Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTER 23. SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE

Jilena tried to remember something from the past that she could make a basis to start the search. Think about who was the last person with Mariana before she was killed.  Jilena remembered a man who became the woman's last boyfriend, trying to remember his name but she did not know the man's last name.

So many people have the same name, if you could know the full name of Mariana's last boyfriend, maybe she could look it up on the internet and hopefully find something about him. He called Ramira. "Hey, can you come by my house after work?"

"certain. What's up?"

"I'll tell you when you get here."

Shortly afterwards there was a knock on the door of Jilnea's house, when she opened the door Jilena found Ramira standing there. He hugged her and let her in. "Come, we're working.  We'll talk there." Ramira was curious about what important thing Jilena wanted to talk to her about.

Ramira follows her down the hallway and after they enter the study, the girl sits across the table. "Koq you're so mysterious? What's up Jil?" Before Jilena could answer, Mata Ramira looked at the table where a photograph was located.  He leaned over and noticed a photo of the pendant lying in the corner of the table. "What's this?"

He took it and looked at her. "It's me." He raised his eyes towards Jilena. "Why do you have a picture of my mom's pendant?" Means Aunt Goddess, thought Jilena. Ramira had just said that the photo of the little boy in the locket was of him. “Ramira, I have something to tell you. Something bad."

"What's that?" Ramira's bright eyes suddenly darkened when she saw the look on Jilena's face that changed after hearing her words about the photo.  The look on Ramira's face appeared suspicious. Jilena took a deep breath, widened her chest cavity that felt tight and leaned on the chair.

“If the little girl in this photo is you, I now have good reason to believe that the remains found in the lake belong to—” “Ibuku?” Ramira blinked his eyes a few times, then his eyes became round and wet. "Did you say my mother is dead?"

Jilena got up from her seat and circled the table. "I'm sorry, Ra." He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Ramira. "It seems so."

"How did you know that? Did the police tell you? Have they done some kind of DNA test on the bones? What's?" Ramira.

Jilena let go of her embrace and straightened up. “This locket was found with his bone, Ramira. What is possible, that means?”

Ramira looked at the photo again. "How did you get this picture?"

“I can't say it, but believe me I said the truth is that this pendant was found with buried skeletal remains.”

Ramey nodded sadly. “Here, all this time I thought my mother ran away and—doesn't care about me anymore—but it turns out that's not what happened. He didn't run away.. he died.” His voice broke at the last painful word.

“So now the question is, who killed him?” jilena. "And why.”

Ramira returned the photo. “Please promise me, you'll know, Jilena. Please, promise me to find my mother's killer.” Ramira's tears burst out accepting the harsh reality.

“I'm not a detective, Ramira. I'll do as I can, but I can't promise.”

As an investigative reporter, Jilena will pursue every opportunity available to find the truth. If he can continue to put pressure on Detective Hero, he might be able to find out more about the case, and maybe he can also ask Jonathan for help to give him some clues about Mariana's murder. Jilena sat behind the table again. “Do you remember your mother's last boyfriend's name? The one he said he would go with him out of town?”

"Do you think he's involved?"

“I try to think of anyone who might have a motive or a chance to—kill your mother, and her boyfriend is the first person that comes to mind.”

“It's Hendra-or---. All I remember is I always called him the Deceiver Hendra Baskoro.”

"You always call him that name directly to him?”

“The screams and his big hands are still imprinted in my memory.”

“So, Hendra Baskoro gets angry easily. Did he ever hit you?”

"A few times." Ramira paused for a moment, His face pointed towards the ceiling of the room, his expression flat, as if he was recalling all the bad events he had experienced in the past. “You know, I might know where I—can find his name—old box my mother.”

“I'll try to find his name or maybe photo—boxed my mother's old.”

“Old box?” ask Jilena.

“Yes, my mother is a neat person. He always packed things and kept them neat. When he left, I couldn't afford to throw away his stuff. I'll try to unpack my mom's old stuff when I get home. I'm pretty sure there's a picture of him in one of those old boxes, and there could be a picture of them both. If we're lucky, maybe we can figure out his real name. I remember my mother writing her name on the back of the photo. She always does that—to remember who her boyfriend is, I guess. ”

Jilena remembers there were quite a number of men in Mariana's life. Poor ramira though.

“Do you remember if your mother had a problem with someone? Anyone who might want to hurt him?” ask Jilena again.

“Wah. I should try to remember. Let me go to find the box and see what I can find. If I find anything, I can stop by tonight."

"I probably won't be home, so just call me or leave a message."

"Where are you going?" ask Ramira.

“I have a dinner appointment with a friend.”

“Do I know him? A tall and cool police officer perhaps? ”

“No, I'll have dinner with Noah. Wait, don't judge him first.” Jilena said before Ramira said something or protested, because she knew that was going to happen.

“Noah? What the hell's going on? Does the world want an apocalypse?" Ramira clearly insinuates her best friend about Jilena's last words about judging her.

“Not a big problem, nothing special. She just wanted to talk, given the situation is not so comfortable every time we meet each other.” Jilena obviously like what Noah told her. Just wanted to talk, nothing more.

“Oh, my dear friend. Do you believe it?”

“Well, he's right, Ramira. This is a small town and I work in a family owned company now.” What's wrong with giving him an hour and see if he really intends to just talk or something else?

“We will continue to see each other at all times during my time in this city. If it turns out meeting him tonight was a mistake, I'll run as soon as I get out of this city.”

"Call me if you need a ride home. And even if you don't, call me when you get home. I want to hear everything. Looks like it'll be interesting. ” Ramira sneering.

“Already. Now you help me find Hendra Baskoro's photo.”

...*...