The Musician Secret

There was a message on VioVio's cell phone, from Lisi, asking her to come over to her apartment. Of course, her close friend's request was immediately welcomed. She told her parents that after school she would go to Lisi's place. When they arrived at the Metro City Apartment, where Lisi's family lived, VioVio saw a group of people and one of them was carrying an electric guitar hardcase measuring approximately 100 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm.

"It's fun, Lis, there's a band in your apartment." But Lisi didn't know if there're band people because she didn't know them. Lisi said they had not lived in her apartment long. "There's a handsome one, Lis, may we ask for his autograph."

"I told you that I don't know them, then I don't want to go near them," Lisi answered while in the elevator, whispering so as not to disturb the others. "We don't pretend to be familiar with strangers, it's dangerous. Have you never heard the news about things that are very detrimental when dealing with strangers. Many cases prove that."

Well, how come VioVio gets a lot of advice. Unfortunately, when they arrived on the 10th floor, room E10BE, Lisi's apartment room, it turned out that there was no rice to eat. The rice in the magic jar is still raw. "My mom was in such a hurry to get to work that she forgot to turn on the cooking machine. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria."

They got out, into the elevator, and down to the cafeteria on the bottom floor. There is a home-cooked menu available, VioVio orders rice, tofu, and vegetables. Liz is the same. The atmosphere in the cafeteria is quiet, only one person has left because they bought it to be wrapped. While they were enjoying their meal, several people entered. The band's people, someone carried a guitar box. "If we meet them, there must be a guitar case. How important is the guitar to musicians?" Lisi whispered, "why don't they also carry piano?"

When the people were talking, VioVio told Lisi to be quiet. She tried to catch their conversation, who knows the name of their his band was mentioned so she could know the name of the band. Lisi had finished eating, but VioVio had not finished, deliberately holding out so she could eavesdrop. But until those people came out she didn't get any information about their musical activities, the conversation was normal. "I will follow them and ask for autographs," said VioVio, but Lisi stopped her.

"Maybe they're not band people," Lisi reasoned. "Isn't it not everyone who brings a musical instrument is a musician, who knows there is someone who works as an exchange for guitar services."

"But there are those with long hair, that's the characteristic of a band member," said VioVio, insisting that they were band members. She ran out of the cafeteria. But soon came back again with a disappointed look. "Because of you, they are out of sight!" Lisa laughed. "I lost all four of my gold to ask for an autograph!"

According to VioVio, it is precisely by asking for autographs that it will be known whether they are musicians or not. "Mrs, do you know what floor they live on?" VioVio asked the cafeteria keeper.

"On the 8th floor, C14BE," she answered. When VioVio asked if they were musicians, the woman didn't know. VioVio is very curious about them. Yes, because there is someone who is considered handsome. After all, handsome or beautiful is just a coincidence, if possible, of course, everyone wants to be born beautiful or tile. One more thing, handsome or beautiful is also very subjective. For VioVio is handsome, maybe not for Lisi or others.

Once in the elevator, just as the door was about to close, there was a beautiful woman who was in a hurry to get in. VioVio pressed the open button so that the woman entered the elevator. "Thank you," she said. She was about to press a number, but didn't when she found out the number 10 was on. She also headed for the tenth floor. She is about forty years old. VioVio is impressed by her beauty. Secretly comparing with her mother's beauty. The elevator moved up, VioVio was a little unsteady, like drunk, a little dizzy. Until the 10th floor went smoothly, no one intercepted the elevator. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Before stepping in the opposite direction, the woman gave them a smile.

"Do you know that auntie?" VioVio asked.

"Our neighbor, she lives in E15BE, but we don't know her name yet," said Lisi with a laugh.

"That's the greatness of living in an apartment. Great?"

"Does she live with her family?"

"It seems that she lives alone, maybe she doesn't have children yet. Sometimes I see her husband, but rarely. From his appearance, it seems that the husband is super busy. It's the same with my parents who are busy and busy all the time." VioVio laughed.

"Later, when I am an adult and have a family, I don't want to be as busy as they are. I will take good care of my child, don't be like me." Wow, Lisi has planned a good future. VioVio was stunned but then laughed. At four in the afternoon VioVio excused herself to go home. Lisi only escorted her to the door complaining that her head was a little worn. On the ground floor, VioVio met a beautiful aunt who seemed to be walking in a hurry and looking down. How come you've been in a hurry, is your job in a hurry? She thought, VioVio bastard, where's the rush of work. VioVio also ran into one of the band's boys, the handsome one. For a moment the man looked at her. VioVio tried to smile but had to stop when the person looked haunted.

The next day, at school, Lisi told VioVio that she's been seeing bands on the 10th floor lately. Sometimes she calls in front of her apartment. After calling them then down again. Not as many, one of them, but people who go to the 10th Floor alternately. VioVio said there might be friends living on the 10th Floor. "It seems that there are no friends on our floor."

"Is it with the guitar case?"

"Once the guitar case was carried around."

"He might want to kidnap you, you have to be more careful." Lisi shuddered in horror even though VioVio was only joking.

That day, after school, VioVio would go to Lisi's place, having said goodbye to her parents. Dad will pick her up later. Aisa also wants to come. But after school Lisi asked to stop by the bookstore first, to see new books. Lisi is a fan of Japanese comics, she has a large collection. But VioVio doesn't really like comics, she prefers detective novels. But they didn't buy a single book and after that they went to Metro City Apartments. In front of the elevator, many people queue, the address will be crowded. Indeed, apart from being a place to live, this apartment is also used for office space. Many residents have offices there, so there is no need for transportation costs and there is no traffic jam on the road. But only rich people can afford these luxury apartments.

One of the band's children joined the queue, carrying a fairly large backpack. As soon as the elevator doors opened they scrambled to get in. VioVio squashed. The band man's backpack fits right in front of his nose. "Delicious!" cried VioVio. Her nose smelled the coffee scent from the backpack. The person turned his head, VioVio smiled, the person smiled back. Hi, no passengers got off, so it felt stuffy even though the elevator had air conditioning. When it arrived at the 8th Floor the person came down. VioVio was already feeling relieved.

Arriving at the 10th Floor, VioVio, Lisi, and Aisa exit the elevator. They passed the beautiful aunt with a mustachioed man who was old enough. "Just got home?" the beautiful aunty said to them. Maybe because they are still wearing school uniforms. The man with the mustache beside her smiled.

VioVio replied, "Yes aunty!" The beautiful aunt and the man got into the elevator that went down. VioVio asked if Lisi already knew her name, she didn't, she said just call her Aunt Beauty. "Huh, if you're not pretty, then you just call it Aunt Ugly, right?" Lisa laughed.

"By the way, did you guys smell coffee when you were in the elevator?"

"No," replied Aisa. Likewise with Lisi, did not smell the coffee. Maybe the band's bag was used to spill coffee. Or, indeed in the backpack there is coffee. Many people like to drink coffee, especially in the cold season. Her father and mother love to drink coffee, so does Aunt Nunik. Strangely, if VioVio wants to join in drinking coffee, it's forbidden, they said, "You're still a kid, you'll have trouble sleeping if you drink coffee", isn't it fair? If she is not allowed to drink coffee, she should be given an example, don't drink coffee either, that's just called fair. But adults like it that way, selfish!

Lisi said, "Several times I've caught a band member, apparently, observing one of the 10th Floor rooms. Maybe my guess is wrong."

"Could it be just to make a call, maybe the 10th Floor is considered quieter, less noisy than the 8th Floor," said VioVio. But if it's just to make a call, why don't they go to the 10th Floor, don't they live on the 8th Floor?

A month later, after all that time VioVio didn't go to Lisi's place, when she came to the apartment many times he never saw the Aunt Beauty. She wanted to see her smile. "Lis, how come I never see Aunty Beauty again, where is she? Has she moved from here?" Lisi replied that she wanted to tell her about it. So, it's been quite a while Aunt Beauty is not in the apartment.

