Murder In The Old Castle
185. Identically

Gilda shuddered. Not far from where he fell, among the densely growing clumps of shrubs, he saw a lump of cat carcass that had begun to smell bad. The cat's eyes widened horribly, as if staring intently at him. The cat's stomach is beginning to rot. Gilda felt like vomiting looking at that. Half-running he headed inside the house, through the side yard, because the condition of his dirty clothes exposed to muddy soil. He went straight to the back bathroom to clean the clothes from the wet soil.

In the backyard, the atmosphere already looked deserted. As usual, the lights look dim and slightly dark. Apparently the residents were already in their respective rooms. Gilda is a rational person, everything must be reasonable and digestible with the brain. He doesn't believe in mystical things. So, the rather creepy situation had no effect on him.

He went straight into the bathroom, took off his dirty clothes, then wet the dirty parts with water. He rubbed it a little, so that the soil attached to the shirt can be rinsed. He was upset, blaming himself for being less careful. Suddenly, from inside the bathroom he heard footsteps from outside. Gilda was not very suspicious, but she felt the footsteps stop in front of the bathroom.

Tok .. tok .. tok!

A knock was heard on the bathroom door. Gilda snorts. I don't like to rush into work.

“Ntar yes! Awkwardly!” gilda said from the bathroom.

However, Gilda's voice did not get any approval. Gilda was actually a bit surprised as well why her words had not been responded to. He shrugged, then continued to clean his dirty clothes. After feeling his clothes clean, he again squeezed it a little dry, then put it back on. He opened the bathroom, it was not nice to linger inside if there was someone else waiting outside.

Gilda surprised. Outside the bathroom looked lonely, there was no one there. He clearly heard someone knocking on the door. Perhaps out of boredom waiting for him, the figure who knocked on the door left. Gilda could only shrug her shoulders once more. He felt innocent and did not want to bother thinking about it.

He entered the house through the kitchen door, then entered the house. After entering the kitchen, he did not forget to lock the kitchen door. From the kitchen window, he could see the dark backyard, especially around the clothesline area. That place is always creepy.

Gilda's eyes caught a black shadow standing under the tree, motionless. Gilda sharpened her gaze so that she could see more clearly who the black shadow figure under the tree was. However, he only thought that the black shadow was Mr. Paiman, so he chose not to bother.

Suddenly, he felt someone pat him on the shoulder. Gilda jumped in shock. He immediately turned his back, seeing Reno suddenly behind him. The policeman smiled coldly and strangely, not as usual.

“Pak Reno surprised me!” said Gilda.

“What do you see? How serious does it seem?” ask Reno.

“I saw a black shadow there!” gilda said while pointing down at the tree. Unfortunately, there's nothing there. It looked lonely, there was no one there.

“What view?” ask Mr. Reno.

“So I saw a black shadow under the tree, but now it has disappeared somewhere. Did I see wrong?” said Gilda.

Reno was still standing while smiling strangely, like teasing. The policeman stared fixedly at Gilda. Of course, Gilda was wrong because of Reno. He hurriedly threw his face away. He chose to avoid that sharp look.

“Ma-sorry Sir. I have to go back to the room ..."

Gilda stepped back into her room in a slight hurry. He could not understand what that strange look of Reno meant. It's not like Reno used to act like that to her. Usually it looks firm and authoritative, but tonight it looks different.

Gilda immediately went up to her room past the stairs. In a hurry, he almost hit someone who had just come down the stairs. Apparently Reno also just got off the stairs.

“P-Pak Reno?” said Gilda.

The young lady was shocked to death to see the policeman suddenly already on the stairs. A few minutes ago, I saw Reno in the kitchen. So how could he be here so fast?

“Why Gilda? How are you surprised like that? You haven't slept?” ask Reno.

“P-Pak Reno from where?” ask Gilda stammering.

“I'm from upstairs, just checking things out there. You better go to bed Gilda. It is not good to be outside the room at night,” advice Mr. Reno.

“Loh instead of Mr Reno was in the kitchen?”

Gilda still could not believe what she saw. How could Reno get upstairs so fast?

“Ta-but ... but how can I do it?”

“Can what? Never mind. Mending you sleep!” reno's orders.

