Part-155

  As they tio talk, James realized that he had overlooked something crucial. The person who had tipped off Arad must have been the shopkeeper. It was the only expnation that made sense.

  The shopkeeper had been unusually eager to help them, even going so far as to provide them with the name and address of the young man who had sold the SIM card to Mrs. Rahman. This was a strange ce, especially sidering the fact that the shopkeeper had initially beeant to share any information.

  There was also the issue of timing. Arad had only appeared ohey had entered the shopkeeper, which raised questions about how long he had been monit their movements.

  Arad cimed that he had been keeping an eye on them for a long time. James couldn’t help but wonder how long that really was.

  James specuted that Arad’s surveilnce might have started when they first tracked Jealukder. If Arad knew about their iigation into online scammers, it would make sense for him to be watg their every move closely from the beginning.

  James pohe implications. If Arad had been aware of their activities for that long, he might have had ample time to learn about their methods and anticipate their as. This realization added a new yer of plexity to their situation, making it even more crucial for James and his team to stay sharp and cautious.

  Putting all these pieces together, James cluded that the shopkeeper must have been involved in the scam in some way. He was likely w with the mastermind, providing them with the tools and resources they o carry out their crimes.

  This realization filled James with a sense of anger arayal. He had trusted the shopkeeper, believing him to be a harmless, ordinary citizen. But now he khe truth. The shopkeeper was a criminal, just as dangerous as the mastermind he was trying to catch.

  With renewed determination, James decided to front the shopkeeper. He would o get more information about Arad who had sold the SIM card to Mrs. Rahman.

  After school, James and his friends headed back to the shop. The shopkeeper was behind the ter, his face expressionless.

  "Excuse me," James began, his voice firm. "I o ask you something."

  The shopkeeper looked up, a hint of suspi in his eyes. "What is it?" he asked.

  James took a deep breath. "I o know more about the young man who sold the SIM card to Mrs. Rahman," he said. "I believe he might be ected to the online scammers."

  The shopkeeper's expression turned cold. "I don't know anything about that," he said, his voice defensive.

  James knew he wasn't going to get anything out of the shopkeeper without a little pressure. He leaned in closer, his voice low and menag. "You know, I report you to the police," he said. "They might be ied in talking to you about those scammers."