"Or is her husband being invited to go on vacation abroad, or maybe a picnic to outer space?" VioVio said. Picnic to outer space? Really, because the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, offers tours into space for people who can afford it? A few days later, when she was at school, Lisi told her that she saw an apartment clerk with her Aunt Beauty's parents enter the aunt's apartment. Lisi had heard their conversation that as a parent felt suspicious because their daughter had not been contacted for a long time, calls were never answered. There is also no information where she went or where. Their son-in-law also could not be reached.

The beautiful woman's parents live in Bandung. At first the apartment clerk refused the parents' request, but when they saw them crying for their daughter, the officer melted his heart. There are only two keys to the apartment space, held by the occupants and the apartment manager. "What did they find inside?"

"I don't know," answered Lisie.

"Maybe there be a case," said VioVio, pretending to have detective instincts, because his aunt was a detective. "Lis, can I come to your apartment later?"

"Why do you have to ask that?" Lisi murmured. "If you don't go there, who will accompany me?" During the lesson, VioVio didn't concentrate. She wondered what had happened to Aunt Beauty. Once the lesson was over, they immediately went to the apartment. Regarding the concern of Sanaz's parents, the aunt's name turned out to be Sanaz, became the talk of several apartment residents. It was from her parents that they learned that Aunt Sanaz was married to a finance department official named Mr. Maruto. She became the second wife. But a week later Aunt Sanaz had appeared. Why did it become a search for her parents, why not inform her parents, of course this is a personal matter. It's rude for other people to ask that. This is in the apartment, not in the village. In the village, because family relations are still quite close, such questions can still be asked. But if the apartment people can be very offended. People who ask are considered very presumptuous because they have entered the private realm.

It's just that there is a change, said Lisi, Aunt Sanaz is not as friendly as before. More silence, the smile is gone. "Maybe he's facing a pretty complicated problem," said Lisi.

VioVio proves herself. When she was in the apartment and met her, she was not given her usual smile. If he doesn't greet first, then there's no smile for her. Her face looked even older than before it disappeared. Serious problems are said to make a person's face look older.

When going out to go home, VioVio caught one of the band's children in front of the door of Aunt Sanaz's apartment room. It was quiet in the corridor. As soon as she saw it, the person then quickly turned around and saw that his left hand was hiding something and his right hand reached for his cellphone and made a call. Even though there are no calls, or indeed the cellphone is not voiced (silent). The man was a little nervous.

Two days later, when in the parking lot of the Metro City Apartment, in the afternoon before sunset, because her father was late to pick her up because he was stuck in a bad traffic jam, VioVio saw the band's people heading to a car. She immediately ran towards them, want an autograph.

"Mr, may I have an autograph!" she exclaimed happily, holding out her notebook and marker. But she was immediately wry when their response was unfriendly. The guitar box carrier looked exhausted, until his friend helped him to load the guitar case into the car. The man who helped put the guitar in his palm was bandaged, injured. The band's men got in the car and left without a care for her. VioVio is still standing. Her father watched from a distance with pity. They then went home. In the car, VioVio became quiet, very disappointed.

A week after the incident in the parking lot, Lisi reported that Aunt Sanaz had never been seen again. Her parents came back and entered her apartment room with the officers. This time the parents suspect something has happened to their daughter. They said, a week ago there was an incoming call from their daughter, but the call suddenly disconnected when they picked up. After that their daughter could not be contacted again. In addition, two days later, thier son-in-law told them to check the room of Aunt Sanaz's apartment because his heart felt bad for not being able to contact his wife.

VioVio was at Lisi's place when Aunt Sanaz's parents came with the apartment clerk. VioVio and Lisi looked around to see what was going on. Only an old woman and an old man looked very nervous. VioVio felt so sorry that he asked Lisi's permission to make hot tea for them. After the tea is ready, it is delivered to them. "Grandma and Grandpa, here is some hot tea, please drink it," said VioVio. The two parents thanked them very much. They drank the tea, even Grandpa finished it straight away, very thirsty. The old man whispered to his wife when he felt a bad smell in thier daughter's apartment. "In the bathroom I smell like mixed coffee ..." the old man did not continue his words. His wife was silent. "But Sanaz and Maruto don't drink coffee," he whispered. The old woman didn't answer either. "Shouldn't we immediately report to the police?"

