Ch 17: The deadly plot was foiled just in time

 Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....

That evening, after a modest dinner in the royal restaurant, they returned to their rooms. Sleep was elusive, and they spent the night tossing and turning, knowing that the wedding was tomorrow and something terrible was bound to happen. The answers were just out of reach.

The following morning, Agent Anirud met them in the garden restaurant, where they quickly filled him in on Absko’s call and the wedding. His initial relief at the case being closed evaporated as he absorbed the new information. His face shifted from one of confidence to one of concern. “Savi Bajaj is my favorite actress,” he muttered, before realizing the blunder he had made. His slip caused Cloe to laugh, breaking the tension.

As they spoke, Shree’s attention was caught by a man dressed in elaborate Durbar costume—turban, jewels, and all—carefully handling a set of beads, each a bright red with a single black spot. Cloe noticed the surprise in Shree’s expression and asked for an explanation.

Agent Anirud informed them that the man was Sawai Dadh Singh, the stepson of the Maharaja’s brother. At every wedding in the palace, he would dress as the Maharaja to bless the newlyweds, a duty he performed in the absence of the royal couple. "But," Agent Anirud added with a grave look, "the Maharani warned me that Dadh Singh might not have the best intentions."

As the guests began arriving for the wedding, Cloe and Shree grew more anxious. The plan to stop the catastrophe was coming together, but they still didn’t know how or why it would happen. The one clue they had was the strange red beads.

A quick search revealed that the beads were indeed rosary peas, known to be extremely toxic if ingested. Now they knew how and by whom the catastrophe might unfold—but proving it was another matter. The Maharani’s absence meant they couldn’t reveal the truth to anyone, not even the police.

It was Agent Anirud’s knowledge of chess that provided the solution. Sawai Dadh Singh was an accomplished chess player, and a game of chess was arranged. Cloe would serve as an observer, distracting Dadh Singh long enough for Shree to access his phone. Once they had the phone, they hoped to find some trace of the plot.

The plan worked, and Shree quickly discovered a chilling message in Dadh Singh’s phone: a recipe for a salad that called for rosary peas, marked as a "blessing from the king to the new couple."

Now the detectives knew everything: the how, the why, and the who. But how could they stop it? With the wedding fast approaching, they devised a final plan to replace the poisonous beads with harmless replicas, arranged by the Maharani.

The final confrontation with Dadh Singh took place in his royal suite, where Cloe, with the aid of the replica beads, managed to switch the deadly seeds for the harmless candies. The catastrophe was averted. Dadh Singh was arrested, and the Maharani expressed her heartfelt gratitude.

As the case concluded, Agent Anirud, now a hero in his own right, even managed to secure a selfie with the bride, Savi Bajaj. For Cloe, there were still many unanswered questions, but she could rest easy knowing they had prevented a tragedy.

Later that evening, the Maharani hosted a dinner in their honor. The following day, Cloe and Shree prepared to leave the palace and return to Delhi. As they toured the capital, Cloe couldn't help but reflect on the mysteries still to come. But for now, they had succeeded in saving lives—and made two good friends along the way.