Short Story: The Ransom Letter by Abhishek Velankar

In this short story, Abhishek Velankar weaves a complex narrative infused with mystery and suspense leaving the reader in shock towards the end.

As far as ransom letters went, Mr. Dogaddia had to admit it was a very professional job, written in neat Sans Serif font, printed on an A24-size paper, the wording to the point and the threat very clear. He had determined he was not going to try to play the hero or outwit the blackmailer, he was going to be ready with the money at the time and place stipulated and of course, informing the police was out of the question. He supposed only one crook could properly appreciate another. Or what was the word his daughter had used, yes, ‘hustle’? Oh, yes his daughter, the source of the whole rigmarole. He reread the first line of the letter again, “We know of your daughter’s affair.”

As the rains torpedoed down the streets of Mumbai, Rukmilabai saw through the window at the back of her flat that the drainage between the fish market and Roadhouse College had started overflowing again. The black-blue water spurted out of the gutter almost like a fountain and stank up the whole sector where Rukmilabai lived.