At Least I’M Free
XXXVII

Basically openness makes humans more relaxed their own suspicions and prejudices. Just like what Lilya did, she was frank about her feelings so that Arvin was moved to reveal the secrets he had been keeping.

"Ugh..!" Lilya shook her head, trying to fend off the unpleasant feeling of having said such a shameful thing before Arvin. "Why should I be as bright as that anyway..."

After parking his bike in front of the only cafe near the school, he, Lilya walked to the door of the cafe when the corner of her eye caught the figure of Huga smoking while chatting with a middle-aged man at the table at the far end of the cafe courtyard.

Lilya recalled that Huga told her to come in 30 minutes later, is this the reason?

‘That's who the hell..his clothes cake know,’ Inner Lilya.

Although he looked familiar, the man's sitting position had a shadow over Lilya so he could not confirm his identity. Meanwhile, Huga who was sitting facing towards Lilya just glanced at the girl without changing her casual expression.

Out of curiosity, Lilya also settles down to sit at the back table of the mysterious man to eavesdrop on his conversation. While pretending to look at the menu book, he also put his ears fixed.

"Let me be clear again sir, I really don't know knowing. The school's CCTV was broken a week ago, because someone broke the coaxial cable, but it wasn't me! Then if the matter of gasoline from the workshop majoring in mechanical engineering, I can guarantee that he holds the key just the head of the department and school guard only. If you don't believe just ask them!” Obviously the man was earnest.

Lilya narrowed her eyes because she recognized the man's voice as Mr. Danu, head of business management of SMK Tunas Nusa.

"Ok then I change the question yes." Huga. "Week before the fire, someone had broken all the CCTV cables and within a week the school had made no attempt to fix or find out who did it? Continuing about the gasoline used by the perpetrator to burn TKP, it clearly came from an mechanical engineering workshop. Then why are you still adamantly denying any negligence among the school officials?"

"You're actually tracking down the culprit what's looking for school mistakes?!” Timpal Danu with a high voice.

Still with his calm demeanor, Huga smiled as she observed the cigarette ash that started to melt in her hands. "Are you sure that on the day of the incident, the key to the workshop was in the school guard and the head of the department? Is it possible that the key was left to the student? Or maybe you borrowed it yourself?”

"Please! By the time you hear it yourself, they can't be negligent about giving keys to students." Danu insisted.

Huga turned to look Danu in the eye. "Last question. After all the 'incidents' that happened, why is there still no guard at school at night?"

Danu looks puffed out. "Since the news about our school spread to the public the situation has become difficult. The decision of the foundation is also chaotic, no one is in command of security, and it is not my responsibility!”

"That's it." Huga put the filter-dwelling cigarette into the ashtray. He then politely extended his hand in front of Danu. "Thank you so much for taking the time to help with this investigation."

Danu quickly shook Huga's hand and got up. Unfortunately when he turned around to pass, his eyes immediately caught the figure of Lilya. As if seeing a ghost, Danu jumped up before finally screeching.

"Lilya?! Why are you here again?!" The wrinkle on Danu's face is getting smaller. "Oh.. lest it be you too?!"

Lilya. "Huh? What the heck sir, my people are waiting to talk about problems that might come out in the exam later. Father himself again what? There's a detective, too." Lilya glanced at Huga as if they did not know each other.

Feeling the need to clear up misunderstandings, Huga spoke up. "For this one I'm sure he's not the guy."

As if he got a flash back of the incident in the TU room with Udo this afternoon, Danu shuddered. Although he refused to believe, but the words of Huga inevitably need to be considered.

"May your words be right" Danu said before leaving without saying anything else.

"He why?" Bisik Lilya with eyes following the direction of the departure of Danu.

Huga smiled and gestured for Lilya to move to her desk. "You love coming early, don't you? Why?"

"The answer is the same. Arvin..." Lilya complied and turned to sit in front of Huga. "It doesn't matter either."

Huga laughed lightly. "Just now, we're getting straight to the important thing."

