The officer watched Ravi for a few seconds before asking his next question.
“Ravi, when was the last time you met Jyothika?”
The question hit him differently.
Ravi's face suddenly changed.
For a moment, he didn't answer.
His fingers tightened around the edge of the seat, and he looked down.
The officer noticed his hesitation.
“Ravi?”
Ravi slowly raised his eyes.
“She… she's my friend, sir.”
His voice was low.
“I don't know what happened to her.”
The officer remained silent.
Ravi continued, trying to explain himself.
“It was her birthday on Sunday. I called her just to wish her.”
He paused.
“We study in the same college. We've known each other for some time. So… we talk regularly.”
The officer looked at him carefully.
“But you called her several times.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And there were messages between you.”
Ravi nodded.
“Yes, sir. We talk almost every day. That's normal between friends.”
He took a breath.
“But I don't know anything about this incident.”
The officer leaned back in his seat.
“You're saying the calls and messages were just part of your daily conversations?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ravi's voice became even softer.
“I know you found them on her phone. But please believe me… I don't know what happened to Jyothika.”
For a few seconds, there was complete silence inside the jeep.
The officer looked at Ravi.
Then he slowly opened the file resting on his lap.
“There is one problem with your statement, Ravi.”
Ravi looked up.
“What problem, sir?”
The officer pulled out a printed photograph and placed it in front of him.
“You said you only called her to wish her on Sunday.”
He paused.
“Then why did you meet her again that night?”
Ravi stared at the photograph.
His face went completely still.
He knew exactly what the photograph showed.
And for the first time that morning, he realised—
the police had evidence he didn't know existed.