The Tycoon's Odyssey

As the police officers began their investigation, the once lively banquet hall was overtaken by a sense of urgency. The officers spread out, meticulously inspecting every corner of the venue.

The lead officer, Mohan, took charge and gave clear instructions.

"We need to conduct a thorough search. Check all the food items, the kitchen, and any other area where someone might be able to hide illicit materials. I want every nook and cranny to be examined."

The team of police immediately began their work. Some moved to inspect the catering setup, collecting samples of the food and drinks for testing. Others swept through the kitchen and storage areas, their movements precise and methodical.

Guests, whose excitement had been replaced with unease, watched nervously from the sidelines of the hall. The festive atmosphere had turned tense, anticipation replacing the celebration.

Suri and Evan stood off to the side, their earlier intimacy interrupted.

Suri clutched Evan's hand tightly, her eyes scanning the officers with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Is this some kind of conspiracy and the target?" Suri whispered.

Before Evan could say anything, a few men screamed.

"Mrs…Suri…! Is that really you?"

"Can you give me an autograph… I am… I mean, my son is a big fan of yours."

This sudden recognition drew even more attention toward Suri, who smiled gently and was ready to oblige, but just then, a sharp voice cut through the noise.

"Hey, what are you all doing? We are here to investigate, not celebrate?"

Mohan barked and glared at everyone, but as everyone began to disperse he quietly approached Suri, "Miss Suri, I am a big fan of yours…"

"Can I get an…?"

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"Ahem!" A pointed cough interrupted him.

Mohan tilted his head towards the cough and saw Evan staring at him with cold eyes.

"Sir, why don't you finish your investigation first?"

With a bitter smile, Mohan nodded.

"Yeah, I will do that."

_____

The officers worked diligently as they searched around with their faces filled with determination.

They examined the food displays, looked behind the curtains, and scrutinized every decoration that adorned the hall. The search was so exhaustive that they left no possible hiding spot unchecked.

After what seemed like hours, Officer Mohan called for everyone's attention and said, "We've completed our search for the venue and food items. We also checked everyone. At this point, we haven't found any evidence related to the alleged drug trafficking."

A murmur of relief and confusion rippled through the crowd. Some guests began to relax, while others exchanged puzzled glances, still processing the disruption.

Noah, visibly relieved but still tense, approached Officer Mohan.

"So, what's the next step? Will there be any further action required?"

Officer Mohan nodded.

"We will continue the investigation, but for now, we've found nothing here."

"However, we have stopped everyone outside and I would like to check everyone's cars so can you please help? We will appreciate your cooperation."

As Officer Mohan requested to check the cars parked outside, a wave of disgruntled murmurs of grievances spread through the guests.

They exchanged worried glances and whispered anxiously, unsure of what this new development would bring to their evening.

Sensing the rising tension, Noah stepped forward to speak, his voice carrying across the crowd and calming the murmurs.

"Everyone, please. This is just a routine check. Let's cooperate with the officers. I believe everyone here is a good person, and only someone with a guilty conscience would be concerned."

His words had a soothing effect, and gradually, the crowd began to nod in agreement.

"He's right," someone muttered, echoing Noah's sentiments. "Let's get this over with quickly. After all, what do we need to fear?"

Reluctantly, the guests followed the officers outside to the expansive parking space. One by one, they watched as their cars were inspected, and names called out by the officers to identify the owners to unlock the doors and trunks.

So far, every car they had checked was clean without a hint of anything suspicious.

Eventually, they reached a sleek black Mercedes Maybach parked prominently near the entrance. The officers looked around expectantly, asking loudly, "Whose car is this?"

Silence greeted them initially, but as they repeated the question, a voice from the crowd spoke up, filled with certainty. "It belongs to Evan. I'm sure of it."

The lead officer, Mohan, turned towards the source of the voice with a focused expression. His gaze settled on three young men standing together, their faces resolute.

"It's Evan's car... I saw him coming out of it," one of them declared, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.

"Who are you?" Mohan asked.

"I am Ken. I am one of Evan's batchmates. We entered the venue at the same time, so I remembered the number plate."

Suri's eyes darted towards the trio and then back to Evan as if questioning 'Who were these clowns?'

"They're my college mates—Jasper, Ken, and Mohan," Evan explained calmly, a hint of amusement in his tone. "We have a very…unusual relationship."

Sensing the tension escalating, Noah turned to Evan with a direct question. "Evan, is it your car? Then why aren't you responding and wasting their  time?"

Evan's demeanor remained composed as he replied, "First point, that isn't my car and second…"

"How can I respond when it seems like I'm being accused of today's incident? Sadly for you all, it isn't mine?"

Sonalia, clearly losing her patience, spoke up, "How convenient, Evan. You are suddenly claiming that it isn't yours when people have seen you coming out of it. Or are you the one who is hiding drugs?"

The crowd's murmurs swelled into loud exclamations, some voices even accusing Evan while others expressed disbelief.

Tension thickened in the air as all eyes focused on Evan, awaiting his response.

Evan, unfazed by the growing scrutiny, stepped forward with a calm but cold demeanor. "Everyone, I acknowledge that I own a black Mercedes Maybach, but I believe this isn't mine."

"How can that be? We saw you walk out from it!" Ken protested again, his voice earnest.

"Me too!" another chimed in.

"And me!"

John and Jasper as if waiting for the moment joined the fray.

The chorus of voices grew louder, affirming their claim that Evan had been seen with the vehicle.

Even the security guards nearby added their observations, further complicating the situation. "We saw him near the car earlier tonight," one of them stated, drawing more attention to Evan's involvement.

Noah, torn between disbelief and concern, tried to step in. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Officer Mohan, perhaps there's a misunderstanding..."

Officer Mohan, however, remained focused on Evan, his expression grave. "Mr. Evan, we need your full cooperation. If this car is indeed yours, we will have to search it thoroughly."

Evan nodded calmly, his eyes scanning the crowd around him. "Go ahead, search it. You won't find anything—after all, it isn't mine."

"How can that be?" someone shouted.

"It's yours—don't deny that if you are a man."

"It seems you have a guilty conscience."