"Ok, but before that I was curious what were you guys talking about?"

Huga smiled. Again the girl in front of him tried to get something before giving up her duties.

"Aren't you eavesdropping?" Ask Huga.

"It was just his last call. About CCTV same key mechanical engineering workshop?" Lilya propped up her chin. "Oh yeah, why are we being asked now? Wasn't it at the beginning Mr Danu was among the first to be interrogated?"

Huga links her fingers. "Last night someone emailed the police station. It contained complaints about our investigation that were too slow and unprofessional."

"That cake isn't common, is it?" Lilya looked in wonder.

"Wow! The same relationship with Danu?" Lilya began to be enthusiastic.

"It was all sent from his email account" Huga replied casually as if it was nothing. Contrary to the reverse with Lilia which is like at a loss for words.

"Sir Danu?" Lilya. "So she didn't I ever send that email?"

Huga nodded.

*"It's so... Oho! His account is in hack*! Assertesan he accused me earlier! Thought I had a hack!” Cheering Lilya as if managed to guess the lottery numbers.

"According to him the murderer who hacked. But yeah..." Huga hung up her sentence as she tapped her cigarette pack onto the table with a bated smile.

"But what? If that's how you trace the location of his login?" A hopeful look was clearly on Lilya's face.

Huga gave up, her smile expanding. "In the TU rug."

"Huh?"

"The email was sent from one of the computers in the TU room. More precisely than a computer that is often used by Mr. Danu to work." Suga took a cigarette and put it on his lips.

Lilya. For a while he just fell silent while watching Huga light a match and enjoy the smoke from the burning cigarette.

"Any indeed...if it is the perpetrator, why did he try to 'slander' people who have a strong alibi like Mr Danu?" Suga smoked his cigarette deeply.

"What is his alibi?" Eventually, Lilya was able to refocus.

"So the prayer leader of the new home thanksgiving event in his housing complex. Witness there are more than 20 people." Huga chuckles. "Too personal. It's as if that guy has a grudge against Mr. Danu."

Instantly the figure of Udo was drawn in the mind of Lilya. Anyway, because of the money held by Mr. Danu he was in trouble, right? Is he probably the culprit? But how could a person like Udo be capable of such a thing, right?

"Let's go, my mind goes everywhere. Is that the middleman guarding school? TU's room is locked, how does he get in?"

Huga shook her head as if regretting something. "Usually I like to go there at night just in case who knows the culprit returned to the CTF to pick up the leftover items? Just unfortunately last night I was checked for sleeping pills by a stubborn doctor.”

Lilya frowned in confusion.

"This means whoever sent the email, whether it was the perpetrator or not, knew that I didn't come to school that night."

Lilya patted her own bidat. "Okay, this is school why is there a night watchman anyway?!"

"From that, mending we focus on the things that are already in the grip." Suga put out his cigarette and smiled.

As if you understand, slowly Lilya reached into her pocket and pulled out the woll fibers that had been stored safely in clear plastic for snack wrap. "Oh yes, this is a different topic anyway, but I just got info that Ersya is actually the adopted child of the Kusumaningrum conglomerate family!”

"Oh, if that's what I already know," replied Huga lightly.

"Seriously? Ah ga really cool..” Somehow Lilya so seem less excited. “Yaudah, so the conclusion that the fiber does not match the same in the victim's car, means you have to investigate the sender of the email. But if you do.. does that mean Renaldi is a suspect? So now I have to do what?"

Huga took the plastic and observed the contents closely. "As long as this is researched, I want you to supervise Ersya."

"Well, what about Ersya?" Lilya doesn't understand.

"Yes as you said earlier, because Ersya adopted son Kusumaningrum.” Huga stuffed the plastic into her overcoat pocket which was tied to the back of her backseat.

“Emang if he's the adopted son Kusumaningrum why..?” Tanya Lilya increasingly did not understand.

Meanwhile, Suga was silent for a while before finally starting to explain.

”Actually..”.