Poison shop Part -3

The morning light filtered through the blinds of the small interrogation room as Vikram sat across from the suspect. The man they had caught the previous night looked anxious, shifting in his seat, knowing he was cornered. Vikram had spent hours questioning him, but now, the breakthrough had finally come. The man had just divulged the critical piece of information that could blow the case wide open.

"Tell me again," Vikram said calmly, his eyes fixed on the man's face. "Where did you get the poison?"

The man swallowed hard, then finally blurted out, "It's… It's from a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Near the old industrial area. I got it from a guy who works for a wealthy businessman. His name is Ajay Shekhawat."

Vikram felt his pulse quicken. Ajay Shekhawat. The name was known throughout the city—a real estate mogul with deep pockets and deeper connections. His reputation for expanding his empire was ruthless. Vikram had heard whispers about his underhanded methods before, but nothing had ever stuck. Until now.

Vikram nodded slowly, rising from his chair. "You've done the right thing by telling us. Now we'll do our job."

---

Later that day, Vikram, along with Alok and Murthy, stood outside the warehouse that the man had described. The building looked abandoned from the outside, but Vikram knew better. Wealthy men like Ajay Shekhawat operated in the shadows, using places like this to conduct their dirty work away from prying eyes.

"Are we sure this is the place?" Alok asked, scanning the area for signs of life.

"Positive," Vikram replied, checking his watch. "If we're going to catch him, it's now or never."

They moved in, quietly slipping through the side entrance. Inside, the warehouse was anything but abandoned. Crates of suspicious materials lined the walls, and in the center of the room, two men were loading boxes onto a truck. Vikram signaled to Murthy, who approached the men with his badge out.

"Police!" Murthy barked. "Step away from the truck!"

The men froze, wide-eyed and guilty, as Alok cuffed them. "Where's Ajay Shekhawat?" Vikram demanded.

The men exchanged nervous glances, but before they could speak, the sound of a car engine revving echoed from the back of the warehouse. Vikram whipped around just in time to see a sleek black car speeding out of the rear exit.

"It's him!" Vikram shouted, sprinting after the car. Alok and Murthy followed closely behind as Vikram leaped into their police jeep, hitting the gas as they chased after Ajay's car.

The chase tore through the streets of the industrial district, with Vikram keeping his focus sharp, adrenaline pumping. They were gaining on him. As the car swerved around a corner, Ajay's car skidded, slamming into a stack of crates. Vikram slammed the brakes, and within seconds, he and Alok were out of the jeep, guns drawn.

"Ajay Shekhawat!" Vikram shouted. "Get out of the car with your hands up!"

Ajay slowly stepped out, adjusting his suit with a smug smile. "Officer, I believe this is a misunderstanding," he said, raising his hands slightly. His tone was calm, almost amused, as if he still believed he was in control.

But Vikram wasn't buying it. He approached with handcuffs in hand. "Save your excuses for the judge," he snapped, pulling Ajay's hands behind his back and snapping the cuffs in place. "You're under arrest for conspiracy, poisoning, and attempted murder."

Ajay's eyes flashed with anger as he was led away. "You have no idea who you're dealing with," he hissed. "I own this city. You think some small-time operation is going to take me down?"

"You don't own the people's lives," Vikram replied coldly. "And today, the law owns you."

---

Back at the station, Vikram and Murthy sat in the chief's office, going over the final details of the case. Ajay had been booked, and the evidence from the warehouse would seal his fate in court.

"Ajay Shekhawat had been distributing poison to local restaurants for months," Vikram explained to his superior. "He wanted to drive down property values in the area so he could buy them out cheap and build a luxury restaurant empire on their ruins."

The chief shook his head, disgusted. "All for a restaurant? It's hard to believe people can be that heartless."

Murthy, still fuming from the day's events, muttered, "Heartless doesn't even begin to cover it. The man was willing to kill innocent people for profit."

Vikram leaned back in his chair, exhausted but satisfied. "We've got him now, though. He'll face justice."

---

As Vikram walked out of the station that night, he looked up at the sky. The city streets were quiet, but he knew that beneath the surface, there were more men like Ajay Shekhawat—people who would do anything for power, for money. But tonight, one of them was off the streets, and Vikram was determined to make sure more would follow.

He pulled out his phone and saw a message from Alok. *"Good job today, partner. Drinks on me tomorrow."*

Vikram smiled to himself, typing a quick reply before slipping the phone back into his pocket. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new cases. But for now, Vikram allowed himself a moment of victory. They had stopped a monster, and that was worth something.

The case was far from over, but it was a step closer to justice.