The second day came, and Mihir once again left home for the shop. On the way, he was lost in deep thought.
*"How should I analyze the evidence I found near the bank?"* he murmured to himself. *"The most crucial clue is that small mark… and those drops of blood. But without any kind of technology, how can I move forward? I have nothing. Just tiny pieces of evidence like fingerprints, but no way to process them..."*
Mihir was stuck in this loop of worry.
While he walked along the roadside, his gaze was suddenly drawn toward a colorful poster pasted on a pavement wall. Beside it stood a young lady, speaking confidently into a microphone. Her voice echoed, but Mihir was still at some distance and couldn't quite make out her words.
He narrowed his eyes. *"Hmm... seems like a new product promotion or something,"* he thought. *"Let's see what it is."*
As he stepped closer, he saw the young lady was advertising a new medical service. Her voice now reached him clearly:
*"Fingerprint or DNA testing—absolutely free! Come, try it once!"*
Mihir froze in shock.
*"What? Fingerprint and DNA testing… for free?"* His heart raced. *"This… this is exactly what I needed! The very problem I've been facing might just be solved here."*
He rushed toward the girl.
*"Excuse me, Miss,"* Mihir said, slightly out of breath. *"I have a check caravan. It's not mine though—it belongs to someone I know. Can I get it tested?"*
The young lady gave a gentle smile and said, *"Of course, sir. Please meet me here again this evening. I'll have the full report ready by then."*
She then carefully collected the fingerprints and a few other samples from Mihir.
*"Please return here exactly at 7 o'clock,"* she added.
*"Alright, Miss. I'll be here,"* Mihir nodded with gratitude, then walked away, still stunned by his luck.
---
At the shop, Mihir was greeted by the two families who often spent time there. He smiled and joined in their usual chatter, but his mind was elsewhere.
Later, he approached Mistress Samaira.
*"Ma'am, I was wondering... can I leave early today?"*
Samaira looked at him curiously. *"Why, Mihir? Is everything alright? Do you need to go somewhere?"*
*"Actually,"* Mihir lied, *"I'm not feeling well. I think I should visit the doctor."*
Samaira's expression turned to concern. *"Oh no! Then let me call the doctor here itself. No need to go alone."*
Hearing this, Mihir panicked inside. *"Oh no… if the doctor comes here, everything will fall apart!"* he thought.
He quickly tried to change the subject. *"No, no ma'am, it's not that serious. I just need to rest and get a small checkup, that's all."*
*"Hmm... alright. If you say so,"* she said, though still unconvinced.
Just then, Malika, the elder daughter of the house, stepped in.
*"If Mihir has work, let him go, mom,"* she said calmly. *"He'll be fine."*
*"Thank you,"* Mihir smiled slightly. *"I really appreciate it."*
---
By afternoon, Mihir was helping with some chores and sharing light moments with the others. During this, Mayra—the younger daughter—piped up cheerfully:
*"Mummy, let's go somewhere! It's been so long since we all went out."*
Samaira chuckled. *"You're right, dear. Mihir, you should come too! A change of scene might help your mood."*
*"I'd love to, ma'am, but I have some work pending,"* Mihir replied politely.
Mayra wasn't convinced. She came closer, looking up at him with innocent eyes.
*"Please, bhaiya! Let's go! Just once!"*
Mihir looked at her sweet, pleading face and couldn't resist.
*"Alright… but not this week—next week, for sure."*
*"Yay!"* Mayra clapped happily. Samaira nodded, smiling.
---
That evening, Mihir left at exactly 6 PM and made his way back to the spot where he had met the young lady. He reached ten minutes early and stood waiting, anxious.
His thoughts were in chaos.
*"Will she come or not? What if she was just fooling me? I didn't even ask for her number. What was I thinking? Now I have no choice but to wait!"*
Suddenly, a loud revving sound echoed from the distance. A bright headlight approached him at high speed. He squinted and took a step back.
A motorbike skidded to a sudden stop right in front of him.
*"Hey! What the hell?!"* Mihir shouted instinctively. *"Can't you see someone's standing here?"*
The rider took off her helmet. Mihir blinked. His voice softened instantly.
*"Oh… sorry, Miss. I didn't recognize you."*
Without saying a word, the young lady handed over a small packet and a few papers—his test results. Before he could say anything else, she nodded and sped off again.
*"Wait! At least your number… in case I need more—"*
But she was already gone.
Mihir stood there for a moment, stunned. Then he stuffed the documents safely into his bag and rushed home, his curiosity boiling over.
As soon as he reached home, he kept the sample carefully aside and went to freshen up. After a short rest, he returned to his room, ready to dive into the results.
Opening the envelope, he scanned the reports carefully.
And what he saw… left him shaken.
Hidden within the pages were secrets. Truths. Details about the one who had committed the murder.
His mind was spinning.
*"So this is the real face behind the crime..."*
But then came the most haunting thought of all:
*"Now I have the report... but what happens next?"*
---