was real, and he wasn't sure if he could ever give her the answers she wanted.

---

The next morning, Akilesh called his assistant. "Increase the surveillance," he ordered. "If Raju makes one wrong move, I want to know about it."

As he hung up, he realized he was crossing a line-one that blurred the boundary between his professional and personal life. But he couldn't back down. He had a gut feeling that he was close to the truth, and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers.