Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTER 62. CAPTIONS OF HENDRA

That afternoon, when Jilena left the principal's office, she received a call from Detective Hero. He tells her that he and Jonathan have actually questioned Hendra Baskoro about what happened to Mariana before the woman's death and that what he told her so they changed the original plan they go far to Sumatra.

"Hendra Baskoro said if Mariana agreed to a plan to go to Sumatra with him because the man who paid Mariana every month had threatened to stop financing her life and her son. Marian had told Hendra Baskoro that Mr. Arsyanndra had paid him every month to keep quiet and shut up about the fact that he was Ramira's real father.”

“Yes, I found the letter of agreement on papa's workbench at home,” said Jilena.

"And you're not thinking of showing it to me?"

“Yeah, you already know that Mr. Arsyanendra has paid for it, so I don't think you'll ever need to see it. What else did he say?” ask Jilena.

“When Ramira was eighteen, Arsyanendra told Mariana that he would not—terus pay her, that the girl was an adult now and her job to finance Ramira was done. Lucy got angry and crazy, said Hendra. However, the man was able to calm him down, convince him to tell Arsyanendra if he paid him five hundred million rupiah in cash, he would continue to defend to shut up and disappear, that Arsyanendra will never hear from him again.”

“I think five hundred million rupiah is more profitable than having to pay twenty million every month,” said Jilena. It must have been the quarrel Noah heard between his father and stepmother. "What else?"

"Hendra said Mariana had made plans to meet with Arsyanendra one night to talk about it."

"Did he give you a date or exactly when they met?" ask Jilena.

“Yes, he said it, but all I can share with you is that it was around the end of June, eleven years ago.”

"And where will Mariana meet Mr Arsyanendra?"

"The lake house belongs to the Arsyanendra family."

“No surprises there. So, did he see anything?” Jilena presses, hoping that something will lead her to the killer.

"No. He said he drove her there and then he went to the store in the harbor to drink some beer while he gave Mariana time to talk and get her money. He waited there for about half an hour or so, maybe more, he couldn't really remember exactly how long he had been drinking.”

"It's assuming Arsyanendra was the one Mariana met that night" Jilena said. Perhaps Arsyanendra had sent Jilena's father to negotiate instead, and things went awry that night.

"You mean maybe the one who met Mariana was Noah Arsyanendra?"

“Eh, yes, that I mean.” That's not what he meant, but it's a possibility. It could have been Noah, but Jilena had a hunch that the person Mariana met might have been her father.

“Noah could have heard the conversation, it could have been, and maybe Noah was in front of his father to face the woman,” Wira said. “Noah has heard. He knew all that. So why was she reluctant to tell me that?”

“She should have called him on her phone. When she had not heard from him after a while, she drove back to check on him. But once there, the house was dark and there were no cars there. He said that back then he thought Mariana got a ride back to town with Arsyanendra because she took so long to get back to pick him up.”

“What did he do back then?”

“She went to Mariana's house, but she wasn't there. He drove around town for a while, looking for her, but nothing. He said he wondered at the time whether Arsyanendra decided to make his problem disappear rather than pay.”

"And the man didn't think to report it?"

"That's what I'm asking," said Wira. “He confessed half drunk and—who would trust a drunk for reporting the most powerful man in town? If something happens to Mariana, she doesn't want to be accused of being the culprit. So Hendra decided to go out of town as quickly as possible and he went to Sumatra. She never heard from Mariana again after that.”

"Great love" said Jilena cynically. “So, what do you think, Wira?”

"One of them must have done it—Hendra, Arysanendra, or Noah." Or papaku. "Do you think the lab might have made a mistake in the research?" Jilena. “Could the DNA from the hair on the comb also match Mr Arsyanendra? You know, what they call a family match? ”

“That could have happened. I'll ask Jonathan to check it out.”

“I know Arsyanendra is a selfish bastard man, but do you think he'll— actually let his own son go to jail for something he did, especially if it turns out Noah was innocent?"

“Well, I must agree, Arsyanendra is a cold-hearted man, Jilena, but no, I— would not think so. Although,” Wira quits, “I can see him as Noah goes through the trial, Arsyanendra is very confident that his expensive lawyer can get him out. For example, if a high-profile lawyer like Johnny Cochran could release O. J. Simpson, then an Arsyanendra who had the money to hire a big lawyer could just break Noah out of jail. None of them should go to jail. That is what Arsyanendra believes and he relies on the money he has to control everything.”

“Why don't you try to find out? Let's put a fire on the paper then put it under his ass and see if he'll yell.” said Jilena gave the idea to solve the case as soon as possible.

“Fire? Whatchu mean?" ask detective Wira.

“Oh, you know, Wira .. apply pressure on him, press him, see if he squeals.”

Hero laughs. "You've been watching too many criminal shows."

“With Hendra Baskoro's testimony that Mariana had made plans to meet with Arsyanendra, and then Hendra had never heard from him again, can't you tell Mr Arsyanendra that you have a witness who can confirm he was with Mariana right before he died and that witness has named Arsyanendra as his killer?” the word Jilena explains how to frame Arsyanendra.

"Hmm, I haven't thought of that." The hero stopped, as if he was thinking about that idea.

“I don't mean to sound like a fool, but we don't get many murder cases in this city, unlike in the capital.”