For The Stars Have Sinned

After saying goodbye to Ate Rosan, I quickly went out of that covered court. I didn’t notice Lyndon following me. My feet halted when I heard footsteps behind me and when I turned around, I saw him following me.

I frowned. Still not done with what he’s trying to do?

So I ran away but he chased after me! My jaw clenched and I thought about halting and waiting for him in an alley.

I folded my arms. “Let’s get it straight to the point. What are you getting at, Lyndon? I said I don’t know what happened in that victimless crime, okay? No matter how many times you ask me, I’ll always give the same answer!”

He stopped in front of me. I couldn’t read his thoughts because he kept staring at me with no emotion in his eyes. After a while, he sighed. “But all evidences are pointing at you, Rishell.”

I blinked, the corner of my lips twitching. “Maybe the gunshot that the two witnesses heard were fake.” Then I stared at him. “Aling Pechay said those two witnesses from Baclayan were drunk. Maybe they were just trolling the police!”

“You don’t believe a crime happened there?” Lyndon’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t always believe the news readily. Usually, those are fake.”

“But the footage, the necklace and the letter, they are pointing at you!” He stared directly into my eyes. “I don’t believe you didn’t know anything about that night, Rishel.”

My fists clenched in annoyance. “Why do you care? The Police didn’t even ask me if I was there, did they? Do you have a license to do all this? Also, there are two cars in the footage, If mine was that white car, then why are you not following the owner of that black car?”

“There’s no record for that black car,” he said. He ruffled his hair and frowned. “I can’t trace the owner of that car.”

I thought he had access to all the information so his belief was strong but it turned out not to be. It seems that there is information that he cannot get.

“So now you’re bullying me because you can access my information?” I said full of sarcasm. “How about the footage? Where did you get it?”

“From my cousin Jamaica.”

I was out of breath for a moment. “Jamaica?” My eyes squinted. “Estrella,” I added.

Lyndon frowned. “My cousin’s name is Jamaica Estrella.”

I stared at him. “Jonaira Estrella’s sister?”

The creased on his forehead deepen. “You know her?” he asked.

“Cousin…” I mumbled in disbelief.

So Lyndon and the Estrella sisters are cousins? Huh. The world is so small.

“You know what happened to Jonaira,” he said. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that he was looking away. “So you knew why Jamaica hates Vine.”

My lips pursed into a thin line. “I don’t understand her anger. It wasn’t Vine who murdered Jonaira, but she was heaping anger on the band.”

He was silent for a few minutes before speaking. “Jonaira was killed on January 8, Rishel.”

I quickly looked at him. “What did you say?”

Lyndon sighed. “Exactly four hours before that incident in Arbor.”

If that’s the case…”So are you saying that the two events are connected? Jonaira’s murder has something to do with Boljoon’s missing victim?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m keeping an eye on your idol Vine. They are the reason why Jonaira ran away from the curfew and why she was there at the concert. We don’t know if they are capable of murdering someone.”

“What the heck?” I looked at him in wonder. “You know it’s bad to accuse without evidence?”

“Of course.” He flicked his tongue making a sound. “I’m just trying to deduce things that’s why I attended their concert to observe their movement. My cousin asked me to do this for the sake of justice.”

My eyes squinted. “And you also accuse them that they have something to do with Boljoon’s missing victim.”

“Two consecutive murders are not coincidental, Rishell.”

I laughed. “Why? Do you really believe what those two drunk witnesses were telling facts?”

He folded his arms. “Those two witnesses… That’s me and Kurt Vincent.”

My heart skipped a beat for a second. Like a cold water poured upon me, I shivered unconsciously. I didn’t except it, not even a bit. I was stunned, lost for words for a few seconds before I bit my lip and swallowed hard. “You and K-Kervy?”

“Funny how our worlds collided in one night,” he whispered.

“But…” I searched for words but couldn’t find any. I just sighed and asked him. “Why are you telling me these? That’s confidential. And it is not yet clear to you what was my role in that incident. Are you… Giving me clues? What if I’m the murderer?”

Lyndon grinned. “Now, you admit it?” He made his tongue sound. “Don’t worry. I just know that you’re not the suspect.”

My lips parted. “How?” I whispered.

“Because if you’re the suspect, you will never leave a single trace. Murderers don’t want to show their face to the public. Leaving a trace means admitting that you have murdered someone.”

I took a deep breath, at the same time the siren of the police car passed on the highway behind me, and gradually disappeared.

AFTER my conversation with Lyndon I didn’t waste any more time. I returned to the hotel. He found out where I was staying because I told him. I can’t do anything because I knew he will ask Papa if I won’t tell him, and he will eventually know. My only concern was that he would disturb me in my place.

I tossed and turned in bed. I don’t want to admit that I was there at the crime scene but my tongue slipped. Why do my tongue always slip when talking to that engineer? First was the booking of the plane ticket, then now… it’s about what happened two months ago.

“That old bastard,” I mumbled, huffing in annoyance.

Suddenly someone knocked. I got up and opened the door for that person. A hotel crew. He smiled when he saw me and bowed slightly. “Good evening, Ma’am. Someone delivered it to the reception and said it was for you.”

“Oh.” I looked at what he was handing out and remembered something. The front desk called earlier and was informed about that matter. I didn’t expect the crew to deliver that.

“Thank you.”

“It’s good that you’re still awake, Maam. I thought you fell asleep immediately after getting the key card. The man who handed it over was in a hurry and said it was urgent.”

“Is that so?” I said.

He said goodbye and walked away. I closed the door and looked at the envelope. I took out the letter there. I raised my eyebrows when I realized that the letter was written on scented paper.

~~~

Rishel,

I didn’t see you after the concert. Are you alright? Just text me when you receive the letter. My phone is restricted after the concert so don’t call me. Thanks for the support, Rishel.

Tiden

~~~

My lips parted slightly. “Oh.”

It’s a letter from Tiden.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .