Vijay's POV

I open my eyes and look at the time. It's 8:50 pm, and suddenly, it strikes me. I turn around and run back to where I saw the boy making tea. He's young, maybe around 15 or 16 years.

"Hi sir, tea kaavala coffee a?" The boy asks when I walk up to the stall.

"Hi sir, would you like tea or coffee?" The boy asks when I walk up to the stall.

"Oka tea." I say.

"One tea." I say.

"Sare sir."

"Ok sir."

"Nuvvu roju entha varaku ikkada untavu?" I ask.

"Till when are you here every day?" I ask.

"Nenu oka padi varaku untanu. Pakkane software company undi kada sir, vaallu ikkada nunchi tea coffee theesukeltharu padi varaku." He answers, handing me the tea.

"I'm here till ten sir. There's a software company near right sir, they come here to take coffee or tea till ten." He answers, handing me the tea.

I take the tea from him and take a sip before pulling out my phone to show him the picture of Vidya.

"Rendu rojula kritham ikkada, almost ee time ke, ee ammayini choosava?" I ask.

"Two days ago, at around this time, did you see this girl?" I ask.

"Vidya madam a. Ha choosanu sir."

"Oh Vidya madam. Yeah, I saw her sir."

"Neeku thinu thelusa?" I ask, surprised.

"You know her?" I ask, surprised.

"Ha, Vidya madam roju ma nunche tea theesukuntundi sir. Kaani rendu rojula nunchi aamani choodaledu."

"Ha, Vidya madam takes tea from us every day sir. But I haven't seen her since two days."

"Thinu etu vellindo choosava aa roju?"

"Did you see where she went that day?"

"Ha, ala naduchukuntu vellindi sir." He points to the right. "Mamuluga alane velthundi, kaani monna oka car vachi thana mundu aagindi."

"Yeah, she was walking that way sir." He points to the right. "She usually goes that way but the day before a car came and stopped in front of her."

"Tharuvatha em jarigindi?" I ask, hoping for a break in the case.

"What happened after that?" I ask, hoping for a break in the case.

"Theleedu sir, appude customers vacharu, nenu choodaledu. Nenu choose lopale aama akkada leru."

"I don't know sir. I didn't see because customers came at that moment. By the time I looked she wasn't there."

Damn it, another road block.

"Sare, car number plate choosava?" I ask.

"Ok, did you see the car's number plate?" I ask.

"Sarigga choodaledu sir. AP19 okate gurthundi."

"I didn't see it properly sir. I only remember AP19."

"Gurthuthechuko, please."

"Try to remember, please."

"Emo sir. Theleedu."

"I don't know sir."

"Lopala manushulani choosava?" I ask.

"Did you see the people inside?" I ask.

"Ha, okadu cigarette thaaguthunnadu sir. Cooling glasses pettukunnadu, gaddam unnindi. Anthe sir, inka peddaga choodaledu."

"Yeah, one guy was smoking a cigarette sir. He was wearing sunglasses, and he had a beard. That's it sir, I didn't really see much else."

"Car ni choosthe gurthu padthava?" I ask.

"Will you recognize the car?" I ask.

"Gurthu padthanu sir."

"I will recognize it sir."

"Sare." I say and pull out my phone.

"Ok." I say and pull out my phone.

I call the RTO office.

"Hello." The person says.

"Nenu, ACP Vijay ni maatladuthunna." I say.

"It's me, ACP Vijay speaking." I say.

"Sir, cheppandi sir."

"Sir, tell me sir."

"AP19 tho start ayye number plate unna vehicles list and details naaku kaavali."

"I need the list and details of all vehicles with the number plate starting with AP19."

"Ippude run chesthunna sir database lo, meeku aa list oka twenty minutes lo vasthundi."

"I am running it through the database right now sir, you will receive the list in about twenty minutes."

****

It's been about thirty minutes and I still haven't received the list. I call the RTO office once again.

"Hello?"

"ACP Vijay. Oka plate ni run cheyyamani adiga, aa list inka raaledu, konchem choosthava."

"ACP Vijay. I asked to run a number plate, but I haven't received the list yet, can you check."

"Sir, ippude pampinchanu sir. File upload ayyeki konchem time padthundi."

"Sir, I just sent it sir. It will take some time for the file to upload."

A few minutes later, my phone pings.

"Sare, vachindi, thanks." I say.

"Ok, I got it, thanks." I say.

"No problem sir."

I end the call and open the file. There are about 50 cars in the list. This is going to take a while.

"Ee vehicles lo edaina choodu, ade nemo." I say, giving my phone to the kid.

"See if it's any of these vehicles." I say, giving my phone to the kid.

He nods and takes the phone from me. I watch as he goes through the file, looking at each vehicle but moving past it.

"Sir, ide sir aa car." He says suddenly.

"Sir, this is the car." He says suddenly.

I take the phone from him and look at the car. It's a blue BMW. I look through the owner details and freeze when I see the photo of the owner. No, it can't be, not again....

Ajay...Ajay Veera.

HEY!!!! So, what do you think the whole Ajay Veera story is? Comment and let me know!