The Hospital That Refused to Treat – Chapter 16

In The Hospital That Refused to Treat – Chapter 16, a hidden watcher tracks Shalini, Prakash, and Joseph as their investigation takes a dangerous turn.

Read part 15 here.

The Hospital That Refused to Treat – Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Watcher

Joseph was the last to leave the café.

He stood at the counter to pay the bill despite Prakash’s protests.

“A journalist should never let someone else pay,” he said with a grin. “It spoils the profession.”

Shalini smiled. She liked him already.

There was something reassuring about Joseph. He didn’t dismiss her doubts, nor did he rush to dramatic conclusions. He simply listened, observed, and asked the right questions.

Outside, the afternoon sun had replaced the morning rain.

The three walked slowly towards the bus stop.

“I’ll visit a few old contacts tomorrow,” Joseph said. “If Aditya Kulkarni was connected to anything unusual, someone will know.”

“And I’ll go back to the tea stall,” Shalini said. “Ganpat may be willing to talk again.”

Prakash nodded. “Let’s not attract attention. We meet only if we find something worthwhile.”

They agreed and went their separate ways.

None of them noticed the dark blue sedan parked across the road.

A man sat behind the wheel, a newspaper spread across the steering wheel.

From a distance, he looked like someone waiting for a friend.

But his eyes never left them.

He watched as Joseph boarded a bus.

He noted the registration number of the taxi Shalini hired.

He even waited until Prakash disappeared into the suburban railway station.

Only then did he fold the newspaper and make a phone call.

“They’ve started asking questions,” he said quietly.

A voice on the other end replied, “Are they a problem?”

The man looked towards the café.

“Not yet.”

There was a brief silence.

“Keep watching them,” the voice instructed. “If they get too close… we’ll deal with it.”

The call ended.

The sedan pulled away from the kerb and merged into the afternoon traffic.

Miles away, Shalini looked out of her taxi window, unaware that the investigation had already attracted dangerous attention.

The game had begun.

Recommended Products for Mystery Lovers
Notebook for Investigation Notes
Ball Pen Set
Document Organizer File Folder
Highlighter Pen Set
LED Study Lamp
Digital Voice Recorder
Newspaper/Magazine Holder
Laptop Backpack
Portable Power Bank

Affiliate Disclaimer

This article may contain Flipkart affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support our work and keeps our content free for readers.

To be continued…