The sun had barely risen when the Masked Detective and Inspector Ratan arrived at the Bosu residence. It was a quiet two-story house in an older part of town, with peeling paint and a silent gate.
Ishita's father, Mr. Sajal Bosu, opened the door. He looked tired, a little pale—like someone who hadn't slept in weeks.
"Good morning," Ratan said formally. "We'd like to speak with you and your wife again. It won't take long."
Mr. Bosu nodded and let them in.
The living room was the same—neat, sterile, almost too clean. Ishita's framed photograph stood on a shelf beside a small vase of dried flowers.
Mrs. Bosu entered shortly after, holding a tray of tea cups. Her hands trembled slightly as she set them down.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us again," the Detective began. "This is just a follow-up to clarify a few things."
Mrs. Bosu forced a smile. "Of course."
"We've been reviewing everything," said Ratan. "Ishita told a few friends she planned to study abroad—but you never mentioned that to us earlier."
"She told us two months ago," Mr. Bosu replied. "Said she wanted to go to Canada for literature. We were still discussing it."
"Did she already apply to any university?" the Detective asked.
There was a pause. Mrs. Bosu looked at her husband, then down at her hands.
"No," Mr. Bosu said slowly. "She was… preparing."
"And yet," Ratan added, "none of her classmates or teachers knew. Not even her closest ones. That's strange, isn't it?"
Mrs. Bosu opened her mouth, but no words came.
The Detective leaned forward. "You're hiding something. Maybe you think it's unrelated. But you need to tell us everything—because now there's another missing girl linked to this case. And we just received a threat."
Both parents stiffened.
"A threat?" Mr. Bosu echoed.
The Detective reached into her coat and pulled out a folded sheet of paper—a copy of the anonymous warning. She placed it on the table.
Mrs. Bosu paled. Her hands clutched her saree tightly.
"Have you seen this symbol before?" Ratan asked, pointing to the jagged triangle at the bottom.
Mr. Bosu stared at it for a long time. Then, hesitantly, he said, "It looks like... an old tuition center's logo. I think it shut down years ago."
"What tuition center?" the Detective asked sharply.
He furrowed his brow. "Shiksha Point. It was in North Subarnagarh. Run by a private tutor. My daughter used to go there... but she stopped after a few months. Said something about not liking the atmosphere."
The Detective exchanged a look with Ratan.
"We need the address," she said.
Mr. Bosu hesitated again—but finally, he scribbled something down on a piece of paper.
"Thank you," the Detective said, rising. "You may have just given us our next lead."
As they left the house, Ratan looked at her and muttered, "What do you think?"
"I think," she replied, "we're about to uncover something very old… and very ugly."