His wife replied, "Wait a minute, don't be in a hurry. Hopefully nothing will happen to Sanaz." The old woman called VioVio and Lisi, asking for help to help clean up Sanas's apartment. Once inside, VioVio smelled coffee, especially when approaching the bathroom. But it was mixed with another smell, what the other was, VioVio didn't know, had never smelled anything like that before. A bit rancid. When finished, the woman handed VioVio a hundred thousand rupiah. "No, Grandma, we sincerely help," replied VioVio. Likewise when handed over to Lisi.

"Maybe, Aunt Sanaz has just gone on vacation abroad with Mr. Maruto, Grandma."

"No. Son Maruto is on duty in Australia for half a month. He said, in the past week he also couldn't contact Sanaz, so he called us to check here," said the grandfather.

When meeting Aunt Nunik, VioVio told about Aunt Sanaz who had disappeared, including the smell in the beautiful aunt's apartment room. His aunt listened intently. Her aunt also suspected that something had happened to Aunt Sanaz.

VioVio said, "I will investigate!" Aunt Nunik laughed. There's no way VioVio can do it, she's just a kid, a fifth grade elementary school kid. When she took Lisi to the apartment security department and said she wanted to see the CCTV footage, they were scolded instead. Little girl what's your business, said the officer. "But it's not certain if Aunt Sanaz was kidnapped or in…, but I suspect the smell in her apartment room. Lis, didn't you smell that smell when Aunt Sanaz's parents asked for help?" VioVio asked when she was inside Lisi's apartment.

Lisi said, "Don't you know that my cold doesn't go away, so my sense of smell doesn't work well. In fact, I can't even tell the difference between stale food and non-stale food."

"I'm so sorry for this Lisi." But CCTV is not everything. The smell of coffee reminded her of the smell of the coffee in the backpack of one of the band members that she smelled on her nose when she was in the elevator. "Lis, about how much does Aunt Sanaz weigh?"

"Maybe fifty-five pounds, but it could be more."

"But she's quite tall, you know, maybe over sixty kilograms." Why does VioVio ask about her weight? The calculation is that if Aunt Sanaz is kidnapped, with such a large body posture, she can fight. At the very least, it wasn't an easy thing for the kidnappers to carry. Outside there was a familiar voice, when she saw it was Aunt Sanaz's parents. VioVio immediately met them. "Am I allowed in, Grandma?" Allowed. She then headed to the bathroom and squatted down. Sticking her nose into the drain hole. The smell was quite strong even though the bathroom was dry because it was not used and there was round camphor (camphor) as an odor repellent. She was very curious about the smell of coffee.

"If you suspect someone who do you suspect if Aunt Sanaz is kidnapped?" VioVio asked Lisi, after returning from Aunt Sanaz's apartment.

"I don't suspect anyone, indeed, who do you suspect?" VioVio is also confused, suspecting who. It's just that she was suspicious of the smell of coffee. Who knew Aunt Sanaz had been killed and the smell of the coffee was to drown out the smell of her blood or corpse before being taken out of the room.

So far, coffee has been used to cover the strong smell, including to cover up the smell of corpses that had to stay overnight because they were not buried in a hurry, because they died in the afternoon so it was impossible to bury them at night, or waiting for family members who came from far away. Coffee grounds were spread around the corpse with quite a lot of volume.

How about the smell of coffee in Aunt Sanaz's apartment? Moreover, it is known that she and her husband are not coffee drinkers. But what if it's used coffee to serve guests? If coffee is for guests, it must be watered until it is clean, including until the smell disappears. This coffee aroma seems to be left on purpose, not watered.

When Aunt Nunik came to her house, VioVio immediately questioned her. "Auntie, have there been reports of missing persons from Metro City Apartments?" Answer if not yet. "If there is no report then the police will not carry out an investigation? What if I report Aunt Sanaz missing?"

