The private phone call changed everything.
Until now, the Detective Club had been chasing shadows, but this was proof — someone knew exactly what they were doing and felt threatened enough to warn them off.
For Maya, it only made her more determined.
"We set the bait again," she told the others during an emergency meeting in the library. "But this time, we watch it from every angle, every second. No gaps in coverage, no missed details."
Likitha leaned over the table. "And what do we use for bait this time? The silver watch again?"
"No," Maya said, shaking her head. "If the thief knows we're watching, they might suspect it's fake. We use something more tempting — something they think is valuable and connected to Mr. Rajendra."
Anush's eyes twinkled. "Ah, so you're going to let them write their own motive."
The Bait
The next morning, Maya borrowed a small, antique-looking box from the history lab. Inside, she placed a shiny gold-plated compass — a gift from the school's founder to the history department decades ago. It wasn't worth much money-wise, but it looked priceless.
She slipped the box into the staffroom early, placing it on the same table where the original watch had been kept. This time, Raju had installed three separate hidden cameras:
Inside a pen holder on the desk.
Behind a stack of files on the shelf.
In the corner of the corridor, disguised as a wall hook.
Likitha was in the corridor again, pretending to sketch in her art book. Raju was in the computer lab, streaming live feeds from all three cameras. Maya was stationed just around the corner, close enough to intervene but far enough to remain unseen.
Anush, of course, wandered between positions like a casual visitor, sipping tea from his ever-present flask.
First Visitors
The first few hours were uneventful. Teachers came and went, glancing at the box but ignoring it. Mrs. Fernandes even moved it aside to make space for a pile of worksheets.
At 10:20 a.m., Ayaan entered the staffroom. He paused, looked around, then approached the table. Likitha watched from her seat, her pencil moving slowly over the page.
Ayaan bent down, examined the box — then deliberately opened it. His eyes lingered on the compass for a moment, and he smiled faintly. But instead of taking it, he closed the lid and walked out.
Likitha immediately reported it over the walkie-talkie.
"Suspicious?" Raju asked in her ear.
"Yes," she replied, "but not enough to grab him yet."
The Unexpected Turn
At 1:15 p.m., just as Maya was beginning to think the trap had failed, Raju's voice crackled over the walkie-talkie.
"Uh, we've got movement — but it's not Ayaan."
Maya froze. "Who?"
There was a pause. "It's Mrs. Nair."
The cleaner entered the staffroom slowly, looking over her shoulder. She approached the table, glanced at the door, then opened the box. She picked up the compass and examined it for a long moment… before slipping it into her apron pocket.
"Got it on all three cameras," Raju confirmed.
Maya stepped out from her hiding place, catching Mrs. Nair just as she left the staffroom. "Mrs. Nair? Could I have a word with you?"
The cleaner stiffened. "I'm in the middle of my work—"
"This won't take long," Maya said, her tone firm.
The Confrontation
In the empty art room, the Detective Club gathered with Mrs. Nair. The compass sat on the table between them.
"Why did you take it?" Likitha asked.
Mrs. Nair's face was pale. "I wasn't stealing it. I… I found something in the staffroom a few days ago. A gold watch. I didn't know whose it was, so I kept it safe. But this morning, I overheard Ayaan telling someone he was going to 'finish the job' after school. I thought… maybe he'd take this box too. I didn't want that to happen."
"Where's the gold watch now?" Maya asked sharply.
Mrs. Nair hesitated. "At my home. I didn't want to bring it back until I was sure it was safe."
Anush raised an eyebrow. "You realise that makes you look guilty?"
"I know," she said quietly. "But I promise, I only took it to protect it."
The Stakeout
They arranged for Mrs. Nair to fetch the watch that evening. But Maya wasn't convinced. "If Ayaan was planning to 'finish the job' today, then we can't leave the school unwatched after hours."
So they stayed. Raju kept the cameras rolling. Likitha pretended to work on her art project in the corridor. Maya lingered by the stairwell.
At 4:37 p.m., Ayaan returned.
This time, there was no hesitation. He walked straight into the staffroom, opened the box, saw it was empty — and swore under his breath.
Then he went to the cabinet in the back and pulled out something small wrapped in cloth. He slipped it into his blazer pocket before heading for the door.
The Intercept
Maya stepped into the corridor. "What's in the pocket, Ayaan?"
He froze. "Just my own stuff."
Raju's voice came through the walkie-talkie. "Got the footage — he just took something from the cabinet."
Anush appeared, blocking the other end of the corridor. "If it's yours, you won't mind showing us."
Reluctantly, Ayaan unwrapped the cloth. Inside was… a gold chain. Not the watch.
Maya frowned. "Where did you get that?"
Ayaan smirked. "Found it. Lost and found's full of stuff no one claims."
But the glint in his eye told Maya he was still hiding something.
The Realisation
That night, going over the footage frame-by-frame, Raju noticed something odd. When Ayaan took the gold chain from the cabinet, his other hand brushed the back panel of the cabinet wall — and it moved slightly, like a hidden compartment.
Maya's eyes widened. "The watch could be in there."
"Then tomorrow," Anush said, "we set the real trap. Not bait this time — an ambush."