The Witness's
Chapter VI

"The body found last night has been identified. Her name is Sophie Jihan Gunawan. 22-year-old student who was declared missing since March 15, 2022."

Gunawan family cemetery in Tomohon area is the final resting place of Sophie Gunawan. The vast place is surrounded by trees and green grass, which is located quite far from the crowds of the road. In addition to Sophie's grave, there are six other graves lined up neatly, each with white roses that adorn their tomb.

Sophie's funeral service is very closed considering she is a famous Selebgram. Only his family, close relatives as well as Richard and some of Richard's relatives, including the Blake family. Leon and Denada are also seen present and giving a white rose, right next to the tombstone.

"We're sorry, Richard."

The Lecturer smiled faintly and shook Chester's hand.

"Thank you for coming, Chester, Olivia, Maddie and Gavin." Richard wiped away the tears before returning to speak, "I still can't believe that he's left me, when last week he called and asked me for news. How could I have known that was our last conversation.. What a cruel act the man who dared to kill Sophie."

Maddie jerks.

"Last week?"

Richard turned to Maddie full of questions, "Is there a problem?"

"My birthday last week. And by then Sophie had been gone for 1 week without news. It doesn't make sense if Sophie called last week because she's gone." Clearly Maddie, gave off an aura full of suspicion.

"Madelline!" Angered Chester who thinks Maddie's actions are not good.

"I'm wrong Chester. I mean two weeks ago. My mind was already quite distracted and I did have the wrong conversation earlier. Sophie.. Sophie left a very deep mark. I could have misspoken."

Again Maddie just frowned. Everything the neighbor said seemed to have been written and Richard simply memorized it. This is so weird.

"We'd better go." Said Olivia, "One more time, Sorrow." Please contact the woman before leaving the Gunawan family cemetery.

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"What was that Maddie?"

Arriving at Chester's house immediately asked Maddie for an explanation. What he said was very unkind, let alone suspicious of Richard. And Chester realized that.

"I'm just confused by Richard's words."

"His engagement just died, his mind couldn't calm down. It's natural he's been talking wrong. It's not good for you to talk as if you're putting suspicion on him." Chester's reply was angry.

Olivia calmed down her husband, then turned to Maddie who had lowered her head, "Your actions were wrong. Apologize to Richard later, Maddie."

"Yes ma."

The seventeen-year-old girl went up to her room and picked up a pen and wrote something on her calendar. Gavin came in without knocking, and sat on the bed watching what he was doing.

"Lo why the hell?"

There was no reply from the owner of the long black mane.

"Loe.. Suspicious of Richard?"

Maddie stared at Gavin briefly before going back to writing on his calendar, "Everyone especially the people closest to him should be suspected, right?"

"Yes anyway.. But Richard's mom?"

Maddie gave a rough breath before facing Gavin, "Everybody has a demon inside. Either you like it or not."

"We've known Richard for 6.7 years. He's a good man, you know that."

Gavin tries to understand why Maddie suspects Richard.

"Something doesn't feel right." Maddie said softly, "Sophie's killer is still on the loose. We can't trust people that easily. Whoever it is. Do you understand Gavin?"

..

The rain fell as if to be sad when yesterday Sophie's stiff body was found. The smell of wet soil began to smell when the wind blew. The clock shows at fifty o'clock when Maddie's just out of school. The girl spent time in the uncle's office, avoiding the crowds, not intending to disturb anyone. Somehow the case of Sophie's death greatly affected her mood.

"Maddie!"

The owner of the name turned and found Richard walking rain, towards him. Although the man was smiling, Maddie was strangely scared. Since Sophie's funeral, Richard's aura has suddenly changed. He was more secretive and almost never seen again. And this afternoon he approached Maddie with a red rose. The same rose she put next to a picture of Sophie in her house.

"Your job is done?"

"Yet. There's still some more stuff, but since Om's still.. Sophie.. So we decided to postpone it until tomorrow."

"No need to delay. I can do it today."

"We understand the situation Om. We all agreed to go on tomorrow."

"Om needs a distraction from Sophie's death. Come in a minute, will you? That'll be dinner for all of you."

Consider the weak Maddie gives as a sign of agreement. He limply entered the house and immediately contacted three of his group friends.

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"What about hobbies?" Ask Denada.

"Gardenation. You can see in front of the Green House. If it's a holiday, it could be all day there."

"What do you plant?" Add the black-blossomed girl.

"Anything's chat. But more growing roses. That's Sophie's favorite flower."

Denada glanced at Will then nodded, signaling his interview was quite up there.

"We need some photos of Om's Green House and it's done. Can you?"

"Leon can drive you and take a photo inside, and we're done eating outside. About the deal."

The four senior-level students tidied up the stationery and immediately headed for Richard's Green House. Busy taking pictures, Madelline even out of the place surrounded by glass.

"Where are you going?" Will asked.

"Sleep."

"Don't come? The treatise loh." Will tries to persuade Maddie to come along, but she refuses.

"Males."

Still with her flat face Maddie climbed the stairs and entered the room. All the notes and recordings were in hand, and he decided to make his part in the presentation, and tomorrow Denada will continue. But when he opened the book, the purple pen he loved was not there. With a grumbling grudge Maddie was forced to turn to Richard Hartono's house.

"Of Richard. About Richard."

The door that was not closed made Maddie let herself in. He calls Leon but there is no reply. This house is empty. Maddie suddenly remembered her suspicions. The seventeen-year-old girl quickly searched the place she was sitting in but nothing. Maddie moved to the Green House and looked for a pen with minimal light from the place.

Not far from a shiny pen plant Maddie looks. But when he looked down to pick up the stationery, his netra hazel caught a small bucket of red liquid, under a small table in the corner of the room. Because of the minimal light, he could not see the liquid clearly. His tiny hand was intending to grab the bucket when his name was called.

"Maddie's."

His heart thumped. Not because of love, but fear. Afraid of what he saw was what he shouldn't have seen, and instead caught red-handed. But seeing who was calling, Maddie let out a sigh of relief.

"Leon."

Hugging his front chest hand, Leon looked at Maddie questioningly. It was strange to see the girl in this place alone, as she refused his uncle's invitation.

"Remain here?"

Without saying a single word, Maddie raised the purple pen she managed to get with a wide smile. As much as possible Maddie tried not to be strange so as not to invite Leon's suspicions.

"Lo come back here just for a pen?"

"It's a model's gift when I'm on vacation in Singapore. You think I'd like to come back here just for a pen of five thousand?" Answer Maddie ketus.

But when his steps were already at Leon's doorstep prevented him. He looked at Maddie with a difficult look. Maddie's heart was pounding again.

"What?" Ask Maddie as calmly as possible.

Leon approached and whispered in Maddie's ear.

"Don't get too coveted about people's business. You won't like it after you know what the guy's hiding."

And then Maddie was also pecking. He glanced at Leon who showed a sad face. It was as if he also knew what Maddie was thinking. As quickly as possible the girl ran without looking back. He's very scared.

Does Leon also suspect his own uncle or does he know that his uncle did it? What does Leon know?

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