Chapter 38 Inquiry

"Thanks. Burn. Reverie." I cough.

"We didn't pay it from our pocket. It'll be deducted from your salary. So no need to thank us."

I smile. "Still. You guys came to help me. I'm very glad."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Reverie asks me.

"Yes. I might be a little sick but I'll be okay. I'm sure mom is lonely without me."

"By the way." Burn shifts his glances aside. "Was that your maternal uncle that came to meet you?"

"My what?"

"Yes. That guy that came before us. He came to our store once and introduced himself as your maternal uncle."

He went to the store I work in?

"Why did he introduce himself to you?"

"I found it weird. He asked me why you left early yesterday. So I replied that you said you were ill. I didn't know then that you'd be so ill."

I chuckle. "Haha. He's so concerned about me that he's shy to directly ask me. Its been so long since we last met. And our parting wasn't very pleasant either. Please don't think he's weird."

"I see. I hope you guys reunite."

I glance at Reverie who doesn't look very comfortable around me.

Does she know something?

She notices and asks. "So.. did you guys reconcile? You both talked with each other for so long."

I recall my conversation with Mr Xeno.

"I'm surprised that you came to visit me."

"I told you we'll be meeting a lot back then." He came and sat next to me.

He reeks of cigarettes.

"How are you feeling?"

"A bit sick but I'm alright."

"Look, I won't go for pleasantries and head straight to my inquiry. When did you return home yesterday?"

"At around 4 or a few minutes more."

"Is that when your shift normally ends?"

"No. I took off early. I was feeling sick."

"I didn't ask why."

"You eventually would."

He grins. "What did you do at night?"

"Usually what I always do. I rested in the evening, cooked dinner, ate and slept."

"Do you know why Eclise was in your next door?"

"Eclise was? I didn't know."

"I'll be honest." He left out a long breath. "A murder might've happened in that burnt house last night."

I gasped. "What?!"

"Two people entered the burnt house along with Eclise coming later. Now those two people are missing."

"Are you trying to tell me that Eclise might've murdered them?!"

"Its a possibility, yes."

"There's no way he could kill someone!"

"My main question is. If Eclise actually killed them, I'm sure he had to tackle two of them a little. Definitely it'd make some noise. And the walls to your place are thin." He glared at me. "How could you not hear anything?"

"I told you. I was sick. I took medicine and cough syrup. And then I fell asleep early. You know how cough syrups work."

"In other words you didn't hear anything because you took sleeping medicine and fell asleep. Suppose that's what has happened."

"Its really what happened. If you want you can check my home or my co-workers."

"Then why didn't your mother hear?"

"Because I gave her her medicine. You know the last time she was brought to the hospital. One of the medicines her doctor suggested was a high antibiotic. So we both slept early last night."

"How convenient. So why did Eclise meet those two?"

"I don't know."

"Aren't you his friend?"

"That doesn't mean I know all of his actions."

"Why did he chose your house? He could've done it somewhere else."

"I don't know." I looked down. "Was he trying to shift the blame on my mother?"

"Hmmmmmmm."

"I don't know." I hung my head low and started to cry. "Why did he do that to me? I thought we were friends. Did he not think the same of me?"

I started coughing.

"I'll let you rest for tonight. I'll come back later." He turned around and glanced at me over his shoulder for the last time.

As soon as I heard him leaving, the tears stopped rolling and my facial muscles relaxed.

Haaaaaaahhhh... I hope he bought that story.