Aunt Nunik replied, "But you are only a child." There was one more thing she noticed. Recently in her several visits to Lisi's apartment, she rarely saw the band's children. Last seen them together in the parking lot, when he chased for autographs. Lisi was asked about it, apparently her friend didn't really pay attention. But Lisi also hasn't seen them for more than a week, even though she doesn't see it as often as before. Even then they are no longer in groups like before.

VioVio asked Lisi to ask if they still rented the room on the 8th Floor. Of course, Lisi was uncomfortable with VioVio who liked to order. "This is because I suspect that something has happened to Aunt Sanaz. Don't you feel sorry if my suspicions are correct?"

Lisi asked, "Then why are you asking the band's people?"

"Because they used to often go to the 10th Floor for no apparent reason. Someone caught me standing against the door of Aunt Sanaz's apartment and looking nervous."

"You really are so nosy!" Lisi murmured. But Lisi wanted to help her. They then went to the marketing department and asked if the C14BE room on the 8th floor was vacant on the grounds that a friend's family was interested in renting it. It was answered that the rental period was still a month, not over yet. Then the marketing person offers another space. But VioVio replied that his family and friends were interested in the room because of the good view. The marketing people are dumbfounded. Inconsequential, what a nice view? Because from that room you can only see the hotel wall standing next to it.

"That means the feng shui is good," said Lisi.

It turned out that they rented the place for six months at a rental fee of 21.5 million rupiah. When Lisi concludes that VioVio suspects the band's people. Is it just instinct? But in the legal world, evidence is needed, not suspicions. Aunt Sanaz's parents came again. They look for Lisi and VioVio, because they are the only ones who care about them. Lisi told them to go into her apartment.

VioVio suddenly asked for cayenne pepper, Lisi opened the refrigerator and took a chili. Because the color is still green, VioVio asked to be given another one to make it more spicy. After holding the chili, her eyes then closed and put the two chilies in her mouth and crushed them raw. Those who watched were dumbfounded.

In a short time there was the sound of someone spicy. But in such an atmosphere her mouth chirped: "Sorry, my theory is like this. Aunt Sanaz has been killed! I found the smell of coffee in the bathroom. Coffee to cover the rancid smell of blood. I suspect the band boy carrying coffee in the elevator. The guitar case was enough to carry Aunt Sanaz's body out of the apartment and throw it away. I saw them struggling to carry the guitar case, so far they have never bent over carrying the guitar case. And, one of them had his hand hurt. Maybe Aunt Sanaz put up a fight."

Lisi was speechless with her chatter, as were Aunt Sanaz's parents. "Did you hear my words?" VioVio asked Lisi.

Lisi replied, "Yes I heard you. You suspect Aunt Sanaz has been murdered. You're accusing the band people of doing it." Aunt Sanaz's mother was crying and her husband was trying to calm her down. VioVio suspected they were hitmen. Lisi doesn't believe in the spiciness of the cayenne pepper, the equivalent of a delirious person. However, from the chatter, Aunt Sanaz's parents immediately went to the police station and reported the loss of their daughter.

Aunt Nunik told VioVio about it. Of course, VioVio immediately revealed her theory, as she had presented in front of Lisi and Aunt Sanaz's parents. As a detective, especially since VioVio is often at the scene, the information is listened to as input. Auntie Nunik and her fellow police officers came and inspected Aunt Sanaz's apartment. The police asked for CCTV footage to see the events that Aunt Sanaz thought was missing. But there is a CCTV section that has been edited, this is very suspect. Moreover, the recording was edited when it was estimated that Aunt Sanas had disappeared.

Because the apartment room had been tampered with several times by her parents, Lisi, and VioVio, only their fingerprints were found. There are no other fingerprints, maybe the perpetrator was wearing gloves. Police also suspect an odor in the bathroom, which has the smell of coffee. "Check the band room's apartment, 8th floor number C14BE," VioVio said over the phone to her aunt. "If necessary use a sniffer dog."

