Murder in the City of Marylane

08. Sorry ....

I was driving my car at moderate speed on a highway. Every now and then I look in the rearview mirror so that nothing unwanted happens. The cars that go along are pretty much driving today. Additional information— is also not important, I had stopped by a bakery my favorite because I did not have time for breakfast this morning.

I looked in the rearview mirror in the car. There's the same car I saw when I just left the apartment.

Do we have the same goal?

I changed the path my car was going through to the left. I saw the rearview mirror again, the car did the same thing. Then I changed the path to the right again. The car did the same thing again.

No mistake, I was being followed.

Well, since I'm fed up with this, I want to talk to him about what happened and why he did this.

I then turn. While on my way to the office, I should have stayed straight. Well, it's impossible too, right, I stopped in the middle of that pretty crowded highway?

The road I've been going through in the meantime is quite quiet—or even it is quiet because no one passes this road. On his right and left was only a tree that was quite towering. It would be a horror to pass through this road at night. I saw a cross that showed that this road was a way to the next town.

I'm still running the car slowly and looking into the rearview mirror. Sure enough, the car followed me.

I then stopped the car. I paused for a moment, fondling whether I needed to bring a taser that was inside the dashboard drawer or not. Finally, I took the taser and hid it in a jacket.

I got out of the car and walked to the other car. I knocked on the windshield, but the driver did not open the windshield. I then looked at the windshield closely. There was my shadow and the inside was not very clear because the glass was coated in a dark window film. But my gaze can quite scout to the inside.

However, there was no one in it.

So who's driving it? There's no way the car can run on its own, right?

Then, I walked and stood right in front of the car aimlessly. The atmosphere around me felt so strange. My hair stands on its own. I feel someone walking behind me. I turned my body quickly.

I was so shocked when someone suddenly got behind me with a knife in his right hand. I'm cornered. My back was on the hood of my car and he was in front of me. I can't run. The tip of the knife was right in my face. I held the knife with both hands. Fresh blood began to pour from both of my palms.

Once I let my guard down, he might be able to gouge out my eyes with that knife.

My gaze turned to someone who was trying to harm me. Her face looked familiar, but I didn't know who she was. His tan-colored face was quite indicative of anger. Her body is rather large compared to mine. The power is also quite strong.

“Hey, Man! We can talk first, right?” I said to him slightly hardened the sound while holding the blade of the blade with all my might. He doesn't mind me.

My mind is divided into three. Thinking about trying to identify who this guy is, thinking about what mistakes I've made, and thinking about how I'm gonna stop him.

In the midst of that tense incident, suddenly a noise that came out of nowhere was deafening. Someone pulled the trigger and made a gunshot. The gunshot blew him away. I don't know where the bullet was fired, but this guy is a little bit away from me.

The opportunity!

I took the taser out of my jacket pocket and used it. He's electrocuted. Before long, he slumped, he fell on me. I got rid of him and his back fell on the hood of my car. I gasp.

I looked around, figuring out who made that firing sound. There's no one. Has that guy left? Or maybe someone didn't actually fire something at us?

But obviously the gunshots are all around here.

I just sighed and looked at my bloody palm.

Someone saved me again. Is it ‘dia’?

I've moved my car and his car to the side of the road. I sat him down and leaned him against a tree. While I sat in the car seat with the door open while biting the sandwich I bought earlier. I had both my hands treated and I had my own bandage from the P3K box in my car.

Name's Barbara. Now I remember. We were at the same university, once. He was in jail. I don't know why she did this to me. But my guess is, it might have something to do with it.

I also finally told the captain that I was taking my leave. I'll tell him the reason later.

I heard an unclear murmur from him. I got out of the car after throwing bread wrappers in a small trash can in my car. I walked up to him and sat down next to him.

“You aware?” I'm chit-talking.

“Why?” tanyakanya. He sat down and looked up to talk to me.

“What?” askaku.

“You can take me to the police station.”

“I don't intend to do it.”

“Why?”

“You want to be imprisoned again?”

He's speechless.

“Looks like I know why you attacked me,” I said. “That drug problem, right?”

He didn't answer.

“I never complained to you.”

My statement made him lift his head. I'm sure he's demanding an explanation.

“Someone found it and you got caught. I never complained about you even though I had intended. However, someone who found your illegal drugs faster.” I'm explaining. “You remember? I know you used those drugs because they fell out of your grasp, and I picked them up. I didn't even think that it was a forbidden medicine back then. But, the person who reported you found the drugs in your car. I don't know who, but he reported you sooner.”

“Well, however, I'm sorry for this misunderstanding,”. “Stay, your past actions are unjustified.”

