"Trace Mitra's cell phone," Raghavan instructed one of his subordinates. "Track her movements since she left her office yesterday and report to me as fast as possible."
He turned to Vishal and Ram and said robotically, "You can leave now. We will get in touch with you once we find her whereabouts."
"I want to help with the search," Vishal asserted.
"We have officials here who would do that. You don't get involved in our procedures unless we need information."
"I am an investigative journalist," Vishal's statement was strong.
Raghavan studied Vishal for a moment and asked, "Where do you work?"
"In Hyderabad. For VTN media group. I report for both the newspaper and their news channels."
"So, you want to involve the media in this investigation?" Raghavan was serious.
"No. This is my private issue. I don't want Mitra's personal information surfacing everywhere in the media and social media."
"Then what are you suggesting?"
"That I will assist you in the investigation. I will accompany the police in their inquiry. Who knows, I might be of help." Vishal looked extremely confident and invested.
There was momentary silence as Raghavan scrutinized Vishal's strong demeanour.
If he was indeed an experienced investigative journalist, Vishal should be a person with a keen eye and a strong analytical thinking.
On the other hand, he could complain and find fault with the police's investigative methods at every turn. It was a known fact that the Police worked slow unless it was a high-profile case, and they could be easily subdued if a higher-up bureaucrat put pressure on them.
Vishal would be a double-edged knife.
"No," Raghavan decided.
Vishal pursed his lips in frustration and then said in a low, convincing voice, "Look, sir, I know you won't be willing to trust a media person being near you. But, this is different. Please... I won't create any issue for you, I swear. All I want is to find my friend. I won't leak any information to the press and I won't write any report about this unless you want it or it is absolutely needed. Hell, I would even take your side in case media tries to criticize thePolice, if you do the investigation properly. Believe me."
Honesty, earnestness, desperation, wistful hope, they all reflected in Vishal's eyes.
Raghavan wasn't completely convinced by Vishal's plea; yet, he saw some potential. Someone to play media in their favour if things didn't go as planned. All they had to do was fulfil their duty of perfect investigation.
With his poker face in place, Raghavan let out, "Fine. But one small glitch from your end and I will see to it that you either end up in my custody or at your home without any information or support. Agree?"
"Yes, sir."
"Talk to the Head Constable I just sent for inquiry. That would be Basava. Remember, I will be calling the decisions on what to do."
"Sure. Thank you."
Vishal and Ram both got up and after another round of saying 'Thanks', went out of the Inspector's room to the waiting area.
"I will leave now." Ram sighed. "Let me know if anything turns up. Where will you stay for the time being?"
"At Mitra's place. I have a spare key to her home."
"Will the police let you go in there?"
"I will let them know about it. Besides, we need to investigate her house too, to see if she was taken from her place or on the way."
"Okay. You can crash at my place too if you want. Just give me a call."
"Sure."
Ram wasn't comfortable leaving the station without any resolution of the issue, leaving Vishal alone to deal with it all. Yet, he had to, given that there wasn't much he could do.
Vishal saw him off and then went in to look for Basava. The constable was busy attending a phone call. As soon as he was done, he scanned Vishal from head to toe as if he were trying to assess the kind of person he was, and asked, "You will be tagging along?"
"Yes. But, where are we starting the investigation from?" Vishal asked.
"CCTV footages from office, the bus stop near the tech park and anywhere else on the way to her home."
"There's no CC camera at the bus stop here where she gets down?"
"There's one, but it's not working." Basava didn't even look remotely sorry about it.
Vishal felt like scoffing in anger at the police, but restrained himself. He knew a lot of CC cameras around the city were malfunctioning and needed revival.
"And her cell phone? When will we get the location?" Vishal prodded.
"We have sent in a request for tracking it. They will inform us when they have it."
"And when is that?"
"As soon as they can."
It was an exasperating situation for Vishal. Had he not promised Raghavan to watch his actions, he would have screamed the police station down with his frustration over the processes.
He knocked at Raghavan's door and went in again. "Can we investigate her house first?"
"You said it was locked."
"Yes. But, just to be sure. We don't know what happened and never know what we might find there."
"Ok. I will send in Basava and someone else to check the house."
Promptly, Vishal added, "Just so you know, I have a spare key to her house."
Raghavan scrutinized him with suspicion. "Why would a "friend" have a key to her house?"
Though he felt nervous about having to give away more of his personal details, Vishal tried not to show it out. He straightened up and said, "Because I was there when she rented out the place. The landlord, I and Mitra are all from the same hometown. So, I somehow ended up with her key."
"Do you visit her frequently," Raghavan was seriously suspicious. A lot of atrocities on women happened from their known quarters and so called "friends and acquaintances".
"No. The key was just for emergencies, like now," Vishal answered as confidently as he could.
Raghavan stood up, toying with his cell phone. He looked straight at Vishal and with a voice cold as ice, warned, "Listen man, if any time in the future I find you to be even remotely responsible for Mitra's disappearance, I will make sure you will pay for it, and much more too for trying to fool me."
"I can assure you that it won't happen, sir." Vishal was grim.