But it's time to use a bloodhound. The police brought in a sniffer dog. First, the dog was told to smell Aunt Sanaz's clothes in order to recognize the body odor of the person being tracked. The dog sniffed the whole room and after that headed for the elevator, down to Floor 8 and towards room C14BE, circled in front of the door of the room and wanted to enter. Because there was no one inside, the apartment clerk was told to open it with a duplicate key. In the room they found many fingerprints, a large plastic of unbranded coffee that had been greatly reduced, and traces of a drug called Chlorethyl.

The sniffer dog then got out and headed for the emergency stairs and down all the way to the parking lot. Here the dog lost track. The police tracked down the tenant of the space, but the data given to the marketing department was bogus. The ID card used is fake. But those people are still tracked on CCTV, a lot of their footage is in this apartment, so they can be easily searched. In no time their identities were known. The police made an arrest. There are five people involved.

They are Trisno, a former driver for Mr. Maruto, Gemblong, a debt collector, Roni, who is unemployed, Cahyadi, who is unemployed, and Boni, who works at the Metro City Apartment, who has edited CCTV.

Tante Sanaz's body which was hidden in the guitar case was drowned in the sea after being given a ballast. You have to dive to find it. From the description of the perpetrator, Mr. Maruto was named a suspect. The motive for the murder was because Aunt Sanaz threatened to reveal their illegal marital status to the leadership of Mr. Maruto. The official, who always maintains an image in the eyes of his friends, was confused, then ordered Trisno to kill his second wife. Of course, Mr. Maruto was threatened with the death penalty for plotting the murder.

How did it happen? It was revealed in the crime scene. Unbeknownst to Aunt Sanas, Mr. Maruto had duplicated his wife's apartment room key and gave it to Trisno. Actually, the assassination had been planned for quite some time, but was postponed several times at the request of Mr. Maruto himself for no apparent reason. With this duplicate key the killer group entered the victim's apartment room. Apparently, while trying the duplicate key, VioVio caught one of the perpetrators so that the person was nervous and pretended to call while pulling out the key and hiding it.

On the day of the incident, Gemblong sneaked in, this CCTV footage was edited, discarded. He waited inside with dope and mine. When Aunt Sanaz came home and entered the room, when she was about to call her parents, she was suddenly ambushed from behind, tightly smothered, and gagged with drugs. But she had bitten off the attacker's palm until it hurt. When she was limp, she was strangled with a plastic rope to death. Gemblong then called his friend to come. They enter, at this time the CCTV footage is also thrown away. Gemblong cleans his wound in the bathroom and asks for coffee to cover the smell of his blood.

Tante Sanaz's body was put in a large plastic trash bag and put in the guitar case. They then took the guitar case to Floor 8 and waited for the right moment to bring it to the car. From the 8th floor they didn't go down using the elevator but through the emergency stairs so they wouldn't meet a lot of people. But in the parking lot they met VioVio who wanted to ask for an autograph.

While on his way to the sea, Trisno told Mr. Maruto that the mission was a success. Mr. Maruto then called his father-in-law to ensure his wife's safety. His trip to Australia and the calls to his father-in-law were only to strengthen his alibi, so as not to be suspected. So, carrying around an electric guitar case and pretending to be a band people is just camouflage. Neither of them can play music. The guitar case is always carried around so that when it is used to carry a corpse, no one will suspect anything. If you suddenly bring a guitar case, it might invite suspicion. But no crime is perfect even though it is very well planned, it always leaves traces. This murder case is very horrendous because it involves important officials in this country.

"VioVio is great, you know! She can solve the murder case faster than the police!" Lisi said to her friends at school. Many do not believe. "The witness is not only me, but also the victim's parents." Yes, because she wanted to get autographs from band people, the band actually led her to a murder case.

"No wonder when in the parking lot the guitar box looks very heavy," said VioVio. Arriving at the house, Aunt Nunik was waiting for her. There was a jar of her favorite beef sausage. She said it was a gift for her who had given input so that the case was quickly solved. Of course VioVio prays for Aunt Sanaz's soul to rest in peace. (*)