“No, sorry. It was my fault,” he said. “I lost my mind, like. Circulate drugs and use them, then go to jail and rehab. However, I blame you for complaining.”

“Sorry,” said again.

“The package and email?” my many.

“Yes, it's me. Sorry.”

“Well, no problem. I don't want to extend it.” I took one more loaf of bread from the car and came back to him. “I'm glad you noticed. Forget this incident and live your life,”. “Omong-by the way, have you eaten? I bought two sandwiches.”

---

“Juan, here!” Someone shouted while waving his hand at me as soon as I walked into this simple fast food restaurant. The lo-fi music from this restaurant entered my sense of hearing. There were quite a number of customers this evening as well. Sure, it's our favorite place to take a break from work, or after work after a cafe. There's Harry, Sean, and—someone who waved—Dean there.

I approached them and sat down beside Grissham, with Hadley and Reagan in front of us.

“Your hand,” said Sean suddenly who saw both my hands wrapped in bandages. “Why?”

“Oh, no problem.” I answered.

“That's why you're on leave?”

I'm nodding.

“What's up?”

“What does your friend have to do with the condition of your palm?”

“There's trouble. A misunderstanding. But the problem is settled, no need to worry.”

“He who caused your hand so?” ask Sean. “Seeing from both your hands it looks like he's trying to do something to you. Like ... stab you with a knife? Your hand is trying to hold it.”

“Ya .. so it is.”

“In the meantime, is this a murder attempt?”

“Hey, is it not an exaggeration to call it that?” my many.

“Then what do you call it? Accident?”

I didn't answer.

Dean scrunched his forehead. “Where is he? You didn't bring him to the police station?”

“I release it.”

“What?!” Dean and Harry were talking together, while Sean was just looking at me, as if asking for an explanation.

I just shrugged my shoulders. “Entah. I feel a little pity if I sue him, even though he has been imprisoned for two years.”

Dean shook his head in disbelief.

“Do not overdo it,” I said. “He can't be messing around anymore. If she does anything, I'll report it.”

“Alright, forget. It's up to you as long as you're okay. Let's order something, I'm already hungry.” Sean said later. He also called a servant.

“What did you guys order?” sean asked the three of us.

“Cheeseburger and cola.”

“My order is the same as Harry.”

“I don't need.”

“You're serious? Order something,” Sean said to me.

“I'm still full. I just ate the sandwich earlier,” I explained.

“At least one,” Sean said.

“Alright, regular coffee.”

The waiter recorded our order and left.

“Captain, what in the place you worked before you served as captain too?” ask Harry.

“No.”

“Then why moved here?”

“I don't know.”

“Omong-by the way, why did you become a member of the police?” ask Harry again. I saw Sean sitting leaning back while folding his arms, looking uninterested in this conversation. “I'm just curious. I don't think we've ever talked about this.”

“If I, just desire myself.” Harry answered the question first. “How about you?”

“My father wants it,” I replied. We turned to Dean, waiting for his answer.

“Entahlah. Destiny?” He laughed crisply.

“How about you, Captain?” Harry looked towards Sean. But, before long Harry shifted his gaze, it seemed he knew that Sean was not interested in this topic of conversation.

“Past,” said Sean suddenly, “my mother killed.”

We turned to our leader quickly. Her mom? Been killed?

Harry scratched his nape awkwardly. “I'm sorry.”

“Then, how?” ask Dean. I grabbed his arm.

“You scratched his old wound,” I whispered.

Sean heard. “No problem,” said. “My mother was a hit-and-run victim, and the culprits were. Almost five years since the incident, the culprit barely caught.”

I never thought that our new captain would have this dark time.

“The culprit is caught now?”

Sean nodded. He allowed the glasses to perch on his nose. “Locko Boyd.”

“He hit your mother???” Harry looked surprised.

“Locko Boyd who?” my many. His name is very foreign.

“You don't know?” Dean looked at me. “He's CEO of automotive company. Hywel Motor Corp., he founded it. Never heard of?”

Harry nodded. “Many people use their products.”

“If that company, I know,” I replied. “I never heard the news of his arrest.”

“Really? It was a big time first.”

“Omong-by the way, did you catch it yourself?” Harry looked towards Sean.

“Not really, I have a team. We caught him together.”

Shortly our orders arrived. We shared each other's stories, including mine. Not with my sister's story. I still hide it from them. It's too painful.

Know it? I feel the warmth here. I like that.

But ... Why do I feel guilty?

Jane died because of me, but I'm living fine.

Jane, sorry. I'm sorry.