04 | Bones Of Terror

CAPITULUM 15

"THIS forest looks like a setting of a mystery novel. How cliché! I wouldn't be surprised if people were actually murdered here."

They haven't even reached the mansion, yet Nico just had to make things worse. She knew him enough to know that that was his version of "joking". As expected, it confused and terrified the other occupants of the carriage; Minnesota shifted in her seat while Clyde merely masked his surprise with a fake cough. Kung nagsisisi man ang dalawa sa pagsama sa kanila, hindi nila ipinahalata.

"...just kidding. It may or may not be true, though," he added with a smirk.

See?

'Gotta give it to Nico for having a masters degree in making people feel uncomfortable,' the pink haired female lamented. 'Major in anti-socialism, minor in arrogance. Or is it the other way around?'

Sa gilid ng kanyang mga mata, napansin niyang nakamasid pa rin sa labas ng karwahe ang binata. Kahit na hindi niya ito sabihin sa kanila, alam ni Nova na sinasaulo na ng detective ang kanilang paligid. Whether he was doing this on purpose or not, she knew his memory won't give him a choice.

Bumalik na naman ang sinabi nito kanina.

Kung kay Madame Amara Hartwick ang mga butong ipinadala sa Eastwood, bakit sila nandito? Anong kinalaman nito sa kasalukuyan?

An unsolved murder case.

Sinubukang pakalmahin ni Nova ang kanyang sarili. Wala ring magandang maidudulot ang pago-overthink sa sitwasyon, lalo't kailangan nilang maging alisto sa islang ito. Upong gazing out the carriage, she quickly noted how they were travelling through a dirt road carved in the middle of nowhere. Oddly enough, it looked unfinished, as if labor stopped decades ago.

"Walang mga sasakyan at walang anumang indikasyong nagkaroon ng residential area rito," Clyde suddenly spoke. He fixed his eyeglasses and plastered a tight smile. "It's intriguing."

'More like concerning.'

Sa 'di kalayuan, bumungad na sa kanila ang mansyon.

*

The billionaire Amara Hartwick's cream-colored mansion looks over the vast sea. Napapaligiran ito ng tubig sa magkabilang gilid at may daungan sa isang bahagi. It was built on a cliff, making it seem taller than the lush trees surrounding the area. Detective Nico Yukishito stared at its exterior for a minute longer, absorbing every detail he can.

'Well kept, even though the owner passed away.'

He still wasn't ruling out the possibility that Madame Hartwick is still alive, but his gut is telling him otherwise. Aside from that, he had Clyde assess the bones inside the parcel before they departed Eastwood. Ayon sa anthropologist, malaki ang posibilidad na isang ginang na nasa age range ni Amara Hartwick ang nagmamay-ari ng mga buto. The lab results from Rizee will further verify this later on. This also makes sense with how the prestigious Insula Diaboli ball stopped for years, until now.

So why are they using a dead woman's name in that invitation?

Why now?

Nang makapasok sila sa loob, bumungad ang naglalakihang chandeliers at mamahaling mga kagamitan. Mga estatwa at paintings na halatang orihinal, at isang dambuhalang oil painting portrait ni Amara Hartwick sa itaas ng grand staircase. The madam looked regal, shoulders stiff and eyes blank. Even though she wore an expensive Filipiñana draped with the best accessories and jewelries money can buy, Nico silently noted the absence in her expression.

And her absence in this mansion.

"Please enjoy your stay. Madame Hartwick instructed us to provide your every need," the butler announced courtly.

Nico almost laughed at the absurdity.

"Well, you might as well provide me with one thing, Bernie."

"And what might that be, Mr. Yukishito?"

He smirked, a challenge in his eyes.

"Information. Why are you still pretending that the owner of this mansion is still alive?"

Hindi nakaligtas sa obserbasyon niya ang pagtalim ng mga mata ng butler, na para bang isang taboo ang topic sa islang ito.

"It was indeed Madame Hartwick who invited you here," tipid nitong sagot. "Kung wala na kayong ibang kailangan, maaari na kayong magpahinga o magliwaliw. Pormal ninyong makikilala ang iba pang panauhin mamayang gabi. Nakahanda na rin ang mga susuotin ninyo sa inyong mga silid."

"Wait, the other guests are here?" Nova inquired, roaming her sharp brown eyes cautiously.

Tumango si Bernie at iminuwestra ang kanilang mga bagahe sa iba pang butlers na nakaabang sa may hagdan.

"All the other guests have accepted their invitations earlier this week. And with the three of you arriving today, the guest list is officially complete."

'The three of us?' Nico mused, keeping that little bit of information stored away in his mental storage cabinet.

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