Instantly Gilda felt goosebumps. This time what he saw was completely beyond reason. How can one person be in the same place at the same time. This is somewhat surprising and almost unreasonable. If it's true that's on these stairs Reno, then who's Reno in the kitchen?

***

That night was cold and quiet. It seems that all the residents of the isolation house are already in their respective disputes. Reno is still checking around the isolation house to ensure the condition of the house is safe. He realized that this time he should not be careless. Miranti's death occurred because of her negligence, which is to fall asleep during patrol hours so that the killer is more free to roam.

He also tried more carefully, should not be careless. He is responsible for the safety of each occupant of the house. If anything happens again, guilt will haunt him for life.

He moved towards the middle room. Once there, he saw the TV on without anyone watching. The TV volume is set to a minimum so there is no sound, but the screen still displays a classic musical film.

“Who put up the movie but not watched late at night like this?” reno muttered.

He was about to turn off the film, but suddenly he was interested in the classic musical film that was playing. The film stars Marilyn Monroe. At first glance, he remembered Dimas' words, that the killer had written the words Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein on a piece of paper. Now, Marilyn Monroe's movie is on purpose, but no one is watching.

Reno was alert. He checked where the film came from. Apparently, the film was played from a pirated CD, so no wonder the quality of the resulting image is low quality. As he recalled, the police didn't deliver a movie like this, so who brought this low-quality CD?

Reno shut down the film. It could be that the film was screened to attract his attention or a warning that perhaps someone would be threatened by his safety tonight. Why is the Marilyn Monroe movie? Who is symbolized by that sexy, slightly bad woman?

To make sure all the girls in the house were safe, he went back up the stairs to the second floor. One-by-one. Starting from Adinda's room, she checks her security. Even to be sure, he knocked on the door of the girl's room. Adinda opened the room door a little, looking at Reno who was checking.

“Just lock the door tonight, and don't let anyone in!” message Reno.

One by one, Reno tapped on the girls' room, then gave them the same message. Reno doesn't want any more help this time. Miranti died of her carelessness. The girl opened the door in the early hours, but she did not know who was outside. He must learn from this experience.

Unfortunately, upon knocking on Lena's room, the girl did not respond. The door to his room is locked. Maybe he was asleep, so he didn't hear Reno knock. Reno no longer forces Lena to open, as she does not want to interrupt her break. After all the girls - except Lena - had him give the same message, he began to descend back to the first floor. It felt like this patrol was quite tiring, but he did not want to complain, because it had become his duty to protect all those in the isolation house.

He was about to enter his room, but he was suddenly startled by a poster attached to the door of his room. The poster was a famous figure with his relativity formula. Who else, if not Albert Einstein, the designer of the atomic bomb? Again, Reno choked. Previously he was surprised by the film starring Marilyn Monroe, now a poster Albert Einstein plastered on the door of the room. What does all this mean? The killer's playing around?

Reno was a little angry. He forcibly torn the picture of the poster stuck on the door, then he checked again the picture, who knows there is a message hidden in it. However, he found nothing. He went back to check the rooms of all the male residents in the house. This time he did not knock one by one, but it seemed all safe. Yeah, he's hoping nothing happens tonight.

Until the turn of the patrol picket with Pak Paiman, Reno still did not feel sleepy. He saw nothing unusual that night, except a picture of a poster and a lit TV in the living room. Now it is time for him to rest, because his duties will be replaced by Mr. Paiman.

The middle-aged man was already prepared with his full attributes. He learns from previous events that this killer can appear at any time. So, it will increase alertness in wakefulness.

“Focus on the children's room only, sir. No need to go to the front or back. I think if there is an event, the ones targeted are the children, so it is better to focus there,” said Reno.

“Good, Sir!”

Mr. Paiman solemnly saluted Reno. He was ready for duty tonight, but he had already drunk a cup of black coffee to help him stay awake until early morning. He allows Reno to rest, while he checks around. Yeah, Reno's right. Currently he focuses on the conditions inside the house, no need to get out. The safety of the children is important.

Meanwhile, in one of the rooms, a murderous figure was walking back and forth agitatedly.

“Sial! Why didn't the old man patrol up ahead? Looks like tonight's execution should be postponed tomorrow! Someone has to die tomorrow!” muttered that figure.

***