The body was lying motionless on the bridge. There was nothing beside her the girl had died mysteriously. Madhavan turned and started walking back to the hospital. Inside, Dayal was already awake. Time had passed quickly six hours were already gone. Only 66 hours remained out of the 72.
Dayal sat up as he saw Madhavan enter. He blinked at him and asked,
"Where were you?"
"No time to explain everything. Just call the ambulance and go to Westbridge there's a dead body," Madhavan said urgently.
"Dead body? Who? Are you dreaming?"
"Just do as I say! Call the team!" Madhavan shouted this time. His voice shook slightly, eyes filled with fear afraid of what would happen if time kept slipping by… What if he couldn't fix it? Would he vanish from this timeline again? Wake up in another body?
He knew he wasn't really a detective. He knew he didn't belong in this body.
Then who was he?
Did he have someone?
Family… friends…
"I want to go back to my real life," he whispered.
"Mother…" he muttered again, the word trembling out of his mouth.
A heavy weight pressed on his chest. He felt suffocated as if something unbearable was lodged inside him.
***
The police team went to Westbridge and found the dead body. They searched for evidence or any clue but nothing was found. Her body was sent for forensic examination.
Meanwhile, Madhavan dressed in normal clothes his shoes, the black jacket...
"Okay, I'll catch you," he muttered to himself.
Then, he saw it again the last address floating above the girl's head:
DIAMOND MARKET
RED, RAINCOAT
WESTBRIDGE
He had only three pieces of information but somehow, they all felt connected. It was as if the killer had planned everything carefully.
The Diamond Market was far from Westbridge.
So… why would she come here?
Was she waiting for someone?
Or was she going back… somewhere?
But what business did she have in Westbridge?
Why did she go there?
Madhavan was deeply bothered by everything. He decided to go to Diamond Market, hoping to find something anything. He kept glancing at the time.
8 hours wasted.
He still knew nothing. No clues. No evidence.
He drove toward Diamond Market, eyes focused on the road, tension building in his chest. As he entered the market, he was met with a bustling crowd — people busy buying and selling.
He began visiting each shop, one by one, starting from the far end.
Maybe someone here had seen her.
"Did you see a girl in a red raincoat?" Madhavan asked one of the shopkeepers.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Are you stalking her? Why would I tell you anything about her?"
He was annoyed — clearly unaware that Madhavan was a detective.
"Listen, I'm a detective," Madhavan replied firmly. "Tell me if you know something."
"Then show me your badge, mister."
Madhavan instinctively reached for his back pocket but the badge wasn't there.
He looked at the man… then toward the car parked far away.
If he ran back now, 10 minutes would be gone. Time he couldn't afford to lose.
"Did you see her or not?" he growled and grabbed the man by the collar.