Detective Horror

Chapter 26 - Karedok

The flight attendant, Zulfikar, and a resident named Pak Tejo drove a car to the village where the incident took place. The distance is approximately 7 km from the District Police. It seems like the people who came to the police station were leaving on motorcycles.

The village road looks very quiet. Not so many vehicles in sight. The atmosphere of the village looks like it is uninhabited. Maybe because some of the villagers were at the police station.

Pramuja, Zulfikar, and Mr. Tejo are now on the road near Grandpa Paimin's house. Mr. Tejo showed me the location where he found the victim's body. The location is very open and close to the village streets.

"What's the condition of the body when you find it?" ask the steward to Mr. Tejo.

"His eyes glared and his mouth was a little frothy. It's just awful, Mom! Like strangled the same genie. Maybe Grandpa Paimin's pet genie, hiiii ..." Mr. Tejo shuddered in horror.

"What about the color of the skin? Is blueness?" ask the steward again.

"Not bluish, Mas, but reddish. Her lips look bluish. It was clearly killed as a subtle creature. If a normal dead person is usually pale skin," replied Mr. Tejo.

The steward just nodded his head hearing Mr. Tejo's words. It seems like he is thinking of something.

They now turn to Grandpa Paimin's house. Mr. Tejo refused to come in for fear of the effects of Grandpa Paimin's witchcraft.

The steward and Zulfikar went into the rickety hut and checked the whole corner of the house. But they did not find anything suspicious.

After finding nothing, the servant goes to a stall near Grandpa Paimin's closed house. He looked around him. Seen next to the house lay a cassava garden. There are also wild cassava that grow in the bushes.

"What foods are sold here?" ask the steward to Mr. Tejo.

"Karedok, Mommy!" sahut Pak Tejo mentions the name of one of Sundanese cuisine.

The steward smiled at Mr. Tejo's reply It seems he has found the answer.

"Hey, Pram! What does that smile mean? Did you find the answer?" Zulfikar realized the expression of the servant when he had found a bright spot in a case.

"Before I explain it, I'll have to ask the owner of this stall first." The servant said calmly. It seems like he has really found the answer.

"Do you think the shop owner poisoned the food or drink of the victims? That's impossible, Pram! Test results have come out and no poison found in the glasses of drinks and spices karedok on the plates of the former victims." Zulfikar became astonished.

The steward just smiled meaningfully. He knocked on the door of the house next to the small shop. A man known as Mang Engkus came out in wonder.

"What's this Mr Tejo night-night coming to my house? Who is this Mas-Mas?" asked Mang Engkus astonished.

"They're people the police sent to investigate the death of the villagers." Mr. Tejo explained.

"That's fine, Mom! but I swear, I didn't kill them." Mang Engkus seemed to be telling the truth.

"Did you add anything to the food?" ask the steward seriously.

"Nothing, Mom! Did you accuse me of adding poison? I swear I didn't add poison to his food." Engkus looked confused.

"If you may know, what vegetables do you use for the food you sell?" ask the steward again.

"As usual, Mom. All raw vegetables. There are cucumbers, sprouts, cabbage, long beans, basil leaves, and leunca." Mang Engkus explained.

"Is there any other vegetable addition?" search Pramuja.

"Nothing, Mom. It's just that Pak Kusno and Pak Paijo added cassava leaves that they picked beside this shop into his karedok," said Mang Engkus.

"Alright, thank you for your cooperation sir! We need to get back to the police station." The steward please say goodbye to Mang Engkus.

"Hey, Pram! Hows it? Did you know the answer?" Zulfikar looked very curious.

"Yes, that's it!" Steward smiled.

The steward invites Zulfikar and Mr. Tejo to return to the police station. Just as the flight attendant was about to open the car door, he was startled by the appearance of a pale-faced man from the direction of Grandpa Paimin's courtyard.

"Who are you? Whatdoyouwant?" ask the servant towards that figure. The servant realized that the figure was not a human, but a subtle creature.

"Stuck!!!" shouted the figure with a hoarse voice, before disappearing leaving behind a thin puff of smoke.

"What's up, Pram? What did you just see?" ask Zulfikar curiously.

"none. Maybe just a jinn prank," said Pramuja relaxed.

"Ja-so is there really a genie around here? That must be Grandpa Paimin's pet genie." Mr. Tejo looks very scared.

"Calm down, sir! He's already gone. Let's go back to the police station." The steward patted the frightened Mr. Slamet on the shoulder, then took him into the car.

Zulfikar's jeeps soon drove through the dark village streets to return to the police station in the sub-district.

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